Gulzar

Kashmir 'preacher' arrested for sexually exploiting minors

Srinagar: A self-styled "religious preacher" was arrested from Jammu and Kashmir's Badgam district for repeated sexual exploitation of four minor girls at an institute he ran, police said on Tuesday. "Police in Badgam district received a joint complaint by four minor girls who were reading in an institute claiming religious preaching headed by Gulzar Ahmed Bhat, son of Ghulam Qadir Bhat, resident of Latter Chadur (Shamasabad) Khan Sahib. The minor girls claimed they ad been repeatedly sexually exploited during their stay in the institute," a police statement said in Srinagar.

It said Bhat was arrested, a case of rape was registered in police station Khan Sahib and the investigations are on. "The statements of the victims have been recorded before the chief judicial magistrate, Badgam which corroborate the complaint. The victims have also been medically examined," said the statement, adding the victims belong to different districts of the Valley.

It said the institute was running for last several years, and used to provide boarding and lodging to its students. "Police are gathering further evidence in the matter and some more revelations are expected," said the statement.

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Gulzar's appointment as chancellor elates Assam University

Guwahati: The news of the appointment of eminent lyricist Gulzar as its chancellor has elated officials at Assam University. They hope this association will help the university in improving its image. "The appointment of the Chancellor in the central universities is the prerogative of the President of India, who is the Chief Visitor of the universities. Gulzar is an eminent personality and a Padma Bhushan awardee. The President of India...  

Snapshot: How often do you see Gulzar, Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh and Helen in one photo frame?

New Delhi: Veteran actresses Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh and Helen were spotted with lyricist Gulzar during a play 'Paansa' at Privithi Theatre in Mumbai. ...  

Theatre more interesting than films, says Gulzar

Mumbai: Besides writing lyrics and screenplays, Gulzar has also penned several plays like 'Kharashein' and 'Arey O Henry', and says theatre is more interesting as you get 'audiences' instant reaction' and have scope to 'rectify mistakes'. "Theatre is a very beautiful and interesting medium because it's a live show, unlike a film - once released, it's gone," said the veteran who has also written other plays - 'Lakeerein' and 'Atthaniyaan'...  

Watch the viral video of Alaa Wardi's 'Jiya Re'

New Delhi: Iranian musician Alaa Wardi has come up with a new version of the song 'Jiya re' from the film 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'. The video has gone viral on the internet and it's a completely new take on Rahman's song. The specialty of the song is that Alaa Wardi has not taken any external help in producing the song. He has generated the voices for bass, clap, strings...  

100 Years of Indian Cinema: The first women directors

Fatma Begum is considered as the first woman director of Indian Cinema. She directed her first film in 1926. ...  

Special courts for Muslims an 'eyewash', say Muslim organisations

Muslims organizations have expressed skepticism over the home ministry's proposal to set up special courts for speedy trial of Muslim youth falsely implicated in terror-related cases, terming the move a "lollipop" for the community. Gulzar Azmi of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said the move has been made with an eye to next year's elections. ...  

Emraan Hashmi pays tribute to Gulzar in 'Ek Thi Daayan'

Actor Emraan Hashmi has paid tribute to legendary lyricist Gulzar in 'Ek Thi Daayan' and the director of the horror thriller Kannan Iyer says the sequence is presented in a realistic manner. ...  

Don't be angry with me, says Gulzar

Veteran lyricist Gulzar wrote an apology letter to the organiser of the Karachi Literary festival organiser Ameena Saiyid. ...  

Gulzar cuts short Pak visit, skips Karachi Literature Fest

Gulzar was meant to be a keynote speaker at the Karachi Literature Festival that starts on Feburary 15. But decided to return to India. He was in Pakistan on a private visit with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj recently. ...

'In the Company of a Poet' is a delightful read

'In the Company of a Poet' does a fantastic job of steering Gulzar through his personal history. ...  

Vishal Bhardwaj teams up with Gulzar for a song

Director Vishal Bhardwaj and lyricist Gulzar have teamed up once again for 'Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola', targeting the land acquisition issue this time through the song 'Lootnewale'. The duo have previously worked together in films like '7 Khoon Maaf', 'Ishqiya', 'Kaminey' and 'Omkara', composing hits like 'Beedi jalaile', 'Dil to bachcha hain ji' and 'Dhan te nan'. ...  

Ravi Shankar was always young at heart: Gulzar

Writer-lyricist Gulzar remembers the late sitar maestro as an honest person who was young at heart. ...  

Raakhee once took sitar lessons from Ravi Shankar

Raakhee Gulzar spent weeks learning how to play the sitar from the maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar himself. ...  

Why Gulzar cremated his father 5 years later

New Delhi: Shell-shocked after not being able to attend his father's last rites, lyricist Gulzar decided not to cremate him and did so only five years later when his revered filmmaker Bimal Roy died. "When my father passed away in Delhi, I was working with Bimalda as an assistant in Bombay. My family did not inform me about it. My elder brother who lived in Bombay, and who knew what...  

Gulzar honoured with Indira Gandhi National Integration Award

Renowned lyricist, poet and author Gulzar received the 27th Indira Gandhi award for National Integration. ...

Yash Chopra had lyrical approach to filmmaking

Mumbai: Yesteryear actress Raakhee Gulzar, who did popular films like 'Daag', 'Kabhi Kabhie' and 'Trishul' with Yash Chopra, says he had a lyrical approach towards filmmaking. "Yash wasn't too heavily into technical aspects of filmmaking. He went by the heart. His approach to filmmaking was lyrical. There was no vulgarity about his presentation. And he was fascinated with femininity He had a certain image and vision of the ideal woman....  

Khar's husband says 'rubbish' rumours aimed at maligning wife

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar's husband Feroz Gulzar has rubbished rumours about differences in their relationship as a campaign to malign his wife. Gulzar, an industrialist from Punjab province, was quoted by Geo News channel on Thursday as saying that the campaign to malign his wife was "rubbish" that does not merit comment. He further said there was "no premise for such trash" and that he would not...  

Gulzar to present 'Kya Dilli Kya Lahore'

New Delhi: Eminent lyricist and director Gulzar, who was working on 'Kya Dilli Kya Lahore' as a mentor, has now officially lent his name to the project. He would present the movie and says that the subject of partition is close to his heart. "The subject (partition) is very close to my heart. I have been writing about it a lot. After seeing the film I was surprised to know...