Tag: documentary

Categories
-Top News India News

Documentary decodes 40-year-long mystery of Indian diplomat’s murder

Hashim Qureshi, a close associate of Amanullah Khan and India’s first hijacker of the Ganga Aircraft in 1971, said, “Masarat Iqbal was involved in this abduction. He was Amanullah Khan’s tenant.”…reports Asian Lite News

A new investigative documentary on the brutal killing of Indian diplomat in the UK, Ravindra Mhatre has led to several revelations 40 years after the murder, unmasking the killer of the envoy.

The investigative documentary by News9 Plus, titled ‘Murder of an Indian Diplomat’ for the first time has unveiled the killer of Mhatre, who met a brutal death in Birmingham of United Kingdom.

Ravindra Mhatre was an Assistant Commissioner in India’s Consulate at Birmingham. On February 3, 1984, four terrorists abducted him from outside his office. The next morning, an unknown group called Kashmir Liberation Army (KLA) claimed responsibility for the abduction.

The abductors demanded the release of terrorist Maqbool Butt from New Delhi’s Tihar Jail and nine others, along with 1 million pounds as ransom. On the evening of February 5, a motorist found Mhatre, lifeless with two gunshot wounds aimed at his head. Fearing that their plan could fail at any moment, the abductors assassinated Mhatre in cold blood.

The News9 Plus investigation traced the killer of the Indian diplomat, identified as Malik Massarat, in Kotli, Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), who still fears his arrests, according to the investigation. Moreover, two witnesses have lately confirmed and identified Mhatre’s killer.

“I can confirm that the order to kill Ravindra Mhatre was given by Amanullah Khan. He was the Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Khan felt that police would be able to arrest the kidnappers and that would disgrace the JKLF, hence a new identity of KLF was given to the kidnappers,” Shabir Chaudhary, the former Secretary General of the JKLF said in an interview from UK.

Meanwhile, Hashim Qureshi, a close associate of Amanullah Khan and India’s first hijacker of the Ganga Aircraft in 1971, said, “Masarat Iqbal was involved in this abduction. He was Amanullah Khan’s tenant.”

“He called Amanullah Khan and told him that police could be reaching them soon. What should we do? Amanullah Khan told him in front of me, ‘Shoot him dead and dispose of the body’. I opposed Amanullah and told him not to kill this innocent man,” he added.

The investigation put forward by News9 Plus over months also revealed a failed attempt to assassinate a former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi in the UK and a conspiracy to kill a former Indian ambassador to France in the year 1985-86.

Indian diplomats in the United States and Canada have over the last few months been receiving death threats from designated Khalistani terrorists. The ongoing investigation of News9Plus began tracking the trail of intimidation, which also led the team to the sensational and unsolved murder of an Indian diplomat in the United Kingdom 40 years ago. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also denounced the “atmosphere of intimidation” against Indian diplomats in Canada previously.

Ravindra Mhatre’s daughter, Asha D’Souza, wants the killers to be brought to justice. “I wouldn’t advocate killing anybody, but have a trial, and then convict that person so that people know what they’ve done.”

“This is a story that we should all feel touched by because what happened to him could have happened to anybody. It happened to an Indian diplomat, and it happened in this country. When people think that this was just one incident, I want them to remember that this has a grave implication for the way diplomats are treated and looked after worldwide,” said Vikram Doraiswami, India’s High Commissioner to the UK. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Top US National Security Official Meets Jaishankar

Categories
Film Review Lite Blogs UK News

Vinay Shukla’s Award-Winning Journalism Documentary: ‘While We Watched’

Asian Lite International’s columnist Riccha Grrover highlights that the documentary is an impactful character study of a reporter’s unshakable quest to report the truth.

Released across UK and Irish cinemas in July 2023, the film is a turbulent newsroom drama intimately chronicling the working days of broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar as he navigates a spiralling world of truth and disinformation. As factual reporting is in freefall, globally WHILE WE WATCHED is a dignified lens into the abyss.

Produced by the U.K’s Lono Studio and BritDoc Films, the documentary debuted at the Toronto Film Festival 2022, where it won the Amplify Voices award. It then picked up the Cinephile award at the Busan International Film Festival, won the International Competition award at Helsinki’s DocPoint festival, and most recently picked up the prestigious Sabeen Mahmud award for Courage in Cinema. Shukla previously directed the controversial Indian documentary ‘AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN’. The film had a UK premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest on Friday 16th June.

The documentary synopsis is that The Prime Time Indian TV journalist, Ravish Kumar, is in trouble. Famous for his unflinching takedowns of the ruling establishment during his long-running primetime news hour, his nerves have begun to fray from carrying the torch of ‘good journalism’ for too long. In the public eye, Ravish has become a regular fixture, beaming from TV sets and widely shared phone videos. His primetime news bulletin has long been characterised by solid research, verified evidence, vignette-style notes from the field, and a sharp commentary with a touch of rustic sass. In the Indian media landscape, Kumar’s show is a far cry from the new industry standard of high-decibel, polarising, blustering TV news debates.

As press freedom further disintegrates and self-censorship becomes the new normal, Kumar struggles to stay afloat in the rising tide of his own network’s financial hardships, sinking TRP ratings, and the strain of continuous downsizing. The dangerously deteriorating standard of public discourse finds Ravish at the receiving end of harassment, intimidation, morphed images, threats to his life and even violence against his family.

With a growing target on his back, and the looming threat of his network’s imminent closure, Ravish transforms from a spunky troublemaker into a deeply troubled man, worried for himself, his family, and the soul of his nation.

Kumar, a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, was a senior journalist at Indian news platform NDTV, who resigned after billionaire Gautam Adani took over the company. He has since set up his own YouTube Channel where he broadcasts and has already built a following of 6.22M subscribers.

Director Vinay Shukla says, “While We Watched is my love letter to journalism. It’s an urgent newsroom horror film – there is a story of hope hidden deep inside layers of personal loneliness”

Shukla is also credited as a producer on WHILE WE WATCHED alongside Khushboo Ranka and Luke W.Moody. Executive producers include Maxyne Franklin, Jess Search, Beadie Finzi & Vijay Vaidyanathan. 

Curator Thom Powers states that While We Watched is essential viewing for anyone interested in how television journalism is under threat. Although the film is rooted in India, its depiction of misinformation eroding fact-based news could apply to any number of countries.

At the centre of the film is veteran reporter Ravish Kumar of India’s NDTV who strives to uphold standards of independence and accountability. “Our job is to ask the most difficult questions to those in power,” he says. But every day, he faces a new set of challenges: budget cuts, staff departures, mysterious obstructions and even death threats. His station struggles to compete against the rising popularity of channels that replace news with zealots shouting down their opponents. 

Filmmaker Vinay Shukla tells this story at the fast-paced speed of breaking news. Early in the film, the accelerator is pressed to the floor and never lets up. One pleasure of the film is watching dogged correspondents at work riding the adrenaline rush of getting scoops. Against the odds of India’s increasingly grim news landscape, Kumar remains a beacon of hope in his professionalism and mentoring of younger reporters. Their perseverance amidst chaos is a wonder to behold.

Founded in October 2022, MetFilm Distribution is a boutique all rights distributor releasing a curated slate of films across the UK and Ireland. 
Recent titles include FASHION REIMAGINED, LOVING HIGHSMITH and A BUNCH OF AMATEURS.

ALSO READ: Asees Kaur in Debut UK Concert at Indigo O2

Categories
India News UK News

India denounces BBC documentary on Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Indore

Prominent Indian-origin UK citizens condemned the series. Prominent UK Citizen Lord Rami Ranger said the “BBC caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians.”…reports Asian Lite News

India on Thursday denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described it as a “propaganda piece” that is designed to push a discredited narrative.

Addressing a weekly media briefing External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said this documentary show, based on some internal UK report, shows the colonial mindset. “We think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias and the lack of objectivity and frankly continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible,” Bagchi said in response to the question on the PM documentary series.

UK’s National broadcaster BBC aired a two-part series attacking PM Narendra Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots of 2002. The documentary sparked outrage and was removed from select platforms.

Prominent Indian-origin UK citizens condemned the series. Prominent UK Citizen Lord Rami Ranger said the “BBC caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians.”

The MEA spokesperson said the documentary is a reflection of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. He even raised questions on “the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it.” “The documentary is a reflection of the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it; frankly, we do wish to dignify these efforts,” he added.

Referring to apparent remarks made by former UK Secretary Jack Straw in the documentary series, Bagchi said “He (Jack Straw) seems to be referring to some internal UK report. How do I have access to that? It’s a 20-year-old report. Why would we jump on it now? Just because Jack says it how do they lend it that much legitimacy.”

“I heard words like inquiry and investigations. There is a reason why we use the colonial mindset. We don’t use words loosely. What inquiry they were diplomats there…investigation, are they ruling the country? Bagchi asked. (ANI)

ALSO READ-BBC controversially scraps ‘Dateline London’

Categories
-Top News Dubai UAE News

Dubai’s fight against pandemic documentary launched

Dubai’s fight against pandemic documentary launched

The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), in partnership with Discovery, today announced the launch of a two-part documentary COVID-19: Dubai, chronicling Dubai’s journey in combating the COVID-19 pandemic…reports Asian Lite News

The documentary, featuring two 45-minute episodes, highlights the emirate’s robust response to the pandemic and its effective health measures, which ultimately enabled the city to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate its impact on the community.

The documentary features conversations with the emirate’s pioneering leadership and heroes from the frontline who went above and beyond their call of duty to protect the health and safety of the community. It also follows home-schooled children and their parents and shares the highs and lows of the business community, as Dubai navigates its way through an unprecedented crisis demonstrating how, against the odds, adversity became a catalyst for its ever-progressive society.

The documentary takes an intimate look at the human stories from a diverse selection of Dubai residents, as they adjust to the ‘new normal’ and face their challenges charged with innovation and inspiration.

Mona Al Marri, Director-General of the Government of Dubai Media Office: “We are pleased to collaborate with Discovery to share Dubai’s remarkable journey and proactive approach in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. From the very onset of the pandemic, Dubai set an example for the world in responding swiftly and effectively to protect lives and livelihoods, and limiting COVID-19’s impact on the society and economy. Through each episode, the documentary depicts the resilience of the emirate and its community, and showcases how each and every member of society has been part of the story of Dubai’s success in overcoming the crisis.”

ALSO READ: UAE Fuels Billion Meals Programme

Lee Hobbs, Senior Vice President of Pay TV, Global Brands and discovery+ for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “The world’s battle against COVID-19 has been relentless, with efforts continuously evolving as time goes on. Dubai has been unique in its approach, facing the pandemic head-on and being amongst the first in the world to undergo an extensive vaccination programme. The documentary celebrates the heroes of the pandemic, from those on the frontline, to the family heroes who took on homeschooling and caring for others.”

Filmed and produced in Dubai, the new documentary will air exclusively on Discovery, on 7th May and 14th May 2022 at 22:00 UAE time and from mid-May on discovery+, in a branded environment on Jawwy TV and STARZPLAY.

Viewers can also follow the action on Discovery’s Facebook @DiscoveryChannelArabia.

Categories
Arab News Saudi Arabia

Saudi announces to document the oral history of Ardah

Saudi announces to document oral history of Ardah

Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of an initiative to document the oral history of the Ardah, a folkloric group dance…reports Asian Lite News

The dance involves two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.

Ardah combines poetry, percussion music, and tap dancing to produce an evocation of the formidable respectability of a flag defended with a sword.

Saudi announces to document oral history of Ardah

The Oral History of the Saudi Arda initiative, announced by the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) on Sunday, aims to shed light on the traditional celebratory Saudi group dance made famous by the rising popularity of the Kingdom’s culture and heritage in the world over in recent years, Xinhua news agency reported citing an official statement.

The Authority is tasked by the Saudi government to redevelop Diriyah, a historic town located on the outskirts of the capital Riyadh and the original home of the Saudi royal family, into a global tourist destination.

This is part of a series of similar initiatives to preserve the national history, reinvigorate the festive Saudi dance, popularise Ardah songs and their writers, and introduce people to the Saudi art form.

ALSO READ: UAE Backs Saudi Bid For Expo 2030

Performed solely by men in a public space, Ardah is a manifestation of their upbeat enthusiasm as they reiterate their loyalty and love to the King and the Kingdom, according to a report by the Saudi Gazette.

Originally, Ardah started as a war dance to instil vigour in the hearts of fighting men right before engaging in a war.

The sword dance was a way to show off weapons and fearlessness to the enemy. Today, it’s a fundamental component of the Kingdom’s popular culture.

Categories
Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

‘Nothing more powerful than being in a dark room to share a story’

I had typically done fictional films up until that point but the landscape of US politics had changed and I became fascinated with how my work could inform this new reality that we found ourselves in…Ben Rekhi speaks with Anjuri Nayar Singh.

Most of the film curators begin their passion for cinema by doing short movies or documentary films. Indian origin filmmaker Ben Rekhi feels film festivals hold a lot of significance at any stage in one’s career. Rekhi, whose documentary “The Reunited States” has been shown at multiple film festivals, adds that cinema is an experience that needs to be enjoyed with others.

“I think at any point in a career, film festivals are of tremendous value for both the filmmaker and the audience to interact with each other. Cinema is meant to be a shared experience, which is suffering now owing to the closure of movie theatres over the past year. Film festivals are places where we are able to meet each other in person,” he told.

The film has been screened at Cinequest Film and Creativity Festival, Nashville Film Festival, United Nations Association Film Festival, and Virginia Film Festival among others. Rekhi says film festivals as these are a great experience because they allow makers to interact with the audience and get feedback.

“There’s nothing more powerful than being in a dark room together and sharing a story, and film festivals allow you to generate a lot of press, connect with your audience, experience real-time feedback, connect with other filmmakers, and build connections and resources. We’re grateful to continue making the types of movies that film festivals want to screen. They (festivals) are not right for every film but for many films they are,” he says.

Talking about his documentary, he says he is happy to be able to depict what is happening in the world through his films.

“‘The Reunited States’ came to me after the 2016 elections. I had typically done fictional films up until that point but the landscape of US politics had changed and I became fascinated with how my work could inform this new reality that we found ourselves in. So, the idea of non-fiction and turning the camera around on reality to try and understand it and help us maneuver became an obsession for me,” he says.

Rekhi’s film “The Reunited States” is a documentary that aims at urging all Americans to realise everyone has a role to play in reuniting the country.

Also Read-Michelle’s new documentary traces her book tour

Read More-New documentary looks at effects on animals