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Like his book, Tendulkar’s biopic is a nostalgic cruise through his career As I walked out of the cinema hall after watching Sachin: A Billion Dreams, I wondered: Would I have thought differently of this biopic had I not known anything about the person it is based on? James Erskine’s documentary on one of the most celebrated cricketers in the world – one who has achieved a near-deific status in India – went along expected lines. But was that because I, like many Indians and cricket followers around the world, already knew so much about Sachin Tendulkar? How would someone living under a rock for the last quarter of a century, and did not know who Tendulkar was, have liked it? Sachin: A Billion Dreams   starts off rather nicely, showing us a naughty curly-haired boy of seven or eight years living in Mumbai’s Bandra suburb, getting up to the usual seven-or-eight-year-old boy things like annoying his neighbours with pranks. The boy then receives a cricket bat as a gift from his e

Tendulkar comes across in the film as guileless and driven There is something about Sachin Tendulkar, something so correct and so innocent you want him to win in life even when you know he is no more the 'God' of the cricket field. The rousing farewell speech that Sachin gives at the end of this astutely emotional journey into the heart and mind of India's most celebrated Bat Man, left me dewy-eyed. This, when I know zilch about cricket and practically nothing about Sachin's exploits on the field. What I do know "and what this film is able to tell us in comprehensive strokes of revelation" is that greatness is not thrust on the great by chance. One has to break bones and crack ribs to get there. " Sachin: A Billion Dreams " is the story of a national hero who sails through every crisis with his simple philosophy of good existence and hard work. Sachin's life is blameless. He has never been in any controversy and he doesn't incite

Went to Latur for a statewide campaign to reach out to farmers; chopper developed a technical snag Breaking News   : Maharashtra Chief Minister   Devendra Fadnavis ' helicopter crash landed at Nilanga in Latur district on Wednesday after it suffered a snag, but he escaped unhurt. "Our helicopter did meet with an accident in Latur but me and my team is absolutely safe and ok. Nothing to worry," Fadnavis tweeted after the mishap. A senior official of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) said it was an accident and the chopper suffered substantial damage. Fadnavis had gone to Latur in Marathwada for the BJP's 'Shivar Samwad Sabha', a statewide campaign to reach out to farmers. "I am safe. There was a minor accident involving the helicopter. People shouldn't believe in rumours," Fadnavis later told media persons. The chopper developed a technical snag while taking off from the helipad at Nilanga where the chief minister ha

The caste violence has led to a political slugfest with chief Mayawati putting the blame on BJP [A bike burning during violent clashes between two communities over a land dispute in Saharanpur] Fresh violence was witnessed in   Saharanpur   in which three persons were injured on Wednesday, prompting the government to suspend the district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police (SSP). The Divisional Commissioner and the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) were transfered in the wake of the continuing violence in this district of Uttar Pradesh which has been hit by caste-based clashes. Mobile internet and messaging services were also suspended in the district to prevent rumour mongering. Later on Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said strong action is being taken against all those responsible for the violence and appealed for calm. He said people should not pay heed to inflammatory speeches and should help in maintaining peace and order. Adityanath a

BJP is making inroads among Dalits but at the same time, Dalits come together when they are attacked [People from the Dalit community hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday] Saharanpur, a district known for its woodcraft products in western UP, is in the news for two caste and communal incidents, involving clashes with Dalits. The ongoing   Dalit Protest   in the district, which has now reached the capital New Delhi, suggests a new phase in Dalit politics in UP, closely related to the declining fortunes of the BSP, and efforts by the BJP to bring the Dalits into the ambit of its more socially inclusive Hindutva strategy. Dalit politics has been through a number of phases in UP related to the strategies pursued by the BSP and rapid social change in the state in recent decades. In the 1990s the construction of Dalit identity by BSP leaders Kanshiram and Mayawati, promoted a radical, anti-upper caste politics, demanding self-respect and dignity. The BSP was still a

The blasts reportedly went off at the end of the concert near the box office area of the venue At least 19 people have been killed and 50 injured in an explosion which is treated as a "terrorist incident", at a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in the Manchester city in the   UK Attack   , police said today. "Police were called to reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena. So far 19 people have been confirmed dead with around 50 others injured," Greater Manchester Police said in a statement. "This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise," the statement said. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud "bang" from inside the venue, which was playing host to a concert by American pop star Ariana Grande. Video footage from the scene showed bloodied victims being helped by emergency services. Also Read :   Manchester blast: Singer Ariana Grande tweets she is 'broken' and sorry Grande is s

Rajinikanth’s comments to his fans were as cryptic as Kamalahaasan’s comments on state politics Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Sharath Kumar, Vijayakanth…take your pick. In movie-mad Tamil Nadu, the transition from a film actor/director to politics is effortless. And, the latest chatter is about   Rajinikanth   joining politics. This is not the first time. Before the 2009 general election, a gathering of diehard Rajini fans converged at a small temple in Rajapalayam to pray that their icon get a divine message and join politics. With the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in a shambles after Jayalalithaa’s death and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam seemingly powerless in wresting power, the state is sensing a leadership vacuum. Rajinikanth, once a bus conductor in Karnataka, who then made good in Tamil Nadu’s film industry, was supposed to meet fans from April 12 to 16. This meeting, for fans to get themselves photographed with the legendary actor, would have been the first time

Firm to prune domestic costs through initiatives such as voluntary separation Cognizant Technology Solutions plans to sharply increase local hiring in the US this year with increased demand for co-innovation and on-site presence from clients. The Nasdaq-listed technology services major said it would look at talent across local community colleges to big management universities to man different projects in the US. Last month, when the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services opened the window for applications,   Cognizant   applied for "less than half" H1B visas compared with last year. "We are evolving our workforce and delivery in the United States. Cognizant hired 4,000 US citizens in 2016, and in 2017 and beyond, we expect to significantly ramp up our US based workforce by hiring experienced professionals in the open market and by making more use of university programmes. We are shifting our workforce largely in response to clients' increasing n