What India needs more than one simultaneous election is better governance both at the central and state level. Yes, we need reforms, but our priority should be to make elections less expensive, make it more democratic, do away with freebies which are actually bribes before elections, allow only those who are educated to contest, and bring in a bill to make it impossible for criminals to contest, advocates Ramesh Menon.
That makes winning the National Award for Arjun Rampal even more special...
Like the Filmfare awards and Hollywood's Oscar awards, there are some amazing facts you may not have known about India's most prestigious awards.
The action comes alive in New Delhi.
Because of Mukesh's much-hailed association with Raj Kapoor, it is often overlooked that the singer has also scored hits with almost all major heroes. On Mukesh's 102nd birth anniversary on July 22, Dinesh Raheja recalls some of his classic songs.
'I am glad Aranyer Din Ratri is being shown at Cannes.' 'The film was better appreciated outside India even when released originally.'
'If you don't get married, it's not a crime. If you do, it's not an achievement either.'
'The censor board asked me for some strange cuts.' 'Otherwise, they would have given me an 'A' certificate.' 'One cut was where Girish Karnad was explaining artificial insemination in cattle.' 'These cuts never made any sense to me.'
Here's what your favourite Bollywood celebrities are tweeting.
What do you think about the winners of the 53rd National Awards?
'We wouldn't have had to face all this had our national leaders taken care to select a place for Sindhis and sent us there, instead of sending us all over to settle in places where the locals didn't want us.' 'They could have partitioned Sindh and given us a Sindhi state from its two Hindu-majority districts.' 'Wasn't that the logic of Partition?'
There is nothing, when it comes to clothes, that Sonam cannot wear well. Nor are there fashion rules that she won't break if need be.
Gulzar, best known for penning memorable hits like 'Tujhse Naaraaz Nahi' and 'Tere Bina Zindagi Se' besides directing critically acclaimed films like 'Aandhi' and 'Mausam', was on Saturday chosen for the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award, the highest official recognition for film personalities in India.
'Prior to release, we heard only exemplary things about the film, so the failure came as a complete shock to my father.'
Here's what your favourite celebrities are tweeting.
Divya Nair celebrates the actor's birthday by presenting the path-breaking films and performances that define his career.
'They just showed riots created by some political party. They never mentioned the name of the place or the political party.' 'I don't know why these people are agitated.'
In the last 11 years, India and the world witnessed what he stood for, what he promised and did not deliver, and what he actually stood for and practised without fearing how history would judge him. Modi's tenure has been punctuated with headline-grabbing decisions, symbolic gestures, and stage-managed moments that continue to define his leadership and India's politics, points out Ramesh Menon.
Director Praveen Sattaru talks about his National Award winning movie Chandamama Kathalu.
'I don't know if I am the youngest but I must be the happiest!'
'If someone were to ask you if you want to die tomorrow, no matter what problems you are grappling with, you would be hesitant, right?'
Amitabh Bachchan felicitated Chiranjeevi with the ANR National Award in Hyderabad, celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of Akkineni Nageswara Rao.
Never before in history have Cannes and its sidebars found space for eight Indian, or India-themed, films.
Shahana Goswami's Santosh has been shortlisted for the best foreign film Oscars.
'He decides who will be Pakistan's prime minister, president, even provincial chief ministers.'
'Session musicians, background singers, and studio instrumentalists fill out the sound of India's biggest hits. But their names rarely show up on screen.' 'Their royalties never arrive. And their contribution, no matter how iconic, vanishes once the track is mastered.'
'Now, because of Pushpa and with the love of the Indian audience now, I am a more familiar face, and everyone knows me.'
'Or because I am getting a s**tload of money.'
The love for the festival of colours is not restricted to just songs and moments in the movies. The various hues of colours are used in film titles for dramatic effect too.
In a year where we can find positives in wins for the great Gulabi Gang documentary and ace cinematographer Rajeev Ravi, the silver lining doesn't seem as wide if our priorities remain as skewed.
Shyam Benegal passed into the ages on December 23, leaving behind a rich legacy. We look back at some interesting moments from his life.
His family has conveyed to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry that it will difficult for him to travel to Delhi for the National Awards presentation function due to health reasons.
'I have no family (in the industry), no network, no mentor.' 'Still, I'm consistently working since 20 years and now I have a National Award.' 'It may take time, but if you're consistently at it, nothing can stop you.'
'He showed me how much joy there is in being the person in the middle of a party.' 'He taught me how to be confident and vulnerable at the same time.'
Exactly a month before he passed away on June 2, 1988, Raj Kapoor was given the prestigious Dadasahed Phalke by the then President of India, Ramaswamy Venkataraman.
Director Kavitha Lankesh talks about her upcoming Tananam Tananam.
The 70th National Awards saw some beautiful moments on stage and off it.
Shaheed was Manoj Kumar's first patriotic success. This small-budget black-and-white film had enormous impact, besides laying the foundation for Manoj's famous flag-waving Mr Bharat image that was strengthened by a string of subsequent films like Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim and Kranti.
