In 2022 Nanaji Dembi pulled down the Hurriyat office board in Srinagar, an act of defiance that grabbed headlines. Despite such nationalistic bravado, the BJP has denied him a ticket for the assembly election.
The realities at the nerve centre of the Ram Janambhoomi movement are lack of development, rampant unemployment and 12 hour-long power cuts. Most residents hope Narendra Modi will change the situation in Ayodhya.
'This is leading to anarchy.'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com comes across a Ganesh temple in Kashmir's summer capital that remains a well kept secret.
'If you can come with some arrangement with the Pakistanis that Pakistan ceases to stop creating trouble in Kashmir in return for the Indians not arming Afghanistan, everyone wins.' William Dalrymple discusses his new book Return of a King, Afghanistan, the Mughals and, of course, India with Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Narendra Modi can never be Vajpayee because the poet-prime minister had a heart. Modi doesn't. He only understands the language of business, of profit and loss. It is beyond his capacity to understand a complex country like India, says Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
'Ranbir Kapoor has only one film as does Salman Khan.' 'Hrithik Roshan only has War 2.' 'Ranveer Singh has no film on floors today.'
'Maharashtra is virtually in a debt trap.'
'When I see people's faces I can see that there is a certain sadness in their eyes which makes me unhappy as a person.' 'I want to see people happy in their lives.'
'They contest to ensure they win the election.'
'There are 7,000 guns which are in the hands of the armed militia of the Kuki and Meitei communities.'
Jaswant Singh's biography of M A Jinnah has cost him his place in the BJP. Syed Firdaus Ashraf looks at Jinnah and his controversial place in India's history.
Deepika Padukone talks about her upcoming film, Karthik Calling Karthik, and Ranbir Kapoor.
'That was my mistake.' 'Gautam Adani was not involved in forming the Maharashtra government.' 'Adani was not there in the meeting.' 'The meeting was at his guest house and we were sitting in his guest house.'
'Politicians can do symbolism by changing the names of places and museums.' 'Judges need not be seen to be craving for approval from the public.'
'The Congress cannot speak the BJP's words while targeting Kejriwal.' 'What is the difference between the two? Where is the unity of INDIA then?'
The movie has everything going for it. A total paisa vasool film!
'I like to tell stories that are real. When you say something true, it becomes controversial. It's not that I desire controversy; it's just that I want to tell the truth.' Director Rahul Dholakia talks about his new film Lamhaa and the Kashmir issue.
'The 2024 general elections proved that UP is not Gujarat.'
'Till the BJP does not understand Kejriwal they cannot win Delhi.'
'Many MPs felt they were going to take out a weapon and shoot us all.'
'Government cannot pick and choose as to against whom they want to take action and against whom they do not want to take action.'
'And be confident that we will do a successful operation... Don't ask for a deadline. It is very difficult to say in such cases,' says Major General R K Hooda.
Tral, the former hotbed of terrorism, rocks to the music of democracy.
Zarine Khan hopes to have her own footprint in Bollywood, with her film Veer.
Journalist turned filmmaker Mahesh Nair speaks to Syed Firdaus Ashraf about his struggle to make it in Bollywood.
'The liberalisation of the Indian economy has triggered a growing belief in education, because they believe they can be a part of the economic bandwagon and benefit from it.'
'I want to die with my finger on the click button of the camera,' veteran photographer Pradeep Bandekar, who passed into ages early on Sunday morning, told Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
The filmmaker, whose latest film, Black & White hits the marquee on Friday was in a philosophical mood as he recounted the debacle of Kisna, and why Bollywood needs writers more than ever.
Scenes from Azad Maidan.
R Madhavan talks about life after his huge hit, 3 Idiots.
After giving us one of the biggest hits of 2009, Salman Khan is back to prove his mettle once again with his pet project, Veer.
Nikhil Advani gets a second chance in life with Patiala House.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf feels director Omung Kumar shares too much in the trailer of his upcoming film, Bhoomi.
Himesh Reshammiya talks about his Radio experience, and his next film Kajra Re.
'No Musharraf or Vajpayee can solve this problem till the people of Kashmir are involved,' JKLF leader Yasin Malik tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Ajab Prem lyricist Irshad Kamil tells us what inspires him.
Katrina Kaif talks about her upcoming movies and teenage love.
'Many people have this perception that Biharis are abnormal people,' says director Prakash Jha.
