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.
'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 government does not want to be transparent or accountable. Therefore, they do not want to appoint information commissioners.'
'If the country felt very strongly about the BJP, then why did the country not put money where the mouth is?'
'Many MPs felt they were going to take out a weapon and shoot us all.'
'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.
'The BJP claims they have eight lakh cadres in the Kashmir Valley so why can't they contest elections from Kashmir?'
'Ladakh has become a hollow UT.' 'Bureaucrats from Delhi rule Ladakh and there is no attention paid to the grievances of the people.'
'Article 370 is now dug 70 feet deep in the ground. It cannot come out.'
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.
'Party workers sit outside polling booths and they know everything that is happening.' 'Besides, as a voter when you push the EVM button to vote there is a paper slip that comes out showing you who you voted for.'
Deepika Padukone talks about her upcoming film, Karthik Calling Karthik, and Ranbir Kapoor.
'The reason I am not anxious about the opponent facing me in the front (Ajit Pawar) is because of who is standing behind me like a rock (Sharad Pawar).'
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.
'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.
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.'
Scenes from Azad Maidan.
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.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf feels director Omung Kumar shares too much in the trailer of his upcoming film, Bhoomi.
The luminous Waheeda Rehman will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award this year,
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.
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.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt tells us what keeps him so young at heart.
Nagpur police commissioner SPS Yadav says Marlon Samuels' conversation with an alleged bookmaker was no crime, but it certainly violated the ICC Code of Conduct.
He does not have the flamboyance of Karan Johar. Yet, Priyadarshan is Bollywood's top director, whose last five films have made a good Rs 150 crores in theatrical release only. The director is back with his new film, Mere Baap Pehle Aap.
Arshad Warsi talks about his new film, Short Kut: The Con Is On.
Amrita Rao talks about her upcoming film, Short Kut: The Con Is On.
Director brothers Abbas and Mustan Burmawalla are back with what they love most -- thrillers! Their new film, Race, starring Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Khanna, Anil Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Seema Reddy, looks like a slick suspense film about two brothers trying to outsmart each other.
Akshaye Khanna talks about his latest, Hulchul.
