A look at this week's hits and misses.
Gangster Abu Salem has denied in his statement before the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court in Mumbai that he went to the house of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.
'Even the mafia has certain ethics and follow certain rules, but Abu Salem was so ruthless, so inhuman, there was no ethics at all. He had no basic humanity in him.' India's foremost crime writer S Hussain Zaidi on the dreaded gangster.
Saluting Tom Alter, who passed into the ages on September 29.
'Being a chocolate lover boy, I wouldn't last long. So I decided to get rid of the tag as soon as possible.' 'That's why I started doing films like Haasil and Munnabhai MBBS.' With films like Yahaan, A Wednesday and Tanu Weds Manu, I was trying to break an image.'
'2015 gave us a set of Hindi films that brought to light, the true uncorrupted joys of filmmaking even in their roughness.' 'Films which told us why we loved films in the first place. Films that were less ashamed of revealing their weakness and ones that took chances with audience expectations.'
Mallya might continue to elude ED, CBI interrogation in the short term but could still be extradited to India
Controversial Uttar Pradesh legislator Mukhtar Ansari was on Saturday released on custody parole from Central Jail in Agra for a day to campaign in Lok Sabha election.
'I happened to show the Akira trailer and John was very impressed.' 'He told the action director, "Involve her in the action and let us both fight the bad guys together".'
'Usually, my characters are flawed but this one is extraordinary.' Kangana Ranaut discusses her new film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.
Aseem Chhabra picks the scenes that left him impressed this year.
No Ganpati celebration is complete without Humse Badhkar Kaun's hugely popular song, Deva O Deva Ganpati Deva Tumse Badhkar Kaun blaring out of the pandal speakers.
'I would like to say that there is a fear of Dawood. We thought we are a nation of 120 crore people and if we do not bid for this property it will be a matter of disgrace.' 'Here is this man sitting in Pakistan and is being able to lord over our country especially Mumbai through remote control. I think somewhere we must draw the line.' 'There is no Hindu-Muslim issue at all. The underworld is the most secular entity in the country. Whether you are a Muslim or a Hindu it does not matter. Whether you are able to deliver or rake in the moolah is all that matters.' Former journalist S Balakrishnan on why he is bidding for Dawood's Ibrahim's property.
Looking back at Rajinikanth's film journey.
'It is impossible for a decent man to live in Kairana town.' 'Any man who is not able to pay extortion money has left Kairana.' 'The people involved in this extortion want it to become a Hindu-Muslim problem.' 'The intention in Kashmir was that if Pandits leave Kashmir, all the property left behind will go to Muslims. The intention is the same in Kairana,'
'We are not going to let him go free. Justice will be served,' a Pakistan official tells Rediff.com contributor Shahzad Raza in Islamabad.
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz actress Bidita Bag gives us a ringside view of Bollywood.
'This is obvious to everyone except those in denial; it is a national shame.' 'To that extent, blaming any particular government is an insufficient response,' argues Mihir S Sharma.
'He has given us a history, a heritage that we can share with generations to come,' says Aseem Chhabra.
'And Tina, that girl inside that woman, wants to try different things.'
Aseem Chhabra picks 10 fascinating films he watched in Macao -- a blend of Asian, independent, Hollywood projects and even a 66-years-old classic Japanese film that still stands the test of time.
While Jaitley posted his hard-hitting response to the opposition's move in Facebook, BJP fielded its spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi, who is also a lawyer, to take on the Congress.
West Bengal government on Wednesday moved an appeal before a division bench of Calcutta High Court challenging a single bench order that directed registration of an FIR against Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal for his controversial comments against women and a CID probe into it.
The worse thing about Taken 3 is that it hints at a sequel, says Paloma Sharma.
Aseem Chhabra is impressed by Rima Das's Bulbul Can Sing, Ritesh Batra's Photograph and eight other outstanding films.
India borrows ideas that we don't need, like the FRDI Bill, and ignores the ones we need, like rewarding whistleblowers such as the ones who want to save Bombay Mercantile Bank, says Debashis Basu.
'I am sexy in my own self.' Randeep Hooda puts his sexiness on display in Main Aur Charles.
Some of the expelled youth leaders, close to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, have already met party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, triggering speculation of their early return to party fold.
'Talvar belongs to Irrfan Khan, who plays the chief investigating officer. With each new film, this very fine actor continues to surprise us and delight us.'
Manoj Bajpayee confides in Rediff.com's Ronjita Kulkarni about his 'long journey filled with rejection, betrayal, misery, failures and disillusionment.'
Who is the best onscreen brother - Salman or Ranveer?
'The most striking comment Yasser Usman makes -- not only about Sanjay Dutt, but also our contemporary society -- is about the transformation that he goes through: From being a man who claimed Muslim blood to one who is a devotee of Hindu gods,' notes Uttaran Das Gupta.
'It is the RJD, otherwise known for misgovernance, which has offered a candidate of clean and performing credentials, rather than the NDA,' points out Mohammad Sajjad.
'Sushant was our first choice for Lakhna.' 'Apart from looking desi, I wanted an actor who had a lot of physical energy.' 'Sushant came on board very quickly because he really liked the story.'
An eatery once owned by dreaded underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in South Mumbai besides his green sedan and tenancy rights to a property in suburban Matunga went under the hammer on Thursday, with a former journalist emerging as the top bidder at Rs 4.28 crore for the food joint notwithstanding a threat from the don's aide Chhota Shakeel.
'If you are playing someone whom Shah Rukh loves in the film, that's enough for me!' 'I am obviously not his phone texting buddy, but I'd like to believe we are friends!'
'No short cuts, no sensationalism, but sheer talent is responsible for Nawaz's position as one of the finest actors of his generation.'
Welcome Back is dumb yet entertaining, utterly silly but made with a kind of absurd, warm energy, says Raja Sen.
