'My kids have never seen my films. I'm too embarrassed to show them. When they come on television, my husband calls me over for a laugh but I just switch off the TV and run out of the room.' From actress to author, the glamorous Twinkle Khanna tells Ronjita Kulkarni/ Rediff.com who she really is.
Livid with detractors for casting aspersions on her achievements because of a dope-tainted past, Asian Games gold medallist discus thrower Seema Punia said she has been 'ill-treated' by authorities, including the national federation, for many years now.
'They are not affected by ISIS' sentiment of avenging the suffering of the global ummah.' 'They have a huge ummah of their own in India, a huge Muslim population.' 'And because of that, they have to take into consideration the political and social conditions of Muslims in India.' 'They have to express themselves in a more political way and not through terrorism.'
'The Indian and Israeli rabbis were singing a small departure song for brave little Moshe, who had spent many, likely, heartbreaking but bittersweet hours at this home of his babyhood, looking at the drawings his mother had made for him, that were still up in his room.'
'I had been to a village in Haryana. One woman who had four daughters-in-law and three daughters, told me that she had to be awake the whole night to take each of them, one by one to the fields.' 'I am not saying all rapes are because of lack of toilets. 20 to 30 percent of rape cases happen because of the lack of toilets.' Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder, Sulabh International, on how India should go about building toilets for all its people in this exclusive interview with Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com
The band's trip to Rishikesh delayed their split till 1970! This & other unheard stories...
'I still fight with my sister.' 'I still get scolded by my mom.' 'I still travel by autos sometimes.'
The year threw up quite a few shockers, some rather rude one. Below are Rediff.com's 12 picks that made us sit back and think, 'Did that really happen?'
Smita Patil would have been 60 on October 17 had fate not cruelly snatched her from us in 1986. She was only 31 when she died. Rediff.com salutes the incomparable actress in a special series.
'DDLJ gave my career a boost, and placed me on a pedestal.' Farida Jalal relives the DDLJ moments.
Factbox on Serbia's Novak Djokovic and Great Britain's Andy Murray who will contest his sixth Australian Open men's singles final on Sunday.
It's hard to believe Calendar Girls has been made by someone who makes films, fumes Raja Sen.
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt unearths some never-told-before details of Narendra Modi's early life. Read on!
Here are Aseem Chhabra's picks -- 'films that mattered to me, entertained me and will stay with me through the year.'
Ananth Mahadevan takes on the audience.
On the 20th anniversary of her tragic death, the actress remains strikingly relevant.
'Mahesh Bhavana is a young man who is beaten up in the town's marketplace and who consequently pledges that he won't wear his slippers again, till he avenges the beating.' 'But Mahesh can't get his revenge that easily -- his punisher is off to a distant land. So what does Mahesh do? He waits. And the town waits with him. And we wait with him.' 'Maheshinte Prathikaram is one of those movies where I didn't know what hit me. I don't remember another movie -- at least in recent times -- that I surrendered to with such happiness,' says Sreehari Nair.
How do you translate a first love into a profession? How do you become a writer once you set your heart on it? Susmita Bhattacharya, who once worked as a graphic designer in Mumbai, now teaches the basics of English to newcomers to Britain and is also a creative writing tutor. Her first novel The Normal State of Mind was published earlier this year after a grim battle with cancer.
'I believe politics was imposed on it by the censor board, when it gave the film's trailer an A certificate, hoping to deny children, teenagers the opportunity to watch it during prime time television shows,' says Aseem Chhabra.
Anwesha Bhattacharya-Arya writes an open letter to the President on the sorry state of affairs in India.
Veteran journalist Coomi Kapoor, whose book came out recently, speaks to Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com about Independent India's darkest phase.
A former US military lieutenant travels to India to fight a battle of another kind. Archana Masih/Rediff.com met Robin Chaurasiya and the girls whose lives she is changing -- one day at a time.
There are conflicting signs on India's investment cycle.
'I sat down and asked them what they would want in their new school. One student said a football field, another one asked for computers. One little girl came and sat next to me and said, "A separate toilet for the girls." I think these small things make a huge difference in the future of education in India,' Nita Ambani tells Aseem Chhabra/Rediff.com
'There is a deep sense of satisfaction in knowing that you know how to do your job and can go on to the next film with confidence.' Irudhi Suttru director Sudha Kongara chats about her film's success.
Once a beggar, Renuka Aradhya's company has a turnover of Rs 30 crore and employs 150 people.
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The film is is a slice of life love story which has been maturely handled by director Mohan Krishna.
He keeps a Ganesha idol in his room. His next book will have eight chapters set in Mumbai. He loves India; it's his biggest market. Yet there is one thing that bestselling Jeffrey Archer detests -- it actually drives him nuts! -- about this country.
There are several other famous temples across India that disallow non-Hindus to enter their place of worship, Rediff.com lists some of them.
Will the political heat amid this election season draw a wedge between two dear friends?
'There is nothing bigger than Bigg Boss. I was lucky and blessed that I stayed inside the Bigg Boss house for three months. The love that I got from people was so humbling that I started crying. That's the first thing that I did when I came out.'
Aseem Chhabra lists the elements that he loved and was pleasantly surprised by in the movies.
Single mother Gauri Sawant hopes to change the way people view transgenders in India.
Aseem Chhabra gives us the top films that enriched his year.
'Masaan went to Cannes, got a standing ovation, won awards. I want the people of India to watch my film. Finally, it is happening!'
From being noticed in a supporting role as her debut to Cannes glory, Richa Chadha has come a long way in Bollywood.
Sudha Murty worries that India has still not learnt its lessons from history.
They live on the road under a temporary, plastic roof. But, for 11 days, Lord Ganesha finds a home in their abode.
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