QuickE: B-Town Troops Down for ‘Toilet’; Pahlaj Nihalani Sacked

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra places toilets above temples and mosques and other stories.

Madhuri Dixit attends Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’s premiere. 

(Photo: Yogen Shah)

1. Arjun, Madhuri & John: B-town Watches ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’

Akshay Kumar with son, Aarav and Bhumi Pednekar.

Madhuri Dixit arrives for the screening.

Stars arrived in packs to attend the screening of Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar’s Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. Madhuri Dixit, John Abraham and other stars were spotted.

See more on The Quint.

2. Prasoon Joshi to Replace Pahlaj Nihalani as CBFC Chief

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani.

Pahlaj Nihalani has been removed from his position as CBFC chief. He is reportedly being replaced by lyricist and screenwriter Prasoon Joshi.

Read more on The Quint.

3. Toilets Are More Important Than Mosques and Temples: Rakeysh Mehra

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has a few things to say about open defecation. 

Be it the Akshay Kumar starrer Toilet: Ek Prem Katha or his own directorial Mere Pyaare Prime Minister, films delving into the need to eradicate open defecation are "timely", says filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who feels that the nation needs to build more toilets than mosques and temples.

The stories are not about toilets. They are about human beings. So, I hope that as a human story, Mere Pyaare Prime Minister can reach out and touch hearts, and move you in a way which is very positive and thereby, the story becomes a part of a collective consciousness, rather than what just might concern a selective consciousness. I hope it becomes not just a talking point, but an awareness. Once there’s an awareness, something can be done about it.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Read more on The Quint.

4. Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth Attend DMK Function Together

Rajinikanth, MK Stalin and Kamal Haasan share the stage.

The two big stars of the Tamil movie world, Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, on Thursday attended the 75th anniversary celebrations of DMK mouthpiece, Tamil daily Murasoli.

Haasan, who has of late been critical of the AIADMK government, was seated on the dais next to DMK Working President M.K. Stalin.

Rajinikanth, who may enter politics, was seated along with other dignitaries.

The DMK party also released a souvenir commemorating Murasoli's milestone.

The function was attended by editors of various dailies and magazines and cine stars.

5. Exclusive: Nihalani’s Was a One-Man Show, Says Ashok Pandit

Ashoke Pandit is unhappy with the way the present censor board is functioning. 

It was not a sudden decision. The way things were going, everybody was very uncomfortable with his behaviour and his one-man show. The way the filmmakers were treated... producers, directors... there was an atmosphere of insecurity among the filmmakers. It had to happen. The way ‘Indu Sarkar’ or ‘Babumoshai Bandookbaaz’ were harassed.. ‘Udta Punjab’... Every month, there were two films because of which there was a lot of discomfort. The film industry was very angry. It’s only the big films that were being talked about in the media, but we in the association used to get complaints from second line of producers, regional filmmakers... they used to tell us horrifying stories about how they used to be abused by him. They were asked to get out of his office. He used foul language. All these messages had gone across. I am very grateful to Smriti Irani that she has taken this call.

Ashoke Pandit

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