1. Darbar First Day First Show: Fans Celebrate Rajinikanth’s Release
Directed by A R Murugadoss, Rajinikanth’s Darbar hit the big screens on 9 January. And considering the Thalaiva’s fan base, there’s no doubt that Darabar is highly anticipated and looked-forward to by the audiences.
Rajinikanth is truly a unique phenomenon and his fans have always proved that, including this time. In Chennai, Darbar hit the theatres on Thursday early morning with fans queued up to get into the 4 am and 5 am shows. Many even gathered outside certain theatres to celebrate the release of the film in all its glory.
Read the full story here.
2. 17 Anti-CAA Protesters Detained at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai
Nearly 20 people, protesting the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai were detained by the police on Thursday. The protesters had gathered at the protest venue around 4 pm for a silent protest. Eleven women and six men were detained at the APVP community hall in Nungambakkam.
Protests have been taking place at Chennai’s Valluvar Kottam for several days since December without written permission. However, Thursday's detention comes unexpectedly as the protesters had reportedly been given oral permission by the police for peaceful protests between 4 pm and 7 pm. The protesters were reportedly warned by the local Assistant Commissioner to disperse within five minutes even as protesters were gathering.
(Source: The News Minute)
3. ‘Nothing Has Changed:’ Dancer on 1-Yr Since #MeToo Rocked Margazhi
Margazhi season is Chennai’s annual winter tryst with classical music and dance. However, the festival, nearing its centenary year, was mired in controversy last year, as #MeToo allegations surfaced in the city’s classical music and dance circuits, calling out several big names for consistent sexual harassment.
A year later, has the community done anything to show intolerance of sexual harassment? Veteran dancer Vidya Subramanian answered in the negative. “My hope is that this has created enough awareness amongst people that, at least, in the future some people will have fear in the minds before they think of committing acts of violence or sexual harassment. But that’s not enough. We need to do so much more,” she said.
Read the full story here.
4. Boys Allowed to Man Traffic After Viral Tiktok Video on Police Van
TikTok videos usually spell trouble for Tamil Nadu's youth, especially when it involves police personnel or vehicles. But on Wednesday in Thoothukudi district, the social media app took two young men a step towards their dreams of joining the police force, after their video caught the attention of authorities.
In the 14-second video, two men are seen seated on a police van, moving their lips to a movie dialogue before breaking into song. On Tuesday, the three youths, two of them aged 17, stood before it and made the video while another boy shot them performing. The driver of the van noticed this and informed higher authorities about it. But instead of reprimanding or punishing the three, Thoothukudi town DSP R Prakash heard them out.
Read the full story here.
5. Govt to File Defamation Case Against Stalin
The State government has decided to file a criminal defamation case against DMK president MK Stalin for having reportedly accused Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S P Velumani of having indulged in corruption to the tune of ₹1,000 crore by using manufactured sand (M-sand) instead of river sand for civil construction projects undertaken by Greater Chennai Corporation.
A government order has been issued by the Public department granting sanction to the City Public Prosecutor to lodge a complaint against the DMK supremo for the offence under Section 499 (criminal defamation) of Indian Penal Code.
(Source: The Hindu)
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