Javed Akhtar becomes first Indian to receive Richard Dawkins Award

JUN 08, 2020 MUMBAI: Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has won the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. Akhtar has become the first Indian to be given the honour, which recognises distinguished individual from the field of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism and upholding scientific truth. Akhtar's wife, veteran actor Shabana Azmi said the award's relevance becomes more prominent especially in the current times when secularism is under attack. "I am thrilled. I know what a hero Richard Dawkins has been for Javed. The award gains all the more significance because in today's time when secularism is being attacked by religious fundamentalists of all hues, this award comes as a validation of Javed's long service to rational thinking," Azmi said. The award is named after world-renowned English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Actor-comedian Ricky Gervais received the honour last year. Bollywood celebrities Anil Kapoor ans Dia Mirza took to Twitter to congratulate the 75-year-old writer for the recognition. "Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read 'The Selfish Gene', the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It's a truly incredible honour! Congratulations!" Kapoor tweeted. Dia said Akhtar's win is a proud moment for rhe country. "Javed Akhtar Saab has won the the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud," Dia wrote.  Copyright © Jammu Links News  Source: Jammu Links News

Read More........ → July 26, 2020

James Cameron announces three sequels of 'Avatar'

Hollywood director James Cameron plans to shoot three sequels of his movieAvatar simultaneously and release them in 2016, 2017 and 2018. 

Director James Cameron has announced three sequels to his 2009 hit Avatar.  "Avatar" 2, 3 and 4 will be shot simultaneously, with production kicking off next year, and they will be released in December of 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively, reports eonline.com. The 58-year-old has called aboard screenwriters Josh Friedman of "War of the Worlds", Shane Salerno from the movie "Savages", Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver from "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" to help him work on the three scripts. "Building upon the world we created with 'Avatar' has been a rare and incredibly rewarding experience," James Cameron said in a statement. "In writing the new films, I've come to realise that 'Avatar's' world, story and characters have become even richer than I anticipated, and it became apparent that two films would not be enough to capture everything I wanted to put on screen. And to help me continue to expand this universe, I'm pleased to bring Amanda, Rick, Shane and aboard Josh - all writers I've long admired - to join me in completing the films' screenplays," he added. Source: ApunKaChoice

Read More........ → October 16, 2013

Why Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t display her Oscar?

Actress Jennifer Lawrence has given away her Oscar award to her parents as she felt odd displaying the trophy in her house. The 22-year-old actress, who won the best actress Oscar for her performance in the romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook, which also had actor Bradley Cooper, struggled to find a suitable spot for the golden statuette in her house. "My parents took it back to Kentucky, 'cos I felt odd having it, like, on display in my house," accesshollywood.com quoted Jennifer Lawrence as saying. "If anybody's coming over to my house, I didn't want them to remember that. Just kind of puts a weird energy out. "I put it in the hallway towards the bathroom, and my mum was like, 'I'm taking it. It shouldn't be here'. And now it's on a piano in Kentucky!" she added. Source: Article

Read More........ → August 12, 2013