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I have witnessed huge changes in filmmaking: Saif Ali Khan (IANS Interview)

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By Sandeep Sharma
New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Time and technology have not only changed the techniques of filmmaking but have also made giving the “first take” a more comfortable affair for actor Saif Ali Khan, who will next year clock 25 years in the industry — since his 1993 debut with the film “Parampara”.

Talking about the evolution that has come about due to technology, the National Award-winning Saif told IANS in an interview here: “India is like a different country now. I have witnessed some huge changes in terms of filmmaking techniques (in the last couple of decades). Digital (technology) has changed a lot of things. Things are done a lot faster now… In a way, that’s good.

“I have stopped worrying about my first take though, because it’s so easy to do one more now. Of course, I try and get it right always, but earlier I think there was a lot more attention on getting it right on the first attempt itself.

“As editing and dubbing have become simpler, I worry less now as it can protect me. Today’s acting style has changed to more international and natural. For me, it’s more fun to do acting now.”

Saif, son of late cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, was here to promote his forthcoming entertainer “Chef”. Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, it’s an Indian adaptation of the 2014 American film of the same name by Jon Favreau and is slated for release on Friday.

Saif decided to be a part of this film to understand the urban problem of dealing with family, divorce and child.

“‘Chef’ is a mix — both art and commercial. I agree that the entertainment industry needs to feature newer stories and fresher content. I think ‘Chef’ is a step in the right direction. Some of the smaller films have been more exciting because they seemed fresher somehow. I am excited about (finding out) what response this film gets,” he said.

Asked whether parents today are more supportive of their children’s dreams, Saif, a father of three, said: “It’s difficult. People say that they want to do this or do that, but (as a parent) you would prefer them to be safer. In ‘Chef’, my father wants me to be a doctor or an engineer. He gets really upset when I say that I want to become a chef.

“All parents want security for their children. There are many more career options nowadays. We say this is a post-‘3 Idiots’ film where you get to follow your heart.”

Saif, who is married to actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, believes that parents accord more respect to their children’s aspirations now.

“Earlier, parents used to decide a lot of things for you. In my family, we always listen to our children — Sara wants to join films; that’s fine as that’s something she has always wanted to do. I am happy with what my children want to be,” said the actor, who has daughter Sara and son Ibrahim with former wife Amrita Singh and nine-month-old Taimur with Kareena.

Best known for his roles in films like “Main Khiladi Tu Anari”, “Hum Saath-Saath Hain”, “Hum Tum”, “Salaam Namaste”, “Omkara” and “Love Aaj Kal”, most of which have been multi-starrers, Saif is now more inclined towards working in “solo-hero” movies.

“I prefer working in solo-hero projects because there you can be more relaxed and work at your own pace. But I am happy to do a two-hero film — if the role is good. I have had a wonderful timing with Shah Rukh. I really enjoyed ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’.

“It was very nice to see Akshay on his show (‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’). He is a really nice and fun person to work with,” Saif said.

On the work front, besides “Chef”, Saif will also be seen in “Kaalakaandi” and web series “Sacred Games”.

(Sandeep Sharma can be contacted at [email protected])

–IANS
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Casino Days Reveal Internal Data on Most Popular Smartphones

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CasinoDays India

International online casino Casino Days has published a report sharing their internal data on what types and brands of devices are used to play on the platform by users from the South Asian region.

Such aggregate data analyses allow the operator to optimise their website for the brands and models of devices people are actually using.

The insights gained through the research also help Casino Days tailor their services based on the better understanding of their clients and their needs.

Desktops and Tablets Lose the Battle vs Mobile

The primary data samples analysed by Casino Days reveal that mobile connections dominate the market in South Asia and are responsible for a whopping 96.6% of gaming sessions, while computers and tablets have negligible shares of 2.9% and 0.5% respectively.

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The authors of the study point out that historically, playing online casino was exclusively done on computers, and attribute thе major shift to mobile that has unfolded over time to the wide spread of cheaper smartphones and mobile data plans in South Asia.

“Some of the reasons behind this massive difference in device type are affordability, technical advantages, as well as cheaper and more obtainable internet plans for mobiles than those for computers,” the researchers comment.

Xiaomi and Vivo Outperform Samsung, Apple Way Down in Rankings

Chinese brands Xiaomi and Vivo were used by 21.9% and 20.79% of Casino Days players from South Asia respectively, and together with the positioned in third place with a 18.1% share South Korean brand Samsung dominate the market among real money gamers in the region.

 

CasinoDays India

Cupertino, California-based Apple is way down in seventh with a user share of just 2.29%, overshadowed by Chinese brands Realme (11.43%), OPPO (11.23%), and OnePlus (4.07%).

Huawei is at the very bottom of the chart with a tiny share just below the single percent mark, trailing behind mobile devices by Motorola, Google, and Infinix.

The data on actual phone usage provided by Casino Days, even though limited to the gaming parts of the population of South Asia, paints a different picture from global statistics on smartphone shipments by vendors.

Apple and Samsung have been sharing the worldwide lead for over a decade, while current regional leader Xiaomi secured their third position globally just a couple of years ago.

Striking Android Dominance among South Asian Real Money Gaming Communities

The shifted market share patterns of the world’s top smartphone brands in South Asia observed by the Casino Days research paper reveal a striking dominance of Android devices at the expense of iOS-powered phones.

On the global level, Android enjoys a comfortable lead with a sizable 68.79% share which grows to nearly 79% when we look at the whole continent of Asia. The data on South Asian real money gaming communities suggests that Android’s dominance grows even higher and is north of the 90% mark.

Among the major factors behind these figures, the authors of the study point to the relative affordability of and greater availability of Android devices in the region, especially when manufactured locally in countries like India and Vietnam.

“And, with influencers and tech reviews putting emphasis on Android devices, the choice of mobile phone brand and OS becomes easy; Android has a much wider range of products and caters to the Asian online casino market in ways that Apple can’t due to technical limitations,” the researchers add.

The far better integration achieved by Google Pay compared to its counterpart Apple Pay has also played a crucial role in shaping the existing smartphone market trends.

 

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