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I aim to tell the story of Kashmiri youth: ‘Laila Majnu’ director

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Mumbai, Sep 4 (IANS) Debutant film director Sajid Ali, the brother of prolific filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who is all set to release his film “Laila Majnu” says through the film, he wants to tell the story of the youth of Kashmir that goes beyond the cliché shown in mainstream Bollywood cinema.

Considering the fact that telling the story of love is not a genre he is naturally inclined to, he was asked about what made him co-write and direct a film like a classic love story of “Laila Majnu.” Sajid told IANS in an interview: “I aim to tell the story of Kashmiri youth. Setting the film ‘Laila Majnu’ in Kashmir gives me a chance to do that. Of course, the place holds an old world charm that goes perfectly with the theme of the story. But I wanted to tell the story of the people over there beyond the touristy view that has been projected by Bollywood regarding Kashmir.”

The film director, who is married to a Kashmiri girl from Srinagar, has an insider’s view of the place, its culture and people. Through the film, Sajid said, he has tried to capture the nuance of that.

“A normalcy really exists in Kashmiri household that has not been represented in mainstream cinema. In Bollywood, we either show how the youth of Kashmir are turning into militants, how the military attacks happen or some snapshots of snow-capped Kashmir Valley. But there are more human stories, where two generations co-exist in the same city.

“The generation gap is more visible in a Kashmiri household than that of any urban city, maybe. I wanted to capture those fine distinctions. I wanted to take a closer look at the youngsters of the valley,” said Sajid.

The story of “Laila Majnu” is co-written by Imtiaz Ali and produced by Ekta Kapoor and Preety Ali.

The film introduces two new actors Tripti Dimri and Avinash Tiwari as Laila and Majnu.

Asked about the reason behind choosing new faces for the film, Sajid said, “I wanted to bring a fresh perspective in the film… So that when audiences go to the theatre, instead of watching a star playing the character of Laila, they see an unknown face narrating the character, which gives a better image connection.”

“Laila Majnu” is slated to release on September 7, 2018.

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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