Watch 'Mulk' instead of calling me anti-Hindu based on trailer: Anubhav Sinha
Mumbai, July 18 : Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, who has reacted strongly to the trolls who have labelled him anti-Hindu based on the trailer of his forthcoming film "Mulk", says people should watch the full movie before making statements.
The trailer of "Mulk" released on July 9. Soon after, the director received various comments and reactions on the trailer. He says only 20 per cent of them were from trolls and the remaining were positive messages.
"In 80 per cent of the feedback, both the communities -- Hindus and Muslims -- are happy with the trailer and they are looking forward to the film. The fact is that a trailer is a glimpse... That is not the whole movie.
"That is like a half of the story shown in 2 minutes from a 2-hour films. So instead of calling me pro-Muslim or anti-Hindu, I think it is wise to find out the whole story from the film," Sinha told IANS here.
Featuring Rishi Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, Neena Gupta, Taapsee Pannu and Prateik Babbar, and releasing on August 3, "Mulk" is a courtroom drama about restoring the honour of a Muslim family accused of treason.
After being accused of running propaganda to garner support and sympathy for Muslims through the film, Sinha hit out at trolls through an open letter.
Sharing the pity that he feels for trolls, Sinha told IANS: "Who are they? They are the youth of this country who are out of jobs and they are channelising their energy to become a professional abusers. These kids are undereducated and highly energetic with no productivity.
"Their restless energy has been misappropriated with something that they are told as nationalism. So now they live, breath, eat nationalism. It has become important to abuse anti-nationals for them. In reality, because there are not many anti-nationals who exist, they end up abusing those who do not adhere to their diktats.
"These kids are not well-informed about our political history, current affairs and just feed some wrong information that they believed as gospel truth."
Then also arises the question if the media is maintaining objectivity while reporting facts or capturing reality with an agenda, and how it can impact what will be the history of tomorrow, he says.
"I think history is always a viewpoint, and so are the reports you are reading every day. You, as a reader, as the youth of the nation, should have the intelligence to interpret history in the right manner. Why do you read history? Because it has a relevance to our present and our future. So, while reading, one has to take away that much and rest has no relevance in our life or in the upcoming time.
"Therefore, history needs to be intelligently interpreted, and if anything, we are going wrong there I guess."
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US lawmakers seek clarity over financial burden, human cost, endgame in Iran conflict
Washington: Tensions rose at the US Capitol on Tuesday as lawmakers sought clearer answers from the Trump administration on the objectives, duration and costs of the ongoing military campaign against Iran, even as preparations advanced for votes aimed at curbing the president’s war powers.
Senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, briefed members of the House and Senate for a second consecutive day behind closed doors, as reported by the Associated Press. The sessions came ahead of votes on war powers resolutions that would limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue joint US-Israel operations without congressional approval.
Rubio told reporters that the president acted to prevent Iran from striking first. He rejected suggestions that Washington moved only because Israel was poised to launch its own offensive, saying instead that Trump believed the weekend presented a rare opportunity to act with maximum impact. “There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trump’s watch,” Rubio said.
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The conflict has widened following US and Israeli airstrikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched missile attacks targeting US military bases in the region. At least six American service personnel have died so far.
The administration has indicated that supplemental funding may be required to sustain operations. It added that the concerns among lawmakers about the financial burden and potential for a prolonged engagement has disrupted legislative business, sharpening political divisions at the start of a competitive midterm election cycle.
Associated Press cited Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s concerns about what he described as possible “mission creep.” Senator Angus King questioned whether the United States had been drawn into war at Israel’s urging, while Senator Elizabeth Warren asked how the campaign aligned with Trump’s “America First” pledge to avoid extended foreign conflicts.
Defence official Elbridge Colby told senators the president had directed the military to degrade Iran’s missile capabilities and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, stressing that the objective was not nation-building. Trump, speaking separately from the Oval Office, dismissed claims that Israel had forced his decision and suggested the conflict could continue if necessary. He has not ruled out deploying US ground troops.
Senator Richard Blumenthal was quoted by Associated Press as saying that he feared the possibility of American boots on the ground while Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin defended the operation, saying the president had acted decisively.
Uncertainty over Iran’s future leadership has added to concerns, with questions mounting about who might succeed Khamenei as Trump rejected the idea of backing Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran’s former monarchy. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the future of Iran should be determined by its people and House Speaker Mike Johnson said the United States would not engage in nation-building.
Lawmakers from both parties also reported a surge in calls from constituents seeking assistance for Americans attempting to leave the region as hostilities intensify.
The US Constitution grants Congress the right to declare war, however presidents have routinely begun military activities without formal declarations. Both houses are anticipated to vote on proposals that would require explicit congressional approval to continue operations. Some members have also argued that if constraints are not imposed, Congress should consider issuing an Authorization for the Use of Military Force to put lawmakers on the record.
Associated Press quoted House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioning the rationale for the campaign and saying there would be strong support among Democrats for the resolution. Johnson, however, warned that restricting the president during active combat could pose risks.
