Friendship Day: Telly stars recall fond memories
Mumbai, Aug 4: As the world gears up to celebrate Friendship Day on Sunday, small screen actors like Pearl Puri, Aashka Goradia and Sneha Wagh share their best moments with their friends.
For Aashka, visiting Thousand Islands with her best friend is the high point. "(It's) my most favourite memory... girls can be princess in a castle between a thousand islands. Best friends are those who spend a day at a castle," she said in a statement.
Actor Mishal Raheja said Rohan Tiwari is the only one who has been with him through thick and thin. "When it comes to fond memories, the one I can remember is when I shared his secret of an outdoor location where his girlfriend was hiding and staying in his room. He was late and I joked saying he is late because his girlfriend doesn't leave him and he was angry for the longest time. But bros are bros," he added.
Actor Adnan Khan believes that people don't need a specific day to celebrate friendship. "We should not need a reminder to tell our friends that they are special to us and we are blessed to have such great friends. Coincidently, my off-screen and on-screen best friend is Aashutosh Semwal. He knows me very well," said the "Ishq Subhan Allah" actor.
Shantanu Maheshwari, the host of "India's Best Dramebaaz", also feels it is "unfair" to celebrate friendship on one specific day. "It is something to cherish every day. I still remember during my school days, Friendship Day used to be a rage and kids used to take friendship bands very seriously. "
"Back then, I used to make my own friendship band for my close friends because I could not afford to buy fancy ones. I plan to spend Friendship Day with my close friends. The stupid little things we do is what makes our bond so special," he said.
Actress Yogita Bihani is generally busy shooting for her show. "But if given a chance, I would love to go out with my friends and do all the fun activities. Like going to some gaming parlour or some refreshing place and just chill with my friends," she said.
She considers her "Dil Hi Toh Hai" co-star Karan Kundra a "really good friend".
"He is someone who teases me and you can tease him too and have fun. We have so much fun on the set. Also, he is a friend who teaches you and someone you want in your life."
"Mere Sai" actress Sneha Wagh believes it is an important to stay in touch with old friends and on Friendship Day, she usually meets them for lunch or coffee to rejoice "this beautiful day".
Actor Vijayendra Kumeria, seen in "Udann", has three close friends -- Raj Iyer, Rohit Ahuja and Siddharth Dabhi -- from school.
"We are always available for each other at any given time. One memory that I will always cherish with them is the time when we all had gone for a school trip to Udaipur. All the students had to report for sightseeing at a specific time. Siddharth and I reached on time whereas Raj and Rohit were late and the coach left.
"When we returned, these two were so angry that they decided to 'unfriend' us. But they remained angry only for two hours. We still laugh whenever we think of this incident," he shared.
"Naagin 3" actor Pearl Puri recalled having lots of football friends with whom he used to play every evening after tution.
"Vikas Parashar is my one friend who's always had my back. Gymming becomes double fun when Vikas comes along. I think friendship is a really beautiful bond which is above all the insecurities and egos and that's what I like the most."
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
