NEARLY five decades rolled away when Zeenat Aman, one of the legendary heroines of Hindi cinema, recently inaugurated the UK Asian Film Festival in its 21st year when its theme was “revolution”.
Appearing before an enthusiastic audience in the theatre of the May Fair Hotel in London, Zeenat said she was glad the festival planners, including its director Pushpinder Chowdhry, had “felt in some way my career symbolised revolution in the Indian film industry”.
The festival brochure, which has her image on the cover, pointed this out: “No one can ever forget the disenchanted pot-smoking hippie in Hare Rama Hare Krishna; the opportunist who leaves her unemployed lover for a millionaire in Roti, Kapda, Aur Makaan; the girl who falls in love with her mother’s one-time lover in Prem Shastra; and a woman married to a caustic cripple but involved in an extramarital relationship in Dhund. Equally, her conventional films like Chori Mera Kaam, Dostana, Lawaaris and Qurbani are considered to be landmarks in Indian cinema.”
Even the youngest members of the audience, who were not born when Zeenat was at the height of her fame in the 1970s and 1980s, appeared to be familiar with the best loved movies and songs in her career. There was repeated applause as these were mentioned during her captivating question and answer session with the radio presenter Anushka Arora.
Zeenat spoke of songs that remain as popular as ever, among them Dum Maro Dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna in 1971, when Asha Bhosle was the playback singer.
“I had the good fortune of having RD Burman, who was an iconic music director, and Ashaji sang a lot of my songs – they created magic,” Zeenat said.
She was picked for the role of Jasbir (Janice) in Hare Rama Hare Krishna by Dev Anand after she had won the Miss Asia Pacific beauty contest in Manila in 1970 – “that opened many doors”.
Zeenat, born in 1951 in Bombay (now Mumbai) to a Muslim father and Hindu mother – they separated when she was two – was educated at St Joseph’s Convent, a girls’ boarding school in Panchgani, a hill station in Maharashtra. This explains why her English is fluent and has echoes of Enid Blyton with its references to “midnight feasts” and “tuck”. She was a trifle rebellious but “the nuns made me head girl and I straightened out”.
She acknowledged that initially “I was not very familiar with the language I was working in, I am sorry to say. I was a convent girl. Didn’t speak Hindi too clearly. Dev Anand took my first screen test in English, but his cameraman approved so I was signed.”
Dev Anand wrote a number of films for her, including Heera Panna (1973), and Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974). Then “other producers signed me up for films like Warrant (1974), Darling Darling (1977) and Nasir Hussain in Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973).”
In all she did some 80 films. “And then in the blink of an eye 15 years had gone by.”
She gave it all up to look after her two sons. She had been long been a single parent because her sons “lost their father about 20 years ago”.
“I feel fortunate as an actor, especially for commercial Hindi cinema where music is such an integral part of the things that you do, that I had the songs that I did whether it was Dum Maro Dum or Chura Liya (from Yaadon Ki Baaraat) or Nazia Hassan’s Aap Jaisa Koi (from Qurbani in 1980). There was some memorable music which brings back a wave of nostalgia.”
Along with Dev Anand, she worked with many of Hindi cinemas greatest actors and directors.
In 1973 she was cast in Yaadon Ki Baaraat after she was spotted by Nasir Hussain when she was staying at a quaint hotel in Mahabaleshwar. “I was walking down with some coconut water and Nasir Hussain said, ‘Who is this very fresh-faced girl?’”
“So, it’s all about the coconut water?” interjected Anushka. “No, it was about the fresh-faced girl!” responded Zeenat.
Of Rajesh Khanna, who starred opposite her in Ajanabee in 1974, she said: “He was a phenomenon and we were all completely awestruck. Women killed themselves over the fact he got married – literally. He was fond of writing his lines on cue cards, so they were all over the place. He looked up, down, looked here, looked there.”
She knew Amitabh Bachchan before he became a superstar: “Gangly, tall, unsure of where his career was going – he was dating my best girlfriend. So, we went out a lot together.”
He didn’t change with fame and remained the same person: “Funny, naughty, friendly.”
They acted together in The Great Gambler (1979), part of which was shot in Venice. There was laughter as Zeenat revealed the film’s erotic consequences: “I meet a lot of people who saw the film and went for their honeymoon to Venice. That song contributed to an explosion in the population.”
An angry Feroz Khan “said a few things on the phone he shouldn’t have said” when she turned down a secondary role in one of his films. “But he came back with a leading part in the next film. No regrets I said no because I did Qurbani (1980).”
She had acted with Raj Kapoor in films, but when he directed Satyam Shivam Sundaram in 1978, “he was so uncertain about casting me because I was expected by the audiences in a very westernised genre. So for him to be casting me as a tribal girl with a burnt face was a challenge.”
Shatrughan Sinha was invariably late on set, but made up for lost time because “he had an amazing photographic memory” and “knew all his lines”.
There were no trolls in her day, but she learnt to live with magazines such as Cineblitz and Stardust who “wanted to put me on their cover but then write a lot of scandal”.
“It was a different time,” remembered Zeenat, whose lure remains undimmed. “The digital world did not exist. Movie stars were movie stars at the time. Films went on to do silver jubilees, golden jubilees, these wonderful grand premieres and people came out to see their favourite stars.
“The stars were not on every TV channel, easily seen and available. There was some aura about people who worked in the business. That was real stardom.”
TWO brothers accused of assaulting a man inside a Starbucks and later attacking police officers at Manchester Airport are standing trial, with the prosecution arguing they used "unlawful and extreme violence".
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his older brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both from Rochdale, are said to have acted aggressively on July 23 last year while at the airport to pick up their mother, who had arrived on a flight from Qatar.
The pair deny the charges and claim they were defending themselves.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the trouble started when their mother, shortly after landing, pointed out a man she had an issue with - Abdulkareem Ismaeil - who was inside a Starbucks café with his family.
Prosecutor Paul Greaney KC said the younger brother, Amaaz, approached Ismaeil, shouted at him, then headbutted and punched him in front of his children.
Starbucks manager Cameron Cartledge said he heard loud voices and saw a man in a blue tracksuit—later identified as Amaaz—arguing closely with another man.
"Blue tracksuit man seemed quite aggressive. He got in the man’s face and shouted. Then he headbutted him, which made him stumble back," said Cartledge, adding that he called police immediately.
Another witness, barista Justine Pakalne, said the violence came from Amaaz, not Ismaeil. "Even if the other man stepped forward, he didn’t touch him. It was Amaaz who headbutted him," she said.
After the café incident, police officers found the brothers near the car park payment area of Terminal 2. According to Greaney, three officers - PCs Zachary Marsden, Ellie Cook, and Lydia Ward - approached to arrest Amaaz. When they did, he resisted and Amaad stepped in.
The court heard that both brothers attacked PC Marsden. Amaaz is also accused of assaulting PC Cook and breaking PC Ward’s nose during the struggle.
"The level of violence was very high," said Greaney. "Amaaz held PC Marsden by the neck, pulling him to the ground. PC Marsden managed to break free and later kicked Amaaz in the face to protect himself."
The prosecution acknowledged that the officer’s actions might appear “shocking” in isolation but argued they must be seen in the context of an armed officer facing a serious threat. "This happened in a busy airport where officers feared their weapons could be taken," Greaney said.
CCTV and police bodycam footage were shown to jurors, showing the incident unfold.
The defence claims both men acted in self-defence. However, Greaney dismissed that argument: "What the footage shows is not defensive behaviour, but offensive and violent conduct."
The court also heard that Ismaeil declined to give a police statement and is not part of the trial.
Both defendants deny all charges. The trial will continue on Monday (7).
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THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.
The boy, who cannot be named due to legal restrictions, was found guilty of carrying out an "unprovoked" attack on Kohli as he walked his dog in a park in Leicester, eastern England, in September last year.
The review follows a detailed assessment by Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP to determine whether the case met the threshold for referral.
“The Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby KC MP, was appalled by this violent, cowardly attack on an innocent man. She wishes to express her deepest sympathies to Bhim Kohli’s friends and family at this difficult time,” said a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office.
“After a detailed review of the case, the Solicitor General concluded the sentence of the 15-year-old could be referred to the Court of Appeal. The court will now determine whether the sentence should be increased.”
A 13-year-old girl, who was also convicted of manslaughter for her role in the attack, avoided a custodial sentence. She had filmed the assault while laughing and encouraging the boy, the court heard.
At a sentencing hearing on June 5 at Leicester Crown Court, Justice Mark Turner described the attack as “wicked”. He said he was legally bound to consider the defendants’ ages.
The boy, referred to as D1, was convicted of physically assaulting Kohli, while the girl, referred to as D2, received a three-year youth rehabilitation order with a six-month curfew.
Addressing the girl in court, Justice Turner said that a custodial sentence would likely cause “more harm than good”. It is understood that her sentence will not be referred for review as it did not meet the legal threshold.
During the trial, the court was told that Kohli had been racially abused and repeatedly punched and kicked. His daughter, Susan Kohli, found him lying on the ground after the attack.
“They chose to attack a defenceless pensioner and for that I cannot give them any of my sympathy,” she said after the sentencing.
Kelly Matthews, senior district crown prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, called the incident “tragic” and said it had deeply affected the Leicester community and beyond.
“Kohli set out to walk his dog in his local park, as he did every day, but lost his life in what followed,” she said.
(PTI)
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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.
"I have been able to serve the Buddhadharma (the teachings of Buddhism) and the beings of Tibet so far quite well," he said between prayers, clearing his throat now and then.
"And still, I hope to live over 130 years," he said, sparking applause and cheers among his followers.
The 14th Dalai Lama, already longest-lived head of Tibetan Buddhism, spent about 90 minutes at the prayers in his temple. The ceremony was attended by thousands of followers from around the world who gathered in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamshala, where he has lived since fleeing Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule.
"We have lost our country and we live in exile in India, but I have been able to benefit beings quite a lot. So, living here in Dharamshala, I intend to serve beings and the dharma as much as I can," he said in Tibetan, which was translated simultaneously in English and other languages.
China, keen to consolidate its control over Tibet, views the Dalai Lama as a separatist. Beijing insists its leaders would have to approve his successor, in a legacy from imperial times.
The Dalai Lama has previously said that he would reincarnate in the "free world" outside China and this week told his followers that the sole authority to recognise his reincarnation rests with his non-profit institution, the Gaden Phodrang Trust.
The Dalai Lama is a charismatic figure whose following extends well beyond the millions of Tibetan Buddhists living around the world. He won the 1989 peace prize for what the Nobel committee said was keeping alive the Tibetan cause and seeking genuine autonomy to protect and preserve the region's unique culture, religion and national identity without pressing for independence.
At the prayers on Saturday, he sat on a throne before a large statue of the Buddha, with dozens of monks seated in front of him. Marigold garlands hung from pillars as his followers and journalists crowded around the main temple area.
Oracles and other figures, shaking in trance, arrived to pay their obeisance to their guru. Monks struck cymbals and played ornate long trumpets in honour of the Dalai Lama and others.
The Dalai Lama said he prays daily to benefit all sentient beings and feels he has the blessings of Tibet's patron deity, Avalokitesvara.
"Looking at the many prophecies, I feel I have the blessings of Avalokitesvara," he said. "I have done my best so far. At the least, I hope to still live for 30 or 40 years more."
His birthday celebrations on Sunday will be attended by senior Indian ministers as well as diplomats from the US, along with thousands of his devotees.
(Reuters)
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Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C
Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria
Possible heatwave to return by mid-July
The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.
June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.
Heatwave thresholds and forecast temperatures
A heatwave in the UK is defined as three consecutive days with daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C in the west and north, and 28°C in London and surrounding counties.
According to Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin, “Whilst it is difficult this far ahead to determine exactly how hot things could get next week and weekend, there is the potential that some parts of the country could reach heatwave criteria.”
Early forecasts show that temperatures in the south east may rise to the high 20s on 9 July and could reach the low 30s on 10 July.
High pressure building over the south
The likely heat is being driven by a high-pressure system developing from the west, which is expected to extend across southern parts of the UK. This system may draw in warm air from the Atlantic and the Azores, increasing the chances of another period of hot, settled weather.
“Most likely it will be the south and east that see prolonged heat and thus could have another heatwave,” Ms Hutin said. “But it is too soon to say exactly how high temperatures could get.”
Cooler and wetter spell before the heat
In the meantime, cooler weather is expected across the UK this weekend and early next week. Cloudy skies and rain will affect western areas in particular, with temperatures forecast to drop slightly.
The south east is expected to reach 25°C on Saturday (6 July), followed by 24°C on Sunday and 23°C on Monday. Drizzly outbreaks are likely on Saturday, with showers expected on Sunday, especially in the east.
Rain warnings and flood alerts
A yellow weather warning for rain remains in place until Saturday afternoon across parts of Scotland, including Argyll and Bute, the south Highlands, Mull and Skye. Up to 60mm of rain is expected, with more than 100mm possible in mountainous areas.
The Environment Agency has issued flood alerts in Cumbria, including for rivers such as the Duddon, Crake and Mill Beck, following heavy rainfall on Friday. Meanwhile, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued six flood alerts for areas including Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire and Arran, Easter Ross and Great Glen, Skye and Lochaber, west central Scotland and Wester Ross.
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Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)
TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.
Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.
Bedi was sentenced on July 4 by judge Griffiths sitting at Southwark Crown Court to five years and four months, while Mavanga was sentenced to six years and six months.
Judge Griffiths said Bedi and Mavanga “were both leading players in a conspiracy whereby the victims of the fraud were persuaded to invest in crypto currency consultancy” and “you conspired to drive a coach and horses through the regulatory system”, according to the FCA.
It said anyone scammed by Bedi and Mavanga and who had not yet heard from the FCA should call 0800 111 6768 or email operationhickory@fca.org.uk.
Bedi on May 2, 2023, pleaded guilty to four charges – conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to breach the general prohibition under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and money laundering offences at an earlier hearing.
Mavanga pleaded guilty to three charges – conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to breach the general prohibition under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and possession of false identification documents with an improper intention – on June 9, 2023. He was also convicted of perverting the course of justice on November 7, 2024, for the deletion of phone call recordings following the arrest of Bedi in March 2019.