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Given the revenue collapse, the government is spending as much as it can

The <keyword id="2219970" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="World-Book-Night">World Book Night</keyword> (now in its fourth year and coincides with the <keyword id="2219971" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="UNESCO-International-Day-of-the-Book">UNESCO International Day of the Book</keyword>) came and went, but did it impact our life in any way? In the UK, 20 titles were selected and thousands of those <keyword id="5050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="books">books</keyword> were given away for free on the night of <keyword id="6460904" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="April-23">April 23</keyword> to inspire people who “haven’t yet been turned on” to reading. A quick look at the list had us pleasantly surprised. It included the works of <keyword id="210859" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Agatha-Christie">Agatha Christie</keyword>, <keyword id="17397" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Jeffrey-archer">Jeffrey Archer</keyword>, <keyword id="324611" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="John-Grisham">John Grisham</keyword>, <keyword id="241349" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Roald-Dahl">Roald Dahl</keyword>, <keyword id="1367712" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Andy-McNab">Andy McNab</keyword> and others – mostly popular stuff that may actually drive reluctant readers back to the age-old habit of reading. 
 And that brings another startling fact to the forefront. If reading less is a global malady, men could be suffering more from it than their female counterparts. No, we are not getting gender-biased here. The findings came from a survey commissioned by the <keyword id="2219978" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reading-Agency">Reading Agency</keyword> and conducted by <keyword id="2219982" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="OnePoll">OnePoll</keyword>. According to the report, researchers from OnePoll spoke to 2,000 British men and <keyword id="624" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Women">women</keyword> ahead of the World Book Night and it was found that 75% of the men would watch the big screen version of a story, instead of reading the original book. In fact, 30% of the men said they had not read a book after their school days. 
 But in spite of all the statistics, reading does change one’s life. They say everyone can write at least one classic – their own life story. Surprisingly enough, we have one such book in our April list – the <keyword id="2219985" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Posthumous-collection">posthumous collection</keyword> of <keyword id="642178" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Essays">essays</keyword> and <keyword id="851600" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="short-stories">short stories</keyword> by a young <keyword id="2219988" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Yale-graduate">Yale graduate</keyword> that has gone viral and read by at least 1.4 million people across 98 countries. That gives us great hope that books (in any format) will never become obsolete. Browse through our list of seven wonder works – analytical, inspirational, <keyword id="820033" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="sublime">sublime</keyword>, but essentially a <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> towards a changing world order, a look into the changing times. 
 
Image: Thinkstock/Getty Images

April Read: Try These
7 Books To Usher In A Summer Of Change

Indian cinema, it seems like, has adapted the trend of turning books into movies rather profitably, much like its western cousin, Hollywood! Another one in the series is last year’s political best seller,<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+Sanjay+Baru"> Sanjay </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=+Sanjay+Baru">Baru</a>’s “<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=The+Accidental+Prime+Minister">The Accidental Prime Minister</a>”. 
 
As reported by Economic Times, the movie will be an apolitical one portraying the very political decade, from 2004 to 2014. 
 <keyword id="615024" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sunil-Bohra">Sunil Bohra</keyword>, who just acquired the rights of the book says, "My movie will be denuded of any political agenda and bereft of any political leanings. It will be a true reflection of what has been authored by Mr Baru in his book." 
 The book, authored by <keyword id="1275069" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Baru">Sanjay Baru</keyword>, former Prime Minister <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=manmohan+singh">Manmohan Singh</a>’s ex-media advisor came out in 2014, ahead of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Lok+Sabha+polls">Lok Sabha polls</a>, after which the age-old political party, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Congress">Congress</a>, was defeated by BJP. 
 The movie, reportedly, will narrate the alliances, deals, intrigues, betrayals and machinations that led to the economist-turned-politician <keyword id="306861" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manmohan-Sing">Manmohan Sing</keyword> becoming the Prime Minister in 2004. It has already been made clear in the contract that the producer will "not add" anything to the script. 
 
As per the political pundits and experts in the Indian cine-industry, making an apolitical movie out of such material won't be just difficult, it's almost impossible. 
 "My sole intention is to make a movie covering the 10 most crucial years (from 2004 to 2014), which changed the political spectrum of our country and fortunes of India's oldest political party - the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword>," Bohra told ET. 
 Baru, a former journalist who has also previously worked with ET, had not only highlighted Singh's strained relations with Congress President <keyword id="689" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sonia-Gandhi">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> and her son and Vice-President <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> but also the real nature of his association with other party seniors and bureaucrats had come to light. It was also about the scams that took place under Singh's leadership, which eventually led to the downfall of the age-old party in the 2014 general elections, after a decade at the helm of affairs 
 
Baru, in his much controversial book had said the former prime minister's "general attitude towards corruption in public life" was "active morality for himself and passive morality with respect to others." 
 The film, as per the reports, is expected to be released by the end of 2018, the time when <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> and BJP would be seeking re-elections. The film might impact the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2019. 
 
Bohra said he was drawn to the book because it provided an intimate glimpse into the corridors of power. "I was highly intrigued when I read the book, which has gone on to become one of India's bestsellers," he said. "Never have I come across a book which gives you an inside view of the room of none other than the prime minister and that too by his advisor. I find it a very interesting and significant story to narrate." 
 
Baru, who was Singh's media advisor from 2004 to 2008, said he was convinced to sell the rights after speaking to Bohra. "Mr Sunil Bohra said that he felt my book lends itself well to dramatic picturisation," Sanjaya Baru told ET. "He wanted my permission to make a movie based on it. I have agreed." 
 
The production team hasn't yet settled on the format, with some members suggesting a documentary similar in style to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, which critically examined the US’ role in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
 
Bohra declined to elaborate on the treatment, although he seems to favor a feature rather than a documentary. "All I can reveal at this moment is that the final outcome will be grand and tailored for Indian and foreign audiences," he said. As for who will play the various characters in a feature, auditions will be conducted online through Bombaycasting.com, Bohra said. Pre-production has already begun and research will soon kick off on the project as the banner puts the team together, he said. 
 Image: indiatimes

Controversial book on Manmohan Singh’s tenure as the ‘Accidental Prime Minister’ to be adapted into a film

<ul><li>In the Indian state of Bihar, a case has been filed against the lead actors — Anupam Kher of "New Amsterdam" and Akshaye Khanna — and others associated with the movie "<keyword id="1993208" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Accidental-Prime-Minister">Accidental Prime Minister</keyword>".</li><li>The lawyer that filed the case alleges that he felt ‘hurt’ upon watching the promos of the upcoming movie and claims that the films projects India as well as its political leaders a 'poor light’.</li><li>The President of the Maharashtra State Youth Congress, Satyajeet Tambe Patil, has demanded a 'special screening' of the movie citing that he is concerned about 'the incorrect representation of facts'.</li><li>The "Accidental Prime Minister", set to launch on January 11, is facing controversy on social media after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India’s governing party, posted a tweet promoting the film.</li><li>Users on social media are claiming that the making of the film is probably influenced by the political party showing the opposing party, Congress, in an unfavourable light.</li></ul>The "Accidental Prime Minister" created waves when the book first came out and now the trailer of the political drama is creating buzz on social media — and it continuing to do so after five days after its release. A lawyer in the Indian state of Bihar has filed a petition against the people associated with movie about India’s former prime minister, Manmohan Singh. He is alleging that the promotional trailer of the movie has ‘hurt’ his sentiments. That includes the lead actor of "Accidental Prime Minister" Anupam Kher, Akshaye Khanna playing the former prime minister’s media advisor, Suzanne Bernert playing Sonia Gandhi and Aahana Kumra playing Priyanka Gandhi among others. The PIL filed in local courts also claims that the movie projects India and its political leaders unfavourably to the rest of the world. It’s not only about India’s former prime minister, but also other noted Indian politicians like Lalu Prasad, Mayawati and another former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The petition has been filed under the sections of Indian Penal Code that relate to promoting enmity between different groups, sale of obscene objects, insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal conspiracy. What's the big deal? The content of the biopic has been called into question after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the current ruling party of India's central government, posted a tweet promoting the film. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="BJP4India" handlename="BJP" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/812531108092874753/frVON4bm_normal.jpg" favoritecount="12599" retweetcount="4412" status="Riveting tale of how a family held the country to ransom for 10 long years. Was Dr Singh just a regent who was hold… https://t.co/kIcWZrkVdu" createdat="1545926460000" id="1078319849082839041"></div>














 The main point of contention seems to be that political parties aren’t normally seen propagating commercial films and the timing of the BJP sharing such an update ahead of the 2019 General Elections in India seems to be ill-advised. Others who claim the film is unfair The movie has created such controversy that the President of the Maharashtra State Youth Congress, Satyajeet Tambe Patil, went as far to write a letter to producer of the film demanding a ‘special screening’ ahead of its release. Patil questioned the accuracy of the film stating that there is an ‘incorrect presentation of facts’. The issue is that with the BJP tweeting about the film, most people on social media opine that the making if the film is influenced to show the opposing political party, Congress, in an unfavourable light. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="sadhavi" handlename="Sadhavi Khosla" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1073180886168944640/VGMXFjX2_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1948" retweetcount="827" status="A political party promoting a commercial film - hence endorsing that its self produced for propaganda and for defam… https://t.co/qZkgMIj0h5" createdat="1545928238000" id="1078327304189853697"></div>















 Some even believe that this isn't anything more than a publicity stunt. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="akashbanerjee" handlename="Akash Banerjee" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1072532908542431233/y-1Vim3H_normal.jpg" favoritecount="6764" retweetcount="1306" status="Sources: Tickets to #AccidentalPrimeMinister will be available at @bookmyshow &amp; all BJP offices." createdat="1545989167000" id="1078582859160584192"></div>















 
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="OmarAbdullah" handlename="Omar Abdullah" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1071666850218545157/UJEF9IMT_normal.jpg" favoritecount="13479" retweetcount="3002" status="Can’t wait for when they make The Insensitive Prime Minister. So much worse than being the accidental one." createdat="1545979469000" id="1078542185157537792"></div>









 Actors and others associated with the 'Accidental Prime Minister' stand by it Renowned <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> director, Hansal Mehta, stated that <keyword id="2193106" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Accidental-Prime-Minister">the Accidental Prime Minister</keyword> is not a film that takes sides but simply a drama about democracy ‘that has always been bogged down by personality cults’. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="mehtahansal" handlename="Hansal Mehta" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1028846272155856896/yxHaMe9k_normal.jpg" favoritecount="353" retweetcount="67" status="Inspite of differing political views of many of us I've never seen #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister as a film that takes… https://t.co/xH7dHnF5m9" createdat="1545905360000" id="1078231348593156096"></div>














 Kher also maintains that the movie is an accurate depiction of events. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="AnupamPKher" handlename="Anupam Kher" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1059456064482144257/tCqvUn38_normal.jpg" favoritecount="3237" retweetcount="698" status="I am not going to back off. This is my life’s best performance. #DrManmohanSingh will agree after seeing the film t… https://t.co/6Zwe78owQX" createdat="1545989498000" id="1078584246674042880"></div>














 He even wrote to YouTube about how the trailer for the movie isn’t appearing in the platform’s search results. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="AnupamPKher" handlename="Anupam Kher" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1059456064482144257/tCqvUn38_normal.jpg" favoritecount="5489" retweetcount="1650" status="Dear @YouTube!!! I am getting messages &amp; calls that in parts of our country if you type, trailer of… https://t.co/eDvmTZeehI" createdat="1546345365000" id="1080076863010091009"></div>





















 The political party at the center of the controversy, BJP, retaliated to naysayers claiming that political leaders like Rahul Gandhi, the president of Indian National Congress, and the Arvind Kerjiwal, the chief minister of Delhi, tweeted about "Udta Punjab" — a film on Punjab's drug problem — in the past. That too at a time when BJP's ally, Akali Dal, was the ruling party in the Indian state of Punjab. Manmohan Singh <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/manmohan-singh-asked-about-the-accidental-prime-minister-his-response-1969249">declined</a> to comment on the release of the movie when he was asked for his reaction outside the Congress office earlier today. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="sardesairajdeep" handlename="Rajdeep Sardesai" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1027463758854189057/zInujNK9_normal.jpg" favoritecount="11044" retweetcount="1980" status="Through all the needless controversy over The Accidental Prime Minister, the one person who comes across with digni… https://t.co/l8ZE2IbhxQ" createdat="1546023387000" id="1078726387928842240"></div>













 The endorsement by the BJP could undercut the credibility of the movie that’s set to come out on January 11, 2019. The 'Accidental Prime Minister' stars Anupam Kher playing the lead character, Manmohan Singh, and Akshaye Khanna playing Sanjaya Baru, the former Prime Minister’s media advisor.

Bollywood film on former Indian PM is at the epicenter of a massive political controversy in India — and now there's a claim that it's projecting the country's political leaders in poor light

List of 165 politicians, journalists, military officials and other prominent personalities that China Revival was tracking

NEW DELHI: Dr Manmohan Singh’s legacy came under yet another round of intense attack with former <keyword id="6356851" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="CAG">CAG</keyword> Vinod Rai alleging that the former <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">prime minister</keyword> was aware of major scandals as they unfolded, refuting claims Singh was not fully aware of the machinations that resulted in humungous loss to the public exchequer and mauled the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> party’s electoral fortunes. 
 The former CAG’s revelations challenge the defence of Singh that the <keyword id="6446767" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="2G-scam">2G scam</keyword> was perpetuated by A Raja using the political necessity of Congress to humour DMK, thus fastening the mega swindle to the reformist PM. 
 
Rai, whose book “Not Just An Accountant” is set for release in the next few days, claimed that Dr Singh was alerted by his senior cabinet minister Kamal Nath about the brewing 2G scam. 
 
Adding credibility to Rai’s claim, Kamal Nath admitted that he had cautioned Dr Singh against 2G allocations. “I wrote to the Prime Minister that I am hearing all sorts of things are going on in 2G allocation. The PM chose to do nothing,” Nath told Times Now. The former commerce minister said he feels that had Dr Singh intervened “things would have been different for the Congress”. However, there was no point flogging a dead horse, said Nath even as he emphasized that “A Raja was prosecuted for what he did”, and that Rai should not resort to sensationalism to boost the sales of his book. 
 
 
 
The former CAG also claimed that he was under pressure to drop the name of the former civil aviation minister from the federal auditor’s report on the controversial purchase of aircraft for public carriers. He said the then minister, Praful Patel, had “nudged” the public carriers to go in for the large-scale purchase. 
 
“All hell broke loose when the draft report reached the ministry and bureaucrats of all hues tried to prompt the CAG to drop the word “nudge”. 
 
Patel denied the charge saying that he never met Rai. 
 Rai’s is only the latest book from those who have had a ringside view of Dr Singh’s prime ministership, and who later chose to record the unpleasant realities of the PMO under him and the <keyword id="26374" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="UPA-government">UPA government</keyword>. Dr Singh’s former media advisor Sanjaya Baru, former external affairs minister K Natwar Singh and former coal secretary PC Parakh have all recorded the makings of many scandals that have marked the UPA decade, portraying the former PM as the leader who was not in control or unwilling to intervene. 
 Elaborating on what he had told TOI exclusively on August 24, Rai on Thursday told Time Now that he was approached by three Congress MPs – former <keyword id="6356398" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Law-Minister">Law minister</keyword> Ashwani Kumar who had to resign for allegedly pressuring the CBI to dilute PMO’s role in the Coalgate scam, <keyword id="56431" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sanjay-Nirupam">Sanjay Nirupam</keyword> and Sandeep Dikshit – to drop the name of the Prime Minister from the CAG report on 2G spectrum allocation. 
 
 
Manmohan Singh’s legacy as PM came under yet another round of intense attack with former CAG Vinod Rai alleging that the former prime minister was aware of major scandals as they unfolded. 
 
“I mentioned in the book that after the PAC meeting on the 2G, Congress MPs did tell me that keep the PM out of this,” Rai said. 
 
Reacting to Rai’s claim, Sanjay Nirupam said the former CAG was lying. “I have never spoken to him,” Nirupam said. 
 
Rai said the irregularities in allocation of 2G licences date back to the tenure of Raja’s predecessor and his DMK colleague Dayanidhi Maran in the telecom ministry. “And we had evidence of the licence being given out at particular prices not only from Raja's time but before also from the previous minister who was also from the DMK. We found that there was a track record that the previous minister had started in a particular way and Raja followed that way. But Raja kept informing the PM what he was planning to do,” he said. 
 
Rai said then PM Manmohan Singh’s own cabinet colleagues were advising him against the licence allocation in arbitrary manner. “Like his own cabinet colleagues were saying that lets discuss this in a GoM. The finance ministry was also saying that lets bring it to a group of ministers. The law ministry had also advised him to do that. But somehow it did not take place,” he said. 
 
 
 
<keyword id="204796" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Former-Union">Former Union</keyword> minister Kamal Nath (L) has claimed that he had cautioned Manmohan Singh against 2G allocations and slammed the former PM's inaction over the issue. 
 
The former CAG said former PM had enough time to stop the allocations. “It could have been stopped because between this letter of 26th December and 10th of January when the LOIs were actually issued, there was a fortnight’s time,” he said. 
 
“The buck stops at the PM's desk in any parliamentary democracy. He is the CEO of the country. He can stop, or he can initiate, both. I have written in the book that he probably chose not to stop,” Rai said.

You Searched For "Sanjaya Baru" and got 6 results

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