Reeling Tales

Recently, ANI has issued a copyright strike on YouTuber Mohak Mangal’s video and has allegedly demanded ₹45 lakh, threatening to have his channel deleted if the amount is not paid. The reason? In a few videos, Mohak Mangal had used a few seconds of ANI’s video clips. Mohak Mangal claims this is outright ''extortion'' and bullying''. Beyond the legal technicalities, couldn't a major media house like ANI simply take the revenue generated from Mohak Mangal’s video or ask him to delete the portions that used ANI footage and let him go with a warning? What does ANI gain by getting an entire channel of a small YouTuber deleted and hitting someone’s livelihood so harshly? Is this really fair?                                   

When India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission failed, you can imagine the emotional state of all ISRO scientists. It was a deeply disheartening moment — as if, despite putting in all their effort and betting everything they had, they were left with nothing. Who can forget that iconic moment when Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraced then-ISRO chief K. Sivan, as tears rolled down his face? Now, a similar mission failure from North Korea has caught global attention — but the reaction from its leader Kim Jong-un was drastically different. Recently, North Korea was launching its second massive 5,000-ton warship, celebrating the occasion with fireworks during the naval destroyer’s inauguration. However, during the ship’s descent into the water, a technical fault occurred — part of the ship broke, and it tilted to one side. Kim Jong-un was furious. His eyes reportedly turned red with anger, and he called the incident a case of “criminal negligence,” ordering the arrest of officials involved in the proj...

Here’s a shocking story for you — straight from Mexico. A 23-year-old TikTok influencer named Valeria Márquez, who had over 200,000 followers and also ran her own salon, was tragically murdered on camera — and the internet watched in horror. It all began when Valeria reportedly received a message saying someone had come by to drop off an expensive gift for her. During one of her livestreams, she heard a knock at the door and stepped out briefly. Moments later, she returned holding a gift, which she showed to the camera. But suddenly, she appeared visibly disturbed and muted her mic. Within seconds, two gunshots were heard, and Valeria collapsed in her chair — all while still live on camera. Who killed Valeria and why remains a mystery. The only thing clearly captured is her final moment on camera. This incident serves as a grim reminder — especially for women influencers — not to let strangers get too close in the pursuit of views, likes, or digital fame. Some gifts can turn deadly. ...

Reports suggest that some Bollywood filmmakers are eager to make a film on Operation Sindoor, and there's a rush to register for its cinematic rights. One producer has already announced the film and even released a poster. However, after facing trolling, the producer clarified that the intention isn’t profit but to showcase the good and heroic side of the story. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that — such films should be made to portray the bravery and righteousness of our forces. The real concern, though, is that in the name of storytelling, these artists and filmmakers might suddenly be bitten by the secularism bug or may rediscover their love for Pakistan. Because for some filmmakers, Operation Sindoor might just become an excuse to show a whole lot more — and while trying to make a "masala film," they may throw in human rights angles, victim cards, or even glorify Pakistan. After release, the film might feel less like Operation Sindoor and more like Operation Pakistan...

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who was at one point considered to be a sharp critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has of late changed his tone towards Modi. Once seen as one of his opponents, Tharoor has recently started praising Narendra Modi for his work. This was evident when the Prime Minister visited the USA and the visit was lauded by Mr. Tharoor. The general perception is that the reason behind this changed stance lies elsewhere. Nowadays, it is believed that Mr. Tharoor is not happy with his own party. If sources close to Mr. Shashi Tharoor are to be believed, he is being sidelined within the Congress party, and he has openly expressed his displeasure. Recently, Mr. Tharoor met Mr. Rahul Gandhi and came out of that meeting totally disgruntled. He has even said, “If my party does not need me, then I have other options too.” Actually, Mr. Tharoor wants an active role in the Congress party—either in a uniform or non-uniform capacity. In his meeting with Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Tharoor com...

You must remember the iconic moment from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah where Masterji doesn’t punish the children, but instead punishes himself to teach them a lesson — standing in the rain to send a message. Something very similar was recently done by a headmaster in Andhra Pradesh. The headmaster said that despite several reminders, students were consistently failing to complete their homework, which was affecting their academic progress. Deeply concerned, the teacher decided to deliver a powerful message in a different way. During a school assembly, in front of all the students, the headmaster held his ears and did sit-ups as a form of self-punishment — in an attempt to convey the seriousness of the matter and inspire the students to take responsibility. What do you think — will this effort by the headmaster have a lasting impact on the students?                                       ...

Govinda, the lead actor of Kyuki Main Jhooth Nahi Bolta, once claimed that he is constantly offered small roles and has turned down projects worth a total of ₹100 crore in a year. Now, how much truth there is in Govinda’s claim is something only Govinda — or the divine one above — can confirm. But one thing is certain: Govinda hasn’t been seen in a film for quite some time. There could be many reasons for that, but one particular factor, acknowledged by several actors who have worked with him, is his habit of consistently arriving late to film sets. Actors like Shakti Kapoor and many others have at some point revealed that Govinda was rarely ever on time. Along with other reasons, perhaps this too played a role in his current lack of film offers. There was a time when Govinda had 49 films lined up and worked for 16 days straight without a break. Now, only time will tell which new film he appears in next — and in what kind of role.                 ...