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Tag: Ahmed Rashid

  • Preity Zinta’s column for BBC website gets overwhelming response

    Preity Zinta’s column for BBC website gets overwhelming response

    MUMBAI: Actor Preity Zinta who penned her first column for the BBC’s website www.bbcnews.com/southasia on Monday 29 January, has attracted an overwhelming response from all over the world.

    On the first day of its launch, the column recorded more than a hundred thousand page impressions, making it to the site’s top ten most widely read stories on the day.

    Also, the BBC website www.bbcnews.com was flooded with hundreds of emails from India as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Australia, Malaysia, UK, US, Netherlands, Mozambique and Brazil.

    In joining the BBC, Zinta who has starred in films like Dil Chahta Hai, Koi… Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho has joined a heavyweight line up of some of South Asia’s most respected commentators including best selling author Ahmed Rashid, renowned economist Kaushik Basu and leading sports writer Rohit Brijnath.

    Some of the comments that were posted on the website in response to Zinta’s column are:

    Reema from Pakistan wrote, “I think what Preity wrote is absolutely true! She’s done an incredible job, and I hope she continues for a long time! The movies of the 80’s n 70’s were before my time but I do know that heroines were used as props back then! Its great to see the change in Bollywood! I’m truly a Hindi film fan. Its good that somebody who’s actually experienced it all is writing here!

    Paval from India said, “It is great to see Preity Zinta, one of the most renowned actors to pen by herself few words on the BBC. Certainly I feel she is well qualified to give views on Bollywood and variety of subjects relating India, arts and future talks. It is inspiring and motivating me to read through Preity’s columns.”

    Selwyn J Mukkath from Afghanistan said, “I am struck by the depth of this article, how it has traveled over the past years, and scanned the current era and given a new dimension to the present and future. It is remarkable to read so much in such a short piece. Congrats and Cheers.”

    Looks like Zinta has been appreciated for her efforts. Although it remains to be seen whether the magic continues.

  • Actor Preity Zinta to pen column for BBC website

    Actor Preity Zinta to pen column for BBC website

    MUMBAI: Entertainment takes pride of place. Even on the “Old Aunty.”

    Come 2 February and Bollywood glam doll Preity Zinta will be joining the BBC as a columnist for it’s website www.bbcnews.com/southasia.

    That the top Bollywood actor who’s stared in hits like Dil Chahta Hai, Koi… Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho gets much higher billing than a heavyweight line up of some of South Asia’s most respected commentators including best selling author Ahmed Rashid, renowned economist Kaushik Basu and leading sports writer Rohit Brijnath, says a lot.

    Zinta will write on a varied range of topics and will not be restricting herself to topics relating to the film industry only. She has been quoted in a company release as saying, “This column is something very interesting and a totally new experience for me. It is also a good platform to air my views on a variety of subjects as I am a pretty outspoken person,”

    In her first column which will be available at www.bbcnews.com/southasia from 2 February, she looks at the changing face of Bollywood and the films to watch out for in 2004. “It is going to be an exciting year because our young filmmakers are challenging the old order. They are instrumental in sculpting Bollywood’s new, changing face,” she says. Zinta will be donating her fee as a columnist for the BBC to a charity she supports in Punjab.

    Said bbcnews.com/southasia editor Bernard Gabony, “She (Zinta) completes what we think is the most impressive team of columnists writing on South Asian affairs anywhere on the Internet.”

    BBCnews.com has been repeatedly voted the best news website in the world. It is run by a large team of journalists in London and also has a network of correspondents across India. Along with Zinta the site also boasts of best selling author Ahmed Rashid. Another writer the BBC has is Kaushik Basu, who analyses India’s prospects in the global economy. Basu is Marks Professor of International Studies and Professor of Economics and Director of Program on Comparative Economic Development at Cornell University in US.

    Completing the new BBC line up is Rohit Brijnath, one of India’s best known sports writers who has been covering sport for 17 years. He has covered the Olympic Games, Asian Games, World Cup cricket, grand slam tennis events and numerous cricket tours. Brijnath, who is known for his breezy writing style and frank views, will be writing on sports and sporting personalities in the subcontinent.

  • Actor Preity Zinta to pen column for BBC website

    Actor Preity Zinta to pen column for BBC website

    MUMBAI: Entertainment takes pride of place. Even on the “Old Aunty.”

    Come 2 February and Bollywood glam doll Preity Zinta will be joining the BBC as a columnist for it’s website www.bbcnews.com/southasia.

    Actor Preity Zinta

    That the top Bollywood actor who’s stared in hits like Dil Chahta Hai, Koi… Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho gets much higher billing than a heavyweight line up of some of South Asia’s most respected commentators including best selling author Ahmed Rashid, renowned economist Kaushik Basu and leading sports writer Rohit Brijnath, says a lot.

    Zinta will write on a varied range of topics and will not be restricting herself to topics relating to the film industry only. She has been quoted in a company release as saying, “This column is something very interesting and a totally new experience for me. It is also a good platform to air my views on a variety of subjects as I am a pretty outspoken person,”

    In her first column which will be available at www.bbcnews.com/southasia from 2 February, she looks at the changing face of Bollywood and the films to watch out for in 2004. “It is going to be an exciting year because our young filmmakers are challenging the old order. They are instrumental in sculpting Bollywood’s new, changing face,” she says. Zinta will be donating her fee as a columnist for the BBC to a charity she supports in Punjab.

    Said bbcnews.com/southasia editor Bernard Gabony, “She (Zinta) completes what we think is the most impressive team of columnists writing on South Asian affairs anywhere on the Internet.”

    Ahmed Rashid

    BBCnews.com has been repeatedly voted the best news website in the world. It is run by a large team of journalists in London and also has a network of correspondents across India. Along with Zinta the site also boasts of best selling author Ahmed Rashid. Another writer the BBC has is Kaushik Basu, who analyses India’s prospects in the global economy. Basu is Marks Professor of International Studies and Professor of Economics and Director of Program on Comparative Economic Development at Cornell University in US.

    Completing the new BBC line up is Rohit Brijnath, one of India’s best known sports writers who has been covering sport for 17 years. He has covered the Olympic Games, Asian Games, World Cup cricket, grand slam tennis events and numerous cricket tours. Brijnath, who is known for his breezy writing style and frank views, will be writing on sports and sporting personalities in the subcontinent.