Mumbai Jan 29 PTI The Indian Film Television Directors Association IFTDA on Saturday said they have joined hands with leading casting directors to prevent cases of molestation in the film industryIn a letter sent to three major producers organisations the IFTDA stated that it has come up with an innovative plan to prevent rampant cases of women molestationThe letter which has been sent to the Producers Guild of India the Indian Film and TV Producers Council and the Western India Film Producers Association has been issued by IFTDA president Ashoke PanditWe wish to inform you that seeing the rampant cases of women molestation giving a bad name to the film industry an innovative plan was envisaged by us to nip the evil in the budThe most well-known eminent Casting Directors got together under the umbrella of Indian Film Television Directors Association IFTDA with the solemn and poignant pledge to eradicate this evil the letter readThe IFTDA further informed that their executive committee has formed a separate division of casting directorsThis move was spearheaded by most reputed casting directors Mukesh Chhabra Honey Trehan Vicky Sidana Shruti Mahajan and Shaarika it saidIt is our humble request to you to take on board only IFTDA Casting Director members for assurance of safety to women working in different crafts of filmmaking the letter saidIFTDA also requested casting directors to become bonafide members of their association to jointly fight for the honour of womenOur staff will give utmost cooperation to your member Producers Be a part of our movement for the safety of all genders it said PTI KKP RB SHD SHD

Mumbai Jan 23 PTI Playback singer Shaan says movie songs used to serve as an escape from the reality for people but they have now lost that charm and in the process also their recall valueThe voice behind countless hits such as Tanha Dil Musu Musu Hasi Jab Se Tere Naina and Chand Sifarish the singer believes the admiration for film songs is shrinking due to the realistic cinema that has emerged in recent yearsWhen I was doing movie songs they had a longer life and there was likeability for those songs Whenever there was a pure romantic situation in the movie the hero was lip syncing Whether it was realistic or not was another thingBut ever since the songs are becoming more realistic it is difficult for filmmakers to accept the Shah Rukh Khan-kind of songs which were about spreading arms and singing anywhere Luckily I was the one of the last who enjoyed that phase where songs used to be picturised in a big lush way Shaan told PTI in an interviewThe 49-year-old musician said 90s songs still enjoy a great recall value and it is because they were not peppered with realismFilms then had nothing to do with being realistic There were action films and had a hero heroine who would sing songs in between and again there was action There were typical lyrics romantic songs and those kinds of songs are not being made nowToday in big films the songs mostly play in the background They are not making that impact Besides there are quirky songs being made today which have ajeeb weird words and voices Even though you listen to these songs from big hit films you still dont remember Film songs are killing themselves because of that he saidToday film songs are getting less views than non-film songs Shaan believes giving the example of B Praaks track Filhaal The song which featured Akshay Kumar has over 1 billion views on YouTubeIn terms of film songs the singer said the only track that received a lot of love from music aficionados in recent times was Tu Kethe Chaliye from Sidharth Malhotra-led ShershaahShaan most recently released his Sufi rock track Rang Le which he believes is akin to hit songs like Sayonee by Pakistans popular band Junoon It was released on January 19He believes there is a lot of confusion over what exactly is Sufi and SufismSufi is basically poetry and philosophy The philosophy is that humanity is more than religion There are very few songs that have put in the real essence of Sufi here in India Sufism is romance but romance for humanity Shaan said often due to religious differences people forget that humanity is the biggest religionThe first few lines are about that It is like God exists within human beings so dont kill human beings in the name of God It is the most stupid thing to do That is basically the preaching of Sufism As an artiste the singer said it is essential for him to explore new territories through his workToday so many songs are coming out For me either lyrically musically or thought wise if there is nothing new I dont like to make a song I dont look at creating a song every week Till I am convinced there is some takeaway then only I will make it he added PTI KKP RB SHD SHD