From Godzilla to Sofia Vergara - The Most Anticipated Summer Movies of 2014

Aliens, Witches, Monsters, Dragons, Apes, Ghosts to Giant freaking Robots!! Welcome to Hollywood's Summer 2014.

The Summer movie season has already started with the Amazing Spiderman 2 hitting the theatres earlier this May. Most of you might have seen it and maybe are wondering why did an actor like Jamie Foxx agree to be Electro? Neverthless, there is a huge load of movies coming your way. So which ones to see and which not to. Well, I decided to help you guys with this. This is a movie guide for you covering everything right from the box office giants to the art house curious and everything in between. Mark the important dates for the next 3 months.

1. How to Train your Dragon 2

Anyone who has seen the 1st part will be super excited to see this. The 1st part is perhaps the only animated film in the last few years to be super awesome and not come from Disney/Pixar. The fact that this DreamWorks sequel is premiering (out of competition) at Cannes says a lot about the runaway success of its predecessor, which was applauded by critics for its superb animation and easy comedy. Jay Baruchel is back as the neurotic Hiccup, racked with self-doubt about assuming the chieftainship of his island and faced with dragon-haters, dragon-whisperers (enter Cate Blanchett) and, of course, an array of actual dragons, including one that breathes ice. Early footage screenings suggest that this is a film that should make rival studio Pixar a little anxious.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

With the coolest trailer I have seen in 2014 and an extension of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is my most anticipated original move this year. When Guardians of the Galaxy's first trailer landed, the internet exploded. This will be a major hit with audiences with its unique characters and great comedic elements. Chris Pratt looks like the perfect Star-Lord and with additional leads including a very green Zoe Saldana, a very blue Karen Gillan, a very tree-like Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista and two-time Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper voicing a machine gun-wielding Raccoon. I am in love with the rock music that plays at the end of the trailer. This looks like another winner for Marvel.

3. X Men Days of the future past

X men series is probably as loved as the Marvel Avengers series, although X Men has never managed to collect the enviable money Marvel Cinematic Universe does. Still Bryan Singer's original trilogy is loved universally. And X men First Class is said to be the best X men movie. Who doesn't want to see a mix of both together. With a cast that could fill a cruise liner, X-Men: Days of Future Past is one of our most anticipated movies of the summer. And with Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in a predominant role in this movie, I really can't see this movie doing less than Captain America 2 and Amazing Spiderman 2. After all it is Bryan Singer who directs this.

4. 22 Jump Street

21 Jump street is probably the funniest comedy film I have seen in the past few years and who doesn't want a sequel? 21 Jump Street was a massive comedic hit in 2012, so Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are getting back together for a sequel just two years after the original film adaptation.Channing tatum is there again. Jonah Hill is there again. Why would you miss this? Are you insane?

5. Neighbours

Seth Rogen comedies are classic. And the trailer for Neighbours has been marketed well, appealing to everyone. Plus with Zac Efron and Rose Bryne this movie aims to bring the female audience in the theatre who probabaly are not that excited about Seth rogen's kind of comedy. The story is shown quite nicely in the trailer and the Family vs Fraternity conflict is very well shown everywhere. It looks to be giving a tough competition to Spiderman 2 for the top spot this weekend.

6. Edge of Tomorrow

No summer is complete without a Tom Cruise Film. And this year is Edge of Tomorrow a sci fi dystopian action film. The trailer reminds us of so many previous films- Groundhog day, Elysium, Battle Los angeles and even Avatar. But it is Emily Blunt with her unique accent who puts me in line for this film.

7. Jupiter Acending

The always-interesting Wachowski siblings(The Matrix) write and direct an epic sci-fi adventure about a young woman (Mila Kunis) who is sentenced to death by one of the most powerful ruling dynasties in the universe. Mila Kunis stars as a lowly cleaner from earth with a great Galactic destiny, while Channing Tatum pops up as an interplanetary warrior with funny ears. This has bucketloads of potential but the Wachowskis’ last film, Cloud Atlas, split audiences right down the middle and this looks as if it could be equally polarising.


8. Dawn Of the Planet of the Apes

It was a pleasant surprise for everyone when Rise of the Planet of the Apes turned out extremely good back in 2011. It is still liked today. The Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel's promotion has been incredible and the cast is even better this time which includes titans like Gary Oldman and Keri Russell. The film's story takes place 15 years after Caesar first went into the forest and now he's gathering his ape crew to take over the rest of the city where a small group of humans are struggling to survive. Hail Caesar!!

9. Godzilla

More than the monster, who keeps playing hide and seek in the trailer people are excited to see Bryan Cranston coming off after the supremely popular Breaking Bad. The trailer has made this movie a must see summer event of the year. What's particularly interesting here is that Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Oslen play husband and wife in Godzilla, but they'll be playing the brother and sister duo Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in The Avengers: The Age of Ultron. Their chemistry in Godzilla will be something to keep an eye on. It is also being suggested that there is not 1 Godzilla, there are multiple monsters. Nice move, Hollywood!!

10. A million ways to die in the west

Write, director, producer, actor, Oscar Host Seth Mcfalarane can do no wrong it seems. Family Guy and AMerican Dad are running even today. Ted became the highest grossing R rated comedy film ever. And now with Charlize Theron in the very funny trailer set in the west he presents A million Ways to die in the West. I am super excited.
P.s- Liam Neeson is also there

11. Maleficient

Angelina Jolie stars in Disney's live-action telling of the Sleeping Beauty legend, from the point of view of its iconic villain.
And it looks like Jolie and her cheekbones are perfectly cast. More than that this marks the directorial debut of Oscar winning art director from Avatar and Alice In wonderland. Expect stunning visuals and sets. With Lana Del Rey's incredibly spooky cover of the beloved Once Upon a Dream, Disney has nailed this villainous adaptation. If Maleficent is even half as good as it looks, I expect it to be a massive hit at the box office and an even bigger hit with fans of the tale.

12. Chef

Robert Downey Junior is there. Scarlett Johansson is there. Jon Favreau is here. No this not Iron Man again. Star director Jon Favreau is back to his roots making indies like he did before Iron Man happened. He plays a Chef who opens a food cart and how he wins over the people through his appetizing food. Lots of guest appearances, another noteworthy name is Sofia Vergara.

13. Transformers Age of the Extinction

The last transformers made a billion dollars back in 2011 and I see no reason for this being unable to reach there. Shia LeBlauf is out and Mark Whalberg is in. Another Billion Dollars, Specially from China. We cant wait to see Optimus Prime ride on top of a mechanical T-Rex. And secretly, we think you do too - plus we don't have to hear Shia Labeouf say "No no no no no no no no, Optimus!" in almost every scene.

14. Deliver us from evil

The only horror film in this list. NY police officer (Eric Bana), joins forces with an unconventional priest (Edgar Ramirez), schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the possessions that are terrorizing their city. Thriller, Mystery Horror. Superexcited.

15. Lucy

Scarlett Johannason is again here after the critically and boxoffice acclaimed Captain America 2. ScarJo plays Black widow without actually being Black Widow. With elements of alien life and female action thrown in , this is probably the most original film this summer that can actually do well. Plus there's Morgan Freeman

16. Sex Tape

Ten years and two kids after, a couple decides to add a little spice to married life by making a very private video of themselves. Unfortunately, it doesn't stay private for long, setting them off on a race to reclaim their video and their dignity. A funny trailer with Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel both extremely popular, this is sure shot hit.

17. Tammy

Superfunny Melissa McCarthy stars in a comedy that she co-wrote, about a down-on-her-luck woman who after losing her job and learning her husband has been cheating on her decides to clear her head by hitting the road with her hard-drinking granny (Susan Sarandon). Funny trailer.

18. The fault in our stars

Shailene Woodley is on the rise and she's playing one of the most beloved characters in sixteen year-old Hazel Grace who is a tear-grenade about to make us all bawl our eyes out this summer. Woodley is an incredible actress and the film's adaptation should be nothing short of amazing. Shailene Woodley stars as a teenaged cancer patient who finds unexpected romance in this teen-oriented tearjerker. This popular book adaptation is sure to find its audience in younger people.

19. Hercules

Dwayne Johnson plays the legendary Greek demigod, who is recruited by the King of Thrace and his daughter to defeat a ruthless warlord. And nowadays whatever Rock touches turns Gold. So fingers crossed.

20. The Giver

This is long-awaited adaptation of Lois Lowry' beloved 1994 young adult novel, a young man named Jonas discovers the disturbing secrets behind the world of calm conformity in which he lives. Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep co-star.

OSCARS 2014- Early predictions for Best Picture nominees of 2014

With the 2013 Oscars over, it’s time to immediately start thinking about the 2014 Oscars! This is more the norm after Toronto and almost never before Cannes. Still today here we try to see which films currently under production might grab a spot on the most coveted nominations list, to be announced in January 2015.

PROBABALE BEST PICTURE NOMINEES OF 2015-

1. FOXCATCHER(Sony Pictures Classics, TBA)

Bennett Miller, whose previous two films "Capote" and "Moneyball" were both nominated for best picture is back with "Foxcatcher.
This was supposed to come out last year but got pushed back to 2014. Steve Carrell gained weight and caked on makeup to play psychotic millionaire/convicted murder John du Pont, & Channing Tatum called his role of Mark Shultz his “hardest acting challenge,” and the trailer is pretty moving.

Chances of Nomination- 8/10

2. GONE GIRL(20th Century Fox, October)

After Argo, every film with Ben Affleck is Oscar material(No, not Batman vs Superman). And Two-time best director nominee David Fincher ("The Social Network" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") is directing this Gillian Flynn's extremely popular novel of the same name. No one does a dark crime thriller like Fincher, and the hype is just going to grow as more and more people make sure they read the book before the movie comes out.

Chances of Nomination- 9/10

3. INHERENT VICE(Warner Bros., December)

Paul Thomas Anderson's the director of "There will be Blood" and "The Master" is directing Inherent Vice. Jaquin Phoenix, with 2 back to back multiple nominees films(The Master and Her)is donning the 70s look as you can see in the picture. And releasing it in December means the producers are sure that this is Oscar worthy.

Chances of Nomination- 9/10

4. THE SEARCH

Anyone who says that they saw the awards success of "The Artist" coming a year in advance is a liar: even the filmmakers were probably a bit shocked it went as far as it did. So the follow-up from director Michel Hazanavicius, and star Bérénice Bejo, probably doesn't have the same element of surprise on its side.

Chances of Nomination- 6/10


5. BIG EYES

No Tim Burton movie has ever earned a Best Picture nomination, or indeed Best Director. But maybe 2014 is his year. Big Eyes narrates the true-life tale of Walter Keane, who became a celebrity for his paintings of large-eyed children, only for it to emerge that his wife Margaret was the real artist behind them. With a lot of Oscar-friendly names involved including five-time nominee Amy Adams as Margaret and two-time winner Christoph Waltz as Walter and The Weinstein Company backing it, I don't see it not getting a nomination.

Chances of Nomination- 6/10


6. A MOST VIOLENT YEAR

This latest from JC Chandor, who was snubbed this past year for "All Is Lost" in the 2013 ceremony is a 1981-set crime tale involving an immigrant (Oscar Isaac) and his wife (Jessica Chastain) trying to create opportunities for their family during the most crime-ridden year in New York. While I am sure Jessica CHastain will get her Best actress nomination for this, if this manages to get best picture nod is something to wait and watch.

Chances of Nomination- 6/10


7. INTERSTELLAR(Paramount, November)

Do I really need to tell you why it's here. Probably the most awaited film of 2014 this also has an awards-friendly cast: recent winners Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway are the leads, with Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck and Ellen Burstyn among those supporting. It might be that its sci-fi origins prove a problem, but "Gravity" certainly helped to break down some of those barriers. But among Nolan's films only "Inception" has managed a Best Picture slot, and the filmmaker himself
has never picked up a Best Director nod. Still this looks promising.

Chances of Nomination- 7/10


8. THE IMITATION GAME (Weinstein Company, Late 2014)

Based on a Black List-winning script, it tells the story of Alan Turing, who helped to crack the Enigma code and invent the modern computer before being hounded by the British government for his homosexuality—it's the stuff that Oscar glory is often made of. Benedict Cumberbatch has the lead role, with Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode and Mark Strong among those in support. The Weinstein Company hopes to revenge their shameful year at oscars 2013 with this. Hope this doesn't turn out to be a Fifth Estate.

Chances of Nomination- 6/10

9. WILD

Dallas Buyers Club was no where in the scene for best picture race and it got 6 nominations and 2 major wins, so its wise to keep track of director Jean-Marc Vallée's next. Reese WItherspoon hoping to reinvent her career like Matthew McConaghay plays a woman who, after the death of her mother and break-up of her marriage, decides to trek her way along 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. It promises the kind of mix of stunning landscapes and a powerful central performance that can be very awards-friendly

Chances of Nomination- 5/10

10.UNBROKEN

Angleina Jolie as the director means the film will be in the news for the full year. But just a year after Brad Pitt wins best producer, I can't see Angelina being nominated. And this is trying too hard as we saw at the Oscars this year. Still patriotic real stories are always Oscar worthy.

Chances of Nomination- 6/10


11. TRASH

Stephen Daldry has only made 4 films. "Billy Elliot" "The Hours" "The Reader" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". And these 4 films have seen 6 nominations(3 times best Director, 3 times Best Film). So it is obvious why his latest film is here. Story of three children in Rio De Janeiro who discover a mysterious object in the rubbish mounds of the city with a sprinkling of star power in the shape of co-stars Rooney Mara and Martin Sheen this is all set if it turns good.

Chances of Nomination- 6/10

OTHERS

This category includes those films which might not make the cut due to various reasons. Still chances are some of these might exceeds expectations and get into the awards buzz despite their shortcomings. So better keep track of these.

1. INTO THE WOODS

Although releasing on Christmas as Wolf of Wall Street this year, it might not make the cut being perceived as too mainstream. With a cast that boasts of Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp and Emily Blunt, it's still capable of landing itself good acting nominations. Sure to get Nomination no. 19 for Meryl.

Chances of Nomination- 2/10


2. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

None of the previous films of Wes Anderson have managed a nod. Not even Moonrise Kingdom. That is why I don't see this getting either. And a film releasing just after the awards season has ended must not have high hopes for next year. But with impeccable reviews and a spot of 127 on IMDB top 250 this film will be the underdog for next year.

Chances of Nomination- 3/10

3. SUFFRAGETTE

A film about the early feminist movement in the UK that is written and directed by women starring an almost all-female cast including the likes of Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Meryl Streep. But this might not be able to release by 2014.

Chances of Nomination- Might not release in 2014

4. Suite Franchise

Michelle williams always does critically acclaimed films(with the exception of Oz). This film set during the early years of German occupation of France, romance blooms between Lucile Angellier, a French villager and Bruno von Falk, a German soldier. A best actress nod is sure.

Chances of Nomination- 3/10

5. Exodus



Christian Bale plays Moses. Will it make the cut? Mostly No. Unless it is the next Gladiator. But one thing is certain. It will earn huge money.

Chance of Nomination- 2/10

6. Mr Turner

Mike Leigh who almost always seems to get a screenplay nomination(7 time Oscar nominee) could finally win with this film, a biographical account of the British artist of the same name. But best picture looks hard.

Chance of Nomination- 2/10

7. Get On Up

The director of The Help "Tate Taylor" is reteaming with his former cast members Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer for James Brown-adaptation "Get On Up" that stars "42" breakout Chadwick Boseman as Brown. The film will give a fearless look inside the music, moves and moods of James Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

Chance of Nomination- 4/10

8. Jersey Boys
Clint Eastwood is directing again. And trailer looks good. Mostly will find audience but not awards.

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list. There will be smaller films, indies like Beasts of the Southern Wild which might get the buzz for the awards. Also there will be some foreign films like The Amour which might surprise even their own country with a Best Picture Nomination. We might end up with a winner like 2009's The Hurt Locker or 2011's Artist, both of which no one could predict a year ago even as nominees. But then maybe 2014 might be one of those years like 2012's Argo or last year's 12 Years a slave which was Oscar material, the day they were announced. We will have to wait and watch. See you at the Oscars 2015.

INDIAN LOK SABHA ELECTIONS SINCE 1947

Since the Tryst with Destiny speech by Jawaharlal Nehru on 15th August 1947, Congress was the major political force driving Indian politics. Until 1967 Congress never won less than 73% of the total seats the Parliament. There were 4 factors that determined such a remarkable accomplishment.
1. Tremendous amount of good will and political capital from its leadership of the nationalist struggle. Congress leaders were very popular for the years spent in jail and the hardships suffered by them for independence.
2. Congress was the only party with an organization extending across the nation and down to the village level. The party's federal structure was based on a system of internal democracy that functioned to resolve disputes among its members and maintain party cohesion
3. Congress had its reach till the most remote villages, often by local heads of the villages who controlled the way the village was going to vote
4. It had plenty of funds thanks to support from influential people and also due to total control of government and policies uninterrupted from 1947-1967

1st Lok Sabha (1952):

Some congress leaders started forming their own parties well before the 1st lok sabha elections. While Shyama Prasad Mookerjee went on to found the Jana Sangh in October 1951, Dalit leader B. R. Ambedkar revived the Scheduled Castes Federation (which was later named the Republican Party). Despite all this, The Indian National Congress (INC) won 364 of the 489 seats and 45% of the total votes polled, over four times as many as the second-largest party. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the country. Voter turnout was 45.7%. Scheduled Caste leader and the creator of the constitution B. R. Ambedkar was defeated in the Bombay constituency.

2nd Lok Sabha(1957)

The Indian National Congress managed to replicate its 1952 success story in the second Lok Sabha elections held in 1957. The INC managed to win 296 seats from a total of 490 candidates who were in the political fray. The party also secured 47.78 per cent majority winning a total of 57,579,589 votes. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru came back to power with a comfortable majority. No part had fielded a woman candidate in the 1957 elections

3rd Lok Sabha(1962)

In the past 10 years Jawaharlal Nehru had with his charismatic brilliance led India to new heights. Parliament under Nehru passed reforms to increase legal rights of women in Hindu society and legislated against caste and untouchability, IITs were founded during his regime. Nehru advocated a socialist model for the economy of India — no taxation for Indian farmers, minimum wage and benefits for blue-collar workers. He nationalised heavy industries such as steel, aviation, shipping, electricity and mining and brought about an Industrial revolution. Many dams, canals were also built. The best examples of Nehru’s policies are his Non Aligned movement and The 5 year plans followed till this day. In 1961, after continual petitions for a peaceful handover, India invaded and annexed the Portuguese colony of Goa on the west coast of India.

With all this Congress again repeated a landslide victory winning 361 of the 494 seats with 44% vote share.
But Nehru’s China policy of “hindi chini bhai bhai” backfired and China declared war claiming parts of Kashmir in October 1962. With superior armed forces, China won and till date has control of Aksai Chin region of Kashmir. Widely criticised for his government's insufficient attention to defense, Nehru was forced to sack the then defense minister Krishna Menon and accept U.S. military aid. Soon Nehru’s health was on a decline and he died on May 27, 1964 of a heart attack. Veteran Congress leader Gulzarilal Nanda succeeded Nehru at his death for a period of two weeks. Congress chose Lal Bahadur Shastri as the new Prime Minister. In 1965 in the Second Kashmir War India and Pakistan again went to war over Kashmir, but no border agreement could be reached. To end the war The Tashkent Agreement was signed under the mediation of the Soviet government, but Shastri died mysteriously on the night after the signing ceremony on Jan 10, 1966. Again Guzarilal Nanda became Prime Minister for a period of two weeks.
The last 2 years had seen the death of 2 Prime Ministers of India. After Lal Bahadur Shastri’s death in 1966, Congress had no leader. It was divided into 2 factions, the Socialists which supported Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru's daughter who had been serving as Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Moderates which supported Morarji Desai. Rammanohar Lohia called Indora a “Gungi gudiya” (Mute Doll). Due to support from Nehru’s faithful leaders Indira became the new Prime minister and led Congress to the 4th Lok Sabha elections in 1967.

4th Lok sabha (1967) - Rise Of Indira Gandhi

The halcyon days of what Indian political scientist Rajni Kothari has called "the Congress system" ended with the general elections in 1967. The reasons for Congress’s failure included the failure of the monsoons in 1965 and 1966 leading to hardships throughout northern and eastern India, and the unpopular currency devaluation in 1966. The rapid growth of the electorate, which increased by 45 percent from 1952 to 1967, brought an influx of new voters less appreciative of the Congress's role in the independence movement. There were also newer regional parties which had regional support.
Congress' internal crisis stared at its face in the results of the 1967 elections. For the first time, it lost nearly 60 seats in the Lower House, managing to win 283 seats. Until 1967, the grand old party had also never won less than 60 per cent of all seats in Assembly elections. It also suffered a major setback as Non-congress State governments were established in Bihar, Kerala, Orissa, Madras, the Punjab and West Bengal.
Among all this, Indira Gandhi, elected to the Lok Sabha from Rai Bareili constituency, was sworn in as the Prime Minister. In order to keep dissident voices at bay, she appointed Morarji Desai, who had opposed her candidature as PM after Nehru's death, as Deputy Prime Minister of India and Finance Minister of India.
Indira Gandhi was dismayed by congress’s performance in these elections and decided to take the party in the populist direction. She ordered the nationalization of India's fourteen largest banks in 1969. And then she supported former labor leader and Acting President Varahagiri Venkata Giri's candidacy for president despite the fact that the party organization had already nominated the more conservative Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. The veteran Congress leaders saw this as an insult to them and expelled Indira Gandhi from Congress and began looking for a new Prime Minister.
But 226 of the 283 Congress MPs still supported Indira. With these Indira Gandhi formed a new party called Congress (R)--for Requisition and the older Congress was called Congress (O)- for Organisation. The Congress (R) continued in power with the support of non-Congress groups, principally the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK--Dravidian Progressive Federation). But Indira not wanting to lead a minority government called for elections one full year before in 1971 instead of 1972.

5th Lok sabha elctions(1972)

With the Congress (O) controlling most of the party organization, Indira Gandhi adopted a new strategy to mobilize popular support. Mrs Gandhi travelled throughout the country, energetically campaigning on the slogan "garibi hatao " (eliminate poverty), thereby bypassing the traditional Congress networks of political support.
She won 352 seats, a remarkable improvement from the 283 of the last elections.
Indira Gandhi was soon staring at a newer and bigger problem. Illegal immigrants from North east Pakistan (Present day Bangladesh) had started streaming into India fleeing from the tyranny under Pakistan’s rule. She didn't flinch when it came to taking tough decisions during the India-Pakistan war in 1971 that resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh. India's victory in December 1971 was hailed by all Indians as it came in the face of diplomatic opposition from both China and the United States. This was a huge boost for Indira.

But not everything was as good.
Having won the 1971 elections riding on the slogan of ”Garibi Hatao” Indira failed to remove poverty. The country experienced a severe drought in 1971 and 1972, leading to food shortages, and the price of food rose 20 percent in the spring of 1973. Oil prices quadrupled in 1973-74 and Unemployment and high Inflation was rampant.
The biggest blow to Indira came when the Allahabad high court in June 1975 found the prime minister guilty on the charge of misuse of government machinery for her election campaign. The court declared her election null and void and unseated her from her seat in the Lok Sabha. The court also banned her from contesting any election for an additional six years.

Jayaprakash (J.P) Narayan, a socialist leader in the preindependence Indian National Congress came out of retirement to lead what eventually became widely known as the "J.P. movement." Led by JP, Narayanan protestors flooded the streets of Delhi close to the Parliament building and the Prime Minister's residence. The Supreme court also found her guilty and ordered all privileges Gandhi received as an MP be stopped, and that she be debarred from voting. The next day, JP organised a large rally in Delhi, where he said that that a police officer must reject the orders of government if the order is immoral and unethical as this was Mahatma Gandhi's motto during the freedom struggle. Such a statement was taken as a sign of inciting rebellion in the country.
Within three hours, the electricity to all major newspapers was cut and the political-opposition arrested. Emergency had been declared throughout the country. The day after emergency was imposed, the Bombay edition of The Times of India carried an obituary that read "D.E.M O'Cracy beloved husband of T.Ruth, father of L.I.Bertie, brother of Faith, Hope and Justica expired on 26 June" A few days later censorship was imposed on newspapers. The Delhi edition of the Indian Express on 28 June, carried a blank editorial.

6th Lok Sabha Elections -1977

Indira Gandhi's rule during the Emergency alienated her popular support. After postponing elections for a year following the expiration of the five-year term of the Lok Sabha, she called for new elections in March 1977. The major opposition party leaders, many of whom had developed a rapport while they were imprisoned together under the Emergency regime, united under the banner of the Janata Party. By framing the key issue of the election as "democracy versus dictatorship," the Janata Party--the largest opposition party--appealed to the public's democratic values to rout the Congress (R). The vote share of the Congress (R) dropped to 34.5 percent, and the number of its seats in Parliament plunged from 352 to 154. Indira Gandhi lost her seat from Rai Brailey.

MORARJI DESAI

The Janata Party's 298 seats and its allies' 47 seats (of a total 542) gave it a massive majority. Morarji Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India.
The Janata split and split over the years but it had recorded an important landmark in the country political history: it was a coalition and proved that the Congress could be defeated.

CHARAN SINGH

7th Lok sabha elections – 1980

The Janata Party came into power riding the public anger against the Congress and the Emergency but its position was weak. The party held 270 seats in the Lok Sabha and it never quite had a firm grip on power. The inability of Janata Party factions to agree proved the party's undoing. Morarji Desai lost a trust vote in Parliament and resigned. Charan Singh, who had retained some partners of the Janata alliance, was sworn in as Prime Minister in June 1979. Not getting majority he called for elections in 1980. The fight between Janata Party leaders and the political instability in the country worked in favour of the Congress (I), which reminded voters of the strong government of Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi returned to win the January 1980 elections after forming a new party, the Congress (I--for Indira), in 1978.
The Congress (I)'s share of the vote increased by 8.2 percent to 42.7 percent of the total vote, and its number of seats in the Lok Sabha grew to 353, a majority of about two-thirds. This success approximated the levels of support of the Congress dominance from 1947 to 1967. Yet, as political scientist Myron Weiner observed, "The Congress party that won in 1980 was not the Congress party that had governed India in the 1950s and 1960s, or even the early 1970s. The party was organizationally weak and the electoral victory was primarily Mrs. Gandhi's rather than the party's."

8th Lok sabha Elections -1984

.....To be Continued

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO.....PREDICTING THE 86TH ACADEMY AWARDS 2014

After months of film festivals, movie screenings, campaigning and galas, the Academy Awards are finally here and movie fans worldwide are getting set for their annual Oscar pools. The 86th Annual Academy Award is all set to take place on Sunday 2 March, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The awards ceremony will begin at 5:30 according to Indian time( Monday morning).

Ellen DeGeneres will host the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday. This is for the second time Ellen is hosting the ceremony, after an extremely appreciated performance in 2007. Frontrunners "Gravity" (ten nominations) and "12 Years a Slave" (nine nominations) are fighting it out for the best film, while "American Hustle" (ten nominations) is still in the game, with actors nominated in all four acting categories for the second year in a row, and three BAFTA wins. Jennifer Lawrence might win that second Oscar after all.

Here are my predictions on who will win in each category, who I think deserved(but won't win) and who I would hate to see win.


BEST PICTURE

The nominees are-

“12 Years a Slave”
“Gravity”
“American Hustle”
“Captain Phillips”
“Nebraska”
“Philomena”
“Dallas Buyers Club”
“The Wolf of Wall Street”
“Her”


Some years, the winner of the best picture Oscar is a closed race. There was no serious competition against “The Artist” in 2011.
Some years, it’s a clear face-off. Think of the tough, little-seen Iraq War film “The Hurt Locker” in 2009 up against the most successful film ever, the special-effects driven “Avatar.” David toppled Goliath in the end.
And some years, it’s all-out chaos. Welcome to 2014. Between a 3 way competition between Gravity, 12 years a slave and American Hustle, 12 years a Slave is leading the race.

Who will win- 12 years a slave

Who should win- 12 years a Slave

Who isn't even nominated- Inside Lweyn davis, Saving Mr. Banks, August Osage

Who should not win - American Hustle



BEST ACTOR

The nominees are-
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club”
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave”
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Christian Bale in “American Hustle”

This race just continues to mystify — and while Matthew McConaughey is out front, the love for "12 Years a Slave" and its central performance could push Chiwetel Ejiofor ahead. And how about that Leonardo DiCaprio? With Martin Scorsese as his wingman, the star of "The Wolf of Wall Street" is pushing hard for a win.

Who will win- Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club”

Who should win- Leonardo Di Caprio in Wolf of Wall Street”

Who isn't even nominated- Tom Hanks for "Captain Philips", Robert Redford for "All is lost" and Jaquin Phoenix for "Her"

Who should not win - Christian Bale in "American Hustle"



BEST ACTRESS

The nominees are -

Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine”
Amy Adams in “American Hustle”
Judi Dench in “Philomena”
Sandra Bullock in “Gravity”
Meryl Streep in “August: Osage County”

Not only has Blanchett won everywhere else, but her performance so obviously towers above the rest. Her performance in Blue Jasmine will serve as a benchmark for generations of younger actresses to learn and admire. Hope Woody Allen's private life has no impact on a brilliant performance.

Who will win- Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine”

Who should win- Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine”

Who isn't even nominated- Emma Thompson for Saving Mr banks(I still cannot believe she isn't nominated)

Who should not win - Meryl Streep (Not again man!!!)



BEST DIRECTOR

The nominees are-

“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón
“12 Years a Slave” Steve McQueen
“American Hustle” David O. Russell
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Martin Scorsese
“Nebraska” Alexander Payne

Gravity was a film no one else could have executed. You can only ask "How'd he do it?!" so many times in regards to Cuarón's visually stunning work on "Gravity" before it's time to just give the man his Oscar.

Who will win- Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity

Who should win- Alfonso Cuarón

Who isn't even nominated- Spike Jonze for Her



BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

The nominees are-

Jared Leto in “Dallas Buyers Club”
Michael Fassbender in “12 Years a Slave”
Barkhad Abdi in “Captain Phillips”
Jonah Hill in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Bradley Cooper in “American Hustle”


Jared Leto has been in the lead forever, with a Screen Actors Guild honor to back him up. But is it possible he was ahead for too long? Could that open a door for unknown Barkhad Abdi to bring one home for the "Captain Phillips" team? Or Michael Fasssbander for the evil role in 12 years a slave.

Who will win- Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Cluby

Who should win- Michael Fassbender in “12 Years a Slave”

Who should not win- Jonah Hill in “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Who isn't even nominated- Jeremy Renner(the only actor from American Hustle not nominated)



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

The nominees are-

Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”
Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle”
June Squibb in “Nebraska”
Sally Hawkins in “Blue Jasmine”
Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County”

Finally, there's some suspense! This would be Lawrence's Oscar had she not just won last year — that's just how Oscar politics go. Last year's win for Jennifer Lawrence as Best Actress actually tips this in Lupita Nyong'o's favor in her gutsy debut. But if "American Hustle" doesn't win here — where will it win?

Who will win- Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”

Who should win- Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”

Who should not win- Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle”

Who isn't even nominated- Léa Seydoux in Blue Is the Warmest Color



BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The nominees are-
Her”
“American Hustle”
“Nebraska”
“Dallas Buyers Club”
“Blue Jasmine”

Who will win- Her

Who should win- Her

Who should not win- American Hustle




BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The nominees are-
“12 Years a Slave”
“Captain Phillips”
“Philomena”
“The Wolf of Wall Street”
“Before Midnight”

Who will win- 12 years a slave

Who should win- Before Midnight

Who should not win- The Wolf of wall street





BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The nominees are-
“Gravity” Emmanuel Lubezki
“Nebraska” Phedon Papamichael
“Inside Llewyn Davis” Bruno Delbonnel
“Prisoners” Roger A. Deakins
“The Grandmaster” Philippe Le Sourd

Hard to see this not going to "Gravity" for that breathtaking photography. It feels like we've all been to outer space after watching that film.

Who will win- Gravity

Who should win- Gravity





BEST ANIMATED FILM

The nominees are-
Frozen”
“The Croods”
“The Wind Rises”
“Despicable Me 2”
“Ernest & Celestine”

Everyone agrees that all other contenders will be "Frozen" out.

Who will win- Frozen

Who should win- Frozen

Who should not win- Despicable me 2




BEST ORIGINAL SONG

The nominees are-
“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
“Happy” from “Despicable Me 2”
“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
“The Moon Song” from “Her”

Who will win- Let it go

Who should win- Let it go (It will be a treat to watch Idina Menzel perform live at the oscars)

Who should not win- Ordinary Love (Although Nelson Mandela's family is coming to watch the performnace)



BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The nominees are-
“The Book Thief” John Williams
“Gravity” Steven Price
“Her” William Butler and Owen Pallett
“Philomena” Alexandre Desplat
“Saving Mr. Banks” Thomas Newman


Who will win- Gravity

Who i want to win- Saving mr. Banks




BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The nominees are-
“American Hustle”
“The Great Gatsby”
“The Invisible Woman”
“12 Years a Slave”
“The Grandmaster”


The Great Gatsby," once thought to be a major Oscar contender (before anyone had seen the movie), will now get its consolation prizes for those parts of Baz Luhrmann's mortifying jazz age pastiche that worked, including his wife Catherine Martin's costumes.

Who will win- The Great Gatsby

Who should win- 12 years a slave




BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The nominees are-
“Her”
“The Great Gatsby”
“Gravity”
“American Hustle”
“12 Years a Slave”

Who will win- Confused between Gatsby, and 12 years a slave

Who should win- The Great Gatsby



BEST EDITING

the nominees are-
“Gravity”
“Captain Phillips”
“American Hustle”
“12 Years a Slave”
“Dallas Buyers Club”


Who will win- Gravity

Who should win- Gravity(Shortest film at 91 minutes)



BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLE

Nominees are-
Dallas Buyers Club
The Lone Ranger
Bad Grandpa

Who will win- Dallas Buyers Club

Who should win- Dallas Buyers Club




BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Nominees are-
“The Great Beauty” Italy
“The Hunt” Denmark
“The Broken Circle Breakdown” Belgium
“Omar” Palestine
“The Missing Picture” Cambodia


Who will win- The great Beauty

Who isn't even here- Blue is the warmest color




BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Nominees are-
“Gravity”
“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug”
“Iron Man 3”
“The Lone Ranger”
“Star Trek Into Darkness”

The category with the most money at the box office. This award has been predicted as early as the eye-popping "Gravity" first screened for anyone.

Who will win - Gravity

Who should win- Gravity

Who isn't even nominated- Pacific rim




OTHER AWARDS

BEST SOUND EDITING- Gravity
BEST SOUND MIXING- Gravity
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM- Get a Horse

Catch the Oscars on Star Movies if you are in India live from 5:30 and come back to see how many of my predictions were correct. See you at the Oscars!!!