In an unprecedented interaction with the media, four top judges of the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday said the administration in the apex court was not in order as they hit out at Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra for not taking any remedial steps.

Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurien Joseph addressed the media in the national capital and said that they were discharging their debt to the nation by exposing the follies in the judiciary.

“This is an extraordinary event and we are forced to go public… Administration of SC is not in order… As senior members of the court, we thought we hold responsibility to the nation and to the institution,” said Justice Chelameswar while interacting with the media at his residence.

“We met CJI with a specific request which unfortunately couldn’t convince him that we were right therefore, we were left with no choice except to communicate it to the nation that please take care of the institution,” he added.

“We don’t want people to say 20 years later that we did not take care of the institution,” he said further.

On being asked about issues, Justice Chelameswar said that assignment of cases was one of the issue.

Meanwhile, Justice Gogoi clarified that nobody was “breaking the rank” and the judges were just discharging their debt to nation.

“Nobody is breaking the rank and it is discharge of debt to nation which we have done,” Justice Gogoi said.

India’s app usage grew six percent in 2017 as users continued to spend more than five hours a day on their smartphones, but was still down against the 11 percent witnessed in 2016, Yahoo’s Flurry Analytics said on Thursday.

However, the shopping category grew by 54 percent as consumers spent on e-commerce via mobile shopping apps.

“Users are increasingly comfortable making physical purchases on their phones with now ingrained in-app digital purchase habits. Additionally, digital wallet services such as Samsung Pay allow seamless access to stored payment information for mobile purchases,” the report said.

“Music, media and entertainment came in a close second with 43 percent year-over-year (YoY) growth, reaffirming users’ shift to mobile devices to consume media.”

Meanwhile, lifestyle category witnessed the steepest decline with -40 percent usage in 2017. The decrease, in this category for both Google Play Store and Apple App Store , highlights an app’s need to build daily usage habits in order to retain or increase (YoY) growth. Gaming also saw another year of decline in sessions with -15 percent in 2017.

Last year was also a growth year for phablets as they represented a staggering 55 percent of active devices.

“As medium phone users trade in their devices, it is clear that they’re opting for phablets, as 9 percent of the phablet growth came from medium phone adoption decline,” the report added.

Hyderabad Hunters, backed by sterling displays from B Sai Praneeth and Carolina Marin, beat Bengaluru Blasters to claim the top spot in the Premier Badminton League at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Thursday.

Playing their last league match in front of vociferous home fans, Hyderabad downed Bengaluru 5-0 and claimed six points to swell their tally to 20 points.

Ahmedabad Smash Masters are in second spot with 17 points, followed by Delhi Dashers on 15 points. Bengaluru slipped to the fourth spot with 14 points.

With the battle for the title commencing on Friday, Hyderabad have emerged as strong contenders for the league honours.

They will clash with Delhi Dashers in the first semi-final while Bengaluru face Ahmedabad Smash Masters in the second semi-final on Saturday.

It was no easy going for Hyderabad on Thursday start as their mixed doubles pair and men’s singles players Sai Praneeth and Lee Hyun Il were stretched to three games before winning their respective matches.

Marin, however, faced no such difficulty as she get past Kirsty Gilmour 15-9, 15-7 in the women’s singles.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Pia Zebadiah Bernadet sarted off well against the Bengaluru duo of Manu Attiri and Sikki Reddy by winning the first game 15-6.

But the Reddys fought back to level the scores 14-15. In the decider, the Hyderabad duo took charge, supported by a vociferous crowd, and won 15-9 to help Hyderabad gain their first point.

Sai Praneeth faced a tougher opponent in Chong Wei Feng, who made the World No 16 sweat for every point throughout the match before winning 10-15, 15-7, 15-14.

In the decider, the left-handed Malaysian was down for the count at 12-14 but he pulled level to take the game into the tie-breaker. Serving for the match, the World No 45 smacked a Praneeth return into the net to end his gallant fightback.

Bengaluru’s Subhanker Dey almost threw up a scare in Hyderabad’s Trump match. But Korean Lee Hyun squeezed a tight 15-11, 11-15, 15-11 win to extend Hyderabad’s surge.

There was more disappointment for Bengaluru as they lost their Trump match as well with their men’s doubles duo of Boe Mathias and Kim Sa Rang going down to Markis Kido and Yoo Yeon Seong 10-15, 15-11, 7-15.

The defeat meant they got a negative point and reduced their points tally to 14.

Bengaluru went in their last league match resting their leading men’s singles player and World No1 Viktor Axlesen, keeping him fresh for the semi-finals.

Shiv Kapur of India will be bringing his momentum to the US$1 million SMBC Singapore Open which starts next week.

Kapur won for the third time in 2017 two weeks ago in Pattaya after a final-round saw-see battle with Thailand’s Prom Meesawat. He is the only golfer to win multiple titles on the Asian Tour last year and he hopes to add another piece of silverware to his collection with a good showing in Singapore.

“After my win two weeks ago, I’ve just been enjoying some downtime and can’t think of a better place to kick start my season,” said Kapur.

“The SMBC Singapore Open has the feel of a big event and the crowds are always fantastic there.”

The four-time Asian Tour winner looks forward to playing at the tournament, which is co-sanctioned between the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour, and he is embracing the stiff challenge of the golf course.

“I always enjoy playing in Singapore. The Serapong course, in my view, is the number one championship golf course in Asia and I’ve had some success there in the past. It requires an all-round game and it is quite demanding off the tee, which suits my game,” he said.

The 35-year-old veteran will be vying for the coveted trophy along with top Asian Tour professionals such as 2017 Order of Merit champion, Gavin Green of Malaysia, eight-time Asian Tour winner, Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, defending champion, Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand and 2017 Rookie of the Year, Micah Lauren Shin of the United States.

The best golfers from the Japan Golf Tour like Yusaku Miyazato, Yuta Ikeda and Satoshi Kodaira as well as marquee player Sergio Garcia, Pat Perez, Ryo Ishikawa and Louis Oosthuizen will also be competing at the tournament.

Beating an elite field at the upcoming SMBC Singapore Open will certainly be a feather in Kapur’s cap. Although, he will be focusing on the bigger picture and he is looking to come out of 2018 an even better golfer.

“I’m hoping 2018 will be a continuation of 2017 and obviously it’s hard to expect to match a season with three wins. The goal will be to try and improve a bit in each aspect of my game,” said Shiv.

Half of the Indian batsmen were back into the pavilion at 92/7 in Newlands, Cape Town in their first innings of the first Test against South Africa when star all-rounder Hardik Pandya had come in to bat. Pandya along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar added 99 runs for the eighth wicket and frustrated the Proteas seamers by countering their bowling attack.

The way the duo was stabilising Indian inning, South African skipper Faf du Plessis was forced to shuffle his options during the second session of the second day’s play. And the captain’s strategy was successful as Kagiso Rabada stopped Pandya’s assault by sending him back to pavilion at the score of 93.

The Proteas captain was so pleased with Rabada for taking Pandya’s wicket that he kissed African pacer on his forehead after Hardik’s departure.

Du Plessis even shared that photograph on Instagram and captioned it , “This is what you get when you become the nr 1 fast bowler in the world ,a massive _. Well done @rabada_25 .You deserve it champion.”

This is what you get when you become the nr 1 fast bowler in the world ,a massive 😘. Well done @rabada_25 .You deserve it champion

A post shared by Faf du plessis (@fafdup) on Jan 10, 2018 at 6:01am PST

Just in few minutes, the post was flooded with comments, but it was Rabada’s comment that stole the limelight. Rabada wrote on Faf’s post that, ” My girlfriend is complaining.”

Last year, Indian team under skipper Virat Kohli were invincible and it was like there was nothing that this team could not do. Virat was just a step behind from breaking Ricky Ponting’s nine consecutive Test series win record.

Expectations were high when the visitors landed in the rainbow nation on 28 December. Some cricket experts even believed that this team had the potential to win the maiden Test series in South Africa.

But the way India’s batting line up was rattled by Proteas seamers in the opening Test match, winning a Test series in South Africa now looks like a distant dream.

Twenty journalists and media workers were killed in violence in Afghanistan in 2017, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee (AJSC), an independent media safety group protecting the reporters’ rights, said on Friday.

Last year was the deadliest for journalists and media in the history of Afghanistan, with 67 percent increase of incidents against them compared to 2016, AJSC said in a statement on its website.

The AJSC recorded a total of 169 incidents of violence and intimidation, including killing, injury, beating, detention, threats and verbal assault of journalists and media workers, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement said “20 journalists were killed, all by the Taliban and the Afghanistan branch of Islamic State (IS) group.

“The remarkable rise in the level of violence against journalists and media workers in Afghanistan is a matter of great concern for us and for the media community at large,” Najib Sharifi, head of AJSC, was quoted as saying.

The media support committee called on all warring groups including the Taliban and IS to refrain from attacking journalists and media workers.

At least 13 journalists were reportedly killed in 2016 in the war-torn country.

The Indian men’s hockey team left for the Four Nations Invitational Tour in New Zealand from the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru on Friday morning. The team will play two separate five-day Series against Belgium, New Zealand and Japan starting on 17 January 2018 at the Blake Park in Tauranga followed by five-day series at the Gallagher Hockey Centre in Hamilton that ends on 28 January 2018.

With a young team that features four debutants, skipper Manpreet Singh stresses on the importance of this tournament. “It is always good to start the season with some good matches against top teams. We have Belgium in our pool in the World Cup this year and as many matches we play against them, the better for us. With teams like New Zealand and Japan in the fray, this tour will certainly help us in our preparations for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games,” expressed the 25-year-old midfielder.

Looking back at the Odisha Men’s Hockey World League Final Bhubaneswar 2017, Manpreet says doing well against teams like Australia, Belgium and Germany had instilled a new confidence in the team. “It was very important to do well against these tops teams in a big event. Earlier, somewhere at the back of our minds, we lacked the confidence that we can do well against higher ranked teams but now we don’t doubt our abilities against top teams and play with the belief that we can win against them. We were the youngest team in the tournament and how we played instills new confidence in the minds of the youngsters,” he said.

With major events lined-up this year starting with the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Champions Trophy, 2018 Asian Games, Asian Champions Trophy and the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup, the team will be put through testing times but Manpreet is certain of the team’s realistic goals.

“After the HWL Final, we recognised some of the areas that we were lacking in. We knew we can do better in defence, man-to-man marking in the circle and we did work on that in this camp. There is no doubt we are approaching this year with clear goals of winning in the CWG and defending our Gold Medal at the Asian Games. And it is important we convert our weaknesses into our strength before entering these major events,” he emphasised on the eve of their departure.

The team will begin their campaign in New Zealand on 17 January 2018 against Japan at 10.15 IST.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration has made 75 per cent mandatory for all university students in order to appear for examinations. However, in case if a student is absent on valid medical grounds then 60 per cent attendance will suffice.

On Thursday, JNU Teachers Association announced its decision to boycott the compulsory attendance for students and said it was “unproductive” and “meaningless” form of bureaucratic work for teachers.

Also read | Missing research scholar no more enrolled with JNU: Police

Earlier on Wednesday, a circular issued by Assistant Registrar (Evaluation) Sajjan Singh, based on recommendations of the compulsory attendance committee, said, for students of BA, MA, MSc, MTech, PG diploma, MPhil, Phd and all part-time programmes a minimum of 75 per cent attendance in a course in mandatory for appearing in the end-semester examination, according to media reports.

“If a student of part-time programme, BA, MA, MSc, MTech, PG diploma, Mphil and Phd course work is absent on valid medical grounds, a minimum 60 per cent attendance will suffice,” it said.

The committee, whose recommendations have been accepted, has also said at least two contact/interaction sessions with the supervisor in a month is mandatory.

“MPhil and PhD students who are absent from the university on valid academic grounds must have prior approval from supervisor/chairperson of the centre concerned and the competent authority,” the circular said.

The MPhil and PhD students have also been granted 30 days leave in an academic year with the supervisor’s permission.

“An attendance sheet which has been attached with the circular will be completed for each lecture/practical/lab by course instructor/teacher. The sheet will be submitted by the teacher on the same day at centre/school office,” the circular said.

The centre/school office will maintain the attendance records and a copy of the sheets will be submitted every month, it added.

(With agency inputs)

The country is celebrating the ‘National Youth Day’ today on the occasion of 155th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and the micro blogging site Twitter has been flooded with tweets paying tribute to one of the greatest Indian spiritual leaders.

Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863 and his original name was Narendra Nath Datta.

He was the chief disciple of the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna and a key figure in introducing the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.

The spiritual leader became famous in the western world after his powerful speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

The government in 1984 declared that his birth anniversary will be observed as the National Youth Day.

President Ram Nath Kovind paid tribute to Swami Vivekananda in a tweet as he wrote: “My tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary. In honour of this great scholar, monk and nation builder, we commemorate this day as National Youth Day.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid his respect to Swami Vivekanand. He tweeted: “I bow to Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti. Today, on National Youth Day I salute the indomitable energy and enthusiasm of our youngsters, who are the builders of New India.:

Other Twitter reactions:

Congress: “Your nation, your voice – Here’s wishing the changemakers of our country a very happy #NationalYouthDay. It was first celebrated in 1984 by the Congress Govt to mark #SwamiVivekananda’s birthday.”

Ravi Shankar Prasad: “My Pranaam to #SwamiVivekananda Ji. His achievements and contributions to society are guiding light for all of us. I salute the energy, enthusiasm & entrepreneurial spirit of youth of India on #NationalYouthDay. Young India will make #DigitalIndia”

My Pranaam to #SwamiVivekananda Ji. His achievements and contributions to society are guiding light for all of us. I salute the energy, enthusiasm & entrepreneurial spirit of youth of India on #NationalYouthDay. Young India will make #DigitalIndia pic.x.com/Y14rYr4Eof

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) January 12, 2018

Tributes to the great #SwamiVivekananda on his birth anniversary:Let us all commemorate his teachings & dedicate ourselves to furthering the cause of unity & brotherhood . pic.x.com/X0YHT7AHM7

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) January 12, 2018

Sand artist @sudarsansand creates sand sculpture of #SwamiVivekananda with message “Youth Power, Unite for New India” at Puri beach on Thursday. pic.x.com/VtXNR3v3x9

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 11, 2018

Remembering the great Philosopher #SwamiVivekananda on his Birth Anniversary today.
This day is also celebrated as #NationalYouthDay pic.x.com/ALOBlm16cH

— ALL INDIA RADIO (@AkashvaniAIR) January 12, 2018

Faith, faith, faith in ourselves, faith, faith in God – this is the secret of greatness- #SwamiVivekananda . My tributes to Swami Vivekananda ji on his birth anniversary. His teachings continue to inspire all. pic.x.com/EKgFauffav

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 12, 2018

Tributes to #SwamiVivekananda ji on his birth anniversary, who influenced many youths and continues to inspire us. pic.x.com/gqalil2ydc

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 12, 2018

“Our duty is to encourage everyone in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.”

My tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary. #NationalYouthDay

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 12, 2018

A soldier was injured on Friday in a landmine explosion on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Defence Ministry sources said here that the incident took place in the Uri sector. The victim was identified as Kuldeep Singh of Rashtriya Rifles who was patrolling in Kamalkote area.

The soldier has been shifted to the Army’s Base Hospital here.

There are many different types of mouth problems. Some of these are preventable with good oral hygiene and other condition are more advanced and can stick around much longer. They can leave you uncomfortable and in pain. Try few easy home cures for fast-acting reliefs.

Mouth Infection

·         Powder dried mint. Used as tooth powder.

Mouth Inflammation

·         Soak one tablespoon crushed licorice root into cups water for two to three hours and use it for gargling frequently.

Mouth Odour

·         Tea made by boiling one tablespoon fenugreek seeds, taken twice or thrice a day. A little honey or lemon juice can be added to improve the flavor.

Mouth Ulcers

·         Mix some coconut milk with honey and massage the gums three to four times a day.

·         Gargle with (or apply) freshly extracted coconut milk from a ripe coconut frequently.

·         Mix the pulp of a ripe fruit with jaggery and eat once a daily.

·         Mix one teacup bel pulp with one teaspoon sugar and eat early morning on an empty stomach for three days.

·         Prepare coriander decoction by boiling one teaspoon coriander seeds in one cup water and gargle frequently, when lukewarm.

·         Chew one or two tender leaves of fig and leaf buds frequently and wash the mouth with warm water.

·         Soak one tablespoon crushed licorice root in two cups water for two to three hours and use it for gargling frequently.

·         Boil two tablespoons fenugreek leaves along with ½ cup green gram and 10 small onions. Eat regularly.

·         Fenugreek seeds, dried and powdered. This is added to drinking water. Drink two to three times daily for two to three days.

·         Pour boiling water over fenugreek leaves. Keep aside until lukewarm. Strain and gargle with this infusion, 5-6 times daily for a couple of days.

If you suspect any serious problem, consult your dentist or physician as soon as possible to eliminate further complication.

Delegates from the Venezuelan government and opposition met today in the Dominican Republic for a third round of talks on resolving the country’s protracted crisis ahead of this year’s presidential election.

The two-day meeting, on the neutral ground of the Dominican Republic, comes after the government of President Nicolas Maduro threatened to ban key opposition parties from the election.

The opposition, in turn, threatened to resume street protests which cost the lives of 125 people last year.

The atmosphere was tense as the talks got under way.

The head of the government delegation, communications minister Jorge Rodriguez, accused the opposition of paying lip service to the talks while planning to “return to the strategy of violence.”

“We do not need to go to the Dominican Republic if they do not want to,” he said on the eve of the talks. “Go to the streets. We will wait for them in the streets.”

Juan Andres Mejia of the Popular Will opposition party was pessimistic.

“It seems to be in the air that we will not be able to advance,” said Mejia, whose party leader Leopoldo Lopez is under house arrest.

He said the negotiations will only work if the government commits to free and fair presidential elections, the date of which has yet to be set.

Maduro insisted the talks could yield a “preliminary deal,” saying in a national address that he had instructed his negotiators to make progress.

“Let’s not give the opposition any excuses to run off looking for violence,” he said.

Venezuela’s all-powerful Constituent Assembly, loyal to Maduro, has ordered the three main opposition parties to re- register with the National Electoral Council (CNE) in order to take part in the presidential election.

The rule was imposed after the parties boycotted mayoral elections in December, saying they lacked transparency.

The opposition want the government to recognise their call for a more neutral CNE, international observers at the polls, the release of political prisoners and a later timeline for the election.

However, analysts believe it is likely the election will be in the first half of the year, as Maduro will seek to take advantage of opposition disarray evident in a string of electoral defeats late last year.

The government is demanding opposition recognition of the Constituent Assembly, set up by Maduro last year at the height of the opposition campaign to depose him. It has ruled with absolute powers since August.

Adding to the uncertainty around the talks, two of the countries that brokered them are threatening to pull out of the process: Mexico and Chile.

Mexico has accused the Venezuelan government of breaking promises made at the negotiating table.

“If we don’t get some concrete, credible results now, there’s no point in continuing,” Chilean Foreign Minister Heraldo Munoz wrote on Twitter.

Leading immigrant rights activist Ravi Ragbir, an Indian-descent from Trinidad and Tobago, was arrested on Friday during a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ordered immediate deportation, irking local community in New York.

A large number of his supporters, including several Indian-Americans, gathered outside the Jacob Javits Federal Building where he was detained.

“Ravi is an acclaimed community leader, a loving father, and a steadfast immigrant rights activist.

His detention is entirely unwarranted and reflects the Trump administration’s predatory behavior in New York City and across the country.

Ravi must be released immediately,” said Congressman Joe Crowley, a top Democratic leader.

Ragbir, executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition of NYC, was detailed by ICE authorities during a routine check-in.

Soon thereafter hundreds gathered outside the federal immigration building in downtown New York City to show solidarity with Ragbir.

Ragbir arrived in the US from Trinidad and Tobago in 1991 on a visitor’s visa. He became a lawful permanent resident in 1994.

According to New York Immigration Coalition, Ragbir has lived with the threat of deportation for nearly a decade, as the result of a 16-year old conviction for wire fraud.

He was placed into removal proceedings in 2006 and spent 22 months in immigration detention before being released in February 2008.

During immigration detention and since his release, Ragbir has worked tirelessly to end the use of immigration detention, stop deportations, and secure relief for countless individuals.

Previously, ICE officials had granted Ragbir prosecutorial discretion, including a stay of removal that was in effect until next week.

Known as a fixture in the immigrant rights movement, Ragbir was awarded the 2017 Immigrant Excellence Award by the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, given to those who show “deep commitment to the enhancement of their community.”

ICE justified its decision and said he will remain in custody pending removal to Trinidad.

“Over the last 12 years, Mr.Ragbir’s immigration case has undergone extensive judicial review at multiple levels of the nation’s judicial system, including both immigration courts and federal appeals courts,” said Rachael Yong Yow, ICE public affairs officer.

In each review, the courts have uniformly held that Ragbir does not have a legal basis to remain in the US, ICE said.

In an exercise of discretion, the agency had previously allowed him to remain free from custody with periodic check- ins, while his case was under court review, Rachaelsaid.

“He has since exhausted his petitions and appeals through the immigration courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the US District Court. He will remain in custody pending removal to Trinidad,” she said.

“In addition to Mr. Ragbir’s immigration violations, he has a previous federal conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, rendering him an aggravated felon. He was sentenced to 30 months incarceration, and ordered restitution in the amount of USD 350,001,” said ICE spokesperson.

American model Brooke Shields is set to develop her own collection of apparel and accessories — marking her maiden venture into design.

The line — to be called Brooke Shields Timeless — will be created in partnership with shopping channel QVC, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

“After years of being dressed by professionals, I walked into my closet one day and realized I had lost sight of my own personal style. I am incredibly passionate about this collection because I have created pieces that are not only chic, but that take the guesswork out of getting ready each morning,” Brooke said.

The collection will consist of contemporary basics like flowy blouses and tailored button-downs, as well as skirts, scarves, structured bottoms and contemporary jewellery. It will be unveiled on February 15, with prices ranging from $29-$109.

Actresses Aditi Arya and Ruhi Singh, who have featured in films, are set to debut into the digital space with web series Spotlight 2.

The musical digital series by Viu have been penned by filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and directed by Siddhant Sachdeva.

“Working in ‘Spotlight 2’ opened my eyes and layers as an actor. I’ve genuinely learnt a lot from Siddhant, Karan and Ruhi and lived my character with several emotional parallels to my real self. No other project would ever be as close to my heart as this was,” Aditi said in a statement.

Ruhi said her character was a bit difficult to play.

“It was a very interesting experience working on the series as I’ve never played anything like this before. It was a very difficult character to play, and I have sincere respect for my director and the fellow cast. Also, the association with Vikram Bhatt was a cherry on the cake as I’ve always been an ardent appreciator of his work,” she said.

Spotlight 2 will premiere on the app in last week of January.

Actor Vivaan Shah, who features in a short film titled Maa, says he shares the most sacred relationship with his mother, veteran actress Ratna Pathak Shah who is not only his best friend, but also his teacher for life.

Born to actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, Vivaan believes that the bonding between a mother and son is the most special and sacred in the world.

“I share the most sacred relationship with my mother. She is my best friend and teacher at the same time. I can have a conversation on anything with Maa and I have learnt some of the important lessons of my life from her,” Vivaan said.

“Maa is always very particular about following the rules as a citizen. The biggest lesson I learnt from her as an actor is to focus on the process of acting and the truth of the character rather than its effect,” he added.

Vivaan, who was last seen on-screen in the movie Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana, said that as an actor, he has a natural tendency to overact a character. That’s what he believes went wrong in that film.

“I always tend to think about the effect of my performance, so I want to go a little over-the-top to create an effect. But it does not go well if I do not stay true to the character. My mother saw the film and told me that how I went wrong. So yes, I learnt that lesson from her,” he said.

In Maa, helmed by Niranjan Iyengar, Vivaan plays a young man who is a drug addict.

Talking about how excited he was to play a character that is far from his comfort zone, Vivaan said: “The story is questioning on morality and it leaves the judgment on the audience. That is the beautiful part of the story. I think the beauty of a short story is its ambiguity.

“I play a guy named Rohan who is troubled and is a drug addict. I have never played any of such character even remotely, so it was emotionally very cathartic to play.”

Having started his Bollywood career in 2011 with the Priyanka Chopra-starrer 7 Khoon Maaf, the actor is yet to explore the medium of cinema to the fullest. But the one thing that he is looking forward to is “being employed in a good project because acting is one of the most competitive professions where many talented people are struggling on the same platform”.

Maa, made for Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films, also features actors Dino Morea and Neena Kulkarni.