India has undertaken several significant highway projects to connect major cities across the country. In an interview, speaking exclusively to WION’s Vikram Chandra, India's&nbsp;Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday (April 8), spoke about how “development of infrastructure is the most important priority,” for the country. &nbsp;

The transport minister also said that by his estimate, India’s highways infrastructure will match that of the United States by the end of next year, “both qualitatively and quantitatively”. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given “highest priority” to developing “world-class infrastructure,” Gadkari told WION.&nbsp;

“We have created six world records this year. We have the net highest road network in the world, and the way in which we are developing the road infrastructure, we are using the best technology and material,”&nbsp;he added.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/exclusive-union-minister-nitin-gadkari-talks-on-indias-road-construction-580288">Exclusive: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari talks on India's road construction</a>

The transport minister also spoke about the steps being taken by the government to protect the environment while building good road infrastructure. “We have used at least 20 lakh (two million) tonnes of municipal solid waste for Delhi ring road, and for Ahmedabad expressway,” referring to the two previous projects in the Indian cities.&nbsp;

Not only do “we want to protect the ecology and environment” but “at the same time we want to develop a good road infrastructure,” said the transport minister. We also don’t have any “financial crunch” as “apart from government funds, we are also raising money from the market,” Gadkari told WION.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-mumbai-expressway-everything-you-need-to-know-about-one-of-indias-largest-infrastructure-projects-555162">Delhi-Mumbai expressway: Everything you need to know about one of India’s largest infrastructure projects</a>

This was in reference to the major projects which are said to be worth tens of billions of dollars in India’s northern Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states like Assam.&nbsp;

The transport minister also told WION that the construction of these highways is taking place at the pace of 38 kilometres per day, as of last year adding that “this year also we will try to maintain that.”&nbsp;

Subsequently, Gadkari told WION that despite “the impact of rains and Covid&nbsp;this year (on construction), we will still have a good record construction and (also) try to increase it.”&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

India has undertaken several significant highway projects to connect major cities across the country. In an interview, speaking exclusively to WION’s Vikram Chandra, India's Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday (April 8), spoke about how “development of infrastructure is the most important priority,” for the country.

India has undertaken several significant highway projects to connect major cities across the country. In an interview, speaking exclusively to WION’s Vikram Chandra, India's Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Saturday (April 8), spoke about how “development of infrastructure is the most important priority,” for the country. The transport minister also said that by his estimate, India’s highways infrastructure will match that of the United States by the end of next year, “both qualitatively and quantitatively”. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given “highest priority” to developing “world-class infrastructure,” Gadkari told WION. “We have created six world records this year. We have the net highest road network in the world, and the way in which we are developing the road infrastructure, we are using the best technology and material,” he added. ALSO WATCH | Exclusive: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari talks on India's road construction The transport minister also spoke about the steps being taken by the government to protect the environment while building good road infrastructure. “We have used at least 20 lakh (two million) tonnes of municipal solid waste for Delhi ring road, and for Ahmedabad expressway,” referring to the two previous projects in the Indian cities. Not only do “we want to protect the ecology and environment” but “at the same time we want to develop a good road infrastructure,” said the transport minister. We also don’t have any “financial crunch” as “apart from government funds, we are also raising money from the market,” Gadkari told WION. ALSO READ | Delhi-Mumbai expressway: Everything you need to know about one of India’s largest infrastructure projects This was in reference to the major projects which are said to be worth tens of billions of dollars in India’s northern Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir and north-eastern states like Assam. The transport minister also told WION that the construction of these highways is taking place at the pace of 38 kilometres per day, as of last year adding that “this year also we will try to maintain that.” Subsequently, Gadkari told WION that despite “the impact of rains and Covid this year (on construction), we will still have a good record construction and (also) try to increase it.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘By 2024-end, India’s highways will match US in quality & quantity’: Nitin Gadkari to WION

Indian Actor Dia Mirza spoke to WION's Entertainment Editor, Abira Dhar about her newly released movie 'Bheed'. Dia had enacted the role of Geetanjali in the movie, a woman belonging to a privileged background, who tries to bring her daughter back from hostel amid the lockdown. Watch in.

WION Exclusive: Indian Actor Dia Mirza speaks to WION on playing Geetanjali in 'Bheed'

Exclusive: Indian Actor Dia Mirza speaks to WION on playing Geetanjali in 'Bheed'

*Kartiki Gonsalves's The Elephant Whisperers won Best Documentary Short at Oscars 2023. It is the first Indian film to have won an Oscar in this category. Days ahead of the historic win, the film's producer Guneet Monga spoke exclusively to WION about the film and the grueling process of campaigning at the Oscars, once nominated.&nbsp;

Producer Guneet Monga, whose production house is known for making films like Masaan, The Lunchbox, and Paglait, is not new to the Oscars. Monga was the executive producer of Period. End Of Sentence, which won the Oscar award in 2020 in the Best Documentary Shorts category. Guneet's latest film The Elephant Whisperers, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves has been nominated at the 2023 Oscars in the Best Documentary Shorts category.&nbsp; 
 
While the producer was part of the team that won the Oscar in 2020 for Period. End Of Sentence, Guneet states that she never won the Oscar. "I was the executive producer. My film won but I did not win an Oscar," Guneet clarified to WION in a free-wheeling conversation recently.&nbsp; 
 
The Elephant Whisperer premiered in November 2022 at DOC NYC Film Festival, a film festival for documentaries in the United States. It is now streaming on Netflix and is about the bond that develops between a couple and an orphaned baby elephant, Raghu, whom they foster at the Mudumalai National Park in South India.&nbsp; 
 
Guneet Monga, who has been in Los Angeles for the past few weeks campaigning for her film spoke to WION at length about what made her say yes to The Elephant Whisperer and why it is so difficult for Indian films to get noticed at Oscars and earn a nomination.&nbsp;

Here are the excerpts from the interview:&nbsp; 
 
Q: Congratulations on the nomination, Guneet. I believe you have been campaigning for The Elephant Whisperer in LA for a while. How has been the process? 
 
A: The campaign is intense. This is the first time I am a nominee and if we win, the golden statue will be in my name and we will bring that to India. But for that, we will have to wait till March 12. Right now I am very excited to be here. The process is just about putting your film out there. &nbsp;We are working closely with the Netflix team and it's been amazing. The film is live in 90 countries thanks to the OTT platform and people have had beautiful reactions. There are art mails, fan arts coming to us from world wide. It's very sweet that love is coming to our work. So I think the process is to put the film out to more and more people so that they know about it and talk about it and share it.&nbsp; 
 
The voters are largely in America but there are also voters across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Canada. You have to put your film out there and there are so many films doing the same campaigning in different categories. every film is doing the same thing.&nbsp; 
 
Q: How did you come on board for The Elephant Whisperer? 
 
A: It was Kartiki Gonsalves who came to me with the film. She is a first-time director, has been a &nbsp;wildlife photographer and took to video to tell this story. She lives in Ooty the &nbsp;Mudumalai National Park is just 30 minutes from her place and this is a story she found. She first made friends with Raghu(the Elephant) and shot for a year. She then made a little promo and showed it to me. I was blown away by her work and her cinematography - she is also a camerawoman. I was blown away by her work and her passion for the story and for Raghu.&nbsp;

So that's how it happened and I thought I would do everything in my power to support this project. Kartiki has been associated to the project for 5 years and I have been with it for three and a half years. And Netflix came on board the project eventually and we made the movie happen.&nbsp; 
 
Q: How much time did it take to shoot the film? 
 
It took a while because we had 450 hours of footage with us, lots of shots of the jungle. Its a venerated documentary takes time to unfold cause real life is happening. So that's been our journey on it, Kartiki found this story, credit of that goes to her and I was overjoyed to support a woman director.&nbsp;

Q: This year Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes and your film The Elephant Whisperer are both nominated at the Oscars. Do you feel Indian documentaries do not get a good platform in India? 
 
A: It's not that Indian documentaries have been neglected in India. We are an equity-driven industry. For 100 years we have been known for our fiction stories. Non-fiction stories need a lot of time and public support and public funding which does not exist here in India. Such a system does not exist in India and so documentary filmmakers look for grants across the world. It's a long process. It's very tough to be a documentary filmmaker and that's why there are far and few. But it's amazing that our country has documentary filmmakers like Shirley Abraham, Rintu Thomas, Anand Patwardhan, Kartiki Gonsalves. It is definitely a great time for Indian documentaries and I hope they get more support for their work so that the films they make come through easily.&nbsp; 
 
Q: Looking at your film repertoire, you seem to always back the unconventional stories. Isn't it a big risk and has it been a conscious decision to pick such films? 
 
A: After 15 years of doing what I do, I also know my own taste. Risk hai to Ishq hai. With the emergence of OTT platforms, it's a good time for documentary filmmakers, for independent filmmakers. People are now consuming documentaries - as a format its new to India.&nbsp; 
 
Q: The Elephant Whisperer has the backing of Netflix. Do you think having it on board helped your film? 
 
A: Absolutely! With Netflix on board, I felt we put a hoarding on the Moon. There are incredible! Got to learn so much.&nbsp; 
 
Q: India makes so many good films. Why is it so difficult for our films to get nominated at the Oscars? 
 
A: We get to choose one film from a vast country like India. So many films to choose from for the best film category and the country can send only one. I felt The Lunchbox had such a strong chance but it was never sent officially from here. One has to look at the popularity of the film in America, it also means festival runs, and one has to also tap into American distribution. Unless we tap into that, we won't be able to spend much of our stuff to&nbsp;the Oscars. Distribution is key. Without it, we are thinking in isolation. There is a disconnect between the selection committee and how they think here.&nbsp; 
 
300 plus films come in the feature film category at the Oscars this year. Which is why distribution is important.&nbsp; Netflix is running the campaign for us. Lagaan had Sony picture classic to back it, and so did The Lunchbox and they know how to run for the awards.&nbsp;

Q: The Elephant Whisperer is produced by a woman and directed by a woman. Do you feel women directors still face challenges in getting their projects bankrolled? 
 
There are less than 5% women filmmakers making films in India. I feel it's my mission to be part of projects made by women filmmakers. As a producer whatever I can do in my lifetime, I will do. Was overjoyed to be part of Kartiki's journey when she reached out and I hope I can add value to more such projects made by women.&nbsp;

*Kartiki Gonsalves's The Elephant Whisperers won Best Documentary Short at Oscars 2023. It is the first Indian film to have won an Oscar in this category. Days ahead of the historic win, the film's producer Guneet Monga spoke exclusively to WION about the film and the grueling process of campaigning at the Oscars, once nominated.

*Kartiki Gonsalves's The Elephant Whisperers won Best Documentary Short at Oscars 2023. It is the first Indian film to have won an Oscar in this category. Days ahead of the historic win, the film's producer Guneet Monga spoke exclusively to WION about the film and the grueling process of campaigning at the Oscars, once nominated. Producer Guneet Monga, whose production house is known for making films like Masaan, The Lunchbox, and Paglait, is not new to the Oscars. Monga was the executive producer of Period. End Of Sentence, which won the Oscar award in 2020 in the Best Documentary Shorts category. Guneet's latest film The Elephant Whisperers, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves has been nominated at the 2023 Oscars in the Best Documentary Shorts category. While the producer was part of the team that won the Oscar in 2020 for Period. End Of Sentence, Guneet states that she never won the Oscar. "I was the executive producer. My film won but I did not win an Oscar," Guneet clarified to WION in a free-wheeling conversation recently. The Elephant Whisperer premiered in November 2022 at DOC NYC Film Festival, a film festival for documentaries in the United States. It is now streaming on Netflix and is about the bond that develops between a couple and an orphaned baby elephant, Raghu, whom they foster at the Mudumalai National Park in South India. Guneet Monga, who has been in Los Angeles for the past few weeks campaigning for her film spoke to WION at length about what made her say yes to The Elephant Whisperer and why it is so difficult for Indian films to get noticed at Oscars and earn a nomination. Here are the excerpts from the interview: Q: Congratulations on the nomination, Guneet. I believe you have been campaigning for The Elephant Whisperer in LA for a while. How has been the process? A: The campaign is intense. This is the first time I am a nominee and if we win, the golden statue will be in my name and we will bring that to India. But for that, we will have to wait till March 12. Right now I am very excited to be here. The process is just about putting your film out there. We are working closely with the Netflix team and it's been amazing. The film is live in 90 countries thanks to the OTT platform and people have had beautiful reactions. There are art mails, fan arts coming to us from world wide. It's very sweet that love is coming to our work. So I think the process is to put the film out to more and more people so that they know about it and talk about it and share it. The voters are largely in America but there are also voters across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Canada. You have to put your film out there and there are so many films doing the same campaigning in different categories. every film is doing the same thing. Q: How did you come on board for The Elephant Whisperer? A: It was Kartiki Gonsalves who came to me with the film. She is a first-time director, has been a wildlife photographer and took to video to tell this story. She lives in Ooty the Mudumalai National Park is just 30 minutes from her place and this is a story she found. She first made friends with Raghu(the Elephant) and shot for a year. She then made a little promo and showed it to me. I was blown away by her work and her cinematography - she is also a camerawoman. I was blown away by her work and her passion for the story and for Raghu. So that's how it happened and I thought I would do everything in my power to support this project. Kartiki has been associated to the project for 5 years and I have been with it for three and a half years. And Netflix came on board the project eventually and we made the movie happen. Q: How much time did it take to shoot the film? It took a while because we had 450 hours of footage with us, lots of shots of the jungle. Its a venerated documentary takes time to unfold cause real life is happening. So that's been our journey on it, Kartiki found this story, credit of that goes to her and I was overjoyed to support a woman director. Q: This year Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes and your film The Elephant Whisperer are both nominated at the Oscars. Do you feel Indian documentaries do not get a good platform in India? A: It's not that Indian documentaries have been neglected in India. We are an equity-driven industry. For 100 years we have been known for our fiction stories. Non-fiction stories need a lot of time and public support and public funding which does not exist here in India. Such a system does not exist in India and so documentary filmmakers look for grants across the world. It's a long process. It's very tough to be a documentary filmmaker and that's why there are far and few. But it's amazing that our country has documentary filmmakers like Shirley Abraham, Rintu Thomas, Anand Patwardhan, Kartiki Gonsalves. It is definitely a great time for Indian documentaries and I hope they get more support for their work so that the films they make come through easily. Q: Looking at your film repertoire, you seem to always back the unconventional stories. Isn't it a big risk and has it been a conscious decision to pick such films? A: After 15 years of doing what I do, I also know my own taste. Risk hai to Ishq hai. With the emergence of OTT platforms, it's a good time for documentary filmmakers, for independent filmmakers. People are now consuming documentaries - as a format its new to India. Q: The Elephant Whisperer has the backing of Netflix. Do you think having it on board helped your film? A: Absolutely! With Netflix on board, I felt we put a hoarding on the Moon. There are incredible! Got to learn so much. Q: India makes so many good films. Why is it so difficult for our films to get nominated at the Oscars? A: We get to choose one film from a vast country like India. So many films to choose from for the best film category and the country can send only one. I felt The Lunchbox had such a strong chance but it was never sent officially from here. One has to look at the popularity of the film in America, it also means festival runs, and one has to also tap into American distribution. Unless we tap into that, we won't be able to spend much of our stuff to the Oscars. Distribution is key. Without it, we are thinking in isolation. There is a disconnect between the selection committee and how they think here. 300 plus films come in the feature film category at the Oscars this year. Which is why distribution is important. Netflix is running the campaign for us. Lagaan had Sony picture classic to back it, and so did The Lunchbox and they know how to run for the awards. Q: The Elephant Whisperer is produced by a woman and directed by a woman. Do you feel women directors still face challenges in getting their projects bankrolled? There are less than 5% women filmmakers making films in India. I feel it's my mission to be part of projects made by women filmmakers. As a producer whatever I can do in my lifetime, I will do. Was overjoyed to be part of Kartiki's journey when she reached out and I hope I can add value to more such projects made by women.

WION Exclusive: Oscar winner Guneet Monga on her film The Elephant Whisperer, Indian documentaries and more

The third installment of 'Creed' is out in theatres this week. With this release, the star of the film, Michael B Jordan, also makes his debut as a director. According to various early reviews, the film is a complete knockout. During an exclusive conversation with WION, Jordan, along with actors Tessa Thompson and Jonathan Majors, tell us why we must not miss this sports drama. Listen in.

'Creed III': What makes Michael B Jordan's directorial a complete knockout. Cast explains | WION Exclusive

While speaking to WION's Jodie Cohen, Israel's outgoing Defence Minister Benny Gantz said that " We are very worried about the direction Netanyahu is taking us, we have to make sure Israel stays in the right direction".

WION Exclusive: 'We have to make sure Israel stays in the right direction', says Benny Gantz

India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday that India has always been an advocate of diplomacy and dialogue when it comes to global conflicts like the Ukraine war. In an exclusive interview with WION’s Molly Gambhir, Jaishankar said that the world is extremely polarised right now and India will be working together with other countries to make sure that the conflict is resolved.&nbsp;

“There is no question that the world is very polarised and one of the biggest issues of polarisation is Ukraine conflict. From the start, we have been advocates of diplomacy and dialogue and the Prime Minister has made it clear that this is not an era of war. Going into Bali while Indonesia had the presidency, they had a tough task on their hands and they did extremely well under the circumstances. But we were very supportive of them and worked together to find some sort of a common landing point on the more difficult issues so that the G20 itself is not impacted by this polarisation.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-eases-covid-restrictions-in-beijing-hints-at-possible-change-in-stance-report-539115">China eases Covid restrictions in Beijing, hints at possible change in stance</a>

India officially took over the G20 presidency and Jaishankar made it clear that it is a momentous occasion for the country. When asked about the priorities, he said that India will be looking to articulate the concerns and the interests of the global south which is currently facing various challenges.&nbsp;

Gravitas: India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar speaks to WION

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-indias-external-affairs-minister-dr-s-jaishankar-speaks-to-wion-539234/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“India’s endeavor will be to address some of the pressing issues of the day. Issues like food security and energy security. Also, more perennial issues like sustainable development goals, climate action and climate justice. But we have just taken over the presidency and there will also be a lot of consultations with other countries because we are determined that India should really articulate the concerns and the interests of the global south. The global south is under a lot of pressure due to a combination of circumstances – debt, Covid, the Ukraine conflict, extreme climate and in some parts of the world – terrorism. So, some of what we will be pushing is visible right now and some of it will emerge with the passage of time. But we definitely want to have both a consultative but also an impactful presidency.”&nbsp;

With the G20 summit almost a year away, Jaishankar said that not all agendas are clear but the summit will be the premier forum for the biggest economies in the world to focus on the right issues.&nbsp;

“I think countries today do recognise the value of India which has maintained its relationship and has made clear its principles. The conflict today has other individual concerns – the grain initiative, some anxiety over the nuclear issues and even concerns about how to get fertilisers out to the world. We are working sometimes visibly and sometimes not so. We have been in contact with the UN. But our goal will be to see the G20 as the premier forum for the biggest economies in the world to focus on the right issues, the vulnerability and anxieties of the global south. Because if we take our eyes off that ball, the world is really headed for trouble.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday that India has always been an advocate of diplomacy and dialogue when it comes to global conflicts like the Ukraine war.

India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday that India has always been an advocate of diplomacy and dialogue when it comes to global conflicts like the Ukraine war. In an exclusive interview with WION’s Molly Gambhir, Jaishankar said that the world is extremely polarised right now and India will be working together with other countries to make sure that the conflict is resolved. “There is no question that the world is very polarised and one of the biggest issues of polarisation is Ukraine conflict. From the start, we have been advocates of diplomacy and dialogue and the Prime Minister has made it clear that this is not an era of war. Going into Bali while Indonesia had the presidency, they had a tough task on their hands and they did extremely well under the circumstances. But we were very supportive of them and worked together to find some sort of a common landing point on the more difficult issues so that the G20 itself is not impacted by this polarisation.” Also read | China eases Covid restrictions in Beijing, hints at possible change in stance India officially took over the G20 presidency and Jaishankar made it clear that it is a momentous occasion for the country. When asked about the priorities, he said that India will be looking to articulate the concerns and the interests of the global south which is currently facing various challenges. Gravitas: India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar speaks to WION × “India’s endeavor will be to address some of the pressing issues of the day. Issues like food security and energy security. Also, more perennial issues like sustainable development goals, climate action and climate justice. But we have just taken over the presidency and there will also be a lot of consultations with other countries because we are determined that India should really articulate the concerns and the interests of the global south. The global south is under a lot of pressure due to a combination of circumstances – debt, Covid, the Ukraine conflict, extreme climate and in some parts of the world – terrorism. So, some of what we will be pushing is visible right now and some of it will emerge with the passage of time. But we definitely want to have both a consultative but also an impactful presidency.” With the G20 summit almost a year away, Jaishankar said that not all agendas are clear but the summit will be the premier forum for the biggest economies in the world to focus on the right issues. “I think countries today do recognise the value of India which has maintained its relationship and has made clear its principles. The conflict today has other individual concerns – the grain initiative, some anxiety over the nuclear issues and even concerns about how to get fertilisers out to the world. We are working sometimes visibly and sometimes not so. We have been in contact with the UN. But our goal will be to see the G20 as the premier forum for the biggest economies in the world to focus on the right issues, the vulnerability and anxieties of the global south. Because if we take our eyes off that ball, the world is really headed for trouble.”

WION Exclusive | India is an advocate of diplomacy and dialogue, says S Jaishankar

Did you know, Hollywood star Topher Grace once crashed an Oscar party? The 'Spider-Man 3' actor in an exclusive interview with WION's Entertainment Editor, Abira Dhar Rao, shared with us how it all happened.

WION Exclusive: Topher Grace talks about crashing the academy awards

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani spoke to WION's Siddhant Sibbal over ongoing protests and the West. He said that Protests are natural in democratic countries.

WION Exclusive: Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani talks about protests and the West

An all-new series 'Echo 3', starring Luke Evans, Michiel Huisman and Jessica Ann Collins released today on Apple tv plus. WION got the opportunity to catch up with the cast members for a quick, short chat about their experiences. &nbsp; 
 
Created by two-time Academy Award winner Mark Boal, 'Echo 3', is a cinematic thriller set on South America's Colombia-Venezuela border with English and Spanish dialogues. &nbsp;

The series is layered with personal drama, set against the explosive backdrop of a secret war. Excerpts from the interview:&nbsp;

Q: 'Echo' is a series that contains, a wedding gala, personal drama, war, drug issues and much more. Also touches on the topic of national security, can you comment on the experience of bringing together such a vast category in one script?&nbsp;

 
A: Jessica Ann Collins: The complexity of the series on those topics is what makes it very compelling.&nbsp;

Michiel Huisman: I agree, and knowing that you have a writer behind you, a writer like Mark Boal, who is really comfortable in telling stories with such backgrounds like military and geo-political, it really helps and it means that I feel that I can focus on my character and know that somebody else understands the bigger picture.&nbsp;

Luke Evans: And I think also following from that, it means that because there is so much going on as you said, there is so much, each character is going through their own personal struggle, they have to carry their own baggage throughout the story and it is different from each one. It crisscrosses through the Spanish-speaking cast, then we hit back to Washington, it's constantly moving and so what it provides is a canvas of very interesting things, which means you never get a moment to relax. . You are always following these stories and realising how they are inter-thread with each other. That's a great story if you are always on the edge of your seat. This journey was so immersive and that's what you see onscreen. A complex fabric of storylines that affect each other. &nbsp;

Q: Can you comment on the efforts you had to go through to get your dialects right? &nbsp;&nbsp;

A: Michiel Huisman: Ah. You said dialect. &nbsp; 
 
Luke Evans: Yes. &nbsp; 
 
Michiel Huisman: No effort at all. &nbsp; 
(All three laugh) &nbsp; 
 
Luke Evans: I overreacted the most. I'm Welsh, and British, and I have done American many times but I have never done this, Southern accent before. So I put a lot of work in before we came to Atlanta where we started the project. Then we had an incredible dialect coach who came with us. She was there every day, wherever we were, I would work with her during my time off, in the evenings, I wanted to do a good job, and it's not easy when you take a different accent. You want to find the nuance in the dialect, you know I am surrounded by Americans, and I always you know want to impress them. It's an exposing thing to do, taking on somebody else's accent and doing it for such a long time. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Jessica Ann Collins: My joke is that I was raised in the American South, I was trained at Julliard's, and I felt like Luke had a better Southern accent than me. (Laughs). &nbsp; 
 
Michiel Huisman: Well you know, Cynthia, our dialect coach, she is kind of like a special forces' operator, she was our rock. She was really good. &nbsp;

 
From playing a military man in 'Game of Thrones' to playing a military man in 'Echo 3', can you comment on the experience? &nbsp;

Michiel Huisman: Oh, my God! It was a completely new experience for me. That was also one of the reasons why I was dying to play this character. He was a very different character from the ones I have played before. He is a very complex guy, a guy that comes from privilege, and still chooses to join the absolute pinnacle of the American military, he is a bit arrogant and somewhat controlling, and maybe in the military that serves him well because he somehow likes to control the battlefield, and that suits him in the marriage that's not really working well for him. So this was a completely new experience for me, one that I was dying to take on. &nbsp;

An all-new series 'Echo 3', starring Luke Evans, Michiel Huisman and Jessica Ann Collins released today on Apple tv plus. WION got the opportunity to catch up with the cast members for a quick, short chat about their experiences.

An all-new series 'Echo 3', starring Luke Evans, Michiel Huisman and Jessica Ann Collins released today on Apple tv plus. WION got the opportunity to catch up with the cast members for a quick, short chat about their experiences. Created by two-time Academy Award winner Mark Boal, 'Echo 3', is a cinematic thriller set on South America's Colombia-Venezuela border with English and Spanish dialogues. The series is layered with personal drama, set against the explosive backdrop of a secret war. Excerpts from the interview: Q: 'Echo' is a series that contains, a wedding gala, personal drama, war, drug issues and much more. Also touches on the topic of national security, can you comment on the experience of bringing together such a vast category in one script? A: Jessica Ann Collins: The complexity of the series on those topics is what makes it very compelling. Michiel Huisman: I agree, and knowing that you have a writer behind you, a writer like Mark Boal, who is really comfortable in telling stories with such backgrounds like military and geo-political, it really helps and it means that I feel that I can focus on my character and know that somebody else understands the bigger picture. Luke Evans: And I think also following from that, it means that because there is so much going on as you said, there is so much, each character is going through their own personal struggle, they have to carry their own baggage throughout the story and it is different from each one. It crisscrosses through the Spanish-speaking cast, then we hit back to Washington, it's constantly moving and so what it provides is a canvas of very interesting things, which means you never get a moment to relax. . You are always following these stories and realising how they are inter-thread with each other. That's a great story if you are always on the edge of your seat. This journey was so immersive and that's what you see onscreen. A complex fabric of storylines that affect each other. Q: Can you comment on the efforts you had to go through to get your dialects right? A: Michiel Huisman: Ah. You said dialect. Luke Evans: Yes. Michiel Huisman: No effort at all. (All three laugh) Luke Evans: I overreacted the most. I'm Welsh, and British, and I have done American many times but I have never done this, Southern accent before. So I put a lot of work in before we came to Atlanta where we started the project. Then we had an incredible dialect coach who came with us. She was there every day, wherever we were, I would work with her during my time off, in the evenings, I wanted to do a good job, and it's not easy when you take a different accent. You want to find the nuance in the dialect, you know I am surrounded by Americans, and I always you know want to impress them. It's an exposing thing to do, taking on somebody else's accent and doing it for such a long time. Jessica Ann Collins: My joke is that I was raised in the American South, I was trained at Julliard's, and I felt like Luke had a better Southern accent than me. (Laughs). Michiel Huisman: Well you know, Cynthia, our dialect coach, she is kind of like a special forces' operator, she was our rock. She was really good. From playing a military man in 'Game of Thrones' to playing a military man in 'Echo 3', can you comment on the experience? Michiel Huisman: Oh, my God! It was a completely new experience for me. That was also one of the reasons why I was dying to play this character. He was a very different character from the ones I have played before. He is a very complex guy, a guy that comes from privilege, and still chooses to join the absolute pinnacle of the American military, he is a bit arrogant and somewhat controlling, and maybe in the military that serves him well because he somehow likes to control the battlefield, and that suits him in the marriage that's not really working well for him. So this was a completely new experience for me, one that I was dying to take on.

Wion Exclusive: Luke Evans, Michiel Huisman, and Jessica Ann Collins talk about their latest series 'Echo 3'

There are some sportspersons who transcend their sports and become global icons. Roger Federer holds a special place in the heart of every tennis fan. The 20-time Grand Slam Champion will retire after the Laver Cup in September. WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo spoke to Indian Tennis Legend Vijay Amritraj on the legacy of the Swiss maestro.

WION Sports Exclusive: Vijay Amritraj reflects on Roger Federer's legendary career

The breakaway Liv Golf series is not 'dead in the water' as once famously claimed by Rory Mcilroy earlier this year and continues to shake up the golfing landscape. Indian ace Anirban Lahiri was unveiled as a LIV Golf player on Tuesday and the 35-year-old will play the Boston invitational later this week. Lahiri spoke to Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo and explained why he felt the time was right to leave the PGA Tour.

Anirban Lahiri joins Liv Golf, hopes to finally 'have a life'

During an exclusive interview with WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma, Australia's former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that once Xi Jinping will get Taiwan he will double down and the communist party will be emboldened.

WION Exclusive: Chinese President Xi Jinping could double down, says Kevin Rudd

Australia's former prime minister Kevin Rudd believes that China could 'double down' on smaller disputes including Arunachal Pradesh after invading Taiwan. Catch an excerpt of his exclusive conversation with Palki Sharma.

Gravitas: Will China target India after invading Taiwan? | Ex-Australian PM Kevin Rudd exclusive

India's maiden interplanetary mission - was launched on November 5, 2013. Staggeringly frugal by western standards, it made India the first country to reach Martian orbit on its first attempt. Eight years later, a documentary has been made about what went on behind the scenes at the Indian space research organisation. Here's another interesting fact about the film- it's made in Sanskrit - an ancient language that is not spoken or understood by most Indians. WION correspondent Sidharth.M.P spoke to A.V. Anoop, the writer and producer of 'Yaanam' to find out more.

WION Exclusive: Trailer for 'Yaanam': 44-minute documentary about Mangalyaan

WION first to reach the exact location where Al-Qaeda Chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri was killed in U.S Drone strike on August 1, 2022.

Exclusive: WION at Zawahiri's safe house

Andorra's foreign minister Maria Ubach Font, who was on India, visit earlier this week has said that her visit will "reinforce bilateral cooperation" even as she lauded India's "active" role at the United Nations. Speaking to WION’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, FM Font said," India is an active country and member of UNSC and I am sure that also brings ideas and new ways of working in order to help the house of the UN to go further in its objectives."

This is the first-ever visit by any Andorran Foreign minister to India since the latter established diplomatic ties in 1994. The country, that lies between France and Spain is one of the smallest countries in the world, but has been in existence since 1200 AD.

During the interview, she emphasised on "multilateralism being a priority" for her country and explained how her country in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine supported European Union's position on sanctions. She said, "we have welcomed some refugees from Ukraine and permitted them health and social support and give them opportunity to integrate in the country."

During the 3-day long visit, she delivered a talk at Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and met NITI Aayog Vice Chairman and discussed Agenda 2030, SDGs and how India and Andorra can collaborate on tackling global challenges such as Climate Change.

WION: How do you&nbsp;see the relationship between Andorra and India?

Maria Ubach Font: This is the first time I have visited your country, and Andorra and India have established diplomatic relations in 1994 so that is a long time we have been working together between the 2 countries, and the first official visit to India. I am sure that it gives the possibility to reinforce bilateral cooperation.&nbsp;

WION: What is the focus of your India visit, the first such visit by Andorra's foreign minister since the promulgation of your constitution?

Maria Ubach Font: The will is to promote bilateral cooperation; we have to work further on the economic, fiscal and cultural point of view with the minister of foreign affairs, we have signed a declaration of good cooperation between the two&nbsp;ministries of foreign affairs that will permit us to work together in a more dynamic way between the two&nbsp;administrations.

WION: In Asia, you have focused on two&nbsp;countries, India and UAE, why is that?

Maria Ubach Font: As far as the circumstances concerning the emirates, the expo of Dubai this year happened, and Andorra had a pavilion in the expo, so that was a very good opportunity for our country to be part of this international event. It permits us to also have some meetings, high-level meetings with the authorities in the Emirates and try to develop that bilateral cooperation.&nbsp;

WION: What is your view of India's role at&nbsp;the UN, and a reformed UNSC?

Maria Ubach Font: For us, in a small country as in the case of Andorra, multilateralism is the top priority, we think it is impossible to bring out solutions without multilateralism and cooperation between states. That is why our priority at the ministry of foreign affairs and the government of Andorra is to work with the UN and other international organizations. Concerning the role of India at the UN, I may say, India is an active country and member of the UNSC and I am sure that also brings ideas and new ways of working in order to help the house of the UN to go further in its objectives.

WION: You have missions in Europe, in New York, do you plan to open missions in Asia and will India be the first country where Andorra opens missions in Asia?

Maria Ubach Font: For the time being we need to work with the missions that are open, mainly in Europe. We have to think about and analyse opening other embassies, but for the time being it is not the case of opening any embassies. So that is why we try to be present here through official visits and to have direct contact with the authorities. That is the first step, maybe in the future, it will be possible to open other embassies, but you know the Andorran administration is a very small one. When we think about opening new embassies, we need to bring some people to those embassies, so we need to go step by step in this procedure.

WION: What is your view about the Russian invasion of Ukraine?

Maria Ubach Font: Well, in Andorra, we cannot accept the violation of one state by another of international law. Andorra has adopted some sanctions against Russia following the position of the EU, we have welcomed some refugees from Ukraine and permitted them health and social support and given them the opportunity to integrate into the country.

WION: The war in Ukraine must have impacted you domestically...price rise, inflation, what have you done so to mitigate that?

Maria Ubach Font: The war has an impact, as is the case in the other states of Europe, the inflation is one of the consequences of war. The government of Andorra has adopted a special law to give the opportunity to people of Andorra to have more facilities to face the situation of rising prices. For example, we have permitted the increase of wages, a new policy to permit public transportation free of charge and financial help for people with less wages.

WION: I believe at the United Nation, Andorra has supported resolutions against Russia.

Maria Ubach Font: Yes, that is correct. We have supported the resolution, in March at the beginning of the war, we supported it. In our constitution the respect of international law is one of the principal points that we need to take into consideration.

WION: Has Andorra supported any resolution by India at the General assembly?

Maria Ubach Font: Well, we try to support, now we do not have in mind resolutions India has presented, but of course, we have good cooperation with the mission of India at the United Nations, and we try to follow up and cooperate as far as we can with India.

WION: Tensions between China and US impacted your country, can you elaborate on that?

Maria Ubach Font: We are living in a situation where the international order is changing and there is some situation between big countries and from Andorra we are observers of that, and in our position of course what we promote and we have always promoted dialogue between the two&nbsp;countries in order to face complicated situations and specifically in order to achieve a good solution for all the countries, especially population of those countries. We have to think about civil society, and that is why resolution by dialogue, a political solution is the best way to go.

WION: How do microstates face the current geopolitical changes...it looks very difficult, given major countries like China have been aggressive, what message you will give to microstates?

Maria Ubach Font: What we can say, we need to observe in a precise way how the world is going, that is why Andorra is part of international organisations...defend the principals of the international organization, multilateralism, incredible tool that permits to see how the evolution of the situation is going on.

Andorra's foreign minister Maria Ubach Font, who was on India, visit earlier this week has said that her visit will "reinforce bilateral cooperation" even as she lauded India's "active" role at the United Nations.

Andorra's foreign minister Maria Ubach Font, who was on India, visit earlier this week has said that her visit will "reinforce bilateral cooperation" even as she lauded India's "active" role at the United Nations. Speaking to WION’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, FM Font said," India is an active country and member of UNSC and I am sure that also brings ideas and new ways of working in order to help the house of the UN to go further in its objectives." This is the first-ever visit by any Andorran Foreign minister to India since the latter established diplomatic ties in 1994. The country, that lies between France and Spain is one of the smallest countries in the world, but has been in existence since 1200 AD. During the interview, she emphasised on "multilateralism being a priority" for her country and explained how her country in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine supported European Union's position on sanctions. She said, "we have welcomed some refugees from Ukraine and permitted them health and social support and give them opportunity to integrate in the country." During the 3-day long visit, she delivered a talk at Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service and met NITI Aayog Vice Chairman and discussed Agenda 2030, SDGs and how India and Andorra can collaborate on tackling global challenges such as Climate Change. WION: How do you see the relationship between Andorra and India? Maria Ubach Font: This is the first time I have visited your country, and Andorra and India have established diplomatic relations in 1994 so that is a long time we have been working together between the 2 countries, and the first official visit to India. I am sure that it gives the possibility to reinforce bilateral cooperation. WION: What is the focus of your India visit, the first such visit by Andorra's foreign minister since the promulgation of your constitution? Maria Ubach Font: The will is to promote bilateral cooperation; we have to work further on the economic, fiscal and cultural point of view with the minister of foreign affairs, we have signed a declaration of good cooperation between the two ministries of foreign affairs that will permit us to work together in a more dynamic way between the two administrations. WION: In Asia, you have focused on two countries, India and UAE, why is that? Maria Ubach Font: As far as the circumstances concerning the emirates, the expo of Dubai this year happened, and Andorra had a pavilion in the expo, so that was a very good opportunity for our country to be part of this international event. It permits us to also have some meetings, high-level meetings with the authorities in the Emirates and try to develop that bilateral cooperation. WION: What is your view of India's role at the UN, and a reformed UNSC? Maria Ubach Font: For us, in a small country as in the case of Andorra, multilateralism is the top priority, we think it is impossible to bring out solutions without multilateralism and cooperation between states. That is why our priority at the ministry of foreign affairs and the government of Andorra is to work with the UN and other international organizations. Concerning the role of India at the UN, I may say, India is an active country and member of the UNSC and I am sure that also brings ideas and new ways of working in order to help the house of the UN to go further in its objectives. WION: You have missions in Europe, in New York, do you plan to open missions in Asia and will India be the first country where Andorra opens missions in Asia? Maria Ubach Font: For the time being we need to work with the missions that are open, mainly in Europe. We have to think about and analyse opening other embassies, but for the time being it is not the case of opening any embassies. So that is why we try to be present here through official visits and to have direct contact with the authorities. That is the first step, maybe in the future, it will be possible to open other embassies, but you know the Andorran administration is a very small one. When we think about opening new embassies, we need to bring some people to those embassies, so we need to go step by step in this procedure. WION: What is your view about the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Maria Ubach Font: Well, in Andorra, we cannot accept the violation of one state by another of international law. Andorra has adopted some sanctions against Russia following the position of the EU, we have welcomed some refugees from Ukraine and permitted them health and social support and given them the opportunity to integrate into the country. WION: The war in Ukraine must have impacted you domestically...price rise, inflation, what have you done so to mitigate that? Maria Ubach Font: The war has an impact, as is the case in the other states of Europe, the inflation is one of the consequences of war. The government of Andorra has adopted a special law to give the opportunity to people of Andorra to have more facilities to face the situation of rising prices. For example, we have permitted the increase of wages, a new policy to permit public transportation free of charge and financial help for people with less wages. WION: I believe at the United Nation, Andorra has supported resolutions against Russia. Maria Ubach Font: Yes, that is correct. We have supported the resolution, in March at the beginning of the war, we supported it. In our constitution the respect of international law is one of the principal points that we need to take into consideration. WION: Has Andorra supported any resolution by India at the General assembly? Maria Ubach Font: Well, we try to support, now we do not have in mind resolutions India has presented, but of course, we have good cooperation with the mission of India at the United Nations, and we try to follow up and cooperate as far as we can with India. WION: Tensions between China and US impacted your country, can you elaborate on that? Maria Ubach Font: We are living in a situation where the international order is changing and there is some situation between big countries and from Andorra we are observers of that, and in our position of course what we promote and we have always promoted dialogue between the two countries in order to face complicated situations and specifically in order to achieve a good solution for all the countries, especially population of those countries. We have to think about civil society, and that is why resolution by dialogue, a political solution is the best way to go. WION: How do microstates face the current geopolitical changes...it looks very difficult, given major countries like China have been aggressive, what message you will give to microstates? Maria Ubach Font: What we can say, we need to observe in a precise way how the world is going, that is why Andorra is part of international organisations...defend the principals of the international organization, multilateralism, incredible tool that permits to see how the evolution of the situation is going on.

WION Exclusive | My visit to India will reinforce bilateral cooperation: Andorra Foreign Minister Font

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari spoke exclusively to WION in Tashkent and said that there is no substance to former PM Imran Khan's claim that current government's foreign policy vis-a-vis America lacked substance.

WION Exclusive: No substance in claims made by Imran Khan says Bilawal Bhutto

In an exclusive interview with WION, Israel's Ambassador to India Naor Gilon decoded I2U2 summit. He said, different nations bring different abilities to table. Watch this exclusive interview!

WION Exclusive: Israel's Ambassador to India Naor Gilon decodes I2U2 summit

India and Rajasthan Royals' young star Dhruv Jurel shares his journey so far, the MS Dhoni policy which works wonders for him, and learnings from Kumar Sangakkara in IPL 2022.

EXCLUSIVE: I abide by MS Dhoni's 'control the controllables' policy, says U-19 star Dhruv Jurel

Ahead of the Liverpool vs Manchester United marquee clash tonight, fans make a beeline for official merchandise in Bangkok. WION's Digvijay Singh Deo takes you inside the fan zone at Rajamangala. Here's a WION exclusive report.

Liverpool vs Manchester United: WION exclusive from fan zone at Rajamangala

Penpa Tsering, the President of the Tibetan government in exile based out of Dharamshala has said that the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur will be the chief guest at the birthday of his holiness Dalai Lama next week, that is 6th July. The development shows growing engagement by siting functionaries of the Indian govt. Remember last time Indian PM Modi had spoken to Dalai Lama and sent his congratulations. Speaking to our Diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Penpa Tsering who is the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration said, "Dalai Lama is well regarded by the international community and you remember PM Modi wishing him on his birthday last year. So, this year, we have the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh as our chief guest for his holiness's birthday".

WION Exclusive: Himachal CM is Chief Guest at Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations says Penpa Tsering

R Madhavan aka Maddy's upcoming magnum opus 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' has received a rousing reception after its Premiere at Cannes Film. The biopic of veteran Indian Rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan, directed by, written by, produced and starring Madhavan has won praise from various quarters. Following the Cannes premiere, two-time Oscar award winner music director AR Rahman had praised Madhavan for "bringing a new voice to Indian cinema". During an exclusive conversation with Madhavan, WION asked the actor about the feedback he received from Nambi Narayanan, on whose life the film is based.&nbsp;

Looking back, Madhavan revealed that Nambi Narayanan(who was in his late seventies at the time of project commencement) and his family, never expected that a film would be made on his life. After seeing the film, Nambi sir said, "I've seen more things than most men will see in their lives. I've seen most things that most men should not see in their lives and I thought I've seen everything. And now I've seen this movie now!" Madhavan revealed.&nbsp;

Hearing such a touching response from the highly-accomplished rocket scientist(now aged 80), Madhavan asked him if he really meant what he was saying or if there was an iota of a lie in it. Nambi sir told me what he said was all true, and added "I want to thank you for giving me the desire to live a little longer to see the outcome of this film and enjoy its fruits" Madhavan told WION, referring to this as the biggest compliment he had received.&nbsp;

Notably, the veteran rocket scientist who is also a recipient of 'Padma Bhushan' (India's third-highest civilian honour) had vetted the technical aspects of the film and reviewed the script. Queried on how he felt working with Mr.Nambi Narayanan himself, Madhavan emphasized the importance of having domain-expert consultants working on a film and the need for more such films to be made in India. "I believe that it's time to make a movie like this and when Dr. Nambi Narayanan steps in and says you're right or this needs to be corrected, you better believe what he's saying. The more authentic and realistic we have films based on technology and science, that respective field benefits out of the film" Madhavan explained.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/r-madhavan-gets-candid-rocketry-madhavan-wears-directors-hat-for-the-film-491976/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Taking examples from his own illustrious career, Madhavan referred to the impact that the film 'Rang De Basanti' had on the media and how '3 Idiots' the movie changed the way parents looked and children looked at their parents in terms of their career.&nbsp; 
 
The actor also expressed hope that the Indian film industry must make more films that change the perspective that the world has about India's technological geniuses.&nbsp;

"No country can remain great, unless, those who make it great are nurtured and respected", Madhavan signed off, sharing a significant one-liner from the film.&nbsp;

'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' is to have a worldwide theatrical release on July 1st and is releasing in seven languages including English. Shot simultaneously in English, Hindi and Tamil, the film was later dubbed into Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. Ready for release in Summer 2020, the film was kept on hold till it was safe to have a worldwide theatrical release post-pandemic.&nbsp;

R Madhavan aka Maddy's upcoming magnum opus 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' has received a rousing reception after its Premiere at Cannes Film. The biopic of veteran Indian Rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan, directed by, written by, produced and starring Madhavan has won praise from various quarters.

R Madhavan aka Maddy's upcoming magnum opus 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' has received a rousing reception after its Premiere at Cannes Film. The biopic of veteran Indian Rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan, directed by, written by, produced and starring Madhavan has won praise from various quarters. Following the Cannes premiere, two-time Oscar award winner music director AR Rahman had praised Madhavan for "bringing a new voice to Indian cinema". During an exclusive conversation with Madhavan, WION asked the actor about the feedback he received from Nambi Narayanan, on whose life the film is based. Looking back, Madhavan revealed that Nambi Narayanan(who was in his late seventies at the time of project commencement) and his family, never expected that a film would be made on his life. After seeing the film, Nambi sir said, "I've seen more things than most men will see in their lives. I've seen most things that most men should not see in their lives and I thought I've seen everything. And now I've seen this movie now!" Madhavan revealed. Hearing such a touching response from the highly-accomplished rocket scientist(now aged 80), Madhavan asked him if he really meant what he was saying or if there was an iota of a lie in it. Nambi sir told me what he said was all true, and added "I want to thank you for giving me the desire to live a little longer to see the outcome of this film and enjoy its fruits" Madhavan told WION, referring to this as the biggest compliment he had received. Notably, the veteran rocket scientist who is also a recipient of 'Padma Bhushan' (India's third-highest civilian honour) had vetted the technical aspects of the film and reviewed the script. Queried on how he felt working with Mr.Nambi Narayanan himself, Madhavan emphasized the importance of having domain-expert consultants working on a film and the need for more such films to be made in India. "I believe that it's time to make a movie like this and when Dr. Nambi Narayanan steps in and says you're right or this needs to be corrected, you better believe what he's saying. The more authentic and realistic we have films based on technology and science, that respective field benefits out of the film" Madhavan explained. Taking examples from his own illustrious career, Madhavan referred to the impact that the film 'Rang De Basanti' had on the media and how '3 Idiots' the movie changed the way parents looked and children looked at their parents in terms of their career. The actor also expressed hope that the Indian film industry must make more films that change the perspective that the world has about India's technological geniuses. "No country can remain great, unless, those who make it great are nurtured and respected", Madhavan signed off, sharing a significant one-liner from the film. 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' is to have a worldwide theatrical release on July 1st and is releasing in seven languages including English. Shot simultaneously in English, Hindi and Tamil, the film was later dubbed into Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. Ready for release in Summer 2020, the film was kept on hold till it was safe to have a worldwide theatrical release post-pandemic.

WION Exclusive: Nambi Narayanan's biggest compliment to R Madhavan on biopic 'Rocketry'

Atif Afzal, aka A-Zal, a New York-based singer-songwriter and composer, has become an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 
 
The 35-year-old, musician has gained worldwide recognition with his&nbsp;music compositions for various&nbsp;American series including Marvel's&nbsp;‘Loki’, ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ and ‘The Twilight Zone season 2’, as well as his Bollywood projects include&nbsp;Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s ‘Monsoon Shootout’, Shreyas Talpade starrer ‘Baji’, ‘Prague’, ‘Pune 52’ and ‘Resort to Love’. Afzal recently composed music for the Disney+ Hotstar series ‘Ms Marvel’. 
 
In a candid conversation with WION, he spoke of how he became a part of the MCU and his journey to date.&nbsp;

When asked about his journey from an engineering student to a successful music composer, Afzal calls himself a crazy guy who just wanted to do crazy things. "It all started with engineering, where I was doing music. I was playing in bands, and I was doing all this metal head playing, heavy metal and what not. "

"And after completing my engineering, I was an IT consultant for a few years, and that's when I felt that I needed to do something out of this life. I just don't want to run the race and not follow my dreams. So I left everything, got into music like this guy's, like, just out there on his own."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/manushi-chhillars-journey-from-a-medical-student-to-akshay-kumars-leading-lady-in-samrat-prithviraj-487100">Exclusive: Manushi Chhillar opens up about her life in spotlight: Miss World to Akshay Kumar’s leading lady</a>

Reflecting upon his struggles, Afzal talks about how he kept meeting producers and showcasing his music wherever he could. "It's taken ten years to get to the stage, and now I'm working with Marvels." He calls his journey a "roller coaster" ride.&nbsp;

Having ventured into both Hollywood and Bollywood, the musician calls his experience in both the industries "interesting." Afzal’s experience with Hollywood and Bollywood has been very different. Noting that both industries have contrasting functionality, Afzal said, "First of all, the way the industry trends or functions or the process itself remains totally different. In Bollywood, I was expected to smash out things that are trending or things that would appeal to the geography of the Indian audience."

Speaking about how Hollywood works, and especially Marvel which has a huge global presence and fan following, Afzal explains: "They expect me to write scores or soundtracks, which would not only appeal to the Western countries but overall, on a global level."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/sonali-bendre-shares-her-view-on-true-journalism-fake-news-and-more-486643">Sonali Bendre shares her view on true journalism, fake news and more</a>

Afzal stated that while working on any project,&nbsp;the most important variables that he focuses on are the character and the age of the character. "When I got the first brief, they laid out the character description. You're not going to see certain things in the final film, but they do draw the backdrop of the character, which is not even shown in the film, but it exists so that we all understand it."&nbsp;

"So I like to dive a little more in that and understand the character, the things that the character does, and all those details. And I like to get into that,&nbsp;it just helps me write the score perfectly for them," he added.&nbsp;

Watch Atif Afzal’s entire interview here:-&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ddmHJ0w0xos" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

 
&nbsp;

Atif Afzal, aka A-Zal, a New York-based singer-songwriter and composer, has become an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 35-year-old, musician has gained worldwide recognition with his music compositions for various American series including Marvel's ‘Loki’, ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ and ‘The Twilight Zone season 2’, as well as his Bollywood projects include Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s ‘Monsoon Shootout’, Shreyas Talpade starrer ‘Baji’, ‘Prague’, ‘Pune 52’ and ‘Resort to Love’.

Atif Afzal, aka A-Zal, a New York-based singer-songwriter and composer, has become an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 35-year-old, musician has gained worldwide recognition with his music compositions for various American series including Marvel's ‘Loki’, ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ and ‘The Twilight Zone season 2’, as well as his Bollywood projects include Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s ‘Monsoon Shootout’, Shreyas Talpade starrer ‘Baji’, ‘Prague’, ‘Pune 52’ and ‘Resort to Love’. Afzal recently composed music for the Disney+ Hotstar series ‘Ms Marvel’. In a candid conversation with WION, he spoke of how he became a part of the MCU and his journey to date. When asked about his journey from an engineering student to a successful music composer, Afzal calls himself a crazy guy who just wanted to do crazy things. "It all started with engineering, where I was doing music. I was playing in bands, and I was doing all this metal head playing, heavy metal and what not. " "And after completing my engineering, I was an IT consultant for a few years, and that's when I felt that I needed to do something out of this life. I just don't want to run the race and not follow my dreams. So I left everything, got into music like this guy's, like, just out there on his own." Also Read: Exclusive: Manushi Chhillar opens up about her life in spotlight: Miss World to Akshay Kumar’s leading lady Reflecting upon his struggles, Afzal talks about how he kept meeting producers and showcasing his music wherever he could. "It's taken ten years to get to the stage, and now I'm working with Marvels." He calls his journey a "roller coaster" ride. Having ventured into both Hollywood and Bollywood, the musician calls his experience in both the industries "interesting." Afzal’s experience with Hollywood and Bollywood has been very different. Noting that both industries have contrasting functionality, Afzal said, "First of all, the way the industry trends or functions or the process itself remains totally different. In Bollywood, I was expected to smash out things that are trending or things that would appeal to the geography of the Indian audience." Speaking about how Hollywood works, and especially Marvel which has a huge global presence and fan following, Afzal explains: "They expect me to write scores or soundtracks, which would not only appeal to the Western countries but overall, on a global level." Also Read: Sonali Bendre shares her view on true journalism, fake news and more Afzal stated that while working on any project, the most important variables that he focuses on are the character and the age of the character. "When I got the first brief, they laid out the character description. You're not going to see certain things in the final film, but they do draw the backdrop of the character, which is not even shown in the film, but it exists so that we all understand it." "So I like to dive a little more in that and understand the character, the things that the character does, and all those details. And I like to get into that, it just helps me write the score perfectly for them," he added. Watch Atif Afzal’s entire interview here:-

Exclusive: Indian-American musician Atif Afzal talks about his incredible journey from engineering to MCU

WION's Eric Njoka spoke exclusively to India's first K-Pop Star Shreya Lenka. She is an 18-year-old performer from Odisha who has been selected as the newest member of the popular South Korean band Blackswan

WION Exclusive: In conversation with India's first K-Pop Star Shreya Lenka

WION's Ankit Tuteja spoke exclusively to the two IIFA hosts, Farah Khan and Aparshakti Khurana in Abu Dhabi. The duo talks about their host duties with WION and more

WION Exclusive: In conversation with Farah Khan and Aparshakti Khurana

German Ambassador Walter Lindner spoke exclusively to WION's Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant Sibbal about his 3.5 year tenure in India and about India's position on the Russia-Ukraine war.

WION Exclusive: India must have a permanent seat at UNSC, says German Ambassador Walter Lindner

WION's Eric Njoka spoke exclusively to India's first K-Pop Star Shreya Lenka. She is an 18-year-old performer from Odisha who has been selected as the newest member of the popular South Korean band Blackswan.

WION Exclusive: In conversation with India's first K-Pop Star

Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly has been a Hollywood star for over three decades now and yet the actress has never worked with Tom Cruise until 'Top Gun: Maverick' happened. The star spoke exclusively to WION about her new film and sharing screen space with Cruise for the first time in her career. Connelly was also the only actor in the film who did not go through flying lessons but instead took sailing lessons at the New York Harbour as her roles demanded it. The actress also recalled her favourite moment from the film in this exclusive chat.

'Top Gun: Maverick' star Jennifer Connelly on working with Tom Cruise for the first time in her career

At the World Economic Forum Annual Summit 2022, India was represented by large number of Indian companies. WION's Business Editor Sumit Chaturvedi exclusively spoke to CP Gurnani, MD and CEO, Tech Mahindra Ltd. on the sidelines of the Davos meet.

India growth story becoming more prominent, powerful: CP Gurnani, MD and CEO, Tech Mahindra

WION's Business Editor Sumit Chaturvedi exclusively spoke to Saadia Zahid, MD, World Economic Forum on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 in Davos.

World looking at India growth story: Saadia Zahid, MD, World Economic Forum

wion-exclusive

Wion Exclusive, News on Wion Exclusive, stories on Wion Exclusive, articles on Wion Exclusive, Wion Exclusive stories at Wion, Wion Exclusive news, Wion Exclusive latest news