Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts

Grammy Awards 2020 Complete Winners List: Billie Eilish, Lizzo And Lil Nas X Bag Top Honours

The Grammy Awards 2020 was led by the women; Lizzo and Billie Eilish didn’t just win the highest nominations with eight and seven, respectively, they also won big. Other women who won in terms of performances and fans were, Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, Lizzo, Billie herself and more.

Singer Demi Lovato made her anticipated on stage come back with an emotional performance, while Ariana gave everyone run for their money with an electrifying show. Some of the other big winners at the night were, Lil Nas X, who debuted last year and also Michelle Obama, who won the best-spoken word album for the audio version of her book Becoming.

The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards 2020 took place on Sunday, January 26 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, USA. You can head on to twitter and witness some of the biggest moments from the biggest music night of the year.

Here is the complete list of the Grammy Awards 2020 winners in each category, marked in bold:

Best New Artist

Black Pumas

Billie Eilish

Lizzo

Lil Nas X

Maggie Rogers

Rosalía

Tank and the Bangas

Yola

Song of the Year

Always Remember Us This Way, (Lady Gaga)

Bad Guy, (Billie Eilish)

Bring My Flowers Now, (Tanya Tucker)

Hard Place, (H.E.R.)

Norman Fucking Rockwell, (Lana Del Rey)”

Lover, (Taylor Swift)

Someone You Love, (Lewis Capaldo)

Truth Hurts, (Lizzo)

Best Rap/Sung Performance

Higher, DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle and John Legend

Drip Too Hard, Lil Baby and Gunna

Panini, Lil Nas X

Ballin, Mustard featuring Roddy Ricch

The London, Young Thug featuring J. Cole and Travis Scott

Best Rap Album

Revenge of the Dreamers 3, Dreamville

Championships, Meek Mill

IGOR, Tyler the Creator

The Lost Boy, YBN Cordae

I Am > I Was, 21 Savage

Best Comedy Album

Quality Time, Jim Gaffigan

Relatable, Ellen DeGeneres

Right Now, Aziz Ansari

Son of Patricia, Trevor Noah

Sticks & Stones, Dave Chapelle

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Brand New Man, Brooks & Dunn featuring Luke Combs

I Don’t Remember Me (Before You), Brothers Osborne

Speechless, Dan + Shay

The Daughters, Little Big Town

Common, Maren Morris featuring Brandi Carlile

Best Pop Solo Performance

Spirit, Beyoncé

Bad Guy, Billie Eilish

7 Rings, Ariana Grande

Truth Hurts, Lizzo

You Need to Calm Down, Taylor Swift

Best Pop Vocal Album

The Lion King: The Gift – Beyoncé

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go – Billie Eilish

Thank U, Next – Ariana Grande

No. 6 Collaborations Project – Ed Sheeran

Lover – Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Boyfriend – Ariana Grande & Social House

Sucker – Jonas Brothers

Old Town Road – Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus

Señorita – Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Sì – Andrea Bocelli

Love (Deluxe Edition) – Michael Bublé

Look Now – Elvis Costello & The Imposters

A Legendary Christmas – John Legend

Walls – Barbra Streisand

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical

Jack Antonoff

Dan Auerbach

John Hill

Finneas

Ricky Reed

Best R&B Album

1123 – BJ The Chicago Kid

Painted – Lucky Daye

Ella Mai – Ella Mai

Paul – PJ Morton

Ventura – Anderson .Paak

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Apollo XXI – Steve Lacy

Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) – Lizzo

Overload – Georgia Anne Muldrow

Saturn – Nao

Being Human In Public – Jessie Reyez

Best R&B Performance

Love Again – Daniel Caesar & Brandy

Could’ve Been – H.E.R. & Bryson Tiller

Exactly How I Feel – Lizzo & Gucci Mane

Roll Some Mo – Lucky Daye

Come Home – Anderson .Paak & André 300

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Time Today – BJ The Chicago Kid

Steady Love – India.Arie

Jerome – Lizzo

Real Games – Lucky Daye

Built For Love – PJ Morton & Jazmine Sullivan

Best R&B Song

Could’ve Been (H.E.R. Ft. Bryson Tiller)

Look At Me Now (Emily King)

No Guidance (Chris Brown Ft. Drake)

Roll Some Mo (Lucky Daye)

Say So (Pj Morton Ft. Jojo)

Best Rock Performance

Pretty Waste – Bones UK

This Land – Gary Clark Jr.

History Repeats – Brittany Howard

Woman – Karen O & Danger Mouse

Too Bad – Rival Sons

Best Rock Song

Fear Inoculum (Tool)

Give Yourself A Try (The 1975)

Harmony Hall (Vampire Weekend)

History Repeats (Brittany Howard)

This Land (Gary Clark Jr.)

Best Rock Album

Amo – Bring Me The Horizon

Social Cues – Cage The Elephant

In The End – The Cranberries

Trauma – I Prevail

Feral Roots – Rival Sons

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

The Lion King: The Songs, various artists

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, various artists

Rocketman, Taron Egerton

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, various artists

A Star Is Born, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Avengers: Endgame, Alan Silvestri

Chernobyl, Hildur Guðnadóttir

Game of Thrones: Season 8, Ramin Djawadi

The Lion King, Hans Zimmer

Mary Poppins Returns, Marc Shaiman

Best Song Written for Visual Media

The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy, (Chris Stapleton, Toy Story 4)

Girl in the Movies, (Dolly Parton, Dumplin’)

I’ll Never Love Again (Film Version), (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born)

Spirit, (Beyoncé, The Lion King)

Suspirium, (Thom Yorke, Suspiria)

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling)

Beastie Boys Book (Various Artists)

Becoming – Michelle Obama

I.V. Catatonia: 20 Years As A Two-Time Cancer Survivor – Eric Alexandrakis

Mr. Know-It-All – John Waters

Sekou Andrews & The String Theory – Sekou Andrews & The String Theory

Best Instrumental Composition

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Symphonic Suite (John Williams)

Begin Again (Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band Conducted By Vince Mendoza)

Crucible For Crisis” (Brian Lynch Big Band)

Love, A Beautiful Force” (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)

Walkin’ Funny (Christian McBride)

Best Remixed Recording

I Rise (Tracy Young’s Pride Intro Radio Remix)

Mother’s Daughter (Wuki Remix)

The One (High Contrast Remix),

Swim (Ford. Remix),

Work It (Soulwax Remix)

Best Music Video

We’ve Got to Try, The Chemical Brothers

This Land, Gary Clark Jr.

Cellophane, fka twigs

Old Town Road (Official Movie) Lil Nas X featuring Billie Ray Cyrus

Glad He’s Gone, Tove Lo

Best Music Film

Homecoming, Beyoncé

Remember My Name, David Crosby

Birth of the Cool, Miles Davis

Shangri-La, various artists

Anima, Thom Yorke

Best Dance Recording

Linked, Bonobo

Got to Keep On, The Chemical Brothers

Piece of Your Heart, Meduza featuring Goodboys

Underwater, Rüfüs Du Sol

Midnight Hour, Skrillex and Boys Noize featuring Ty Dolla $ign

Best Dance/Electronic Album

LP5, Apparat

No Geography, The Chemical Brothers

Hi This Is Flume (Mixtape), Flume

Solace, Rüfüs Du Sol

Weather, Tycho

Best Country Solo Performance

All Your’n, Tyler Childers

Girl Goin’ Nowhere, Ashley McBryde

Ride Me Back Home, Willie Nelson

God’s Country, Blake Shelton

Bring My Flowers Now, Tanya Tucker

Best Country Song

Bring My Flowers Now, (Tanya Tucker)

Girl Goin’ Nowhere, (Ashley McBryde)

It All Comes Out In the Wash, (Miranda Lambert)

Some of It, (Eric Church)

Speechless, (Dan + Shay)

Best Country Album

Desperate Man, Eric Church

Stronger Than the Truth, Reba McEntire

Interstate Gospel, Pistol Annies

Center Point Road, Thomas Rhett

While I’m Livin’, Tanya Tucker

Best Rap Performance

“Middle Child,” J. Cole

“Suge,” DaBaby

“Down Bad,” Dreamville featuring J.I.D, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG & Young Nudy

“Racks in the Middle,” Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy

“Clout,” Offset featuring Cardi B

Best Rap Song

Bad Idea, (YBN Cordae featuring Chance The Rapper)

Gold Roses, (Rick Ross featuring Drake)

A Lot, (21 Savage featuring J. Cole)

Racks in the Middle, (Nipsey Hussle featuring Roddy Ricch & Hit-Boy)

Suge, (DaBaby)

Best Recording Package

Chris Cornell – (Chris Cornell)

Anónimas & Resilientes – (Voces Del Bullerengue)

Hold That Tiger – (The Muddy Basin Ramblers)

i,i – (Bon Iver)

Intellexual – (Intellexual)

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package

Woodstock: Back To The Garden – (Various Artists)

Anima – (Thom Yorke)

Gold In Brass Age – (David Gray)

1963: New Directions – (John Coltrane)

The Radio Recordings 1939-1945 – (Wilhelm Furtwängler & Berliner Philharmoniker)

Best Album Notes

Stax ’68: A Memphis Story – (Various Artists)

The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions – (Various Artists)

The Gospel According To Malaco – (Various Artists)

Pedal Steel + Four Corners – (Terry Allen And The Panhandle Mystery Band)

Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection – (Pete Seeger)

Best Historical Album

Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection (Pete Seeger)

The Girl From Chickasaw County (Bobbie Gentry)

The Great Comeback: Horowitz At Carnegie Hall (Vladimir Horowitz)

Kankyo Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990 (Various Artists)

Woodstock: Back To The Garden (Various Artists)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – (Billie Eilish)

All These Things – (Thomas Dybdahl)

Ella Mai – (Ella Mai)

Run Home Slow – (The Teskey Brothers)

Scenery – (Emily King)

Best Immersive Audio Album

Lux – (Anita Brevik, Trondheimsolistene & Nidarosdomens Jentekor)

Chain Tripping – (Yacht)

Kverndokk: Symphonic Dances – (Ken-David Masur & Stavanger Symphony Orchestra)

The Orchestral Organ – (Jan Kraybill)

The Savior – (A Bad Think)

Best New Age Album

Wings – Peter Kater

Fairy Dreams – David Arkenstone

Homage To Kindness – David Darling

Verve – Sebastian Plano

Deva – Deva Premal

Best Bluegrass Album

Tall Fiddler – Michael Cleveland

Live In Prague, Czech Republic – Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

Toil, Tears & Trouble – The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Royal Traveller – Missy Raines

If You Can’t Stand The Heat – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Best Traditional Blues Album

Tall, Dark & Handsome – Delbert McClinton & Self-made Men

Kingfish – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

Sitting On Top Of The Blues – Bobby Rush

Baby, Please Come Home – Jimmie Vaughan

Spectacular Class – Jontavious Willis

Best Contemporary Blues Album

This Land – Gary Clark Jr.

Venom & Faith – Larkin Poe

Brighter Days – Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Somebody Save Me – Sugaray Rayford

Keep On – Southern Avenue

Best Folk Album

My Finest Work Yet – Andrew Bird

Rearrange My Heart – Che Apalache

Patty Griffin – Patty Griffin

Evening Machines – Gregory Alan Isakov

Front Porch – Joy Williams

Best Regional Roots Music Album

Good Time – Ranky Tanky

Kalawai’anui – Amy Hānaiali’i

When It’s Cold – Cree Round Dance Songs – Northern Cree

Recorded Live At The 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Rebirth Brass Band

Hawaiian Lullaby (Various Artists) – Imua Garza & Kimié Miner, Producers

Best Reggae Album

Rapture – Koffee

As I Am – Julian Marley

The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie Vs. Roots Radics – Sly & Robbie & Roots Radics

Mass Manipulation – Steel Pulse

More Work To Be Done – Third World

Best Children’s Music Album

Ageless Songs For The Child Archetype – Jon Samson

Flying High! – Caspar Babypants

I Love Rainy Days – Daniel Tashian

The Love – Alphabet Rockers

Winterland – The Okee Dokee Brothers

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Mettavolution – Rodrigo y Gabriela

Ancestral Recall – Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah

Star People Nation – Theo Croker

Beat Music! Beat Music! Beat Music! – Mark Guiliana

Elevate – Lettuce

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

Moon River – (Jacob Collier)

Blue Skies – (Kris Bowers)

Hedwig’s Theme – (Anne-Sophie Mutter & John Williams)

La Novena – (Emilio Solla Tango Jazz Orchestra)

Love, A Beautiful Force – (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & Temple University Studio Orchestra)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals

All Night Long – (Jacob Collier Featuring Jules Buckley, Take 6 & Metropole Orkest)

Jolene – (Sara Gazarek)

Marry Me A Little – (Cyrille Aimée)

Over The Rainbow – (Trisha Yearwood)

12 Little Spells (Thoracic Spine) – (Esperanza Spalding)

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Sozinho – Randy Brecker, soloist

Elsewhere – Melissa Aldana, soloist

Tomorrow Is The Question – Julian Lage, soloist

The Windup – Brandford Marsalis, soloist

Sightseeing – Christian McBride, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album

12 Little Spells – Esperanza Spalding

Thirsty Ghost – Sara Gazarek

Love & Liberation – Jazzmeia Horn

Alone Together – Catherine Russell

Screenplay – The Tierney Sutton Band

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Finding Gabriel – Brad Mehldau

In The Key Of The Universe – Joey DeFrancesco

The Secret Between The Shadow And The Soul – Branford Marsalis Quartet

Christian McBride’s New Jawn – Brad Mehldau

Come What May – Joshua Redman Quartet

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Triple Helix – Anat Cohen Tentet

Dancer in Nowhere – Miho Hazama

Hiding Out – Mike Holober & The Gotham Jazz Orchestra

The Omni-American Book Club – Brian Lynch Big Band

One Day Wonder – Terraza Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album

Antidote

Sorte!: Music By John Finbury

Una Noche Con Rubén Blades

Carib

Sonero: The Music Of Ismael Rivera

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Love Theory

Talkin’ ‘Bout Jesus

See The Light

Speak The Name

This Is A Move (Live)

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

God Only Knows

Only Jesus

Haven’t Seen It Yet

God’s Not Done With You (Single Version)

Rescue Story

Best Gospel Album

Long Live Love – Kirk Franklin

Goshen – Donald Lawrence Presents The Tri-City Singers

Tunnel Vision – Gene Moore

Settle Here – William Murphy

Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album – CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

Burn The Ships – for King & Country

I Know A Ghost – Crowder

Haven’t Seen It Yet – Danny Gokey

The Elements – TobyMac

Holy Roar – Chris Tomlin

Best Roots Gospel Album

Testimony – Gloria Gaynor

Deeper Roots: Where The Bluegrass

Grows – Steven Curtis Chapman

Deeper Oceans – Joseph Habedank

His Name Is Jesus – Tim Menzies

Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout (Various Artists) – Jerry Salley, producer

Best Latin Pop Album

#ELDISCO – Alejandro Sanz

Vida – Luis Fonsi

11:11 – Maluma

Montaner – Ricardo Montaner

Fantasía – Sebastian Yatra

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

El Mal Querer – Rosalía

X 100PRE – Bad Bunny

Oasis – J Balvin & Bad Bunny

Indestructible – Flor De Toloache

Almadura – iLe

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

De Ayer Para Siempre – Mariachi Los Camperos

Caminando – Joss Favela

Percepción – Intocable

Poco A Poco – La Energia Norteña

20 Aniversario – Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea

Best Tropical Latin Album

Opus – Marc Anthony (TIE)

A Journey Through Cuban Music – Aymée Nuviola (TIE)

Tiempo Al Tiempo – Luis Enrique + C4 Trio

Candela – Vicente García

Literal – Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

Best Engineered Album, Classical

Riley: Sun Rings – (Kronos Quartet)

Aequa – Anna Thorvaldsdóttir – (International Contemporary Ensemble)

Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 – (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Rachmaninoff – Hermitage Piano Trio – (Hermitage Piano Trio)

Wolfe: Fire In My Mouth – (Jaap Van Zweden, Francisco J. Núñez, Donald Nally, The Crossing, Young People’s Chorus Of NY City & New York Philharmonic)

Producer Of The Year, Classical

Blanton Alspaugh

James Ginsburg

Marina A. Ledin, Victor Ledin

Morten Lindberg

Dirk Sobotka

Best Orchestral Performance

Norman: Sustain (Los Angeles Philharmonic)

Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Copland: Billy The Kid; Grohg (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)

Transatlantic (Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra)

Weinberg: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 2- (City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Kremerata Baltica)

Best Opera Recording

Benjamin: Lessons In Love & Violence

Berg: Wozzeck

Charpentier: Les Arts Florissants; Les Plaisirs De Versailles

Picker: Fantastic Mr. Fox

Wagner: Lohengrin

Best Choral Performance

Duruflé: Complete Choral Works (Ken Cowan; Houston Chamber Choir)

Boyle: Voyages (The Crossing)

The Hope Of Loving (Conspirare)

Sander: The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom (Evan Bravos, Vadim Gan, Kevin Keys, Glenn Miller & Daniel Shirley; PaTRAM Institute Singers)

Smith, K.: The Arc In The Sky (The Crossing)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance

Shaw: Orange – Attacca Quartet

Cerrone: The Pieces That Fall To Earth – Christopher Rountree & Wild Up

Freedom & Faith – Publiquartet

Perpetulum – Third Coast Percussion

Rachmaninoff – Hermitage Piano Trio – Hermitage Piano Trio

Best Classical Instrumental Solo

The Berlin Recital – Yuja Wang

Higdon: Harp Concerto (The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra)

Marsalis: Violin Concerto; Fiddle Dance Suite (Philadelphia Orchestra)

The Orchestral Organ – Jan Kraybill

Torke: Sky, Concerto For Violin (Albany Symphony)

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album

The Edge Of Silence – Works For Voice By György Kurtág (Donald Berman, Curtis Macomber, Kathryn Schulmeister & Nicholas Tolle)

Himmelsmusik (Jesús Rodil & Dingle Yandell)

Schumann: Liederkreis Op. 24, Kerner-lieder Op. 35 – Matthias Goerne; Leif Ove Andsnes, accompanist

Songplay (Steve Barnett & Lautaro Greco)

A Te, O Cara (Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra)

Best Classical Compendium

American Originals 1918

Leshnoff: Symphony No. 4 ‘heichalos’; Guitar Concerto; Starburst

Meltzer: Songs And Structures

The Poetry Of Places

Saariaho: True Fire; Trans; Ciel D’hiver

Best Contemporary Classical Composition

Bermel: Migration Series For Jazz Ensemble & Orchestra

Higdon: Harp Concerto

Marsalis: Violin Concerto In D Major

Norman: Sustain

Shaw: Orange

Wolfe: Fire In My Mouth

Best Musical Theater Album

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations

Hadestown

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

The Music Of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child

Oklahoma!

Best Metal Performance

Astorolus – The Great Octopus – Candlemass ft. Tony Iommi

Humanicide – Death Angel

Bow Down – I Prevail

Unleashed – Killswitch Engage

7empest – Tool

Best Alternative Music Album

U.F.O.F. – Big Theif

Assume Form – James Blake

i,i – Bon Iver

Father of the Bride – Vampire Weekend

Anima – Thom Yorke

Best World Music Album

Gece – Altin Gün

What Heat – Bokanté & Metropole Orkest Conducted By Jules Buckley

African Giant – Burna Boy

Fanm D’ayiti – Nathalie Joachim With Spektral Quartet

Celia – Angelique Kidjo

Best American Roots Performance

Saint Honesty – Sara Bareilles

Father Mountain – Calexico With Iron & Wine

I’m On My Way – Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi

Call My Name – I’m With Her

Faraway Look – Yola

Best American Roots Song

Black Myself (Our Native Daughters)

Call My Name (I’m With Her)

Crossing To Jerusalem(Rosanne Cash)

Faraway Look (Yola)

I Don’t Wanna Ride The Rails No More (Vince Gill)

Best Americana Album

Years To Burn – Calexico And Iron & Wine

Who Are You Now – Madison Cunningham

Oklahoma – Keb’ Mo’

Tales Of America – J.S. Ondara

Walk Through Fire – Yola.

NBA Legend Kobe Bryant And Daughter Gianna Pass Away In Helicopter Crash

ALSO READ: Grammy Awards 2020: Everything You Need To Know, Performers, Presenters And How To Watch


Source

Exclusive! “Nature has shown us the mirror we needed to see,” Juhi Chawla on World Environment Day | Hindi Movie News

Besides being a legendary actor, Juhi Chawla is also an advocate for issues related to the environment. From creating awareness about the danger s of radiation to raising her voice against the use of plastic, Juhi makes use of her celebrity platform the champion causes that need support. On the occasion of World Environment Day ETimes got in touch with Juhi Chawla for an exclusive tête-à-tête.

Juhi you are a champion for environmental causes, where did your awareness for this begin
My awareness began about 7-8 years ago when I first came to be aware of radiation pollution. All these devices, even our phones that we are using are all causing a huge amount of pollution in the air which is radio waves, electromagnetic radiation that is increasing exponentially every day. Later, 3-4 years down the line I became aware of the huge amount of plastic pollution in our world, which is present in every bit of our soil and water. I was speechless and shocked beyond words when I heard about it. Plastics become microplastics and they never go away. Can you imagine the millions of tons of plastic that we are producing every day, it is only going to break up into tiny bits until you can barely see them and that cannot be filtered by anybody? I started to speak about it 4 years ago and I was fortunate or maybe it was about time, that the Government heard all this, the Maharashtra Government banned all disposable plastics about two years ago. Then I said, ‘Now what do we talk about?’ and then it was about planting trees. We did a lot of work for that in our factory and Gurukul and then lent our support to ‘Cauvery Calling’ which was an initiative by Isha Foundation. I feel very proud to say that one has planted about 30-40 trees or at least helped to plant these many. That’s where we are at.

If you had to take one pledge on World Environment Day, what would it be and why?
One pledge I would take is to be more vocal about the environment and hope that my voice is heard and people wake up because we have no time left. Fortunately for us, the lockdown period has become a blessing in disguise; the air in Mumbai has never been so clear, animals are roaming around freely, our rivers have become clean. Nature has shown us the mirror we needed to see. The environment didn’t need us to clean it up, all we needed to do was be quiet and stay home and it cleaned itself up. I’ve been on this planet for quite some time and it has never been as beautiful. It shows us how lovely the environment can be. When we come out of this lockdown we must make a concerted effort. I certainly will, I already do and I will every day take some step or the other to stop spoiling our environment once again or taking it back to where we were before the lockdown.

What’s the most important message that you would like to share on this day?
In the last two and a half months a lot of us have realized that we can do very well with very little then we did otherwise. We’ve done really well without the frills and fancy that we were collecting. Almost everything that we use in our modern life is in some way damaging to the planet. This is a time to reflect on what has happened, look around, see the change in the environment, and weigh every step you take in the future. Please consider being more eco-friendly in every way, look at everything you use and own, know about it. From making simple shifts like using bamboo toothbrushes, switching the containers in my kitchen to steel, glass, ceramic, using organic detergents, I certainly am doing my bit every day, in any way that I can. As Indians, if we look back, our forefathers and our ancestors before them were leading the purest life, the way it should have been. From organic farming to zero-waste lifestyles we can very easily bring a lot of those things back. Don’t do it for any idealistic reason, do it because you love your children and this is not the planet you want to leave behind for them. A polluted, poisoned planet would make them very ill.

The story of an elephant in Kerala dying has broken hearts world over, your thoughts
Yes, it is a very unfortunate incident but I feel there is much more. When we, the so-called educated people, are destroying forests we are indirectly killing animals all the time. It’s almost a crime against the planet. The fact that we are not realising it is a fault with our education. Our modern way of educating children needs to be dumped! Our children, especially in cities, are all getting more and more disconnected from nature. We feel all that we need to learn is to dissect it, use it, abuse it, and not even blink an eyelid because everything is for our convenience and so long as they are met, so be it. Right from the ground up, our education needs to be changed. If we look back in recorded history, for more than 1500 years we were the most prosperous nation on this planet along with China. Now, if you think about it, in 30-40 years we are unable to pass on wealth and prosperity from one generation to the next and there for 1500 years, we were the most prosperous nation. Up until the Europeans and the East India Company took over, our education system was Gurukul where your values and respect for nature was at the center of your education. I feel very seriously that a lot of that needs to come back.

As actors do you feel there is a need to do more as you have a platform to voice your views more than anyone else?
When I became aware of the great damage that I was doing in my everyday life it shocked me beyond words. That’s why I feel so passionately about our education because up until that day I thought I was very educated, well-traveled, famous, well dressed, and beautiful and that day I felt ashamed. Suddenly I realized that I had been living in an illusion, I was so ignorant, so stupid, and so harmful to my very own existence. How could I be so blind, so stupid, so ignorant… and that’s the day I realized it was my education. Something was lacking in my upbringing and the more I became aware, I felt it so strongly. That is what I am working on, we are rebuilding our Gurukul in Porbandar which coincidentally is also the birthplace of Gandhiji. We have a 90-acre campus, an Arya Kanya Gurukul for girls, for the past 80 years, and at this very moment, we are rebuilding it to make it one of the finest institutions for education for the girl child. What worked for me was I am recognized in my country, by my people and I must use this to make them aware of what we are doing. This is possibly why I was made a star and I respect and value that. I feel this is my purpose and I must use it for the environment or for any good cause that I can.


Source