Priyanka Chopra Can’t Make You Love Her (Or Can She?). Priyanka Chopra’s new single “I Can’t Make You Love Me” released this week, as she continues her foray into the international pop scene. If the title sounds familiar, it’s because the song is a cover of the Bonnie Raitt classic from the 1990s. OK Magazine highlighted a preview of the forthcoming video for the single, which seems to promise a Holi display of sorts (yawn). The video will be released on April 30.
While things are presumably going really well for the actress right now, she does have one big regret. On Thursday she tweeted about her disappointment that her busy schedule in the States prevented her from voting in India.
So unfortunate when scheduling keeps u away from some of d most important things.wish I could have been in india to exercise my most basic..
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 24, 2014
..to vote as a citizen..kudos to all who did and the others who can make it.. Must..
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 24, 2014
Many Bollywood Celebs Chose the IIFA Awards Over Voting. Speaking of not voting, several Bollywood celebrities are coming under fire for traveling to the IIFA Awards in Tampa this week just as Mumbai headed to the polls. Among those who reportedly left the country before voting are big names like Anil Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu, Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, and more. Anupam Kher tweeted an apology for the oversight:
I had said yes to @IIFA much before election dates were announced. But still I am SORRY for not voting. Hope I'll be forgiven.
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) April 24, 2014
Many stars who stayed behind proudly posted photos of their inked fingers. Farhan Akhtar, who is co-hosting Saturday’s ceremony with Shahid Kapoor, delayed flying to Florida just so he’d be able to vote. Others who prioritized voting included Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, the Bachchan family, Sonam Kapoor, John Abraham, and Mandira Bedi.
[Economic Times, Wall Street Journal, Filmare]
Have You #Voted? As the first social media generation has now become eligible to vote in India’s general election, voting selfies are taking over Twitter and Instagram. It’s nice to see youth excited to vote and share the iconic ink mark that signifies one has voted (and can’t vote again), though Buzzfeed points out that it can all seem a bit excessive. [Buzzfeed]
A Little Less Google+, Please. Vivek “Vic” Gundotra, Vice President of Social at Google, stepped down yesterday, amid a series of shifts in the company’s Google+ team. Although the company has said his sudden resignation does not signal a loss of confidence in Google+, the social networking site has never competed well with it’s main opposition, Facebook. Google+ draws just about 7 million active daily users, while Facebook touts over 800 million. Gundotra was the former general manager of Microsoft, before joining Google in 2007. He will be replaced by current Vice President of Engineering, David Besbris. [Wall Street Journal]
Everest Avalanche Causes Chaos. Following an avalanche that killed 16 sherpa guides on Mount Everest last week, protests broke out this week amidst calls for the government to take better steps in ensuring the safety of the sherpas. The feud brings to light what many sherpas believe is unfair compensation and relief funds for one of Nepal’s biggest (and most dangerous) economic industries. The sherpas are calling for a boycott of all climbing, while many foreign climbers remain on the mountain. [BBC]
No Kirpan, No Service. Gursant Singh is facing backlash as he tries to complete jury duty while wearing a kirpan, an article of faith in Sikhism. The Sutter County Court where Singh is set to serve next week has said that it will not allow weapons of any kind in the courthouse, while Singh is adamant to be able to fulfill his duty as a citizen while remaining true to his faith. The Sutter County Jury Commissioner and the Sikh Coalition are trying to find alternatives for Singh, citing other cities that have made religious exceptions. [CBS Sacramento]
Priya Arora is a graduate student at New York University studying human development and social intervention with a research focus on mental health in LGBTQ youths. Born and raised in California, Priya has found a home in New York and will be attending Columbia University this fall to become a licensed mental health counselor. Follow her on Twitter at @thepriyaarora.
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