entertainment

Kiccha Sudeepa and Priya Sudeepa: A story of rough-patches and reconciliation

Marriages may be made in heaven but have to go through trying and testing times on Earth. One such marriage is of Kannada star Kiccha Sudeepa and Priya Sudeepa. The two tied the knot on October 18, 2001, and the actor's fans couldn't keep calm at that point of time. But as stated, all marriages see their ups and downs and theirs was no different.

14 years later, in the year 2015, the couple mutually filed for divorce but none of the parties turned up for the proceedings. Was a possible reconciliation on the cards? Was it time for them to give their marriage another opportunity? Yes! But the actor admitted how he erred and couldn't be a good father or a good husband in an interview with Bangalore Mirror. And in an interview with Silverscreen India, he said, "My daughter is my whole life. She's like a ray of sunshine in my life. Pure, dazzling and so very important to my being."

It seems they won't part ways and that seems to be a piece of great news for his fans. In fact, they both celebrated their wedding anniversary in the Bigg Boss (Kannada) House and it met with a fantastic response. We hope they continue staying together and be the happy and happening couple they always were!

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Heard Sona Mohapatra's Zaalima version? The singer highlights gender politics in the music industry

Singer Sona Mohapatra, who is known to speak her mind, has come up with a new song, her own badass version of Raees' Zaalima. The singer's soulful voice is a perfect fit for love ballads, case in point Ambarsariya, Naina, Bolo Na and many of her hits. While, it wouldn't be wrong to say that, very few female solo songs are released nowadays in film soundtracks, it came as a pleasant surprise to see this reprise and refreshing version of the the Shah Rukh Khan's film, Raees' popular love song.

Sona has an unique ability to infuse newness in songs and her version of Zaalima is quite different from the original version, sung by Arijit Singh. As per her post, she had created this in-house video with some interesting 'gender-political' messaging about the state of the music industry some time ago and is all set to release it to spread cheer and even some laughs to drive away the lockdown blues, now!

Sona says, "Musicians have been hit the hardest in recent times. There are no residuals or royalties for creators here unlike the west and unless we step out to play concerts on stage we don't make money. It's only sweat labour in India. The lockdown and post COVID era will hit the musicians even harder with no stages to play in and the economy focusing on essentials. In these grim times, most artists in my community have been setting aside their own emotional state and performing online to spread joy and love and I am so proud of all of them! In these times you realise that it's mostly musicians who have the craft and talent to deliver without too many resources or people helping them. My DIY video should be taken with a pinch of salt although any good comedy does come from a truthful place; our film-music has completely sidelined the strong solo female voice in the last decade and it's time for all of us to notice."

"Few know that I had been called to sing the last few lines of the film version but couldn’t fathom why only the last few lines were reserved for the female voice considering it was a romantic duet!" - she wrote on her YouTube channel, while sharing the song. 

A user commented - "I didn't know who's voice was this? Also, I was a huge fan of Sona Ma'am. But now I'm flat. And now after this rendition, I'm completely dead."

Another user commented: Thank goodness she didn't end up singing the actual song.

Tell us your views about the new version of Zaalima!

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Sachet Tandon on Masakali 2.0 criticism: I respect audience opinion

Singer Sachet Tandon, voice behind the recreated versions of the 2009 AR Rahman hit "Masakali", has reacted to all the criticism coming the new version's way saying he respects audience opinion.

"It's Tanishk Bagchi's song and I was approached by the creators to sing it. I was glad to be part of the song and I am still happy that makers thought of me. But ultimate decision always lies in the hands of public. It's totally upto them whether to like a particular song or not, and I truely respect their opinion," said Sachet, about his version, titled "Masakali 2.0".

"Also, I don't think that any creator would intentionally try to distort an original song. Speaking of 'Masakali 2.0', I was not its creator. I just sang it and tried to give my best," Sachet told IANS.

The original "Masakali" was composed by Rahman, written by Prasoon Joshi, and sung by Mohit Chauhan for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 2009 film "Delhi-6". It was picturised on the film's lead pair, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. Although the film fared below expectation, the song has gone on to attain cult status.

Shortly after the release of "Masakali 2.0", both Rahman asnd Joshi expressed disappointment on social media, and were joined by a huge number of fans who agreed with them.

When asked Sachet about his views on the ongoing trend of recreations, he said: "In today's time, everything is being liked by audience. Some remakes have done amazingly well, some originals have become hits. Proper balance should be maintained."

Sachet, who gave Indian cinema a blockbuster love anthem, "Bekhayali" in collaboration with Parampara Thakur last year for the film "Kabir Singh", , has now come up with the melodious track "Bewafai", which has garnered over 20 million views on YouTube.

"It's a beautiful song (and I )loved giving voice to 'Bewafai'," Sachet said, sharing that he never gives heed to "likes" and "number of views".

"For me likes and number of views do no matter. What matters the most is the love of the audience. The best feeling is to hear compliments about your song. Jab log baat karte hain song ke baare me tab zyada acha lagta hai," Sachet signed off.

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Lara Dutta: As women we all have faced sexism

Actress Lara Dutta says that irrespective of their profession, all women have faced sexism at some point or the other. The actress plays a police officer in the new comedy-action web series "Hundred".

The former Miss Universe had a question-answer session with fans on Twitter where one of them asked: "It was great to see the series portray the difficulties in the life of women. Was that something that attracted you toward the series?"

Lara replied saying: "As women we all have faced sexism in our life at some point or the other, regardless of which field we belong to. So yes this thought was an imp part of the narrative but not the only thing that motivated me to do this series". She also opened up about her quarantine time.

"Can't complain! It's been good. Family is healthy and we've been able to spend a lot of time with each other. I've been studying, cooking and doing fun indoor activities with my daughter," she said.

She also revealed her fitness regime. "My routine varies according to my schedules and lifestyle. I've always worked out. Pilates, strength training and yoga have been constant favourites. I'm vegetarian mainly and eat a balanced diet and I meditate," said Lara.

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entertainment

REJCTX: Before watching season 2, have a look at what all happened in the first!

REJCTX is a teen-drama thriller and a coming of age story that revolves around the lives of seven Indian students studying in The Jefferson World School. These privileged kids are thrust into the exclusive world of the rich, right where they belong. But eventually, they find themselves at the disposal of their own insecurities. REJCTX is an expression of that restlessness by a bunch of misfits and rebels.

Goldie Behl, Producer and Director, REJCTX 1 & 2 said, "It was certainly a challenge as it was exciting to cast all new faces, but the kids performed extremely well in the first season and then they have outdone themselves in the second season of the show as well. Everyone has built a great bond while working on the sets and it almost feels like family to be working with them. The second season of REJCTX is really good and we are hoping everyone loves it as much and more than the first season."

Have a look at the recap of Season 1 right here:

MISFIT NO.1: Aarav Sharma

The lead, Masi Wali who played the character of Aarav Sharma, a rich brat, was seen obsessing over one of his teachers and things take a turn for the worst when he goes missing.

MISFIT NO.2: Kiara Tiwary

Anisha Victor plays the role of 'Kiara Tiwary' whose biggest fight is with her inner saboteur telling her she is either not pretty enough or lacks the confidence to be on the top. But in season 2, we will see a new avatar of Kiara pushing that inner voice and taking the new year at school by storm.

MISFIT NO.3: Maddy

Ayush Khurana essays the role of 'Maddy', who is hiding his identity and living with a humiliating secret. The question is, will he be able to accept himself?

MISFIT NO.4: Sehmat Ali

Saadhika Syal plays the character of 'Sehmat Ali', who wants to be known as more than just a girl in a hijab. She is the most rebellious amongst the lot and was also seen exploring her sexuality with Misha. But will she unfold that scarf to reveal her true identity?

MISFIT NO.5: Parnomitra Rai

Ridhi Khakhar who plays 'Parnomitra Rai' comes across as a typical teenager who has built a wall around her and if anyone tries to cross that, Ridhi can be their biggest nightmare. But in Season 2, we could get to see her softer side. She also falls in love with one of her classmates. Can you guess who?

MISFIT NO.6: Misha Patel

She is bubbly, chirpy and extremely innocent. But her innocence is her biggest weakness when she faces the kids of Jefferson World School. Pooja Shetty playing 'Misha Patel' could just be the highlight of Season 2. Wait for it!

MISFIT NO.7: Harry Sandhu

Prabhneet Singh plays a flamboyant character of 'Harry Sandhu' who is witty and humorous but is always called a 'failure' because of his low confidence and is often mocked by his classmates. Will that change in Season 2? There's only one way to find out!

Season 2 will see a whole new side to these characters with the addition of Tanvi Shinde ('Yesha') who will be the new entry to this group of talented kids.

While the first had Sumeet Vyas and Kubbra Sait, season two will have Esha Gupta who is making her digital debut, where she plays the character of Police Officer Rene.

Sumeet Vyas (Farhan Hussain) will play the role of the Vice President of the school just like season one. The makers of the show released the teaser of season 2 recently, which gives us a glimpse of the 'privileged rich kids of the Jefferson World School' from Esha's viewpoint.

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entertainment

Irrfan Khan admitted to Kokilaben hospital due to colon infection

A few days ago, Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan lost his mother and was unable to attend the funeral due to the lockdown that has been imposed. And now, in another unfortunate news, he has been admitted to the Kokilaben hospital in Mumbai due to colon infection. He's being currently treated for the same and his wife and children are with him.

Speaking about the same, the actor's official spokesperson said, "Yes it is true that Irrfan Khan is admitted to the ICU at Kokilaben in Mumbai because of a colon infection. We would keep everyone updated. He is under the doctor’s observation. His strength and courage have helped him battle and fight so far and we are sure with his tremendous willpower and prayers of all his well-wishers, he will recover soon."

In 2018, Khan was diagnosed with the Neuroendocrine Tumour and for the last two years, has been travelling back and forth for his treatment. Some of his films like Blackmail and Karwaan released in cinemas but he couldn't promote them due to his illness. He was last seen in Angrezi Medium and most of the Bollywood fraternity wished the actor for this moving and emotional film.

Khan is a fighter and will surely come out stronger and sooner, his fans and everyone from the fraternity are praying for his health and we cannot wait to see him back on the celluloid! 

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Revealed: Giorgia Andriani shares her fitness mantra during this quarantine

Fitness plays a significant role in the life of Bollywood actresses. To slay in Bollywood, the actresses are maintaining on to a well-toned body. Their toned curves make them look glamorous in the industry. It’s no surprise that for any given role our favorite Bollywood celebs have to set a strict fitness regime and follow a certain diet. Giorgia Andriani, who took the world by storm with her 'size zero' figure, recently through her social media posts, is today considered to be one of the fittest actress in the industry.

“I’m walking, practising yoga and following various workouts on YouTube, sometimes functional, sometimes weight lifting. And I am eating as early as possible at night.” Said Giorgia while talking about her fitness and diet routine. The actress has maintained a routine and stuck to her nutritious way of life all through the coronavirus pandemic.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

You are just one yoga session away from a good mood!🧘🏼‍♀️ #YogaLife #YogaEveryday #MeTime

A post shared by Giorgia Andriani (@giorgia.andriani22) onJan 28, 2020 at 1:32am PST

The Italian beauty Giorgia will soon debut in Bollywood with 'Welcome to Bajrangpur' starring Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra, and Tigmanshu Dhulia. Apart from that, she is set to raise the temperature with an Item Number in much-awaited 'Sridevi Bungalow' starring Arbaaz Khan and Priya Prakash Varrier.

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entertainment

Disha Patani sets the temperature soaring in this throwback picture from Malang

Disha totally began the year 2020 with a bang and played a free spirited avatar in her latest Malang, looking drop dead gorgeous and the hotness quotient was just on another level. The actress even stole all the limelight and this fresh new avatar was something everyone was rooting for. The character was so relatable that one could connect to it. Disha built an incredible connection with her viewers, setting the bar high with her hotness and oomph.

The duo of Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani was the hot talk of the town and Malang emerged as a widely successful film. Malang truly was a treat to the eyes and we saw Disha in the hottest avatar ever. With her recent throwback picture on her social media, Disha has already raised the temperature of the season with her hotness and one can never have enough. Disha captioned her picture as, "#malang".

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

#malang❤ï¸Â

A post shared by disha patani (paatni) (@dishapatani) onApr 27, 2020 at 10:38pm PDT

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He is so full of energy: Jacqueline Fernandez shares her experience on working with Manoj Bajpayee

Jacqueline is one of the most successful actresses who has given commercially hits as well as some great performances. With every project, the actress has entertained the audiences and will be soon making her digital debut with Mrs. Serial Killer up next.

Stirring things up a bit this time, Jacqueline has opted for a role which is completely opposite of her Miss sunshine avatar, in reel-life with her OTT debut Mrs. Serial Killer which is just a couple of days away from the release. The film is all set to premiere on 1st May.

The actress will be seen alongside celebrated actor Manoj Bajpayee and sharing her experience on working with the actor for the first time, Jacqueline says, "I met him at the shoots in the high altitudes; he is so full of energy and has so may stories to tell you. He is a bit funny as well and that made the shoot worth the while."

Earlier as well the actress had shared how she is a big fan of Manoj Bajpayee's body of work and for her OTT debut grabbed the opportunity to work with him. The actress also loved Manoj's work in 'The Family Man.'

Jacqueline loves to always experiment with her projects and never shies away from trying out something new. Her OTT debut performance is something we are all looking forward to. From the trailer itself, Jacqueline looks extremely promising and we're excited!

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Model Nitin Kumar aka Nitin Vilecha Looking For Opportunity To Be Part of B-town

Nitin Kumar is a known name in Pollywood Music, but he is more known as Nitin Vilecha hails from Punjab, he was born on 23rd July 1999 is young enough to gain a good name in the music and fashion world. Although the world of modeling is often dominated by females, Nitin was successful enough in breaking this stereotype and emerged a big name in the fashion world. With his handsome looks, he was able to make his entry into the fashion world. He worked with top models including Jon, Opry, and Lucky Blue to name a few. After reaching the zenith, he tried his luck in acting.

Soon entered in Pollywood music seen with some songs. His intention is clear, he wants to make his entry in Bollywood. He is waiting for the right opportunity to make a move inside B Town. However, in modeling he has proved his worth and soon it won't be surprising to see him becoming the part of several global events as well.He has worked with different brands and companies and with his handsome and stunning avatar, he is willing to go a long way doing big ventures in modeling. Besides, he has remained the part of many fashion shows as well working as a showstopper for several top brands.

In a short time, he was able carve his niche in this field and is now counted among the top models in the glamour world. People have started recognising him as he has become a regular face in the Pollywood music and fashion world. He is leaving no stone unturned to give his best and find time for every assignment doing justice to the ventures he keeps on getting in his way. He may be a stable model with good earning but he wants to make his mark in the Bollywood industry as well. Hope to see him soon on the big screen with B Town stars.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




entertainment

Rahul Bose all set to reveal his secret lockdown wellness hacks

Actor Rahul Bose will reveal his secret lockdown wellness hacks on Being Yoga, India's first Virtual Wellness Festival.

At a time when the world is amidst a lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, personalities from different walks of life are coming together to conduct a virtual yoga wellness festival.

"I am really looking forward to sharing my secret lockdown wellness hacks with you. Do join Being Yoga on May 3 to raise funds for COVID-1919," said Rahul. The wellness festival will be held on May 2 and 3.

From doctors to spiritual gurus, yoga practitioners, the festival will see the participation of names who will talk about the importance of wellness, philosophy and relevance in our lives during these challenging times.

Actor Ashish Vidyarthi, tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi and more will be joining in and speaking about the importance of yoga.

"I'm used to a rigorous fitness and work routine and staying motivated during lockdown hasn't been easy. Find out how I've been keeping fit and how I've made the lockdown into a very productive time," said Mahesh.

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entertainment

When Pulkit Samrat flaunted his cooking skills to Kriti Kharbanda

Amid the nationwide lockdown due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, Bollywood celebrities have been flaunting their culinary skills on social media. Actor Pulkit Samrat treated his actress-girlfriend Kriti Kharbanda to some prawns.

Kriti took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of the prawn curry made by Pulkit and she captioned it: "And then, death by amaze food happened! @pulkitamrat showing off his cooking skills."

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

@pulkitsamrat ❤️

A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) onApr 24, 2020 at 3:03am PDT

Recently, Kriti shared a post where she could be seen enjoying a champi (oil massage on the head) by her boyfriend Pulkit Samrat. She also jokingly claimed that her new motto in life is to make Pulkit give her a champi!

Meanwhile Pulkit took to Instagram and posted a black and white picture of himself along with his dog -- a husky.

"Ek Dooje Ke Liye (for each other)" he captioned the image.

On the work front, Kriti and Pulkit were together seen in Anees Bazmee's comedy caper "Pagalpanti. Kriti will next be seen in "Taish". Pulkit will next be seen in "Haathi Mere Saathi and "Taish".

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Big B's Jhund, Abhishek Bachchan's Ludo to release on Netflix?

Last week, mid-day reported that Akshay Kumar is considering releasing Laxmmi Bomb directly on Disney+Hotstar. Now, many medium-budget movies seem to be following suit. Sources indicate that T-Series is in the final stages of sealing a multi-release deal with Netflix. A source reveals, "The studio has eight to 10 films that are close to the finish line. While the head honchos were in talks with Netflix, Amazon Prime and other OTT platforms for a direct-to-web release, their conversation with Netflix has advanced considerably. Nagraj Manjule's Jhund and Anurag Basu's Ludo, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao and Fatima Sana Shaikh, are among the movies in discussion."

Since the studio is a joint producer on some of the projects, it will require consent of the other parties too. "For instance, they have co-produced Kiara Advani-starrer Indoo Ki Jawani with Nikkhil Advani. So, both parties must be willing to do away with a theatrical release, and must agree on the money. Currently, the team is choosing films that it thinks have a better prospect digitally and seeking approvals from co-producers," adds the source.


Bhushan Kumar

mid-day reached out to the production house, which did not respond till press time.

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Irrfan Khan's spokesperson rubbishes rumours the actor is no more

Soon after reports of Irrfan Khans hospitalisation became public on Tuesday, rumours started doing the rounds in a section of the media claiming that the actor had passed away. An official statement had to be issued on behalf of the actor at around 1am on Wednesday to quash all such extreme rumours.

"It's really disappointing to know that there are extreme assumptions being made about Irrfan's health. While we are truly appreciative that people are concerned, it's disheartening to see some sources spread extreme rumours and creating panic. Irrfan is a strong person and is still fighting the battle. We really request you to not fall for rumours and not partake in these conversations which are fictional. We have always actively clarified and shared updates on his health and we will continue doing so," said the statement, issued on behalf of Irrfan by his spokesperson.

The 53-year-old actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the intensive care unit (ICU), as reported by IANS in an earlier report on Tuesday.

"Yes it is true that Irrfan Khan is admitted to ICU at Kokilaben in Mumbai because of a colon infection. We would keep everyone updated. He is under doctor's observation. His strength and courage have helped him battle and fight so far and we are sure with his tremendous willpower and prayers of all his well wishers, he will recover soon," said the earlier report issued on behalf of Irrfan by his spokesperson.

The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour a while back, and has been under medical attention for the same.

Irrfan is currently mourning the loss of his mother. The actor's mother Saeeda Begum breathed her last on Saturday in Jaipur where she used to stay. However, owing to the ongoing lockdown, the actor could not physically attend his mother's last rites and reportedly paid his last respect through video conferencing.

On the work front, Irrfan Khan was last seen in "Angrezi Medium", last-released Bollywood film before COVID-19 forced complete shutdown of cinema halls. "Angrezi Medium" ran in theatres for just a day before halls all over India were shut down.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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Madhuri Dixit to organise virtual dance festival on World Dance Day

Bollywood's Dhak Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit Nene on Tuesday announced a two-day-long online live dance festival starting from April 29 to mark the World Dance Day.

The dancing diva took to Instagram to announce the virtual dance festival by her dance academy - 'Dance With Madhuri' - and also urged her fans and dance fanatics to register to take part in the festival.

"With the World Dance Day right around the corner, I am coming to groove in your room on the 29th and 30th of April with the first edition of the DWM dance festival," the 52-year-old actor said.

"We will be offering two days fun and learning with some of the best dancers, choreographers, and industry experts on our website and Instagram page. All this from the comfort of your home," she added.

The virtual dance festival will have some of the greatest dance maestros of India including senior choreographer Saroj Khan, film director Farah Khan and legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj. The dance festival will stream live on all social media handles of the actor and her website 'Dance With Madhuri.'

World Dance Day is celebrated every year on April 29. As coronavirus induced lockdown remains in place, Dixit has organised the virtual dance festival to help people de-stress and develop dancing skills during the lockdown.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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Katrina Kaif turns chef again, still unsure of what she's cooked up!

Katrina Kaif's inner chef simply won't give up. A while back, she whipped up something in the kitchen that she was not sure what excatly it was she made. On Tuesday, she has done it again! In a new video she shared on Instagram, Katrina chops away what could either be cheese or cabbage. Later, when she is asked what is it that she is cooking, she admits not being too sure.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Tuesday = ðŸ¥Â˜+👩🏽‍💻@🏠

A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) onApr 28, 2020 at 3:42am PDT

Commenting on the post, fashion designer Anaita Shroff Adajania asked: "What's cookin?". Katrina replied: "That I'm not too sure of."

This sent fans on a wild guessing spree. "Gobhi," guessed one user, while another imagined mashed potatoes. Still another suggested the actress should finish first and then think of a name for her dish.

Earlier this month, Katrina had shared a video where she is seen cooking something along with sister Isabelle. Although, the item on the frying pan looked like a pancake, Katrina claimed she was "not sure" what was being prepared!

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

We’re not sure what it is either .... we ll let u know when we do ðŸ¤Â”🍴🥣 #happyworldsiblingday @isakaif

A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) onApr 10, 2020 at 5:55am PDT

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Taapsee Pannu shares throwback picture reminiscing 'Badla' shoot, counting on 'charm of being actor'

Actor Taapsee Pannu on Tuesday reminisced the role portrayed by her of a successful businesswoman in her 2019 thriller flick 'Badla,' by sharing an intriguing picture. She also counted on the perks of being an actor and shared that, 'the fact we can live so many lives in one life is the charm of being an actor.'

The 'Thappad' star took to Instagram and shared yet another picture from her archives, where she is seen getting into the skin of her character 'Naina Sethi.' The intriguing picture showcased the 32-year-old actor posing just like the poster behind her, as she closes her eyes to imitate it. The poster features a blonde girl with closed eyes, saying "No, Thank You."

Taking to the captions, the 'Naam Shabana' actor wrote, "Another one from the location of Badla. Actually from Naina Sethi's cabin. Trust only her to have such a poster in her professional cabin. But let me admit it was a fun change to play the not so nice character on screen."

The 'Naam Shabana actor added, "As an actor if one doesn't get to experiment much it actually feels like a regular desk job which many of us actually gave up to have this edge of the seat career. Every job has its own charm n the fact we can live so many lives in one life is the charm of being an actor.# Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost"

Taapsee has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown.

On Monday, the 'Manmaziyaan' star shared another throwback picture from her archives on Monday and reminisced the pre-shoot conversation in Glasgow with Sujoy Ghosh, the director of her 2019 thriller flick 'Badla.'

Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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Anil Kapoor pays tribute to frontline workers by joining #MainBhiHarjeetSingh campaign

Joining Punjab Police's 'Main Bhi Harjeet Singh' campaign named after the police personnel whose hand was chopped off on duty, actor Anil Kapoor on Tuesday paid tribute to the frontline warriors who are fighting against COVID-19. The superstar took to Twitter to express solidarity and laud the frontline workers.

"Here's a salute to our front-line warriors! You have our full support and we stand in solidarity with you in this war!" Kapoor tweeted and adding hashtags #MainBhiHarjeetSingh and #MainBhiPunjabPolice to his tweet.

"Main Bhi Harjeet Singh" - Personnel of Punjab Police on Monday sported name badges of their colleague, whose hand was chopped off while he was trying to impose COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the state.

The initiative was part of a day-long campaign launched on Monday by Dinkar Gupta, DGP Punjab to display solidarity towards Sub-Inspector Harjeet Singh, who was part of the police team that came under attack allegedly by a group of Nihangs who were asked to show their curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala on April 12.

Doctors had reattached the hand of the 50-year-old in a surgery post the attack.

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Sooryavanshi, 83 makers are 'willing to wait for six months' rather than release on OTT

Should we? Should we not? That's the question on the minds of several filmmakers who are contemplating releasing their offerings directly online as a cloud of uncertainty looms large over the re-opening of cinemas. However, Reliance Entertainment has decided to wait out the lockdown period instead of pursuing a direct-to-web release for their two big-ticket movies, Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh's 83.

While he understands that OTT platforms enjoy a wide reach, Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment, says, "Sooryavanshi and 83 have been made for the big-screen experience. We are hoping theatres will open [in the near future], and we will be able to release our films. For now, we are willing to wait for four to six months [before considering an alternate course of action]." He doesn't deny that holding off a film's release for so long poses a financial risk. "We are taking a risk in terms of our equity and return. But we believe in our films and want to see them on the big screen. Also, theatres are an important part of the entertainment eco-system."


A still from Sooryavanshi

Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi opines that while smaller films can be web-bound, big-budget projects should not bypass a theatrical run as they are integral to the survival of cinemas. "Even 10 films [of the calibre of] Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan can't boost the exhibition sector the way a Sooryavanshi can. We depend on such films to keep our balance sheet in the green. Watching an Akshay Kumar or a Rajinikanth film on a mobile phone hardly gives viewers the larger-than-life theatre experience," he reasons.


Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO, Reliance Entertainment

Grateful that the key players are not biting the OTT bait, Manoj Desai, executive director, Gaiety-Galaxy, says, "Almost 50 per cent of my losses will be recovered if Sooryavanshi is the first release after the lockdown is lifted. If such films consider [a direct-to-web release], I will have to down the shutters of my theatres."

South theatres angry

Down south, multiplex owners are already resisting direct-to-home releases. The Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners’ Association has threatened to ban films produced by or featuring Suriya when his home production announced it will release wife Jyothika's Pon Magal Vandhal directly online. Following this, the association released a video warning that they will not allot screens to Suriya’s films if the couple goes ahead with the decision.

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Salman Khan urges people to donate through 'Anna Daan' challenge

Megastar Salman Khan on Tuesday urged people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge and donate to the underprivileged ones who are worst affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Khan took to Twitter and posted a picture of his two close friends preparing to distribute ration packets to the needy ones.

The 54-year-old actor also informed that his two friends Baba Siddiqui and Zeeshan Siddiqui have distributed ration to a total of 1,25,000 families to date.

"Baba and baba's baba zeeshan ne aan baan aur shaan se 1,25,000 families ko ration bataa hai. Now this is a challenge that one should be a part of.. Challenge 'Anna Daan,'" he tweeted along with the picture.

He also asked people to distribute the essential items either on their own or get it done by somebody reliable.

"Karo to khud ya kissi bharosemand ke through," his tweet further read.

Khan has also been donating to the needy ones who have lost their livelihood due to the nationwide lockdown. He has also supported some of the daily wage workers economically.

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Anupam Kher shares Jackie Shroff's advice on life's philosophy

Veteran actor Anupam Kher on Tuesday shared an inspirational video message by Jackie Shroff talking about his life's philosophy amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The 65-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared the video in which he talks about the balance of life and said that he has his son and daughter with him, and lost his parents and brother, and "this is how life balances itself." He said, "If we have a look on people around us and the sorrow, the pain they are going through, we are very blessed."

The 'Saaho' star went on to add, "We shouldn't cry over little things, as things stay at their place," and gave an example of flowers in a pot and a bouquet saying, " these flowers were meant to be cut and formed as bouquet while the one in flower pot stays the same."

Jackie added, "Everyone has sorrows in life, but we shouldn't be sad and crying." Shroff advised, " We should create positive energy around us so that people get inspired. Always keep a smile on your face and maintain your smile and health even in the toughest situations, and keep the spine straight."

The 'Devdas' actor asked people to stay tension free and to stay away from depressing and psychologically upsetting things.

Taking to the captions, Kher appreciated the 'Border' star's philosophy towards life and wrote, "Jis Saadgi aur Bindaspan se mere dost Jackie Shroff ne jeewan ke falsafe ko yaha bataya hai, uski main jitni tareef karu utni hi kam hai. Ek insaan jo zindagi ki bhawnao ko mehsus karta hai, uske hi andar se, uski antar atma se hi aisi philosophy nikal sakti hai. Dhanya ho. Zara Suniye, @bindasbhidu ko."

The post on the micro-blogging site garnered more than 8.2k likes within an hour of being posted.

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This picture from Kangana Ranaut's early portfolio won her 'Gangster' audition

As Bollywood's 'Queen,' Kangana Ranaut completed 14 years in the Indian film industry on Tuesday, her team shared a throwback picture from one of her early portfolios. The 33-year-old actor was shortlisted for an audition for her debut film 'Gangster' on the basis of the picture that her team shared on Twitter.

The priceless picture from the past featured a younger version of the actor with her signature curly locks and bold expressions.

Ranaut is seen wearing a white and brown coloured muffler in the picture.

"#Trivia: On 14th anniversary of #KanganaRanaut 's Bollywood debut #Gangster, here's the image from her portfolio on basis of which @anuragbasuofficial selected her for an audition #Throwback #14YearsofKanganaRanaut #14YearsofGangster," Kangana's team tweeted along with the picture.

Kangana Ranaut stepped into Bollywood at a very young age and began her career with her debut film 'Gangster' 14 years ago. Helmed by Anurag Basu, the romantic thriller featured Emraan Hashmi and Shiney Ahuja besides Kangana in the lead roles.

'Gangster' received great appreciation from critics as well as the audiences and also won Kangana the best debut award at Filmfare. Earlier in the day, the team of the 'Fashion' actor marked her 14th anniversary in Bollywood by preparing a video reel of her 14-year-long journey.

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Meet Radha, Adah Sharma's stuffed toy which has 35 thousand followers

Adah Sharma's stuffed toy cat, Radha, has a life of its own. After hanging out with the Commando 3 actor and getting papped, it has now bagged a role in the short film, Tindey, starring Sharma. Seemaa Desai's film is about love in the time of online dating apps. Radha's name features in the credits as well. The feline has a short, sweet role in the film, also starring Ashwini Kalsekar and Rajesh Sharma.

Infact, the 1920 actress has created a Instagram page of her stuffed cat which already has over 35,000 followers. She announced the debut of her toy with a picture along with Tindey director Seemaa Desai. Have you watched my debut film yet ? It's called TINDEY ! on youtube ! Go watch it now if you haven't yet. Thank you my amazing director Seema for launching me (sic)", she captioned the picture.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Radha Sharma (@adah_ki_radha) onApr 23, 2020 at 9:04am PDT

Here's another video posted by "Radha" in which we can see the two engaging in a fun banter.

Adah Sharma also leaves no bounds to share pictures and videos of her toy. Recently, she hosted a "singing" session with Radha and posted a video about it on Instagram.

Adah made her Bollywood debut in 2009 with the horror film 1920. She was then seen in films like "Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke", the "Commando" franchise, and "Bypass Road", and will next be seen in "Man To Man". The film revolves around actor Naveen Kasturia's character falling in love with and marrying Sharma's character, only to realise she was biologically a man who became a woman after surgery.

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Anil Kapoor gets nostalgic, shares an unseen picture with Sridevi!

Not only Madhuri Dixit, but Anil Kapoor also created celluloid history with another legendary actress and that was none other than Sridevi. They did films that were not only made for commercial gains but posterity too. Their collaborations include Mr. India, Karma, Lamhe, Laadla, and Judaai. They also were a part of films like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Mr. Bechara.

And now, taking to his Twitter Account, Kapoor shared a throwback photo with the legendary actress and it shall be a treat for all her fans. But the picture not only had the actress but veteran American photographer, Steve Mccurry too. He wrote- "Had no clue at the time that I was being shot by such a talented man! #SteveMccurry Thank you for capturing us and for bringing back memories with Sri ji...always a perfectionist." (sic)

Have a look right here:

The late Sridevi was hailed as the first female Superstar of Indian Cinema and became a rage at a mere age of 18 with the blockbuster success of Himmatwala. There was no looking back then and she continued starring in one massive success after another. Her most memorable films, apart from the ones mentioned above, include Chaalbaaz, Chandni, Khuda Gawah, English Vinglish, and Mom, for which she won the National Award for the Best Actress.

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Kangana Ranaut on her weight gain for Thalaivi: I never remember feeling so unfit

We don't expect the usual Kangana Ranaut candour in an interview largely about how many squats she packs into her regimen. But the actor isn't one to offer the ordinary. Unbowed by the heft of her battle against the bulge, Ranaut is playfully self-deprecating when chronicling her 20-kilo weight-loss attempt. "I didn't expect to gain 20 kilos," she says of her endeavour to emulate J Jayalalithaa in the actor-politician's upcoming biopic, Thalaivi. "When Kareena [Kapoor Khan] was pregnant, she gained 16 kilos. I told myself, I am like [a] post-pregnant Kareena Kapoor!" she exclaims at one point, before breaking into a laugh. "I never remember feeling so unfit. At one point, I needed to support myself with my palms to stand up off the floor," she says at another, before the ever-so-slight quiver in her voice reveals the moments that triggered her badly. "I was unable to carry my weight in heels, and that almost left me in tears. One thinks they'll eventually adjust, but, I couldn't walk in my own shoes! Usually, I can run in them, but now my feet would swell. I didn't know how to handle it."

Train, but gain

The diligence with which she had kept tabs on the weighing scale as it climbed by 10, 12 and 15 kilos was rendered redundant after a few weeks of lull. "[The makers] told me to start losing weight so that we could shoot [Jayalalitha's] younger portions, and that's when I noticed that I had gained 20 kilos. I wondered if I had gone too far, and questioned if the decision to take the hormone injections was appropriate." It was towards the close of 2019 that Ranaut had first admitted to leaning on hormone supplements to add bulk to her hips and thighs, to emulate her muse. Unlike the misshapen built acquired by Bollywood's top brass of actors gaining weight for cinema, Ranaut's avatar, though voluptuous, had to resemble the shapely and nimble-footed bharatnatyam dancer that Jayalalitha was. "I had to do bharatnatyam for two hours, yoga for one, and still gain weight in a desirable manner. The mild hormone dosage helped [me] gain weight around the hips. Bharatnatyam involves a lot of leg work, so the dancers tend to [gain weight in this region]. Also, I needed to put on so much weight because I am tall. At 5'8, I had to ensure that the [bulk] was visible on my frame."

Winning the race, slowly, steadily

Currently nestled in picturesque Manali, Ranaut decided to make the most of the lockdown by taking along her trainer of several years. Under the guidance of Siddhartha Singh, founder of iSweat, she has shaved off seven kilos, and continues to crawl, jump and jog off the rest. "We are focusing on workouts that encourage movement for a long duration of time, instead of those involving shorter intervals. The idea is to keep movements sustainable by not rendering her breathless, so that more calories can be burnt. The evening functional training sessions last 45 to 75 minutes, and are coupled with a 20-minute morning walk in her 100-metre driveway," says Singh, attributing her body's positive response to the regimen to her consistent yoga practice.

Her high metabolic rate may afford her many luxuries, but Ranaut won't abuse what she has been blessed with. For as long as Singh can recall, she isn't swayed by food that has little nutritional value, and prefers "home-cooked meals". "Kangana is attuned to her body's [nutritional] needs. If she craves something, she'll have it in limited portion, or cook a [healthier] version of it at home." That her body had become complacent with the additional weight also began to work against her, making the weight-loss process more demanding than both she and Singh had anticipated. "It was difficult. I had to undergo detox. I was affected by the sugar withdrawal, and felt like I was in rehab. For over six months, I was perpetually hungry, and had mood [swings]. The weight wouldn't budge. Also, at 33, things are not as easy [as they were when I was younger]."

Asked if she will do it all over again if a film demands it, her response is prompt, but not very assertive: "No, yaar!" she says. "It's not worth it. My cholesterol level was quite high this time. In my 30s, I don't enjoy doing this."

Singh on principles he uses to train Ranaut

  • We're targeting the anterior and posterior muscles at once. We use the driveway to do short jogging sets, shuttle lunges, back crawls, and jumping jacks.
  • Usually, I avoided exhausting her because actors have to work for the rest of the day, and can't be dealing with aches and pains. I had to be mindful of not targeting the muscles that she would be using for her action films, like Manikarnika. For instance, horse-riding employs a lot of leg work, and hence, when she was learning it, I'd only do weight-less leg workouts with her. Similarly, when she was training in sword-fighting, and using her upper-body muscles, I'd have to shift focus away from her shoulders and arms [in the gym]. 
  • With physical activity currently limited, she is consuming only two to three meals a day. The morning jogs that she takes help in activating her metabolism.

1,800
Ranaut's approximate calorie intake, usually

v/s 

1,000
Calories being consumed by the actor currently


 

Female actors who've gained weight for cinema

Bhumi Pednekar, Dum Laga Ke Haisha

The actor made a note-worthy entry into Bollywood by adding 30 kilos for the film. She reportedly took to conditioning exercises before jumping into a high-intensity routine, when she began shedding the weight.

Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture

To play the role of an adult film actor, Balan gained 12 kilos, and was uninhibited as she flaunted her figure to do justice to the part of Silk Smitha.

Anushka Shetty, Size Zero

Unwilling to wear a fat-suit for the part, the actor reportedly put on 20 kilos for the film. Under the guidance of Luke Coutinho, she took a generous amount of time to gradually shed it off.

Kriti Sanon, Mimi

Sanon had been on a weight-gaining spree for several months to gain 15 kilos for her forthcoming movie, Mimi, which sees her as a surrogate mother.

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Kiara Advani on meeting Salman Khan for the first time: I was struck dumb!

Kiara Advani began her Bollywood journey with the 2014 film Fugly that was Akshay Kumar's home production. She also appeared in M.S Dhoni- The Untold Story in 2016, a commercial and critical success. She then starred in Abbas-Mustan's thriller, Machine, in 2017 that failed to do well at the box-office. It was Karan Johar's anthology, Lust Stories, which made the audiences sit up to the actor that was yet to be tapped by the industry people.

And with the gigantic success of Kabir Singh, there was no looking back. She became Preeti for everyone and began attracting a lot of memes on social media on her silent and submissive character. The rest, as they say, is history! Her last film, Good Newwz, was a smash-hit too and now she has films like Indoo Ki Jawaani, Shershaah, Laxmmi Bomb, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 coming up. And she has often thanked one man for guiding her through her thick and thin and that's Salman Khan.

And in a chat with Mumbai Mirror, she spoke about meeting the Superstar for the first time and what her initial reaction was. She said, "I was smitten by Salman Khan sir the first time I saw him, which was on a film set at Mehboob Studio. He was sitting outside his vanity van, waiting to be called for a shot." She added, "I was struck dumb, literally! I already knew him but the aura around him was so strong. He made me comfortable and while my mother and he were sharing stories from my childhood, I just stood there, gawking."

Given Salman has acted with almost all the actresses he has guided and mentored, can we expect him and Advani in a film together in the future?

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Anup Jalota: Ranbir Kapoor will fit perfectly in my biopic, Kareena Kapoor Khan can play my first wife

Anup Jalota is the man who's known as the Bhajan Samrat. He has sung the maximum number of religious songs in Hindi Cinema if one can jog off his memory. And he also participated in Bigg Boss 12 in 2018. And now, he's back with some candid and interesting revelations.

In an interview with Navbharat Times, he was asked about the possibility of his biopic in the future and whom would he like to see in the film. He said, "I think Ranbir Kapoor, one of the finest actors of Bollywood, will fit perfectly in my biopic. I have seen his work in Sanjay Dutt's biopic Sanju, and he has brought Sanjay's character alive on screen effortlessly and very convincingly." Since he spoke about Sanju, the film had multiple heroines that Dutt met in the course of his personal and professional journey.

Jalota stated how his biopic would also need a lot of actresses. "If my biopic is made then it will have four heroines because I had three weddings and later the chapter with Jasleen Matharu in Bigg Boss. By the way, Jasleen can do her own role and if the director wants, then I can also be a part of my biopic." And coming to which heroine he would like to see in his biopic, he had a very interesting answer.

He stated, "My relationship with my first wife Sonali Seth lasted for eight years. I think Kareena Kapoor Khan can be cast for her role. Then, I lived with my third wife Medha Gujral for 20 years before she passed away due to a cardiac arrest in 2014. She was 40 when I met her and whenever I think about an actress portraying Medha, Neena Gupta's face comes in my mind. Medha's face was very similar to Neena's and hence, she fits the role perfectly."

Well, that's a rather unique ensemble he has thought of! What are your thoughts?

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What if Karan Johar starred in Bobby? Filmmaker shares a hilarious video as Bollywood reacts

Rishi Kapoor became a heartthrob and a sensation after the blockbuster success of Bobby, his launchpad in Hindi Cinema that was made by his father and the legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor. It was the year 1973 and the songs of this film are as fresh in 2020! One of the romantic saga's most memorable melodies was Main Shayar Toh Nahin, which he paid homage to in 2004 in the film HumTum.

But just imagine for once that the song features Karan Johar instead of Kapoor and he is the one who's coyly singing. The filmmaker, judiciously, and hilariously using the face-swapping feature, uploaded a video on Instagram where we could see his face plastered on Rishi Kapoor's body.

See what happened then:

Not being able to control and contain their laughter and excitement, a lot of his friends from Bollywood came out with their comments on his post. First in line was Abhishek Bachchan, who commented with a face-palm emoji, Aditi Rao Hydari had her heart for him, Maheep Kapoor called the video fab and also had some laughing emojis, Tahira Kashyap wrote- "See your father always knew about your talent and looks! You should have listened to him." (sic)

That's not all, there were some more comments! Karan Wahi wrote- "What a debut KJO." (sic) Pooja Hegde had this to say- "Woahhhh...that's amaze." (sic) Ranbir Kapoor's sister Riddhima Kapoor shared the laughing and the clapping emoji. Good friend Kajol left as many as seven laughing emojis and three clapping emojis in the comments section. Shilpa Shetty wrote- "Faaaaaaabbbbbb!" (sic) Manish Malhotra commented- "This is so good and Raj Kapoor was my favourite film maker to." (sic) Also commenting with laughing emojis was Preity Zinta but she couldn't help but amalgamate it with the clapping emojis too.

This has to be his best and the most commented video to date and let's see which Bollywood classic and Hindi film hero he puts his face on next! And given Rishi Kapoor himself has a great and sometimes a wicked sense of humour, how would he respond and react to this?

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Javed Akhtar reveals his first thought after Shabana Azmi's car accident: Is she alive?

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi recently met with an unfortunate accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and was rushed to MGM Hospital, Panvel. She was later shifted to the Kokilaben hospital in Mumbai for further treatment.  Her husband, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, was also there in the vehicle but escaped unhurt.

In an interview with Film Companion Akhtar revealed what were his first thoughts when he saw his wife at the car crash scene. He said, "Who could think we would have such a calamity. The accident that Shabana went through was really deadly. We were in the other car, she was sleeping in the car behind us and when this accident occurred and we went back, the first thought was "Is she alive?' Because the whole car was crushed, had become a heap of junk. Somehow we took her out, she was unconscious with blood all over her face and it was only from the nose. There were no wounds but the whole body has taken such a whiplash, that it will take a little time to be totally normal."

The 69-year-old actor suffered head injuries when her car met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on January 18. She was later shifted to the Kokilaben hospital in Mumbai for further treatment. Shabana Azmi was heading towards Pune from Mumbai. The accident took place near Kharagpur on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The car in which Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar were present was hit by a truck on the expressway. While she was in the hospital, Bollywood celebrities like Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Shibani Dandekar, Anil Kapoor, Tabu, Satish Kaushik paid a visit to the actress at the hospital.

She was discharged from the hospital after a few days. "Thank you all for your prayers and wishes for my recovery. I'm back home now," Azmi wrote on Twitter alongside a post-recovery photo of herself.

"Thank you #Tina Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani hospital for the sterling care provided by the doctors team and the nursing staff. Im indebted and grateful," she added.

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Did Aamir Khan distribute money with wheat flour packets in Delhi?

A video about Aamir Khan's unique donation to those hit hard by the lockdown has surfaced online. It claims that on April 23, a truck arrived in an underprivileged area in Delhi. The vehicle was loaded with one-kilo packets of wheat flour. Many felt the quantity was too meagre and would hardly serve any purpose, so some refused to take it. But the slum-dwellers who took it were in for a huge surprise.

There was Rs 15,000 in every pack. It is unconfirmed but fans believe that it was Khan's idea to ensure that the money reaches those who need it. The authenticity of the video is yet to be ascertained. But the star is one of those who believe that when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets.

Many Bollywood celebrities have been doing their bit in their way by making contributions. Speaking about the same, a source close to the actor tells us that the actor has already made his contributions to PM Cares fund, Chief minister's relief fund- COVID 19, film workers' association and a few NGOs along with extending support to the daily wage workers of his next film, Laal Singh Chaddha during this lockdown.

There are very few people who mark their donations without any posts on social media, and one such actor is Aamir Khan. Time and again, when the nation has needed help, Aamir has been at the forefront to extend his support by all means.

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Twinkle Khanna, Saif Ali Khan, Bhumi Pednekar, Madhuri Dixit-Nene take up gardening; grow their own food!

Twinkle Khanna, Hema Malini, Bhumi Pednekar, Kim Sharma, Surbhi Jyoti and many other Bollywood celebrities took it upon themselves to grow their own vegetables. Many have taken to home gardening and decided to grow some veggies and other plants during the lockdown.

The coronavirus outbreak has put many lives and businesses on halt, but people have decided not to give up and find a different way to help each other. Twinkle Khanna grew green veggies in her garden, and sharing the picture, she wrote, "What you sow, you shall reap and I planted a love for gardening in the hearts of my children. This is my harvest-their help in digging, watering and this large bowl of Ceylon Palak. It grows like a weed and is easily propagated by planting the stem back after taking out the leaves. Thank you @merliynjoseph for helping me with this a few years ago. It is a gift that keeps giving in so many ways. #greenthumb [sic]"

 
 
 
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A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna) onMar 26, 2020 at 12:13am PDT

Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan and their tiny tot Taimur Ali Khan have been waiting for the tomatoes they planted to sprout. Kareena, who made her Instagram debut on March 1, 2020, shared, "My boys doing their bit! Together, let's make the world a better place for us all.
Play your part... #StayHome #StaySafe #JantaCurfew [sic]"

 
 
 
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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMar 22, 2020 at 12:34am PDT

Bhumi Pednekar too shared the new members of her family, "After months of tender love & care, we present to you #PednekarKePed #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving [sic]"

 
 
 
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A post shared by BhumiâÂœ¨ (@bhumipednekar) onApr 25, 2020 at 2:56am PDT

Kim Sharma, who also enjoys gardening, wrote on Instagram, "Weekend chores #day4 [sic]"

 
 
 
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A post shared by Kim Sharma (@kimsharmaofficial) onMar 28, 2020 at 3:38am PDT

Madhuri Dixit-Nene also posted an Instagram story, which showed figs and pomegranates from her home garden. Isn't this truly inspiring? Take a look!

"Ye dekho... Mera naya kaam... preparing beds for methi, kothmir and planted tomatoes! abhi dekhte hain kya hota hai [sic]" wrote Juhi Chawla on her Instagram.

 
 
 
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A post shared by Juhi Chawla (@iamjuhichawla) onApr 11, 2020 at 10:56pm PDT

It's good to see public figures taking up the initiative to grow their own food and showing people how it's done! Home gardening can never get better, or more fun, than this!

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Amitabh Bachchan shares his version of bikini pic, calls it 'bhara hua kini'

Amitabh Bachchan, celebrating 37 years of his film 'Mahaan,' shared his version of a bikini picture- from the sets of the 1983 film. In an Instagram post put out late on Tuesday, the legendary actor revealed he was advised to post bikini photos to clock the "big numbers" on the photo-sharing app.

And the 77-year-old thought of an alternative option- posting a throwback photo in which he is wearing a striped vest and shorts, or in his own words, "Bhara hua kini".

"Somebody was explaining to me why I was not getting the big numbers on Insta , unlike all the other youngGEN .. he said " because you can't put up a pic in a bikini " !!! And suddenly this one popped up .. not quite a bikini , it's more 'bhara hua kini' .. from my film MAHAAN .. triple role .. and today 37 th year of its release !!," the actor wrote in the post, with the photo from the making of the film.

Within hours of being shared, the post has received more than six lakh likes and a flood of comments. "Nice legs !!! Just kidding !! Stay blessed sir !!!," wrote a fan.

Amitabh Bachchan played a triple role in star-studded 'Mahaan' along with Waheeda Rehman, Parveen Babi, Zeenat Aman, Ashok Kumar, Amjad Khan, Kader Khan, Aruna Irani and Shakti Kapoor. One of the film's songs - 'Pyaar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli' - was among the chartbusters and remains foot-tapping even today.

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entertainment

Prabhas thank fans for the 'enormous outpouring of love that still flows' on Instagram

Tuesday marked three years of Baahubali: The Conclusion. Lead star Prabhas took to Instagram to thank fans for the 'enormous outpouring of love that still flows'. The South sensation wrote, "Baahubali 2 was not just a film that the nation loved but also the biggest film of my life. I'm grateful to fans, team and director SS Rajamouli who made it one of the most memorable projects. I'm delighted for all the love the film and I have received (sic)."

 
 
 
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A post shared by Prabhas (@actorprabhas) onApr 27, 2020 at 11:30pm PDT

For the uninitiated, Prabhas started his career in 2002 and has never halted ever since! The actor has with every passing year given one of the most promising performances and characters we can all relate to.

Fans demanded another edition of the epic. Baahibali did tremendously well even at the box office and Prabhas was phenomenal. The speech delivery, physique, body language was so perfect that no one except Prabhas could have aced the role. Baahubali chose Prabhas and it's indeed amazing. Baahubali was one of the biggest films of all time and more so, for its grandeur and Prabhas' stardom.

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Shweta Pandit and Ivano Fucci welcome a baby girl amid lockdown in Italy

For the uninitiated, one of the most catastrophic countries during this Coronavirus crisis has been Italy. And quarantined there is one couple that has also recently embraced parenthood. We are talking about Bollywood singer Shweta Pandit and her hubby Ivano Fucci. Although they welcomed parenthood on February 8, the couple felt it may not have been the right time to announce the news.

Speaking to Times of India about it, Pandit revealed about her daughter and what name she has given her. "We've named her Izana, a name given as a title to the kind and compassionate monarchs in Ethiopia, and it means 'most powerful'", said the singer. She added, "It didn't feel right to share our happiest news when everything around us was so difficult. The COVID-19 crisis in Italy was worse than it is in India currently. But now that the lockdown here is almost getting lifted, Ivano and I decided to share our happiness."

And as expected, she also happens to stay away from her family and is majorly missing them. Talking about them, she says, "The most challenging part is staying away from my own family through pregnancy and delivery. I never thought that I'd be able to take care of a newborn, but I've surprised myself. I'm learning a lot from my mother through video calls. My dadu (Pandit Jasraj), too, calls me every day to check on us and see Izana."

In case you didn't know, Shweta has been a part of the Bollywood industry for the last 20 years and sung for some major films like Mohabbatein and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. She keeps sharing romantic and stunning pictures with her hubby on Instagram and that's actually a great opportunity for you to have a round of Italy. Having said that, we also hope the crisis is over soon and especially in this country.

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Irrfan Khan passes away at 53; Shoojit Sircar condoles his demise

Breaking millions of hearts across the world, Irrfan Khan breathed his last at age 53. Irrfan Khan, who had been undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer passed away on Wednesday (April 29). The actor is survived by his wife, writer Sutapa Sikdar and two sons Babil and Ayan.

Irrfan had revealed on Twitter in 2018 that he was suffering from "a rare disease" and would share details when there was a conclusive diagnosis. He then took to his social media account to reveal that he had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour.

On Tuesday, the Angrezi Medium actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the intensive care unit (ICU), as reported by IANS. A statement by his spokesperson said, "Yes it is true that Irrfan Khan is admitted to ICU at Kokilaben in Mumbai because of a colon infection. We would keep everyone updated. He is under doctor's observation. His strength and courage have helped him battle and fight so far and we are sure with his tremendous willpower and prayers of all his well-wishers, he will recover soon."

Director Shoojit Sircar took to Twitter to share the sad new. He wrote:

An official statement regarding Irrfan's demise read, "'I trust, I have surrendered', these were the words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It's saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away..."

The statement further read, "Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heavenly abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, 'As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it (sic).'"

Irrfan Khan's last film Angrezi Medium released in March this year. The actor's most memorable works include Salaam Bombay!, Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others.

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Irrfan Khan passes away; Amitabh Bachchan, Shoojit Sircar, Raveena Tandon express their sorrow

Irrfan Khan, who was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine tumour for the last two months, passed away at the age of 53 on April 29, 2020. The talented actor was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital for a colon infection, and on Wednesday he breathed his last. Bollywood celebrities shared condolences on social media, mourning the untimely death of the actor.

Producer Dinesh Vijan also wrote, "We are thankful for experiencing Irrfan’s resilience and spirit. We're thankful for being allowed to witness his love and passion for everything around him. So yes, all I can say is thank you to him for letting us be a part of his journey. There is no one like Irrfan and I’m going to miss him very much. Rest in peace my friend. I know that he could spread his wings and soar only because he had his wife Sutupa as his rock. My heartfelt condolences to her and his sons. We are always there for them and I know that they know this."

Here's a series of tweets by the celebrities.

Deepshikha Deshmukh who produced Irrfan Khan's Madaari shared," The industry has lost not just one of its finest actors but an incredible human being. Irrfan Sir was truly an intellectual and his love for cinema and storytelling was infectious. His sense of humour was unique and it was magical to watch him in front of the cameras. Rest in peace Irrfan Sir. We will miss you terribly."

Soha Ali Khan also shared an emotional post. Take a look.

It's not just Bollywood, but Irrfan Khan also took over the West with his talent and impeccable acting. In his almost three-decade career, the actor established himself as one of the most dependable performers in the Indian film industry as well as in Hollywood.

He made his big-screen debut with the Academy Award-nominated 1988 film Salaam Bombay and went on to give stellar performances in films such as Haasil, Maqbool, Paan Singh Tomar, The Lunchbox, Piku and Hindi Medium. His international projects include Slumdog Millionaire, The Namesake, The Amazing Spider-Man, Jurassic World and Life of Pi.

You'll be truly missed, Irrfan!

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Akshay Kumar mourns the loss of Irrfan Khan, says he was one of the finest actors

April 29 is going to be one of the saddest days for all the Irrfan Khan fans and even Hindi Cinema. His untimely and unfortunate demise has shaken and shocked one and all, especially the people from the fraternity who worked with him and knew him as a human and not just an actor. One of them is Akshay Kumar, who did two films with him, Aan - Men At Work and Thank You.

He took to his Twitter account and expressed sorrow on this devastating news. He wrote- "Such terrible news...saddened to hear about the demise of #IrrfanKhan, one of the finest actors of our time. May God give strength to his family in this difficult time.[sic]"

Have a look right here:

For all those who don't know about this, Kumar once shared in an interview he gave along with Irrfan Khan to Rajeev Masand, how he was Vishal Bhardwaj's first choice for his role in Maqbool, which is regarded as a classic and a nearly perfect film. Both men had a laugh about it. In the same interview, Kumar recalled the day when he was all set to work with the actor for the first time. It was on the sets of Aan, and there was a confrontation scene between them. Kumar had to come in full fury and lash out at Khan, who was playing the antagonist.

Khan, on the other hand, barely reacted to his monologue, as his character, although a villain, was driven by calmness. Kumar said, "I wanted to know what kind of acting is this, here I am saying all my lines with force and here he comes, says his lines and goes away." Seven years later, they united for Anees Bazmee's Thank You, an out-and-out comedy, and a film that showed how versatile this actor is.

May his soul Rest In Peace!

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'Left us too soon, creating huge vaccum': Amitabh Bachchan condoles Irrfan Khan's death

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday condoled the demise of ace actor Irrfan Khan with a heavy heart. The star called the passing of Khan the 'most disturbing and sad news' and said that he 'left us too soon, creating a huge vacuum.

The 77-year-old actor took to Twitter and conveyed his deepest condolences. He tweeted, "just getting news of the passing of Irfaan Khan .. this is a most disturbing and sad news... An incredible talent .. a gracious colleague .. a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema .. left us too soon .. creating a huge vacuum .. Prayers and duas."

Irrfan passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Khan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health. He was regarded as a fine actor by fans and critics alike with critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




entertainment

Fans in shock over Irrfan Khan's demise; share condolence messages on Twitter

It's not every day that you find an actor and a human being as fine and brilliant as Irrfan Khan. The Angrezi Medium actor, who had been battling neuroendocrine tumour for the past two years, breathed his last on April 29, 2020. His death has left countless fans reeling and taking to social media to express their sorrow.

One Twitter user shared:

Another fan tweeted, "He had no filmy background. He had no bollywood godfather. He didn't get overnight success. It was never an easy journey for him. You will be missed #IrrfanKhan."

A fan wrote as how Irrfan Khan will always be remembered for his performances. He wrote, "Irfan Khan - an actor beyond compare! May he always be remembered for his beautiful performances and live in our hearts forever!"

Another fan shared a moment from Irrfan's movie, Life Of Pi, that had a poignant quote.

Several other Twitter users remembered Irrfan Khan for the stellar actor he was. Here are some tweets in remembrance of the actor:

"He was the absolute highlight of Jurassic World for me... love you sir #IrrfanKhan"

"Gone too soon, bt love for you will nvr fade away from our hearts. One of the finest actor, India had even produced. Inspirational for everyone around the world. You made people believe Talent >>> Looks."

"The legend #IrrfanKhan was suffering and now he is resting peacefully. You'll be missed."

Irrfan Khan, whose last film was Angrezi Medium, was seen in memorable films like Salaam Bombay!, Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others.

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Irrfan Khan: An actor who charmed us all with his performances and persona

Irrfan Khan found success even in the harshest of times. The greatest stories are born out of sheer and scarring rejections and that's what Khan had to go through during his early years in the Hindi film industry. I'm reminded of an interview when he spoke about crying profusely on Raghubir Yadav's shoulders after Nana Patekar was given the role he was playing in Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay. But he knew he wanted a life and career in front of the camera.

Another great thing about success is that it never discriminates. Khan's was an unconventional aura yet very charming. He hailed from Jaipur, stayed at Tonk Road and had dreams of making it in Bollywood. The nation saw him for the first time in the immensely successful serial, Chanakya, and his eyes were so gripping and powerful, the viewers couldn't help but be hooked by his persona. He was here to stay.

His early years in Hindi films may have been unsensational but never once anyone doubted his tenacity as an artist. Even in smaller roles like Kasoor and Footpath, you could see the sincerity and earnestness with which he approached these characters. There was something special about his emotions and gravitas that with the same amount of expressions, he could be both chilling and comical. On one hand, we had a film like Gunaah, where he played an inebriated and innocuous police officer, and on the other hand was a film like Hindi Medium, where he made the audiences laugh and even cry.

He won the National Award for Paan Singh Tomar, a film that was driven by rust and robustness, and so was his performance as the eponymous character. It was only after this that he began to get roles that were not only exciting but also very exhilarating, for him and us, both. In The Lunchbox, he played Saajan, an ageing and ordinary man who falls in love with a woman he has never met, thanks to her delicious food that accidentally lands at his office desk. It was a restrained, real, and rousing performance that will always stay as delicious and fresh as the food he consumed.

Another crackling performance was in Shoojit Sircar's Piku, where he was pretty much stuck between a clumsy father and his cantankerous daughter. His deadpan demeanour always works in favour of the films he's a part of, and Piku was one of them. Call it the magic of the narrative or his own Midas touch that even if a single muscle doesn't move on his face, we know exactly how and what he's feeling. And that's precisely what he aspired for, to be a great artist. He never craved fame.

He once said, "Wanting fame is a disease and one day, I want to be free from this disease." Today, by God's will, he has been set free from all his pain and suffering as he departs, leaving behind tons of memories and superlative films and performances. Rest in peace, Irrfan Khan, until we meet again!

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Priyanka Chopra: You inspired so many of us; Irrfan Khan, you will be truly missed

As Irrfan Khan leaves us with memories and also a lot of pain, Bollywood celebrities are taking to their Twitter accounts to express their thoughts on this irreparable loss. Priyanka Chopra, who worked with the actor in 7 Khoon Maaf and Gunday, has also tweeted about him.

She wrote - "The charisma you brought to everything you did was pure magic. Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues... You inspired so many of us. #IrrfanKhan you will truly be missed. Condolences to the family." (sic)

Have a look right here:

Both 7 Khoon Maaf and Gunday were poles apart in their storytelling and performances, and displayed Irrfan Khan's talent and tenacity. If 7 Khoon Maaf was a thriller about a woman and her seven husbands, where Khan played the trickiest part, Gunday was an action potboiler that was bathed in the kind of masala people enjoyed watching in the 70s, with Irrfan playing one of his most delicious and heroic roles.

The actor will truly be missed by one and all!

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Kareena Kapoor Khan shares a picture with Irrfan Khan, says working with him was an absolute honour

Angrezi Medium was Irrfan Khan's return to the big screen after a gap of almost two years. And his fans were elated to see their favourite actor do what he loves- Acting! Everyone thought the actor would now be back and scintillate us with his performances. However, fate had other plans. Irrfan Khan passed away on Wednesday (April 29). Kareena Kapoor Khan, who worked with him for the first time in this comedy, has now taken to her Instagram account to express her sorrow.

She shared a throwback picture from the sets of the film that also had Dimple Kapadia and Deepak Dobriyal and she wrote- "It was an absolute honour sir. Rest in peace." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

It was an absolute honour sir 🙏🏻 Rest in peace ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 29, 2020 at 1:27am PDT

Just like Hindi Medium, Angrezi Medium was also a film about hope and what it takes to fulfill your dreams. It's a film every parent and child should watch, and because this was the last time we saw a legend on the big screen and in a film!

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Irrfan Khan was 'one of the strongest people I knew': Angrezi Medium co-star Radhika Madan

Radhika Madan, who played the role of Irrfan Khan's daughter in his last release Angrezi Medium, remembers the actor as a "fighter". "I don't know what to say. My heart aches when I write this. He was one the strongest people I knew, a fighter. And so are (Irrfan's wife) Sutapa ma'am, (his sons) Babil and Ayan," Radhika said.

"I am just grateful that our paths crossed in this lifetime. He is and will always be an inspiration to many. A legend. The man who changed the wave of the Indian film industry. May his soul rest in peace," she added in her statement.

Radhika was the last actress in Bollywood to share extensive screen space with the late talented actor in Homi Adajania's comedy, Angrezi Medium. The film centred on a father-daughter story, narrating the desperate bid of a smalltown father to fulfil his daughter's dream of education in a top UK university against all odds, often leading to hilarious outcome.

Irrfan had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the intensive care unit (ICU), as reported by IANS in an earlier report on Tuesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour a while back, and has been under medical attention for the same.

In his last days, Irrfan was mourning the loss of his mother. The actor's mother Saeeda Begum breathed her last on Saturday in Jaipur where she used to stay. However, owing to the ongoing lockdown, the actor could not physically attend his mother's last rites and reportedly paid his last respect through video conferencing.

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Irrfan Khan laid to rest in Versova kabristan, family and friends pay their final respects

Versatile Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 53 on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:11 am due to colon infection. The actor was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer and was admitted at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Tuesday due to a colon infection. The actor was buried at the Versova kabristan in Mumbai at 3 pm on Wednesday in the presence of his family, close relatives and friends.


Irrfan Khan's mortal remains being taken to Versova Kabristan. Image credit: Yogen Shah

Irrfan's family including wife Sutapa Sikdar, son Babil Khan and relatives and his industry friends had rushed to the hospital to pay their final respects to the actor. 


Irrfan Khan's son Babil Khan and relatives. Pictures courtesy: Shadab Khan

On Tuesday, the Piku actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the Intensive Care Unit. In 2018, Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was undergoing treatment for the same.

Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns director Tigmanshu Dhulia was spotted at the hospital as well.


Tigmanshu Dhulia at the hospital

Shoojit Sircar, with whom Irrfan had worked in the blockbuster hit Piku, also visited the hospital. Mourning his loss, the director had earlier tweeted, "My dear friend Irfaan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you.. we shall meet again.. condolences to Sutapa and Babil.. you too fought, Sutapa you gave everything possible in this fight. Peace and Om shanti. Irfaan Khan salute (sic).


Shoojit Sircar at the hospital

An official statement regarding Irrfan's demise read, "'I trust, I have surrendered', these were the words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It's saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away..."

The statement further read, "Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heavenly abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, 'As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it (sic).'"

Irrfan Khan, who made his debut with a small role in Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay in 1988 was known for his performances in Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others. His last film Angrezi Medium released in March this year. 

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Shah Rukh Khan on Irrfan Khan: My friend, inspiration and the greatest actor of our times

Life can be very unpredictable and the most traumatic and tearing example that comes to mind is that of Irrfan Khan, an actor who has departed too soon. Suffering from Neuroendocrine tumour for the last two years, the actor was a fighter. He was admitted to the Kokilaben hospital for colon infection and breathed his last today morning. He was 53!

Irrfan Khan's demise has left a void in the Hindi film industry that's unlikely to be filled in the coming years. There was nobody like him, what we call the inimitable artist. Almost everyone from the fraternity has mourned his loss. But the way Shah Rukh Khan has expressed his thoughts, one could easily tear up.

He shared a picture with the actor and wrote - "My friend...inspiration & the greatest actor of our times. Allah bless your soul Irrfan bhai...will miss you as much as cherish the fact that you were part of our lives..."

Have a look right here:

Shah Rukh Khan and Irrfan Khan worked together in Priyadarshan's 2009 comedy Billu, which was the former's home production. It's sad we could not see more of the two on the celluloid but they did meet often and bonded really well. With the great actor's demise, life's unpredictable nature has been confirmed yet again!

Bollywood celebrities, who worked with him or even those who were fans of his craft, paid homage and condolences to his legacy and the overall person that he was. One of the first ones to do that was his Piku co-actor Amitabh Bachchan. His presence will always be felt around us and the entire Hindi film industry!

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Salman Khan on Irrfan Khan's untimely demise: My heart goes out to his family

Back in 2018, Irrfan Khan was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine tumour and had to leave for his treatment. This piece of news truly shocked all his fans. He was traveling back and forth owning to his professional commitments and also did some films in these two years like Black Mail, Karwaan, and Angrezi Medium.

When the news of him being admitted to the Kokilaben hospital broke, fans became a lot more worried and prayed for his speedy recovery. He was admitted due to colon infection. And today, he breathed his last and passed away, leaving behind only and only memories.

Irrfan Khan's acting prowess was known to all, his fans, friends, family, and the film industry. Everyone has expressed their pain at the loss of such a towering personality, and now Salman Khan has also taken to his social media account to do the same.

Sharing a candid moment from the red carpet of an award ceremony, his words could surely leave you teary-eyed. He wrote, "Big loss to the film industry, his fans, all of us n specially his family. My heart goes out to his family. May God give them strength. Rest in peace brother u shall always be missed n be in all our hearts.." (sic)

Have a look right here:

Salman Khan and Irrfan Khan never worked together, but it was impossible for anyone not to be aware of his craft and charming aura. 2020 is surely not turning out to be the year we all expected or wanted.

Nearly the entire Bollywood brigade took to their social media accounts and paid their condolences. One of the first few people to come out was Amitabh Bachchan, who shared screen space with him in the 2015 comedy, Piku. May his soul Rest In Peace!

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entertainment

Deepika Padukone is heartbroken about Irrfan Khan's demise, shares a black photo

It's going to take a while before we can swallow the fact that Irrfan Khan is no more with us. He fought till his last breath and refused to give up. To be able to smile and spread happiness despite your own struggles is the very notion of any artist in the world, and Khan was one such gem that will always continue to shine.

He was admitted to the Kokilaben hospital last night due to colon infection and passed away today morning. Nearly all the Bollywood celebrities paid homage to the actor on their social media accounts by sharing messages and pictures. Shah Rukh Khan called him his friend, inspiration, and the greatest actor of their times.

However, Deepika Padukone, who shared screen space with him in Shoojit Sircar's Piku, shared a black picture that reflected the void that his unfortunate demise has left in Bollywood. She also shared a broken heart in the form of her caption.

Have a look right here:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

💔 #irrfankhan

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onApr 29, 2020 at 3:51am PDT

Irrfan Khan and Deepika Padukone were supposed to collaborate once again for a film that was to be directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, but due to the actor's illness, it was pushed indefinitely. May Irrfan's soul Rest In Peace!

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entertainment

Here's why Sanya Malhotra earned praise for her role in Dangal

Everyone's firsts are always special and stay with them forever. For this actress as well, her debut film was a real life character which affected the lives of many and served as an inspiration, breaking a lot of stereotypes about women. Her character demanded alot from her and the actress had to choose either to give in her all or lose it all.

The actress chose to give in her all, playing a real life character is exciting until the tough part comes across. Being an outsider and a well known dancer of reality shows her character was of a wrestler. Hair being one of the finest jewel a woman has, the actress even chopped it off to breathe more life to her character. The film emerged as a glorious success and the actress was now popularly known as 'The Dangal Girl'.

We are talking about Sanya Malhotra. Being an outsider, the actress played a real life character and Dangal has become as one of the classics and the film always invokes a sense of motivation due to its storyline and dedication towards winning and always working hard and moving ahead in order to achieve your desired goals. A strong step in Bollywood and the actress didn't have a halt ever since.

Sanya being a lover of always doing something different, has always chosen quality scripts and characters that would connect to the audiences. Being an outsider the actress has built her fanbase from scratch. Some of the actresses’ films include Badhaai Ho, where the actress won hearts and looked extremely natural on-screen. Joining hand with more opportunities, the actress is having three major films in her plate.

Sanya will be seen playing tge role of Anupama Banerjee, and also the actress is going to show herself in varied age groups alongside Vidya Balan.

The next one being Pagglait followed by Ludo. The actress has blended well in the industry and made a place for herself. Sanya works on quality scripts and ensures to give a fine delivery of work that her viewers enjoy and always hunts for a new character which challenges her to become better.

The actress has built a strong connect with her audiences by always keeping them involved in her life through various BTS. Apart from being a great actress, Sanya is also a phenomenal dancer and often shares many of her moves on her social media. Sanya is truly a star one can root for.

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entertainment

As Siddhant Chaturvedi turns a year older today, let's take a look at the actors' journey so far

Siddhant Chaturvedi has made a dent in the industry with his power packed debut performance in the 2019 hit Gully Boy. The actor graced the screens as Mc Sher and the rest was history. Siddhant not only received a lot of love and appreciation from the viewers but the actor raked up a lot of critical acclaim for his effortless performance in the movie. The actor is a reflection of his character Mc Sher in real life as well and is often seen sharing his personal rap verses and poetry with his followers on social media.

Needless to say, Siddhant has left quite a mark with his debut performance in the Excel Entertainment production where he managed to hold his own as a newcomer alongside seasoned actors like Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt.

Siddhant bagged numerous awards all through 2019 for his debut performance with some of the most recent ones being the Filmfare and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for best debut performance. Mc Sher has etched a special place in the hearts of his fans with his stellar performance. Siddhant is a hit and has a huge female fan following that crushes over him, ideally granting him the nickname of the National Crush.

Carrying the higher than ever momentum into 2020, Siddhant has a host of movies lined up for himself, all with big banner productions like Yashraj and Dharma starting with Yashraj’s Bunty Aur Babli 2 with Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee. Following which, Siddhant will be seen sharing the screen with Deepika Padukone and Ananya Panday in Shakun Batra’s untitled next film.

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entertainment

Irrfan Khan: India's greatest acting export no more

While Mira Nair's The Namesake (2006) introduced Irrfan to the art-house West as Ashoke Ganguli, there was a 2012 profile of his in The New York Times (by Kathryn Shattuck) that, he reckoned, alerted many in the Hollywood establishment to the person behind the roles he'd done thus far.

This is a couple of years after the last season of HBO series In Treatment that I recall Irrfan calling up from the US to say he was particularly proud of. And a few months before the release of Andrew Webb's franchise reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, where he played the antagonist, Rajit Ratha.

Titled 'Bollywood Hero, American Everyman', the NYT piece went on to ask, "Could Mr Khan become the first Indian to capture the lead in a mainstream American movie?" It began with Irrfan himself declaiming, "Hollywood isn't ready for an Indian leading man." And Ang Lee later agreeing, while arguing, "But maybe he can do it for us [Asians]. He's definitely rare and very special." Irrfan was dubbing for Lee's Life Of Pi at the time.

The fact is, up until Irrfan had spent over a decade and half in Bombay, after graduating from National School of Drama (NSD), doing grunt-work on television, with shows after shows—some of them hugely popular, like Chandrakanta, Star Bestsellers, Banegi Apni Baat (that he also directed episodes of)—starting from late '80s, all through the '90s, let alone Hollywood, even Indian cinema wasn't ready for him as an Indian leading man!

That real deal happened only with the British filmmaker Asif Kapadia casting Irrfan in and as The Warrior (2001), in a slow, quiet, Himalayan Western, if you may, with his haunting eyes adding to the striking visuals. Thereon, young Kapadia scripted an Oscar-winning career as one of the world's top documentary whizzes (Senna, Amy, Diego Maradona).

Irrfan finally captured desi imagination with his inimitably insouciant, proper desi-cool turn as the rustic college goon in Tigmanshu Dhulia's Haasil (2003). A lot of local filmmakers, he said, could place him as the new villain in town. He refused a few such roles, only to mesmerise audiences even more as the obsessed lover in Vishal Bhardwaj's magical Maqbool (2004)—unreservedly a masterpiece that Bhardwaj found hard to match, leave aside with Irrfan (though Haider and 7 Khoon Maaf with the actor were decent attempts).

Thus, a star was proverbially born. Although he'd been around in Bombay all along. This is no time for rona-dhona on ways the film industry functions, while it was always a pleasure to chat about all of this, on occasion, with Irrfan. He never held back on what he felt or thought, about people and pictures.

Will never forget this one time he told me on a TV interview how embarrassed he felt watching the "aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai" (desi-wedding type) shindig around Slumdog Millionaire (2009) at the Academy Awards stage, with Anil Kapoor over-excitedly jumping about, while he hadn't even heard of Danny Boyle before signing up for the film! Or in another interview where he complained about why Shah Rukh Khan had to play out two schizophrenically different films (one with himself all over it) in Billu (2009), with no one ending up liking either, as a result.

That's how Irrfan was, even in public — charmingly candid, but meaning no malice whatsoever, of course. Despite much that he'd been through. To be fair, just casually scan the timeline for when he moved to Bombay. This was the fallow phase when 'parallel cinema' that had inspired him to become a film actor in the first place, had altogether been phased out. Many of the filmmakers had moved to television.

Irrfan got to do the historical docu-drama Bharat Ek Khoj (1988) with Shyam Benegal. He found a chance to work with Govind Nihalani in Drishti (1990) or Basu Chatterjee in Kamla Ki Maut (1989), in the evening of their careers.

The mainstream space almost wholly consisted of action stars, and thereafter, what he called "chocolate boys". Irrfan was neither. The key issue with him as a young aspirant, he said, was to imagine who he could be like. Until Naseeruddin Shah, from the generation before him, he confessed, metaphorically showed him the way — first from Jaipur where he grew up, to NSD, in Delhi.

An abiding memory of Naseer on screen, Irrfan recalled in a TV interview, was from Umrao Jaan (1981), where he flirts with Rekha's character, who is visibly annoyed and asks what he's up to. He casually mentions, "Waqt hai toh kuch toh karein, saath (Since there's time let's do something together)."

The first time I saw Irrfan on the big screen was in an NFDC production, Fareeda Mehta's Kali Salwaar (2002), where he plays writer Saadat Hasan Manto, staring at the heroine in the balcony, from across the street. What are you up to, he asks her. "Jhak maar rahi hoon (Doing nothing)," she says. "Chalo saath mein jhak maarte hain (Let's do nothing together)," he retorts indifferently. Few have seen that film. Don't remember much of it either — impossible to erase that casually killer moment from memory.

For all the years he was altogether bored of bulk-acting on TV in Bombay, whatIrrfan found the hardest to do was keep the inspiration alive — even while he found none of it in his work. He found most of it in watching films, right from the time he bought a video-player with his first salary in the city.

No actor I know from his generation was as well-versed with world cinema as Irrfan. One of his dreams was to be in the same frame as the French hero Gerard Depardieu. Can't thank him enough for introducing me to the Turkish-German star-director Fatih Akin, much before Akin became a thing. Or filmmaker Michael Winterbottom, who Irrfan, of course, worked with in A Mighty Heart (2007). It is said Wes Anderson specifically pencilled in a part for him in The Darjeeling Limited (2007). In conversations, he was always ready with a recco.

Perhaps exposure of this sort could also frustrate an actor, in contrast to the eco-system that surrounds him. Irrfan spoke quite often about having decided to quit acting altogether in his early years, since television was all he was doing, and the sort of movies he wished for weren't going to materialise anyway. This is the phase, he said, he actively worked on his craft, since he had nothing to lose. And much less to hope for. To keep himself busy, he said, he toyed with ways to gently seduce the camera, besides attempting to "live in the moment".


Irrfan in a still from Inferno 

This became perhaps what critics/reviewers might over-use the word "nuance" to explain many of his performances that highlighted most of all, minimal face-acting — least amount of gestures that also kept space for dramatic revelations, when you least expected them. He was the finest film practitioner of 'less is more' — hitting its highest note perhaps with Dhulia's Paan Singh Tomar (2011) that, despite a fair festival run, remained in the can for the longest, before finding theatrical release to top Bollywood awards that year.

More specifically, he could hold a moment. Also there was something infectious about his performances, if you notice, say Deepika Padukone match her smiles and telling eye-contacts with his, in Shoojit Sircar's Piku (2015). Same between Konkona Sensharma and him in Anurag Basu's Life In A Metro (2007). Or, most recently, actor Deepak Dobriyal playing off Irrfan's thoroughly restrained yet feisty/OTT comic timing in Angrezi Medium (2020), his last release.
That's what earned him most respect from peers and public alike.

I was at a breakfast interview with Naseer in Lucknow (he was shooting for Dedh Ishqiya) when Irrfan joined in (he was there filming Bullet Raja). Throughout, Naseer, who's generally frugal with praise and an idol of sorts to Irrfan, called him "Khan Saab" — referring perhaps also to his aristocratic lineage, although he's had a fairly modest upbringing.

There was still something naturally royal about Irrfan's presence, both off but, more so, on the screen. This was a handicap, at least according to one filmmaker critic of his I know. He was incapable of coming across as "low-status", even in roles that demanded so. This is where Nawazuddin Siddiqui held an advantage, apparently. There was minor tattle going on about a rivalry of sorts between fellow NSD alumnus Nawaz, 45, and Irrfan, 53. Much of it had to do with the phenomenal success of Ritesh Batra's The Lunchbox (2013), arguably the greatest Indian success abroad, that both starred in.

The fact is, Nawaz could never do what Irrfan could, and vice versa. As is true for all unique talents. That royal demeanour no doubt would've helped Irrfan bag the role of Mesrani (probably named after Ambani), the Indian-origin richest man, who's the main villain in the gigantic Jurassic Park franchise film, Jurassic World (2015).

His last major outing in Hollywood was with Tom Hanks in Inferno (2016). This is before he headlined the ambitious Japanese mini-series Tokyo Trial (2017; currently available on Netflix). Just look at that line-up abroad, even while he'd confound producers back home picking up a hardcore art-house film like Qissa (2013), although scoring huge in the box-office with the comedy, Hindi Medium (2017).

Irrfan had been ailing since 2018, diagnosed with a rare, neuro-endocrine cancer. He was never seen in public thereafter. He made sure of that—nothing to mess with our memories of him. The common adage '50 is the new 40' (in line with people in other decades) couldn't have been more aptly applied than with Irrfan. He was at the cusp of something bigger, having kick-started his career with definitive, defining roles, only in his mid 30s!

At 20, he told me, he had trained all the actors of Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay (1988), but failed to star as one of the boys in it, because he was too tall to fit into the frame with them. He lived and learnt a lot about life from those street kids.

The Irrfan I knew came across as a deeply sensitive man. The ongoing wave of Islamophobia bothered him no end. He had dropped Khan from his name. Unsure if being racially profiled twice at American airports had anything to do with it. He also had a strong dislike for traditional stardom-led ways of Bollywood— mildly upset by stuff like, how much he was paid by a friend for a role, and how much was offered to his co-star, for the same picture.

But he also had a playful, roving-eye, happy-high side, behind that gambheer/serious exterior. He was surrounded by friends and well-wishers, I noticed, when graciously invited by his wife Sutapa (they met at NSD), to participate in his episode of the biographical show, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (2012). After all these years, the show's anchor, Bollywood star Raveena Tandon asked where I saw Irrfan in the pantheon of the (more popular) superstar Khans. In a league of his own, obviously.

Some of the fun part of Irrfan's personality you find organically channelled into madcap entertainers like Dil Kabaddi (2008) or Karwaan (2018). Or you could just watch him happily descend into YouTube level sketch-comedy with an AIB video gone viral! Better still, you could catch the totally terrible Thank You (2011), that he certainly did for the bread, butter, or more likely, cheese. Outside the preview screening of one of these flicks, he came up to say I must've got "jaded" watching so many movies. Yeah, right!

If it wasn't for Rajesh Khanna, could Irrfan have carried on as an AC repair mechanic? That's what he had visited the superstar's Carter Road bungalow as, much before he had thought of becoming an actor, or formally moved to Bombay. Irrfan had trained to fix appliances. His father was in the business of selling tyres. That visit as an AC-repair guy to Khanna's residence, he recalled in an interview, somehow ignited in Irrfan the belief that he simply couldn't work for the money. He needed something more to keep him engaged.

Before he left for NSD, Irrfan's father had passed away. His mother Saeeda Begum was worried that he was going to become a "naach-ganewallah". Whatever that means, he promised her, "Aapko sharminda nahin hone doonga (I won't let you down)." He didn't. Saeeda Begum, 95, passed away three days before him.

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