2 years ago, on this day, Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja tied the knot, after dating each other for 2 years.  That Sonam was dating a 'London based businessman', surfaced on the internet for the longest time, but the duo remained tight-lipped about their relationship until it was time to make it official. Sonam and Anand had a traditional, Punjabi wedding in Mumbai, and of course, a star-studded one.

She took to Instagram to write the sweetest anniversary wish for the husband, and also shared with us the first photo they clicked together, 4 years back. Her caption tells us how she was impressed with Anand from their very first meet and found him 'unbelievably cool and sexy'. "Your compassion, kindness, generosity and smarts are incredibly attractive but so is your moodiness and your annoying perfectionism. Thank you for being my partner and standing besides me for these 4 years. They have been my most fulfilling. Happy happy anniversary husband. I’m soo thrilled I get to keep you for the rest of my life," Sonam wrote.

 

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Our first picture together.. 4 years ago today I met a vegan who could do complicated yoga positions and speak about retail and business with the same ease. I found him unbelievably cool and sexy., he still makes my heart race and grounds me at the same time. Nothing compares to you @anandahuja , your compassion, kindness, generosity and smarts are incredibly attractive but so is your moodiness and your annoying perfectionism. Thank you for being my partner and standing besides me for these 4 years. They have been my most fulfilling. Happy happy anniversary husband. I’m soo thrilled I get to keep you for the rest of my life. I love you the most and I know you love me the best and the most. That I promise you is the greatest gift I’ve ever received. ❤️ #everydayphenomenal

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) on May 7, 2020 at 7:58pm PDT

Sister Rhea Kapoor also wished the couple on their anniversary, on Instagram. She shared a video consisting of some of their adorable moments, and wrote, "Happy anniversary family, I hope every tomorrow is the best day of your lives".

 

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Happy anniversary family, I hope every tomorrow is the best day of your lives. @sonamkapoor @anandahuja love you!

A post shared by Rhea Kapoor (@rheakapoor) on May 7, 2020 at 8:41pm PDT

Sonam and Anand are presently at the latter's Delhi house since they returned from London and quarantined themselves. Quite sue they're celebrating the day in their own way in the company of each other!

Kartik Aaryan’s last performance was with Sara Ali Khan in Love Aaj Kal and it was his best performance so far. He got to explore a lot of new aspects of himself as an actor when he played the characters of Veer and Raghu in the Imtiaz Ali’s directorial. The actor took to his Instagram to write a heartfelt note of gratitude to the director and thanked him for all his support so far.

He posted the picture with the caption, “When you first dream of being in films, you act in front of the mirror and nail it every time, and the world of movies seems magical. 
Then you get a movie. You see the camera and are unnerved. It’s bigger than the suitcase you brought to Mumbai. The bright lights seem to be scolding you for not landing on a one inch tape mark and wasting everyones time. The first few years become about trying not to look nervous. 
Then you get an Imtiaz Ali movie. The moment he narrates the story, you are pulled into a dream. I don’t even remember seeing the camera on his set, he‘d always be standing wherever I looked after cut. He was never at the monitor, he was by my side. The lights on Imtiaz Ali’s set help you find those tape marks.

I have never experienced the kind of love and appreciation I have got for my performance in Love Aaj Kal, and that too from some of my favourite filmmakers and people I most respect in the industry. How ironic that the making of this film felt most effortless! It would scare me to think of doing two characters in one movie. And here, I didn’t even realise how smoothly I was being transitioned between #Veer and #Raghu . For an actor, there is no better environment than being In front of that mirror. Imtiaz Ali takes you there. This is the reason why so many great actors’ greatest performances have been in Imtiaz Ali films. Imtiaz Ali director nahi hain, jadugar hain! Thank you sir for giving me the best performance of my career yet. ❤️ @imtiazaliofficial #LoveAajKal”

 

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A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) on May 7, 2020 at 10:48pm PDT

Kartik Aaryan will next be seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Dostana 2.

Also Read: Kartik Aaryan describes his quarantine routine as his sister takes a sweet revenge and slaps him during a video

Jacqueline Fernandez’s latest cover for a leading magazine was flawless as ever but these inside images tell us, how we must reconnect with nature. What better inspiration than the actress, herself!

In the first one, we see Jacqueline playing a guitar and playing with a little goat. Jacqueline is seen wearing a beautiful dark ocean blue blazer with a bralette and a skirt. The magazine on their social media says, "Amidst news of the lockdown extension, we asked Jacqueline Fernandez to create images that would celebrate just some of the things that are bringing us joy right now—beautiful imagery, nature, and the hope of a better future. The actor is quarantined out on a Panvel farmhouse and is also currently promoting her new Netflix movie Mrs Serial Killer. She styled and did her own hair and makeup for this dreamy digital cover story. Watch this space to see more images created exclusively for Bazaar."

The second one is the one where we're searching for sunnier times. Jacqueline looks stunning in the beige skirt and a white single shouldered top with soft summery glowy dewy makeup. The magazine shares on their social media and says, "Dreaming of sunnier times and the great outdoors with cover star Jacqueline Fernandez".

 

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A post shared by Harper's Bazaar, India (@bazaarindia) on May 4, 2020 at 6:59am PDT

 

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A post shared by Harper's Bazaar, India (@bazaarindia) on May 4, 2020 at 7:08am PDT

 

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A post shared by Harper's Bazaar, India (@bazaarindia) on May 4, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

The last look of Jacqueline with wavy hair and the blazer with sunshine on her hair enhancing the looks. The last one is a perfect picture for how we are all feeling during the quarantine, the magazine writes, "Our April/May 2020 digital issue cover star Jacqueline Fernandez shared a glimpse of what life looks like for her right now in quarantine. The actor is grateful to be quarantined out on a Panvel farmhouse where she is, “reconnecting with nature”. She says she is, "doing everything that I can to help those in need from here and praying for strength and health to each one in this world during these tough times."

It’s amazing to see how we can totally relate to these images and mood as we are feeling it totally. Everyone is searching for hope, sunnier and happier times. Everyone is reconnecting with nature in their own way. Jacqueline is also one of those actress who wins hearts not just on magazine covers but also on-screen each time. Her recently released Mrs. Serial Killer has won hearts and the perfect portrayal of a dark character has just proved her versatility as an actress one more time.

Also Read: VIDEO: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Iulia Vantur send out bags of ration to the needy

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has worked with Rishi Kapoor in Agneepath and has experienced his charm first hand. She even visited him in New York when he was there for his treatment with his wife, Neetu Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor’s demise has been a great loss to the industry and Priyanka Chopra Jonas has written a beautiful piece remembering him and his great work for Time magazine.

In the piece, she said, “From his first leading role in 1973’s Bobby, he was the keeper of our hearts, ushering in a new era of romance in Hindi movies. His charisma was in his extraordinary smile, one that made his fans go weak in the knees. And when he danced, he made us all want to jump up and join him.”

“I had the privilege of working with him in Agneepath, in which he played a fierce, no-holds-barred character, someone to hate rather than love”.

Concluding her piece of work, she wrote, “To your beautiful family, Neetu Ma’am, Riddhima and Ranbir: the world grieves with you... I’m so grateful for having had the opportunity of knowing you personally as well—your candour, your laughter, your zest for life. That’s how I’ll always remember you.”

Also Read: After Rishi Kapoor’s demise, Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor have got Neetu Kapoor’s back

Khalnayak is one of the most respected films made by Subhash Ghai, despite the controversies that revolved around it. From Sanjay Dutt’s arrest post shooting for the final scene to Madhuri Dixit’s famous song, ‘Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai’, there were a number of controversies that came to light. However, after the film released, it became a blockbuster and was even recognized internationally. Subhash Ghai, in an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, spoke about how he ideated the sequel of this film after Sanjay Dutt wrote to him from jail.

He said, “We’re working on Khalnayak 2 from the past 2-3 years now. Sanjay Dutt has always been a dear friend of mine and even when he was in jail, he used to write to me. So, in those letters, he would always write to me saying that whenever he entertains here, they hand him the mic and ask him to sing as well. The most famous song there was ‘Nayak Nahi Khalnayak Hu Main’, and Khalnayak was a very popular film there and they loved him for the character Ballu Balram, so why don’t we make a sequel for it?”

He further continued and said, “So, he wrote it to me in a letter and that’s when I thought that it’s possible to make a sequel. It would revolve around Ballu Balram returning from jail after completing his sentence and then he would come across Madhuri Dixit and Jackie Shroff’s characters that have gotten married and have kids. Then I narrated it to Sanjay and he said that we will definitely make this film, that’s when we started working on the script and it has been close to two years now and the script is ready. God willing, we will soon take the film on floors. The story will revolve around Ballu Balram’s older and younger version. Sanjay will portray the older version and the younger one will be portrayed by a new-age star.

Also Read: Sadak 2: Sanjay Dutt says Mahesh Bhatt still seeks perfection in every shot

Sara Ali Khan is a fitness enthusiast and manages to stick to her workout routine even during the lockdown. However, at home, her workout is limited so she shared an old video of herself sweating it out in the gym. Her workout partner at home being her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan, they are sometimes accompanied by their furry friend, Fluffy Singh. She recently posted a throwback video on her Instagram where she’s seen doing pull ups like a pro!

Sara captioned the video as, “Don’t pray for lighter burdens ???? Work for a #stronger back ????️‍♂️???? Wake up #determined , sleep #satisfied ????????✌???????????? Don’t allow yourself to crack ???????? And if you stop or fail or fall ????✋ Just get right back on track ✅???????? #flashbackfriday”.

Take a look at it.

 

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A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) on May 8, 2020 at 1:15am PDT

Also Read: Sara Ali Khan misses working, sticks to her current multiple roles

No matter how many years pass by, Madhuri Dixit will always be remembered as Bollywood's Dhak Dhak girl. Not everyone is as blessed with their moves as she is, and she remains a true dance icon for today's actors. And now we know, she had a thing for dance right from her childhood.

The actor took to Instagram to share a throwback photo from her school days, wherein she is seen performing on the stage with her sister. "This is one of my favourite memories that I have with my sister. We used to always take part in school competitions. Here's sharing a #MajorThrowback childhood memory with my favourite dance buddy. Let me know what is your favourite childhood memory! P.s. Can you tell us apart?," she wrote.

 

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This is one of my favourite memories that I have with my sister. We used to always take part in school competitions. Here's sharing a #MajorThrowback childhood memory with my favourite dance buddy❤️ Let me know what is your favourite childhood memory! P.s. Can you tell us apart?

A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on May 7, 2020 at 10:27pm PDT

The two them look almost identical in the photo, and it is indeed difficult to differentiate. Madhuri has two sisters namely Rupa Dixit and Bharati Dixit, but she did not mention who among them is a part of this photograph.

Workwise, the actor was last seen in Karan Johar's 2019 production Kalank.

However successful a fashionista or a film-maker Karan Johar is, his children are his most difficult critics. From his choice of glasses to his choice of films, everything gets dismissed by twins Yash and Roohi, who also keep trolling their father quite mercilessly.

In a video shared by Karan on Instagram, he tries to turn an in-house entertainer for the kids and attempts to sing a song. Roohi is seen trying to switch on the music player while Karan tells her he will sing instead. However, the moment he starts singing, both the children plead him to stop and tell him he is giving them a headache. LOL! He does make a second attempt too, but has to give up after another round of discouragement comes in. Watch the hilarious video below.

 

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No appreciation for my singing #lockdownwiththejohars

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) on May 7, 2020 at 11:49pm PDT

Arjun Kapoor came up with a fresh reason why the kids might have got a headache, and dropped the funniest comment. "U just wear simple clothes," he wrote. Well!

Karan's children have earlier brutally fat-shamed him, saying that he resembles an elephant. This one was mild in comparison!

Sanjay Dutt is an actor who has appeared in a great many numbers of films spanning across genres, thus time and again proving his adaptability to wear the mask of different characters. The actor has been in the industry for a very long time and has even been part of the transformation and evolution of the Indian film industry.

Of late, Bollywood has been going through a paradigm shift as the world of content has been brought to digital platforms. OTT platforms have opened up new avenues and make any genre of series or films available, just a click away, which has been benignant for the viewers.

Actor Sanjay Dutt comments on how he feels OTT platform can be beneficial for artists, he says, "OTT platforms are flourishing and have brought about so much variety in terms of content. They also enable artists to experiment with material and characters. If I get a script that excites me, I would love to foray into digital entertainment."

Sanjay Dutt is an actor who is enriched with the experience of the various characters he has played on-screen and it would be thrilling to see him make a debut on OTT platform. The actor shows interest in foraying into the world of digital entertainment so the audience can just keep their fingers crossed and wait to see what happens!

2020 is an immensely packed year for Sanjay Dutt as the actor will be seen in five big banner films namely, KGF: Chapter 2, Shamshera, Bhuj: The Pride of India, Torbaaz and Sadak 2. The actor will certainly ace the characters as he can slip into any character given to him as he is rich with the experience of numerous characters he has played on -screen.

The nation went under lockdown on March 25 owing to a spike in the coronavirus cases. The lockdown has been extended twice and we are currently in the third phase of lockdown with a total of 56000 cases in the country. Several sectors have been severely hit by the lockdown, including the entertainment sector. However, actors and other artists are trying to entertain people during this distressing time.

 Actor Ajay Devgn took to Instagram to share an old picture of him posing with Kajol where the two are looking away from the camera with Ajay holding Kajol's hand and looking at it. He took a hilarious dig at how he has been on lockdown since his marriage with Kajol in 1999. Sharing the picture, Ajay wrote, "feels like it’s been twenty-two years since the lockdown began."

 

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Feels like it’s been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) on May 8, 2020 at 6:19am PDT

Recently, Kajol hosted an AMA session where she spoke about how she doesn't enjoy cooking but loves to eat. When asked whether Ajay Devgn has been cooking for her, she said that he hasn't been inspired yet to go to the kitchen yet.

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty and more feature in Gully Gang Entertainment’s trilingual music video for COVID-19

John Abraham is known for his fitness, his love for bikes and action movies. During the lockdown, the actor has been working out at home regularly. The actor said that the quarantine period is not difficult for him as he has never been the person who goes out.

Talking to a daily, John Abraham said that for him life in quarantine and without is the same. Barring motorcycles and shooting, the actor has never been the person who goes out. He said that he is someone who is not wholly dependent on social media and neither looking at social media to influence his actions. He said that he does not need to validate what he is doing and feels a sense of liberation there.

John Abraham said that creating new content has been on his mind throughout the lockdown. He has been reading a lot and has been in touch with his team constantly in the process of creating good content.

Meanwhile, John Abraham had completed 50 % of the shooting of his upcoming film Attack. He said that he is working with people from South Africa and England and are at the mercy of the international flights and their dates to when they can resume. Mumbai Saga has 3-4 days left, while Satyameva Jayate 2 is to begin.

ALSO READ: John Abraham reveals he will not be comfortable acting in an adult comedy

For all of you who do not know, Sara Ali Khan happened to be a great student throughout her school and college days. An alumna of Columbia University, she originally wanted to go to Oxford University to pursue her higher studies, and had a difficult time coping when she did not crack through!

In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, the actor opened up on being disheartened after the university rejected her candidature. She also recalled how she called mother Amrita Singh and nearly threw a fit. "Mom had gone out with Ibrahim, and suddenly she gets a call from me, howling. And when I mean howling, I don't mean crying in a lady-like fashion. I mean screaming, and crying loudly. She was like, 'what happened? what's going on?' I could not stop crying," she said, adding how her mother got really worried and kept asking her what went wrong. After calming herself down and breathing a little, she informed her mom that she was rejected by Oxford University.

For those uninitiated, Sara's grandfather Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was quite a scholar who studied Arabic and French at Oxford's Balliol College. Sara's aunt Soha Ali Khan went to the same college to study modern history.

Love for Oxford certainly runs in the family!

Ahead of Mother's day, Kajol spoke to a daily about motherhood and the bond she shares with her kids. Kajol got married to actor Ajay Devgn in 1999 and the two went on to become parents to two beautiful kids- Nysa and Yug.

When she conceived Nysa, Kajol had only one thought and that was to ace this test of motherhood. However, she soon realized that it is no cakewalk and it took her six months to realize that she can't do it alone. Kajol said that her children make her want to be a better and fun person.

Kajol also revealed that her children have not watched too many of her films. She said that it is because she hasn't made many and according to the kids, Kajol cries too much and makes them cry too.

While talking about her bond with her mother Tanuja, Kajol said that the relationship they share is the best and that they never discuss work. She said that her mother gave a lot of advice but never listened to it until she landed in a problem.

ALSO READ: From working with Shah Rukh Khan to Ajay Devgn not cooking for her, Kajol makes some interesting revelations during her chat session

Indian football team striker Jeje Lalpekhlua has come to the rescue of people in dire need of blood when it is not readily available in Mizoram due to the extraordinary situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. India is under a lockdown enforced to contain the Coronavirus.

"Due to the lockdown blood units are not readily available nowadays. So the hospital connected with the Young Mizo Association is seeking help. The news reached me and I knew immediately what I needed to do," he stated. "You cannot keep quiet and sit idle during such circumstances." He immediately rushed to the Synod Hospital in Durtlang, Mizoram to donate blood.

"Upon receiving the information, we chalked out our plan. We headed to the hospital from the Durtlang branch of YMA. Out of 33 who had reported, 27 were deemed fit to donate," Jeje informed. "It's not about me or someone else, it's about the human race that needs to fight together now, more than ever." The Young Mizo Association (YMA) is the largest non-governmental voluntary organisation which operates primarily in Mizoram and some parts of the other north-eastern states as well.

"It is so satisfying that I have been able to play a minor role. I thank the Almighty for giving me the strength." This is not the first time that Jeje has been involved in philanthropic activities. He has time and again rose to the cause in Mizoram whenever the situation has demanded. "Someone had to stand by them. If a hospital is falling short of blood units, we need to help. We all need to play our part during the crisis. The most difficult part, I understand is to stay at home. But it's very necessary. The longer we stay at home, the faster will India heal," added Jeje.

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Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard is in lockdown in the UK due to the Coronavirus but that hasn't stopped him from keeping in touch with Playboy model, Laura Bragato (right). Italian Laura told British tabloid, The Daily Star that Jesse has been texting her while in self-isolation. "I spoke to Jesse yesterday, and he is staying home like the rest of us. He is safe. In Italy here we are all in lockdown, it's been one month and I hope everything is going to start again here. When it's over, I can't wait to travel. I want to spend my summer in Spain and London" Laura said on Tuesday.

Jesse Lingard

Laura became famous in 2018, when she claimed that her 'lucky' behind would help Italy beat England in the FIFA World Cup. The match ended 1-1 but her pre-match comments, hoping for Jesse to score, saw her earn lakhs of online fans instantly.

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and captain Jordan Henderson have delivered messages of support to the families of the 96 supporters killed in the Hillsborough disaster 31 years ago. A final memorial service for the victims was due to take place at Anfield on Wednesday, but has been postponed due to coronavirus guidelines on mass gatherings. "Today is the most significant date for our football club each year," Klopp said in a video message. "The plan was for us to be together at Anfield but this is not possible, the only thing we can make sure is we are in each other's thoughts.

"Believe me you have our thoughts, you have our prayers and most of all you have our love. You'll never walk alone." The final memorial service was arranged after the police commander at Hillsborough, David Duckenfield, was found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter in November. "Today was a day when as a club we were all supposed to be together at Anfield to honour the lives of 96 people who went to a football match and never came home," said Henderson, who has led a charitable fund set up by Premier League players to help health service staff during the coronavirus crisis.

"On behalf of all the players at Liverpool I just want to let everyone affected know that you are in our thoughts today. "As ever, we are together in spirit even if we can't be together in person." Kenny Dalglish, who was Liverpool manager on the day of the tragedy, also sent his support. Dalglish was released from hospital last week after testing positive for COVID-19, although he had been admitted for a separate infection.

"This is a day when, first and foremost, we remember those who went to a football match and never came home - they will never be forgotten," said Dalglish. "But we should also think of the families and survivors who showed the rest of us how to deal with an unimaginable tragedy. "By sticking together, supporting one another and standing up for what was right, they set an example which will always resonate, none more so than during the current time when so many families are dealing with tragedies of their own.

"Today, my thoughts will be with everyone who has suffered since April 15, 1989 and everyone who is suffering now. "All we can do is carry on sticking together and finding strength in each other in the same way that the Hillsborough families and survivors have over all these years."

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Football coach Priya PV, who guided Gokulam Kerala FC to the Indian Women's League title, is currently assisting relief operations in the Coronavirus-caused lockdown through a helpline centre which provides medicine and food to the needy. Priya has joined the same helpline centre in Kannur, where India and Jamshedpur FC attacker CK Vineeth has been working. The biggest challenge for them at the centre is to make sure that all requests for medicines are met.

"We have been getting around 150-200 calls every day. Most of these are for medicines. We make sure that whenever we get any requests for medicines, they are duly sent to those in need," said Priya, who had earlier coached India U-19. "No requests for medicines are ever turned down. We try to do the same for grocery and food items as well. But sometimes we have to keep in mind that we have to distribute such items among a lot of people. So we try to divide it for everyone to get some amount," she added. The call centre also attends to requests from students and other professionals from around the area.

Kannur being the headquarters of the helpline centre, Priya and Vineeth also get a number of calls from the nearby districts, where tertiary networks have been set up to help the people. "We are working from the headquarters in Kannur. There are tertiary helpline centres in different districts as well who have their own network of pharmacists, grocers, and delivery executives," said Priya, who won the IWL 2019-20 title as head coach of local club Gokulam Kerala FC.

"My ancestral home is a bit far from the call centre, so I am staying at a place that is close by. Initially, I wanted to go to my ancestral home every weekend, in order to make sure that my parents have all they need during the lockdown," she said.

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Former Arsenal star Serge Gnabry is not just succeeding professionally at his new club Bayern Munich, but also on the personal front. Serge, 24, has been in top form, having scored a brace against Chelsea recently, making it six Champions League goals this season.

Now, off the field, it is learnt that he is dating top Swiss model Sandra Jerze, 23. According to German newspaper Bild, the couple has been dating for three weeks now and spent the Easter weekend together in Munich. Model Sandra has also done a few acting stints besides featuring in German artist Pietro Lombardi’s music video, Phenomenal.

Initially, it was rumoured that Sandra was dating Pietro before latest reports confirmed she’s in a relationship with Serge.

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Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper David James is convinced that the Reds should be crowned English Premier League (EPL) champions if the 2019-20 season is called off due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It will be Liverpool's first title in 30 years, after narrowly missing out to
Manchester City by one point last season.

The Premier League was suspended in March after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for COVID-19.

Liverpool (82 points from 29 games) lead second-placed Manchester City (57 points from 28 games) by 25 points at the top of the points table and are almost certain to clinch the title. Some experts feel that the season should be declared null and void but James, 49, felt that would be unfair on Liverpool. "If they [Premier League] can get games played behind closed doors and finish the remaining fixtures (92 games), the league cannot be cancelled or declared null and void. If, unfortunately, the season does not finish, then Liverpool deserve to be crowned EPL champions as they have earned enough points to claim the crown," James, a football expert panellist on Sony Pictures Sports Network, told mid-day on Tuesday.

Statistical solution

James, who made 53 appearances for England (1997 to 2010), called for the use of algorithms to decide the EPL winner, but said not all clubs may agree here. "The league's organisers should be on the lines of what they do in a cricket match to check the probability of who will be the winner. I believe OPTA (British sports analytics company), who collect statistics in England, have made a statistical prediction of the final EPL table, declaring Liverpool the winner," explained James, who played for the Kerala Blasters (2014) in the franchise-based Indian Super League before graduating to their manager-cum-player in 2018. "Teams which can't secure their Champions League position or fear relegation, would rather see this season declared null and void," he added.

David James

With football across UK suspended indefinitely, the handsomely-paid EPL players have come under pressure to take pay cuts. "The idea of pay cuts is to help the EPL clubs survive. From a business point of view, they need to generate revenue for survival," James explained.

Survival of clubs

"Despite the huge amount of money earned by the clubs from TV rights, right now the money is not being paid due to the lack of televised games. The huge amount wage bill and lack of revenue can break the backs of some clubs. So, pay cuts are vital from the business operations level and to sustain the clubs," said James, who also played for Manchester City from 2004 to 2006. European football too has come to a standstill with the Euro 2020 postponed to next year while the Champions League fixtures are suspended too. European football's governing body UEFA are planning to hold matches in August, but James felt they could do so in the pre-season period next year to avoid a pile-up of fixtures.

"Euro 2020 won't have much effect on the footballing calendar as it is held in summer. But for the Champions League, UEFA should consider a possibility of creating a mini tournament during the domestic pre-season next year to ascertain a winner, rather than hastily conducting the tournament now, leading to a pile-up of matches," said James, who held the EPL record for most clean sheets (169) until Petr Cech (202) surpassed it in 2015.

Fans can visit the official Facebook page of Sony Pictures Sports Network, @SonySportsIndia and watch ‘Sony Ten Pit Stop’ to catch David James from 5.00 PM on April 22, 2020

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England football star Jesse Lingard's model friend Laura Bragato is hoping the Manchester United player likes her latest pictures from a shoot for Playboy magazine.

Italian Laura, who shot topless for the magazine's Croatian edition before the global lockdown, told British newspaper Daily Star: "I haven't shown him [Jesse] the pictures yet but for sure he will appreciate them like all my friends."

Jesse Lingard

Laura met Jesse during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and the pair have since kept in touch via text messaging. "I spoke to Jesse recently, and he is staying home like the rest of us. He is safe," Laura added.

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Former Liverpool mid-fielder Jamie Redknapp fears arch-rivals Manchester United are set to beat his former club for the signing of Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho. The 20-year-old Englishman is currently one of the most sought-after players in European football and Redknapp believes Sancho will end up in Premier League sooner than later with the Red Devils in pole position to snap the hot shot winger. "I think it is a matter of time with Jadon Sancho coming to the Premier League. We are talking about a genuine superstar. A player that can do incredible things with the ball. Played 70 odd games in the Bundesliga, scored 27 goals from a wide area which is very good," Redknapp told Sky Sports.

"We have missed out on the likes of the Neymars in the Premier League but he can come and really light it up. Personally I would call it. He will be a great signing for whoever he goes to. "I would like to see him at Liverpool, but I think he is going to end up at United though," he added. Since making the move to Bundesliga from Manchester City in 2017, Sancho's rise has been nothing but meteoric. In the last two seasons for Dortmund, Sancho has scored 20 goals and assisted 28 times for the German giants.

Speculations continue to surround Sancho regarding his big move to the Premier League with multiple top teams interested. Dortmund, meanwhile, have made it clear that it will take big bucks to prize Sancho away from the Signal Iduna Park.

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Jurgen Klopp believes there is still room for improvement from Liverpool despite their incredible Premier League campaign, which is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Reds were 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City and on the verge of their first top-flight title since 1990 when football was halted last month. But Klopp said Liverpool, who won the Champions League last year and have only lost one Premier League match all season, could get even better.

"We will not change, that's the first thing, but whether we will be successful depends on what other clubs are doing as well because they have all the chance to improve things, do things better," he told Sky Sports. "So I have no clue what the future will hold for us. But we will not change, this team is not the finished article, and we have a lot of space for improvement, and we work on that.

"We have fresh blood internally coming through. We can improve with this team, which is great." Klopp does not believe football should be "forced back" after the COVID-19 shutdown but admitted it could have a positive impact on the mood of the country. There is no end in sight to the football lockdown in England but German football authorities are set to announce plans for Bundesliga matches to restart in empty stadiums on May 9.

"We are all at home, all isolated, we have no cases or stuff like this," said Klopp. "If we come together and train in groups of two or five or six or eight, I'm not sure when that will be possible, we have to wait for the government on that. We cannot force that and will not, because we can't, there's absolutely nothing for that.

"But if football can help in some departments with lifting the mood, giving something to think about and to deal with in a different way, then we have to start training at one point, but I don't know when that will be."

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The Coronavirus-caused lockdown has brought sporting activities to a standstill across the globe with major events being cancelled or postponed. And EPL football manager David Moyes is making the most of the forced break by helping people near his family home on the Lancashire, UK, seaside.

According to a report in British tabloid, The Sun, West Ham's manager David has turned a fruits and vegetables delivery man. "When the virus first broke out, the fruits and vegetables shop in my village were asking for drivers to deliver fruits and vegetables. So I became a driver for the shop. I delivered it to all the people in the neighbourhood. I did it for about four days.

There was a sign in the window saying 'volunteers needed'. My wife was away at the time, I was on my own. I would knock, leave it and just check if they came to get it. I was thinking 'this is great'. I was actually enjoying it," said David.

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João Félix exploded onto the scene at Benfica in 2018 before a huge summer move to LaLiga with Atlético de Madrid. Here are five things you may not know about the Portuguese superstar...

1. His idol while growing up was Kaká
The similarities between the two are clear, both in playing style and appearance… brothers, anyone? But what isn’t so known is that Kaka was actually one of Joao Felix’s biggest idols growing up: the young Felix has spoken of watching YouTube video after YouTube video of the former World Player of the Year. The 20-year-old has also named Portuguese legend Rui Costa among his other inspirations while growing up.

2. Both his parents are teachers
Carlos and Carla, Joao’s parents, are both physical education teachers and he credits them with keeping him centred growing up. He has explained in interviews that his father would give him pep talks before matches and helped him stay focused during his teenage years; at the age of just 13 years he moved away from home to FC Porto’s academy, before later making the move to the capital with Benfica.

3. His first hat-trick in the Europa League was record-breaking
In April 2019, Joao hit the headlines across Europe with a stunning performance for Benfica in a Europa League match against Eintracht Frankfurt. By scoring three times in a 4-2 victory, he became the youngest ever player to score a hat-trick in the Europa League, doing so at the age of just 19 years and 152 days. That broke the previous record set by Marko Pjaca in 2014.

4. Diego Costa has taken him under his wing
From the start of pre-season, Joao and Diego Costa have forged a strong relationship. Costa is known to be a leader in the Atlético de Madrid dressing room and he quickly took the new arrival from Benfica under his wing, spending a lot of time with him and partnering with him in various drills. Both players are native Portuguese speakers, and this has helped the youngster settle in. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that it was Costa who assisted Joao’s first official goal for Atleti, against Eibar back in September.

5. His brother Hugo is also a highly rated prospect
Hugo Felix, João’s 16-year-old brother, is also highly rated and is doing well at Benfica’s academy. João was even able to celebrate goals with his brother last season, as Hugo was a ball boy at the Estádio da Luz on some matchdays. One particular goal that he scored against Vitória Setúbal ended with an emotional embrace between the siblings.

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Manchester City's Brazilian footballer Gabriel Jesus is doing his best to help his country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gabriel has donated three tonnes of food to the poor in Brazil's notorious favelas from where he emerged as a footballer. He recently arranged for 400 food baskets to be delivered to Sao Paulo's Jardim Peri neighbourhood where he grew up.

The player has also got together with famous Brazilian singer Beto for a song that has been uploaded on YouTube to raise funds.

Gabriel, 23, has reportedly helped raised £370,000 (approx Rs 3.7 crore) alongwith fellow footballers to help some 32,000 families with relief material. Back in Brazil, when he played for Palmeiras as a teenager, Gabriel, then 17, earned around £3,500 a year (approx R3 lakh) before he went on to bag a whopping £75,000-a-week (approx Rs 67 lakh) contract with Manchester City in 2016.

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Brit singer Perrie Edwards, 26, is enjoying every moment alongside her footballer boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 26, during this Coronavirus-caused lockdown in the
United Kingdom.

"I feel like I'm really enjoying this [lockdown], I can't lie. I'm having the time of my life. I've never spent so much time with my boyfriend. I've never spent so much time in my house," Perrie, who is part of the British all-girl group Little Mix, told Los Angeles radio station KII-FM.

"It's like I've never had just so much time on my hands to do stuff that I've always wanted to, so it has been nice," added Perrie, who began dating the Liverpool star in 2016.

The couple have been regularly uploading pictures and videos, dancing together on social media, while Perrie has even performed a few songs.

Meanwhile, Alex too has been enjoying all the attention and recently said that Perrie is the "perfect wifey."

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Brazilian footballer Neymar is reportedly ready to take a 50 per cent pay cut on his existing Paris St. Germain deal to force through a move back to former club Barcelona.

After spending four trophy-laden years in Spain, Neymar joined PSG in 2017 for an eye-watering sum of 198 million pounds.

Reports have time and again surfaced that the star forward is unsettled in France and wants a Barca return in order to once again link-up with close friend Lionel Messi.

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Neymar is ready to sacrifice half of his 600,000 pounds per week salary at PSG in order to make a sensational return to Barcelona.

Barcelona was Neymar's first club in Europe and he won two LaLiga titles, three Copa del Reys and the Champions League once with the Catalan giants.

Barcelona stars have also spoken about their admiration for Neymar and aren't against his return despite his unceremonious exit from the club few years ago.

"Everybody knows 'Ney', we all know the affection we have for him in the dressing room," Suarez was quoted as saying by Mundo Deportivo last month.

"His ability is indisputable and he still has so much to show. He will always be welcome in the changing room, we appreciate him a lot."

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Portuguese footballer Bernardo Silva has reportedly found love during the ongoing Coronavirus-caused lockdown.

The Manchester City star, who split from his French model girlfriend Alicia Verrando two years ago, is said to be in a relationship with Portuguese model Ines Tomaz.

According to a report in the Portuguese media, Bernardo has been in lockdown near Lisbon in Portugal with Ines for over a month, but the couple are not keen to rush into things.

"They've not been together for very long and they want to take things slowly," a source told Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha.

It is learnt that Bernardo and Ines have been watching Netflix, playing the piano and even learning to cook together. Bernardo revealed last week that he was in quarantine with a group, including Ines, and had even posted a picture of the bunch on social media.

"Hey guys, it's been over a month that we're all locked down in our homes so I have decided to show you a little bit of what our quarantine looks like. This is the group of friends with whom I'm spending my quarantine," he wrote.

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How will you define ‘normal’ human behaviour? And what is the criteria to be followed by a person that he/she can be considered as ‘normal’? We have seen in films like MY NAME IS KHAN [2010], TAARE ZAMEEN PAR [2007] etc. wherein the protagonists’ behaviour were such that they stood out and were even ostracized. But still they were special and earned respect in society after a long struggle. Now, writer Kanika Dhillon and director Prakash Kovelamudi bring us JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA that tackles these issues but unlike the aforementioned films, this flick goes into an unconventional zone with even a murder occurring in the narrative. So does JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA manage to entertain and thrill the audiences? Or does it fail to make the impact? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1002336 size-full" title="Movie Review: Judgemental Hai Kya" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Movie-Review-Judgemental-Hai-Kya.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Judgemental Hai Kya" width="720" height="450" /> JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA is the story of a woman with mental issues trying to solve a supposed crime. Bobby Batliwala Grewal (Kangana Ranaut) is an orphan who has lost her parents at a young age. She is partly responsible for their demise. Bobby grows up as a disturbed individual and her grandfather (Lalit Behl) takes care of her. She stays separately from him and works as a dubbing artiste for South films. She is on medication for her mental condition but she doesn’t consume her pills. She is in a relationship of sorts with Varun (Hussain Dalal) who is desperate to get physical with her. But she doesn’t give him the opportunity. At this point, Bobby gets a new tenant – Keshav (Rajkummar Rao) and his wife Meena (Amyra Dastur). Both are deeply in love with each other. Bobby spies on them and she starts to imagine herself with Keshav. However, she also gets intrigued since Keshav seems mysterious. In front of Meena, he pretends to be a non-smoker and a vegetarian. But Bobby catches him smoking heavily and also relishing chicken. She starts to trouble them and then it reaches a point where Keshav and Meena decide to move to another place. Before that can happen, a gas explosion occurs in their kitchen and Meena dies. The cops (Satish Kaushik, Brijendra Kala) begin their investigation. Bobby makes it categorically clear to them that Keshav has murdered Meena but doesn’t have concrete proof. The police officers interrogate Kehsav as well but realize it was a case of accidental death. Hence, they decide to close the case. An enraged Bobby assaults Keshav and she’s sent to mental asylum for a brief period of time. Two years later, Bobby seems to be in control. She’s started regular medication and her grandfather sends her to her cousin Megha’s (Amrita Puri) place in London to help in a stage production on Ramayana. All is going fine when Bobby gets a jolt when she spots Keshav. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Kanika Dhillon’s story is unconventional and quite promising and entertaining. Kanika Dhillon’s screenplay is interesting but in some parts, she falters. This is particularly in the second half where the film goes into another zone and doesn’t seem convincing. She however raises some interesting points on the idea of ‘normal’ and even draws parallel with Ramayana. Only if all these things had come together well, the impact would have been manifold. Kanika Dhillon’s dialogues suit the film, especially the ones mouthed by Kangana. Prakash Kovelamudi’s direction is appropriate and he uses his technical knowledge well. The film is very stylishly narrated which goes with its theme and also the title. In a few scenes, he shows his brilliance but goes over the top in the second half’s pre-climax especially. Also, a few scenes might seem difficult to digest, particularly the scene where Bobby confronts Keshav. He was treading line with this film and sadly, he trips at places and this affects the impact. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Judgemental Hai Kya | PUBLIC REVIEW | First Day First Show | Rajkummar Rao | Kangana Ranaut</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/video/judgemental-hai-kya-public-review-first-day-first-show-rajkummar-rao-kangana-ranaut/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA’s intro scene shows the disturbed childhood of Bobby in a brief and concise manner. Once Bobby grows up, it takes a while however to get in the film’s flow. This is because the character is unconventional and unlike anything that we have seen in Hindi films. Hence her mannerisms, actions, way of living life etc. are not exactly ‘normal’. Things get interesting once Keshav and Meena arrive to reside at her place as tenants. Keshav also seems mysterious and the scene where he is fixing the fuse at midnight is quite nicely done. The Lonavala sequence also is funny. But it’s when Meena passes away that things begin to heat up. The intermission point is a shocker. Post-interval, the interest level is maintained with some unexpected developments. But this is also the point where bizarre things start happening in the film. One can argue even the first half had its share of bizarre stuff but in the second half, the makers go completely overboard. The film is still unpredictable but the theme and execution will restrict its audience to only multiplexes of urban areas. Performance wise, Kangana Ranaut nails the part. This was probably her most challenging part yet and she delivers as per expectations. Any other actress in her place would have to put a lot of effort and it might have made her performance mechanical. But Kangana slips into the part with ease and takes it to another level. Rajkummar Rao also gets to shine. He’s too good as the mysterious Keshav. But he’s at his best in these two scenes wherein he begs Bobby to spare him and his wife. Amyra Dastur is cute and plays the supporting part well. Same goes for Amrita Puri. Satish Kaushik and Brijendra Kala are apt for their respective roles. Hussain Dalal is a talent to watch out. He’s very funny and adds a lot to the film. Jimmy Sheirgill (Shridhar) is endearing in the special appearance. Lalit Behl is decent. Kanika Dhillon (Sita), also the writer of the film, is stunning and gets to play a fine part in the film. Songs don’t really make an impact. The title song stands out but comes at a time when the film turns very bizarre. <em>‘Kis Raste Hai Jana’</em> is okay. <em>‘Wakhra Swag’</em> appears during the end credits. Daniel B George’s background score however is way better and is zany just like the film’s theme. Pankaj Kumar’s cinematography is conventional and yet works in a film like this. Sheetal Sharma’s costumes are quite quirky especially the ones worn by Kangana Ranaut and she looks great. In fact, costumes add a lot to her character. Ravi Shrivastav’s production design is praiseworthy, especially for the Ramayana play. After’s VFX is average and the cockroach shots could have been more realistic. Shweta Venkat’s editing (with additional editing by Prashanth Ramachandran and Shieeba Sehgal) is fine. The duration of the film is just 116 minutes and that’s a plus point. On the whole, JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA is a well-made film with powerful performances from both Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao. At the box office, it will cater mainly to the multiplex frequenting audience.

Comedy is an established genre in Bollywood. Since audiences are now ready for <em>hatke</em> stuff, filmmakers are constantly trying to push the boundaries in the existing genres too. This Friday coincidentally sees the release of two such films, although both the movies are as different as chalk and cheese. While JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA has violent undertones, the other film – ARJUN PATIALA – is like a spoof comedy, on the lines of famous Hollywood films like SCARY MOVIE and DEADPOOL. Bollywood has rarely made such films and one recent film in this space was WELCOME TO NEW YORK [2018]. It was a huge failure in all respects and now its lead actor Diljit Dosanjh appears in another spoof film, ARJUN PATIALA. So does ARJUN PATIALA manage to entertain and emerge as a pioneer of this genre in Bollywood? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1002474 size-full" title="Movie Review Arjun Patiala" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Movie-Review-Arjun-Patiala.jpg" alt="Movie Review Arjun Patiala" width="720" height="450" /> ARJUN PATIALA is the story of a cop trying to achieve a crime-free district. A struggling director (Abhishek Banerjee) meets a rich third-generation producer (Pankaj Tripathi). After ensuring that the director has put all the necessary ‘ingredients’ needed for a <em>masala</em> entertainer, the producer allows the narration of the script. The director then starts to tell his story – that of a police officer named Arjun Patiala (Diljit Dosanjh). He becomes a sub-inspector through sports quota and he is posted at Ferozpur Police Station in Punjab. Within a few days, he falls for Ritu Randhawa (Kriti Sanon), an honest reporter working for Tezz News Channel. He is also visited by his senior, DSP Gill (Ronit Roy). Arjun looks up to him since childhood and he is the reason why he decided to be a cop. DSP Gill shares with him his dream of making Ferozpur a crime-free district. Ritu meanwhile helps Arjun in sharing the list of baddies in the area. There’s Baldev Rana (Amit Mehra) who is so brash that he even beats up police officers if they come in his way, Sukool (Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub) who runs a brick kiln, his brother Anda (Sumit Gulati) and finally Dilbaug Singh (Himanshu Kohli) who runs his business from jail and also has haemoglobin problems. Arjun devises a plan – he generates a gang war between them, hoping that they’ll all kill each other and hence DSP Gill’s dream will be achieved. However, there’s also MLA Prapti Makkad (Seema Pahwa) who seems to be the biggest villain of all and also has ulterior motives of her own. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Ritesh Shah and Sandeep Leyzell's story is outdated. The writers had some good ideas but fail to put it together on paper. Ritesh Shah and Sandeep Leyzell's screenplay is shockingly horrible. It’s like an apology of a script. The attempt to make a spoof comedy and taking a dig at conventional Bollywood films is something that could have paid dividends. They also had some very funny characters and any other worthy writer would have made a complete laugh riot. Alas, the writers of the film let these characters go waste. They add some dry and beaten-to-death moments and twists. In fact, it’s bewildering how this script got approved in the first place. Ritesh Shah and Sandeep Leyzell's dialogues are also dry and fail to evoke laughter. Rohit Jugraj's direction is smooth for most places but with such a poor script, there isn’t much he could have done. At a few places however, he rushes through the film and this was avoidable. For instance, it’s never properly established why Sukool agrees to bump off other villains in the district. A few more minutes should have been spent in establishing the tensions between the various gangs. If Rohit had done the needful, the end result would have been better but still, the film would have emerged as a disappointment as the content itself is not worth it. ARJUN PATIALA begins on a great note. The manner in which the producer and director converse over the <em>‘masala’</em> script is interesting. The opening credits sequence, a spoof on James Bond style of films, is witty. But soon, one realizes there’s nothing much happening in the film. Yes, there are a bunch of villains but they are not utilized properly. In fact, after a point, the film stops being funny. A few scenes are interesting here and there like Sukool assassinating Baldev Rana or the way romance blooms between Arjun and Ritu. But these are few and far between. The twist in the tale in pre-climax is something that one can see from miles away. The finale is hardly funny and reeks of lazy writing. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Laugh Riot: Diljit &amp; Kriti’s Most Hilarious Rapid Fire | SRK | Hrithik | Kartik | Sara | Deepika | Arjun Patiala</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/celeb-interviews/laugh-riot-diljit-kritis-most-hilarious-rapid-firesrkhrithikkartiksaradeepikaarjun-patiala/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Diljit Dosanjh is apt as the cute and naughty police officer. He genuinely plays his part and tries to rise above the script. Varun Sharma (Onida Singh) is likeable although he’s repeating himself now. Kriti Sanon is also sincere and plays the entertaining part well. The sequence where she narrates her tragic part is where she gives her best. Sadly, the makers spoil the show with an animated flashback running below on the screen and it takes away the impact of her performance too. Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub is the best amongst the villains. He shines and it’s sad that such a cool villain won’t get his due to the bad script. Ronit Roy fits the part to the T. Seema Pahwa is decent. Amit Mehra, Himanshu Kohli and Sumit Gulati get no scope. Biswapati Sarkar (Editor of Tezz News Channel) is appropriate. Ritesh Shah (Arjun’s father) and the actor playing her mother are poor. Sunny Leone (Baby) is sizzling. Pankaj Tripathi and Abhishek Banerjee are the funniest in the film. Sachin-Jigar's music is nothing compared to their previous works. <em>‘Main Deewana Tera’</em> has the chartbuster feel but doesn’t have a long shelf life. <em>‘Crazy Habibi vs Decent Munda’</em> is situational. <em>‘Dil Todeya’</em> and<em> ‘Sachiya Mohabbatan’</em> are okay. <em>‘Sip Sip’</em> is played during the end credits. Ketan Sodha's background score is theatrical. Sudip Sengupta's cinematography is fine. Parijat Poddar and Shekhar Ujjainwal's production design is a bit television show-like. Vikram Dahiya's action is sans any gore. Veena Kapur Ee's costumes are appealing, especially the ones worn by Kriti. Huzefa Lokhandwala's editing is too quick at places. On the whole, ARJUN PATIALA is a shockingly poor fare, riddled with an outdated and tragic script. At the box office, it will be rejected outright by the cinegoers.

A lesser known film, ANTARDWAND, released in 2010 and sank without a trace. But it stood out from rest of the niche films as it was based on the system of groom kidnappings prevalent in Bihar. Now, newcomer director Prashant Singh attempts to make the idea even more popular with his film, JABARIYA JODI. Unlike ANTARDWAND, which was quite a serious fare, JABARIYA JODI attempts to look at it in a light-hearted manner. Moreover, it stars two known actors – Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra. So does JABARIYA JODI entertain and comes across as a respite for its lead actors? Or does it fail in its endeavour? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1006550 size-full" title="Movie Review Jabariya Jodi" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Movie-Review-Jabariya-Jodi.jpg" alt="Movie Review Jabariya Jodi" width="750" height="450" /> JABARIYA JODI is the story of two equals, who come from different worlds. In 2005, two kids – Abhay Singh (Aryan Arora) and Babli Yadav (Gurket Kaur) – fall in love in the Madhopur village in Bihar. But Babli’s mother catch them red handed. She and Babli’s father Duniya Lal (Sanjay Mishra) decide to leave Madhopur and shift to Patna. Cut to present day. Abhay Singh (Sidharth Malhotra) is now an adult and works with his father Hukum Dev Singh (Jaaved Jaaferi). Abhay’s job is to kidnap grooms and get their <em>‘jabariya shaadi’</em> done. Abhay, Hukum and the rest of the gang members believe that they are doing social work with these forced marriages. After all, the bride’s father doesn’t have to pay dowry in such type of marriages. While getting one such <em>‘jabariya jodi’</em> done, Abhay bumps into Babli (Parineeti Chopra), who is the friend of the bride Shriya (Kirtika Budden). Both recognize each other and sparks fly. For Babli, the timing is just perfect. She has been dumped by a guy for whom she ran away from her house. Abhay too falls for Babli but he also gets apprehensive about the relationship. Moreover, he has political ambitions – he wants to be an MLA and stand for elections next year. Meanwhile, Duniya Lal finds out that she is in love with Abhay. He detests Abhay, since he is a goon and decides to get her married to the supposedly decent and educated fellow, Pappu (Rashul Tandon). But Pappu’s parents ask for ridiculously high dowry. With no option in hand, Duniya Lal and his close aide Pathak ji (Neeraj Sood) approach Hukum Dev Singh and request for Babli and Pappu’s <em>‘jabariya shaadi’</em>. Babli is told of her marriage but she assumes her father is getting her hitched to Abhay! So she is very glad and happily participating in pre-marriage customs. Abhay meanwhile is sulking as he doesn’t want her to get married to anyone else. At this point, the powerful and well-connected Daddan Yadav (Sharad Kapoor) approaches Hukum Dev Singh. He requests him to let go of the deal he made with Duniya Lal since Pappu is his close relative and that he’s planning Pappu’s wedding somewhere else. In return, Daddan would give Hukum Dev the election ticket from the seat of Gaya. Hukum Dev agrees and he tells Abhay to return the fees given by Duniya Lal at his residence. This is when Babli learns the truth and she is shattered. An angry Babli now decides to do <em>‘jabariya shaadi’</em> with Abhay! What happens next forms the rest of the film. Sanjeev K Jha's story is based on an interesting idea. Many in the country are not aware of <em>‘pakadwa vivah’</em> tradition and the writer succeeds in showing this bit in an entertaining manner. At the same time, he also highlights the downside of such kind of marriages. But the inherent love story is weak and has loose ends. Sanjeev K Jha's screenplay (with additional screenplay by Raaj Shaandilyaa and Neeraj Singh) doesn’t really succeed in hiding these minuses. A few scenes are well written and thought of. Also, the writing has the massy vibe. But one wishes the writer and additional screenwriters had done something about the unconvincing plot points. Raaj Shaandilyaa's dialogues (with additional dialogues by Neeraj Singh) are one of the highpoints. The one-liners are sure to be greeted with claps and hooting. In fact, it’s a rare film where dialogues help in hiding the goofs of the film. In the emotional scenes, the dialogues work big time. Prashant Singh's direction is very good for a debutant. He understands that the story has a pan-India appeal and executes it appropriately. Also, he keeps the audiences hooked from start to finish without boring them, despite the 144 minutes duration. But he doesn’t do much when it comes to unconvincing moments in the movie. The biggest dilemma faced by Abhay Singh in the film is the fear he has that he’ll turn like his father and harass his to-be wife and she’ll suffer the same fate like her mother (Sheeba Chaddha). This is an important point and should have been explained further. Only the childhood portion shows Hukum Dev Singh indulging in adultery and that he’s quite strict. But it’s not enough and the director should have tried to explore the dynamics between Hukum Dev and his wife. Also, he allowed the repetition of some sharp dialogues, due to which the impact is not made. Not just that, Hukum Dev’s change of heart is too sudden and catches viewers unawares. Lastly, the product placement in the film is too in-your-face and it’ll raise laughs. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Jabariya Jodi | PUBLIC REVIEW | First Day First Show | Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/jabariya-jodi-public-review-first-day-first-show-sidharth-malhotra-and-parineeti-chopra/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> JABARIYA JODI starts off on a sweet note, showcasing the love story between two teenagers. The fun continues once adult Babli enters the story and bashes up her boyfriend for not turning up at the railway station. Abhay’s introduction too is done in a fun manner. The sidekicks and supporting characters are also quite strong and they also add a lot to the film and its humour quotient. The manner in which Babli is completely oblivious that she is getting married to Pappu and not Abhay is hard to digest. Did no one around her ever even take the groom’s name, even as a passing remark? Post-interval portion begins on a promising note as Babli decides to force marry Abhay. The way it’s done is pretty hilarious. But soon, the film drops. Thankfully, the action-packed climax, though weak, works and the film ends on a happy and appropriate note. Sidharth Malhotra is in fine form, also look wise as he suits the part. There’s a scene where Babli’s pals try to kidnap Abhay but get scared the minute they see him. And this bit looks convincing as Sidharth makes Abhay look like someone not to be messed with. But his performance is a bit dry in some scenes. He should have shown a bit more aggression in a few more sequences. Parineeti Chopra does quite better and is just perfect as Babli. In the second half, she gets surprisingly mellow, which seems a bit out of character. But even in this hour, she leaves an impact. The scene where Abhay comes to take away Babli is where she leaves a huge mark. Aparshakti Khurana (Sanku) slips into his part effortlessly. Sanjay Mishra is fair and adds to the humour quotient especially in the scene where he consumes the ‘banned’ alcohol. Chandan Roy Sanyal (Guddu) is apt for the part. Mohit Baghel (Halla) is quite funny and makes his presence felt. Raashul Tandon goes overboard and yet manages to entertain and raise lot of laughs. Jaaved Jaaferi is decent as the strict father. Sheeba Chadha gets a raw deal. Neeraj Sood has a few funny dialogues but one wishes he had a lengthier role. Sharad Kapoor is strictly okay. Gopal Dutt (Inspector Tiwari) is very good in the cameo role. Aryan Arora and Gurket Kaur are sweet as young Abhay and Babli respectively. Elli AvrRam is sizzling in the item song. Music is not great as it doesn’t suit the feel and theme of the film. <em>'Zilla Hilela'</em> is the only track in the film that matches with the film’s setting. <em>'Khadke Glassy'</em> is also nice but comes in the end credit. <em>'Dhoonde Akhiyaan' </em>works because of the picturization. <em>'Khwabfaroshi', 'Ki Honda Pyaar' </em>and <em>'Macchardani' </em>are disappointing. Joel Crasto's background score is dramatic. Bosco Martis' choreography (<em>'Khadke Glassy'</em>) and Adil Shaikh's choreography (<em>'Zilla Hilela'</em>) is good. Vishal Sinha's cinematography is fair, with few scenes capturing the small-town India very well. Rajat Poddar's production design is realistic. Malavika Kashikar, Niharika Jolly and Akshay Tyagi's costumes are stylish. But Parineeti Chopra’s crop tops seem a bit out of place and doesn’t go well considering the film is set in Patna. Vikram Dahiya's action is realistic. Dev Rao Jadhav's editing could have been crisper by a few scenes. On the whole, JABARIYA JODI is a decent entertainer and works because of the novel idea of forced marriages, performances and hilarious and witty dialogues. At the box office, it will do decent business before the Independence Day biggies take over.

Over the years, there have been several films that have tackled various conditions that lower a person’s self-esteem like skin colour, obesity, stunted growth etc. Premature balding, however, has rarely been the central plot point of a film. Two very lesser known films like I M 24 [2012], HAIR IS FALLING [2011] etc have dealt with the issue but they sank without a trace. Producer Abhishek Pathak for his directorial debut, UJDA CHAMAN, tackles this idea in the romcom space. So does UJDA CHAMAN manage to entertain and move audiences? Or does it fail to entertain? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1036216 size-full" title="Movie Review: Ujda Chaman" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Movie-Review-Ujda-Chaman.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Ujda Chaman" width="750" height="450" /> UJDA CHAMAN is the story of a man in search of a life partner. Chaman Kohli (Sunny Singh) is a 30-year-old lecturer in Delhi’s Hansraj College. He has faced acute hair loss in the last five years, affecting his self-esteem and also his marriage prospects. His parents, Shashi Kohli (Atul Kumar) and Sushma Kohli (Grusha Kapoor) put his five-year-old picture in his marriage bio-data and when he goes to see a prospective bride, he wears a cap. Sadly, the cap comes off and the prospective bride and her family kick the Kohli’s from their house. Their family astrologer (Saurabh Shukla) adds to their tension as he claims that if Chaman doesn’t get married before his 31^st birthday, he’ll remain celibate for life. Chaman tries to find love, first at the marriage ceremony of a friend but it proves futile. Later, he tries to woo a fellow lecturer, Ekta (Aishwarya Sakhuja) but she rejects him as she is already dating someone. All of a sudden, a first-year student, Aaina Ali Khan (Karishma Sharma) shows interest in Chaman. Chaman falls for her but in no time, he realizes that she hung out with him for vested interests. With no other option, Chaman accepts his father’s suggestion and downloads Tinder. He uploads his picture, but by cropping his bald patch. In no time, he matches with Apsara (Maanvi Gagroo), who is overweight and just like Chaman, she too puts a close up picture to hide her so-called imperfection. Both decide to meet and obviously get shocked looking at each other. What happens next forms the rest of the film. UJDA CHAMAN is an official remake of the 2017 Kannada film, ONDU MOTTEYA KATHE (Writer: Raj B Shetty). Danish J Singh's adapted story has immense potential as a lot of people can relate to the goings on shown in the film. But Danish J Singh's screenplay plays spoilsport. The narrative is engaging but only in parts. Danish J Singh's dialogues are funny and matter-of-fact. Abhishek Pathak's direction is not worthy enough. The execution seems a bit amateurish and over-the-top. The manner in which Chaman is ridiculed almost on a daily basis by the students because of his receding hairline is too much. Moreover, the direction style is not consistent. The second half looks very different from the first half. Also, with nothing unique happening in the film, the narrative becomes extremely predictable. On the positive side, a few scenes work like the track of Aaina and the hospital scene. UJDA CHAMAN begins on a fun but very loud note with the initial portions being mildly engaging. The humour looks forced in the scene where Chaman attempts to assault his brother Goldy (Gagan Arora). The track of Aaina is thankfully better but still, the film doesn’t reach a high. The intermission point is interesting and the film seems promising from here on. And the initial portions of the second half are very entertaining as Chaman and Apsara get close. But after a point, nothing novel or interesting happens. The film gets dragging and predictable. The final scene is cute but comes too late in the film. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ujda Chaman: Public Review | First Day First Show | Sunny Singh Nijjar | Maanvi Gagroo</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/ujda-chaman-public-review-first-day-first-show-sunny-singh-nijjar-maanvi-gagroo/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Sunny Singh gives his best but the desired impact is not made. The manner in which he seems so serious and lifeless throughout the film is difficult to digest. Even his narration in the beginning is needlessly done in a sombre tone. Maanvi Gagroo does quite better and is a natural. Her issues and predicaments seem very relatable and she plays the part nicely. Atul Kumar also does a genuinely good job. Grusha Kapoor is very loud. Gagan Arora is passable. Karishma Sharma plays her part as per the requirement. Aishwarya Sakhuja has a great screen presence. Sharib Hashmi (Raj) is good but sadly his track is predictable. Saurabh Shukla is strictly okay. Music is disappointing. Only <em>'Chand Nikla'</em> gets registered. The rest of the songs like <em>'Twinkle Twinkle', 'Outfit'</em> and <em>'Oh Bandeya'</em> are forgettable. Hitesh Sonik's background score is too loud and dramatic. Sudhir K Chaudhary's cinematography is neat. Tarpan Srivastav's production design is in sync with the film’s setting. Preetisheel Singh's make up and prosthetics are flawless. Rahil Raja and Himanshi Nijhawan's costumes are realistic. Mitesh Soni's editing is sans complaint and the film’s length is appropriate at 120 minutes. On the whole, UJDA CHAMAN has a promising and relatable story but the inconsistent execution and predictable narrative spoils the show. At the box office, thanks to limited buzz and lack of popular names, the film will have a difficult time.

The excellent box office performance of SATYAMEVA JAYATE was one of the success stories of 2018. It catapulted director Milan Milap Zaveri into stardom and that too at a time when many thought that his directorial career was in trouble. Now the filmmaker is back with MARJAAVAAN, which also seems like a very commercial masala fare, like his earlier flick. So does MARJAAVAAN manage to entertain and provide paisa vasool entertainment to the viewers? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1041278 size-full" title="Movie Review: Marjaavaan" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Movie-Review-Marjaavaan.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Marjaavaan" width="720" height="450" /> MARJAAVAAN is the story of unrequited love, set against the backdrop of the underbelly of Mumbai. In one of the poorer areas of Mumbai, Narayan Anna (Nassar) calls the shots. He has an army of men at his disposal and the most faithful of them is Raghu (Sidharth Malhotra). As an infant, he was found abandoned and it was Narayan Anna who raised him. Raghu is faithful and dedicated and always in the good books of Narayan Anna. As a result, Narayan’s son Vishnu (Riteish Deshmukh), a three-foot-midget, feels very jealous and he detests Raghu. The said locality also consists of a brothel where one of the nautch girls is Arzoo (Rakul Preet Singh). She is in love with Raghu but the latter doesn’t believe in this concept. It all however changes when Raghu comes across Zoya (Tara Sutaria), a mute girl from Kashmir. She teaches him the power and importance of music and love. In no time, both fall for each other. Things go smooth until one day, Zoya witnesses a murder committed by Vishnu. Vishnu informs Narayan Anna about it who in turn tells Raghu to finish off Zoya! Raghu decides to elope with Zoya but he’s caught by Vishnu’s men at the bus stand. Also, Vishnu kidnaps two kids - Timepass (Om Kanojia) and Payal (Alina Qazi) – both of whom train under Zoya. Narayan Anna then gives Raghu two choices – eliminate Zoya and save Timepass and Payal. Or else, everyone will die. Zoya insists that Raghu should kill her and Raghu reluctantly does so. Raghu is shattered like never before and he’s arrested by ACP Ravi Yadav (Ravi Kishan). What happens next forms the rest of the film. Milap Milan Zaveri's story is dated and is reminiscent of the films witnessed in 70s, 80s and 90s. Milap Milan Zaveri's screenplay sets the film in the same zone. A few scenes are well written but one wishes this was consistent throughout the film. Milap Milan Zaveri's dialogues are quite over the top and some of them work very well and are clap worthy. Milap Milan Zaveri's direction is decent, considering the genre and space. Not many can pull off such a film but Milap manages. A few scenes are well executed like Vishnu’s entry, Tara and Raghu falling in love and in the second half, Raghu getting back in the revenge zone is a paisa vasool moment. On the flipside, the character of Vishnu needed to be more menacing. Also, the film dips at a few places and also becomes predictable. A few developments are not very convincing either. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Marjaavaan: Public Review | First Day First Show | Sidharth Malhotra | Tara Sutaria | Riteish Deshmukh</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/marjaavaan-public-review-first-day-first-show-sidharth-malhotra-tara-sutaria-riteish-deshmukh/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> MARJAAVAAN has a bit of an awkward beginning. The execution is a bit weak and hence it takes a while to get used to the setting and characters. Also, the opening fight is massy to another level and audiences might not be prepared for such kind of masala. Usually, commercial movies are made in such a way that it can appeal to the multiplex audiences as well. But MARJAAVAAN is an exception as its content doesn’t appeal to the sensibilities of the multiplex viewers. A few scenes seem unconvincing. The manner in which the religious harmony bit is presented looks a bit forced. The intermission point is fine. The second half doesn’t start on a great note and seems a bit dragging. The action quotient dips as Raghu abandons all plans of revenge. But the scene where he decides to fight back is when the film rises again. The climax fight is massy as expected but also convenient. Sidharth Malhotra tries his level best and in some scenes, he does shine. But his performance is a bit weak overall. He should have gone really all out as that would have really helped. Riteish Deshmukh also gives his best and his three-foot height gives him a nice edge. Sadly, he’s letdown by the writing of the character to some extent. Tara Sutaria is lovely and without mouthing a single dialogue, she makes her presence felt. Rakul Preet Singh is credited in a special appearance role but she has a supporting part and looks very glamorous. Her performance is decent. Nassar leaves a mark. Ravi Kishan is okay but his dialogue in the pre-climax about the police force will be met with claps in cinemas! Shaad Randhawa (Mazhar) is decent. Uday Nene (Gopi) and Godaan Kumar (Shafi) are passable. Same goes for Suhasini Mulay. Nora Fatehi is sizzling as always. Music is soulful and peppy. <em>'Tum Hi Aana'</em> is like the theme song and well utilized. <em>'Thodi Jagah'</em> is touching. <em>'Kinna Sona'</em> is nothing great. <em>'Ek Toh Kum Zindagani'</em> is smoking hot and <em>'Haiya Ho'</em> is in the same zone.  Sanjoy Chowdhury's background score adds to the massy element, especially in Sidharth’s fight scenes. Nigam Bomzan's cinematography is appropriate. Priya Suhass' production design is not very appealing. Amin Khatib's action is very over the top. Akshay Tyagi's costumes are stylish. Futureworks's VFX is quite good, especially in making Riteish a three-foot-baddie. Maahir Zaveri's editing could have been a bit crisper. On the whole, MARJAAVAAN is a true blue masala entertainer. At the box office, it has the potential to impress its target audience in the single screens.

Off late, Bollywood has been making period dramas, focusing on the brave warriors of the medieval and early modern history of India. While films like MANIKARNIKA – THE QUEEN OF JHANSI and PANIPAT focused on the somewhat known chapters of history, the Akshay Kumar starrer KESARI was based on an incident that wasn’t known to many. Now another film joins this latter category – TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR. It depicts the bravery of Tanhaji Malusare, a legend in Maharashtra, but largely unknown elsewhere. The film is mounted on a huge scale and moreover, has a terrific star cast, both of which have contributed to its hype. So does TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR manage to give a great time to the viewers? Or does it disappoint? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1060929" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Tanhaji-–-The-Unsung-Warrior-Review-IMG.jpg" alt="Tanhaji – The Unsung Warrior Review IMG" width="720" height="450" /> TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR is the story of one of the greatest warriors of India. The year is 1664. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Sharad Kelkar) has given a tough fight to the Mughals, headed by Emperor Aurangzeb (Luke Kenny), in the Deccan region. However, when things get tough for the Marathas, Shivaji Maharaj decides to sign a treaty. As part of this agreement, he hands over some 23 forts to the Mughals, including the strategic Kondhana Fort. A few years later, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj expresses his desire to recapture Kondhana. This is especially when he finds out that Aurangzeb has sent Udaybhan Rathod (Saif Ali Khan), an evil military officer, to control the fort. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj realizes that his brave Subedar Tanhaji Malusare (Ajay Devgn) is the best man to get the fort back. But Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj refuses to even let Tanhaji know about this operation. This is because Tanhaji is busy with the marriage of his son. However, Tanhaji finds out about the plan. He persuades Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to let him go for it. The Maharaj agrees and hence, Tanhaji keeps his son’s marriage on hold. He then begins to plan how to recapture the fort and thereby create history. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Prakash Kapadia and Om Raut's story is excellent and well-researched. It talks about a landmark moment in India’s history and at the same time, it has enough entertainment and drama. Prakash Kapadia and Om Raut's screenplay does justice to the plot in hand. The script is peppered with dramatic and massy moments that keep the interest going. However, the film drops a bit in the middle of the second half. Also, the first half could have had more hard-hitting moments. Prakash Kapadia's dialogues are simple but also sharp-worded as per the requirement. Om Raut's direction is quite praiseworthy and he handles the film like a pro. He does full justice to the scale and grandeur of the film. He also keeps the narrative uncomplicated and very simple to understand. And his biggest achievement is that he doesn’t make TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR look like the recent period films, especially the ones of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Bhansali's films have become a genre in itself, hence when it comes to period flicks many recent ones looked like clones of his movies. TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR, however, stands out. And moreover, he adds enough <em>masala</em>, especially in the climax, which takes the film to a high. See it to believe it! TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR begins with the childhood sequence of Tanhaji and the background of the Maratha Empire. The film moves too quickly here but no complaints as the impact is made. The entry of adult Tanhaji is too good and viewers would welcome it with claps and whistles. Even Udaybhan’s introduction makes for a great watch. From here on till the intermission, the film keeps one engaged but the film here lacks action and a punch, which one might expect after the action scene in the start. But the intermission point is fine and it indicates that the second half will be better. And thankfully, the post-interval portion has a lot more entertainment. The sequence where Tanhaji and Udaybhan come face to face is electrifying. Also Tanhaji urging the Maratha soldiers to fight for him is a scene to watch out for. The film then drops again but the makers reserve the best for the finale. The climax battle is incredible and single screen audiences especially will go in frenzy! <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Tanhaji – The Unsung Warrior | Public Review | Ajay Devgn | Kajol | Saif Ali Khan | First Day First Show</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/tanhaji-the-unsung-warrior-public-review-ajay-devgn-kajol-saif-ali-khan-first-day-first-show/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR belongs to Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan. Ajay is perfect for the part and adds a lot through his body language and expressions. Also his dialogue delivery in confrontational scenes is spot-on. But he goes into another mode in the climax fight and viewers would surely lap it up. Also, he deserves kudos for putting together this mammoth project and ensuring that it looks like a great cinematic product, at par with international standards. Saif Ali Khan is superb in the villainous role. He is menacing but also has a goofy side and the balance is very nicely done. In one scene dipped with black humour in the second half, he gets his act totally right! Kajol (Savitri) doesn’t have much to do but her presence adds a lot to the film. Her scenes with Ajay are endearing. Sharad Kelkar stands out as Shivaji Maharaj. His personality, build and baritone voice was just right for such an important historical character. Padmavathi Rao (Rajmata Jija aau) has a fine screen presence. Luke Kenny fits the role and one wishes he had more screen time. Neha Sharma (Kamla) is decent in a supporting role. Kailash Waghmare (Chultiya) and Hardik Bharat Sangani (Gidya) are over the top but that works for their respective characters. The other actors who do well are Shashank Mahadeo Shende (Shelar Mama), Ajinkya Ramesh Deo (Pisal), Vipul Kumar Gupta (Jagat Singh), Deodatta Gajanan Nage (Suryaji), Yuri Suri (Mirza Raje Jai Singh), Nissar Khan (Beshak Khan), Arush Nand (Raiba; Tanaji's son), Prasanna Vidyadhar Ketkar (Ghesarnaik) and Niranjan Jadhao (Trimbak Rao; spy). The music is situational and not of chartbuster variety. <em>'Ghamand Kar'</em> is the theme song of the film and is quite exhilarating. <em>'Shankara Re Shankara'</em> comes at a great juncture. <em>'Maay Bhavani'</em> is average while <em>'Tinak Tinak'</em> is moving. Sandeep Shirodkar's background score adds to the drama heavily. Keiko Nakahara's cinematography is of superior quality. Despite so much of action and fights happening, the camerawork ensures that all is captured well.. Sujeet Subhash Sawant and Sriram Kannan Iyengar's production design is straight out of the bygone era. The sets are authentic and not needlessly grand, considering that the film focuses on the life of the Maratha soldiers and their houses can’t resemble palaces. But while depicting Aurangzeb’s residence, the designers have gone all out, rightfully so. Ramzan Bulut and R P Yadav's action is a bit gory but is controlled and visually looks great. Vikram Gaikwad's make-up is neat. Nachiket Barve and Mahesh Sherla's costumes are realistic. NY VFXWaala's VFX is splendid and there’s not a single moment where the effects look tacky. Also, the 3D is not done for the heck of it and it actually complements the narrative. Dharmendra Sharma's editing is slick. On the whole, TANHAJI: THE UNSUNG WARRIOR is an entertaining and a paisa-vasool film that would be loved by the masses as well as classes. At the box office, it can run riot in Maharashtra and other mass centres and could turn out to be the first Rs. 100 crore grosser of 2020. Highly Recommended!

Filmmaker Luv Ranjan has launched quite a few actors, most notable among them being Kartik Aaryan. He casts them repeatedly and few of them have hit the bullseye at the box office as well. He turned producer with the 2018 super-hit flick, SONU KE TITU KI SWEETY, also directed by him. He had another hit film in 2019 in the form of DE DE PYAAR DE. In 2020, his banner Luv Films will be releasing as many as 3 films, and the first one to come out is JAI MUMMY DI. It is a long-delayed film but looks fresh and has the Delhi flavour in abundance, which gives it a chance to excel in North India. So does JAI MUMMY DI manage to be as entertaining as other Luv Ranjan films? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1063970 size-full" title="Movie Review: Jai Mummy Di" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Movie-Review-Jai-Mummy-Di.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Jai Mummy Di" width="720" height="450" /> JAI MUMMY DI is the story of two lovers whose mothers are sworn enemies of each other. Delhi-based engineering students, Puneet Khanna (Sunny Singh) and Saanjh Bhalla (Sonnalli Seygall), are in love with each other. Saanjh proposes to Puneet but the latter declines. He too wants to settle down with Saanjh but is afraid of his mother. That’s because Puneet’s mother Laali (Supriya Pathak) and Saanjh’s mother Pinky (Poonam Dhillon) hate each other a lot. Interestingly, they were the best of friends at one point and moreover, they reside next to each other. But they can’t stand each other’s sight. And Puneet is too scared to break the news that he’s in love with the daughter of her ‘enemy’. In anger, Saanjh breaks up with Puneet. She starts looking for suitable groom for marriage and even approves of Dev (Bhuvan Arora). Their marriage is fixed for October 16 at Diamond Hall in Noida. When Puneet’s mother Laali finds out that Pinky has managed to lock her daughter’s wedding, she feels jealous. Not wanting to be left behind, she quickly selects a girl for Puneet, Sakshi. What’s more, Puneet and Sakshi’s marriage is also set on October 16 and that too in Diamond. Meanwhile, Puneet and Saanjh realize that they won’t be able to stay happy with anyone else but each other. Hence, they patch up and think of ways to bring their respective mothers together. When nothing works, they decide to elope and get married. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Navjot Gulati's story rests on waferthin plot. But it’s a great idea and could have made for a fine entertainer. But Navjot Gulati's screenplay plays spoilsport in a major way. The film is laced with poorly written sequences and not-so-funny moments. Also, the flow of scenes is not smooth. Navjot Gulati's dialogues also add to the negative impact. Barring a few one-liners, the rest of it doesn't have the desired impact. Navjot Gulati's direction is terrible. With the script, he already made a mess, but he could have covered it up with his direction. Sadly, even his execution is very bad. The film never goes on a high or goes into the funny zone, which it ideally should have. And it’s really fortunate since the concept had the promise to go all out. And the climax sadly is very <em>thanda</em> as one expects some major confrontation and eventual patch up. The worst is reserved for the very final scene and it totally takes the film down. JAI MUMMY DI begins on a very awkward note, to explain the enmity between the two women. The scene may have looked interesting on paper but translates poorly on screen. The song <em>'Mummy Nu Pasand'</em> ups the interest but it goes downhill in no time. A few scenes are bewildering. For instance, why Pinky also follows suit and shifts to Ghaziabad, that too next to Laali’s residence. The humour quotient in the film is very less and half of whatever is there doesn’t work. Ideally, any other worthy director or writer would have shown the lovers going to insane lengths to bring their mothers together and how it causes madness in the process. Here, the lovebirds hardly do anything of that sort. The intermission point tries to be dramatic but doesn’t work. Post-interval, the film keeps getting repetitive and it tests the patience of the viewers. This is despite the 105 minutes of runtime. One can’t just wait for the mothers to find out the truth and patch up. Finally, it happens in the end but ideally, it should have taken the film to a high. But nothing of that sort happens. The most disappointing bit of the film however is the reason why Laali and Pinky started fighting in the first place. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>PAISA VASOOL: Sunny Singh Nijjar v/s Sonnalli Seygall – Bollywood ‘ROM-COM’ Quiz | Jai Mummy Di</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/celeb-interviews/paisa-vasool-sunny-singh-v-s-sonnalli-seygall-bollywood-rom-com-quiz-jai-mummy-di/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Talking of performances, Sunny Singh suits the part. His acting is nothing great but he manages to pull through the role nicely. Sonnalli Seygall gets to show her acting chops. In PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA 2 [2015], she got overshadowed by other actors. But here, the focus is majorly on her, especially in the first half, and she does fine. Supriya Pathak and Poonam Dhillon are strictly okay. Shockingly, the film ideally should have revolved around them but they don’t get the screen space that they deserve. Rajendra Sethi (Trilochan Khanna) and Danish Husain (Gurpal Bhalla) are nothing great. Veer Rajwant Singh (Vineet) is however good as Puneet’s brother. Alok Nath (Sanjog Luthra) is wasted. It’s bewildering why he was even there in the film. Bhuvan Arora is the funniest part of the film. The actor playing Sakhi is passable. Neeraj Sood (Jasbir Bhullar) is good as always. Nushrat Bharucha, Ishita Raj and Varun Sharma do well but their cameos come at a time when the viewers are tired of the film already. Songs are forgettable, except <em>'Mummy Nu Pasand'</em>, which is catchy. <em>'Manney Ignore Kar Rahi'</em> comes immediately after this track and doesn’t work<em>. 'Dariyaganj'</em>, <em>'Ishq Da Band'</em> and the title track also don’t manage to register. <em>'Lamborghini'</em> is played in the end credits. Hitesh Sonik’s background score is entertaining but it doesn’t complement the scenes. Sanket Shah's cinematography and Tarpan Shrivastava's production design are appropriate. Jia Bhagia, Arun J Chauhan and Mallika Chauhan's costumes are appealing, especially the ones worn by the lead actors in the various marriage scenes of the film. Dev Rao Jadhav and Chetan M Solanki’s editing is haphazard at places and is not organic. On the whole, JAI MUMMY DI is a poor fare owing to the weak script, lazy direction and lack of humour. At the box office, it won’t have a long run and just has this one week window to score.

Saif Ali Khan excels in all kinds of roles but his role of a cool dude in light-themed films has been a favourite for many moviegoers. He played such characters in several memorable films like HUM TUM [2004], SALAAM NAMASTE [2005], LOVE AAJ KAL [2009] and got immense praise. Now the actor is back in this space after a hiatus with JAWAANI JAANEMAN. It’s a special flick as it’s the first production under his new banner, Black Knight Films. So does JAWAANI JAANEMAN emerge as a fine piece of entertainer? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1069154 size-full" title="Movie Review: Jawaani Jaaneman" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Movie-Review-Jawaani-Jaaneman.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Jawaani Jaaneman" width="720" height="450" /> JAWAANI JAANEMAN is the story of a 40-year-old playboy whose life suddenly turns upside down. Jassi aka Jazz (Saif Ali Khan) is in his 40s and is based in London. He's single and in no mood to commit. By profession, he's a real estate broker and works with his brother Dimpu (Kumud Mishra). But he spends most of his time partying and getting involved with girls. He is also about to seal a redevelopment deal that will make him the biggest broker in London. Life is going great for him until one day he meets Tiya (Alaya F). At first he flirts with her, with the ultimate aim to take her to bed. However, she drops the bomb that she might be his daughter! To make matters worse, the DNA test confirms that they are related. And that's not all. It also comes to light that Tiya is pregnant! So Jazz finds out that he's not just someone's father but also to-be grandfather! What happens next forms the rest of the film. JAWAANI JAANEMAN is a remake of an Italian film. The plot is promising and could have made for a hilarious and touching entertainer. The screenplay however is inconsistent and weak at many places. Only some scenes work and provide laughs. Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal's dialogues are witty and try their best to enhance the impact. Nitin Kakkar's direction is average. He doesn’t keep the flow of the film organic. Some developments happen suddenly, be it Jazz developing feelings for Rhea (Kubbra Sait) or Jazz asking Tiya to shift in his house. These scenes are still digestible. But a scene in the second half where a local randomly accuses Jazz of cheating him in a property deal comes out of nowhere. Till now, viewers knew Jazz as a lazy worker but not someone who is deceitful. Hence, this revelation seems bizarre. On the positive side, he gets the emotion and humour right in some scenes. Also, he keeps the duration in check (119 minutes). JAWAANI JAANEMAN starts off on an okay note as the viewers get introduced to Jazz and his playboy lifestyle. The film gets interesting once he gets Tiya home and she reveals the truth. It makes for a hilarious watch. Another memorable scene in the first half is when Jazz and Tiya meet Dr. Kriplani (Kiku Sharda). One expects lot more to happen but story just doesn’t move then. The intermission point is a bit awkward. Post interval thankfully there’s some movement in the story. But now the film drags. Also, the impact is weakened by property deal track. What brings some respite is the track of Ananya (Tabu) but even that loses fizz soon. The final scene of the film is heartwarming. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Jawaani Jaaneman | Public Review | Saif Ali Khan | Alaya Furniturewalla | Tabu | First Day First Show</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/jawaani-jaaneman-public-review-saif-ali-khan-alaya-furniturewalla-tabu-first-day-first-show/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Saif Ali Khan is completely in his element and entertains thoroughly. Such kind of a role suits him to the T and he constantly tries to rise above the script. Alaya F makes an excellent debut and puts up a confident act. She looks gorgeous and is the only actor who moves viewers to an extent. She has a promising career ahead. Tabu has a late entry but raises loads of laughs. But her character has no emotional arc. Chunky Panday (Rocky) doesn’t have much to do initially. He has a crucial scene in the second half in the hospital but it doesn’t work. Kubbra Sait is adorable and one wishes to see more of her. Kumud Mishra is dependable. Kiku Sharda is funny. Dante Alexander (Rohan) is over the top, as per the character’s requirement. Rameet Sandhu (Tanvi) leaves a mark. Farida Jalal (Jazz’s mother), Shivendra Singh Mahal (Jazz’s father) and Diljohn Singh (Grover) are okay. Songs are all forgettable. <em>'Ole Ole 2.0'</em> gets registered a bit as it’s a popular tune. <em>'Gallan Kardi'</em>, <em>'Bandhu Tu Mera'</em> and <em>'Mere Baabula'</em> don’t work. <em>‘Jinhe Mera Dil Luteya’</em> is played in the end credits.  Ketan Sodha's background score is sans complaints. Manoj Kumar Khatoi's cinematography is pleasing. The locales of London are well captured. Urvi Ashar Kakkar and Shipra Rawal's production design is superior. Sanam Ratansi's costumes are quite glamorous and all the actors in the film look great. Sachinder Vats's editing (additional editing by Chandan Arora) jumps at places. On the whole, JAWAANI JAANEMAN boasts of fine performances by Saif Ali Khan and newcomer Alaya F. But the direction is weak and emotionally, the film doesn’t work. At the box office, it will be a tough ride for the flick considering the lack of buzz.

11 years ago, Imtiaz Ali, fresh out of the super-success of JAB WE MET [2007], presented his next, LOVE AAJ KAL [2009]. It was a unique film for that time as it focused on not one, but two love stories, set in different eras. Also, lead actor Saif Ali Khan played the lover boy in both the tracks and that also ensured the film stood out. Director Imtiaz Ali now uses this idea once again in a film, which is also titled LOVE AAJ KAL. It features Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan and their chemistry has already become a talking point. So does LOVE AAJ KAL manage to be as excellent as its predecessor? Or does it fail? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1074192" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Love-Aaj-Kal-Review.jpeg" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> LOVE AAJ KAL is the story that tackles the ever-changing dynamic of being in and finding love. Veer (Kartik Aaryan) and Zoe (Sara Ali Khan) are based in Delhi and they meet one night at a nightclub. Both attempt to get intimate but Veer backs off at the last minute. Veer however realises Zoe is special to him. He finds out that she works from a co-working space. He also lands up there. Zoe is at first irritated with him but she’s interested in him. Meanwhile, Raj (Randeep Hooda), the owner of the co-working space, witnesses their love blossoming in front of his eyes. Zoe shares her views with Raj that she wants to have a casual relationship and doesn’t want to get into a serious relationship so soon. At this, Raj begins to narrate his own story. This is a time when he was Raghu (Kartik Aaryan) and was a school kid in Udaipur. He is crazily in love with Leena (Arushi Sharma). She too falls for him and one day, both get caught. Her family asks her to move to Delhi. Raghu, madly in love, follows her to the capital city. He starts to work as a waiter. Zoe is enchanted to hear about Raj's story. She decides to give love a chance. She gets a job offer from Dubai and she deletes the mail as she doesn’t want to be away from Veer. However, this is when Raj drops the bomb. He reveals to Zoe that Raghu breaks up with Leena as he turns into a playboy. This and her mother’s (Simone Singh) constant reminder that she shouldn’t sacrifice career for love gives her a jolt. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Imtiaz Ali's story is decent. The basic plot makes an interesting comment and if handled well, it could have made for a great romantic film. Imtiaz Ali's screenplay however doesn’t do complete justice. A few scenes are very relatable as it talks about the complexities of today’s times. But on the flipside, it’s also quite unconvincing. Dialogues are a bit philosophical and could have been simpler yet meaningful. Imtiaz Ali's direction is not upto the mark. He gets a few things right. The use of graffiti on the walls and parallels being drawn between the two stories does impress. A few scenes are very well handled and bear his stamp. But there are times when one does wonder where the film is going. Some scenes don’t have the desired impact and even end up being unintentionally funny. He also leaves loose ends and a few subplots don’t get the logical conclusion. Imtiaz also doesn’t focus on backstories of his characters. This was something seen even with Shah Rukh Khan’s character in JAB HARRY MET SEJAL [2017]. In the case of LOVE AAJ KAL, Veer seems socially awkward and one doesn’t understand why that’s so. LOVE AAJ KAL begins on a fine note as the characters of both eras get established. Yes, things do seem a bit off especially some dialogues and Veer's behaviour and his body language. However the 90s track has a charm and keeps the interest going. One of the best scenes here is when Raghu and Leena have a romantic moment in the train. The twist in Raghu's tale comes as a bolt from the blue. This bit particularly works because till now, it looks like a clone of Rishi Kapoor's track from the old LOVE AAJ KAL. As a result, audience won’t see it coming. Trouble however starts from the interval point. Zoe's outburst is weird. Post interval, the film does pick up when Veer comes to pick up Zoe. Also, the culmination of Raghu's story is poignant. However, Zoe’s actions take the film down. The final scene is just okay. <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Love Aaj Kal | Public Review | Kartik Aaryan | Sara Ali Khan | First Day First Show</span></strong> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/love-aaj-kal-public-review-kartik-aaryan-sara-ali-khan-first-day-first-show/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Talking of performances, both Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan give their best shot. Kartik gets to do something different and excels. In a few scenes, he ups the humour quotient as well. His intense look is watchable. Sara too follows her director’s instructions to the T and in a few scenes, you do see her brilliance. However, her character is so weird that despite her best efforts, it comes across as a caricature. Randeep Hooda is dependable. But few of his scenes get repetitive after a point. Arushi Sharma is sweet and has a fine screen presence. Simone Singh is fair. Others do well. Pritam Chakraborty's music won’t stand the test of time like the previous LOVE AAJ KAL. <em>'Haan Main Galat'</em> is catchy but played in the end credits. <em>'Parmeswara</em>' is wacky but audiences won’t be able to connect. <em>'Dhak Dhak', 'Aur Tanha'</em> and <em>'Shayad'</em> are fine. Ishaan Chhabra's background score gels well with the film. Amit Roy's cinematography is quite great in some sequences. But in some close up shots, it is not upto the mark. Suman Roy Mahapatra's production design is quite stylish, especially in present day portions. Aki Narula's costumes are quite appealing, especially the ones worn by Sara and by Kartik in present day track. Aarti Bajaj's editing is sans complaints. On the whole, LOVE AAJ KAL is strictly for the youth and romantic at heart. At the box office, it will start on a positive note on the account of its novel cast and the festive (Valentine’s Day) period. The business will be decent across urban multiplexes while business at single screens may remain average.

British tennis star Jamie Murray, 33, believes that he's the most fashionable person in his family. Jamie, the elder brother of former British No. 1 Andy Murray, 32, recently signed on as the brand ambassador for Edinburgh-based Andrew Brookes Tailoring.

Jamie hailed England football legend David Beckham's fashion sense. "David Beckham is my style icon. He always has his game face on. I'm sure a lot of effort goes into making sure he looks on point," said Jamie in an interview to The Herald Scotland.

About his own style, Jamie said: "[My style is] Pretty casual. With travelling so much, there's a limit to what you can take in your suitcase. I tend to keep it quite simple with jeans and sneakers, some t-shirts and hoodies."

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Rafael Nadal thinks the global nature of tennis means there is little chance tournaments will go ahead any time soon as sport continues to be paralysed by the coronavirus pandemic. Novak Djokovic also anticipates a lengthy delay before tennis can be played even behind closed doors, with the world number one expecting players to have to wait a "few months". The French Open, which Nadal has won a record 12 times, has been postponed until September, shortly after the US Open, while Wimbledon was cancelled earlier this month for the first time since World War II.

But the prospect of either grand slams at Roland Garros or Flushing Meadows being played with fans appears increasingly remote. "Tennis is a global sport," Nadal told Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Wednesday night. "We go from country to country and a lot of people have to move around.
"It seems difficult to me for any big tournament to be played in the short or medium term."

Football's major leagues are preparing to play behind closed doors for several weeks to complete their seasons and avoid losing considerable sums of money from broadcasting contracts. But tennis tournaments are more reliant on fans for their income, making it more complicated to stage competitions in empty stadiums. "It is not an easy decision," Djokovic told the same programme.

"I am ready but I think we have to wait a few months." "If you could play behind closed doors, I would be delighted but I think it's very difficult," added Nadal.

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Novak Djokovic said that he, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are organising aid for players struggling with the paralysis of the game due to the Coronavirus pandemic. "I spoke to Roger and Rafa a few days ago," Djokovic, the World No. 1, said in an Instagram chat with friend and rival Stan Wawrinka on Saturday.

No support from federation
"We had a long conversation about the near future of tennis, what is going to happen, how we can contribute and how we can help especially lower-ranked players, who are obviously struggling the most. The majority of the players who are ranked between 200, 250 in the world, and the 700th or 1,000th do not have federation support, do not have sponsors. They are completely independent and left alone," he said. "Guys who are ranked between 200-250, especially to 700...are thinking of leaving tennis right now."

He said players, the ATP and the four Grand Slams "would all get together and will contribute to a player relief fund that ATP will distribute." "It looks, hopefully, that there will something between $3 million (2.75 million euros) and $4.5 million that is going to be distributed," he estimated. Djokovic said the cash could come from the prize money for the season-ending World Tour Finals or the final bonus pools for top players.

Lack of tournaments
"Maybe if we don't have any tournaments this season, we can take a certain percentage from our prize money from Australian Open in January," he said. "These guys are the grass roots of tennis. The future of tennis. We need to show them they still can rely on support of the top guys." According to reports in tennis media, Djokovic, as president of the ATP Players' Council, which also includes Federer and Nadal, proposed to members that players in the Top 100 for singles and the Top 20 in doubles contribute according to their rankings.

The proposed scale runs from $30,000 for a Top-5 player to $5,000 for those between 51 and 100. That would raise approximately $1 million and the ATP would make a similar contribution. On Friday, ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi echoed the call for unity on the tour website. "Our guys are at home, obviously unable to play, unable to earn money and financially struggling, so we will try to help," he said.

"I've been quite touched by the top players who reached out, the big names expressing their desire of helping the lower-ranked players and putting those players first. We are also talking with the Grand Slams about it. They may want to join in the effort. I think it would be a great message for the sport." World tennis has been at a standstill since the beginning of March and will not resume until mid-July at the earliest following the postponement of Roland Garros and the cancellation of Wimbledon.

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Former US Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 in March, said Saturday that he has now tested negative for the virus. "All right everyone, great news for me and my wife, Melissa, we both tested negative for COVID-19," McEnroe said in a video posted on Twitter. "We just got the tests back this morning.

The 53-year-old younger brother of seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John McEnroe, said he was tested at the same drive-up facility in suburban Westchester County, New York, where he obtained his initial test. He said the procedure was even more efficient, with more technicians testing six lines of patients instead of two. "I know we're talking a lot about testing on TV, we need more of them, we all know that. It was great to see this going so well for us and for New York state in general," said McEnroe, who quarantined at home during his illness. New York state has seen more than 12,000 deaths from COVID-19, although the state reported its lowest one-day death toll in two weeks on Saturday of 540. McEnroe said that as someone who had recovered from the virus he hoped to be able to contribute to the fight against the disease. "Now I'll try to go for the antibody test when that's available to give my blood, my plasma," he said.

Researchers are studying treatments in which coronavirus patients are given blood plasma from recovered individuals who have developed antibodies that can fight the disease. "Still thinking about everyone on the front lines," McEnroe concluded. "We've got to stay the course." McEnroe, who had first tweeted a video announcing his diagnosis from the basement of his home, was outdoors in the sunshine on Saturday. McEnroe won his only ATP singles title in 1995 at Sydney. He captured a Grand Slam doubles crown at the 1989 French Open alongside compatriot Jim Grabb. He was captain of the 2007 US Davis Cup squad that beat Russia 4-1 in the final at Portland, Oregon.

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Novak Djokovic has said he would be against a compulsory Coronavirus vaccination if it became a requirement for tennis players to travel to tournaments. "Personally, I'm against vaccination. I wouldn't like that someone forces me to get a vaccine in order to be able to travel," the World No. 1 said late on Sunday.

The Serbian star was speaking from Spain, where he is in lockdown with his family, in a video conference held on his Facebook for Orthodox Easter. "We [players] will have to travel. I think it will be the number one challenge," he said.

"If it [vaccination] will become compulsory what will happen? I will have to take a decision," on whether to get a vaccine or not, he said. "This is my opinion at the moment. Whether it will change I don't know."

No vaccine currently
There is currently no vaccine for the virus that has claimed some 1,65,000 lives around the globe, though labs around the world are racing to develop a treatment. Like the rest of the sporting world, tennis has been on pause since early March, with the ATP and WTA Tours suspended until mid-July at the earliest and Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II.

'No play before Sept, Oct'
Djokovic estimated tournaments would not restart "before September or October". "The season will officially restart when everyone will be 100 per cent certain that people can return, that there is no risk, that people are resistant to the virus and this takes time." Tournaments with travel limited to one country or a region could be possible, he said.

17
No. of Grand Slam singles titles won by Novak Djokovic

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WTA founder Billie Jean King joined Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on Wednesday in suggesting now is the time to merge the men's ATP and women's body into one umbrella organisation to oversee the two professional tennis tours. Federer, holder of the men's record of 20 Grand Slams, was the first to raise the notion on Twitter, triggering an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from King and Nadal.

"Just wondering...am I the only one thinking that now is the time for men's and women's tennis to be united and come together as one?" Federer said. "I am not talking about merging competition on the court, but merging the two governing bodies [ATP and WTA] that oversee the men's and women's professional tours." Trailblazer King, who was a part of establishing the WTA in 1973 and was one of the 'Original 9' on the tour, said her support for the idea dates back decades.

Common voice needed

"I agree, and have been saying so since the early 1970s. One voice, women and men together, has long been my vision for tennis. The WTA on its own was always Plan B. I'm glad we are on the same page. Let's make it happen. #OneVoice," she tweeted. Nadal, who has 19 Grand Slam titles, supported his long-time rival's proposition. "Hey @rogerfederer as you know per our discussions I completely agree that it would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in one only organisation," he said.

Federer and Nadal argued by a merger tennis could emerge stronger from the Coronavirus lockdown which has seen the sport shut down, with Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and the French Open pushed back to the end of September. "It probably should have happened a long time ago, but maybe now is really the time. These are tough times in every sport and we can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body," Federer wrote. He said the current system was "too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems, different logos, different websites, different tournament categories".

Talks underway: Wawrinka

Later, three-time Grand Slam winner Stanislas Wawrinka claimed discussions are underway regarding the move with the ATP's chairman Andrea Gaudenzi. "It was not just a comment like that, there is more talk behind that. Gaudenzi at the ATP was already talking about it," he said during an Instagram Live with 18-time Grand Slam champion Chris Evert. Australian star Nick Kyrgios and two-time women's Grand Slam champion Simona Halep also said they were behind the idea.

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Novak Djokovic has apparently broke confinement rules in Spain by going back to a tennis court. Djokovic posted a video on Instagram showing him exchanging shots with another man at a tennis club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has reportedly stayed. Djokovic filmed the video while hitting shots and wrote he was "so happy to play on clay...well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands."

Spain on Monday loosened some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing professional athletes to return to practice. But sports facilities are supposed to remain closed at least until next week in most parts of the country, with the exception of training centres for teams in professional leagues in sports such as soccer.

The Spanish tennis federation said in a statement on Monday that professional players in Spain were allowed to exercise by themselves or with a coach, but not yet on a tennis court. It said it would work on a set of guidelines to inform players and clubs about what they would be permitted to do beginning next week.
The federation's statement did not appear to be related to Djokovic's appearance on the court in Marbella.

Requests for comment made to the federation and to Djokovic's staff late on Monday were not immediately answered. It was not clear if Djokovic, the reigning Australian Open would be subjected to fines or sanctions if it was confirmed he broke the lockdown rules.

The No. 1-ranked Djokovic recently said he was against taking an anti-Coronavirus vaccination if it became mandatory to travel once the pandemic subsides, though he later said he was open to changing his mind.

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The tennis club where Novak Djokovic broke confinement rules in Spain has said it mistakenly allowed the top-ranked Serb to practice and apologized for the error. Djokovic published a video of him training on Monday in apparent violation of Spain's current rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. The video posted on Instagram showed Djokovic exchanging shots with another man at the club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has been staying for the past several weeks.

Djokovic filmed the video while hitting shots and wrote he was "so happy to play on clay .. well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands. Spain has eased some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March, allowing professional athletes to return to practice, but most training centers and sports facilities must remain closed until next week. We are sorry that our interpretation of the regulation could have been erroneous, and this could have inconvenienced Mr. Djokovic or any other citizen acting in good faith," the Puente Romano Marbella Tennis Club said in a statement.

The statement, which was relayed by Djokovic's management team, said the club received a request from the player to practice and gave him the go-ahead with the "understanding that from May 4 all professional sports players were authorized to train." The club said it therefore believed he was "permitted to train in our facilities." It said it later received a "clarification" from the Spanish tennis federation and "both parties have agreed that training should resume" only next week.

Rafael Nadal said he also went to train on a court this week, but he did it on private property because the rules weren't fully clear to him. Soccer players were among the exceptions who could start training inside sports facilities beginning this week.

Spain has been one of the countries most affected by the pandemic but it started loosening some of its restrictions on movement as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 started to go down recently. The nation went into a lockdown on March 14.

Djokovic recently said he was against taking a vaccine for the coronavirus if it became mandatory to travel once the pandemic subsides, though he later said he was open to changing his mind.

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Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has revealed that fellow tennis star and World No.1 Novak Djokovic was once fanboying on her over dinner. During an Instagram Live chat with the Serbian ace, Sharapova, who called time on her illustrious career in February, said: "I remember we played this little exhibition. I was young, you were young, way before you had any Grand Slam titles. I don't know if you'd even won a tournament at that point," said Sharapova. This part of the chat was shared by ATP Tour on their official Twitter handle.

"We're not going to start hugging trees, right?"@MariaSharapova with the one-liners for @DjokerNole today. 🤣#tennisathome pic.twitter.com/bweyZMuJ2v

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 5, 2020

"You said that if you'd win (in a mixed doubles match), I would have to pay dinner. I was like, ‘Okay, whatever, who is this kid?'" Sharapova recalled. "You won and you were like, ‘We have dinner tonight. We're going to the Japanese place!' I was like, ‘Are you serious? You and me, going to dinner, tonight?' So we did. We ended up going to dinner and it was so funny because you pulled out I think it was an old Kodak camera and you asked the waiter to take a photo of us… and here we are," she further said.

"It's actually what happened. Maria is saying the truth," Djokovic said, laughing. "I think you were fanboying," Sharapova replied. Djokovic recently said that he was "mentally empty" and "confused" at the beginning of the ongoing freeze of the tennis calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The sport has been on a full stop for over a month due to the pandemic outbreak.

Novak Djokovic

Djkovic has enjoyed a revival in form after a slump in late 2017 and most of 2018. He was set to defend his Wimbledon title this year before the grass court Grand Slam was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

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Tennis ace Sania Mirza spoke about the tweet she put up in March when Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc missed an ODI match to watch his wife and women's cricket star Alyssa Healy play the T20 World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Sania, who is married to former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, tweeted: "Sure thing !! God forbid it would be a guy from the subcontinent, the guy would be called a ‘joru ka ghulaam' in one second ?? good on you Mitchell ???? couple goals for sure!!"

Sania on Thursday explained that she was speaking about the abuse that she or Indian actor Anushka Sharma face whenever their husbands miss out on the field. Anushka is married to Indian captain Virat Kohli.

"It (Tweet on Starc) was funny because me and Anushka probably relate to this the most," said Sania in a video interaction with Indian cricketers Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana on their Youtube chat show "Double Trouble."

"I think whenever our husbands perform, it's because of them and when they don't it's because of us. I don't know how that works," she said.

Sania said that the phenomenon points to a deeper cultural issue. "We are saying it as a joke but I think there is a much deeper issue. The deeper issue is that a woman can always be a distraction and not a strength.

"That's a cultural issue we have to deal with. Oh ‘if your girlfriend is there or your wife is there, he must be distracted because he is going out for dinner'. That doesn't even make any sense.

"When he (Starc) went back to his wife to watch the World Cup final and everybody was hailing him, I was trying to just picture Shoaib doing that for me and I was like, hell would have broken loose if that would have happened.

"They would have said that he is such a joru ka ghulam, he is going and watching a women's cricket match. I just felt it. Sometimes humour also brings out the truth in many things.

"Anushka and I had a long conversation about it. We both were like, my goodness this is so true."

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The three-day annual "Winter Fest 2017" took off here with fanfare on Friday with the city coming alive with colourful cultural and folk performances as well as traditional sports activities for visitors and tourists. The quintessential hospitality and warmth of the local people -- that Rajasthan has been known for -- further added to the cheerful disposition of the festival, being organised by the Rajasthan Tourism Department.

Representational Pic

On Friday morning, a grand procession with various cultural and folk performances, including Ghoomar, Gair, Kacchi Ghodi and Kalbelia, to the Nakki Lake marked the start of the festival.

Events like a football match, Tug of War and Musical Chairs between the locals and tourists were held in the afternoon. The evening had a scheduled performance of the best of European bands.

On Saturday, Day 2, a Boat Race will be organised on Nakki Lake. The other programmes, such as a Kite Show, Rangoli Competition, Matka Race, Dog Show, Turban Tying Competition and Best of Rajasthani Dress Competition, are scheduled to take place in the afternoon.

In the evening, there will be a live performance of the Army Band, followed by a stunning display of the Best of Rajasthan group performances.

On the third day, December 31, a marathon race has been planned from Polo Ground to Nakki Lake. There will also be a Horse Show and Kabaddi Match in the afternoon and in the evening, there will be a Rock band performance by the "All Events Mumbai", before a display of fireworks.

On all three days, as part of the festival, there will processions of various cultural and folk performances from Toll Naka to Nakki Lake.

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If lazing around pristine white shorelines and engaging in fishing off the coast is your idea of the perfect weekend, sign up for a fishing trip organised by Grassroutes, that will be set in the scenic Adgaon beach along the Konkan coast.

Participants will learn traditional hand fishing and also the line-and-hook type of fishing

Shreya Thaker, from the rural tourism-centric tour group, says, "We aim to organise events that connect people with different communities and help them financially. So with the trip, Fishing for Fun, we are working with the Koli community to host fishing and hiking activities to keep you engaged while you also enjoy the traditional hospitality of homestays in this region, which includes Konkan cuisine prepared by locals." She states that participants will learn the technique of traditional hand fishing practised by locals while the line-and-hook type of fishing will be taught by Donna Sequeira, a facilitator from the organising company.

Participants will be taken on an early morning tour of the local fish market to spot varieties caught off the coast. "We are also planning to visit mango and cashew farms along with a hike to a hidden waterfall near the village," shares Thaker.

ON: February 17 and 18, 12 pm onwards
AT: Adgaon Beach, near Divegar. call 9820464838 for bookings
LOG ON TO: bit.ly/2nZetPx
COST: Rs 3,000 (adult) and Rs 1,800 (child) [inclusive of food, accommodation and fishing equipment; not inclusive of travel cost to reach location]

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Living in a city like Mumbai where views from a person's home consist mainly of bricks and mortar, and where people go about their daily business with such a frenetic pace that it mirrors a fast local train travelling at top speed, can leave its citizens feeling as jaded as someone who's been tied to a computer screen indefinitely for months on end. But a travel company is now offering people feeling the same the chance to join an expedition to Rishikesh, so that they can recharge their batteries before getting back to the daily grind.

"It will be a three-night stay," says Rohit Dube, co-founder of Moonstone Hammock, which is organising the tour. "The first day starts with a trek to a hidden gem, a waterfall about 5 km from the main city where people can actually sit in the water and have their food. And over the course of the rest of the trip, we will take the participants for two different evening aartis, rafting, to the Beatles ashram, cafés with live music, and local bazaars so that they can soak in the vibe of the place. We will also take them around the mountains on bikes, for instance to the beautiful road that heads towards Badrinath," he adds, meaning that it's time for you to pack your bags if you want to escape this concrete jungle, even if it's for a brief period.

On: March 29 to April 1
Call: 9769274340 to book
Cost: Rs.7,980

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