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Coronavirus: Ministers launch hardship fund for dairy farmers

Demand for milk has dropped with the closure of cafes and restaurants during the coronavirus crisis.




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The volunteer army helping self-isolating neighbours

The coronavirus outbreak has left many feeling trapped indoors, but for some help may not be far away.




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Coronavirus crisis forces farmers to throw milk away

Some dairy farmers are throwing away thousands of litres amid supply chain disruption due to coronavirus.




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Coronavirus coffee farmer: 'We're definitely scared'

Many small coffee producers fear they will go under, as Covid-19 has shut down their usual buyers.




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Players Mali warm up

KOLKATA, INDIA - OCTOBER 28: Players Mali warm up prior to the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 3rd Place match between Brazil and Mali at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 28, 2017 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Tom Dulat - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Players of Brazil warm up

KOLKATA, INDIA - OCTOBER 28: Players of Brazil warm up prior the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 3rd Place match between Brazil and Mali at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 28, 2017 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Buda Mendes - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Players Mali warm up

KOLKATA, INDIA - OCTOBER 28: Players Mali warm up prior to the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 3rd Place match between Brazil and Mali at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 28, 2017 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Tom Dulat - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Players of Brazil warm up

KOLKATA, INDIA - OCTOBER 28: Players of Brazil warm up prior the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 3rd Place match between Brazil and Mali at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on October 28, 2017 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Buda Mendes - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Gerardo Battistoni of Argentina stretches during the warm up

CALI, COLOMBIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Gerardo Battistoni of Argentina stretches during the warm up before the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi-Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Gerardo Battistoni of Argentina looks on as he warms up

CALI, COLOMBIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Gerardo Battistoni of Argentina looks on as he warms up before the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi-Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Joao Matos of Portugal looks on during the warm up

Joao Matos of Portugal looks on during the warm up before the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi-Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Ricardinho of Portugal plays with the ball during the warm up

Ricardinho of Portugal plays with the ball during the warm up before the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi-Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Damian Sarmiento of Argentina celebrates with team mates

Damian Sarmiento of Argentina celebrates with team mates at the final whistle during the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo el Pueblo Stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Ian MacNicol - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Bruno Coelho (C) of Portugal misses a goal between Nicolas Sarmiento (L) and Damian Stazzone (R) of Argentina

Bruno Coelho (C) of Portugal misses a goal between Nicolas Sarmiento (L) and Damian Stazzone (R) of Argentina during the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi-Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Goalkeeper Nicolas Sarmiento #1 of Argentina is congratulated by fellow keeper Guido Mosenson

BUCARAMANGA, COLOMBIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Goalkeeper Nicolas Sarmiento #1 of Argentina is congratulated by fellow keeper Guido Mosenson after their 1-0 Group E match win against Kazakhstan in the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup on September 12, 2016 in Bucaramanga, Colombia. (Photo by Victor Decolongon - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina reacts as his teammate Leandro Cuzzolino scores

CALI, COLOMBIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina reacts as his teammate Leandro Cuzzolino scores his team's fifth goal during the FIFA Futsal World Cup Semi-Final match between Argentina and Portugal at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium on September 28, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina celebrates

CALI, COLOMBIA - OCTOBER 01: Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina celebrates at full time during the FIFA Futsal World Cup Final match between Russia and Argentina at the Coliseo el Pueblo Stadiumon October 1, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Ian MacNicol - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina celebrates

CALI, COLOMBIA - OCTOBER 01: Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina celebrates at full time during the FIFA Futsal World Cup Final match between Russia and Argentina at the Coliseo el Pueblo Stadiumon October 1, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Ian MacNicol - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina poses with the goalkeeper award and the World Cup trophy

Nicolas Sarmiento of Argentina poses with the goalkeeper award and the World Cup trophy after the FIFA Futsal World Cup final between Russia and Argentina at Coliseo el Pueblo on October 1, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Alex Caparros - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Ahmed Barman of Al Ain celebrates

AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 15: Ahmed Barman of Al Ain celebrates after his team's third goal during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Second round match between ES Tunis v Al Ain at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on December 15, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)




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Gonzalo Martinez, Jonathan Maidana and Jorge Moreira of River Plate walk out to warm up 

AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Gonzalo Martinez of River Plate (l), Jonathan Maidana of River Plate (middle) and Jorge Moreira of River Plate (r) walk out to warm up prior to the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Marcus Berg of Al Ain celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with Ahmed Barman

AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Marcus Berg of Al Ain celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with Ahmed Barman of Al Ain during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Gareth Bale of Real Madrid warms up at the Zayed Sports City Stadium 

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 19: during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Kashima Antlers and Real Madrid at Zayed Sports City Stadium on December 19, 2018 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid warms up

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 19: Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid warms up during the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Kashima Antlers and Real Madrid at Zayed Sports City Stadium on December 19, 2018 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid warms up

Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid warms up prior to the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final match between Kashima Antlers and Real Madrid at Zayed Sports City Stadium on December 19, 2018 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)




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MS Dhoni pips Rohit Sharma by slimmest of margins in IPL poll

On #CricketConnected, Star Sports’ new show the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T) – Captain was a tie between MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma based on the jury's votes, but then the selection panel on the show picked Dhoni ahead of Rohit by the slimmest of margins.

Justifying the pick Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen said, “His relationship with Fleming the consistency at the franchise and the wicket they play on so it would be hard to go against MS and he will probably get my vote, I like what Rohit Sharma does and I love the Mumbai Indians and their approach to the game. However, for consistency and weight of expectation down there in Chennai MS is my guy.”

Former New Zealand fast bowler Danny Morrison added, “Looking at the vibe and the inspiration of that fellow (MS Dhoni) in yellow and what he did for India in blue and variably that helicopter shot which changes the course of the game, yes he is a lot older and finishing up Rohit got more time. But for me, Dhoni takes the pressure like no one else.”

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Hussein: It’s the same rules on the pitch as in the pharmacy




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Trishala Dutt shares a throwback picture with Richa Sharma, Maanayata Dutt posts a lovely comment

It seems there's nothing better than sharing old and unseen pictures on social media these days. A lot of the Bollywood celebrities have already done that and have been doing that even now. So the next celebrity to join the list is Sanjay Dutt's daughter Trishala Dutt, who shared a fantastic throwback picture with her mother Richa Sharma.

The picture is all the way back from 1988, where Sharma could be seen holding her in her arms and it was indeed a heartfelt moment. And one of the people to comment on the post was Maanayata, who wrote- Beautiful, followed by hearts and a smiling emoji.

Have a look right here:

Trishala and Maanayata share a great bond and rapport and can often be seen commenting on each other's Instagram pictures and posts. Even Priya Dutt had a wonderful comment on the post and wrote- "So beautiful, she is an angel in heaven now trish, always looking over you. She loved you more than anything in this world. God bless her soul." (sic)

We wish to see more such pictures in the future!

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Vidyut Jammwal talks about his relationship with Adah Sharma on social media

Vidyut Jammwal says he and Commando 3 co-star Adah Sharma are best friends. In a Q&A, a fan asked him, "Are you and Adah just friends (sic)?" The actor responded. "Just friends? Not at all... we are courageous, kind, intuitive, focussed, grateful, open-minded, unassuming, considerate, sharing, happy, calm and best friends (sic)." Phew! The two bond over their love for martial arts.

Speaking about his professional journey, the actor has been a part of actioners like Force, the Commando franchise and Junglee. Vidyut Jammwal, who is known for his high-octane stunts on screen, says his next Khuda Hafiz is a hardcore romantic film.

Directed by Faruk Kabir, the romantic-action-thriller co-stars Shivaleeka Oberoi, who recently made her debut in "Yeh Saali Aashiqui", opposite late Amrish Puri's grandson Vardhan Puri.

The film is produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak and Abhishek Pathak and co-produced by Sanjeev Joshi, Aditya Chowksey and Murlidhar Chhatwani. It will be distributed pan-India by Anand Pandit Motion Pictures and Panorama Films.

"Khuda Hafiz is a romantic movie. It's a true story of a man who is madly in love with his wife and gets married in 2009 during the recession. They go abroad and get a job. (The story is about) how this girl gets picked up and how the guy gets her back. It's a hardcore, true romantic movie with a little action," Vidyut told IANS.

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Why Anushka Sharma called herself a 'bewakoof ladki'

Actress Anushka Sharma gave Instagram's viral 'Guess The Gibberish' filter a shot, but she failed to come up with the right word.

Guess The Gibberish filter works by showing you seemingly meaningless words until you can crack it and arrive at the correct phrase. A user gets 10 seconds to figure out the right words. The filer was created by a user named @gu_christopher, and has caught on.

Anushka posted a video on Instagram story, where she is seen participating in the guessing game.

Her Gibberish filter read: "Stir Range Earth Inks".

In the video, she is seen repeating the sentence and finally decides the correct answer to be "Strange Things", but the reply is actually "Stranger Things".

Seeing her guess is wrong, Anushka calls herself "Bewakoof ladki".

On the work front, Anushka is all set to come up with a new web series as a producer on Amazon Prime Video web series, bankrolled by her production house Clean Slate Company.

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Little bundle of joy Ayat Sharma looks no less than a miracle in these pictures!

Ayat Sharma, Arpita Khan Sharma and Aayush Sharma's baby girl, was born on Salman Khan's birthday, December 27, 2019. Ever since the tiny tot has arrived, the entire family can't keep calm but just be around her. She has been spreading joy and happiness in the 'khan-daan' and we can't help but just scroll through her pictures the entire day. Doesn't she look adorable? Let's take a look at some of her pictures shared by the family on social media.

Aayush Sharma, Arpita Khan Sharma and the entire Khan family is currently in Panvel. The family has been on their farmhouse ever since the lockdown was announced in the country. The family is having a jamming session and making loads of memories being together.

Aayush, in of the posts, wrote, "A child can teach an Adult 3 things - To he happy for no reason - To always be curious - To fight tirelessly for something Paulo Coelho [sic]"

Aayush Sharma has also been sharing messages with his social media fans. Posing with the little one and Ahil, the actor captioned, "Stay at home .. spend time with your family and create beautiful memories Make the most out of this quarantine & stay safe. #quarantine #familytime [sic]"

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aayush Sharma (@aaysharma) onMar 20, 2020 at 8:23am PDT

Arpita Khan Sharma, Ayat posed and extended festive wishes with their fans on Instagram. Take a look!

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Wishing you all a very Happy Holi

A post shared by Aayush Sharma (@aaysharma) onMar 10, 2020 at 10:35am PDT

But did you know what won a lot of heart? 'Mamu' Salman Khan playing with Ayat. "We love you Mamu @beingsalmankhan," shared Arpita.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arpita Khan Sharma (@arpitakhansharma) onMar 7, 2020 at 3:06am PST

In an interview, Aayush Sharma shared why he wanted to name his daughter Ayat. "We wanted everyone to be named with A. When I was travelling to London, I met a guy named Ahil and I thought it's a very unique name and it turned out to mean the rightful prince in Persian and that was very fascinating. We believe in secular relationships so we wanted both our kids to have a Muslim first name and a Hindu surname."

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Welcome to our world Ayat.

A post shared by Arpita Khan Sharma (@arpitakhansharma) onDec 30, 2019 at 4:48am PST

Ayat Sharma really deserves warm hugs! Isn't she adorable?

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Off The Record: Anushka Sharma gets candid on her introduction scene in Dil Dhadakne Do

Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's Tiger Baby Films has one of the most intriguing pages on social media. The page has the most evocative artistic narrations, orated to viewers by eminent personalities from the industry.

They recently brought into play their new series on social media called 'Off the record' where the most prominent actors of the Indian film industry describe one of their most exemplary scenes from one of their movies.

This time around, it was Anushka Sharma on the mike as the actress spoke about her introduction scene as Farah in Dil Dhadakne Do and everything that makes the scene unique and special while giving some unknown sneak peeks into how the shooting went down.

Earlier, Farhan Akhtar and Ranveer Singh have also shared similar stories from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do respectively. Tiger Baby films shared the post on social media with the caption, "Off The Record with Anushka Sharma | Dil Dhadakne Do."

"We make films for the silver screen but the little stories that make the big picture don't always come through.
Here's introducing our 'Off The Record' series where cast and crew from the Tiger Baby clan let us in on what went into creating some of their best scenes, what their psychology was in that moment and why this particular scene will always remain unforgettable to them. #nowrolling #storybehindthescene #offtherecordwithtigerbaby." (sic)

Off The Record with Anushka Sharma
Film: Dil Dhadakne Do
Scene: Farah's introduction scene", have a look right here:

The film was mounted on a huge scale but also highlighted the importance of staying together and how a family comes first. And Anushka, as always, delivered a layered and nuanced performance. 

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Do you know some calories inflict more harm than others?

Representational picture

Washington D.C.: While it is no secret that there are good calories as well as bad calories, turns out, in the bad category, there are variations too. According to the University of California, Davis, sugar-sweetened beverages play a unique role in chronic health problems. Calories from any food have the potential to increase the risk of obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases. The disease risk increases even when the beverages are consumed within diets that do not result in weight gain.

Twenty-two researchers explored whether all calories are equal with regards to effects on cardiometabolic disease and obesity. The study provided an extensive review of the current science on diets that can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes.

"What's new is that this is an impressive group of scientists with vast experience in nutrition and metabolism agreeing with the conclusion that sugar-sweetened beverages increase cardiometabolic risk factors compared to equal amounts of starch," said lead author Kimber Stanhope.

Another interesting point of consensus among researchers was the role of the sugar substitute aspartame.

The authors agreed that aspartame does not promote weight gain in adults. Stanhope said this might come as a surprise to most people.

"If you go on the internet and look up aspartame, the layperson would be convinced that aspartame is going to make them fat, but it's not," said Stanhope. "The long and short of it is that no human studies on noncaloric sweeteners show weight gain."

The authors also agreed that consumption of polyunsaturated (n-6) fats, such as those found in some vegetable oils, seeds and nuts, lowers disease risk when compared with equal amounts of saturated fats.

However, that conclusion comes with a caveat. Dairy foods such as cheese and yogurts, which can be high in saturated fats, have been associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk.

The paper reviewed the significant challenges involved in conducting and interpreting nutrition research.

"We have a long way to go to get precise answers on a lot of different nutrition issues," said Stanhope. "Nevertheless, we all agree that a healthy diet pattern consisting of minimally processed whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats promotes health compared with the refined and palatable typical Western diet pattern."

The study appears in the journal Obesity Reviews.

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





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Mortal remains of Army Major killed in Jammu and Kashmir reaches Thane

Thane: Thousands of people, including grieving family members and friends, in Thane on Thursday received the mortal remains of Major Kaustubh P. Rane who was killed in a gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir. Rane was among the four Army personnel killed in a gunfight with terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in Bandipura district on Tuesday. His body reached his home in Mira Road town early on Thursday, an official said.

Late on Wednesday, the coffin, draped in the national Tricolour, arrived in Mumbai where it was solemnly received by Rane's grieving family members, Army and civilian officials. Early on Thursday, decked with flowers the coffin was brought to his hometown in a military truck for the last rites which will be performed with full military honours later in the day.

Thousands of emotional onlookers lined the roads on both sides or from building tops and terraces as they showered flowers on the coffin, raising slogans of "Major Kaustubh Rane, Amar Rahe" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", waving the Indian flag. Many women could be seen weeping.

Since Tuesday, the Mira Road township has been in mourning over the death of their hero, who lived over 25 years in Sheetal Nagar area, barely five km north of Mumbai. Rane, 29, is survived by his aged parents Prakash and Jyoti Rane, sister Kashyapi, wife Kanika and a two-and-half-year-old son Agastya.

His father had retired from a Tata Group company, while his mother is a former Assistant Headmistress of Utkarsh Mandir High School in Malad, Mumbai. The only son of his parents, Rane fulfilled his childhood dreams of joining the armed forces by completing his military training from Pune and was later commissioned as an officer from the elite Officers Training Academy, Chennai in 2011.

The Major had visited Mira Road town in April for a brief period before returning to the front. It was a proud moment for the family when Rane was decorated with the Sena Gallantry Medal by President Ram Nath Kovind on the 69th Republic Day celebrations this year.

Also read: Mumbai: Mira Road family mourns 29-year-old martyred Major

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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from IANS





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Army Major Kaustubh Rane's funeral: Thousands bid tearful goodbye

Major Kaustubh Rane, who was killed in the Gurez sector of Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir on August 4 during an operation to foil an infiltration bid, was bid a tearful adieu by mourners today. Major Rane was laid to rest with full military honours at a crematorium in Mira Road township in the district around 12.30 pm.

Scores of mourners thronged Rane's house in Shital Nagar area in Mira Road in the morning to catch the last glimpse of the martyred army man. The funeral procession started from his residence around 9.30 am. His body, kept in a casket draped in tricolour, was carried in a flower-bedecked truck to the crematorium. At a few junctions on the way, flowers were showered on the vehicle carrying the mortal remains.

When the procession reached the crematorium two hours later, chaos prevailed for some time due to a huge rush of mourners. People even climbed trees and stood on terraces of neighbouring buildings as well as on the compound wall of the crematorium to witness the funeral.

Rane's family members had to appeal to the people to maintain peace. When the family members placed floral wreaths on his body, mourners shouted slogans like 'Vande Mataram', 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Major Kaustubh Rane Amar Rahe'. His wife Kanika, who carried their two-and-a-half-year-old son Agastya in her arms, was inconsolable. Before the martyr's father lit the funeral pyre, a 21-gun salute was given. Apart from local politicians, Army officers, including Lieutenant General Cherish Mathson general officer commanding-in-chief (GOC-in-C) of South Western Command, were present on the occasion.

Major Rane and three soldiers were killed while foiling an infiltration bid in north Kashmir's Gurez sector. At least two militants were gunned down in the operation.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Mumbai: Armed with rakhis, Palghar cops 'fine' tune challans for Kerala relief

On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the Palghar police on Sunday were fining traffic violators with kindness in the Vasai division. As part of the 'Rakhi with Khakhi' initiative, women police constables deployed at five spots were stopping those found breaking traffic rules, tying a rakhi on their wrist, and instead of slapping a fine on them, were asking them to donate whatever they could for flood-ravaged Kerala.

The constables were deployed at Babhola, Ambadi, Panchvati, T-Point and Evershine City in Vasai for over two hours in the morning. They caught several motorists for not wearing helmets and speeding. Women traffic violators were also stopped; however, instead of a rakhi, they got chocolates and roses and were asked to pay back in kind if they wished to.

Motorist Aslam Shaikh said, "Police caught me at Vasai naka for not wearing a helmet. The cops tied a rakhi, and I was asked to pay in the donation box. The money will be used for relief in Kerala. It is a really impressive initiative."

There were some motorists who, despite not violating rules, stopped near the cops to donate for the cause, like Vasai resident Nitesh Bhalerao. "I was passing by and saw women police officers tying a rakhi on the wrists of motorists. Out of curiosity, I stopped my motorcycle and put forward my hand for the rakhi. As a gift, I donated some amount for Kerala. It was a really good gesture by the Palghar police," he said.

Speaking to mid-day about the funds they managed to collect through this exercise, Additional Superintendent of Police Vijaykant Sagar said, "The initiative 'Rakhi with Khaki', which was carried out from 10 am to 1 pm, helped us collect Rs 70,000, which will be transferred to the Kerala Chief Minister's Relief Fund."

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Mumbai's banker-turned-singer Ameya Dabli performs for Indian Army jawans

Earlier this year, while performing at a military training centre in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, singer Ameya Dabli recalls receiving a disturbing piece of news from the army chief Lt Ranbir Singh. Four terror attacks had taken place at a nearby hillock on the same day. The hill, as he soon learnt, was located less than a kilometre away from the centre.

"The chief said to me, 'Don't worry. We will protect you'. This one reassuring line was enough to allay our fears in that high tension zone," he says. Dabli and his team of musicians went on to deliver a power-packed two-hour performance regaling the audience with musical compositions of poems penned by Kabirdas, Guru Nanak, Amir Khusro and Tulsidas. "We didn't realise how those two hours flew by. You see, that's the power of music," he says. Since then, Dabli has performed at several other conflict regions of the country, including eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and four in the Northeast.

Singing for peace
It was three years ago that Dabli, a Bhandup resident, conceptualised Ekam Satt, which are essentially pro bono concerts curated for the Indian Armed Forces and civilians, in order to not just motivate jawans, but also bring peace. Born in a family of music lovers - his mother Anuradha Dabli is a trained classical and light music exponent - the 38-year-old was inducted into singing from the age of seven. "But, the idea to use music as a peace building tool was something that took shape during my last stint as the marketing head of Ronny and Zarina Screvwala's Swades Foundation. Here, I got the opportunity to interact with a lot of non-profits," he says.

Dabli, who holds a robust 15 years of corporate experience as marketing head with the Tata Group, HSBC and Citibank, now straddles a music career along with a venture where he mentors start-ups and NGOs to start their businesses. Till date, he has performed over 1,500 concerts across 15 countries. "Initially, it took us a good six months to curate the songs for Ekam Satt, because we wanted it to be a good blend of sufi, folk and contemporary music. We even got RS Mani, the music arranger of Veer Zaara to help us. But now, it's seamless," he says.

While Dable's pieces comprise the works of legendary poets such as Mirabai, Narsinh Mehta, Khwaja Garib Nawab and Tukaram, the songs are infused with peppy global music styles like hip hop, reggae and opera to make it livelier. "When we approached the Army headquarters in New Delhi with the concept, they loved it and immediately asked us to come on board," he says.

On the shaadi front
Interestingly, Dabli is also a sought-after name when it comes to weddings and sangeet and has performed at the glitzy wedding of Sasha Rawal - sister of Bollywood's leading fashion designer Kunal Rawal - and Samarth Bajaj, and very recently, the engagement of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. He has also organised gigs for Kumar Mangalam Birla, David and Lali Dhawan, Aditya Birla and Adi Godrej. "It's not the typical shaadi scene. My forte is the pheras, something that most people don't pay much attention to," he laughs. "I perform something called the signature wedding chants, where I don't just recite mantras, but also provide explanation of the vidhis or rituals," adds Dabli, who perfected his Sanskrit under the tutelage of his father, Professor PV Dabli, a scholar in the language.

Dabli says juggling his entrepreneurial venture with his musical endeavours does test his ability to multi-task. "Sometimes, I don't know which one to focus on more. But that's what happens when you love whatever you do equally," he smiles.

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Sharad Pawar: PM Modi keeping mum on farmer suicides, lack of jobs

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of deliberately maintaining "silence" on issues like suicide by farmers and unemployment while campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a rally at Bhayander in Thane district of Maharashtra Monday night, Pawar said unemployment has gone up manifold since the NDA government came to power in 2014.

The former Union minister alleged that the Modi government lacked policies for ensuring industrial and agricultural growth. He was canvassing for Anand Paranjape who is the NCP candidate from Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency.

"Due to lack of any industrial policy, unemployment has gone up in Maharashtra which is the most industrialised state in the country. Modi government is deliberately not making any attempts to ensure the growth of industries and agriculture," the NCP chief said.

Claiming that as many as 11,990 farmers have killed themselves since the BJP government assumed office, Pawar said the prime minister avoids talking about this reality as well as other issues like farm distress, water scarcity and price rise at hustings. "Modi also keeps mum on the Rafale deal scam. Under Modi regime, institutions like RBI, CBI, supreme court etc. are being undermined," he alleged.

Last week, Pawar lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is "peeping into the homes of others" as he has no family of his own. Addressisng a poll rally at Partur here Monday, Pawar said Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was released by Pakistan under pressure from the world community and the Modi government had no role in it.

"I have my wife, daughter, son-in-law and nephews. What Modi has?...no one," he said, attacking the PM over his remarks on feud in the Pawar family. "That is why Modi is peeping into the homes of others. How will he (Modi) know how to run a family, he has no one?" the former Union minister said.

The Maratha strongman said Modi stooped low by making comments about his family, but he cannot behave in the same way. At an election rally in Wardha early this month, Modi had said a family war is going on in the NCP. The PM had also claimed that Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar is slowing capturing the 1999-founded party. Pawar said if Modi had a 56-inch chest, as he has claimed, then why his government has failed to ensure the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Navy officer, from Pakistani jail.

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Dharmendra Jore: Shenanigans unlimited


The Sena chief says if BJP opts out in Palghar, he will support the ally in Gondia-Bhandara, which too will go to Lok Sabha bypoll on the same day (May 28).

Shiv Sena may have discovered a way to bend the BJP its way. The political precision with which the party snapped up the disgruntled son of a late BJP parliamentarian for fielding in the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll has taken Uddhav's resolve of outsmarting the saffron frenemy to a decisive level. Uddhav wants to fly solo, escape BJP's trap for emerging as the single largest party in the state next year.

Palghar, a testing lab, may decide the fate of the strained relation between the two partners, which the Sena is using to try and carve a niche for itself by playing a detractor within and outside the government.

Uddhav has a spring in his step, as Sena prepares to run Palghar, and the guts to ask the BJP to withdraw from the race. It would be interesting to see who blinks first in a barter proposed by Uddhav. The Sena chief says if BJP opts out in Palghar, he will support the ally in Gondia-Bhandara, which too will go to Lok Sabha bypoll on the same day (May 28).

But will they reach a compromise? The possibility of the two parties backing out seem remote. There are others in the fray who too want the BJP defeated. The BJP has fielded a former Congress junior minister, Rajendra Gavit, who had started his political career with Janata Dal. Gavit came in amid high drama after Sena's nomination of BJP's late MP Chintaman Wanga's son Shrinivas surprised all. Gavit had lost two Assembly elections in a row for the Congress, and before that, he was unceremoniously asked to pull out for a BVS candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

'Well played, Sena'
The BJP camp does not admit it openly, but insiders say the Sena was tactically much superior this time. Sena explored the emotional turmoil in the Wanga family, which felt ignored by the BJP. The family members accused the BJP high command, including the CM, of not giving them audience. In response, Fadnavis blamed the poaching on Sena. He said it was unexpected of the ally, and that the BJP would win, with or without Sena.

The Palghar bypoll is important for the BJP to reaffirm its influence in the tribal belt. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, four out of the 48 seats were reserved for Scheduled Tribes, of which all went to the BJP, an unprecedented result. BJP had been contesting Dahanu (delimited and named Palghar) for many decades but with limited success.

In the Assembly, 25 of the 288 seats are reserved for STs. Of these, BJP won 11, followed by Congress's five, NCP's four, Sena's three and one each by CPI(M) and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA).

The results of Lok Sabha bypolls in Maharashtra should measure BJP's influence in the four years of government. Sena hasn't fielded in Gondia-Bhandara because its poor strength will never secure it a prominent place. Knowing his weakness in the region well, Uddhav paid an impromptu visit to Nagpur last week. Again, his was an attempt to create some nuisance for the BJP, where they expect BJP and NCP to fight straight.

Other factors in Palghar
For Sena, Palghar has turned out to be a sharper tool to cut the BJP to size. Uddhav has nothing lose in a skirmish that will be four-way in case some candidates don't pull out, while a victory would be a shot in the arm for Sena.

Former allies Congress and influential local outfit, led by Hitendra Thakur, BVA are also in the fray. BVA's role will be significant in splitting votes because it had won the LS seat in 2009, and lost the next to BJP, despite having its vote share of 30 per cent intact. In 2014, BJP increased its vote share by a whopping 25 per cent. BJP and Sena were together then, while Congress had withdrawn Gavit (now BJP's candidate) for supporting Thakur's candidate. BVA continues to be a big player in two urban Assembly segments of Vasai and Nalasopara, which Thakur and son represent.

If it were to ensure BJP's defeat, will Congress withdraw the candidature of former MP Damu Shingda this time? Congress insiders say supporting BVA may not be a good idea, and instead, the party should have a tacit understanding with the Sena for beating the BJP at the hands of the ally. But will that be acceptable to Congress, which is working to emerge as a strong alternative to BJP?

All eyes will be on developments taking place on Monday, the last day of withdrawal of candidatures.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Dharmendra Jore: Re-inventing the Congress

It was being said that the Karnataka Assembly polls should be able to shape the political discourse of the time to come, with an eye on next year's general elections. Things are headed that way, thanks to a secondary role that the Indian National Congress has decided to play in a game that would have regional parties as dominant stakeholders. The reactions that Karnataka's high drama has evoked from the ruling regional parties and others that are poised to throw a challenge to the BJP were more like war cries.

The BJP isn't naïve to ignore what lies ahead and it should be seen changing its strategy as it faces newer challenges. We should not be surprised if BJP works overtime on dividing the outfits that the Congress wants to gather under one umbrella with the sole target of stopping BJP in its strides. The war cries we have been hearing from the foes of BJP mean a single agenda, but without a unified command centre they cannot turn it into action on all fronts where the BJP needs to be defeated. It is still a grey area for the opposition that the BJP should seek advantage from.

Regional rationale
High on ambitions, the regional parties in some states have their own calculations, permutations and combinations that have little space for the Congress, which will have to work elsewhere to emerge as the first or the second largest party at the Centre. The Congress think-tank seems to have done a reality check. After Gujarat, where it fought BJP in a straight fight and hurled a stunner that almost unseated the ruling party, it missed out on retaining power on its own in Karnataka. But it performed exceedingly well outside legislature. It learned from past mistakes and took every cue from BJP's moves. It made the right noises in the people's court and also in the highest judicial offices of the country. It was pleasant to see the Congress leaders, who are also the party's legal experts, shed their infamous arrogance, as they spoke their minds at media conferences and argued in the courts.Little wonder then, the Congress does not seem to be pushing its president Rahul Gandhi as a torch-bearer for all opposition, unless supported by the number of elected representatives.

A decision to give JD (S) the chief minister's post in Karnataka should be seen as a part of strategy that serves many purposes. It gives out a message that the Congress will make sacrifices to strengthen a mission 'say-no-to-Modi-BJP'. It embraced a post-poll partner, and it said unlike BJP (or the Congress of the past that had pulled out support to Deve Gowda's Union government), it wouldn't eliminate a friend in need.
Regionals such as Shiv Sena, BSP, SP, TRS, Trinamool Congress, TDP, RJD and other outfits have welcomed the development in Karnataka, especially the Congress' fightback in ensuring that BJP's CM steps down and JD (S) chief HD Kumaraswamy gets to run the government, as promised on the election results day.
The anti-Modi gang sees it as a positive and mature decision from the Congress, which acted with a flexibility and quickness it rarely showed in the past, in the decision-making process of the Karnataka episode.

Testing times for BJP
The BJP expects the new-found love between the Congress and JD (S) to vanish soon. It says there will be Assembly polls in Karnataka very soon and it will win, this time, with a thumping majority. If it happens or not in the southern state, the BJP will now have to keep its flag flying in three of its citadels — Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where regional parties don't matter much, but may have an influence here and there. As has been in the past three decades, it should be a one-on-one fight between the Congress and BJP. These states will also fairly indicate where the two parties stand ahead of Lok Sabha polls. MP sends 29 MPs, Chhattisgarh has 11 and Rajasthan 25.

Going by the voting pattern of the Assembly in Karnakata, a unified opposition should at least win 22-23 of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state. By-polls in Uttar Pradesh have established that the united opposition, mainly the regionals SP and BSP, should be able to reduce BJP considerably in a state that sends highest number of 80 MPs.
Second in the line after UP is Maharashtra, where the Assembly polls are held six months after the general polls (48 MPs) and it usually sees an impact of previous polls on formation of a state government. Yet, we may have some 'trend learning' in the offing when Palghar and Bhandara-Gondia go to the Lok Sabha by-poll on May 28.

Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com

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Armed cops arrive to capture tiger on the loose. What happens next is hilarious!

Spotting a tiger during a walk is not an encounter you would wish to experience. With stories of wild animals being spotted in unusual places during the lockdown, seeing a tiger on the loose is the last thing you want and which might lead to chaos! This is exactly what happened when few people in countryside Kent in England called the police for help saying that they had spotted a tiger in the neighbourhood.

Armed policemen and a helicopter arrived at the scene to locate the tiger but to their surprise, they found that it was just a sculpture that looked like a real tiger!

Picture/Martha Simpson-Twitter

The incident was narrated by Twitter user Martha Simpson. She said that the tiger sculpture that armed cops with a helicopter came to hunt for, was made by her grandmother. She also shared the pictures of the incident in which the police officers were investigating the sculpture.

Simpson was quoted by the Guardian as saying that her 85-year-old grandmother Juliet built the sculpture using chicken wires and resin 20 years ago. She said that her son called her on her phone to tell her about the armed police coming at her doorstep with their helicopters. "Ten of them! By then I could see the helicopter above, and I thought, goodness me. So then I walked up the road and saw the police Land Rover. I went up and said: 'Do you want to be introduced to this tiger?'" she was quoted by the Guardian.

Simpson went on to say that tiger’s sculpture never bothered anyone before this incident apart from dogs, adding that the police left after looking into the matter and establishing that the sculpture did not pose any risk to the public.

But the sculpture that created a buzz attracted some attention from netizens.

A person, who has visited the spot calls it a 'great scuplture' and said that  he visits the spot regularly for walks with his dogs.

What do you think about the post?

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'Wish you were here to hold me in your arms': Vanessa remembers Kobe Bryant on 19th wedding anniversary

Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday with a touching Instagram post.

"My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you," she wrote, posting a picture of the couple. Five-time NBA champion Bryant and the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26. Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday's WNBA draft as honorary selections.

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women's league "would have been a dream come true" for Gianna. After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to "an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women's and girls' basketball at all levels."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Jacqueline Fernandez on quarantining at Salman Khan's farmhouse: I ride horses swim, and run

The worldwide lockdown has forced us to stay at homes, stay indoors, and stay as far away from people as possible. Some are safe in their own homes and some are abroad with friends or alone. Jacqueline Fernandez, however, is locked down at a farmhouse and that farmhouse is at Panvel. Yes, we are talking about Salman Khan's very popular farmhouse where he celebrates his birthday every year.

How has the actress been spending time at that place and what exactly has the lockdown taught her? She has spilled the beans on all in her recent interview with Times of India. Speaking to the daily, she said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually." On the work front, she has films like Mrs. Serial Killer, Attack, and Kick 2. And this is what she has to say on getting back to work, "I am eagerly waiting to get back to shoots, get dressed and have fun… I am missing all that."

And Salman Khan took to his Instagram account to share a shirtless picture of himself that was slyly clicked by Jacqueline and don't miss the caption the actor has written:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

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Paatal Lok: Five reasons why Anushka Sharma's web series promises to be a must-watch

Be it the Yin or the Yang, the good or the bad, there are always two sides to the same coin. The same goes for our existence today. Showcasing the contrasting realities of modern society, Amazon Prime Video's upcoming original Paatal Lok will surely raise your hair with its captivating portrayal of the many shades of humanity.

Here are five reasons that will make you want to watch the upcoming gripping show –

1. An invigorating crime-thriller

Paatal Lok is swiftly establishing a fanbase even before the release of the show. From audiences going gaga about the intriguing posters, the excitement ahead of the show's release is infectious. The show, with its gripping narrative, is all set to throw new light on the four pillars of democracy. Making for a compelling watch, viewers are set to be left in awe as they see shades of morality in the country that seems more dark than bright.

2. See the dark side of humanity get darker

Talk about a show that will shake your very core and make you question everything that you believed was right or wrong. Realising that there's always more to what meets the eye, Paatal Lok will show us how every individual has two sides to their personality. And yes, rest assured of watching a story that at no point shies away from the relentless violence displayed by ruthless mortals. Certainly, a show not for the faint-hearted, the many shades to Paatal Lok will keep one hooked to the mysteries that unravel in this inescapable hell on earth.

3. Commentary on modern-day society

Apart from being a mysterious series on the lawless and merciless, Paatal Lok's nuanced plot seems to be a scathing commentary on modern-day society. Drawing parallels with the ancient concepts of the Tri-Lok - Swarg Lok (heaven), Dharti Lok (earth), Paatal Lok (netherworld), it paints a realistic picture of the ruthless class divide that prevails today in Indian society.

4. Yet another masterpiece from the makers of NH10, Udta Punjab

If the concept didn't intrigue you yet, watch the series for the creator and co-writer Sudip Sharma. In its first-ever association with Clean Slate Films, Amazon Prime Video's Paatal Lok is a much-anticipated series from the masterminds behind the startling films NH10 and Udta Punjab. With audiences raving about the show, Paatal Lok has already won a fan in Varun Dhawan. Having been blown away by the show's poster and teaser, the actor recently took to social media to acknowledge Anushka Sharma and said that he's immensely proud of this 'Producer Saab'.

5. A critically acclaimed cast that will blow your mind

Paatal Lok will be a fabulous collaboration of brilliant critically acclaimed actors such as Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, Gul Panag, Swastika Mukherjee, Abhishek Banerjee among others. With the series riding on the back of a powerful and intriguing plot, the show's ensemble cast with their impeccable acting prowess is set to deliver one hell of a memorable performance.

Paatal Lok will stream on Amazon Prime Video on May 15, 2020.

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Anushka Sharma turns 32: Perseverance comes naturally to me

Anushka Sharma turns 32 today and the successful superstar and entrepreneur opened up about how she believed in herself right from when she started out as a model at a super young age of 15!

Her rise and rise in Bollywood is an inspiration to many given she made a huge mark in the industry despite being a total outsider with no industry connections! "Perseverance comes naturally to me. It's not something that you have to be hard on yourself for, it leads you. Honestly, life leads you! I can vouch for it! Life has lead me to where I am you know. Sometimes, you just put your head down and follow the road life takes you on," says Anushka.

The superstar, who is also the youngest woman producer of Bollywood having started Clean Slate Films when she was just 25, considers her father Colonel Ajay Kumar Sharma to be her greatest teacher. "I went to Army Public School in Bangalore and I have had some really good teachers there and I was very close to them and they have had a very lasting impression in my mind and my principal also. But my dad taught me some invaluable lessons," she says.

Anushka says, "He would drop me to school and he would have these conversations with me because the journey was little bit long. He would just tell me one thing and it has had such a lasting impression in my mind and in my personality and the way I deal with challenges in life. It's really been extremely special. The thing that he told me was no matter what situation you are in, no matter how bad the situation is, always do the right thing and pray to god that you know what is the right thing to do is at that moment."

The actress adds, "I think that's something that stuck with me cause I was so young and I really look up to my father. He is a very wise man and he has had a huge impression on my life. So, when he said that to me it really stuck with me."

Anushka says this advice helped her when she started out as a model at a very young age! "I started working when I was so young. It was important for me to know all this because at the age of 14-15, when you are taking decisions for yourself and your career, it's really hard. That's what's gave me clarity. That's what I did and I think that's something that has always stood out for me," she says.

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Adah Sharma: I'm choosy when it comes to films

Actress Adah Sharma says she is picky when it comes to signing films and that she tries to pick something that is different from what she has done before. "Yes, I am picky when it comes to choosing films. I try to be part of films that I would want to watch. I also try to pick different roles from what I have done. I started with '1920'. I am very fortunate, the actresses in our industry for years don't get a chance to do what I got to do in my debut," Adah told IANS.

Adah made her Bollywood debut 2008 with the film "1920". She was later seen in films like "Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke", the "Commando" franchise, "Bypass Road" and "Phhir". She also worked in the southern film industry. Adah says she likes to surprise the audience.

"I try with each film to do something different because the audience also waits to see 'what different is Adah Sharma going to do' and if I do the same then they are like 'anyone can do that!'. So nowadays even if it is a short film like I just did 'Tindey', 'moh' or a music video... I try to pick something that is different from what I have done and others have done as well," she said.

She will next be seen in "Man To Man".

The film revolves around actor Naveen Kasturia's character falling in love with and marrying Sharma's character, only to realise she was biologically a man who became a woman after surgery.

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Sharmaji Namkeen: Rishi Kapoor's last film that was near completion

Last week, after Irrfan Khan, Bollywood lost another gem, as veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away after fighting leukaemia for two years. The actor was back home and shooting for his next flick "Sharmaji Namkeen" which is a production by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment and saw Rishi Kapoor play the lead.

The movie was almost complete with a couple of days of shoot remaining and we have exclusive news from a trusted source on the proceedings of the film. The source shared, "Rishi Kapoor was the main protagonist of the film and major part was already shot with only a few days of shooting remaining for the actor. Being that it was Rishi Kapoor's last project that was near completion, Ritesh and Farhan are determined to make sure that the film gets released."

The source further shares, "The microscopic details of how Ritesh and Farhan intend to bring the film to completion are in the works but rest assured that the film will get completed and see a theatrical release."

Sharmaji Namkeen will see Rishi Kapoor in the lead along with Juhi Chawla. The film is produced by Excel Entertainment in association with Honey Teheran and Abhishek Choubey. The film will also mark Hitesh Bhatia's debut as the director.

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