The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President and former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday wished his followers on the occasion of Bengali New Year.

"Shubho noboborsho," said Ganguly in his tweet.

Shubho noboborsho pic.twitter.com/WmVGhXogTS

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 14, 2020

As BCCI President, Ganguly is faced with the unique task of leading the board through a period when the coronavirus pandemic has put a halt to all cricket around the world.

India's home ODI series against South Africa was indefinitely postponed after the first match was washed out while the 2020 season of the IPL faces uncertainty due to the virus showing no signs of stemming.

Ganguly had said earlier that the environment looks bleak for all sports, not just IPL. "We keep monitoring developments. At the present moment, we can't say anything. And what is there to say anyway? Airports are shut, people are stuck at home, offices are locked down, nobody can go anywhere. And it seems this is how it's going to be till the middle of May," Ganguly told the New Indian Express.

"Where will you get players from, where do players travel. It's just simple common sense that at the moment, nothing is in favour of any kind of sport anywhere in the world, forget IPL."

The BCCI is now looking at the October-November window to hold the league, but that can only happen if the World T20 is postponed.

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Michael Vaughan has revealed that many former England players were jealous of Kevin Pietersen after the latter bagged a huge contract with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In 2009, Royal Challengers Bangalore had bought Pietersen for $1,550,000, which made him the highest-paid IPL player along with Andrew Flintoff at that time.

"I think there was a lot of jealousy," Vaughan said in an interview with foxsports.com.au. "And the players will completely deny it now but I think there was at the time when Kevin was on a massive contract.

"There were all sorts of whispers and rumours of cliques in the team. There was a little band of a few; Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, (James) Anderson, (Stuart) Broad and Matt Prior. The whispers were they were on one side and Kevin was kind of standing on his own on the other side," the former England captain said.

The 45-year-old further said that while Pietersen was off the view that playing in the IPL would further the development of the one-day team, England players felt he was going after money.

"It wasn't anything other than that Kev (Kevinn Pietersen) around that time wanted to go to the IPL. That's how it all started to blow up and that's when those factions came into play," said Vaughan.

"He was saying to the team he wanted to play because it would further the development of the one-day team and all the one-day players would get the chance to play there and improve their game. They deemed that he just wanted to go for the money. He was on a big contract while not many of the other players were even getting sniffed at.

"It was very much Kevin against the team in terms of that one," he added.

During the course of the interview, Vaughan also said that Pietersen should have never played for England again after the infamous Text-gate scandal in 2012.

Pietersen, who was born and brought up in South Africa, was accused of sending texts to South African during a Test series between the two teams against his captain Andrew Strauss and a few of his team-mates.

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The love and loyalty of the fans will never let him leave Royal Challengers Bangalore till the time he is playing IPL, skipper Virat Kohli said on Friday. RCB have reached the IPL final thrice but have not gone on to win the trophy. During a live session on Instagram with former South African captain and RCB teammate AB de Villiers, Kohli said winning the tournament remains the goal but he would not leave the team irrespective of the results. "It has been such an amazing journey. It is always going to be our dream, winning the IPL together. There is no scenario where I could think of leaving the team ever.

"You can feel emotional about the season not going well but till the time I am playing IPL, I am never leaving this team. The fans, their loyalty has been amazing," said the India skipper. Responding to Kohli's feelings towards RCB, De Villiers too acknowledged the support of fans over the past nine years. Kohli, on the other hand, has been with RCB since 2008.

"Same for me. I never want to leave RCB but to do that I got to keep scoring runs. I am not the captain you see," said the South African in jest. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the "indefinite" suspension of the 13th IPL, which was supposed to start last month but Kohli said he is still hopeful of the cash-rich event happening at some stage. "We have no clarity at this moment but I am optimistic that at some stage we will have something," he said.

Both Kohli and de Villiers also recalled their early days in international cricket and their growth as cricketers and friends. Kohli said at times, the youngsters coming in have too much regard for the "system" and he wants to see them break the norm. "I want to see youngsters coming in scoring 500-600 runs. I want people to break the norm. Sometimes I feel people have too much regard for the system in sport. When you break the shackles, you do something special."

Kohli also acknowledged contribution of Mark Boucher, Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher early on in his international career. "Gary always gave me positive feedback. Boucher told me in 2008 to improve my game against the short ball. He had the vision. Then Fletcher, he had a keen eye for the game. So many people who have contributed (to my growth)," said Kohli.

De Villiers picked the 119 at Wankhede in the 2015 series decider as his best knock against India. Kohli picked the 119 he scored in Johannesburg Test in 2013. "I was always really motivated to win the series after 2-2 . I was incredibly motivated to do something special," de Villiers said. They also picked their combined South Africa and India ODI team. It included Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, M S Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dale Steyn, Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada.

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T - Demte pursuing European challenge and Ethiopian dream

In a sad piece of news, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty's father Basantkumar Chakraborty has passed away at the age of 95 in Mumbai. What's more unfortunate is that the actor is currently stuck in Bengaluru due to the lockdown.

And since the lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic has been extended till May 3, it will be very difficult for the actor to come back to the city to perform his father's last rites. The actor's father was ill for a long time and passed away due to renal failure. May his soul Rest In Peace!

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Neha Kakkar has seen a lot of highs and lows in her personal and professional life. Talking about the former, she was in a relationship, and a rather strong one, with Bollywood actor Himansh Kohli, but fate had other plans and they broke up. After her relationship with the actor ended, she declared publicly that she was depressed.

She even broke down multiple times on Indian Idol every time she saw a singer perform on stage with all heart. It reminded her of those magical moments she spent with Kohli. But now, it seems she's not going to weep or cry anymore, she has now come up with something called the Move On Challenge and it's for all the girls out there and not just her.

In a video that she uploaded on Instagram, she urged all the girls not to cry over their exes. The video starts with her breaking down and suddenly transforming into a bold, confident lady flashing her contagious smile. This moment suggests she's happy being independent and herself. The video has a montage of multiple girls doing the same.

Watch it right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Feat. My Beautiful Girls @tashakapoor @suyesha_savant @ritikavatsmakeupandhair @deepikasdeepclicks @vibhagusain 😍ðŸ¤Â— . Video's Concept: Neha Kakkar Video's Editing: Neha Kakkar Song Name: Jinke Liye Lyricist/Composer: @jaani777 Music Production: @bpraak Singer: Neha Kakkar Label: @tseries.official . #NehaKakkar #JaaniVe #Jaani #NehaKakkarSong #DesiGirls

A post shared by Neha Kakkar (@nehakakkar) onApr 21, 2020 at 11:05pm PDT

This is indeed an innovative and imaginative initiative the singer has come up with. Now the one thing that will be exciting to see is whether any other Bollywood or Television celebrity uploads such a video or becomes an active part of this challenge or not.

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Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's son Ibrahim is using the COVID-19 lockdown period to strengthen his bond with mother Amrita Singh and sister Sara Ali Khan. "I'm spending quarantine, strengthening my bond with my mother and sister as we take charge of the household chores," Ibrahim wrote on Instagram.

"I came across a video which is a simple reminder to support our extended families of our neighborhood, especially the elderly who are the most in need amid the COVID-19 crisis. It's time we strengthen bonds and #ShowWeCare by helping them with essentials and ensure their well-being," he added.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I'm spending quarantine, strengthening my bond with my mother and sister as we take charge of the household chores. This video by @vicks_india is a simple reminder to support the extended families of our neighborhood, especially the elderly who are the most in need amid the COVID-19 crisis. It's time we strengthen bonds and #ShowWeCare by helping them with essentials and ensure their well-being. #IndiaFightsCorona #QuarantineLife #FightCoronaTogether #StaySafe #covid_19 #StrongerTogether #TogetherWeCan #VicksPartner

A post shared by Ibrahim Ali Khan (@iakpataudi) onApr 22, 2020 at 5:33am PDT

Recently, Ibrahim also joined celebrities including Virat Kolhi and Siddhant Chaturvedi to voice concern for senior citizens amid the ongoing health crisis.

Kolhi used social media to request his fans to step up during the difficult time and check if senior citizens living in their vicinity are in need of any essentials or any other support. Siddhant, famous for his role as 'MC Sher' in "Gully Boy", called senior citizens living in his building and checked on their well-being. He told his fans on social media how simple acts of care towards the most in need while practicing social distancing can go a long way in emerging out stronger as a nation.

Kohli, Siddhant and Ibrahim were urging people to extend care for the elderly in an initiative by P&G Vicks.

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The heavy showers on Tuesday caused severe waterlogging on the tracks of Kelwe and Nalasopara railway stations, stranding long distance trains. The Gujarat Duronto Express was halted at Kelwe while the Vadodara Express and Shatabdi Express were also stopped at Nalasopara early in the morning.

Passengers of the trains were stranded, with no way to reach their destinations. But Palghar police stepped in and helped by arranging transport for them to Mumbai in Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) and private vehicles.

"Around 700-800 passengers were stuck at Nalasopara station when the Tulinj police provided them food and shelter at Kutchi Hall and helped them reach their destinations beyond Borivali in buses and private vehicles," said PRO Hemant Katkar from Palghar district police. Around 100 passengers stuck at Kelwe station were sent to their destination, Borivali, in three buses, he added.

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Parvaaz, a four-member outfit, believes in spreading the message of peace through their progressive rock music with guitar-driven compositions. With their Urdu lyrics and the familiar sound of chimes, the soundscape is a refreshing change. Now, they are back in the city for a gig that promises to be about the coming together of western guitar techniques and Indian elements, making them one among a handful of true-blue fusion indie bands today.

Parvaaz, which translates to "flight", came together in 2010 when childhood friends Khalid Ahmed and Mir Kashif Iqbal (both on vocals and guitar), reconnected in Bengaluru over their shared love for blues rock melodies, and were joined by Sachin Banandur (drums and percussions) and Fidel D'Souza (bass). But they only started developing their own sound two years later. "We were playing at competitions and winning, which was a great boost. We felt confident enough to make original music, and our sound shifted towards progressive and classic rock of the '60s and '70s," says Ahmed, quoting Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Indian Ocean and Avial, as their influences.

It was a process of trial and error till they found the best way to let all their individual influences flow while jamming, which is when the Urdu lyrics also came in, the natural form of communication for two members at least. "Hindi and Urdu come naturally to us. Singing in English would have just not flowed with the music. Besides, the sound of the fusion that comes out of a merging of different styles of music is what our goal has been. It is the sound that guides most of our writing," says Ahmed.

Their lyrics primarily talk about the human nature and comprise metaphorical poetry, like their song Beparwah, which talks about man's dependence on materialistic objects, and Shaad, which is about loss and regret.

Khalid Ahmed

But lyrics are the last thing that get added onto their music, and that too if they deem it necessary. "A lot of our jams just end up being instrumental, and hence our seven minute-long songs," reasons Ahmed.

They will also be playing some new songs from their upcoming album that they have been putting together for four years, and will be releasing later this year. For fans who like to sing along, they will also perform songs from their first EP and debut album, including Ziyankar and the achingly serene Itne Arse Ke Baad, which echoes a longing to go back home. Home, for Ahmed and Iqbal, is a sensitive issue now, since both hail from Kashmir, which is still trying to heal from the Pulwama attack. Both were reluctant to comment, and as they say, prefer to let their music do the talking.

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The Endgame is near, and we are talking quite literally here about the latest instalment in the Avengers series of superhero movies, which releases on April 26. After this week's brouhaha over Game of Thrones Season 8, it's the next big visual experience that has sent fans in a tizzy. And a pub in Khar is now hosting a pre-launch party of sorts for them, with various activities and F&B offers themed around the film.

"We have collaborated with digital community Things2doinMumbai, and brought ticket sponsors on board for the event. In terms of the activities, there are Avenger- related games and trivia, winners for which will get free tickets and discounted ones when the movie releases. We also have an array of themed cocktails in store," says Pragnesh Rai, owner of SamBar, which will host the evening, adding that there are a number of discounts on the existing menu, too, with drinks starting at Rs 39.

The cocktails include a beer-based one called black wid'wow; iron anna, which has whisky; tha end, which is vodka-based; and a super-potent Long Island iced tea that's aptly named hammered by Thor.

As for the games, these include Ant Man, where a player will be given three soda bottles and raisins. The aim is to drop these raisins from eye level into all three bottles, without bending down. Then there's Black Widow. For this, one person will hold a hula-hoop and another will have a fake spider placed on his head. The latter has to go through the hoop in the shortest possible time, without dropping the spider. All in all, it sounds like an event perfectly suited for fans of the Avengers. And even if you aren't one, you can still gain from the cheap booze, meaning it's a win-win.

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A Maharashtra government official was Thursday sentenced to 16 months rigorous imprisonment by a court in the neighbouring Raigad district for accepting a bribe.

Raigad Additional District Judge BC Kamble convicted Ashik Bharti, a deputy engineer with the Kharbhoomi Sarvekshan and Anveshan Department of Pen, under the Prevention of Corruption Act and fined him Rs 5,000, said a senior Anti-Corruption Bureau official.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (ACB) Mahesh Patil said Bharti had demanded Rs 5 lakh from a contractor to get his bills cleared. The contractor approached the ACB following which a trap was laid on November 6, 2015, and Bharti was nabbed while accepting Rs 1 lakh, Patil said.

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The mention of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DIO), more popularly known as multiple personality disorder, is likely to evoke memories of chilling sequences featuring James McAvoy in Split (2016). Or closer home, Vidya Balan in her blood-thirsty alter ego of Manjulika in Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007). Theatre director Suketu Shah's response was no different when writer-actor Abhishek Pattnaik suggested it as the crux of their new play. So, before embarking on their production, Kaise Karenge, the duo decided to further educate themselves about the mental health condition through online research and speaking to psychologists, and came away surprised.

"Dissociative identity disorder [DIO] is often bracketed with violent personalities who do grotesque things, thanks to their on-screen portrayal. But there is really nothing to be scared of. In fact, it could even be a case of multiple specialties — more like a superpower — which comes across in the play," says Shah, who started Out of the Box Production with Pattnaik over seven years ago, making it one of the youngest professional theatre companies in the country.

Keeping up with the young vibe, the cast of the play, which revolves around the story of two brothers, includes Pattnaik and Darsheel Safary in the lead roles. Safary, known for his moving portrayal of a dyslexic child in Taare Zameen Par, plays the younger brother. A smart 21-year-old who already has four patents to his name and is about to leave for the US for his masters at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his world changes when he realises his elder sibling suffers from DIO. He decides to stay on, and figure out their lives together.

"I am not from a science background, so I had to take a mini crash course in it from friends pursuing their studies in the stream," admits Safary, who completed his graduation in mass media, and is considering a masters in filmmaking. Having made his foray in theatre with the English comedy Can I Help You? this is his third play.

When asked about the experience of acting on the stage vis-à-vis for the camera, he shares, "In theatre, you get to see the audience reaction live, which helps forge a connect with them. It also limits the room for error. So, with all your senses switched on, it sharpens you as an actor. This is a skill I hope to employ before the camera, too."

About playing multiple characters rolled into one, Pattnaik says that it took three months of rehearsal to get a grip over them. "I speak in Hindi; Hindi with a touch of Haryanvi; and like a pakka Mumbaikar in the roles I play. That required me to shed all inhibitions, and practise switching seamlessly from one role to another using body language and intonation," he says.

Having started out as management students who plunged into theatre full time, Pattnaik and Shah also want to use their productions to encourage young people to consider making a living in the medium. "Theatre is a challenging medium to work and survive in. Finding the right people to work with is another challenge. We learnt everything on the job," shares Shah. Pattnaik is quick to add, "But we have made it for seven-plus years. And that's the message we want to send out."

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San Francisco: To help small and large businesses reach out to 1.3 billion people who use Messenger every month, Facebook has launched an Augmented Reality (AR) tool for them. With this tool, the businesses can leverage the "Camera Effects Platform" to easily integrate AR into their Messenger experience, bringing the virtual and physical worlds one step closer together.

"When a person interacts with your business in Messenger, you can prompt them to open the camera, which will be pre-populated with filters and AR effects that are specific to your brand," David Marcus, Vice President of Messaging Products, said in a blog post on Tuesday.

From there, people can share the image or video to their story or in a group or one-to conversation or they can simply save it to their camera roll.

"To date, there are over 300,000 active bots on Messenger, and over 8 billion messages are exchanged between people and businesses each month -- that's 4 times the amount of messages exchanged since just last year," Marcus informed as Facebook began its annual two-day F8 Developers' Conference in San Jose on Tuesday.

"Today, there are 200,000 developers actively building experiences, forging connections between people and the brands they love and bringing real value to their everyday lives," the post added.

To begin with, ASUS, Kia, Nike and Sephora will launch AR effects for their Messenger experiences.

Facebook also announced that buyers and sellers in its Marketplace will be able to communicate across languages with "M Translations".

"Now when people connected through Marketplace receive a message in a language that is different from their default language in Messenger, M will ask them if they want to translate the message.

"This will help drive commerce between buyers and sellers despite language barriers. At launch, translations from English to Spanish (and vice-versa) will be available in Marketplace conversations taking place in the US," the post further said.

Facebook will gradually roll out "M suggestions for translations" in additional languages and countries.

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Sanjukta Basu

Delhi-based photographer Sanjukta Basu had an epiphany right before her 39th birthday. "I was introspecting on the years gone by, and realised that although I had achieved much, I didn't think I had reached a 'destination'. It was as if I was lost at sea, and needed direction. But then I decided to embrace the fact that I go where the wind takes me. I was going to be 40, and this was me. I wasn't going to change. That's how my first tattoo took shape in my mind," says Basu, who once practiced law.

And so, her first tattoo was a sailboat, with a wave and birds in flight, with the line "wherever the wind takes me". This was also the time the idea of a project on women with tattoos took shape. Typically, some of them got one to signify something profound, like a break up with a lover or a violent relationship. Others didn't think it needed a reason. "The project is about challenging the stereotype around women with tattoos. They don't get them because they are slutty or hippie, or because they are reckless," she argues.

The photographer, who is on the lookout for new subjects to shoot in Mumbai and Delhi, says, ideally, all women should get in touch with her and tell her their stories. Sunday mid-day got Basu to shares some of her favourites.

Vimala is an aviation professional, and loves wings. Years after she got married to the man she loved, she realised he was addicted to gambling, and draining her of finances. At 48, when she found herself free from the toxic relationship, she got a tattoo — a heart with wings. It was time to fly again.

Parama, Sanjukta's first subject for the Women And Body Art project, is not one person. Within her sits the essence of Kolkata, the city she comes from and loves. The tattoo on her forearm and is an image of Kolkata landmark Victoria Memorial, an angel atop it. It signifies her belief that something good lies in everything she sees.

Archana, a women's rights activist, grew up in a protective, privileged Tamil Brahmin family. While she has grappled with body image issues, she also didn't know that you could be anything else other than a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer. When she went to college, she met women from a variety of backgrounds and, before she knew it, the seeds of female solidarity had been sown. Her first tattoo is a symbol of feminism, and she got it on the day she learnt that feminism in fact, had a symbol.

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Accepting the futility of genres, of boxing songs into different compartments like stacked products in supermarket shelves, seems to be at the forefront of Rafiq Bhatia's musical endeavour. The 30-year-old American of Indian descent is the guitarist for a New York-based indie outfit called Son Lux. But it's his recent solo album, Breaking English, which makes the listener really question the need for musical boundaries, of sticking labels to a composition as if it's packaged meat.

The title track of the album, for instance, is not jazz, is not electronica, is not lounge, but all of these generic classifications rolled into one lush sound with a coherent narrative, where Bhatia's melancholic guitar plays the role of the protagonist. Each sonic detail in the track is well-defined, to the point where even though fellow Son Lux member Ian Chang's drum beats seem dissonant, they fit like a glove into the overall musical fabric. Bhatia describes this sensibility when he tells us over the phone from Berlin, where he's on tour, "Ryan (Lott, the vocalist for Son Lux) would say that instead of building a house, designing a room and then placing a chair in it, why don't we start with the chair first, and then design the room around it before building the house. There is a theory in poetry called organicism, where the poet lets each individual verse define the form that the poem will take. That is kind of similar to what I'm trying to do with my music."

He further explains his musical process when he narrates a story about one of his influences, Sam Rivers, the late American jazz great. "I've read that he would attend the concerts of all his peers, and purposely study their music to understand what they were trying to do. But this wasn't to replicate what they were playing. Instead, it was to consciously avoid it. Similarly, John Coltrane took the music of his predecessors and retooled the entire musical vocabulary keeping a similar underlying foundation, but with new pathways built on top of it," he says, giving us an indication of how he doesn't hesitate to flush rule books down the toilet.

Hybridity, in fact, lies at the core of Bhatia's creative evolution. The basis for this, he says, might well be his mixed identity. Born in North Carolina, he has never really fit in to any particular community. For, even though his parents are of Gujarati origin, they grew up in Tanzania, before moving to London and then finally to the US. So, while his brown skin stood out among the white kids in his school, he didn't feel completely at home among the Indian community either. "Everybody thinks that I am something else. So, my music is a result of a need to express my identity. It's a form of therapy at some level, because it's also a way of accepting who I am," he says.

He adds that this therapy started early. When he was about eight or nine, the older desi kids in Bhatia's neighbourhood would pick him up in a car and stop at a parking lot, listening to the hip-hop albums that became one of his earliest influences. Was he drawn to them because of the political overtones that such songs often embody? "Not really," he answers, adding, "I was only in the third grade at the time, and I couldn't even understand the words. So it was the musicality that I fell for. But the deeper question is, why were a bunch of brown kids sitting in a car in a parking lot and empathising with hip-hop music? What is it that was drawing them to the words? So you see, it's difficult to disentangle the politics from the music."

It follows thus that an intertwining of politics and music sometimes features in his own compositions. For example, Hoods Up, a complex instrumental piece, drew its inspiration from Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who was cruelly shot down because of a case of mistaken identity. The guitarist says, "I feel some amount of compulsion to express my [political] ideas. But sometimes, it's easy to get carried away with being overtly political because there is so much to be angry about, and often the responsibility falls on artistes to emphasise it. So I would say that politics is a general part of what inspires my music, because there are so many other facets of my personality that also make their way in."

Essentially, then, what Bhatia wants to keep doing is create genre-defying tracks where attention to detail is of paramount importance. "When you take the details and all the generalities of music for granted, that's when your songs start sounding more like other people's music. That doesn't mean you can't make great tracks. It's just that the less you consider those things, the less is the chance that you will make music that departs from convention. The flip side is that when you think actively about each decision, and each one comes from a place of individuality, it becomes hard to find a coherent logic that ties all those things together. And that ends up being the riddle that I am constantly trying to solve with my music."

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While many polling stations were bereft of facilities for the physically challenged and senior citizens, the situation was refreshingly different in Palghar district, where arrangements were made to bring in physically challenged voters and drop them back to their homes.

The voters had a car to take them to the polling stations, where they didn't have to wait in queue to cast their votes, and drop them back home once they were done. This process had begun as a part of the run-up to the polls.

Explaining the same, the district's social development officer Vibha Jadhav said, "We had conducted a survey and made a list of physically challenged voters before the election. Now, we have been calling them to know when they would be able to come to the polling stations to vote."

Election 2019: Prominent personalities, other Mumbaikars come out to caste vote!

The voters had a car to take them to the polling stations, where they didn’t have to wait in queue to cast their votes, and drop them back home once they were done

Virar resident Suresh Pawar, 43, thanked the government for the initiative, "I am visually challenged person, as is my wife. Until last year, we had to take an auto rickshaw to reach the polling booth. But this time, the government has given us relief by arranging vehicles for us.

The polling booths also had representatives stationed to help physically challenged voters. Jidnyasa Polekar, from the National Service Scheme, who was one of the assistants, said, "We kept wheelchairs for physically challenged and senior citizens. We also assisted visually challenged voters to understand the process of voting so that they can cast their ballot sans any hassle."

Bolstering voter turnout

Palghar collector Dr. Prashant Narnaware told mid-day that they had taken a number of initiatives to bolster voters' turnout in the district. "We had carried out campaigns to spread awareness among voters. We reached out to 13 lakh voters during our 25-day campaign titled 'I Shall Vote.' We also involved school students in the initiative by asking them to write letters to their parents, urging them to cast their vote," said Narnavare. On voting day, however, the district was hit with a slight EVM glitch. "There are 2,170 polling booths in Palghar, out of which the EVMs of 50 booths faced glitches. But they were changed within 10 minutes, as all the zonal officials were given additional EVMs to tackle the crisis," said Narnavare.

Salman Khan, SRK, Ranveer Singh, Kangana, Bachchans step out for voting

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Despite the Election Commission (EC) announcing several initiatives to help the physically challenged and senior citizens during the voting process, no such arrangements were visible at many of the polling centres on Monday. Contrary to claims made by EC, no volunteers were present to guide the physically challenged or senior citizens to their polling booths, leaving them to either find a way on their own or rely on their family members.

No one came to help

Bagubai Shirwale, 70, who has a hunched back, had to inch forward using her walking stick as she tried to find her polling booth. She only had the help of her brother, Trimbak Shirwale, 72, who, like her relies on a walking stick. "We come to vote every time without fail. But I have diabetes, due to which I am not able to walk properly. My sister has chronic backache and can't walk much either. No one came to help us; we had to find the way around ourselves," he said.

They had to walk nearly 1 km to reach the polling station. Even after they successfully reached their venue, SK Pantwalkar Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Kurla west, finding the booth took some time. After asking around, they were pointed in the right direction.

In the absence of a wheelchair at the St Judes High School in Malad West, local Antony Roasario, who is physically challenged, is forced to crawl over a gutter under the burning sun. Pics/Suresh Karkera

Despite the sweltering heat, Sayaji Mokashi, 50, a visually challenged man, walked to his polling station, the Mahatma Gandhi Vidya Mandir in Bandra east, along with his wife Prajakta who also has problems with her eyesight, and their seven-year-old son. Mokashis, residents of the government colony in Bandra east, recall walking to their booth back in 2014 as well.

"It is our responsibility to vote and we take it seriously. We don't mind the walk but it would help if EC could arrange for some transportation," said Sayaji. Sudha Shantaram Nadkar, 75, who requires a walking aid, is thankful that her polling station is just across the road from her building in Kurla. However, she too has to rely on her neighbours to help her reach her booth.

"I have been voting since I turned eligible and I don't miss any election. But I fell three years ago, which made it difficult for me to walk. There is no one to help us find the booth and no one came forward to help me walk in either," she said.

Where are the ramps?

EC had also promised to provide ramps at all polling stations, as well as dolis (chairs with poles). Many of the polling stations across the city neither had any ramps for wheelchairs nor dolis. The police personnel stationed at the Central Railway Social Welfare Centre in Kurla east said no volunteers had showed up at the venue and no dolis were sent either.

"We are allowing senior citizens to go in directly; they don't have to wait in line. But their family members are helping them," said a policeman. Similarly, at L S Raheja College, an elderly man with an amputated leg walked to his booth with the help of crutches and his relative. Another aged man at the same venue had been brought inside by his family on a wheelchair, but had to walk the rest of the way with the help of his walking stick, while leaning on his son for support.

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Avengers: Endgame
U/A:  Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
Rating: 

Avengers: Endgame, undoubtedly the most anticipated film of recent year's, lives up to most expectations. This film is a befitting finale for the decades-old, 21 films, Marvel Cinematic Universe that heralded the likes of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye. Together they formed the original Avengers team while the newer allies and villains added more power to subsequent outings. This may not be a non-stop action spectacle. Instead, what we get is a well- proportioned, engagingly structured narrative that spreads out its content and thrills in momentous expansiveness, End game basically posits a finale worthy of the superhero characters it promotes. Marvel's time-travelling sci-fi adventure saga throws up a few surprises too along the way.

The story is rather basic - After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), which ended with Thanos getting all of the six Infinity Stones and then using them to wipe out half of existence, including beloved heroes like Black Panther, Star-Lord, and Spider-Man. The surviving heroes go through a period of self-recrimination, hopelessness, heartache and self-doubt before they take the necessary steps to reverse Thanos' actions, they're fatalism keeps us grounded.  

Also Read: Box Office report: Avengers: Endgame sells 1 million advance tickets in India

The script by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely among others, is surprisingly inventive, fraught with emotion and funny. The performances live up to the iconoclastic expectations of the fans while the CGI and effects lend whole new meaning and dimension to quantum physics and chaos theory. The film is a sort of nirvana for the thousands of people who sweated night and day to make such a unique and unprecedented experience come good. Endgame has a much slower, deliberate pace allowing for deeper character development and strong motivations while developing intensity and attachment all the way through. A major portion of the action happens only towards the last half hour of a nearly 3-hour runtime – yet, doesn't feel bloated or unnecessarily expanded.

Also read: Avengers: Endgame Box Office Prediction: Will the film open at Rs 50 crore in India?

This film incorporates beloved elements from earlier outings and recalls character beats, origins, and sub-plots while adding texture and complexity to the inter-galactic drama envisioned as homage to the never-say-die superhero spirit. Alan Silvestri's amazing background score elevates the intensity and involvement. The helming by the Russo brothers is also quite remarkable – creating a well-sprung of entreaty that is truly an event!

Also Read: Avengers Endgame release: A look at how Avengers films fared at the Indian box office

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer here:

Also Read: Critics review Avengers: Endgame, say it's 'everything you want it to be and more'

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Avengers: Endgame
U/A: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson
Rating: 

How does one put together words about a film that, for all practical purposes, anything and everything you write, is likely to be misconstrued/diagnosed as a spoiler?

Suffice it to know that this expectedly dramatic conclusion of Marvel's three-part Infinity Saga is a relatively internalised, deep and sober film, concerned more with the motivations of super-heroes, the choices before them, and what they should pick, in order to take on super-villain Thanos—of course.

For one, the earth is a much quieter place, since as you're aware, its species have been annihilated, decimated by Devil Thanos, ever since he got his hands on the infinity stones, and went on to execute the bizarre plan of supposedly ethical ethnic cleansing—randomly ridding planets of half its populations, to make them more sustainable, by restoring balance of sorts, as it were.

Of course, there will be survivors. And Iron Man or Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr), to start with, is thankfully rescued or reunited with the human family back home. So is Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). Both of them, like all the others, seem to be somberly dealing with the aftermath of a universal tragedy.

Surely, you have your own favourites from this cinematic universe (and how can Iron Man not top that list?). But there's something about the inherent cuteness of Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) that saves this franchise's final installment from turning into a complete depresso—left to be downed over rounds of espresso, what with the screen-time running three hours plus.

Also Read: Box Office report: Avengers: Endgame sells 1 million advance tickets in India

Indians might thank their theatres for the usually hated interval. I caught it without one, but didn't miss it either. There's enough material here to keep you engaged, even if to wonder, on occasion, if some of it makes any sense. You may or may not be impressed with the long drawn explanations, but you're only too happy to go with it.

Frankly, I'm no Marvel fanboy/fanatic—if the movie-world is indeed divided into two types, then more the DC demographic. That said, there is an infectious verve and energy that multiple super-heroes bring to this cinematic universe that is hard to not be swayed by, even if an individual or sub-set, Guardians Of Galaxy in particular, may be difficult to appreciate on their own.

Check out the Avengers: Endgame trailer here:

Avengers: Endgame does a fine job of navigating a reasonably cogent script without over-populating the screen. Avengers: Infinity War seemed more overwrought in comparison. I re-watched portions of the 2018 prequel on my phone (for quick revision), which of course means I didn't watch it at all.

For, at the end of the day, battle sequences and pyrotechnics is the point of it all, isn't it? Endgame, despite all the philosophy, is not an exception. It shines gloriously as 3D spectacle on the IMAX screen, ideally viewed from the third-row, from the back—and if you're not on IMAX, then the third row from the front—for a stunningly immersive experience, with such depth of field that the points where the camera focuses on a river, the ripples flowing towards you, you almost feel like you can wade through the frickin' water!

I know, don't need to put in a word (spoilers be damned). Suffice it to know that seldom has the excitement of audiences entering a theatre, matched by those exiting, after a hugely hyped pic. Endgame equals its astounding anticipation. And that's saying a whole lot!

Also read: Avengers: Endgame Box Office Prediction: Will the film open at Rs 50 crore in India?

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The fight against Coronavirus is a constantly evolving one and is mainly reactive at the present moment in many contexts.

The BEST authorities are putting into place a plan which reduces the number of conductors in the few big, reds plying the city.

This is because, as a report stated in this newspaper, a few from the BEST workforce have contracted the Coronavirus. They are now going to run buses, some being already operational in this manner, with a driver and no conductor. The commuters will have to pay at the end of the journey.

It is important that the few passengers we see in buses today, follow rules whether there is a conductor or not. Maintain social distance in the bus, even if there is no conductor to enforce this.

Adults must know that the distancing is mandated for their safety and the security of their family too, so one surely does not and should not need somebody literally telling them to observe social distancing.

Ride in the bus wearing a mask, and do not slip it off your face or hang it around the neck during the journey. Do get on at the proper stop and follow correct etiquette even while alighting. Do pay the correct fare for the journey you took.

We must recognise that this is special, though necessary, service for workers and those providing essential services, thus necessitating commuting during these times.

The report also cited a BEST Kamghar Sanghatna official opposed to keeping conductors out, saying this was a ruse to start one-man operations amid Coronavirus.

Dialogue must ensure that there is transparency and talks within the Undertaking which is facing so many challenges — Coronavirus or not. May all do the BEST for Mumbai.

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Social distancing and lockdown may have impacted each one of us mentally, emotionally and psychologically but it is the children and teenagers who have had to cope with sudden closure of schools, cancellation of exams and a prohibition of face-to-face interaction with their friends and teachers.

Anusha Manjani, Manager, Counseling Services at Akanksha Foundation, says, "Children are acutely aware of the sudden changes and panic in the environment around them. Younger children can feel confused, uneasy and scared; older children express feelings of anxiety, sadness and helplessness."

She added, "The uncertainty and chaos of the pandemic impacts all aspects of children's lives- it is not just a threat to their physical health- but to their learning, their home environment, their interaction with peers, their emotional well-being. Moreover, economic hardships, the overcrowding in homes, the lack of access to resources in low income communities can lead to higher incidence of neglect, violence and abuse- making staying at home itself a risk to some children's safety."

In such a time, it is crucial that children have support of their parents and teachers to help them in having a routine and structure to their day. Anusha says, "Parents and teachers can be key caregivers and anchors during this time to support the mental well-being of children- by reassuring them of their safety, creating a space to share feelings and using art, play, fun learning activities to engage with them."

Akanksha Foundation has started a helpline number called 'The Listening Space' for all the stakeholders such as students, teachers and parents to express themselves or just discuss about what's happening. While younger children have more questions about whats happening outside, older  children are venting out their frustration, their anxiety about their parents etc.

Parents and teachers are also coming up with interactive tasks and new ways of learning. Worksheets are sent to the students everyday and once the child solves it and shares it, the teacher reverts with the corrections as well. 

It is not just academics that are taken care of amid lockdown, things such as maintaining gratitude journals and 'doing a good deed everyday' are also being imbibed in the children to maintain their mental and emotional health.

A creative snakes and ladders

"At Akanksha, teachers, counsellors, social workers and parents are working together to support the children- whether it is checking in for the child's well being, spreading awareness of safety measures, encouraging learning through low-cost tech or doing parent-child activities- we are keeping the lines of communication and connection open and strong to navigate these difficult times together," says Anusha.

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The nation has come to a standstill as people have been asked to stay at home and observe social distancing to curb the spread of the virus. Motivating people during this tough situation and encouraging them to continue staying indoors, Radio City, India’s leading radio network launches ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem. In addition to staying indoors, the foot tapping anthem urges citizens to come forward and support the nation by donating for the PM Cares Fund.

Radio’s City’s ‘Ghar Se Na Niklenge’ Anthem has been voiced by famous Bollywood singers like Divya Kumar, Benny Dayal, Asees Kaur, Meghna Mishra, and Nakash Aziz. The anthem is being aired across Radio City’s Hindi Speaking markets. Making the audience match steps with their groovy dance moves, the music video of the anthem features Radio City RJ’s along with artists like Sahil Khattar, Sushant Poojary, Paul Marshal, Rahul Shetty, Deepak Singh, Himanshu Parihar, Hiten Shah, Vaibhav G, Manan Sachdeva, Shashank Dogra, Aishwarya Radhakrishnan, Dhruv Dutt, Sonali Kar, Macedon D Mello, Sanam Johar, Abigail Pandey, Raveena Chaudhary, and Sneha Kapoor. The video will be amplified extensively across Radio City’s social media handles, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

Sharing his thoughts on the anthem, Mr. Kartik Kalla, Chief Creative Officer, Radio City, said, "It’s been over a month and a half that we’ve been in lockdown and needless to say, it’s becoming increasingly tough to stay positive and motivated through it all. However, maintaining social distancing and staying at home is critical to flatten the curve. Radio City has always strived to utilise the power and reach of radio to connect with its audience and bring a positive change in the society. The ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem is yet another creative approach from the Radio City’s AudaCITY team to not only entertain our listeners but also create awareness of the importance of staying indoors. We also support our Honourable Prime Minister’s message and through this anthem are encouraging our listeners to donate for the PM cares Fund. I would like to thank all the artists who have come forward and supported us in this initiative."

Speaking about the initiative, Batameez Dil singer, Benny Dayal said, "Amidst such unprecedented times when the world is grappling to fight the Coronavirus pandemic, staying home is the only way to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. Music has the power to bring people together, uplift mood, and provide comfort. A huge shout out to the Radio City team for making me a part of the ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem and spread joy in others’ lives. I humbly request everyone to stay home and stay safe."

Sharing his thoughts on the anthem Actor, Indian Youtuber and Television host, Sahil Khattar said, "It is imperative for people to stay indoors to safeguard themselves and others as well. Radio City’s ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem has brought all of us together to cheer up the audience. We need to understand the gravity of the situation and stay united in making the purpose of this lockdown a success. Let’s stay at home and defeat this pandemic together."

Speaking about the Radio City’s ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem, the Shubharambh singer, Divya Kumar said, "I am elated to lend my voice to the ‘Ghar se na niklenge’ anthem by Radio City. I think it is our collective responsibility as citizens to abide by the rules and stay indoors for our nation. I am certain that this anthem will make you groove to its tune and help spread some positive vibes amidst the tough times."

The second phase of the campaign will be spearheaded by Pepeta choreographer, Rajit Dev, who will launch #RadioCityNamasteChallenge, a digital campaign that will urge viewers and listeners of Radio City to come up with their version of the hook step of the anthem and share it on their social media handles, tagging Radio City.

Radio City’s ‘Ghar Se Na Niklenge’ Anthem, is a collaborative effort of Radio City team and established Bollywood singers, TV personalities, social media influencers, and industry choreographers, who have joined hands to bring a smile to people’s faces and help them understand the importance of not leaving their homes during the lockdown.

You can watch The Radio City’s ‘Ghar Se Na Niklenge’ Anthem here: 

About Radio City:

Radio City, a part of Music Broadcast Limited (MBL) is a subsidiary of Jagran Prakashan Ltd. Being the first FM radio broadcaster in India and with over 17 years of expertise in the radio industry, Radio City has consistently been the number one radio station in Bengaluru and Mumbai with 24.5% and 15.7% average listenership share respectively. (Source: RAM Data, TG: 12+ Period: Week 1, 2013 to Week 21, 2019). Radio City Delhi ranks #2 with 13.4% average listenership share (Source: RAM Data, TG: 12+ Period: Week 1, 2019 to Week 21, 2019).

Music Broadcast Limited currently has 39 stations across 12 states, comprising 62% of the country’s FM population. Radio City reaches out to over 69 million listeners in 34 cities covered by AZ Research 2019 (Source: AZ Research Report). The network provides terrestrial programming along with 18 other web-stations, through its digital interface, www.radiocity.in.

Radio City has spearheaded the evolution of FM radio by offering content that is unique, path-breaking and invokes city passion amongst listeners with its brand philosophy of "Rag Rag Mein Daude City". The network introduced humour and the concept of agony aunt on radio with Babber Sher and Love Guru respectively. It also initiated Radio City Freedom Awards, a platform to recognize independent music and provided a launch pad to budding singers with Radio City Super Singer, the first singing talent hunt on radio.

Radio City bagged 73 awards across national and international platforms like Golden Mikes, India Radio Forum, New York awards, ACEF awards etc. in 2018-2019. Radio City has consistently featured for the 7th time in ‘India’s Best Companies to Work For’ study conducted by Great Place to Work Institute. In 2019, Radio City ranked 6th in ‘Best Large Workplaces in Asia’, according to the GPTW survey. Radio City has also been recognized in ‘India’s Best Workplaces for Women – 2019’ and has ranked amongst the Top 75 organizations on the list.

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After an engineer in the G north ward tested positive for COVID-19, water supply to residents of Dadar-Mahim is likely to be disrupted for a while. The entire team in charge of repairing the water pipeline has been quarantined.

The engineers and workers of G north ward offices were on essential duty of ensuring water supply, but one of them tested positive for COVID-19 late Tuesday night.

"He was on duty of repairing the water pipeline in Dharavi. In all likelihood, that is how he contracted the virus," one of the employees said.

Soon after the engineer tested positive, the BMC health department quarantined the entire team on April 29, Wednesday, to avoid further transmission. The repair work will restart only after the team gets the all-clear, which will take a while.

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Apart from being one of those areas in Mumbai, which has recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases, Dharavi seems to have come up with a bigger challenge now. According to ground workers, contact tracing has become a task in the slum due to incomplete addresses and wrong contact details.

A number of factors have led to the continuous rise in cases in Dharavi. One of them is the difficulty in following social-distancing rules, as it is a densely populated area. But if contact tracing becomes difficult, then it might become another point of concern.

On Friday, a team of officials, who visited the slum to trace a suspected COVID-19 patient, had to return without any success because the person could not be found. mid-day's photographer, who was at the spot, found out that it was because of an incomplete address. There have been instances of officials looking for people with minimal information about them.

Ground difficulties

"This does lead to situations where the person cannot be traced. In this specific case, the address was as vague as that the person lived behind a building in Dharavi. We reached the building and found a person of the same name but not the one we were looking for. There were no house number or road details. Most of the times the method we follow to reach a person is by asking around due to vague location details. Even mobile numbers are not correct sometimes," shared an official.

It has also been found that in some cases the numbers given by people are incorrect. The official further said that sometimes it's a task to trace contacts, as the details provided are vague and sometimes even incorrect.

'No such issue'

However, G-North ward officer, Kiran Dighavkar denied facing any such problem. He said, "There is no issue in tracing at all. It is not very difficult. Information regarding a person's location can be found out. There can be a rare case like this one but haven't received any complaint stating that it's an issue."

"We are also screening senior citizens by checking them with oximeter. We have appealed to about 350 private clinics to remain open and are providing them with PPE for free. If anybody is suspected to be a COVID-19 patient, he/she is sent to institutional quarantine for further tests. Until now more than 1,800 persons have been quarantined and currently 600 are in institutional quarantine. In fact, we hope to makeinstitutional quarantine possible for maximum number of people. Numbers will increase for another week and then we can expect the curve to flatten," added Dighavkar.

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Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani is undoubtedly one of the coolest politicians. From sharing throwbacks pictures to family pictures and much more, Smriti always manages to tickle the funny bone and keep her followers entertained.

Although being locked at home like others due to the coronavirus epidemic, Smriti Irani recently took to Instagram new trend, the gibberish challenge. For many who don't know, the gibberish challenge on the gram is a much-in-fad filter where users have to guess the word or a phrase.

A screengarb of Smriti's first gibberish challenge

Upon taking the challenge, a random phrase or a word appears on the screen with a set time limit. Once the timer is over, the right answer pops up on the screen. The 44-year-old minister took part in the gibberish challenge twice and guess what? Smriti absolutely nailed it. Smriti also shared videos of the same as her Instagram stories.

A screengrab of Smriti's second gibberish challenge which lefet her shocked and surprised

While Smriti nailed the first one right, in the second gibberish challenge which came with a twist had its own set of challenges. Though she guessed the right answer 'Hugh Jackman', the answer for some reason appeared as 'Ryan Reynolds', which left the minister quite upset and her expressions said it all.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Weaving new possibilities 🙏#supportweavers #makeinindia #handcraftedinindia

A post shared by Smriti Irani (@smritiiraniofficial) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:11am PDT

Before taking part in the gibberish challenge, Smriti shared two pictures where she was seen donning handcrafted face masks made by weavers. Urging people to supports weavers and products made in India, Smriti captioned the picture: Weaving new possibilities!

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Dear Diana,
I am 33 and single. Six years ago, I was in a relationship with a guy in the neighbourhood. We had got engaged too, but later we broke off. His family felt I was not suitable for their son and they then relocated to Surat. Ever since my engagement broke off, I have not had any guy on the scene. My parents have now registered me on a marriage website. They feel I should settle down. But I believe that I will never get married due to my broken engagement. Will I ever find someone who will love me? Someone who will not ask unwanted questions about my past? I have become a recluse after the break up. My parents are worried about me.
— Rasika

Dear Rasika,
A broken engagement does not mean that you will not find love again. So do not lose heart. You could be second time lucky. Just think that this guy was not meant for you. You needed someone better. Let the engagement break up remain where it is — in the distant past. There is no point brooding about it and crying over it. After the break up, you have cut yourself from the social scene. There is no reason to do so. Hang out with your pals, you never know when and where you will meet Mr Right. Your parents are concerned about you and want you to be happy. Let them register you on a matrimonial website. I am sure they will find the best for you. At the same time, do not put pressure on yourself to get hitched. You cannot go looking for love, it just comes your way.

The Story Re-Spun, Raymond's Khadi Project fashion show, was held on April 4 at its flagship store at Breach Candy

The guests gathered at Raymond's Breach Candy store earlier this month for The Story Re-Spun, a showing of the menswear brand's latest line, had one question on their minds - how will the corporate professional accustomed to crease-free workwear warm up to whimsical, organic khadi? But the team at India's oldest fabric retailer knew they had pressed the right button when the campaign around their just-launched Khadi initiative clocked 15 million views in 30 hours on their social media page.

Raymond has launched the collection in association with young designers Gaurav Khanijo, Anuj Bhutani, Ujjawal Dubey and Alan Alexander Kaleekal, and their choice of textile is the "fabric of the nation", which they call universal, and one that transcends age and social barriers. The brand has used its fabric technology expertise to lend khadi, drape and wash-and-wear qualities. The silhouettes and prints which comprise the collection of suits, tuxedos, bandhgalas, bomber jackets, hoodies, shirts and kurtas, are modern and approachable. To complete the look, on offer is a range of khadi accessories - ties, pocket squares, cuff links and shoes.

Varanasi-based textile developer and designer Hemang Agrawal's

"The design and technical teams from Raymond worked extensively with clusters of khadi weavers from across the country for over 12 months to give the fabric a whole new face and form," says Gaurav Mahajan, President-Apparel Business, Raymond. Style observers see Raymond's move as one that seeks to give sustainable fashion a nifty edge, a trait often compromised in the drive to produce ethical fashion, and promote indigenous crafts. Fashion entrepreneur and consultant Sabina Chopra says, in the absence of labels offering appealing sustainable designs at reasonable prices to the young buyer, Raymond's model could be one to ape. "Collaborations [between designers and fabric manufacturers] could be the way forward if we are to impact purchase," she thinks.

Summer 2018 collection reimagined Benarasi textiles to make minis and box-pleated dresses, and used Tanchoi and Katarwan weaving techniques to create the houndstooth pattern

While the world over, sustainable fashion champions fair trade, local techniques of production, and reuse and upcyling, in India, an ancient tradition of craft has moved focus to the revival of textiles. That it is currently also a political talking point, makes it complicated. "In India, we stress on sustainable fashion from an aesthetic point of view, motivated by the revival of textiles. There's too much of one thing, without regard for price point, the young customer demographic, fit or design," feels Delhi-based designer Arjun Saluja. He is currently occupied with creating a collection from upcycled cotton, with a focus on minimum fabric wastage. And so, the sustainable cause is a subtle story behind the collection, not its central identity.

After showing at LFW S/R 2018, The Good Loom showcased its summer collection of casual menswear and sarees, designed with a special focus on ethical production and getting the right fit at ARTISANS' gallery at Kala Ghoda last week

Hemang Agrawal, textile developer and designer from Varanasi, agrees. "Shoppers buy basis design and style. The ethical credentials of a label come later," he says. Living in a city that's at the heart of the ongoing revival of Benarasi weaves, he speaks of fly-by-night designers jumping in to claim to own the cause.

Agrawal decided it was time to rewrite the script; one that tested the sprightly, dressy competence of time-honoured Indian weaves. Un-Revive, his summer 2018 collection, included modern-day essentials such as minis Mary Quant-would approve, trench and box-pleated dresses, maxis, cropped pants and palazzos. He pinned his interest on the sustainability mast by working with master weavers from his hometown to create tartan checks, polka dots, houndstooth and geometric patterns using the Tanchoi and Katarwan techniques. "Why can't handlooms be young?" he says, explaining the thought behind using one of India's oldest textiles to create plucky, young designs.

Chopra wonders why sustainable clothes are devoid of colour or refined cut. A chunk of craft practitioners focusing solely on revival of textiles are taking for granted the design element of clothing. "Hence, the final tailored garment tends to be weak on cut, giving us tent-like, boring clothes…who decided colour is not cool?" she says. Veteran designer duo David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore of A&T push the boundaries when the former says, "Theoretically, you could do anything with craft, even design a bikini or hot pants. The trouble is, designers are not intervening into developing their own textiles. Ideally, they should."

A&T made a compelling case for ethics-meets-aesthetics with the recent #SadakSmart collection. Encouraged by DIY countercultural streetwear trend, the range looked at indigenous shapes, such as the salwar, kameez, saree and ghagra, and tipped them in favour of teasing everyday styles using updated versions of sequined Chanderi, aari embroidery, and floral patterns inspired by the great Indian chintz.

Not so long ago, anti-fit fashion found its moment internationally, and India, a land of drapes, was more than happy. The unstructured silhouette became an approved form of anti-fit, and handloom - one of the heroes of sustainable fashion - tagged along. Saluja points out that a change in design will take place only when we break the myth that hand-woven equals anti-fit. "The latter is about how you play with both, fabric and body - kiss it or turn it away from skin. Lend it form or leave it formless. Fabric development plus emphasis on silhouettes is key."

And so, good design is both the problem and the solution. Sustain, a 12-year-old apparel vertical of the Good Earth brand of luxury lifestyle, insists on being known as classically Indian. "We are not interested in being hip or cool. But we understand the value of offering modern clothing options that highlight India's incredible workmanship. It might be difficult to make khadi glamorous, so we've started working with Bhagalpuri silks for evening wear. Similarly, we've updated traditional embroideries by combining them with fresher colour ways," says Deepshikha Khanna, head of Sustain.

Rozana, a sub-brand of Sustain, positions itself as daily tonic for everyday wardrobe woes. Aimed at younger clients, it's a line of separates. Sassy shirtdresses, long and short kurtas, lehengas, kalidar kurtas and Hiba trousers are made in malkha cotton, khadi and muslin, priced between Rs 4,500 and Rs 22,000. Interestingly, timely interest by two of India's biggest fashion weeks has plucked the sustainable fashion lobbyists from their craft-based address to dazzling runways with dedicated show slots. The Autumn/Winter 2017 edition of Amazon India Fashion Week addressed the relevance of handlooms, while highlighting sustainable businesses with, The Handloom School. Supported by Good Earth, nine designers including Sanjay Garg, Neeru Kumar, Gaurav Jai Gupta, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Bal, Péro and Ekà worked with weavers and textiles designers under the watchful eye of textile revivalist Sally Holkar.

For the last seven years, Lakmé Fashion Week has dedicated a day towards the promotion of Indian crafts, recycling and re-purposing. "It started as a means to encourage dialogue on sustainable values. And with initiatives like #CraftisCool, we are working towards creating viable collections that appeal to high street sensibility," says Gautam Vazirani, fashion curator, IMG-Reliance, organisers of LFW.

This season, LFW collaborated with The Good Loom, an artisanal brand from GoCoop, (the first e-commerce store to win a national award for 'Marketing of Handlooms') to present a selection of smart, casual menswear and sarees, with a special focus on ethical production and getting the right fit. It was a sincere attempt at bridging the gap between how the country's Instagram generation interprets fashion and its duet with indigenous craftsmanship. "That sustainable fashion should be sexy, and not stop at mundane or homogeneous, is now our agenda. The millennials don't see themselves dressed in kaftans or anti-fit shapes," adds Vazirani. But he's up against a challenge. Designers often tell him of the 35+ consumer loving the anti-fit way. Saluja has an answer to that. "Let's not be blinded by the revival manifesto. Sixty per cent of India's population is under 35, and they are seeking stylish ready-to-wear options."

Challenge of handlooms: Colour forecast doesn't figure in our scheme
For 11-year-old label, Amrich, led by Delhi-based Amit Vijaya and Richard Pandav, instead of reinforcing a divide between ethical and non-ethical consumers, they prefer to be known as a Western wear brand of separates, infused with enough versatility to be worn in Indian styles. "Working with handlooms is not without its unique set of challenges. For example, we can't afford to follow the colour forecast, since we work with natural dyes. Plus, we work with tricky timelines. We have to work two years in advance since there is lot of back and forth between craftsmen and our design team," says Vijaya. Luckily, the two design and develop their signature shibori in-house, making it possible to control how the garment is cut. "It also allows us to keep the price affordable. The shibori range starts at Rs 13,000," he adds.

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Bhumi Pednekar's fitness is something that is talked about regularly as the actress stunned everyone with her body transformation after Dum Laga Ke Haisha. She is a gym-junkie and is extremely conscious of what she eats. The lockdown imposed in India due to Coronavirus has resulted in health and fitness challenges for everyone and Bhumi has a solution for it.

"I have always strived to lead a balanced lifestyle and believed in the synergy of how nutrition, what we eat directly impacts our health and fitness. This lockdown, though extremely challenging for all of us because it has changed how we live life and exist, is also impacting our minds and that can throw off diet and nutrition in a big way," she says.

Bhumi reveals, "What we eat has a lot to do with how we feel - it's connected and it's mostly emotional. This will create health and fitness issues and I want to share with everyone my nutrition journey through COVID-19 and I hope that people will find this useful."

The actress has maintained a routine and stuck to her nutritious way of life all through the Coronavirus pandemic. She credits her nutritionist Dr. Siddhant for her fit bod and will be doing a live chat with him to share health and nutrition tips to everyone.

"I have ensured that I'm mobile, I have been working out, I'm on a nutrition-rich diet and I have not resorted to binge and junk eating. My nutritionist Dr. Siddhant is a genius and has a wealth of knowledge which has helped me shape my life. I want him to share his knowledge with as many people as possible because he has kept me going despite the lockdown challenges," she says.

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

Baba and baba's baba zeeshan ne aan baan aur shaan se 1,25,000 families ko ration bataa hai.

Now this is a challenge that one should be a part of.. Challenge 'Anna Daan'

Karo to khud ya kissi bharosemand ke through...@BabaSiddique @zeeshan_iyc pic.twitter.com/317KPrxWyp

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 28, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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Rishi Kapoor wasn't just a phenomenal actor but also a very lively and lovable human. As exhilarating was his on-screen persona, his real-life demeanour was just as entertaining. In a devastating piece of news, he breathed his last today in hospital at 8:45 IST after a two-year battle with leukemia.

All the Bollywood celebrities began sharing their memories with this iconic actor and how he was one of a kind. And now, taking to his Twitter account, Salman Khan has also offered his condolences and also offered strength to his family and friends.

Have a look at his tweet right here:

Rest in peace chintu sirrr, kaha suna maaf , strength , peace n light to family n friends...

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 30, 2020

Salman Khan and Rishi Kapoor worked together in David Dhawan's Yeh Hai Jalwa in 2002 and both of them shared fantastic chemistry in that comedy. Also, if you remember, in 2015, Rishi Kapoor tweeted that If there's one actor after Shashi Kapoor who's handsome and has some blessed looks, it's Salman. The tweet isn't available anymore but you can have a look at it here:

Kapoor's loss, as everyone has stated, has left a void that can never be filled. His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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Bollywood stars may have rallied behind daily-wage workers during the lockdown, but Pravin Rana, a vertically-challenged artiste, admits he had little hope of them coming to his aid. After all, for far too long, his community has been relegated to the fringes of the industry. However, he was in for a surprise — earlier this week, Salman Khan extended financial support to members of the All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).

"Nobody cares much for us, but Salman bhai stood by us during these trying times. We were surprised when we learnt that Rs 3,000 had been deposited into our accounts on Tuesday. No other actor has come forward to help us," says Rana, who worked alongside the superstar in Bharat (2019). "During the shoot too, he asked us to reach out to him when in need," he adds.

Shameem Ahmed, a member of AISAA who also featured as one of the circus artistes in Bharat, adds that Khan has promised help in the coming months. "We don't get work on a daily basis. We are grateful to FWICE and Salman Khan for helping us with ration and financial help amid the lockdown. We have been told he will make a deposit next month, too."

BN Tiwari, president, FWICE, informs that about 90 vertically challenged actors come under the purview of the association. "Almost 45 of them have received Salman's donation, the rest will get it in a few days," he says.

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Bobby Deol is not only a brooder but also one of the youngest-looking fathers in Bollywood. He looks way younger than his actual age and doesn't really look like a father of two boys- Aryaman and Dharam. He spilled the beans on them in a recent interview with Mumbai Mirror and got candid.

Talking about Dharam first, he said, "Dharam is completely into fitness. He learns new techniques online and teaches me. I wish I had the access he does at his age. He has a six-pack already and keeps challenging Tanya and me to try new things. I have to tell him I'm not that flexible anymore." Well, if the kid has indeed built six-packs, we would love to see them soon. Here's hoping Deol posts a picture of his ripped body on social media.

And then talking about Aryaman and how they both were able to meet luckily before the lockdown was announced. "Luckily, Aryaman came home a day before Holi without hassles or travel restrictions." The duo celebrated the actor's 51st birthday in the U.S earlier this year in January. Deol will be completing 25 years in Bollywood this year, having started off his career in 1995 with Barsaat.

He went on to deliver hits like Gupt, Soldier, Ajnabee, and Humraaz in his career. After a slump, he jumped back with two massive films in 2018 and 2019- Race 3 and Housefull 4. He now has Netflix and Red Chillies Entertainment's Class of 83 coming up soon.

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