Former Chennai Super Kings bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji on Sunday recalled team's matches that are close to his heart. CSK's official Twitter handle posted a video in which Balaji recalled the team's memorable moments in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former pacer started with a game against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2010 saying that MS Dhoni's expressions at the end of the game are 'always going to be remembered by all CSK'ians'.

"Of course the 2010 game at Dharamshala against Kings XI Punjab. The situation was like we had to win that game to qualify. MS Dhoni's knock and his expressions, hitting the helmet which is always going to be remembered for all the CSK'ians," Balaji said in the video.

In that match, batting first, Kings XI Punjab had put up a massive target of 193 runs for CSK at Dharamshala. The match came to a point where Dhoni-led side needed 16 runs off the last over and the skipper chased the target in the first four balls of the over.

Dhoni had struck a boundary off the first delivery and took a double on the second ball. On the next two deliveries, he smashed consecutive sixes to take CSK over the line. Besides this, Balaji mentioned IPL 2018 edition when CSK made a return to the league after serving a two-year ban.

"Apart from that I would like to pick the 2018 year as CSK was coming back after two years and I joined the team as support staff and I got to witness the first game against Mumbai Indians, arch-rival. The match was completely going out of our hands but Bravo's innings and Kedar's brilliant finish (handed us a victory), that is very close to my heart," he said.

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Star India batsman KL Rahul said the heartbreaking World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand, after a near-perfect show in the group stages, "continues to haunt" him and his teammates. In a chat show 'The Mind Behind', Rahul said if he was given a chance to change the result of any one match in the past, it would be the 2019 World Cup semi-final at Manchester.

"Most of us haven't got over that loss, it still haunts us. I can't imagine what the senior players must have felt but you know, in a World Cup, it just becomes even harder knowing that we played so well in the entire tournament. I still wake up to that nightmare sometimes," he said. India were perhaps the most dominant side in the group stage of the tournament, winning each of their matches except the one against hosts England.

The Virat Kohli-led side were the favourite going into the semi-final against eventual runner-up New Zealand but lost the contest by 18 runs. Just like other Indian cricketers, Rahul too is currently enjoying a rare break from the game because of the COVID-19 pandemic-forced lockdown.

"Let me talk about myself. I've just been sitting and doing some homework. I've been watching some videos from the past and taking notes of the things I was doing right and where I could improve," he signed off.

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Gurinder Chadha's aunt passed away on Sunday due to Coronavirus complications. The UK-based filmmaker shared the news on social media. "She was my buaji, dad's sister. She survived the Partition and, sadly for us, no one could be with her in person in her final moments. But two nurses in the Surrey hospital held her hand, FaceTimed her children who chanted Sikh prayers. God bless the #NHS heroes who made my dear aunt's passing humane (sic)," wrote the Beecham House (2019) director.

"Today we said goodbye to my dearest bhuaji /aunt from #covid19 complications. She was my dad's little sister," Gurinder wrote alongside a family picture.

 

 

 

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Today we said goodbye to my dearest bhuaji /aunt from #covi̇d19 complications. She was my dads little sister She is the aunt sitting down in these final pictures from #viceroyshouse and doted on me. She survived the Partiton of India and sadly for us, her family no one could be with her in person in her final moments 😢 BUT two nurses in the Surrey hospital held her hand, FaceTimed her children who all chanted Sikh prayers during which her soul departed. God bless the #nhsheroes who made my dear aunts passing humane. 🙏🙏🙏

A post shared by Gurinder Chadha, OBE (@gurinder.chadha) onApr 19, 2020 at 5:10am PDT

"God bless the #nhsheroes who made my dear aunts passing humane," she added.

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The actress asserts that she tries to do interesting activities with husband, actor Kunal Kemmu, and daughter Inaaya. Here's how Soha Ali Khan is spending her time during the lockdown:

Reading:

 

 

 

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Booked for the week! #lockdown #stoppedcountingthedays #storytime

A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) onApr 21, 2020 at 12:26am PDT

Reading has always been something I love doing and our busy lives make it difficult to sit down and make time for it every day. The lockdown has enabled us to stay indoors and focus on the activities that our busy schedules would not allow us to do. Reading is one of the things that I have included in my daily tasks; I dedicate at least one hour to reading as it helps me with my writing better. Therefore, if you were once an avid reader and have lost the touch of it, this is the perfect time to reconnect to your stack of untouched lying favourites.

Fun with family:

 

 

 

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It’s just a ‘matar’ of time #lockdown #stayhome #staysafe #twopeasinapod @khemster2

A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) onApr 15, 2020 at 1:46am PDT

Family to me always comes first! In the times of lockdown, your family is what is going to keep you together by supporting you and making you laugh or be your partners in fun. The lockdown has brought us closer than ever. Kunal and I make sure that we engage ourselves with some or the other interesting activity. We try to indulge Inaaya in various activities such as drawing, puzzles, colouring, learning the alphabet or numbers, and sometimes we gaze out of windows and play the "I spot" game from the balcony.

Experiment with healthy snacks:

I love snacks that are filling and healthy and so does my family, hence I cook our meals that are rich in nutrients. Since almonds are one of my favourite snacks to munch on, I make sure that my recipes include a handful of almonds. They not only keep you full but also prevents you from binging on unhealthy options as they help suppress hunger in between meals. Some of my favourite dishes are Sheera with nuts, Almond Soy milk, Roasted Almonds with a spicy touch, definitely worth trying.

Exercising with FAM Jam indoors:

 

 

 

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I got the best trainer in the business 💪🏼

A post shared by Kunal Kemmu (@khemster2) onApr 16, 2020 at 2:23am PDT

The lockdown has put a hold on the gyms but not on us, hence I make sure to take out time to exercise for an hour. Kunal and I motivate each other to perform the basic exercises at home. Occasionally we take Zumba and Yoga sessions for Inaaya and love to watch her groove with the music. The funniest thing is she exercises with us and it is cute to watch her try and learn the basics with us.

Skincare routine:

Maintaining the glow inside out is important. I use facemasks once in a week to exfoliate the impurities and dust from my skin. It is also important to take care from within; therefore, I hydrate myself and intake lots of water. Make sure to include Vitamin E in your diet as it may help in imparting anti-ageing properties and benefits skin health. I make sure to include almonds in my diet and make it a part of my beauty routine as it fills my body up with the right nutrients. I also make sure to use a Vitamin C facial oil for my skin.

The lockdown isn't necessarily a bad thing, it is not! One needs to detoxify from the hustle-bustle of the city and take measures to stay home, fit and healthy. Make sure to indulge yourself in activities that are fun and productive.

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A slow and steady weight loss plan is always a good idea, but losing weight too fast means putting your health at a risk which can lead to severe issues. So, be wise about undertaking excessive exercising or going for a crash diet. Pooja Chaudhary, wellness consultant, Healthians, an online diagnostic center that offers at-home services, lists down the common factors to take care of during a weight loss regime:

Losing weight around 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week is a safe bet. But losing more than that can be considered as rapid weight loss which can have an impact on the health. At the start of exercise plan or diet plan, people witness a sudden weight loss of 2-3 kg. This is actually the water weight.

Angeli Misra, Co-founder of Lifeline Laboratory, lists down a few side effects of losing weight too fast:

1. It could damage your liver: Alcohol is not the only factor that puts you at a risk of developing a fatty liver. Sometimes following a surgery to reduce weight can also affect your liver.

2. Loose skin: Rapid weight loss leads to loose skin as skin loses elasticity.

3. It may slow down your metabolism: Excess of everything is bad. Excessive exercises and crash dieting can slow down your metabolism as you easily and soon get tired. Due to that your body works slow and you feel a sense of fatigue.

4. Other side effects: Losing weight fast by doing excessive exercise, swimming and crash diet may be linked to several other side effects like hunger, fatigue, irritability, muscle cramps, dizziness, constipation or diarrhea.

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A group of 22 people from Mumbai and Thane district went for a picnic at Tandulwadi Fort in Palghar district where they lost their way out of the jungle in the dark. They called up the police control for help and the local Safale police of Palghar district rushed to their rescue and escorted them out safely.

According to the Safale police sources, "A group of 22 people from Mumbai and Thane district visited Tandulwadi Fort situated in Safale Palghar district for a trek on Saturday where they decided to walk through the jungle around 7:30 pm but after sunset, they lost their way out of the jungle.

Fearing of being lost, they contacted the police control for help and senior inspector Sandeep Sanap from Safale police station despatched a team of officers to their rescue. Constable SU Solkhe, SB Bhavar, NL Dhongde reached the spot at around 9 pm and rescued the group. Their respective parents were contacted after which they were returned home safely," said Hemant Katkar PRO of Palghar district police.

Also Read: Six rescued, one missing as tugboat capsizes off Mumbai

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The city is shaken up by the brutal murder of a young woman working with an upmarket chain of salons. In what has been dubbed as a case having parallels with the Sheena Bora murder, this beautician's body was kept in a car post the murder and then disposed off in marshy land at Wadala. Police teams are trying to recover the body, but have been unsuccessful so far.

It's time to focus on the reason for this murder. According to the police, two colleagues, who have been caught, killed the young woman because she refused to take back a notice sent to one of the accused because of his shoddy performance at work. Despite their entreaties, the victim had not relented about withdrawing a notice sent to one accused till the last day when his employment may have been terminated.

Both colleagues claim, according to reports, that the murder was done in the heat of the moment. The family of the accused, though, insist they are innocent. What has shocked the city is the triviality of the motive. A life has been lost simply because somebody was going to lose his job. As one tries to absorb this, a much smaller report recently was indication of a society, which is weaned on instant gratification and instant rage. A young gym owner was stabbed to death and his female friend hit with a beer bottle over a quarrel with a Disc Jockey (DJ) over which songs to play.

We have been seeing murders happening over slightest provocations. Bring back regard for human life, which has been cheapened considerably. Cherish patience, logic and encourage our children to think before they act. Put an absolute premium on human life. These seem like knee-jerk murders, where rage consumes the murderers, who are mostly ordinary men and women who have no criminal record. Speed kills and in more ways than one.

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Uncharted has dropped its latest installment and it is significant simply because there is no Nathan Drake, the protagonist of the previous Uncharted games. Instead, this time, you get to play with Chloe Frazer backed with Nadine Ross, who are in India searching for the Tusk of Ganesh. We don't know if Naughty Dog planned this, but a game featuring a Ganesh related artifact releasing just around the time of Ganpati Utsav is pretty good timing.

The game unfolds in the mountains of India during a civil war, with everything you would expect, in an Uncharted game — lots of fast paced gun play, spectacular ancient ruins, overgrown jungles and easy to solve puzzles. It is a formula that has worked well for the series in the past and why would you mess with something that works.

You may find both Chloe and Nadine familiar if you have played Uncharted before, they have appeared in the previous games. Chloe as a sidekick in two games and Nadine as the antagonist of the last Uncharted. To get the artifact that leads to the Tusk of Ganesh, Chloe infiltrates the war-torn city dressed in a kurta, she looks very Indian in the outfit. This is very different from any other Uncharted game because it deals with claustrophobic, garbage-filled city streets instead majestic jungles the game is used to. It's a nice change but a short one, once you manage to find the relic it is straight off to the jungle for you.

The Lost Legacy is a lot like Uncharted 4, it plays almost similar, some of the guards look familiar and even some of the ruins. The game is comfortable with what it is and there aren't any new surprises that push the gameplay forward. What it excels at is the ride and that is an action-packed ride that would put Indiana Jones to shame. What you can do is enhance the experience with their new photo mode, it makes everything a little more fun. The photo mode lets you change the expression of Chloe's face temporarily. This, of course, can be used to take hilarious screengrabs.

The game looks amazing on the PS4 Pro, the jungles and the ruins are grand to say the least, enough to make you want to go a nearby forest in search of ancient picturesque monuments. It's a nice use of local mythology to create a brilliant fantasy world.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is great for newbies. Since it doesn't require you to have previous knowledge of the characters or any hard to play sections, it is pretty much a no-brainer for any gamer.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Rating: 4/5
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony
Platform: PS4
Price: Rs 2,499

Alita: Battle Angel
U/A: Action, Adventure
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali
Rating: 

This film, which has Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron working together with Peter Jackson's visual effects, has wonders never experienced before in cinema. The film may have taken a long while (twenty years) coming to screen, but the end result is fantastic enough to keep you asking for more. A manga-based action thriller, James Cameron's $200 million-worth, long cherished dream is aimed at young adults seeking fresher pastures from that of The Hunger Games variety and hopes to make it to bigger box-office returns than that sub-genre hit-starter.

Cameron started on the cinematic adaptation of Yukito Kishiro's original manga comics way back in the late 1990s, (much before Avatar), but the phenomenal success of Avatar had him relinquishing directorial control to Rodriguez while holding firm as screenwriter (with Jon Landau and Laeta Kalogridis) and producer.

The resultant kick-ass cyberpunk adventure may not be as original as he imagined it, but it has certainly got all the chops to make it to a long-term fan-following on its own.

The filmed adventure is set 500 years from now, in Iron city - a junkyard that is a wasteland for the flying citadel of Zalem. The city is peopled with AI controlled cyborgs mingling with real humans in a community so tech-spangled that it's hard to decipher one from the other. Kindly Doctor Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) reconfigures a former robot superweapon and rechristens her Alita (Rosa Salazar), after his own daughter. I do, who moonlights as a hunter-warrior, tries to protect the young Alita, but her mind has memories of a past that keeps haunting her present. She even develops a crush on handsome robo-junk dealer Hugo (Keean Johnson) and eventually ends up becoming the super weapon she once was.

The plotting here is a little too jumbled up, ensnared as it is in creating set-piece thrills and out-of-this-world experiences. Stereotype characters and genre tropes make the engagement less than wondrous. The tech-specs are certainly the best we've seen in a long time, the IMAX imagery is splendid and beguiling and the vivid expressions of the actors make it feel all the more real and intimately experiential.

Watch the trailer of Alita: Battle Angel

Even though Salazar is the most riveting and fascinating of characters, she does feel a little artificial at times. The CGI blends in effortlessly with digitally morphed motion-capture performance, but the artifice can be felt - too strongly at times. The array of side characters also feels like old hat killing the originality of the experience and allowing déjà-vu to creep in. Even so, there's no belittling this explosive cutting-edge adventure that takes cinema thrills to never-seen-before heights!

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

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

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

à¤Âœिस सादà¤Â—à¥Â€ à¤Â”र बिà¤Â‚दासपन सà¥Â‡ मà¥Â‡रà¥Â‡ दà¥Â‹सà¥Âत à¤Âœà¥Âˆà¤Â•à¥Â€ शà¥Âरà¥Â‰फ़ नà¥Â‡ à¤Âœà¥Â€वन à¤Â•à¥Â‡ फ़लसफ़à¥Â‡ à¤Â•à¥Â‹ यहा बताया हà¥Âˆ à¤Â•ि à¤Â‰सà¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âˆ à¤Âœितनà¥Â€ तारà¥Â€फ़ à¤Â•रà¥Â‚à¤Â à¤Â‰तनà¥Â€ हà¥Â€ à¤Â•म हà¥Âˆ। à¤Âà¤Â• à¤Â‡à¤Â‚सान à¤Âœà¥Â‹ à¤Âœ़िà¤Â‚दà¤Â—à¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â€ भावनाà¤Â“à¤Â‚ à¤Â•à¥Â‹ महसà¥Â‚स à¤Â•रता हà¥Âˆ, à¤Â‰सà¤Â•à¥Â‡ हà¥Â€ à¤Â…à¤Â‚दर सà¥Â‡, à¤Â‰सà¤Â•à¥Â€ à¤Â…à¤Â‚तरà¤Â†तà¥Âमा सà¥Â‡ हà¥Â€ à¤Âसà¥Â€ फिलà¥Â‰सफà¥Â€ निà¤Â•ल सà¤Â•तà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆ। धनà¥Âय हà¥Â‹। à¤Âœ़रा सà¥Âनियà¥Â‡ @bindasbhidu à¤Â•à¥Â‹।🙏 pic.twitter.com/v2jHwVvLuW

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) April 28, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a look right here:

Such terrible news...saddened to hear about the demise of #IrrfanKhan, one of the finest actors of our time. May God give strength to his family in this difficult time 🙏🏻

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 29, 2020

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

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

May his soul Rest In Peace!

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Actor Manoj Bajpayee struggles to put his thoughts into words, and says everything has just gone "haywire" ever since he heard the news of Irrfan Khan's demise. The actor says though Irrfan wasn't his "best friend", they were connected with a very unique thread of rejection and acceptance in showbiz.

"For me to put my feelings in words and really frame it in a way that it all looks organised is tough. After hearing the news of his demise, everything went haywire mentally," Manoj told IANS. "I don't know how to react to it. The only emotion which is happening inside of me is extreme sadness. I am so sad that it is difficult for me to even think of anything. And I feel exhausted with the heaviness that I am feeling," he added.

Manoj has immense respect for Irrfan as "a contemporary, a colleague, co-actor and as somebody who started at the same time". "We faced similar kinds of rejections, struggles and acceptance. I feel that I lost a co-traveler. Though he was not my best friend, somewhere I felt that he was somebody whose journey was known to me and who knew my journey," said the actor, who will soon be seen in Netflix's "Mrs. Serial Killer".

Manoj continued: "It is like we were traveling in the same compartment, looking at each other from a distance but not fully knowing personally. It was enough to look at each other from a distance and admire each other. His contribution to cinema and the world of acting is going to be lauded and appreciated for very long."

Irrfan breathed his last early on Wednesday at the age of 54. Irrfan was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection earlier this week. However, unfortunately he succumbed to his ailment. The actor is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons Babil and Ayan.

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Pakistani actor Saba Qamar, who starred opposite Irrfan Khan in 2017's "Hindi Medium", said she is at loss of words with the untimely demise of her co-star. The 53-year-old actor lost his battle with a rare form of cancer and died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

He was buried at the Versova graveyard in the afternoon. Saba said she does hope things were better between India and Pakistan as she wants to meet Irrfan's wife Sutapa and their two sons Babil and Ayaan. "I'm numb today. I still cannot accept the loss of a brilliant co-actor Irrfan. I really am at a loss for words. It's very heart wrenching for me to say rest in peace Irrfan. "I really hope things were better between our countries and I could go see his family but my heartfelt condolences to his family," Saba told PTI.

 

 

 

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Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. I still can’t absorb the news. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of Hindi Medium. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. It is indeed a huge loss to the cinema world. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. You left a huge irreplaceable void in Cinema Irfan. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah give them strength to bear this loss. RIP Raj 💔 Yours Only, Meeta. 🌸

A post shared by 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐐𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 (@sabaqamarzaman) onApr 29, 2020 at 2:07am PDT

She said Irrfan's death is a huge loss to world cinema. "We lost a gem today. It's a huge loss to the cinema world and I hope we become able to bear that," she said. "Hindi Medium"', directed by Saket Chaudhary, marked Saba's debut in Bollywood. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of a nouveau riche in the 2017 comedy drama. The actor had also paid tribute to Irrfan on Twitter. "Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of 'Hindi Medium'. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. I'm at a loss for words. RIP Raj Yours Only, Meeta #IrrfanKhan" she had posted.

Meanwhile, many other actors from Pakistan have also condoled Irrfan's sudden demise. Pakistani actor Imran? Abbas, who was seen in a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil:, said art has no boundaries and he can feel the pain of his sudden demise. "Rest in peace the legend Irfan Khan!! You will surely be missed forever¿Since art has no boundaries, we can feel the pain and are equally grieved by your sudden demise...May Allah bless the departed soul. Undoubtedly, we all belong to Allah all mighty and have to return to HIM," he tweeted. Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar, who has acted in quite a few Bollywood films such as "Tere Bin Laden", "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" and "Dear Zindagi", posted, "RIP #IrrfanKhan. You were inspirational and unparalleled." Pakistani actor Sajal Ali wrote, "Shocked and sad. What a brilliant actor he was! Rest In Peace #IrrfanKhan."

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Hindi and world cinema lost a shining star when Irrfan Khan passed away yesterday, April 29, 2020. The actor, who was battling Neuroendocrine cancer for two years, left his fans and the industry in shock and sorrow after he passed away.

Irrfan Khan was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri, Mumbai, for a colon infection, where he breathed his last. Irrfan was laid to rest at 3 pm yesterday.

In a recent interview with ETimes, actress Mrinal Kulkarni opened up about Irrfan Khan, who was her TV show Shrikant co-star. Kulkarni shared, "The thing is, I am working with cancer organisations for the last few years and then I got to know about Irrfan. We were connected to each other when he was a cancer survivor but his cancer was of a rare type and even after being a strong-willed person he couldn't win the battle. Sometimes, there is nothing in our hands and that is true."

Mrinal Kulkarni, who worked with Irrfan Khan in another TV show, Sparsh, added, "Actually, I knew he was not well and it was a tough fight. After losing his mother, he became more weak and emotional. I somewhere felt that there were tough times ahead for him." Irrfan Khan's mother, Saeda Begum, passed away on April 25, 2020, at age 95.

Talking about Irrfan Khan as an actor and individual, Kulkarni shared, "He used to speak very less. I didn't know that we would ever become friends. After that, we worked together a lot and we became best friends."

Irrfan Khan's last film, Angrezi Medium, released in March this year. He was known for his performances in films like Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, and Hindi Medium, among others.

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- By RJ Archana Pania

It hasn't yet sunk in, and I wonder if it ever will that Rishi Kapoor ji is no more.

I first met him at the special screening of Saawariya, and he was watching his son Ranbir turn into an overnight star in the auditorium post the show. He was so concerned that his son would be manhandled by the huge crowd! I walked up to Rishi ji to share that my family and I were his huge fans, and he in his inimitable Kapoor candour with outstretched hands smilingly said "thank you" while keeping an eye on Ranbir.

I still can't remember when our RJ to actor connect turned into friendship. During interviews at RK Studios, he would proudly show me around, and his eyes would light up while talking about his father, Raj Kapoor saahab, and his grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor Ji.

He had reservations about his own physique, and always said, "If I had maintained my weight I would give all the young guns a run for their money." It's not for nothing that the tag of a chocolate hero stayed with him for over three decades. His performances could very well range from an angry lover boy (Kabhi Kabhie) to the most caring sweetheart (Chandni).

In my almost two decades of a radio career, no actor brought us treats. In fact, invariably, we would be ordering food for them. Rishi ji and Neetu ji, however, came in for their film Do Dooni Chaar's promotions and got us all at Radio City studio a huge hamper of goodies from his favourite food joint. Croissants, pastries, puffs, muffins... you name it and he got it. That's when one could see the largess of his heart.

I had some of the best memories at his home during Ganpati celebrations. He loved the festival and had Bappa home for five days, and would say that he wanted Bappa to stay longer than that. Every year, promptly, his invitation would arrive. Post the aarti he would sit all of us down and we would indulge in some "gupp-shupp". Poonam Dhillon ji, Padmini ji would all be in splits thanks to his candid ways of recalling the times gone by.

My most favourite memory of him is how one day he called me to scold me for using "Tu" while addressing my listeners. He said, "Let that boy (my co-RJ Salil Acharya) with you do "tu-tadaka", you continue saying "aap" the way you do, you are from a good family." I wondered about the kind of care that call reflected, the concern he had for people he was fond of. Sometimes, I would call him on his landline to wish him on his birthday or to congratulate him for a great performance in a film. Typically, he would first express irritation like it's all an everyday thing. But then, he would oblige me with an interview with heartfelt involvement.

But no matter what our conversations would be about, we always ended up discussing Ranbir's projects (where he felt Ranbir should take up more work and not work on single projects for so long) and his one smile gave away how proud he was of his son.

I am sure the legendary actor will see his legacy being carried forward beautifully by Ranbir, who has never ceased to astound us with his talent.

Rishi ji, I know you had so much zest for doing more. No one romanced life and cinema as you did on an everyday basis. Thank you for giving us countless memories and conversations to remember forever. Our industry won't be the same after today...

Some of my favourite songs of RK ji:

Dafli Wale - Sargam
Hoga Tumse Pyaara Kaun - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai
Chukkk Chukk Bombay Se Baroda Tak - Rafoo Chakkar
Om Shaanti Om/Kya Umar Thi - Karz
Humko Tumse - Amar Akbar Anthony
Chal Kahee Door - doosra Aadmi
Tu Tu Hai Wahi - Yeh Vaada Raha
Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi - Bade Dilwale
Lambooji-Tinkuji - Coolie
Chandni - Chandni O Meri Chandni
Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar/Teri Umeed - Deewana

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Late actor Irrfan Khan's wife Sutapa Sikdar took to social media to pen a healtfelt message for the actor, who passed away on Wednesday. She updated her Facebook display picture with an adorable picture of herself hugging Irrfan and captioned: "I have not lost I have gained in every which way...."

Reacting to the post, several users paid condolences to her and her sons, Babil and Ayan. "You are strong. Love," a user commented. Another user wrote: "Super salute to you."

Sutapa and Irrfan met each other during their college days at National School of Drama, Delhi where they fell in love with each other and later tied the knot in 1995.

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What is so fascinating about the world of crime that filmmakers keep exploring its grit and gore? And how does a filmmaker ensure he attempts to say something nobody has said before? Paatal Lok walks on a tight rope, a show that has been created by Sudip Sharma and produced by Anushka Sharma's Clean Slate Filmz.

The ensemble is solid- Jaideep Ahlawat, Gul Panag, Abhishek Banerjee, Neeraj Kabi, and Vipin Sharma. The biggest surprise package seems to be Banerjee, who was only exploited for his comic chops but plays a dreaded gangster in this show. He has all the opportunity to explode with such a delicious character that seems to be menacing and merciless. And of course, the always reliable Ahlawat seems to be having the time of his life in such ferocious characters.

Have a look at the trailer right here:

The plot of four assassins arrested on the charges of attempting to eliminate a journalist sounds crackling, and so does the milieu, and so does the fact that Anushka Sharma proves why she's one of the most fearless and fascinating producers in the business currently. The trailer also indicates this isn't going to be an easy watch and echoes the same narrative that the production house adapted in Sharma's NH10. But it also seems to be a show that makes you want to discover its language at least once, even if you have seen the world and the people before, albeit differently yet similarly. Let the lawlessness take over on May 15!

Talking about the show, Sudip Sharma stated, "Paatal Lok is every creator's dream. This is an Indian story at heart but with great global appeal thanks to the themes it portrays and the characters it presents. I am pleased that alongside Clean Slate Filmz, I get to make my digital debut on Amazon Prime Video, a global streaming service that is home to some of the best creators of our time, making award-winning content. I am positive Paatal Lok will keep viewers from around the world at the edge of their seats till the very end."

Karnesh Sharma, Producer, Clean Slate Filmz, added, "It has been our consistent endeavor to disrupt Indian entertainment space with breakthrough content. This year, as Clean Slate Filmz completes 5 years, we are happy to announce our upcoming Amazon Original Series Paatal Lok, in association with Amazon Prime Video. The show has been a labor of love, and I hope audiences across the globe experience the same joy we did creating it!"

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Oscar and Grammy-winning Indian composer AR Rahman says it is unfortunate that he could not pay his last respects to iconic stars Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor. "It is so unfortunate that at this time nobody can even go for the funerals. They gave so much of themselves for the people to see, and it is such an unfortunate time (that we couldn't even attend the funeral)," Rahman told IANS.

"It is the holy month of Ramadan, in a way they are blessed," he added. Irrfan, who was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour in 2018, passed away last week at the age of 54. Irrfan was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital with a colon infection. He succumbed to his ailment in hospital

Rishi Kapoor died a day later after battling leukemia, at HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in the city. He was 67.

On the work front, Rahman has joined hands with celebrated lyricist Prasoon Joshi to give a musical tribute to the nation's fight against COVID-19, with song "Hum haar nahi maanenge". The song has been released by HDFC Bank.

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Amitabh Bachchan is the master of throwback pictures and moments. His social media account is a treat for all the Bollywood buffs and especially people who are their fans and admirers. They're fun, nostalgic and they give us a priceless glimpse back in history. Recently, he shared a picture from his family vacation.

Big B reminisced about his visit to the Keukenhof Garden, Netherlands. Not just that, the veteran actor also had a fun anecdote to share along with a picture of what he called the best garden in the world. The superstar revealed how son Abhishek Bachchan fell into a bed of flowers during the trip and got lost in the valley of flowers. He wrote, "We are all living in 'hortus conclusus' .. wandering about within ourselves .. in our 'enclosed garden' .. BUT .. Keukenhof , the most beautiful open garden is different .. such fond memories of Jaya Abhishek and Shweta in these heavenly spaces .. and little Abhishek falling into one bunch , into one kyaari and almost getting lost ... those were the days !!"

 

 

 

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We are all living in ‘hortus conclusus’ .. wandering about within ourselves .. in our ‘enclosed garden’ .. BUT .. Keukenhof , the most beautiful open garden is different .. such fond memories of Jaya Abhishek and Shweta in these heavenly spaces .. and little Abhishek falling into one bunch , into one à¤Â•à¥Âयारà¥Â€ and almost getting lost ..😀 .. those were the days !!

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 6, 2020 at 9:15pm PDT

The superstar who is quite active on social media often shares pictures and memories of his family. Recently, his daughter, Navya Naveli Nanda, recently graduated from Fordham University in New York. He took to social media to pen a congratulatory message. Big B shared how they celebrated Navya's big day at his Jalsa home since the graduation ceremony has been stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the post, he shared a video in which Navya is seen wearing a home-made graduation gown and cap.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 6, 2020 at 8:13am PDT

Last week, Amitabh paid an emotional tribute to Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor, who passed away on April 29 and 30 respectively.  He shared a collage of throwback pictures of Irrfan and Rishi on his Instagram and wrote, "The death of an elder celebrity vs death of a younger .. the grief of the latter more intense than that of the former .. why ..? The younger more tragic. Why the loss of the young seems more tragic than that of the older .. Because you lament the loss of opportunity in the latter .. unrealised possibilities (sic)."

 

 

 

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à¤Âà¤Â• वà¥Âƒध लà¥Â‹à¤Â•पà¥Âरिय à¤ÂÂœानà¥Â€ मानà¥Â€ हसà¥Âतà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â vs à¤Âà¤Â• à¤ÂÂœवान लà¥Â‹à¤Â•पà¥Âरिय à¤ÂÂœानà¥Â€ मानà¥Â€ हसà¥Âतà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â ; हमà¥Â‡à¤Â‚ à¤ÂÂœवान à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â à¤Â•ा दà¥Âà¤Âƒà¤Â– दरà¥Âद à¤ÂÂœ़à¥Âयादा , à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Â लà¤Â—ता हà¥Âˆ ; शà¥Â‹à¤Â• à¤Â•à¥Â€ à¤Â˜ड़à¥Â€ à¤ÂÂœ़à¥Âयादा भारà¥Â€ à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Â लà¤Â—तà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆ ; दà¥Â‹नà¥Â‹à¤Â‚ हà¥Â€ à¤ÂÂ…पनà¥Â€ à¤ÂÂ…पनà¥Â€ à¤ÂÂœà¤Â—ह , à¤Â•़ायम पà¥Âरà¤Âšलित , लà¥Â‹à¤Â•पà¥Âरिय , à¤ÂÂœानि मानà¥Â€ हसà¥Âतियाà¤Â , फिर à¤Âà¤Â• à¤Â•ा शà¥Â‹à¤Â• दà¥Â‚सरà¥Â‡ सà¥Â‡ à¤ÂÂœ़à¥Âयादा à¤Â—मà¥Âभà¥Â€र à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Â लà¤Â—ता हà¥Âˆ । à¤Â•à¥Âयà¥Â‚à¤Âà¤Â•ि , à¤ÂÂœà¥Â‹ à¤ÂÂœवान था à¤Â‰सà¤Â•à¥Â€ à¤Â—à¥Âà¤Â‚à¤ÂÂœाà¤Â‡श à¤Â•à¥Â€ मà¥Âƒतà¥Âयà¥Â हà¥Â‹ à¤Â—à¤Âˆ ; à¤ÂÂœà¥Â‹ à¤Â‰ससà¥Â‡ समà¥Âभावनाà¤Âà¤Â बन सà¤Â•तà¥Â€à¤Â‚ थà¥Â€à¤Â‚ , वà¥Â‹ समापà¥Âत हà¥Â‹ à¤Â—यà¥Â€à¤Â‚ । The death of an elder celebrity vs death of a younger .. the grief of the latter more intense than that of the former .. why ..? The younger more tragic Why the loss of the young seems more tragic than that of the older .. Because you lament the loss of opportunity in the latter .. unrealised possibilities

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 1, 2020 at 9:07pm PDT

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With things being serious and upsetting with the number of coronavirus cases on the rise in the country, it's nice to have a tiny bit of respite from it all. It may come in the form of listening to your favourite music, watching a good web show, or just scrolling through Instagram for some cute videos.

And for your daily dose of cuteness, all you have to do is log on to Karan Johar's Instagram account for videos of his babies, Roohi and Yash! To say that Roohi and Yash are aww-dorable would be the understatement of the year. Now, a video has gone viral of his son Yash discovering Karan's well-hidden locker behind a sliding door. In the video, Yash declares the closet as a "washing machine". Upon being asked by Karan for the location, Yash slides a wooden door with a locker behind it. The filmmakers then says that it is a tijori, but would have been more useful during lockdown if it was actually a washing machine.

 

 

 

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Well we are now back in the closet but this time with a twist #lockdownwiththejohars

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onMay 6, 2020 at 11:08pm PDT

Just a day before, Karan had shared a sweet video of his babies giving their father a reality check about his bathroom. Roohi declares that bathtub is "useless", to which Karan replies, "It is rather useless. I have to say because I have never used it ever". He moves his attention towards Yash who goes about fiddling with one of the taps to the tub. Karan asks him what he is doing to which Yash answers, "I am washing dadda".

 

 

 

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Now in the bathroom! We have moved from the closet #lockdownwiththejohars

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onMay 5, 2020 at 11:30pm PDT

Earlier, the filmmaker had shared a video of his kids calling him a "bad dancer".  Sharing the video on Instagram Karan wrote, "Ok I have had enough!!!!!!!! I want to weep into my blanket! I am the Talentless MR JOHAR according to my children! #lockdownwiththejohars (sic)."

 

 

 

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Ok I have had enough!!!!!!!! I want to weep into my blanket ! I am the Talentless MR JOHAR according to my children! 😪😪 #lockdownwiththejohars

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onApr 11, 2020 at 12:30am PDT

In another video that he shared, the kids were seeing body shaming their father. "I have been body-shamed!!!! #lockdownwiththejohars #toodles (sic)", he wrote.

 

 

 

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I have been body shamed!!!! #lockdownwiththejohars #toodles

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onApr 6, 2020 at 11:56pm PDT

There are a lot of other videos that you all must see to cheer yourselves in case you have a bad day!

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Ties that bind

Last seen in Nisha Aur Uske Cousins, Amit Sarin relocated to Los Angeles in 2018 with wife Vineesha and children, Vaeda and Aveer. The actor-producer informs, "People in LA have taken social isolation seriously. Everybody is staying at home. Only stores selling essentials are open with reduced timings." Sarin, who also featured in Pavitra Rishta, adds, "Such adversaries remind you of being close to loved ones. But thanks to technology, I am connected with my folks and pals."

Time to reconnect

Vikas Sethi

While in self-isolation, Sasural Simar Ka actor Vikas Sethi is also introspecting. It's been a while since the audience saw him on screen. He says, "Gone are the days when you were considered too old to play a lead. Now, there is room for actors belonging to different age groups to play parts. I would like to get meaty roles and have no qualms about asking for work." Sethi is hoping to do just that when things improve.

Rajeev Siddhartha scores a hat-trick

Rajeev Siddhartha and Rinku Rajguru in Hundred

Rajeev Siddhartha who we best remember for his diverse roles as Romil in ALT Balaji's web series show Romil & Jugal, Veer Diwan in Netflix's Upstarts and Bala in 24 among many others, is currently basking in the glory of his three eye-ball grabbing web shows that have released recently. Rajeev was last seen in Voot's Marzi and the super acclaimed Amazon Prime series Four More Shots Please and his recent third release which is Hotstar's Hundred starring Lara Dutta and Rinku Rajguru. In the series Hundred, Rajeev plays the role of a shady racketeer under the garb of running a legitimate business. He is very work driven until Rinku’s character comes into his life and changes it completely.

Talking about working on Hundred, Rajeev said, "It was a great change working with three directors namely Ruchi, Ashutosh and Taher. Each had their unique approach to direction and different styles but the best part was their vision was singular - that helped a lot in shaping the performance. It helps when there is clarity and it shows in the final cut." In the series, Rajeev who mostly shares screen space with Rinku Rajguru said, "Rinku was a delight to work with. It’s always fun to act alongside someone who is a thorough professional and someone who is so well prepared."

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We've all heard of Bollywood celebrities using the unlimited free time during the coronavirus lockdown to work out and stay fit. But it's not just celebrities who have been keeping fit! In a post shared by Karan Wahi on Instagram, he shared how proud he is of his mum, Veena, who, at the age of 62, lost 18 kg in four months. Amazing, isn't it?

Wahi shared a before and after picture of his mother and wrote, "So proud of my MOM @wahi.veena
Thank you for listening to me and taking care of yourself before u took care of the world. My Mom is 62 and a hypothyroid. But I am glad I inspired her to do this for her. 18 kgs in 4 months..."

 

 

 

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So proud of my MOM @wahi.veena Thank you for listening to me and taking care of yourself before u took care of the world. My Mom is 62 and a hypothyroid But Iam glad I inspired her to do this for her 18 kgs in 4 months Lockdown ke bawajoood my MUMMA is the strongest... Thank you @tahirakochar for making this happen .. Age is just a number ,hence proved... INSPIRE People NOt Influence... #iloveyou Mom

A post shared by Karan Wahi ðŸÂÂ’ÂÂœ (@karanwahi) onMay 5, 2020 at 6:31am PDT

Along with the photos, Karan Wahi also shared a video of himself talking about his mother's fitness journey. The actor also gave a shout-out to his mum's lifestyle coach who helped her achieve her goal.

Well, we sure are inspired by Karan's mother's weight loss and fitness journey!

On the work front, Karan Wahi can be seen in the role of a DJ, who also doubles up as a police informer, in the web series, Hundred.

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On April 9, Odisha became the first state to extend the 21-day nationwide lockdown in the state till April 30. But two days before the extended lockdown was announced, a 20-year-old youth from Odisha, who was working in Maharashtra's Sangli district before the lockdown returned to his state after cycling for around 2,000 km.

The 20-year-old youth identified as Mahesh Jena left Sangli on April 1 and reached Odisha on April 7 after he cycled around 2,000 km for seven days. Jena took the bold decision when the factory where he worked was closed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the global pandemic.

While speaking to Hindustan Times Jena said, "When the factory was closed we were told that it would not reopen for the next five months. I figured out that if I continued to stay then I would run out of money quickly. So the only option was leaving the place at any cost."

In order to reach Odisha, Jena bought a bicycle for Rs 1200 and spent another Rs 500 to replace its tyre and tube. Jena, who began his journey on April 1 at 4.30 a said that his original plan was to reach his village in 15 days.

Talking about his journey he said, "When I started, I did not want to stop, I rode during the daytime and carried on till 12 in the night. I would then look for a temple or roadside dhaba to sleep." During his journey, Jena ate at roadside dhabas and at places where local police or NGOs would offer free food. During the journey, Jena not only replaced his cycle tyres but his phone was also conked off.

Speaking about how he planned to reach Odisha Jena said, "When I first arrived in Sangli along with my village friend 7 months ago, I had hazy idea about the route. On April 1 when I started from Sangli, I thought I could cover about 120-130 km a day on the cycle and reach home. But when I started, I did not want to stop, I rode during the daytime and carried on till 12 in the night. I would then look for a temple or roadside dhaba to sleep off."

Upon reaching Sholapur, Jena rode towards Hyderabad and then towards Vijayawada. Post which he rode his bicycke to Vishakhapatnam and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh before entering Odisha at Ganjam. From Ganjam he then cycled to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and finally Jajpur on April 7 evening.

Upon reaching Jajpur on April 7, Jena was stopped by the police at a check post installed where the police personnel stopped outsiders from entering the district. Talking about Jena, police inspector Ashish Kumar Sahu said, "With a rucksack on his back, he was cycling. After lockdown was announced, the factory in Maharashtra where he worked as a daily labourer was closed leaving him and several others in great misery. He somehow managed to get a rickety bicycle from a local there and started cycling to his home in Odisha."

Following lockdown procedures, Jena was first screened at the district headquarters hospital where he was found without any COVID-19 symptoms. Post which he was sent to a government quarantine centre, where he would be kept in isolation for 14 days.

"I was worried about being picked up by police during my journey. I was stopped twice by police on Andhra-Maharashtra border and Andhra-Odisha border, but I was allowed to go,"recalls Jena, who was stopped by the police on two occasions.

The 20-year-old migrant worker has spent over seven days at the quarantine facility. Speaking about his time at the quarantine centre, Jena said that the meal which comprised of rice and a boiled curry of lentil and vegetables was getting too boring for him. Speaking about the food, he stated, "How long can you eat the same food twice a day? After I am discharged from the quarantine centre, I plan to go back home and have a nice meal. Once the factories reopen, I would again go back."

Lauding the youngster on his inspiring journey, Odisha's Jajpur block development officer Sourav Chakraborty said that it was incredible the way he cycled to his home. "His journey would make a very good script for a movie."

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This year has brought so many firsts and new experiences and this year’s Earth Day, April 22, will certainly be among them. While people can’t get outside and participate in the same outdoor and collective experiences in person, they are celebrating the Earth on Twitter this year.

 The conversation on Twitter has spiked 285% around the discussion of 'action' and 'innovation' in sustainability and there have been more than 1 million Tweets tying this period of COVID-19  to impacts on the environment and 20 million unique Tweets about the environment since last Earth Day.

Ahead of Earth Day, Twitter has launched a new #EarthDay2020 emoji to encourage environmental conversations. To commemorate the 50th Earth Day, Twitter India (@TwitterIndia), Let Me Breathe (@LetMeBreathe_In) and Earth Day Network (@EarthDay_India) are partnering for #FightForFifty: a campaign that highlights 50 years of Earth Day and gives a common platform to 50 crowdsourced steps that we can take in our daily life to combat climate change and live sustainably.

Noted environmental activists and celebrities are joining the environmental conversation.

 Actress Dia Mirza (@deespeak) and singer-actor Monica Dogra (@MonicaSDogra) too participated in a Live Twitter Panel on April 21, 2020, to talk about 50 years of #EarthDay2020 and climate action. You can also watch the chat from last night to take a few points that Dia Mirza (@deepspeak) has advised for sustainable living #EarthDay.

This #EarthDay , join us for #FiftyForFifty Live with @deespeak, @MonicaSDogra, @EarthDay_India and @Tamseel_h to discuss what each one of us can do to save the planet. https://t.co/vkSUXPQ90o

— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) April 21, 2020

A small step for sustainability 🌱
Our planet is a lot more beautiful when it's green.
Let's keep it that way...#EarthDay2020#StayAtHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/BxKdEMsFqP

— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) April 22, 2020

When you realize “Heart” and Earth are spelt with the same letters, it all starts to make sense! Happy 50th #EarthDay!

#EarthDay2020 #WorldEarthDay2020 #EarthDayAtHome pic.twitter.com/bUs68xpOON

— Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha) April 22, 2020

Nature is healing: Of late, as the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping people indoors, reduced industrial and human activities have led to the rejuvenation of nature. Twitter has been witnessing volumes of discussions around how the lockdown has given the environment a chance to revive its lost glory.

This #EarthDay, we are sharing with you a few pictures of guests from the wild coming out on the streets of India during the COVID19 lockdown. This includes a special visit by two peahens to the house of the U.S. Ambassador to India as well! #EarthDay2020 pic.twitter.com/F9hD46YX0k

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) April 22, 2020

Earth is healing by itself.
#EarthDay #EarthDay2020 #EarthDayAtHome
Shot with @Sony @SonyAlpha @sony_india 77 Mark 2.
Post Processing: @SkylumSoftware pic.twitter.com/kUmePoP5x8

— Madhusudhan Reddy (@imMadhu1) April 22, 2020

Tweet, Tweet! It’s a bird: While people continue to spend time at home, they are taking up #BalconyBirding and reading books on nature.

I could speak to you about the importance of a single tree, but I will show you instead.

Flowering Neem tree, Delhi. pic.twitter.com/F2CMXGvLPN

— Neha Sinha (@nehaa_sinha) April 20, 2020

Last evening’s #balconybirding helped me make these photos, with a stunning sunset in the backdrop!

Parakeets, a kite and a crow, and an egret?

Nature is beautiful, even in cities! 🌇ðŸ¦Âœ#BirdWatching @sonyalpha pic.twitter.com/uh2lYLCvCS

— Isha (@ishaachitnis) April 20, 2020

Feed the #birds and they'll feed your soul with a look of gratitude.🥰🥰

Let's not forget to keep water & food for them in our balcony/terrace.

Celebrate #EarthDayAtHome by watching beautiful birds & squirrels enjoying their meal.

I enjoy this everyday.😇#EarthDay2020 pic.twitter.com/4XyfAPizr0

— Manu Gulati (@ManuGulati11) April 22, 2020

Reading Nature (@ReadingNature), a book club on Twitter, asked its followers to talk about their favourite #naturebooks on #EarthDay, and people are sharing some interesting reads through videos.

For #EarthDay, we asked you to tell us about the #nature books📚you have loved over the years & WOW! We are thrilled to share your stories thru the day!
We begin with Editor Scissorhands @bijal_v (who gave us the idea for this #thread) reading us some delightful kid-lit (1/n) pic.twitter.com/bwMtvu0r7p

— ReadingNature (@ReadingNature) April 22, 2020

To bring out more focused conversations on sustainability, Let Me Breathe (@LetMeBreathe_In) has also launched three #FiftyForFifty Twitter Lists on topics like Balcony Birders, Climate Activists and Sustainable Fashion. A Twitter List is a curated group of Twitter accounts. You can create your own Lists or subscribe to Lists created by others. Viewing a List timeline will show you a stream of Tweets from only the accounts on that List, usually around a particular topic of your choice.

Organisations such as the UNESCO MGIEP (@UNESCO_MGIEP), WWF India (@WWFINDIA) and Earth Day Network India (@EarthDay_IN) are organising virtual concerts with performances from the finest musicians as a tribute to the Earth.

SOUND ON 🔊

What better way to kick off this #EarthDay2020 than listening to @EarthDay_India's Ambassador, Dr. L Subramanium's "Earth song".#EarthDay #EarthSong pic.twitter.com/XTOKG7Iae7

— Earth Day Network (@EarthDayNetwork) April 22, 2020

Celebrate this 50th #EarthDay & #ShineYourLight with
🎼5 Grammy Award Winners
🎵40+ artists
🎧With @rickykej @baabamaal @ElsieLaura @wouterkellerman @VishwaMBhatt1 @LonniePark
🗓ï¸Â Wed. 22 April
⏰8:00 pm IST

RSVP your attendance now:https://t.co/k65HTgKft4 pic.twitter.com/gqEuQAehLT

— WWF India (@WWFINDIA) April 19, 2020

Let’s come together this #EarthDay to pledge our solidarity to the planet and collectively work for sustainability.

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The COVID-19 epidemic has caused shock and grief to Pune Police after a 58-year-old cop lost his life in the battle against the novel coronavirus. Taking to Twitter, the Pune Police handle, which is known for its witty tweets and informative posts, on Monday announced the sad news to its followers.

ASI Shri Dilip Popat Londhe (57) from Faraaskhana Police Station lost his life this afternoon, battling Coronavirus.
Pune Police prays for his his soul to rest in peace and offers its condolences to the bereaved family. pic.twitter.com/XuGFTjqkIG

— PUNE POLICE (@PuneCityPolice) May 4, 2020

In its tweet, the official handle of Pune Police said that they lost ASI Dilip Popat Londhe from Faraaskhana Police Station due to the COVID-19 crisis. While paying tribute to the cop, the Pune Police also offered condolences to the deceased's family.

फरासà¤Â–ाना पà¥Â‹लà¥Â€स सà¥Âà¤ÂŸà¥Â‡शनà¤Âšà¥Â‡ सहायà¤Â• पà¥Â‹लà¥Â€स फà¥ÂŒà¤Âœदार शà¥Âरà¥Â€ दिलà¥Â€प पà¥Â‹पà¤ÂŸ लà¥Â‹à¤Â‚ढà¥Â‡ हà¥Â‡ à¤Â•रà¥Â‹ना रà¥Â‹à¤Â—ाशà¥Â€ बाधित à¤Â…सलà¥Âयानà¥Â‡ à¤Â‰पà¤Âšार à¤Â˜à¥Â‡त à¤Â…सताना à¤Â†à¤Âœ रà¥Â‹à¤Âœà¥Â€ तà¥Âयाà¤Â‚ना वà¥Â€रमरण पà¥Âरापà¥Âत à¤Âालà¥Â‡ à¤Â†हà¥Â‡.
भावपà¥Â‚रà¥Âण शà¥Âरदà¥Âधाà¤Â‚à¤Âœलà¥Â€ 🙏 Our Prayers pic.twitter.com/7oNIOY14fq

— CP Pune City (@CPPuneCity) May 4, 2020

As per the tweet by Pune Police, ASI Dilip Londhe, who had been fighting the novel coronavirus for the past few days succumbed to the deadly virus on Monday afternoon. While speaking to ANI, Dr. Jitendra Oswal, Deputy Medical Director of Bharati Hospital, where the cop was admitted said, "He was on the ventilator for the last 12 days. He was suffering from hypertension and obesity."

To date, Pune has reported 2,051 positive cases of the COVID-19 infection. Amid the lockdown being extended till May 17, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified 69 containment zones where all shops carrying essential services shall remain open between 10 am and 2 pm.

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Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson says he had auditioned for the part of the popular character Jack Reacher, which he lost out to actor Tom Cruise.

He made the revelation during a Q&A session on Instagram. Through a seven-minute video, Johnson said he really wanted the role in the 2012 action movie, adding that losing it opened another door for him, reports dailymail.co.uk.

"Business is business and I'm happy (Cruise) got it," he said. The action star said he was confident about getting the part as he believed his physical attributes were perfect for the character, which has been created by author Lee Child.

"In Hollywood, actors are kind of like in-a-box. There are actors that can vie for a particular role because it allows for them to have a certain look, skin colour, size, etc. Fortunately, for me, there aren't a lot of guys at all who look like me. So, all of my roles, from the beginning of my career, I've been a lucky son of a b***h that they've been created and designed for me -- except Jack Reacher," he said.

At that time, Johnson said that Cruise was "biggest movie star in the world".

"I got the call saying 'Hey, you didn't get the role'. Look, I didn't even know if I had a shot for it, but the people around me at that time made me think that I did. I felt like I did, I felt like 'Why not me?'" he said.

"I'm positive that the role of Jack Reacher, because it was an established character, an IP that was well known and beloved around the world, that I wouldn't have had the creative space to do what I wanted with the character. I look back in gratitude that I didn't get Jack Reacher," he added.

Later, Johnson got a chance to essay the role of Luke Hobbs in the fifth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise.

"The universe works in funny ways though, as when that door shut on me, another door opened with the opportunity to create a character from scratch that was of my DNA," he said.

Today, Johnson is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, and has iconic films, including The Mummy Returns, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Hercules, Snitch, Moana, revamped Jumanji franchise and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, under his belt.

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"Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan says he aims to do a variety of cinema and does not want to restrict himself to a particular genre. In an interview with Variety, the 37-year-old actor said he wants to keep challenging himself as he goes ahead.

"I think I have a stronger sense of what's not right for me. And one thing with this job is to challenge myself and one thing is to keep a very large element of variety. I just wouldn't and I'm not trying to discredit anyone who's in this world but I just couldn't be an actor who does action film after action film or, indeed, who does comedy after comedy," Dornan.

The actor, who found global fame with "Fifty Shades" film series, said for him, acting is an opportunity to play different characters. He, however, maintained that he is not averse to an action film.

"I'm not closed off to being in an action movie. I just don't want to do four a year. If one comes along and speaks to me, then yes, sure. And I think I've been lucky in everything post-'Fifty Shades'. "There's a lot in the market of the USD 5 to USD 15 million budget movie. And I personally believe that's where the best scripts are. I've done things like 'Anthropoid' or 'A Private War' and some of these movies, I'm really proud of. I'm just lucky they came my way because of the box office success of 'Fifty Shades'," Dornan added.

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Extreme weight gain and sudden weight loss have always been matters of concern for everyone, especially actors who have to stay in front of the cameras and in the limelight for half of their lives. One such star who has worried his fans with his sudden and surprising weight loss is the Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman.

It all started when he took to his Instagram account to share a video but all that people and fans noticed was how much weight he lost. But it seems he wasn't happy with the fact that he was constantly being asked the same question so he took it down. He uploaded another post where he spoke about his donation that he named Operation 42. This was for the African-American community that he wants to help amid the Coronavirus pandemic. This was a great initiative and all his fans lauded him for the same.

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Throwing it back to the ultimate game changer. Thank you to my friend Thomas Tull for launching #Operation42 to celebrate #JackieRobinsonDay and deliver 4.2M dollars in masks and vital personal protective equipment to hospitals in African American communities devastated by #Covid19.

A post shared by Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) onApr 16, 2020 at 9:33am PDT

But at the same time, as we stated above, they couldn't help but raise questions and concerns about the amount of weight he suddenly lost. A user wrote- "You okay chief? You looked rather odd on the other post." Another fan wrote- "I guess he got tired of people asking is he sick. He took the video down."

Well, fans are likely to get worried as they all love him, but his weight loss could also be for a potential role! Let's not be quick to judge!

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In a yet another successful reunion done by the team of NGO Wildlife SOS along with Maharashtra Forest Department, an approximately 9-week-old male leopard cub that got separated from its mother was safely reunited near Nagapur village located in Pune district.

The leopards wander stealthily through talk stalks of sugarcane which also has easy access to water and shelter provided by the field. The cases are more during the harvest season which ramges from December to March. It's cub season for the wild cats, and the tall, dense vegetation, lulls mother leopards into a sense of security which is often misplaced.

The cub was found by local farmers in Nagapur village who stumbled upon a tiny leopard cub just as they were heading back home from the sugarcane fields, after a day of hard labour. The farmers hurriedly contacted the Range Forest Officer, Prayjot Palve. The Wildlife SOS team operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center was also alerted about this incident and a four-member team led by Wildlife SOS senior veterinarian, Dr. Ajay Deshmukh accompanied by a team of forest officers rushed to aid the helpless cub. Watch the video below.

Prayjot Palve, Range Forest Officer(Junnar), said, "The Forest Department is aware of the past successful leopard cub reunions conducted by Wildlife SOS. On learning about the leopard cub, we instantly reached out to the NGO for assistance. We are extremely grateful for their support in our efforts to mitigate man-leopard conflict situations in the state and spreading awareness on such issues."

After a thorough medical examination by Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, the cub was found to be healthy and fit for release. The team arranged for the cub to be reunited with his mother but initially received opposition from the scared villagers who insisted that the cub be taken away from the area for their own safety. On realising that the enraged and stressed mother would pose a bigger threat to them, the villagers agreed to set the cub free. The team carefully placed him in a safe box and installed a remote-controlled camera trap to document the reunion process, while monitoring the area from a distance.

Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, Senior Veterinarian at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre said, "At around 9:30 pm, a leopardess finally came from the neighbouring forest and found her young one safe and sound. This marks our 52nd successful rescue and reunion operation. Rescues like this hold a very special place in our hearts as it is immensely rewarding for us to know that this cub will now continue being raised in the wild by his mother and thereby have a good chance at a free life in the wild."

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder & CEO of Wildlife SOS said that the number of leopard sightings and conflicts increase during the pre-harvest and harvest season because the dense and tall vegetation makes for a convenient shelter for the leopards to breed in and nurture their cubs.

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A non-invasive system being developed by EU-funded researchers could make radiotherapy a safer and more-effective treatment for cancer patients by creating a visual dosage map of the tumour and the surrounding healthy tissue.

The problem of plastic waste and its impact on the environment needs to be urgently addressed. EU-funded research is looking at ways of creating a more sustainable plastic packaging life cycle to reduce the impact of plastic waste.

Leeds United legend Norman Hunter died on Friday at the age of 76 after testing positive for coronavirus. "Leeds United are devastated to learn of the passing of club icon Norman Hunter at the age of 76," the club said in a statement. "Norman was taken to hospital last week after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and despite continuing to battle and the best efforts of NHS staff, he sadly lost his fight earlier this morning," the statement added.

Hunter made his Leeds debut in 1962 when he was just 18 years old. Hunter amassed a huge 726 appearances for Leeds United over a 14 year period, the club's most successful to date, earning the infamous nickname "Bites Yer Legs".

He won a total of 28 caps for England and was in the 1966 World Cup-winning squad, whilst was also the first winner of the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1974.

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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said Monday that leagues across Europe were ready to return to action behind closed doors in a bid to limit the damage caused by coronavirus. Football leagues have been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic which has claimed more than 100,000 lives throughout the continent. But the head of European football believes that playing would be an important step towards a return to normal life and avoid heavy financial losses for leagues.

"I believe there are options that can allow us to restart cup championships and to complete them," Ceferin said in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera. "We may have to resume without spectators, but the most important thing, I think, is playing games. "It is early to say that we cannot complete the season. The impact would be terrible for clubs and leagues. Better to play behind closed doors than not at all. "In such hard times it would bring happiness to people and a certain sense of normality even if the games can only be seen on TV. "All activities are being organised to start again, everyone needs to find their lives. "If safety measures are respected and if the authorities give the green light, the training could resume like the rest. "Further consent will be needed for matches." Ceferin said that if leagues returned "soon enough" then Champions League and Europa League matches could "be played in parallel" with no date limit for the finals.

The Slovenian said he was not in favour of the season going into September and October as it "would have a heavy impact" on the 2020-2021 campaign. "We can finish, but we must respect the decisions taken by authorities," he continued. "The priority is the health of fans, players and coaches." As for countries who have decided not to finish the season, Ceferin said that UEFA "will review the cases". "Such decisions were not made alone," he said. "Football is interconnected, we have seen how important it is for UEFA and leagues to work in good cooperation. The executive committee will review the cases." He added: "Leagues are the revenue base for clubs nationwide. If completed, the financial consequences will be limited. "UEFA, on the other hand, will lose a lot of money for postponing Euro 2020."

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German professional football is going to return to action on May 16 to 18 with its first and second tier getting back underway. League association CEO Christian Seifert announced the permitted re-start is planned without games on Friday evening but contains two rounds of matches during the week. "We wanted to follow the wording in the orders of politics strictly," the 50-year-old commented, reports Xinhua news agency. All games will be run behind closed doors.

The season was interrupted mid-March due to the coronavirus crisis. Nine rounds remain plus one postponed match. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the 16 federal state prime ministers gave the green light for a restart on Wednesday based on a comprehensive hygiene concept. Most of the 36 clubs voted for the earliest possible start. At least two sides, such as Werder Bremen and FSV Mainz 05, demanded a start one week later to gain time for additional training.

Seifert announced the season is to be continued with matchday 26, which contains the delicate derby of Borussia Dortmund against the FC Schalke 04 on Saturday. Six games are notified for Saturday, two on Sunday and one on Monday evening. All match-days contain a so-called late-game in the evening. The table leaders Bayern Munich face an away game against league newcomer Union Berlin Saturday evening.

The season's last games are planned to take place on June 27 to 28. Seifert indicated the Champions League final could be run around the end of August. The German Cup has to be rescheduled. To address parts of the demands of Bremen, their game against Bayern Leverkusen is scheduled for Monday on May 18. The federal state of Bremen was one of the last spots allowing training in smaller groups.

All 36 clubs took up full team training this Thursday. From Saturday on, all clubs attend an obligated seven-day-long quarantine. Players, staff, and family members will undergo a diverting number of tests. Referees are going to be tested by next week. Seifert said football concept could be a blueprint for other team-sports, fighting sports and athletics as well as for orchestras and theaters.

Clubs and association are in close contact with fan groups to avoid gatherings around the arenas. Therefore, negotiations take place with pay-tv broadcasters to provide certain games on free tv.

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Rafael Nadal has said he views the rest of this year as "practically lost" for tennis and would even be relieved if the sport returned as normal at the start of 2021. The men's and women's tours have been stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and the French Open postponed until the end of September. But Nadal, who has won 12 of his 19 grand slam titles at Roland Garros, believes the chances of tennis restarting before the end of this year are slim.

"I hope to play as soon as possible but if I think about it logically, we travel every week from one place to another, we are in contact with hotels, airports, all in different places," Nadal said in an interview with Spanish newspaper ABC on Tuesday. "If you gave me the ability to guarantee that in January 2021, a normal season like before will begin, I would sign for that now with my eyes closed."

In a separate interview with El Pais, Nadal said: "I'm more looking to the Australian Open than what happens later this year. I see 2020 as practically lost." Nadal at 33 is in the latter stages of his illustrious career and the hiatus came just as he looked to be closing in on the 20 major titles won by the 38-year-old Roger Federer.

If tennis returns this summer, Nadal could choose to skip the US Open and save himself for the French, given there would be just a week between the two. "It's all hypothetical because I don't think it will be like that," said Nadal to ABC. "My feeling, and I say it with sadness and I won't lie to you, is that we are losing a year of our lives.

"And at 33 or 34 years old that is much more valuable than at 20 when you have many more years ahead, even if it's still a year. "Frankly, I think that will not happen. From the US Open to Roland Garros with a week in between, I just don't think we can play."

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Former World No. 1 tennis player Victoria Azarenka, who is in lock down at home in Belarus with son Leo, four, is enjoying her motherly duties. Interestingly, the two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka said that her son has a rather competitive streak which she has noticed after spending the last one month with him during quarantine.

"It's been one month just with him and his competitive side comes out. He always wants to win everything. It's impossible to play with him if he doesn't win. That's been a little bit of challenge for me because I like to win as well," Azarenka told the thetennischannel.com. "I have to pretend that I'm losing to him all the time. This drives me a little crazy, to be honest," she added. Azarenka is a single mother, having split from ex-boyfriend Billy McKeague in 2017.

She won legal custody of Leo after a bitter court battle.

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Astad Deboo explores the space at Studio Tamaasha in his show. Pics/Ritam Banerjee

"When you sit inches away from the performer, there could be an initial moment of awkwardness. But then it gets exciting, and a strong bond forms between the audience and the artiste. There is no getting away here," says acclaimed theatre director Sunil Shanbag about the dynamics of performing in an intimate space like Studio Tamaasha, which he founded in April last year.

This Saturday, the viewer-performer relationship will acquire a new dimension as ace dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo takes the stage at Studio Tamaasha to present a solo performance, Liminal: Below the Edge, specially designed for the Versova venue. "Sunil and I go back nearly 40 years. When I saw the space, I found it exciting and it called out to me. I do a lot of site-specific work, but this is the first time I am in such a compact space," says Deboo about the collaboration, adding that the performance deals with the turmoil, unrest and uncertainty we are experiencing today. The music has been composed by Michael Brook, Paul Giger and the late U Srinivas, The venue has a T-shaped stage with the audience seated on either side. Deboo's performance has been created to explore three different parts of the space. "A lot of work that I do is very controlled. If I am raising a leg, the viewer [in an intimate set-up] can see the movement vividly. It's an experience for the audience to see the performer up close," shares Deboo.

Shanbag believes that there is a certain openness to the way the studio can be used. But with Deboo, it was a different experience. "Astad is a master at using spaces. A lot of what one has learnt about space has been from watching him in the past. It felt perfectly natural to ask him if he would like to do something here. And he has the ability to make you see your own space differently."

Sunil Shanbag

How do they view the recent surge in the number of alternative performance spaces in Mumbai? "It is good to see that these spaces have sprung up. I find Sitara Studio in Parel interesting, too," says Deboo, who feels that intimate venues lend themselves well to previews of works in progress. Back from South America, where he and his company were invited to perform at the 25th anniversary celebrations of the festival of the Arts in Santiago, Chile, Deboo is creating a show suited for the Tao Art Gallery space in Worli.

Shanbag calls the development exciting. "It's adding to the richness of the cultural landscape of the city. But it's also a good time to point out that this is all created by the performing arts community, with no support of any kind," he says. "It's an amazing spirit. You go out there, find spaces, and make them performance-ready. Something good has to come out of this."

ON: February 10, 7.30 pm
AT: Studio Tamaasha, Bungalow No 76, Aram Nagar, Versova,
LOG ON TO: bookmyshow.com
ENTRY: Rs 354

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Representational picture 

Did you know losing too much weight too fast can be harmful for your health? Losing weight is not always a euphoria moment, sometimes it can be bad for health. Thus, it is important is to understand the relationship between health and the correct body weight.

The market is flooded with options to lose weight - crash diets, supplements, pills etc. - all promising a rapid weight transformation. But are these quick fixes the right choice?

"Losing weight too fast means putting your health at risk. A slow and steady weight loss plan is always a good idea. This way you can lose the unwanted weight without any side effects. A lot of us get tempted with the lucrative promises of quick weight loss and end up harming our health drastically. This issue needs attention and a lot of emphasis should be put on this problem," said Dr. Pooja Chaudhary, wellness consultant, Healthians.

It is important to understand the concept of rapid weight loss. Losing weight around 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week is a safe bet. But, losing more than that can be considered as rapid weight loss which can have an impact on the health.

The common ways by which people try to lose weight are:

1. Starvation Diets

2. Consumption of diet pills or supplements

3. Opting for very-low-calorie diets

4. Over-exercising

At the start of exercise plan or diet plan, people witness a sudden weight loss of 2-3 kg. This is actually the water weight. The initial sudden weight loss is normal. But after this initial loss, anything more than 0.45 kg-0.9 kg per week could brew trouble for you in the long run.

Here are various health problems, as suggested by Dr. Angeli Misra (Co- Founder of Lifeline Laboratory), that sudden weight loss can trigger.

Disturbing the Body's Equilibrium: Our bodies can adjust to the minor dietary changes and run smoothly but rapid and drastic changes can wreak havoc. Sudden weight loss causes electrolyte imbalance in the body. A sudden decrease in the food intake (by following crash diets) will lead to an unexpected reduction in the electrolytes level, particularly potassium and magnesium.

Heart Problems: Sudden weight loss can damage the blood vessels which further leads to fluctuations in heart rate, blood pressure, irregular heart rhythm, thus increases the risk of heart failure. Although exercises aid in weight loss, they are really dangerous for heart health.

Gallstones: The quick weight loss can cause the cholesterol in the liver to seep in the bile which can lead to the formation of stones. It is always wiser to lose weight slowly and follow a proper weight loss plan. Completely avoid those crash course diets and severe fasting as the greed of losing weight quickly can seriously affect our health.

Can indicate diseases like diabetes, cancer: If you are losing weight quickly without even trying, it can be an indication of serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, celiac diseases, COPD, etc. Sudden and unexplained weight loss needs immediate and proper attention. It is extremely important to seek medical advice. Therefore, the key to a healthy weight -loss is maintaining a balance and losing weight slowly and steadily!¿ concluded Chaudhary.

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Bariatric surgery, a weight loss operation, is associated with a 61 percent decrease in the risk of developing malignant skin cancer, according to a study.

Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer, most closely associated with excessive sun exposure. Obesity is an established risk factor for cancer and some studies indicate that intentional weight loss sometimes reduces the risk.

However, evidence for a link between obesity, weight loss and malignant melanoma is limited.

The new findings showed that bariatric surgery led to a 42 percent reduced risk of skin cancer in general compared to controls given usual obesity care.

The study "supports the idea that obesity is a melanoma risk factor and indicates that weight loss in individuals with obesity can reduce the risk of bariatric surgery that has increased steadily in many countries over several decades", said lead author Magdalena Taube from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

The results were presented at the 2018 European Congress on Obesity in Vienna, Austria.

The protective effect of bariatric surgery on skin cancer was observed in a group of 2,007 obese participants who were then followed for a median of 18 years.

These were compared with a control group consisting of 2,040 individuals who matched with the participants who underwent surgery on sex, age, anthropometric measurements, cardiovascular risk factors, psychosocial variables and personality traits.

To analyse malignant melanoma incidence, statistical tests were used to compare time to first melanoma cancer diagnosis between the surgery and control groups.

In additional analyses, risk ratios between the surgery and control groups were compared.

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Pic Courtesy/Saffron and Pearls, Harpercollins India

As a 20-year-old, when Sarina Kamini first learnt that her Australian mother was suffering from Parkinson's, a part of her own Indianness, which her mother had so devotedly brought to the kitchen table at their home in Torquay, died. In a new book, titled Spirits in a Spice Jar (Westland Books, Amazon), Kamini says, it's possibly then that she had "stopped eating Indian food". It's ironic that while she attributes her Indian heritage to her father — he was Kashmiri — it was through her mum that she learnt the traditional family recipes, who in turn learnt how to cook Indian food from her mother-in-law, fondly known as ammi. Cooking these recipes would eventually be a way to heal, helping her make sense of the resentment she felt towards her mother's condition.

If Spirits in a Spice Jar traces the arc of a woman, coming to terms with the illness, another book, Saffron and Pearls: A Memoir of Family, Friendship and Heirloom (HarperCollins India) by Delhi-based Doreen Hassan, recounts how the author, who belonged to a Goan Catholic family, warmed up to her Hyderabadi husband's family and his rich food legacy. Last year, US-based Pakistani writer Bisma Tirmizi revisited her favourite dishes from the subcontinent through a journey of self-discovery of a young, obese girl, in the novel, Feast: With A Taste of Amir Khusro (Rupa Publications).

Doreen Hassan. Pic Courtesy/Saffron and Pearls, Harpercollins India

More writers are now exploring narratives around food, while showing how recipes too, are important to great storytelling. "I set out to tell the story of me, because I was so confused about who I was. I quickly realised that I couldn't understand mum unless I understood her connection to India. From my point of view, the connection was a mix of the material and the mystic [she loves the fashion as much as she appreciates the stories of faith], and food within our family is a real representation of that. Food ties my family to Hinduism through offerings and stories. So I had to write about Kashmiri food. Spices, for me, became the axis point where I could draw all of these thoughts together," says Australia-based Kamini.

Doreen says she started writing the book, with the intention of sharing heirloom recipes she had inherited after marrying her husband, Peter Toghrille Hassan, who is honorary Counsel General for the Russian Federation in Hyderabad. But, as she started work on the book, she "thought it might be interesting for people to know where the recipes came from". "That's how it turned into a memoir along the way," she says. Doreen believes that Hassan family's history is deeply influenced by food, and hence, it was crucial to the memoir too. "When people marry into a family, they often bring their own food traditions with them. It's fascinating to understand it," she says.

Sarina Kamini. Pic Courtesy/Kristy Jane Hoghton

In the book, she writes about the time she struggled with learning to cook, after she and her husband moved to Delhi from Hyderabad, with their two children. She, eventually went back to Hyderabad, and "met Peter's aunt, Zehra Alambardar, whom we called Phuppu Jani, and said, 'Please teach me how to make a few dishes.' She told me that she cooked by andaaz, or instinct. 'Beta, you have to watch and learn. I will make the dishes in front of you, and you write them down.'" That was how Hassan was indoctrinated into cooking.

She remembers the time when her husband invited the famous Pakistani singer Mehdi Hasan, to their home for dinner. "He was to sing at our home, and there would be 100 guests in attendance. I decided to make a Salim bakra, which is an entire goat, stuffed with eggs," she writes. Kamini says her fondest food memory is associated with paneer. "I'd always make sure I was close by when mum or dad began chopping the fresh paneer into pieces; I became adept at stealing bites," she says. Adding, "When I began cooking it for my own two boys, I, too, would have to shoo them away from the chopping block as they made attempts to sneak away with it. This kind of emotional continuity around food is what cements recipes into our hearts."

The Salim Bakra stuffed with chicken and eggs, and served with rice, which Doreen prepared for ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan

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Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif had thought the famous NatWest Series final, which India won defying odds against England, was lost when Yuvraj Singh got out in their daunting chase of 326 at Lord's in 2002.

India, led by Sourav Ganguly, won the final by two wickets with three balls to spare riding Yuvraj and Kaif's sixth-wicket stand of 121 runs. The Men in Blue were 146/5 at one stage when the pair joined hands and from there the rest was history.

Kaif remained unbeaten on 87 to take India home with Zaheer Khan at the other end but Yuvraj got out in the 42nd over on 69, with India still needing 59 for victory and four wickets in hand.

"When you (Yuvraj) got out, I thought the match is gone. I did not think we will win," Kaif said in an Instagram Live chat with Yuvraj.

"I was set, you were there. So I believed if we played till the end India win will. But you got out and India lost hope and my heart broke," Kaif added.

The victory, also remembered for Ganguly celebrating by opening his shirt at the Lord's balcony, changed Indian cricket forever in ways more than one.

Kaif also picked out Yuvraj's 25-ball 58 against Australia in the 2000 U-19 World Cup where the former was the captain as one of his best knocks despite the decorated southpaw smashing six sixes and having many other memorable knocks in his illustrious career.

"That innings, the way you dominated the likes of Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson was amazing. You have many superb knocks, you hit six sixes...but to me at the U-19 level to see someone bat like that...was special. We all knew you will go far and play for a long time," Kaif said.

Rated as one of the best fielders in India, Kaif said he worked on his fielding as he wanted to stand out in one of the departments.

"I always wanted to be different and I wanted to focus on fielding. I worked really hard on my fielding."

Yuvraj added that he and Kaif changed the momentum for India on the field during those days.

"At point and cover we changed the momentum in a lot of ways. Now the team has so many good fielders but I feel we changed the momentum," said Yuvraj, himself a livewire.

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India captain Virat Kohli recently took to Twitter to share his views on playing behind closed doors exclusively on Star Sports show cricket connected, "It’s quite a possible situation, it might happen, I honestly don’t know how everyone is going to take that because we all are used to playing in front of so many passionate fans, I know it will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are very difficult to recreate."

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Virat Kohli went on to add, "Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created. We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by."

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India skipper Virat Kohli believes cricket in empty stadiums is a real possibility in a post COVID-19 world and though it is unlikely to have a bearing on the intensity of players, he feels the magic would certainly go missing. Cricket Boards across the globe are exploring the option of resuming the sport in empty stadiums. There is speculation that fans could be kept away from stadiums in a bid to salvage the T20 World Cup in Australia, which is currently under threat due to the global health crisis.

"It's quite a possible situation, it might happen, I honestly don't know how everyone is going to take that because we all are used to playing in front of so many passionate fans," Kohli said in Star Sports' show 'Cricket Connected'. "I know it will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are very difficult to recreate," he added.

Kohli said the many moments which are created because of the passion brought in by fans, would be missing. "Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created. "We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by," he said.

Cricketers such as Ben Stokes, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler and Pat Cummins have backed the idea of playing behind closed doors. However, legendary Australian Allan Border has said it would defy belief to host a World Cup without spectators.

Another Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and some other cricketers have also expressed similar sentiments.

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Almost 1.6 billion workers in the informal economy, nearly half of the global workforce, face an immediate danger of losing their livelihoods due to the continued sharp decline in working hours because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said. Over 430 million enterprises in hard-hit sectors such as retail and manufacturing risk "serious disruption", the UN agency added. The findings appear in the ILO Monitor third edition released on Wednesday.

Globally, there are some 3.3 billion workers. Two billion have jobs in the informal economy, the most vulnerable workers in the labour market. ILO said 1.6 billion in the informal economy "have suffered massive damage to their capacity to earn a living" as a result of the economic meltdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to lockdowns or because they work in hard-hit sectors, these workers globally have seen a 60 per cent drop in income during the first month of the crisis. This translates into a over 80 per cent decline in Africa and the Americas, 70 per cent in Europe and Central Asia, and 21.6 per cent in Asia and the Pacific, the ILO said.

The ILO called for "urgent, targeted and flexible measures" to support both workers and business, particularly smaller enterprises and those in the informal economy.

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Coronavirus vaccine: World leaders and organisations, except the United States, have already pledged $8 billion to research, manufacture and distribute a possible vaccine and treatments for COVID-19 apart from the individual efforts taken by the countries and its pharmaceutical firms

Stock specific action was seen in index heavyweight Reliance Industries gained 3.43% to Rs 1,558 on BSE after PE firm Vista Equity Partners said it would invest Rs 11,367 crore into Jio Platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of Rs 5.16 lakh crore.

Share price of Tata Motors slipped 2.36% intra day to Rs 84.85 compared to the previous close of Rs 82.50 on BSE

On December 11, 2018, the UK Government tabled The Value Added Tax (Input Tax) (Specified Supplies) (Amendment) Order 2018 before the House of Commons to close a VAT avoidance loophole that is exploited by some UK insurers.

The total loss to EU member states from the schemes revealed in the Panama Papers could be in the region of between EUR109bn (USD119bn) to EUR237bn, according to a new study commissioned by the European Parliament's PANA committee.

New study has shed light on how an important front-line ethambutol drug kills the tuberculosis bacterium. The study has been conducted by University of Birmingham scientists.