Taapsee Pannu shares how 'coach' Sandeep Singh punished her during Soorma prep
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 23 Apr 2020 09:23:16 GMT
Taapsee Pannu has been regaling fans with interesting anecdotes from her shoots lately, to beat the lockdown blues. She has now recalled of the time she was shooting for the 2018 sports biopic "Soorma", which narrates the remarkable real-life story of Indian hockey star Sandeep Singh.
While Diljit Dosanjh essayed Sandeep in the film, the hockey star himself used to be on the set too, to guide the actors of the finer aspects of the sport since both Taapsee and Diljit were cast as hockey players. Taapsee took to Instagram, to share a behind-the-scenes video where she can be seen doing somersaults. Sharing an anecdote with the video, she revealed it was punishment meted out to her by 'coach' Sandeep Singh is she missed her preparatory classes!
A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 21, 2020 at 10:41pm PDT
"This one is from #Soorma . the hockey world they call it ‘baajiyaan' but when I was a kid we used to call this gulaatiyaan back home in Delhi. This is usually a punishment in the hockey world but back home it used to be a fun activity. N me being the hyper active kid , had a lot of this ‘fun' while growing up," she wrote.
She shared that her childhood activity helped her on the film's set.
"It surely helped me to do this easily on set. Also my coach @sandeep_rebirth was always ready with this punishment for me if I missed the class ! Talk about method prep ! #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost."
Directed by Shaad Ali, the film also stars Angad Bedi. Earlier, Taapsee shared some anecdotes from the sets of the film "Manmarziyaan".
Taapsee's latest role in Anubhav Sinha's "Thappad" has been widely acclaimed. The actress will be seen in "Haseen Dillruba", "Rashmi Rocket" and "Shabaash Mithu" in the coming months.
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Bipasha Basu begins preparing for fourth wedding anniversary, makes Besan Laddoos for Karan Singh Grover
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 27 Apr 2020 09:40:55 GMT
Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover tied the knot on April 30, 2016, in a grand ceremony that was attended by The Who's who of Tinsel Town. In a span of just three days, they will be celebrating four years of togetherness, and of course, will be doing something special. And given the woman has the tendency to remember dates more frequently, the wife has already begun her side of the preparation.
Taking to her Instagram account, Basu shared a video where she could be seen cooking Karan's favourite Besan Laddoos and by the time the video ends, you could be feeling hungry and especially if you have a sweet tooth. This is what we call true love, and in this couple's case, Monkey Love!
Grover and Basu are travel junkies and often travel abroad to the most gorgeous locations and even share their beautiful and bold pictures from the different corners of the world. They even acted together in the 2015 film Alone and will now reunite for another thriller called Aadat, which is directed by Bhushan Patel.
It has been a while since we saw the actress on the big screen and we hope she comes back soon! And we also hope the couple shares some pictures on the day of their anniversary!
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Ghatkopar plane crash: Aircraft was on first test flight after repairs
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 29 Jun 2018 12:10:54 GMT
The eight-seater charter King C90 was on its first airworthiness test profile when it suddenly developed a major technical snag and crashed at an under-construction building in Ghatkopar West on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft was owned by the UP government and after it was involved in an accident some time ago, it was bought by UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, a three-year-old company, which rents out aircraft to ferry patients from all over the country, an insider told mid-day. The company had got the King C90 repaired by Indamer Aviation Private Ltd and, on Thursday, it was being taken on its first test flight.
"Around 1.08 pm, the ATC towers at Mumbai and Juhu both lost contact with the pilot and suddenly an SOS alert was sent out by the Air Traffic Control. Finally, it was learnt that the plane had crashed," said Juhu Aerodrome Director Ashok Kumar Verma. Verma said the aircraft took off from the Juhu runway a little after 12.20 pm as per ATC Juhu records. Pilot, Captain Pradeep Rajput, and co-pilot, Maria Zuberi (who had joined UY Aviation barely a month ago), were in constant touch with the Juhu ATC and later with the Mumbai main ATC as it passed through their radar. The charter was barely a mile from Juhu aerodrome, on its way back after completing the test flight, when it crashed. When asked if the aircraft was on a wrong flying line, as usually passenger flights pass through the airway used by the charter, Verma replied in the negative, stating that there was no air space violation and that the charter was on its own scheduled air space."
The investigating team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will be recording the statements of the ATC officers who were in dialogue with the pilots of the charter, which will be compared with the black box that has been recovered. Speaking to mid-day soon after landing in Mumbai from Delhi on Thursday evening, Captain Vinod MRSK, a former air force pilot, who is the Chief of Flight Safety at UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, clarified that the charter was still with Indamer Aviation Private Ltd (an aviation repair and maintenance organisation), and two of their engineers Manish Pandey and Surbhi, along with Rajput and Zuberi were to conduct the airworthiness test profile and had obtained necessary permissions from DGCA.
"The air profile testing was crucial as only then could UY Aviation have approached DGCA to complete other formalities to officially take the charter into its inventory. The charter was flying on a Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP) for testing. At present UY Aviation has four charters, two in Mumbai and two in Delhi, and this eight-seater King C90, would have made it to its inventory in Mumbai," the insider said. Captain Vinod said, "I am here to assist Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team under DGCA to understand the circumstances under which the accident happened. It is learnt that the crew was insured."
Parineeti to play Saina Nehwal; replaces Shraddha for this reason
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 15 Mar 2019 07:20:10 GMT
The ace shuttler Saina Nehwal's biopic has faced several hiccups ever since the makers announced the film in 2017. Shraddha Kapoor, who was the first choice, has now backed out from the project due to her hectic schedule. Parineeti Chopra has been already approached to replace the Baaghi actress, and she has given it a nod.
On playing Saina Nehwal, Parineeti Chopra says, "I was dying to do a sports-based film. Its a part of my personality as an actor that I have never explored, and I am so happy that I get to portray a strong and powerful girl like Saina! She has put our country on the world map and I excited to put in all the training and hard work that comes with learning the game of Badminton and portraying Saina on screen."
"We want to wrap Saina by this year end for an early 2020 release, so going ahead with the project is a decision made by mutual consent. We are glad Parineeti has come on board for the film. Saina has made every Indian proud and we can't wait to take her story to the world in the year of the Olympics," says producer Bhushan Kumar.
Shraddha Kapoor, who had even started shooting for the biopic, had earlier said that she had been practising for the role for many months and during the process, she realised how hard it was for Saina to achieve the success. "I clocked 40 classes of badminton in preparation for this biopic. It's a really tough sport, but I am enjoying myself. To get an insight into the life of a sportsperson is fascinating. Saina's journey itself is so interesting right from her misses to her injuries and victories," Shraddha said in an old statement. Unfortunately, Kapoor is no more part of the film.
Bhushan Kumar also made an official announcement through Twitter.
Delighted to welcome @ParineetiChopra on board for the Saina Nehwal biopic!
WhatsApp rolls out 'Restrict Group' feature for admins, say report
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 01 May 2018 08:39:38 GMT
San Francisco: Facebook-owned WhatsApp is rolling out its "Restrict Group" for all iOS, Android and Windows Phone users -- a feature that gives the group administrator powers to restrict other members from sending text messages, photographs, videos, GIFs, documents or voice messages in case the admin thinks so.
According to WABetaInfo, a popular fan site that tests new WhatsApp features early, you need to update your WhatsApp version to the 2.18.132 Android update in order to remotely receive the activation of the feature.
The "Restrict Group" feature, first spotted in last December, adds "Privacy settings" in the group.
"All participants can normally edit the group description, icon and subject, but finally the administrator can restrict this feature today, preventing no-administrators to modify the group description," the website said.
This action can be managed in the Admin Settings, a new option located in Group Info that's visible to the administrator only.
In Admin Settings, the administrator can restrict who can change the group info.
Administrators can keep sharing media and chatting as normal as they restrict other members.
Once restricted, other members will simply have to read their messages and will not be able to respond.
They will have to use the "Message Admin" button to post a message or share media to the group. The message will need to be approved by the administrator before going through to the rest of the group.
In October, reports said administrators on WhatsApp groups will soon be able to choose if other participants can modify the subject of the group, its icon and its description.
With over 1.5 billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is available in more than 50 different languages around the world and in 10 Indian languages.
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Twitter working on encrypted messaging feature: Report
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 08 May 2018 08:15:23 GMT
As data security concerns on Facebook and WhatsApp loom large, Twitter is reportedly working on a 'Secret' encrypted messages feature which could make the microblogging platform safer for sensitive communications.
With this feature, Twitter is expected to roll out options about encrypted messaging like starting a secret conversation and viewing both sides of the conversation for encryption keys to verify a secure connection, TechCrunch reported on Monday.
The encrypted Direct Message (DM) option was first spotted inside Twitter for APK that contains codes for unreleased features that companies are testing.
Instant messaging app WhatsApp uses "end-to-end encryption" in all conversations. This can be opted into Messenger.
End-to-end encrypted messages are secured with a lock and only the sender and recipient have the special key needed to unlock and read them.
For added protection, every message sent has its own unique lock and key. No one can intercept the communications.
Last week, WhatsApp co-founder and CEO Jan Koum quit reportedly "after clashing with its parent, Facebook, over the popular messaging service's strategy and Facebook's attempts to use its personal data and weaken its encryption".
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Twitter testing end-to-end encrypted messaging, say report
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 08 May 2018 09:15:25 GMT
Representational picture
Washington: Twitter is reportedly testing a new feature on its Android app that makes messaging secure with end-to-end encryption.
Called 'Secret Conversation', the feature is expected to be available in the conversation info section in direct messaging of the Twitter app on Android, Mashable reports.
As users seek more security, end-to-end encryption has become a new mandate for messaging apps. The technology makes it difficult for snoopers to access or intercept messages which are exchanged between two parties.
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden had asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey for such a feature on the platform a year ago. It remains to be seen when the end-to-end encryption is officially rolled out.
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Microsoft to replace Surface Pro 4 units with flickering screens
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 12 May 2018 13:26:56 GMT
Microsoft Surface Pro 4
After receiving complaints regarding a screen flicker defect in some Surface Pro 4 devices, Microsoft has offered to replace the eligible devices free of charge.
The faulty devices qualified for replacement should be up to three years from the time of original purchase, Microsoft Support said in a blog post late Friday.
"We will ship you a replacement device as soon as you return your existing device. Typically, it will take 5-8 business days for you to receive an exchange device from the date that you ship your current device back to us," the post added.
Users that have already paid for a screen-replacement will get a refund.
In February, Microsoft had said that it was monitoring the situation.
The tech giant has clarified that the replaced devices will be refurbished.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
App exposed over 3 mn Facebook users' data for years, say report
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 15 May 2018 06:09:27 GMT
Representational picture
San Francisco: A data set of over 3 million Facebook users collected via a personality app was available to download freely for anyone for almost four years, New Scientist reported. The data set was collected via the personality quiz app "myPersonality" by academics at the University of Cambridge.
"The data was highly sensitive, revealing personal details of Facebook users, such as the results of psychological tests.
"It was meant to be stored and shared anonymously, however such poor precautions were taken that deanonymising would not be hard," the report said.
The data sets were controlled by David Stillwell and Michal Kosinski at the University of Cambridge.
"More than 6 million people completed the tests on the myPersonality app and nearly half agreed to share data from their Facebook profiles with the project," said the report.
Alexandr Kogan, at the centre of the British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica scandal, was previously part of the project.
"Cambridge Analytica had approached the myPersonality app team in 2013 to get access to the data, but was turned down because of its political ambitions," the report said.
Facebook last month suspended "myPersonality" from its platform, saying the app may have violated its policies.
The social media giant on Monday said that is auditing each and every app that has access to the data of its users and has already suspended 200 apps which failed to comply with its policies.
The company CEO Mark Zuckerberg had promised a thorough investigation and audit into apps that had access to information before Facebook changed its platform policies in 2014 -- significantly reducing the data apps could access.
"To date, thousands of apps have been investigated and around 200 have been suspended -- pending a thorough investigation into whether they did in fact misuse any data," Facebook said.
If Facebook finds evidence that these or other apps did misuse data, it will ban them and notify users via Help Centre on its website.
Appearing before the US Congress in April, Zuckerberg told lawmakers that his own personal data was part of 87 million Facebook users that was improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.
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Three theatrepersons and chef Manu Chandra put spotlight on the street vendors
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 24 Apr 2018 03:44:35 GMT
Scenes from the play
Stopping by a vada pav stall for a quick, satiating bite on a busy day or tucking into a sev-chutney laden Bombay sandwich, as breakfast at the office is a quintessential Mumbai experience. But who are the people who wake up at the crack of dawn to prep food that they then dish out with assembly line-like precision for the rest of the day? At the rates at which they sell the fare, what counts as profit? And do the exigencies of being on the street eat into it? If these are questions that have crossed your mind, find answers to them at the Mumbai premiere of Stand on the Street, a physical theatre performance spanning four acts that tell the stories of four street vendors from across India.
"Originally, the performance was commissioned for the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa last year by chef [and the festival's culinary arts curator] Manu Chandra. We had worked on the smell and memory aspects of food earlier, and this time, the idea was to explore taste as the primary sense in the performance," shares director Aruna Ganesh Ram. She adds that the dishes that the vendors sell in the play - jhal muri, a spicy puffed rice preparation from Bengal; sundal, a yellow pea fried snack from Tamil Nadu; momos, a popular street food from Delhi; litti chokha from Bihar; and paan from Varanasi - will also be served to the audience. "Chef Chandra was keen on picking dishes that went beyond the popular items, which is why we don't have pav bhaji or dosa in the play," she says.
"We wanted the audience to eat, listen, and watch these performers behind their masks capture the essence of the country, not in a particular time period but over the last couple of decades. It became a metaphor for the prevailing socio-political conditions in India, but never obviously so," says Chandra.
Chef Manu Chandra
As part of their research, Aruna and her team - consisting of actors Anjana Balaji and Aditya Garg, who play all 10 characters in the play - fanned out across India to meet 250 street food vendors and listen to their stories. "We realised that a vast majority of the vendors had left their hometowns to embrace a new city for life. And they all shared a common dream - they did not want their children to suffer like them," says Aruna.
The masks, which the actors wear throughout the performance, give it a sense of universality. "After all, this is not the story of one particular character, but of the many street vendors with whom our association is no more than a flitting transaction," she says. What also emerged in the research was the politics of being on the street, from dust and pollution to having to pay bribes, and dealing with the nuisance of barking dogs.
"A momo vendor from Mangalore spoke of the irony of customers, used to eating frozen momos at restaurants, finding the taste of her fresh dumplings, odd," Aruna recalls, adding that the play weaves in the instance of the call for a momo ban that had surfaced in Jammu last year. On the day of the performance, the team is up at 5 am to prepare all five dishes from scratch. "If we have to internalise their stories, we must live their life," Aruna sums up.
From: April 25 to 27, 8 pm (The Cuckoo Club, Bandra West); April 28, 6.30 pm and 29, 8 pm (Piramal Museum of Art, Byculla) Log on to: bookmyshow.com Entry: Rs 499
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Election 2019: Mumbai scrapes through in voting report card
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 30 Apr 2019 01:49:06 GMT
According to provisional polling estimate release on Monday evening, the city scored about 54 percent, three percent more than its 2014 feet. The figures are expected to be revised after the final data crunching on Tuesday. In 2014, Mumbai had registered a turnout of 51.6 percent, which was an improvement from a low of 41.4 percent in the 2009 General elections.
Of the city's six segments of varied demography, South Mumbai couldn't match up with its previous mark while Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North, Mumbai North West, Mumbai North East, and Mumbai South Central performed better. Mumbai North, where actor Urmila Matondkar (Congress) fought against BJP's sitting MP Gopal Shetty, recorded the highest turnout (59.32 percent) in the city with a major spike of 6.25 percent.
A fierce contest in North Central Mumbai between MP Poonam Mahajan (BJP) and former MP Priya Dutt (Congress) saw a jump of 4.17 percent. Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora and Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant's South Mumbai polled at a percentage similar to that of 2014. However, former Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam, who was worried about the possibility of a higher turnout, shouldn't be much upset as his North West fight with Sena's sitting MP Gajanan Kirtikar raised the bar by a 4.14 percent.
BJP's eleventh-hour candidate from North East, Manoj Kotak, who replaced sitting MP Kirit Somaiyya, claimed a 4.61 percent increase in polling that would possibly benefit Kotak against NCP's sole candidate in the city and ex-MP Sanjay Dina Patil.
Mumbai South Central which had former MP Eknath Gaikwad pitted against incumbent Rahul Shewale crossed the 2014 figure by 2.26 percent. The average voter turnout in the city's six Lok Sabha elections was 41.40 percent (2009), 47.30 percent (2004), 45 percent (1999), 50.40 percent (1998), 45.10 percent (1996) and 41.60 percent (1991).
Election 2019: Prominent personalities, other Mumbaikars come out to caste vote!
State does better
After the fourth phase of polling, the state's polling average was 60.68 percent, said Chief Electoral Officer Ashwani Kumar. According to CEO, today's average polling in the 17 constituencies, including Mumbai's six, was 57 percent — much less than that recorded in the first (63.46 percent), second (62.88 percent) and third phase (62.36 percent). Gadchiroli (71.98 percent) registered the highest voter turnout in the state while Kalyan that went to polls on Monday had the lowest turnout of 44.27 percent, said Kumar.
Monday marked the last phase of polling in Maharashtra which has 48 Lok Sabha constituencies, second highest after Uttar Pradesh. The outcome of the state will have a bearing on the formation of the government at the Centre, as both the BJP-Sena and Congress-NCP are banking heavily for the electoral gains here. In 2014, the BJP-Sena and their other allies had won a record 42 seats in the state while the Congress was reduced to a mere two seats and NCP managed just four.
Replicas Movie Review - Disenchanting sci-fi effort
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 18 Jan 2019 11:37:27 GMT
Replicas U/A: Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi Director: Jeffrey Nachmanoff Cast: Keanu Reeves, Thomas Middleditch, Alice Eve, John Ortiz, Emjay Anthony Rating:
The bland, expressionless Keanu Reeves as a scientist is a hard sell for even the most gifted filmmaker so one can't understand why he was chosen to lead the cast as an obsessive scientist wanting to clone his family back to life after a drowning accident. And that's not the only bad choice here. The story itself never develops beyond the perfunctory -allowing for quick jump forwards into sci-fi territory that doesn't appear conclusive in the least. The script appears to be written by novices who have little idea about the subject matter. Neither the Director, the tech team nor the cast seem to believe in this story. So they all appear to be playing a game of make-believe that only they enjoy. For the viewer the experience is sheer tedium.
Playing God in a high tech world is not a new concept but the treatment, tone and momentum must be good enough to gain attachment and believability. There's no such thing here. At no point are we ensnared by Will Foster's (Keanu Reeves) need to bring back his family from the dead. Neither his guilt nor his love for them are established here. And his corralling of his lab partner Ed (Thomas Middleditch) for support, is also not believable in the least. The talk of neural maps, synthetic brain, algorithms and consciousness sounds like mumbo-jumbo in such an unbelievable set-up – even when it's done in a futuristic facility called Bionyne.
Check out the trailer here:
When Will persuades his friend Ed to dispose the bodies of his dead family members it sounds insane and when he pretends to be his kids and responds to text messages from their friends it becomes all the more ridiculous. We never see his grief or experience his pain. And that's also because Keanu Reeves doesn't go beyond harried and lost in terms of expression. Both writer Chad St. John and director Jeffrey Nachmanoff don't appear to have figured out what exactly they wanted to convey here. They just run with the tide and make a mess of it. There's no style or mood to hold this sort of idea through. Nachmanoff hits the bland and straightforward route – on e that leaves the audience totally distended and discontent. This is the kind of hare-brained unbelievable stuff you wouldn't waste your hard-earned money on!
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'Where do we get the raw material for building repairs?'
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 28 Apr 2020 02:00:54 GMT
With most areas in the city marked as COVID-19 hotspots and no transport available, residents feel that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) circular allowing pre-monsoon repair work and waterproofing in buildings before the onset of monsoon, is nothing but an eyewash. They are of the opinion that if the lockdown continues beyond May 3, it will be practically difficult to complete work before the rains, as no shops selling cement, sand, brick and waterproofing chemicals will be open.
Speaking to mid-day, Somasunderan Nair, director, Intercons Tectonic (Pvt) Ltd, a Vashi-based firm doing engineering and civil construction work, said, "It is just impossible for the labourers to go to different locations with no transportation available. They can't travel between construction sites located in different areas of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai."
Rekhi Sai Daffodils has been undergoing repairs since January
'All going to waste' "Also, I had stored raw materials (cement and sand) worth a few lakhs of rupees at different buildings undergoing repairs, but all of it got stalled due to the lockdown," added Nair. He further said, "At one of our Kharghar site, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) staff had asked the site supervisor to wind up all repair work, and at that time, a ready-mix cement mortar consignment was being offloaded from a Gujarat registered truck. Since the municipal staff warned of '15,000 fine per staff, the workers had no option but to leave the site. Nearly 700 bags of ready-mix cement mortar were offloaded, but I fear that all of it will go to waste. They have been lying unused for over one month and if the lockdown continues, we might have to dispose of the raw materials."
While the BMC has come out with a circular allowing work to be carried out, the NMMC and PCMC are yet to provide any clarity on such repair works.
Exposed beams of Rekhi Sai Daffodils in Kharghar
A Ghatkopar West resident, whose building is under repairs, said, "We have stored some materials in our building premises and have allowed some workers to stay on the compound. Even the contractor is ready to buy construction materials like bricks, cement etc from the local market, but for that we need to know where such outlets are open."
'Apply for online permissions' When contacted, a senior official from BMC's Development Plan department said, "We have issued the circular which clearly states the directives. As per the directions of the state government, certain activities are being allowed during lockdown. However, the said guidelines were stayed by the government vide GR dated April 21, 2020 for Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune Metropolitan Region. However, to save some existing structures/buildings and prevent flood like situations during monsoon, certain construction activities within MCGM limits may be allowed in non-containment zones."
Navre Premises Cooperative society in Sion West
When asked that if the entire city is under lockdown, then how will the circular be implemented, the official said, "It is a fact that most of the areas in Mumbai are containment zones and no work will be allowed there. If the situation is under control after May 3, then as and when the lockdown is lifted, work can be started. Meanwhile, the contractors/societies concerned should apply for online permissions."
And if monsoon sets in by then, the official said, "The contractors can cover the open terraces with tarpaulin sheets and permission can be given for repairs post monsoon."
Expert speak When contacted, senior lawyer, Vinod Sampat, said, "As far as the BMC is concerned, everyone is interested in protecting their own skin. There is no coordination between government departments. A simple solution can be easily worked out by designating one responsible official for the job. He would ensure that the residents' requirements are easily met and the construction materials are made available to those whose buildings are getting repaired. Secondly, there is no accountability among government officials and they are unpredictable. As far as possible, repair work should not be undertaken immediately. A better way would be to put tarpaulin sheets on the buildings and postpone repair work to the post-monsoon time."
He further said, "Moreover, it is very difficult to get skilled labourers now as most of them want to return home. And lastly, if any of the contractors or their workers test positive for COVID-19, the society managing committee members may be held responsible for not taking proper precaution."
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COVID-19 Outbreak: Bandra hospitals turn away pregnant woman without test report
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 28 Apr 2020 06:28:10 GMT
A nine-months pregnant woman was turned away from hospitals in Bandra for not having the COVID-19 reports with her. According to her family, 24-year-old Misbah Shaikh was experiencing cramps on Sunday night after which they visited the Holy Family Hospital where she had registered for delivery. The family members alleged that they were made to wait at the hospital for six hours while requesting to admit her, but the staff did not budge, The Times of India reported.
Shaikh said that she had already paid the hospital the deposit for her delivery and was in touch with a gynaecologist for the past four months. She also alleged that the hospital did not tell her to do the test during their previous visits. The family visited the hospital at 9 am on Monday after Shaikh felt cramps, but the staff did not allow them to enter the hospital without the COVID-19 test report. While Shaikh waited in the car and her family in the hospital, at 3 pm, a doctor at the emergency section agreed to see her and prescribed her a COVID-19 test.
The family then went to Bhabha Hospital to get the test done but the staff there asked her to get admitted, which they did not agree upon. "The cramps have reduced but haven't gone. My due date for delivery is close," Shaikh was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The family then took an appointment at a lab Andheri to take the test on Tuesday.
As the newspaper was not able to contact the authorities at the Holy Family Hospital, a staffer at the gynaecology ward was quoted as saying that pregnant women nearing their delivery due date are asked to get admitted here two days in prior. "We carry out a Covid-19 test and if she comes negative, we go ahead with the delivery. If the woman is positive, we refer her to another hospital. We also ask one attendant accompanying the woman to take the test," the staffer was quoted as saying.
Coronavirus outbreak: Mumbai reports highest COVID-19 deaths in a day
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 29 Apr 2020 01:40:19 GMT
Mumbai on Tuesday reported the highest death toll due to COVID-19 in a single day. There was a significant increase in the number of cases in Aurangabad and Malegaon. State health officials recorded 729 new cases in Maharashtra and 31 deaths, taking the state's total to 400 deaths. Apart from 25 deaths in Mumbai, four were recorded in Jalgaon and two in Pune. Maharashtra now has 9,318 postive cases.
393 new cases in city Civic officials said a total of 25 deaths were reported in the city on Tuesday. Of these, five died between April 23-25, and 17 of them were suffering from other ailments. According to the civic body, 393 new infections were confirmed in the city on Tuesday. The patients are admitted in isolation wards and are undergoing treatment.
After a dip in the number of cases, the COVID-19 count rose in G North ward with 42 new cases in Dharavi, five in Mahim and four in Dadar. Four deaths were also reported in Dharavi. Civic officials said two of the patients who died — a 60-year-old man and a 60-year -old woman — had tested positive earlier and died at Sion Hospital while undergoing treatment.
Total 18 deaths in Dharavi so far Two other patients — a 48-year old man from Kasarwadi and a 55-year-old man from Social Nagar in Dharavi — were confirmed to have contracted the deadly respiratory disease and died at KEM Hospital on Tuesday. As of now, a total of 330 positive cases and 18 deaths have been reported from Dharavi.
Civic officials said that seven of the infected people are residents of 90 feet road, while four others are from Mukund Nagar, and majority of them were aged below 60 years. In Mahim, a 35-year-old female resident of the police colony tested positive and the total number of cases in the area has jumped to 30. In Dadar, two 44 -year-old male residents of the municipal quarters and a 47-year-old woman from the police colony have tested positive.
On Monday, four staffers from the Mantralaya had tested positive. After tracing their contacts, civic officials said that they identified around 25 high-risk contacts and all of them have been tested. Their test results, however, are still awaited. Meanwhile, one COVID-19 patient with severe symptoms was given plasma therapy that will help the patient fight the infection.
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HRD: Prepared to conduct pending class 10, 12 board exams at first possibility, evaluation to begin
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 29 Apr 2020 06:18:37 GMT
The HRD Ministry is prepared to conduct the pending board examinations for classes 10 and 12 for 29 crucial subjects at the first possibility, officials said. The ministry has also directed states to start the evaluation process for the exams already conducted and facilitate the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in evaluation of answer sheets. "We are prepared to conduct board exams for class 10 and 12 pending due to lockdown in wake of the COVID-19 situation in the country. The exams will be conducted for 29 subjects crucial for promotion and admissions to undergraduate courses, at the first possibility. The students will be given at least 10-days notice before exams are conducted," a senior ministry official said.
"States have been asked to start the evaluation process for the exams already conducted and have been advised to facilitate evaluation of answer sheets. CBSE will also issue instructions for marking or assessment of non-important subjects not included in the list of 29 subjects," the official said. HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' had on Tuesday interacted with education ministers of states. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had suggested that students be marked on basis of internal assessment as it is not feasible to conduct the pending exams now.
Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said students of Delhi will be more effected due to delay in conduct of exams as different states have their own boards, while the national capital only follows CBSE. Education ministers from different states also put forward deliberations being made about their respective state boards. The Bihar board has already announced results for three streams of class 12 and is in the process of evaluation of class 12 exams. The Uttar Pradesh board is yet to begin the evaluation and will take a call in this regard soon.
¿Recently there has been lot of speculation regarding CBSE board exams. It is reiterated that board's decision to take board exams for 29 subjects of class 10, 12 stands the same as announced earlier,¿ the CBSE clarified in a tweet on Wednesday. According to the HRD ministry officials, as of now there are plans to conduct competitive exams including JEE and NEET in June for admission to engineering and medical colleges.
For other undergraduate admissions, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is working on an alternative calendar for the new academic session which will notify the timeline within a week. A seven-member panel set up to study the issue has recommended that the undergraduate admission process be started in July-August and the new session for freshers be started from September. However, no final decision has been taken in this regard yet.
The CBSE has already announced that it will not be conducting any exams for students in foreign countries. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
Later, a nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which has now been extended till May 3.
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Coronavirus outbreak: BMC reports its first COVID-19 casualty
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 30 Apr 2020 01:35:59 GMT
Mumbai continued to record a spike in COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, with the health department confirming 26 casualties, including a first victim in the BMC. The 49-year-old official, who was involved in food distribution in Dharavi — one of the worst hit zones in the city, died on Wednesday.
The civic official was part of the Assessment Department and deputed to the G North ward where he was exposed to the infectious disease. "He had been unwell since April 23 and had stopped coming to work. He had gone to a private practitioner in Borivli where he was treated for pneumonia. He died on his way to Kasturba Hospital from Borivli on Wednesday," said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G North ward.
Dighavkar added that his samples were collected for testing on April 27 and the results came back positive after his demise. He is survived by two sons, and his family members are also being tested, said civic officials.
Across Maharashtra, a total of 597 new infections were reported on Wednesday, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the state to nearly 10,000, state health department officials said. Of the 597 new cases, 475 were from Mumbai, taking the total count in the city to 6,644.
Total number of deaths due to COVID-19 climbed to 432, with the state recording 32 new fatalities on Wednesday. Besides 26 in Mumbai, one death was confirmed in Panvel, three in Pune and one each in Solapur and Aurangabad. Civic officials said 10 of the 26 deaths took place last week and were confirmed on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 cases continued to increase in Dharavi, with 14 new confirmed infections on Wednesday. The total tally in the area now stands at 344. In Mahim, three people, including a 52-year-old male resident of the police colony and a 48-year-old man who lived near the police station, have been found to be COVID-19 positive.
Test reports of 23 high-risk contacts of the four officials from Mantralaya, who had tested positive, have come back negative. At Bombay Hospital, another nurse, 45, has tested positive. An official from the hospital said that the nurse, a resident of Kandivli, was not working in the isolation ward. She has no symptoms of the novel Coronavirus and has been admitted at the hospital, he added.
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Maharashtra prepares to send migrants home as Centre gives green light
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 30 Apr 2020 02:07:27 GMT
Clearing the path for those stranded at different places across the country, the Union home ministry issued orders to state governments and union territories to facilitate their movement within and between states. It has further said that individuals should be medically screened at the source point and destination and kept in home or institutional quarantine on arrival as per the COVID-19 guidelines issued earlier.
The decision comes after many of the chief ministers demanded the same at the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, since trains would not be allowed to operate anytime soon, those stranded will have to be ferried by road. Some states, like Maharashtra, have already prepared a plan to send migrants to their respective destinations in buses. It has already sent buses to fetch students from Kota, of which one batch arrived in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday morning.
Inter-state movement The order says that stranded people include migrant workers, pilgrims, students, tourists and other persons. It also mentions that the inter-state movement should be planned by the states and mutually agreed upon to transport people by road and that the states should develop a standard protocol with nodal officers (offices), where the stranded people would be required to register their details. The moving person(s) should be screened at the source point and allowed to travel if found asymptomatic. Buses should be sanitised and social distancing should be followed while seating passengers.
The ministry has also asked states falling on the transit route to allow the movement without any glitch. Passengers would be kept in home quarantine on arrival unless the health assessment requires the person(s) to stay in institutional quarantine. The home- quarantined people would be checked periodically.
No clarity on footing the bill Sources in the Maharashtra government said that they had expected the order, but rued that it did not have clarity on who would pay the travel bills. "Ideally, the people who have the money should pay or their respective state governments should pay for the long and expensive travel. The UP government paid for the students and migrants from Kota and Delhi. Maharashtra also made arrangements to bring back students from Kota," said a bureaucrat in the know of the matter.
He further said that the government has kept thousands of state transport buses ready for the purpose. "We are in talks with the states. The order, which must be complied with by all unlike advisories in the past, should make the states respond to our appeal. The cost factor should also be sorted out when we negotiate in the wake of the new order," added the bureaucrat.
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Lockdown holds up housing society's repairs once more
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 5 May 2020 01:33:05 GMT
The Shiv Sneh Co-operative Housing Society in Pratiksha Nagar, Sion, has been dealt another blow as the much-needed building repair work has come to a halt twice in past few months. The repairs initially came to a halt last September, when the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank (PMC) found itself in trouble. The society had R85 lakh in its Sion branch, which they haven't received yet. In March, when the society once again started the repair work using funds from their other bank account, it had to be stopped due to the lockdown over the COVID-19 spread as Pratiksha Nagar is in the red zone. Now with the work pending, the residents are worried about their fate this monsoon.
Kashinath Rokade, secretary of the society said, "We have been told that pre-monsoon work can be started, but are awaiting for the lockdown to be called off after May 17, and the contractor has assured us he will get the waterproofing done within two to three weeks, with some interior work. The painting of exterior building can be done post monsoon."
The 166 (flat and commercial shop) owners attached to the four wings (A,B,C,D) of the building were all set to abide by the structural consultants audit report and promptly floated bids calling in for tenders, which took almost four to five months of hard work starting February 2019. Finally they zeroed in on the contractor, M/s Viswakarma Civil Constructions, Kalwa, Thane and selected them to carry out repairs, civil work including waterproofing and painting work for a total consideration of approximately R52 lakh, as per their tender, explained society chairman Mahesh Adate.
Rokade showing the state of the repairs in October 2019
Repairs were on Adate added, "The building was to undergo repairs for the first time since it was handed over to the society by MHADA in 2008 and since then office bearers were collecting repair funds under monthly maintenance of approximately R1,800 from members. A huge corpus of nearly R85 lakh, in the form of Fixed Deposits and other savings, were in the society's name with the PMC, Sion branch."
The society had even issued work order to M/s Viswakarma paying an advance of R5 lakh, as against the contract signed. Since August 15, the scaffoldings were put across the building structures, and work of removing old plaster was in process. As per the contract the entire work was to be completed within four months time period.
Adate added, "Most of the occupants in the building (nearly 80 percent) are working class people which include senior citizens, who have been residing her for over a decade."
According to Adate, MHADA had issued a lottery for this MIG (Middle Income Group) way back in 2005 for a consideration of R10 lakh - R11 lakh including stamp duty and registration, where each flat is around 450 sq feet carpet and commercial outlets allotted admeasuring 150-160 sq feet (Carpet). In 2008, MHADA handed over the building to the society and since then the society has been collecting funds for repairs.
PMC scam shocking Adate said, "We were taken by surprise, when we learnt about the abrupt directives from RBI putting restrictions on PMC bank. We had to arrange for funds, as the contractor had already sent a letter seeking clearance of additional fund for carrying out the work, and we were left in the lurch."
When asked why the society does not have any other bank account, besides the one with PMC bank and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank, the society office bearers said, "We have always been told that under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, housing societies should mandatorily have accounts only with co-operative banks, hence we abided by the rules. Also our society accountant had no problem banking with PMC, everything was going on smoothly, till last week."
When informed that society accounts can be opened in nationalised banks too, they said, "We are ready to open a new account with a nationalised bank, provided PMC transfers all our society funds there."
When asked how they will finish the remaining payment, Adate added, "We will have to start taking contributions from members. Also we have not got any response to the legal notice issued to PMC Bank on behalf of our society. We may contemplate taking the matter to the consumer court against PMC Bank."
He said that nearly 25 societies in Pratiksha Nagar have deposited money with PMC bank and the whole figure may be in crores of rupees.
Expert speak Senior property lawyer Vinod Sampat said, "The Reserve Bank of India has been forced to take drastic action against PMC bank, this will result in a financial cut to be taken by each of the societies who had deposited their funds. As far as legal action by the affected cooperative society against PMC bank goes, I am afraid that the provisions of the banking regulation act will supersede it and the financial losses, being caused to it (the society)."
"The need of the day is that harsh laws be framed, whereby doing a wrongful act is made as a deterrent to persons who fail to perform their duty with criminal intent. Punishment should be awarded by courts in a short span of time in such financial frauds, so that a strong message is sent out. The law should not remain a paper tiger," he added.
Rs 85 lakh What the society's account in PMC Bank holds
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Mumbai: Central Railway starts prepping for Mumbai rains amid lockdown
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 7 May 2020 10:13:55 GMT
With monsoon around the corner, the Central Railway this week said its preparations to tackle the Mumbai rains were on full swing during this lockdown.
More than 15 excavators have been deployed along with more than 250 desilting labour for cleaning drain and culverts around the railway tracks. The desilting work is in full swing as never before in the past in Mumbai suburban because of the lockdown, which otherwise could never have been possible without implementing a block.
A senior official said three muck special trains are running on daily basis removing huge quantity of muck/ debris. Till now, in Mumbai suburban, around 70km drain cleaning and 42 culvert cleaning has been completed.
The first round of drain and culvert cleaning will be completed by May 15 and second round will be completed by June 15, said CR officials. As part of preparedness, loads of muck have been removed from the railway tracks, to ensure flooding does not take place on tracks during heavy rain days. The total muck disposed off so far via muck special and by road is 59,000 m3.
Coordination meetings are being conducted along with BMC authorities. Several new initiatives have been put in place by the Central Railway as part of the preparedness for monsoon this year. Culvert augmentation works is in progress at Kurla carshed and Wadala for the free flow of the stormwater to avoid flooding in flood prone areas.
In addition, an aerial survey over tracks is also conducted to ascertain the constraints for the free flow of the stormwater. Plan is to increase the number of pump to 110 heavy-duty diesel and electric pumps for fast drainage as compared to last year to ensure free flow of the stormwater so that the water is drained out quickly from the tracks and train operations are not disrupted.
During the monsoon period from June 1 to September 30, monsoon booklet for railway staff is also under preparation. The book will have the dates of the high tides to help the staff be on full alert mode on these particular days.
Rainfall will also be monitored in real-time through Automatic Rain Gauge System of civic authorities. So, all necessary precautions have already been taken and planned to avoid interruptions in the operations of the train during the monsoon season.
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 29 Dec 2017 15:32:21 GMT
India is riding the fashionable wave inspired by Bollywood as 2017 saw movie buffs buying trends inspired by their favourite stars online, says an annual fashion report by e-commerce site Flipkart. The latest findings and trends of 2017 by Flipkart Fashion saw shoppers getting their hands on trendy outfits inspired by Bollywood.
According to the findings, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan starrer "Badrinath Ki Dulhania"; Aditya Roy Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor starrer "Ok Jaanu"; Arjun Kapoor, Shraddha starrer "Half Girlfriend"; Vidya Balan starrer "Tumhari Sulu"; Salman Khan starrer "Tubelight" and Kangana Ranaut starrer "Simran" ruled the fashion sense of the millenials.
According to Flipkart fashion report, Alia Bhatt's latest hit became the fashion guide for Indian outfits in 2017. Her style statement in the movie refreshed shopper's style quotient by purchasing cold shoulder cholis, bandhani lehenga skirts and jhumkas donned by her in the movie, said a statement. Flipkart sold thousands of jhumkas and bandhani skirts within the first month of the movie's release. The first week alone saw the sales of 2,500 plus pairs.
Shraddha made a popular fashion statement of embroidered shorts and skirts in the remake of the iconic Rahman classic "Humma Humma" in "Ok Jaanu". She again made fashion trend with skater dresses, off shoulder tops and layered looks in "Half Girlfriend". From silks to Kanjeevarams to georgettes and crepes, Vidya has always shown her love for the sari. In "Tumhari Sulu", the actress created trends again with people buying saris inspired by her looks. Smaller cities like Bhopal, Chandigarh, Nagpur and Indore shopped for the Vidya Balan look.
Another fashion trend that hit the country was the Kangana-inspired red dress from the movie "Simran". Also men's fashion wasn't far behind as Salman Khan's look with the brown shoes hanging around his neck in "Tubelight" created a lot of buzz making fans wanting to get their hands on a pair at the earliest. The brown shoes topped men's footwear search across cities for two weeks on Flipkart after the movie released.
Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by mid-day online. This story is taken from a syndicated feed & is published on AS IS basis.
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 27 Apr 2020 03:32:29 GMT
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has planned to reopen practice facilities in states and municipalities that were easing shutdown restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The states of Texas and Georgia have reopened businesses this weekend and players can return to team facilities for voluntary individual workouts but are still prohibited from holding group workouts or team activities, according to ESPN.
However, this is not an indication of the NBA approaching a new timetable for resuming the season.
The season has been suspended since March 11 due to the pandemic.
The US has reported 939,235 coronavirus cases, with 53,934 deaths, both tallies the highest in the world.
According to ESPN, a few team executives and General Managers have expressed their misgivings about the safety of the move considering the volume of medical opinions against the reopening of businesses, the lack of enough testing and a vaccine.
There are other executives however, who have been clamoring for players to be able to get back to training facilities, which they believed to be the safest places in current circumstances.
In places with more restrictive governance of stay-at-home orders, the NBA is telling teams the league will work with franchises to help find alternative arrangements for their players.
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Sayani Gupta on Four More Shots Please: It was the need of the hour to represent women authentically
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 28 Apr 2020 03:51:00 GMT
Nobody knows when the lockdown will end and when life will come back to normal. But for those who have access, they are spending their quarantine by watching web-series, films, and reruns of classic television shows. So on one hand, we have Ramayan and Mahabharat, on the other spectrum lies something called Four More Shots Please, Season 2!
This show is what we call the ultimate triumph of a woman's liberation. Their tendency to do all the possible shenanigans and be unabashed and unapologetic about it is what has made this web-series so catchy and contagious. And one of the leads, Sayani Gupta, a fine actor to the hoot, recently in an interview with Radio City's RJ Harshil, she talked about the show's popularly, how she has been spending time at home, and a lot of other entertaining stuff.
As expected, the first question was about the number of interviews she has given about the show amid this lockdown. She sounds perplexed and says, "I have really lost track, so many, it's insane you know. I give at least 1 or 2 interviews every day. But I have now started my own live videos that is a series of my interactions with some of my friends from the industry, it's called Shy-Me-Not. I've had four sessions so far."
The next question is about her journey from FTII (The Film and Television Institute of India) to films and she takes a deep breath since the answer is going to be really long. She says, "I am from Kolkata and went to Delhi for college and did theatre. I wanted to go to the National School of Drama but decided against it because my seniors, M.K Raina and Habib Tanvir, told me how it was going through a turmoil in terms of syllabus and management. But going to FTII was one of the best decisions of my life, I spent three-and-a-half years over there. It's because of the institute that I'm sitting for this interview today."
She added, "I knew nobody would spot me at a cafe and cast me for a film, and I knew this process would take time but I actually got my first film in the first month of being in Bombay, Second Marriage Dot Com. The director had seen my short film that was made during my education at the FTII. I don't like the world struggle, I feel the journey has been very interesting. I also did a travel show that was once in a lifetime experience, I also assisted Manav Kaul on a film that's going to come out soon."
She also spoke about her character Khanum from Shonali Bose's Margarita With A Straw and said, "To get such a character is a once in a lifetime opportunity, for both Kalki and me. Such films aren't made too often. It was a very performance-heavy part, she was blind and an activist. There was so much to do, and of course, she was homosexual. There was so much scope for performance. I'm happy people took me seriously."
We have seen Gupta in a lot of films over the last few years like Fan, Jolly LLB 2, Jagga Jasoos, and Article 15, so how has she been balancing between this medium and the OTT platform! This is what she has to say, "In these last three years, I have been shooting every day and I've actually done two shifts, three shifts. I have done Inside Edge 1 & 2, Four More Shots 1 & 2, a British series called The Good Karma Hospital that's out now, but I've also done nine films," and she flashes her smile! Talking about her character Rohini from Inside Edge, she says, "I don't know anything about cricket, I have seen the sport with my parents. My father was working for All India Radio and his office was right next to the Eden Garden. But I was never aware of the technicalities of cricket and neither was I interested."
She continued, "Karan Anshuman told me about this even before Excel was producing it. After a few months, the creative producer of Excel called me and said they have a fabulous role, come and meet us. When I read the part, I asked them if they were sure they wanted me to play this, but I guess all of them were confident about me as an actor for some reason and I'm really grateful to them." And then it was time to talk about her character Damini Rizvi Roy from Four More Shots Please, and her initial reaction on reading it.
"I hate the word bold and the context in which you are using it is wrong because even according to the dictionary, it's the boldness of mind. People really misinterpret things by using the term bold. Four More Shots was a very important show when I read it for the first time, and I felt it was amazing that a group of women was trying to make a show which actually was about women. It was trying to normalise everything about the life of a woman. I think it's one of those very important shows, and it's crucial to have such a show in the mainstream narrative, and even the criticism that comes and mostly from men about our sex and smoking, you can understand how regressive, repressed and patriarchal our society is even now."
She added, "When men do all these things and we all have seen it, nobody bats an eyelid, and everyone is like,'Oh my god! Friendship'! The moment it's about women that have chosen to live a particular life and are normal with it, like I am, people tend to have issues. There are lots of topics that are being handled with a lot of sensitivity and depth in the second season. You have workplace gender bias, you have body shaming, you have LGBT rights, you have a homosexual wedding, freedom of expression, freedom of speech. It has everything a woman faces in the urban space or rural space. We are getting long letters and messages, it's crazy."
She continued, "It's moving people because it is making a difference to them." In between, she answers a fan who asks if a woman having sex with multiple men is empowerment for her. She says, "No, it's not, and nobody is saying drinking and smoking is empowerment. But people do go out and drink and smoking is not even shown in the entire season two. Women who go out and drink and choose to have sex with whom they want to, and have control over their sexuality, should be not looked at as a taboo. It's normal, we all do it!"
"Also, you have to realise it's about celebrating yourself and women for their rights, it's about subverting these constant pressures of women. The problem is that women are always shown as these crazy stereotypes, either she's virginal and the hero is trying to woo her and have sex with her, the hero is marrying her, or a vamp who's breaking the hero and heroine's home. Nowhere are women, in most of the mainstream narratives, shown as themselves. What is the problem with having sex with multiple partners? So many people do."
She seems to be raising the right points and makes a very important observation. "Sex was always shown as something done to women and never a choice that women are making. If I want to be intimate with someone or be in a romantic liaison with someone, it's my choice. That needs to be respected and celebrated. Having said that, our intention is never to encourage smoking and drinking or go out and partying, that's not the point. But if there are people who do it, there shouldn't be a taboo about it, even in India. You see Sex in the City, you see Girls, you see Friends, any Hollywood series or show or film and it's fine, but the moment you see Indian girls doing it, you're like, 'OMG'!
"Everyone does it so what's the problem in showing it or representing it authentically! It's a show made by women, it was the need of the hour to represent women authentically," she added. Well, this was truly straight from the heart, and in case you are yet to discover Four More Shots Please, watch it and decide whether you agree with Sayani Gupta or not! But one thing people will agree with is that she's truly a fine actor!
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B-town buzz: Fans of South star Ajith are upset; Pranitha Subhash helps prepare food kits
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 2 May 2020 05:17:49 GMT
Fans of South star Ajith, who turned 49 on Friday, were upset that the first look of Valimai was not unveiled as a birthday gift. The Tamil action thriller, co-starring Huma Qureshi, is produced by Boney Kapoor. The makers felt the current scenario was not right for it. Kapoor posted, "As the world fights COVID-19, the artistes and technicians have mutually decided that we shall not promote any film of ours till we overcome this critical time. Till then, let us all fight this battle (sic)."
Help at hand
South actor Pranitha Subhash, who features in Ajay Devgn's Bhuj: The Pride of India and Priyadarshan's Hungama 2, is part of an initiative to provide food kits to the underprivileged in hometown Bengaluru. She has not just extended financial support but is also taking part in the cooking and packaging of the food. "As the privileged section of the society, it is our moral responsibility to help those in need. Your small help can make a big difference in someone's life," says the actor.
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Aamir Khan dismisses reports of distributing money in wheat bags, clarifies on Twitter
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 4 May 2020 07:37:59 GMT
The Indian economy has suffered a major setback due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the underprivileged section of the society has to be taken care of financially. Amid this catastrophe, it was reported a few days ago that Bollywood Superstar Aamir Khan distributed money in wheat bags to help the needy. And there were a lot of reports doing the rounds about his donation.
Additionally, the video mentions that within each packet of flour, there was Rs 15,000 hidden in cash and that the truck was sent by Aamir Khan. However, the actor has taken to his Twitter account to clarify once and for all that he was not the one behind these donations and stated that maybe the real Robin Hood doesn't want to reveal himself.
This is what he wrote- "Guys, I am not the person putting money in wheat bags. Its either a fake story completely, or Robin Hood doesn't want to reveal himself! Stay safe. Love. a." (sic)
Have a look right here:
Guys, I am not the person putting money in wheat bags. Its either a fake story completely, or Robin Hood doesn't want to reveal himself! Stay safe. Love. a.
Last night, on May 3, he, however, did participate in the I for India concert to raise money for the unsung heroes who are fighting the pandemic. Accompanying him was his wife Kiran Rao and one of the actor's fan-clubs posted on its Instagram account to share the video of them singing together. Have a look:
As soon as the lockdown ends, Khan will get busy with the shooting of Laal Singh Chaddha, which is slated to release this year on Christmas and also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan.
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Hundred: This is how Karan Wahi prepared for his character of a DJ in the web-series
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 4 May 2020 10:05:00 GMT
Karan Wahi turned to his rapper buddies for help to play a DJ in the web series, Hundred. His quirky character, Mad-E, arrives from Haryana to make it big in Mumbai's music industry. He also doubles up as a police informer. Wahi did a lot of prep to figure out his character's body language on the Hotstar show. Rapper Raftaar also helped him. "I sat down with Raftaar paaji and took several inputs as I was working with him on a reality show at that time," says Wahi. "But the stuff he wrote was way too good for a DJ rapper like Mad-E," he points out."
It seems actors today are finding different and unique ways to get into the skin of their characters and will not leave any stone unturned to do justice to their roles. The web-series has been getting a good response from the viewers so far and that has surely elated Karan.
Taking to his Instagram account, he shared a video from the same and in case you haven't seen it yet, it will help you know the character and its crux. Have a look right here:
A post shared by Karan Wahi ð (@karanwahi) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:31am PDT
Watch Hundred if you haven't so far, the actor may impress you with his performance!
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Raveena Tandon's funny reply to fan proposing marriage in next birth
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 7 May 2020 02:14:00 GMT
Raveena Tandon gave a funny reply to a fan who proposed to marry her in the next birth. On Wednesday, the actress took to Instagram to share throwback photos from a vacation in the mountains. "#throwback When the summer gets to hot to handle... my heart dreaming of snowy vacays , soft ,fresh snowed in slopes and the icy moon.. disclaimer- always in #fauxfur," captioned Raveena.
A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) onMay 6, 2020 at 6:39am PDT
Commenting on her post, a fan wrote: "Raveena ma'am will you marry me in your next birth?" The actress replied: "Sorry ya booked for 7 already".
Other fans also showered the actress with love and appreciation for her beautiful pictures. One fan commented: "Every time I see you, I fall in love with you once again". Another fan expressed: "You always be a queen, love you."
Raveena Tandon's fan club incidentally includes a celeb admirer -- rapper Badshah! The rapper during a recent question-answer session with his fans on Instagram has revealed that he has a crush on Raveena Tandon.
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Bhumi Pednekar: How I represent women on screen is very important
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 7 May 2020 15:06:47 GMT
Bhumi Pednekar is one of the most exciting young actors of our generation. The young actress in her first few years of journey in Bollywood, has already given audiences some really strong and brilliant female protagonists in films like Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Toilet, Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan, Bala, Saand Ki Aankh, Son Chiriya, among others.
"For me, how I represent women on screen is very important. Cinema has the power to influence people and I do feel that through our portrayal of women, we can push the messaging of equality, of independence. I have looked out for such characters and play them with all my heart of screen. I have been fortunate to have got these characters that have made a mark and stood out," says Bhumi.
The talented actress will be soon seen as a leading lady in the Akshay Kumar presentation Durgavati and award-winning director Alankrita Srivastava’s Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare.
"I thank my visionary filmmakers who chose to tell stories of these magnificent women to the people of my country. It has been an honour to be a part of their cinema and bring such courageous, fantastic, confident women on screen," she says.
Bhumi intends people to realise how equality is yet to be achieved in society through cinema. "My journey in cinema has just begun. I will continue to strive to find more such women whose stories I want to tell on screen. I feel when people see such women and their lives, their struggles, their pain, their dreams, their victories, there can be a shift in perspective. It might help us to further understand how far we are from achieving equality and how much women can contribute in making our country and our society stronger," she says.
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Kareena Kapoor Khan shares a vintage picture of Rishi Kapoor, describes him as irreplaceable!
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 8 May 2020 02:02:00 GMT
April 30 will be marked as one of the darkest days in Hindi Cinema when we lost one of the greatest actors and celebrated performers, Rishi Kapoor. The legendary star passed away on April 30 in hospital after a two-year battle with leukaemia. Ever since then, his family members have been sharing his unseen and old pictures to keep him alive.
He can never fade away, his films can never be forgotten, and his songs can never get old or stale. Kapoor's was a persona that we describe as contagious and his contribution to Cinema is evergreen. Coming to evergreen, Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a priceless picture of the star who had the company of Randhir Kapoor, Babita Kapoor, and the legendary music composer, R.D. Burman.
She hasn't written a long post, only used one word to describe the man- Irreplaceable. And she's truly right! Neetu Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor had their hearts on the post, and again, rightly so. Have a look right here:
A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMay 6, 2020 at 10:44pm PDT
Rishi Kapoor made his debut in 1970 with his father Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker and rose to fame with Bobby in 1973, also directed by Raj Kapoor. For 25 years, he was the epitome of romance and charm. And as years passed by, he began displaying his unseen side that had a versatile performer. With films like Agneepath, Kapoor & Sons, Aurangzeb, Do Dooni Chaar, and Luck By Chance, he began what was one of the finest phases of his career. He went away too soon!
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Karan Johar's son Yash calls his father's closet as 'washing machine', KJo gives a hilarious reply
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 8 May 2020 02:47:00 GMT
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.
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".
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)."
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.
Average time spent on TV in Mumbai grew by one hour and 42 minutes in COVID-19 era: Report
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 24 Apr 2020 03:42:41 GMT
Compared to the pre-COVID period, television viewership in India increased by 40 per cent as more and more people stay at home due to the restrictions, said a report on Thursday. In the week starting April 11, individuals watching TV for all seven days increased to 48 per cent, according to the latest report by TV viewership monitoring agency BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) and data measurement firm Nielsen.
For the study, the pre-COVID-19 period referred to January 13-February 2. The highest growth in TV viewership was recorded in some of the biggest metros like Delhi and Mumbai, according to the report.
The results showed that viewership growth in the 15-21 age group is driven largely by the urban market. he 15-21 age group contribute to 16 per cent of the total TV viewership in India, said the report.
Compared to the pre-COVID period, average time spent on TV in Mumbai grew by one hour and 42 minutes. In Delhi, the time spent rose by around an hour and 26 minutes. In Mumbai and Delhi, where COVID-19 cases are among the highest in the country, news consumption on TV grew by 251 per cent and 177 per cent respectively.
Growth in movie viewership is coming largely from pay platforms across urban and rural markets - 82 per cent and 69 per cent respectively. News stays strong in the Hindi speaking market with over 200 per cent growth in week 15 over the pre-COVID period, said the report.
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Kaun Banega Crorepati 12: Amitabh Bachchan shoots at home as selection goes digital
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 3 May 2020 04:00:50 GMT
Amitabh Bachchan has shot for the upcoming season 12 of "Kaun Banega Crorepati" from the confines of home, in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The new season of the popular quiz show is also set to go digital with the entire selection process.
Filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari remotely directed the registration promo featuring Big, where the actor invites KBC aspirants. "Har cheez ko break lag sakta hai, sapno ko nahi (everything can take a break, but not dreams)," he announces.
"Each year, when we start deliberating about KBC, we go through various insights that may trigger an impactful narrative. This time, however, the very environment that we are in, sets the context of the film," said Tiwari.
"KBC is not just a game/quiz show for people. It's more than that. It's an opportunity to realise one's dreams. One doesn't stop dreaming given the adversity. In fact, the dreams only become more significant, and that was the trigger for this film. Shooting this film was a challenge, though. First, I shot a scratch film with myself and shared it with Mr. Bachchan, for him to get an idea about my vision. After which, Mr. Bachchan shot the entire film at his own home, all by himself. I hope this campaign strikes a chord with the audience and they participate wholeheartedly," he added.
Registrations for the new season will start from May 9.
"We are certainly excited to announce the 12th season of our iconic show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'. And for the first time in the history of KBC, the entire screening and selection will be managed digitally," said Amit Raisinghani, Head, business planning and communication, Sony Entertainment Television.
The show will be produced by StudioNEXT and the selection process will be conducted digitally, through SonyLIV.
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Amitabh Bachchan defensive about shooting for Kaun Banega Crorepati amid lockdown
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 6 May 2020 09:00:57 GMT
Amitabh Bachchan has started shooting for the upcoming season of the popular quiz show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC) amid the COVID-19 lockdown, and from his latest blog post it seems like the actor is apprehensive about being judged for breaking social distancing rules. He seems defensive in the post, insisting that the shoot was done with essential precautionary measures.
"So yes I worked .. got a problem with that .. keep it to yourself then .. damned if you pour it out here in this locked in condition .. sufficient precaution as much that could be taken was taken .. and what had been scheduled for 2 days , was completed in one day .. starting 6pm .. ending a short while NOW … !!" wrote Amitabh Bachchan in his blog.
Viewers are wondering how the quiz show would be shot this year owing to the current restrictions including social distancing and the lockdown. Talking about the same, Big B mentioned in his blog: "Personal gratifications to the many that ask .. and then the KBC pile of several.. in all about 10 to 12 videos and then hours of audio recordings .. also for the same , KBC .. and the speculation as to how they shall conduct it .. there have been no definite answers for that .. but the authority hopes well and long .. so .."
The 77-year-old actor has also been suffering from a Hamstring pain. "Just back from work .. hamstring be damned .. social messaging videos .. acknowledging the 'angels' videos .. giving commendation to them that work so we exist .. and the invitations to the new season of KBC .. The show goes on ..heavy in heart , to all," Big B tweeted early on Wednesday.
Like everyone else, he is also concerned about the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Of one there is little doubt .. the debate on the outcome of this pandemic .. hesitation .. apprehension .. fear or recurrence .. strain of the conducting of the time of release .. and so much more .."
"How long then shall it hold the barrel .. what shall be the outcome when the barrel is held .. what alternatives shall prevail and what in God's name shall the future hold for us all. The World is all ‘shook up' .. as Elvis would say .. and would never be the same in the respects of community and reaction," he wrote.
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Kaun Banega Crorepati is back! Here's when registration of season 12 begins
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 9 May 2020 09:16:22 GMT
It's the time to rejoice for Kaun Banega Crorepati fans. The makers of the decade-old quiz show have finally revealed the registration date for the new season. The fresh season is expected to air in a shortly from now.
Kaun Banega Crorepati, is a show that most of us have grown up with and have participated in, sitting comfortably at our homes, yet feeling the same complex set of emotions as the participants on the coveted Hot Seat. We have all felt the adrenaline rush in this quest of knowledge, to deduce the answers to questions that can take one from being a nobody to a somebody.
KBC has been synonymous with knowledge and has constantly provided a platform to millions in realizing their dreams. From the civil services aspirant Harshvardhan Navathe, the very first Crorepati, to a mid-day meal cook Babita Tade, KBC has set an example for people to believe in themselves and achieve big in life.
9th May will see Mr. Bachchan asking the very first KBC Registration question at 9:00PM on Sony Entertainment Television. This will continue until 22nd May. There will be a new question presented by Mr. Bachchan every night. All one has to do is nswer these questions correctly via SMS or through SonyLIV.
Given the current times, while one ponders how to get through the day, KBC has come as an answer to use all your time productively, while at home. While we may be under a lockdown, knowledge knows no bounds, and it’s always good to value the power of knowledge and put it to good use.
Get ready to let knowledge fulfil your dreams with Kaun Banega Crorepati, starting 9th May at 9:00 PM only on Sony Entertainment Television
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Amitabh Bachchan explains how he shot for Kaun Banega Crorepati 12 amid the lockdown
By Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 05:01:29 GMT
Amitabh Bachchan was recently called out for breaking social distancing rules as he started to shoot for season 12 of Kaun Banega Crorepati amid the Coronavirus lockdown. The promo recently came out and after the backlash, Amitabh Bachchan justified his reasons through his blog post yesterday. He insisted that all the precautionary measures were taken to shoot the promo and that they did a two-day shoot in just a day. He asked people to keep their problems to themselves in the blog post.
It read, “So yes I worked .. got a problem with that .. keep it to yourself then .. damned if you pour it out here in this locked in condition .. sufficient precaution as much that could be taken was taken .. and what had been scheduled for 2 days, was completed in one day .. starting 6pm .. ending a short while NOW !! Personal gratifications to the many that ask .. and then the KBC pile of several.. in all about 10 to 12 videos and then hours of audio recordings .. also for the same , KBC .. and the speculation as to how they shall conduct it .. there have been no definite answers for that .. but the authority hopes well and long ..”
The registrations promo was shot at his house with Nitesh Tiwari as the director.
'Government is extra prepared to fight Coronavirus'
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 13 Apr 2020 02:00:23 GMT
As many as 918 COVID-19 cases and 34 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of such cases to 8,447 in the country, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday, while asserting that the government is "extra prepared" if there is an exponential rise in the number of coronavirus patients.
Addressing a press briefing, Health Ministry's Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said the government is expanding the COVID-19 testing capacity in state-run as well as private medical colleges. "The total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 8,447. A total of 918 new cases and 34 deaths have been reported since Saturday. The good news is that 716 people have recovered and have been discharged so far. Seventy-four people have been cured since Saturday. The government is extra prepared if the number of cases rises exponentially," he said.
"We are working on an urgent basis to expand the capacity for COVID-19 testing in government and private medical colleges across the country. Fourteen mentor institutes, including the AIIMS and NIMHANS, have been identified to mentor the medical colleges and expand the coronavirus testing capacity," Agarwal added.
According to ICMR officials, a total of 1,86,906 samples have so far been tested across the country, of which 7,953 have been found positive for COVID-19. "In the last five days, on an average, 15,747 samples were tested per day and 584 of those were found to be positive per day," an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) official said at the press briefing. Responding to a question about development of vaccines, he said, "There are 40 plus candidate vaccines that are under development but none of them has reached the next stage."
Relief distribution pictures banned
District magistrate, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has banned circulation of photos and videos showing distribution of relief on social media sites.
'Bengal not fighting a communal virus'
The Centre and the West Bengal government on Saturday pressed a confrontationist button over the Union Home Ministry writing to the state chief secretary and the director general of police seeking action against the 'dilution' of lockdown measures in the state, and over permission for religious gatherings given by the state cops. Hitting back, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hinted that the Centre had a communal stand and said her government was now busy fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and not any "communal virus".
AP govt introduces apps for food delivery
The Arunachal Pradesh government has introduced various Apps including 'U Tell Us' and 'Dukan Dada' to ensure essentials reach at the doorsteps of the people, officials said on Sunday. Besides the AP government, other state governments of the northeastern region have taken some fresh measures to maintain supply of essentials for effective enforcement of the lockdown.
No food, woman throws kids in river
In a shocking incident on Sunday, a woman threw her five children into the Ganga river in Jeghangirabad in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district. As soon as the police were informed, senior officers reached the spot and divers were pressed into service to locate the kids. The woman has been arrested. Sources, meanwhile, said that the woman had earlier said that she and her children were not getting food in the lockdown.
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Coronavirus Outbreak: India reports 1,211 fresh cases of COVID-19, total count jumps to 10,363
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 14 Apr 2020 11:47:51 GMT
New Delhi: With 1,211 fresh cases of coronavirus reported in the last 24 hours, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country has reached 10,363 including 339 deaths, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, here on Tuesday.
As many as 1,036 people have recovered from the disease so far, said Aggarwal during the daily media briefing on the coronavirus. "In one day, 179 people were diagnosed and found cured," he added.
"A total of 10,363 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 339 deaths and 1,036 people, who were COVID-19 positive have recovered. Out of the total deaths, 31 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours," said Aggarwal.
Aggarwal said that an evaluation of each district and city will be done till April 20.
"An evaluation of each district and city will be done till April 20 in which it will be evaluated what measures did that authorities take in these cities and districts to combat COVID-19," he said.
"Based on the results of this litmus test approach, permission will be granted for some selective activities to those districts and cities which controlled the situation effectively. Detailed guidelines will be issued soon," he added.
COVID-19: India's tally of cases crosses 11,000 mark; 38 new deaths reported
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 15 Apr 2020 04:02:36 GMT
With 1,076 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,439, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Out of the total tally, 9,756 cases are active while 1,306 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated. With 38 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rises to 377.
According to the ministry, Maharashtra is the worst-affected state with 2,687 cases of which 259 patients have recovered/discharged while 178 patients have lost their lives due to the virus. Delhi comes in at the second position with 1,561 cases of which 30 patients have recovered while 30 patients have succumbed to the virus.
Tamil Nadu is the third state with over 1,000 cases at 1,204 cases of which 81 have recovered and 12 have died due to the deadly virus. Rajasthan is nearing the 1,000 mark with 969 cases of which 147 people have recovered while 3 patients are dead. Madhya Pradesh reported 730 cases including 51 patients recovered and 50 patients dead.
On Tuesday, in an address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the 21-day national lockdown has been extended till May 3.
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Coronavirus outbreak: India reports 1,334 new COVID-19 cases, total count soars to 15,712
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 19 Apr 2020 11:50:43 GMT
With 1,334 fresh cases of coronavirus reported in the last 24 hours, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India has reached 15,712 including 507 deaths, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, here on Sunday. As many as 2,231 people have recovered from the disease so far, said Aggarwal during the daily media briefing on the coronavirus. "This equals 14.1 per cent of the total cases," he added.
1334 new #COVID19 cases & 27 deaths have been reported in last 24 hours, taking total cases to 15712 & deaths to 507 in India. No new case reported in Mahe in Puducherry & Karnataka's Kodagu in the last 28 days. Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/YsaMPJOnx5
A total of 15,712 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 507 deaths and 2,231 people, who were COVID-19 positive, have recovered. Out of the total deaths, 27 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours," said Aggarwal. The Joint Secretary said that no new case was reported in Mahe in Puducherry and Karnataka's Kodagu in the last 28 days.
"A total of 54 other districts beside these two in 23 States/Union Territories did not report any cases in the last 14 days," he said. He informed that there are 755 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals and 1,389 dedicated health care centres in the country, which takes the total dedicated facilities where severe or critical patients can be treated to 2,144.
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Kamal Haasan re-imagines India for 'post-COVID world', calls for 'epidemic preparedness budget'
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 20 Apr 2020 06:09:53 GMT
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Monday re-imagined India for the "post-COVID world" and suggested measures across different sectors, including an "epidemic preparedness budget" for the health sector.
"While there are concerns, it's worth praising how this crisis is setting a precedent with state governments coming together and co-operating with each other as well as with the Centre. I sincerely hope this becomes a norm and help overcome perennial battles like the water crisis, pollution, migrants' woes, women's safety, communal violence, healthcare etc," Haasan said on his Twitter account.
"The last full-scale war India fought was almost half a century ago, but poor healthcare is an everyday war leading to 1.6 million deaths annually. Yet, year after year our Defence budget overshadows the healthcare budget," Haasan stated and added that it's a "pity that India continues seeing Defence as a more newsworthy proposition compared to healthcare".
He suggested that India needs to earmark an "epidemic preparedness budget with immediate effect".
"We are under threat a lot more from within than from outside our borders. Our priority towards Health needs to be reimagined with a handsome budget to match," Haasan said.
The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) President later went on to talk about the Agriculture sector and said that India requires a 'Green Plus' revolution that firstly converts part of our agricultural land for an allied enterprise like processing, logistics, etc.
"Secondly, we need to accelerate productivity maximization on a war footing. Boosting agro based MSMEs will help retain youth in the sector and build a sustainable and prosperous future for farming. This will also solve the problem of seasonal lack of work for farmers," Haasan said.
He also suggested bringing India's vast informal sector into the formal fold.
"Bringing India's informal workers under the formal fold must become the biggest national exercise that the government needs to undertake in the near future. Other than boosting the morale of this segment and paving way for its growth, it will also mean enhanced tax collection, a lot of which can be ploughed back to improve infrastructure and offer welfare to the same workers," Haasan said.
"There is also a need to change our outlook towards the vast majority of women who toil their lives away under the status of 'housewife'. Women engaging in housework must be accorded job status. They have little or no savings and a Universal Income Guarantee will give a boost to their savings. Savings always help during any kind of crisis," he added.
Haasan even suggested correction in income inequality and poverty alleviation.
He added, "COVID-19 has shown us that poverty still remains India's most critical challenge. In a crisis, the rich will take a hit but they will not starve to death. Our leaders must learn to integrate the poor man's life in how they plan the running of the country. Relief measures are mere afterthoughts."
In conclusion, Haasan said, "It's time we reinvent the word superpower, India's pipe dream for decades. Let's be a universal thought leader, to put it in parlance a Vishwa-Guru and for all the right reasons."
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Coronavirus outbreak: India reports 1,553 new COVID-19 cases, total count soars to 17,265
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 20 Apr 2020 13:41:34 GMT
With 1,553 fresh cases of coronavirus reported in the last 24 hours, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India has reached 17,265, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, here on Monday.
Since yesterday there have been 1553 additional confirmed #COVID19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 17265. 36 more deaths also reported in the last 24 hours: Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/6EKGeIOWOe
As many as 2,546 people have recovered from the disease so far, said Aggarwal during the daily media briefing on the coronavirus. "This takes the cure percentage to 14.75 per cent," he added. "A total of 17,265 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 2,546 people have recovered. A total of 36 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours," said Aggarwal.
Mahe in Puducherry, Kodagu in Karnataka and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand have not reported any COVID-19 case in the last 28 days. "The number of districts where no case has been reported in the last 14 days has increased to 59. Goa is now COVID-19 free," he added.
Aggarwal said that the Health Ministry has expressed its views that India wants to work with G20 nations to develop the vaccine to combat COVID-19. He further said that ministry has also issued guidelines regarding precautionary measures to be adhered to in government offices.
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Coronavirus outbreak: 466 new COVID-19 cases and 9 new deaths reported in Maharashtra
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 20 Apr 2020 16:18:01 GMT
With 466 new COVID-19 cases reported, the total number of positive coronavirus cases have risen to 4,666, said Public Health Department, Maharashtra on Monday.
Of the total tally, 572 patients have been cured and recovered as 65 patients were discharged from hospitals today. With nine new deaths in the state, the death toll rose to 232. The total number of coronavirus positive cases on Monday rose to 17,656 in India, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Out of these, 14,255 patients are active cases and 2,842 cases have been cured or discharged and migrated. The COVID-19 (/topic/covid-19) toll now stands at 559.
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Coronavirus Lockdown: Despite reprieve, salons, gyms, liquor shops to remain shut, says Home Ministry
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 25 Apr 2020 13:07:21 GMT
New Delhi: On Saturday, the Home Ministry clarified that only standalone shops are being allowed to open as per the directive and that the order does not apply to Covid-19 containment zones or liquor stores. Then in further clarification, the government said that salons, barbershops, and restaurants will continue to be closed as the relaxation was given to "shops selling items".
The Ministry has cleared the air after initial confusion due to Friday night's MHA order. The clarification says, "In urban areas, all standalone/neighbourhood shops & shops in residential complexes are allowed to open. Shops in markets/market complexes & shopping malls are not allowed to open."
Here are all shops that can open:
1. All shops in residential areas and markets in the neighbourhood will open those sell items.
2. All shops that are registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State or the Union Territory, including those shops in residential complexes and market complexes, outside the municipal corporations and municipalities, will be allowed to open.
3. In urban areas, non-essential goods and services will be allowed to operate provided they are in residential areas or are a standalone shop. This essentially means a sweet shop too can function.
4. However, those shops in registered markets but outside municipal corporations and municipalities can open only with 50 per cent staff.
5. Shops that fall under rural and semi-rural areas and markets that are registered can open. In cities, only standalone shops and residential shops can open.
Meanwhile, the ministry also clarified that sales by e-commerce companies will continue to be restricted to essential goods only.
So, what all that can't be open?
1. No shops have been allowed to open in multi-brand or single brand malls, it had said. So, one can forget about their plans for a mall visit.
2. No movie theaters are being allowed to open.
3. lquor shops too will remain closed and the MHA has made it a point to stress on that.
3. Gyms and swimming pools too will be off-limit as they are areas where social distancing goes for a toss.
4. Markets with a cluster of shops like that of south Delhi's Khan Market too will remain shut.
5. Since they don't sell items but offer services, salons too will remain closed.
However, much of the final decision rests with respective state governments and UT administrations. But where they do allow these new reprieves, however conditionally, it will surely be a welcome change for a locked-down populace.
Zomato asks tweeple what if 2020 was a dish, gets hilarious replies
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 26 Apr 2020 01:45:53 GMT
It is a known fact that the year 2020 has been terrible so far due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown imposed in countries across the world. With life coming to a standstill and people waiting for things to get better, food delivery application Zomato, being themselves, asked their followers, what if 2020 was a dish.
Zomato’s tweet read, “If 2020 was a dish, what would it be?” To describe how their year has been so far, tweeple posted hilarious reactions. Some described their year with their least favourite dish, while some did so with some of the weird dishes they came across.
The food delivery giant’s tweet that was posted on Friday garnered more than 3,200 likes and was retweeted 144 times. Among the comments received on the posts, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah described his year as ‘offal’.
Man arrested for posing as police official to get mobile phone repaired
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 6 May 2020 05:04:59 GMT
He posed as Superintendent of Police (SP), called up a subordinate police official and asked him to get his mobile phone repaired or face the consequences. But, his bluff was later called and the man landed in lockup. Azamgarh SP Triveni Singh said the 23-year-old youth, Shubham Upadhyay, is the son of a farmer. He was preparing for competitive exams when his phone developed a snag on Saturday.
He tried to reach out to local mechanics, but they were unavailable to fix it due to the lockdown. Upadhyay used a free caller identification app to call up the in-charge of the Kotwali police station, K. K. Gupta, and threatened to shunt him out, if he failed to swiftly get the work done. Gupta grew suspicious and eventually caught the youth.
In his statement to the police, Shubham Upadhyay said, "On Sunday noon, I tried to breach the district borders to reach Lucknow to repair my phone, but since there was heavy police presence and barricading, I returned home. Later, I installed a free caller identification app in my handset and mentioned the name as SP Azamgarh and even uploaded a photo of the cop to appear genuine." He first called SHO, Kotwali to get the phone repaired and was told the handset would be picked up from the SP office in an hour. Then, he called a businessman to bring his SUV and hand over his mobile to the SHO.
But when Upadhyay called the police again to suggest a separate meeting point, he raised suspicion. When the SHO tried to confirm the venue, Upadhyay got hesitant and said he would send a peon. "I suddenly realised something was fishy and rang up the public relation officer of SP Azamgarh, who denied any such order from the SP. When the caller's number was scanned, it displayed the name of SP Azamgarh," said SHO Gupta.
A trap was laid and when the SHO reached the venue, he found one Praveen Shukla sitting in the vehicle. Police got the address of the accused from Shukla and reached Upadhyay's home in Bilariya locality and arrested him.
Upadhyay has been booked under IT Act and for threatening a public servant.
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Entrepreneur Akash Pillay does a noble deed amid the COVID-19 lockdown; check out!
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 7 May 2020 12:11:57 GMT
Currently, the entire Nation affected by the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus. In these hard times, many families are finally financially affected and have no means to earn for the livelihood. Some can't buy a meal for their family, while others are struggling to buy sanitary products like gloves, masks, antiseptics, etc.
Akash Pillay, a 23 years old Pune based entrepreneur came forward to help these needy families by donating 10000 masks for two consecutive days. During this hard time, various shopkeepers are selling masks and other necessary products at an exorbitant price, and this was the major reason why Akash Pillay thought of doing this noble deed.
Talking about the same Akash Pillay says, "We have seen some people taking COVID-19 as a business opportunity, safety masks which cost 7 to 10 rupees are now costing 35 to 40 rupees per mask for no reason. People who work on daily wages cannot afford them during this lockdown period. They are forced to think about whether they should buy the safety stuff or a meal for the day. Which is why I decided to donate masks along with my friends and help them in whatever way I can."
The young lad is a BSC Graduate in Zoology and started working at an MNC right after he completed his graduation. He continued to work as an employee for about 2 years until he decided to start his own business.
Akash has a huge fondness towards anchoring and hosting which made him quit his job and start his agency named Storror Nightlife in Pune.
Right after establishing his own agency, Akash started receiving offers from brands for shoots and endorsements and within no time, Akash was one of the most successful event managers in Pune city. He is quite popular on social media a testimony of which is seen on his Instagram handle.
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Vizag gas leak: NDRF refutes reports of second gas leakage
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 8 May 2020 06:48:49 GMT
New Delhi: Director-General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SN Pradhan, on Friday refuted reports of a second gas leak at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam district and clarified that it was some fumes which released during the neutralisation process.
"There are rumours in some section of media about a second gas leakage, let me categorically place on record that there is no such second leakage in Vizag. Some fumes get released during the process of neutralising. It happens during the neutralisation process. It is a technical process. That process will continue," Pradhan told ANI.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responded to reports of another gas leak at LG Polymers in Visakhapatnam and clarified that it was a "minuscule technical leak" and the situation is under control.
"There are media reports that there was another leak. This is clarified that this was a minuscule technical leak. It is required to bring the container in control. It is been controlled and the process of neutralisation is already in process. The situation is under control," the MHA said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Pradhan said, "Few fumes get released during the neutralisation process. These fumes do not go out and mostly remain in the vicinity of the company only, but that does not mean that it's secondary leakage happened there. The smell of this gas can passes through the air little bit outside, but assessing it as a second leak is utterly wrong."
The NDRF DG appealed to the media to not to run fake news on the gas leak without cross-checking so that people do not get panic.
"The neutraliser chemical has reached the spot in good quantity and it is being used in the process. Rumour mongering must be avoided in the interest of people," he said.
Pradhan informed that experts from Pune and Nagpur, including scientists are monitoring the situation on the ground since last night.
"We are preparing a roadmap with the local administration. This work is being done jointly by the state, Centre and local administration. Tourism minister of the state also visited the spot. We are also present at the spot. Since last night, the experts from Pune and Nagpur including scientists are monitoring the situation on the ground. At the moment, our two commandants and three scientists are camping there," he explained.
"Two teams of 5th battalion of NDRF are on the ground. The situation is under control. The NDRF teams will stay back in the area until the situation is absolutely under control," Pradhan said.
On Thursday, styrene gas had leaked in the gas plant of LG Polymers in RR Venkatapuram village in Visakhapatnam district on Thursday morning, which claimed 11 lives.
Hugh Jackman not interested in reprising his Wolverine role
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 20 Apr 2020 01:42:42 GMT
Hollywood star Hugh Jackman says he won't return as Wolverine in any of the future "X-Men" films. Jackman, who tasted international stardom as Wolverine in his first Hollywood movie, admitted he departed the franchise at the right time.
He added that he is looking forward to some other actor take up the character of the adamantium-clawed mutant in a potential new take. "It was the right time for me to leave the party ¿ not just for me, but for the character. Somebody else will pick it up and run with it. It's too good of a character not to," Jackman told The Daily Beast.
The actor played Wolverine in the X-Men film series from 2000 to 2018, for which he holds the Guinness World Record for "longest career as a live-action Marvel superhero". His last turn as the mutant was "Logan", the 2017 sequel to "The Wolverine". The 51-year-old star said though a comeback sounds good, he would rather not return.
"It's kind of like, you're on your way home and your friend rings you and goes, 'Oh, dude, a new DJ just came on and the music is awesome, are you going to come back?' "And you say, 'Sounds good but¿ no.' They're fine with someone else," he said.
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Empire, Shark Tank, StartUp: These business shows that will bring alive the entrepreneur in you
By www.mid-day.com
Published On :: 9 May 2020 03:04:27 GMT
If you are a budding entrepreneur and an avid watcher of TV shows, you must be certainly thinking of which product to launch post the lockdown and if there are any shows out there that can help you better assess the target audience, risks, financial aspect amongst other facts that are involved with launching your own business.
While business markets and sectors are certainly a tough place to be in with a humongous competition, here are a few shows that will give you a glimpse of the entrepreneurial world with a few lessons that will help you through your journey.
Silicon Valley
Created by Mike Judge, Silicon Valley is a critically-acclaimed sitcom that follows the struggle of a group of young software programmers and developers trying to succeed in Silicon Valley. The show features the challenges new entrepreneurs face to make an impact in the competitive environment of Silicon Valley, despite having a game-changing product. Silicon Valley recently completed its 6th season and can be viewed in the country on Disney+Hotstar
Shark Tank
Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy Award-winning reality show that has reinvigorated entrepreneurship around the world, recently returned with its dynamic eleventh season. The Sharks – tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons – continue their search to invest in the best businesses and products that America has to offer. Watching this show will give you an insight of all aspects of the business world as you will develop the insight of a venture capitalist mind. Season 11 of Shark Tank is exclusively streaming on Voot Select while its television premier on 18th May 2020 on Colors Infinity
Billions
Think of Billions as the high-finance counterpart to House of Cards and you will not be far off the mark. Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti are superb as, respectively, the win-at-all-costs head of a massive hedge fund and the win-at-all-costs district attorney determined to put him behind bars, although both are thoroughly upstaged by the even better Maggie Siff as the woman who keeps both at the top of their game. This show emphasizes on the importance of being street smart and ahead of the game. The latest season of Billions is streaming in the country on Disney+Hotstar
Empire
Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Empire is a drama series that tells the story of Empire Entertainment, a fictional hip hop music and entertainment company, and the drama that unfolds among the members of the founders’ family as they fight for control of it. The show will familiarize you with the importance of always staying on top of your game, the show is streaming in the country on Disney+Hotstar
Startup
StartUp follows the emergence of GenCoin, a brilliant yet controversial tech idea centred on a digital currency — an idea that gets incubated on the wrong side of the tracks by three strangers who don’t necessarily fit the mould of 'tech entrepreneurs' and a crooked FBI agent who will go to any lengths to take them down. The series is available to watch in the country on Amazon Prime India.
Tune-in to these compelling entrepreneurial shows for all the inspiration you need to begin your journey towards your dreams.
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Bhumi Pednekar - "How I represent women on screen is very important"
By Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 03:54:28 GMT
Bhumi Pednekar is one of the most exciting young actors of our generation. The young actress in her first few years of journey in Bollywood has already given audiences some really strong and brilliant female protagonists in films like Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Toilet, Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan, Bala, Saand Ki Aankh, Son Chiriya, among others.
“For me, how I represent women on screen is very important. Cinema has the power to influence people and I do feel that through our portrayal of women, we can push the messaging of equality, of independence. I have looked out for such characters and play them with all my heart of screen. I have been fortunate to have got these characters that have made a mark and stood out,” says Bhumi.
The talented actress will be soon seen as a leading lady in the Akshay Kumar presentation Durgavati and award-winning director Alankrita Srivastava’s Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare.
“I thank my visionary filmmakers who chose to tell stories of these magnificent women to the people of my country. It has been an honour to be a part of their cinema and bring such courageous, fantastic, confident women on screen,” she says.
Bhumi intends people to realise how equality is yet to be achieved in society through cinema. “My journey in cinema has just begun. I will continue to strive to find more such women whose stories I want to tell on screen. I feel when people see such women and their lives, their struggles, their pain, their dreams, their victories, there can be a shift in perspective. It might help us to further understand how far we are from achieving equality and how much women can contribute in making our country and our society stronger,” she says.
