On May 1, Shirish Kunder's directorial Mrs Serial Killer was released on Netflix. The film is co-produced by Farah Khan. While Jacqueline Fernandez, Manoj Bajpayee and Mohit Raina play the lead roles, the film also marks the debut of Zayn Khan, who is the daughter of Mansoor Khan and niece of Aamir Khan.

On Thursday, Farah Khan took to her Instagram handle to share a picture with Zayn Khan. Sharing the picture she also revealed how life came a full circle for her with Zayn's debut in her film. "In 1992 her father, Mansur khan gave me a break as choreographer in #jojeetawohisikandar .. 28 yrs later his daughter @zaynmarie makes her debut n wins hearts in our film , #mrsserialkiller.. life has a way of coming full circle," she wrote.

 

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In 1992 her father, Mansur khan gave me a break as choreographer in #jojeetawohisikandar .. 28 yrs later his daughter @zaynmarie makes her debut n wins hearts in our film , #mrsserialkiller.. life has a way of coming full circle ♥️

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) on May 7, 2020 at 4:00am PDT

Mrs Serial Killer is the story of a renowned gynaecologist who is accused of murdering five unmarried pregnant girls. All the evidence is against him due to which his bail is rejected. With no other option in hand, the gynaecologist’s wife decides to commit a copycat crime to prove his innocence. While Manoj Bajpayee plays the gynaecologist, Jacqueline Fernandez plays the dutiful better half. Mohit Raina essays the role of the cop. As for Zayn Marie Khan, she plays Anushka, who is selected by Jacqueline’s character Sona as her target.

ALSO READ: 16 Years Of Main Hoon Na: “Farah Khan is the only director who feels I could be a very COOL action hero” – Shah Rukh Khan

Actor Dwayne Johnson just made his teacher's dream come true! The actor sent out a congratulatory message to Carol Propst, an English teacher at Virginia High School, who was retiring after working for 39 years as a teacher. One of her colleagues reached out to Johnson on Twitter and the actor obliged with a video message.

"Today I received the ultimate retirement send-off: a personalized message from Dwayne @TheRock Johnson! Thanks to all my beloved students and colleagues. BVPS, YOU ROCK! #propstrocks," Propst shared on Twitter.

So it happened. I’ll tell the story in a series of tweets but @TheRock reached out to us to surprise @PropstMiss. @news5wcyb videoed it and will run a segment about it tonight at 10. THANK YOU to Dwayne Johnson! Thank you to @garyskeen01 for his major role in this. #propstrocks https://t.co/aVojzFIUcg pic.twitter.com/o4nhmHc4bc

— Noah Ashbrook (@Mr_Ashbrook) May 6, 2020

Dwayne was heard saying, "Hey Carole, Dwayne Johnson here. I wanted to take a moment to say congratulations. Congratulations, Carole, for your retirement from Virginia High School after 39 amazing, incredible years. Wow!"

"Carol. Congratulations! I am so happy for you, and I am so proud of you. And, being that this is teacher appreciation week, on behalf of all parents, Carole I say thank you. Thank you and thank all of your fellow teachers for your wisdom, for your love, for your care, for your discipline — which I needed a lot if you were my teacher. But thank you so much for educating and for caring for our kids," he said.

Day 71. So do I now send our 70 days of thank you tweets to @TheRock? To understand the whole story you first need to see his video he sent to @PropstMiss. I’m editing her reaction video and will post it soon. pic.twitter.com/Sqcin0cOUM

— Noah Ashbrook (@Mr_Ashbrook) May 6, 2020

Dwayne Johnson also sent a gift package to her which included a tequila brand as he said that they would share it one day together.

Seeing her reaction, he responded on Twitter by saying, "Awww I love seeing this. Her reaction is just beautiful. Things like this are the best part of fame."

I‘ll ride with you, Carol ????????????❤️ https://t.co/tevJCWmcAY

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 7, 2020

ALSO READ: Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt to reunite for movie adaptation of Ball and Chain

A huge collaboration has dropped. Singers Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration 'Stuck With U' which is for Covid-19 relief. After years of wait, the two singers have come together for a very special cause.

The lyrics goes, "So, lock the door and throw out the key / Can't fight this no more, It's just you and me / And there's nothin' I, nothin' I, I can do / I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you."

“Grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic,” Ariana said on her Instagram.

 

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Stuck With U by me and @justinbieber. May 8. ???? grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic ???? pre-save now and check back later today for more. ???????????? artwork by one of my favorite artists @lianafinck

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on May 1, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Justin Bieber said in a statement to Just Jared, “More than ever we are seeing the selfless, tireless and amazing work that doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers give to the world every day. It is our hope we can lend our voices to raise awareness and give much-needed support for them and their families. It’s my honor to come together with my friend Ariana and our SB Projects family to try and do some good.”

 

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2 babies all grown up finally collaborate! Excited for tonight @arianagrande

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on May 7, 2020 at 5:17pm PDT

Check it out:

ALSO READ: When BTS member Jungkook attended Ariana Grande’s concert during Sweetener tour, watch videos

With the entire nation coming to a standstill by the pandemic, there are professionals whose livelihood has been dearly affected. In a distressing situation like this, Hrithik Roshan has stepped forward again to help duty officers who are working non-stop. The actor delivered hand sanitizers to the Mumbai Police.

Mumbai Police, on Thursday, tweeted, “Thank you @iHrithik for this thoughtful gesture of delivering hand sanitisers for Mumbai Police personnel on duty. We are grateful for your contribution towards safeguarding the health and safety of our frontline warriors. #MumbaiPoliceFoundation.”

Hrithik expressed his gratitude towards the officials. “My gratitude to our police forces, who have taken our safety in their hands. Stay safe. My love & respect to all in the line of duty,” he on Friday morning.

My gratitude to our police forces, who have taken our safety in their hands. Stay safe. My love & respect to all in the line of duty ???????? https://t.co/aaE75HAjG0

— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) May 8, 2020

Earlier, Hrithik Roshan extended support by arranging for N95 and FFP3 masks for the BMC workers and caretakers and also facilitated over 1.2 lakh nutritious cooked meals for the needy. He has also financially supported the paparazzi of Bollywood who are facing the brunt of the lockdown.

ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan, Anushka Sharma, Varun Dhawan and other Bollywood celebrities react to Vizag Gas leak

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 after his prolonged battle with leukemia. He was diagnosed in 2018 and headed to New York for his treatment. He was back in Mumbai in September 2019. He passed away at the age of 67 in Mumbai. The Kapoor family, friends, and fans continue to remember him on social media.

On Thursday, Raveena Tandon shared a video of Rishi Kapoor which he had recorded for her father Ravi Tandon for his 80th birthday. “Dearest dearest Chintu uncle.. you are missed everyday. Just before his going to New York for treatment, he recorded this for papa, and then surprised him by being there with us on papas birthday. ♥️ you will always be there at home and in our hearts forever Chintuuncle. ♥️ we love you,” she wrote on Instagram.

 

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Just before his going to New York for treatment, he recorded this for papa, and then surprised him by being there with us on papas birthday. ♥️ you will always be there at home and in our hearts forever Chintuuncle. ♥️ we love you .

A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) on May 7, 2020 at 7:49am PDT

A week ago, she recalled the time when Rishi Kapoor praised her. “My heart had filled with pride when I read this praise coming from chintu uncle in the press.. saved this cutting from the year 2009. So many memories and broken hearts you leave behind .#farewell #foreverlove Will miss you too much chintu uncle,” she said.

 

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My heart had filled with pride when I read this praise coming from chintu uncle in the press.. saved this cutting from the year 2009. So many memories and broken hearts you leave behind .... #farewell #foreverlove Will miss you too much chintu uncle .

A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) on Apr 30, 2020 at 4:29am PDT

Raveena Tandon and Rishi Kapoor starred in Saajan Ki Baahon Mein in 1995.

 

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Just totally love you ! Seems like a part of my life , my childhood memories , my now .. all taken away so fast . Not fair chintu uncle. Not fair on all of us Couldn’t even say a goodbye . We will miss you terribly. ???????????????????? #memories His infectious laughter,his wit,incidents,even when he used to scold me on sets when working with him.Still seeing me,as the same 5 year old he knew,My first walkie talkie doll he bought from Paris,a make up gift for getting engaged to neetu aunty without telling me.

A post shared by Raveena Tandon (@officialraveenatandon) on Apr 30, 2020 at 1:57am PDT

ALSO READ: Flashback Friday: Kareena Kapoor Khan shares old photo of Rishi Kapoor with Randhir, Babita and RD Burman

Arjun Kapoor has always appreciated eclectic content. The actor, who runs his own digital property Arjun Recommends through which suggests great content for people to binge on, is currently gorging on yesteryears acclaimed TV show Byomkesh Bakshi played by actor Rajit Kapur.

For Arjun, this show is like a whiff of nostalgia from his childhood. He says, “Whenever I could catch Byomkesh Bakshi as a kid, I remember I enjoyed it thoroughly. For me, Byomkesh was what a hero should be. Slick, super-intelligent, and charismatic, he is one of the best sleuths that I have seen on screen! I have been watching Byomkesh on TV again and it is pure nostalgia for me!”

Arjun lists his reasons why he loves this indigenous super-detective. “The best thing about Byomkesh was that he solved intelligent crimes and that really hooked me on. The writing, the cleverness of the cases really got me interested. The show still hooks you thoroughly and that’s what great writing, great acting can do. Great content has the ability to become timeless and universal,” he adds.

Arjun secretly wishes to play a detective on screen. “Since then, I had always wanted to play a detective who saves the day and saves lives. I got to live my childhood dream by playing an undercover agent and saving the country in India’s Most Wanted! I still hope I get to play a detective on-screen one day!” says Arjun.

Also Read: An overwhelmed Arjun Kapoor wishes a frontline doctor on her birthday as she pens an emotional note

Spanish drama Money Heist aka Le Casa De Papel on Netflix has quickly become of the most-watched shows on the streaming giant. From El Profesor to Tokio, fans absolutely love the characters. Bollywood Hungama recently shared the dream cast if Bollywood adapted it as a film.

During a recent interaction with Behindwoods, Money Heist director Alex Rodrigo was asked who would he select from the list of the Indian actors for the Indian version. Alex chose South superstar Thalapathy Vijay for the role of El Profesor whereas he said Shah Rukh Khan would be best suited for Berlin's role. He further said Ajith Kumar could play Bogota, Ranveer Singh as Denver. He wanted Mahesh Babu and Suriya to take on the roles Tamayo and Suarez. Thalapathy Vijay's fans trended 'Money Heist' in India on Thursday night on Twitter.

Created by Álex Pina, Money Heist aka Le Casa De Papel stars Álvaro Morte as The Professor, Itziar Ituño as Raquel, Úrsula Corberó as Tokyo, Miguel Herrán as Rio, Jaime Lorente Lopez as Denver, Alba Flores as Nairobi, Darko Peric as Helsinki, Esther Acebo as Monica, Hovik Keuchkerian, Rodrigo de la Serna, and Pedro Alonso as Berlin.

ALSO READ: From Shah Rukh Khan to Alia Bhatt, here’s the dream cast of Money Heist if remade in Bollywood

‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ in Bobby gave birth to two stars. Rishi Kapoor who lip-synced this timeless song and Shailendra Sing who actually sang the tune to eternal fame. Singh, now 67, living alone in blissful isolation, blames his own poor networking abilities to his short-lived stardom. “I don’t speak about my past glory and when my friend Chintu (Rishi Kapoor) passed away I saw that wonderful phase in my life when we both dazzled the world come to a closure,” says the affable singer when I coax him into an interview.

“I met him after he returned from his treatment, three months ago. He was his usual self, so full of life, sparkling with humour and warmth…Why does such a man leave us so quickly? We were almost the same age. I still remember a very young fair-skinned boy standing quietly in the studio when I was recording ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ for Raj Saab and Laxmikant-Pyarelalji. He didn’t say anything. Just kept observing, later he introduced himself as the hero of the film that I was singing for, says Shailendra fondly.

How did he, a newcomer, get such a prized singing assignment like Bobby? Shailendra sighs, “Even I wondered why, and how. I had nothing to do with the film fraternity. I lived in Pune and learnt classical Hindustani music from my Guru. Then suddenly one day I was told that Raj Kapoor Saab was looking for a fresh voice for his son, and why don’t I try for it?”

Shailendra “gave it a try” with no expectations. “How was I to know that Raj Saab would like my voice? At that time I had no idea what it was for, that Raj Saab was making a film called Bobby with his son Rishi Kapoor in the lead. Or that the composers were the great Laxmikant-Pyarelal and that my duets would be with the Singing Queen Lata Mangeshkarji. I knew none of this.”

Here came a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. “Laxmikant-Pyarelal wanted the voice of Mohd Rafi Saab for Chintu. But Raj Saab was adamant. It had to be a fresh new voice for Chintu. Aur bhala Raj Saab ki baat kaun taal sakta ttha? So there I was, being told by Laxmikantji to sing something, anything…And guess what I chose to sing for him? ‘Dekha Na Haye Re Socha Na Haye Re’ from Bombay To Goa. An R D Burman composition for Laxmikant-Pyarelal! I remember the very talented composer Rajesh Roshan played the congo as I sang for Laxmi-Pyareji. That was the song of my life ‘Dekha Na Haye Re Socha Na Haye Re’. I never cared about cultivating the right people in the film industry, or belonging to any camp.”

Thereafter a couple of significant incidents happened in the Kapoor parivar. “Daboo (Randhir Kapoor) got married. Raj Saab lost his father (Prithviraj Kapoor). Finally I recorded ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’. Everyone congratulated me. I was formally introduced to the film fraternity by Raj saab at a get-together. I remember Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Rajesh Khanna, R D Burman they were all there. My dream run had just begun. The duets with Lataji were yet to come, though she was there for my recording of ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’. I remember she introduced herself (as though I didn’t know who she was!), watched me sing and then left quietly. Soon I was singing ‘Hum Tum Ek Kamre Band Ho’ with her. The first of our three super hit duets in Bobby. She saw my nervousness and put me at ease. I became a lifelong fan. My day still starts with her song. By the way ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ was re-recorded. I had to do it a second time, though I thought I was better in the first version.”

Shailendra Singh reveals how his dream of becoming Rishi Kapoor’s permanent ghost voice were shattered. “I thought I’d be Chintu’s ghost-voice, just like Mukesh Saab for Raaj saab. Chintu of course believed in my voice. He would always recommend me. I sang two songs for him in his second film Zehreela Insaan. I was supposed to sing a third song ‘Oh Hanseeni’, which became the biggest hit of the film. Before I knew it, the song was taken away from me and given to Kishore Kumar Saab.”

An identical situation arose during Saagar. “I was told S P Balasubramaniamji would be Kamal Haasan’s voice. And I would be singing all the songs for Chintu. I recorded one song ‘Jaane Do Na’ with Ashaji for Saagar .It was used for the mahurat of the film. And then suddenly, all the other songs were sung by Kishore Kumar Saab. I don’t blame anyone for this sudden change. Kishoreda was a much bigger and better singer than me. I am happy to have got songs like ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ (Bobby), ‘Humne Tumko Dekha’ (Khel Khel Mein), ‘Sham Suhanee Aaye’ (Zinda Dil), ‘Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun’ (Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai), ‘Jaane Do Na’ (Saagar) and ‘Oh Meri Jaan’ (Manzil Manzil). The rest was all destiny.”

In 1994, Shailendra Singh was hospitalized for complication due to diabetes. “The talk in the industry was that I had a heart attack and that I had died. I didn’t die. But the rumours killed my career.”

Shailendra’s acting ambitions also came in the way of his singing career. “I played the lead in a couple of Hindi films Agreement opposite Rekhaji and Do Jasoos where I got to work with Raj Saab as an actor. Then I did guest appearances in two films with Bhaijaan (Mehmood) Ginny Aur Johnny and Naukar. I was very close to Bhaijaan. I also played the lead in a Bengali film Ajosro Dhanyobaad with Aparna Sen as my leading lady. I spoke all my dialogue in Bengali and sang all the songs…I soon realized acting wasn’t my forte. Singing was. And singing it shall remain. Even today no matter where I go at every concert the audiences go wild when I sing ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’. Incidentally Chintu returned to sing ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ in Kunal Kohli’s Hum Tum in my voice. It was a grand reunion. Now I will sing ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ for Chintu when we meet again. ”

Also Read: Dimple Kapadia’s big Rishi Kapoor connection & little Irrfan Khan connection

Rishi Kapoor passed away after battling leukemia for over two years, while the family is still coping with the loss, Neetu Kapoor has thanked the hospital authorities and Mukesh and Nita Ambani for their consistent support and love. Even though Riddhima couldn’t make it to her father’s funeral, she is currently in Mumbai to stay with her mother and brother in these trying times.

With an overload of throwback pictures and tributes, Rishi Kapoor will surely be missed by everyone in the industry along with his ardent fans. His charm and positive nature is still looked up to with Riddhima and Ranbir providing the much-needed support to Neetu Kapoor. A week after Rishi Kapoor’s demise, Riddhima Kapoor has shared a picture with Ranbir Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor citing that they have got her back.

Take a look at it.

Also Read: Neetu Kapoor thanks Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani for their consistent love and support

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

Casting couch is a reality in the film industry and time and again some of the celebrities have shared their experience regarding the same. Sherlyn Chopra has also been on the receiving end of it.

Sherlyn Chopra in an interview with an entertainment portal revealed that at the initial stage of her career when she would approach filmmakers with her portfolio they would ask her to meet them for dinner at around 11 or 12 in the night. At first, Sherlyn said that she was clueless and took time to understand that filmmakers do not have a professional dinner in mind. She said that dinner means compromise for them.

Sherlyn said that once she understood the intentions of the filmmakers she would politely let them know that she was not interested. Sherlyn then started telling filmmakers who approached her with dinner that she does not have dinner and asked them to invite her for breakfast or lunch and they would never respond.

Sherlyn has acted in films such as Jawani Diwani: A Youthful Joyride, Dil Bole Hadippa! and Red Swastik.

ALSO READ: Ayushmann Khurrana recalls a casting couch incident from his early days in Bollywood

Actress Rakul Preet Singh took to Twitter to debunk false news being shared about her. It was reported that she was spotted buying alcohol in the market.

“What was @Rakulpreet buying during the #lockdown? She was buying alcohol?,” read a tweet by @KRKBoxOffice. In the video shared, Rakul was seen in casuals. She had a mask on her mouth and is seen carrying a few items in her hands. Replying to the tweet, Rakul wrote, "Oh wow ! I wasn’t aware that medical stores were selling alcohol.”

What was @Rakulpreet buying during the #lockdown? She was buying alchohol? pic.twitter.com/XmBVYVL8Gn

— KRKBOXOFFICE (@KRKBoxOffice) May 7, 2020

Following Rakul's response, several netizens came to her support and tweeted that she need not justify the video as buying alcohol is not wrong. Some also pointed out that it is an invasion of privacy by making a video and posting it online.

All liquor shops were shut down when the lockdown was first imposed on March 25. During the third phase of lockdown which started on May 4, the government allowed liquor shops to function. However, owing to the chaos outside liquor shops on day one of the lockdown 3.0, several state governments shut down liquor shops.

Rakul will soon be seen in a cross-border romantic-comedy with actor Arjun Kapoor. The film is directed by debutant Kaashvie Nair and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Nikkhil Advani and John Abraham.

ALSO READ: Rakul Preet Singh talks about how her parents were more comfortable with the idea of her wearing a bikini

Neena Gupta treated her followers on Instagram with a fun video as the actress hit the five lakh mark on the social media platform. On Thursday, Neena Gupta took to Instagram to express her gratitude to all her fans who helped achieve five lakh followers.

Neena Gupta who is very active on Instagram shared a video where she is seen thanking her followers and fans. She is seen in a joyous mood as she cheerfully jumps around while addressing her followers. She said that it was because of her fans, their prayers and comments that helped her in hitting five lakh followers. Sharing the video, she wrote, "Thank you thank you."

 

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Thank you thank you

A post shared by Neena Gupta (@neena_gupta) on May 7, 2020 at 7:46am PDT

Neena Gupta constantly updates her fans about her life and expresses her thoughts on various topics through social media. From her fitness to beauty care to current topics, the actress shares her opinion on everything.

Neena Gupta started her second wave in cinema with her incredible performance in the film Badhaai Ho. She was seen in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Panga.

ALSO READ: After getting a head massage from husband Vivek Mehra, Neena Gupta returns the favour

Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khan shared the screen space for the first time in Piku and had become very close friends through the course of this Shoojit Sircar directorial. The film that explored a father-daughter relationship in its truest forms has completed 5 years of its release and this time, it comes with a sad note as Irrfan Khan, who played a pivotal role in the film, passed away a few days ago.

The entire industry mourned for this loss and now, Deepika Padukone bids a teary farewell to her friend with the lyrics of one of the film’s songs, ‘Lamhe Guzar Gaye’. The movie will always hold a special place in our hearts for all the right reasons. Deepika Padukone shared an unseen candid picture with Irrfan Khan where they are seen laughing about something. Take a look at it.

 

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लम्हे गुज़र गये चेहरे बदल गये हम थे अंजानी राहो में पल में रुला दिया पल में हसा के फिर रह गये हम जी राहो में थोड़ा सा पानी है रंग है थोड़ी सी छावो है चुभती है आँखो में धूप ये खुली दिशाओ में और दर्द भी मीठा लगे सब फ़ासले ये कम हुए ख्वाबो से रस्ते सजाने तो दो यादो को दिल में बसाने तो दो लम्हे गुज़र गये चेहरे बदल गये हम थे अंजानी राहो में थोड़ी सी बेरूख़ी जाने दो थोड़ी सी ज़िंदगी लाखो स्वालो में ढूंधू क्या थक गयी ये ज़मीन है जो मिल गया ये आस्मा तो आस्मा से मांगू क्या ख्वाबो से रस्ते सजाने तो दो यादो को दिल में बसाने तो दो -Piku Rest in Peace my Dear Friend...???? #rana #piku #bhaskor @shoojitsircar @juhic3 #5yearsofpiku

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 8, 2020 at 1:45am PDT

The film could not have had a better casting than Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan, and Amitabh Bachchan.

Also Read: Post Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor’s demise, John Cena shares pictures of the legends on his Instagram

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

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

Take a look at it.

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

The nation is under a lock-down, and like everyone else, Tiger Shroff is also trying to sail through this time by keeping himself occupied at home. But it looks like he simply can't get the Baaghi franchise off his mind.

About two weeks back, Baaghi completed four years, and the actor wrote a brief, emotional note on Instagram, sharing a BTS video with us. Today, he shared with us glimpses of his workshop for the film, in Bangkok where it was shot. The video has Tiger practicing for some intense action sequences and packing powerful kicks. "Workshop, on set rehearsal, and action! Busy streets of bangkok," he wrote. Watch the video below.

 

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Workshop, on set rehearsal, and action! Busy streets of bangkok❤️#baaghi1

A post shared by Tiger Shroff (@tigerjackieshroff) on May 6, 2020 at 2:52am PDT

Baaghi 3, the latest edition of the franchise, looked promising and fans were looking forward to all the action and entertainment. It released on 6 th March but only had a brief run at the theatres. Baaghi 3 is now streaming on an OTT platform.

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

On May 8, Amitabh Bachchan remembered two late actors - Irrfan Khan and Sridevi. He took to social media to share stills from Khuda Gawah and Piku as the films complete 28 years and 5 years respectively. Both Sridevi and Irrfan Khan have been two of the finest actors of the film industry and left the world a little too soon.

The Shahenshah actor took to Instagram and shared a collage of a still from both films. Sharing the picture, he wrote, “28 years of KHUDA GAWAH .. 5 years of PIKU .. today 8th May .. and in remembrance of the two that have left us.”

 

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28 years of KHUDA GAWAH .. 5 years of PIKU .. today 8th May .. and in remembrance of the two that have left us ????

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) on May 8, 2020 at 10:27am PDT

Amitabh Bachchan even took to his blog to share some memories of the films. “28 years of Khuda Gawah .. 5 years of Piku .. vivid as ever .. alive in memory .. lost in the remembrance of the two from there .. exceptional in presence and talent .. and leaving at such short presence .. But a third too from Khuda Gawah .. the director Mukul S Anand .. left too early .. the magic of his vision .. his eyes were magical camera lenses .. even after this large interval the frames he did were extraordinary .. Khuda Gawah .. the shooting in Afghanistan .. a book shall be required to describe that detail .. hopefully some day ..” he wrote talking about Khuda Gawah.

Remembering Piku in which he shared screen with Irrfan Khan and Deepika Padukone, he wrote, “.. and Piku .. each day spent in the delight of inventing, ad libbing .. making that which has not been written or described , but felt .. doing that which even during the early working days at Calcutta were never done .. cycling the streets ..”

ALSO READ:  Abhishek Bachchan shares fond memories of traveling with Amitabh Bachchan for live stage shows

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

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

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

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

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

A day back, Deepika Padukone and late Irrfan Khan's film Piku completed five years. Irrfan's demise is still being mourned by his friends, colleagues and fans. Deepika took to Instagram to share a video of herself playing tennis with the actor. "Please come back," she wrote.

The video was taken on the sets of Piku. Deepika, who had a deep fondness for Irrfan like all of us, earlier paid a tribute to him with the song 'Lamhe Guzar Gaye', from the same film. Along with that, she also shared a throwback photo from the sets.

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please come back!???? #irrfankhan

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) on May 8, 2020 at 8:27pm PDT

Irrfan, who was battling cancer for the past two years, spent half of this time in London, getting himself treated. Despite not being in the best of health, he shot for Homi Adajania's Angrezi Medium, which also remains his last theatrical release so far. Irrfan breathed his last on 29th April, at a Mumbai hospital and is survived by wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons.

An EU-funded project is developing software designed to prevent, detect and act on cyberattacks on smart meters in big infrastructure installations, boosting the security of our power supplies.

EU-funded researchers have developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques to replace and repair brain cells, opening up novel therapeutic pathways to combat debilitating disorders such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

An EU-funded project has linked scientists with experts in industry to forge partnerships aimed at creating new products to improve the lives of people with dementia. The research is creating tools to help remind people with dementia to undertake the tasks critical to their daily lives.

By failing to properly take gender interactions into account in research we are limit-ing today's science. EU-funded research is revealing how economic trends affect genders differently, as for example in the COVID-19 crisis. It is also looking at how the interaction between genders impacts macroeconomic trends.

South African model Anna Modler has given clear indication that she is in lockdown with Chilean footballer Alexis Sanchez.

Rumours of Anna dating the footballer emerged after she shared a picture of her posing next to Alexis's Golden Retrievers, Atom and Humber last month.

Last week, she shared another picture on Instagram with the canines and wrote: "Thank you for stopping me from working out. I agree, it's definitely time to eat."

Commenting on the picture, one of her model friends, Morgan Shelly wrote in South African slang: "Lekker man. Nice to see you're hanging out with your family," to which, she replied: "Thank you Morgan."

Meanwhile, a follower commented: "Isn't love beautiful!! You made Alexis happy. Stay with him."

Another wrote: "Come on!! We all know you Alexis girlfriend. Post a photo with him already."

Interestingly, neither Alexis, 31, nor Anna, 22, follow each other on social media, but Anna does follow the Instagram account of the footballer's pets.

Alexis and Anna were first pictured together at a train station in Wilmslow, United Kingdom, last August before the former Arsenal star left Manchester United.

However, her identity was a mystery then.

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If it is CK Vineeth responding to the COVID-19 helpline in Kerala, his Indian teammate Subhashish Bose has taken it upon himself to feed the homeless and jobless in his home town Subhasgram in South 24 parganas. Amid the nationwide lockdown, a long queue could be seen every morning at Subhasgram comprising of local rickshaw pullers, daily wage earners or small time hawkers who come to collect their daily ration. Bose, a member of the 'Blue Tigers' would be at the other end, happily distributing packets containing rice, pulses, potatoes, onions and other staple food items. This is his way of paying back to the society. "The rickshaw pullers who have so many times offered me free rides to-and-fro to local matches, that local vendor and shopkeeper who had gifted me so many free packets of food after heart-warming performances -- I felt I needed to pay them back," the India left-back told PTI of his daily regime since Friday.

"It was such a satisfaction to hand over some food items to lot many known faces whom I have known in my locality over my upbringing." India had imposed a nationwide lockdown since March 24 to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the worst-hit were people from the lower strata of the society whose life revolve around their daily wages. One fine morning, the 24-year-old felt restless and was awakened by the Swami Vivekananda's soul-stirring words 'Arise, Awake, And Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached!' "It kept on reverberating between my ears. My conscience did not allow me to shy away -- rather it kept on pushing me to give it back to the society where I have grown up."

"Somewhere down the line, however, I felt restless. It's understandable that even as we need to Stay Home Stay Safe, there have been so many brave hearts who have cared less for their lives, and are out to serve the country in this troubled time -- the doctors, nurses, cleaners, police, journalists, etc. It's not only the frontline workers, who are put their lives on line but citizens need to do their bit, reckons Bose. "But are they enough? Can we all just sit back on our cosy rooms, and expect the privilege of others keeping us safe? Don't we need more volunteers? And eventually, I had to move out -- not for fun, not to have a roam, but try to lend a helping hand," he said. He is thankfu to GOd that he has made a decent living as a footballer playing in the cash-ruch Indian Super League and for the Indian team. "God is kind, that today I am able to help them. Thank you, Lord for providing me with the strength. All of that was done by maintaining social distancing, and proper protection.

"All of them whom I handed over packets wanted to hug me but couldn't because of the social distancing. "Some of them had tears in their eyes. Their hugs can wait as we need nrmalcy to return. Till then stay home, and stay safe," he added. The Mumbai City FC defender was looking forward to the Indian camp when the pandemic halted all sporting activities. "A longer camp for the national team was planned and we were forward to it. But under current circumstances all sporting action around the world has been postponed." Asked whether he's missing the game, he replied: "Human lives are of utmost importance, and like everyone around us, I look forward for normalcy to return soon." The defender however regrets that he's not able to go out for runs so he's making the best use of the time at his private gym. "I cannot go out for my runs. So I am trying to keep myself as much fit as possible indoors. I try to sweat out at least two hours a day in my personal gym so that I stay in proper shape when the season resumes. "There is also monitoring from the medical staff, and we need to strict to the regimes provided," he concluded.

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

Jesse Lingard

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

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The Real Madrid superstar is one of the best players in the world and his talent is clear for all to see. But, these five facts about the Belgian aren’t as well-known.

Hazard was scoring goals before he was even born
Eden Hazard comes from a footballing family, with his younger brothers Thorgan, Kylian and Ethan all playing currently and with his father Thierry and mother Carine both playing football too when they were younger. Carine played in the Belgian women’s first division and stopped when she was three months pregnant with Eden, meaning that he was sort of a part of some of his mother’s final goals before he was born.

Zidane was Hazard's idol as he grew up
Zinedine Zidane is now Hazard’s boss and this must feel surreal every day the Belgian goes to work. As a kid, he grew up admiring Zizou and even possessed a France national team shirt with Zidane’s name and number on the back. Zidane has long been fond of Hazard too, expressing his love of the playmaker’s game long before he was signed by Real Madrid.

Hazard is the youngest Ligue 1 Player of the Year
The Ligue 1 Player of the Year prize is given out at the end of every season to the star of France’s top league and Eden Hazard won this award twice during his time with Lille, claiming it in back-to-back years for his displays in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons. He was just 20 years of age when he won the first one, making him the youngest ever player to claim this award.

Hazard is a New York Knicks fan
As well as his love for football, Hazard is also a big basketball fan. He enjoys the NBA and attends matches in North America when he can. The Belgian even has a team that he supports, having declared himself a New York Knicks fan.

San Diego 1904 FC is partly owned by Hazard
Hazard still has many years of playing at the top level ahead of him, but he has already stepped into the world of football club ownership, doing so with NISA side San Diego 1904 FC. He co-founded it in 2016 along with Demba Ba and other business partners.

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Former FC Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez admits that one day he would like to return to coach the Catalan giants. Xavi is currently in charge of Qatari club Al-Sadd and in January rejected the chance to replace the sacked Ernesto Valverde at the club. However, in an interview on YouTube, he admitted that his ambition is to coach in the Camp Nou, Xinhua news reports."

"Now I have tried as a coach, I think I'm able to do it and it is a dream to be able to return to Barcelona." "I have said it many times, that I consider Barcelona to be my home and my life," he said.

"I am learning a lot here in Qatar and although saying I want to coach Barca is a big statement and you have to be properly prepared in order to do so, it is a process and I hope one day to get there," commented Xavi, who added that for the moment he was content living in Qatar.

Earlier, six FC Barcelona board members stepped down and told president Josep Maria Bartomeu they are not pleased at how the club is being managed.

According to a BBC report, the six board members expressed their concern over the financial implications in a joint letter amid the coronavirus crisis.

"We have arrived at this point because we cannot reverse the way the club is managed in the face of important challenges in the future, especially in the post-pandemic era," the six said in their letter as quoted by BBC.

"We also want to show our displeasure over the unfortunate episode about the social media accounts, known as 'Barcagate', which we learned about through the press.

"As our last act of service to the club, we recommend that elections are called as soon as circumstances permit so that the club can be managed in the best way possible and deal with the important challenges of the immediate future."

In response to the resignations, Barca said they have come about "due to a reorganisation of the board put forward by Bartomeu and which will be completed in the next few days".

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England footballer Dele Alli turned 24 recently and celebrated despite being in isolation due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Tottenham star posted pictures of his April 11 birthday celebration on social media where he played games like Twister and Pin the tail of the donkey. "Turning 24 in isolation wasn't so bad," Dele captioned his Instagrammed pictures. Dele loves his Playstation and so it was no surprise to see his cake in the shape of a PS controller.

Dele was even seeing enjoying a barbecue lunch in his garden, wearing a cute, silver conical cap and shades. His 7.1 million Instagram followers enjoyed his posts, giving him over five lakh 'likes'.

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The father of Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has said that the Brazilian forward will decide his next career move for himself.

Dismissing claims that he heavily influences his son's key decisions, Neymar Santos Sr said his priority was to provide moral support for the 28-year-old, reports Xinhua news agency.

"He is always the one who chooses which path to take," Neymar Sr said in an Instagram Live video on Wednesday. "We only work administratively: to make sure he has the best contract, to put him in the best home and have the best career management."

He described Neymar's 2013 move to Barcelona as the realisation of a "childhood dream". But the 55-year-old, who has acted as Neymar's agent since 2011, denied speculation the 28-year-old could return to the Camp Nou this summer, insisting he is happy at the Parc des Princes.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Brazilian journalist Beto Saad, Neymar Sr also revealed that the former Santos prodigy was close to joining Corinthians instead of Barcelona.

"We were close to signing a deal. But I said to Neymar, 'Go (to Barcelona) first. Carve out a career there and then we'll talk about it'," he added.

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

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

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

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Kevin De Bruyne is recovering from an illness, but the Manchester City star says he is not sure if he had coronavirus. De Bruyne and his family felt ill for around two weeks, but the Belgian international did not find out whether or not it was the virus. "I am doing well, to be honest," De Bruyne told Sky Sports on Friday. "The first two weeks my family was sick so it was a little bit like up and down, but now they are all healthy.

"We don't know if we had it (coronavirus) or not but I think we're doing well now." With De Bruyne recovered, the midfielder is trying to keep as fit as he can while adhering to social distancing rules. The Premier League is suspended indefinitely because of the pandemic, but there remains a chance play will resume this season. "Well, the first two weeks was a little bit weird because I don't know what's going on," De Bruyne said.

"Then I managed to get a treadmill. I was swimming a little bit because I'm lucky to have a pool downstairs. "I was doing a couple of lengths but now mostly I'm doing a run and I would say every other day I would choose between swimming and doing some exercise, so I'm keeping fairly good for what we can on our own, I guess." Asked if City are sending through information and drills, he said: "They send us like a fairly big programme. "I think at the beginning of lockdown some of the gym physios went to the club and made videos of what we can do, different types of exercises.

"But there's a few things that I like to do, obviously it's more the running and the swimming exercise. "I do a little bit in-between but I'm not one for sitting like an hour or two hours in a gym. "I get bored of doing stuff on my own anyway so I prefer to do running, where I keep busy for myself and listen to some podcasts and all that stuff."

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

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

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

Statistical solution

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

David James

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

Survival of clubs

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

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

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

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

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

Jesse Lingard

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

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Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand's wife Kate has said that while she was initially 'anxious and stressed' with the Coronavirus-caused lockdown, she is now spending most of her time homeschooling her three children Lorenz, 13, Tate, 11, and Tia, nine. Kate, 28, in association with an online education company, has launched a free toolkit of edutainment activities for primary school children to help those homeschooling during the current lockdown.

"At the beginning of lockdown, I felt a bit anxious and stressed. I didn't have any routine but this is something to do every day. You feel like you're in a little community doing it together," Kate, 28, told Britain's MailOnline.

Speaking of the homeschooling experience, Kate said that she and hubby Rio, 41, are trying their best to make things fun: "For the first three weeks of homeschooling, I was overwhelmed. It's quite hard for us having three children and all having sessions at different times. It's about trying to get the balance of making it fun as well as doing school work and trying to manage a good family life."

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A chance to play with him, have lunch and watch a game of football from the owners box. David Beckham, part owner of the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, is auctioning off all that stuff. Former England captain and Manchester United legend Beckham is doing this as part of the league's participation in the All In Challenge, which raises money for organisations that are helping feed the hungry during the coronavirus pandemic, including Meals on Wheels, No Kid Hungry, America's Food Fund, World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.

The MLS season is suspended from March 12 with the deadly virus causing havoc in the United States. Earlier this month, Beckham had expressed gratitude towards all the frontline workers who are risking their lives in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, saying it was "another week of hard work". Beckham had taken to Instagram to post a video story in which he was seen clapping along with his family.

"Managed to set the phone up this week to get the whole family showing our appreciation for all the frontline workers and our brilliant NHS. Thank you for another week of hard work. #ClapForOurCarers," Beckham had written in his Instagram story.

The entire world has come to a standstill amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Sports activities have also taken a big hit and almost all the events have been postponed or cancelled, including the Olympics.

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

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

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

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Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi has often spoken about the liking he has had for former teammate Neymar and the Brazilian has now revealed how one of the greatest footballers to have played the beautiful game always had his back at the La Liga club.

"Honestly, it's difficult, very difficult for me to talk about Messi, because it was very special for me at Barcelona, I say this to everybody," he told Rede Globo's Esporte Espetacular.

"At the moment when I needed the most support, the best player in the world arrived and gave me a hand. He said: 'Come here, I'm here to help you.'" Messi had earlier spoken about how he is still in touch with Neymar and it will be slightly difficult for him to make a return to the club from Paris Saint-Germain.

"We talk to Neymar often. We still have a WhatsApp group with Luis (Suarez)", Messi told Argentina's Radio Metro, as quoted by ESPNFC.

"It's difficult for him to come back, as he left here, many club members and people do not want him to come back. From a sporting point of view he would be wonderful, but the other view is also understandable. It is a bit difficult," Messi had said.

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Portugal football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has shown his generous side once again by helping Danish underwear company JBS, who have taken a massive hit on sales due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

According to British tabloid, The Sun, the Juventus player has waived the entire amount he is entitled to from JBS, who manufacture his range of CR7 underpants.

The CR7 range of underwear is one of Cristiano’s most lucrative endorsements and account for 14 per cent of JBS’s total revenue. The company’s CEO Michael Alstrup is most grateful.

“Cristiano’s people have said that because of the Coronavirus this year, there will be no minimum payments at all. And Cristiano has even further helped us not to pay anything until 2021. We are privileged that it was us who started the CR7 brand, and we sit among Cristiano’s closest, just like part of the family,” he said.

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Derby County have thanked captain Wayne Rooney for the leading role he played in the club agreeing a wage deferral with players to help the English Championship club survive the coronavirus crisis. Manager Phillip Cocu, his coaching staff, executives and non-playing staff have also deferred part of their salary. "First team players have voluntarily agreed a substantial deferral that is considerably more than has been reported in the media, while Phillip Cocu and his coaching team, and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pearce and his staff have also agreed significant deferrals," Derby said in a statement.

"Talks across the club have been held in the spirit of unity and co-operation, and everyone has been fully committed to help and play their part. "The club would specifically like to thank Wayne Rooney, the team captain, and Curtis Davies, the Professional Footballers Association's club representative, for their help and support."

Derby seem set for another season in the second tier as they lay 12th in the table when the COVID-19 outbreak brought football to a halt last month. A failure to finish the season is forecast to cost Premier League clubs an estimated ?1 billion ($1.2 billion).

However, the effects of the economic crisis could be even more severe further down the football pyramid as many clubs face a battle to survive.

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

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

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

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Argentine football legend Diego Maradona has asked the "Hand of God" to deliver the world from COVID-19 pandemic and allow normal life to resume. The World Cup winner referred to his hand-assisted goal in the 1986 World Cup after Argentine football chiefs voted to end the current season as well as suspend relegation, saving Diego-managed bottom club Gimnasia from the drop.

"Today this happened to us and many people say it is a new Hand of God," said Diego, alluding to his infamous goal against England. "But today I'm asking for that hand to end this pandemic so people can go back to living their lives, healthy and happy." Then-Argentine captain Diego responded to the controversy over his goal at the World Cup in Mexico by saying "it was the Hand of God!"

Argentina went on to beat England 2-1 in the quarter-final. On being thrown a lifeline by the suspension of the season, he told Argentine daily Clarin: "It's not the ending we had wanted, we were convinced we could save ourselves on the pitch."

Argentina has been in lockdown since March 20 against the Coronavirus, which by early Wednesday had infected 4,114 people with 207 deaths.

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

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

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

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

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

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Paris Saint-Germain were named as Ligue 1 champions on Thursday after France's football league declared the coronavirus-hit season over, leaving some other clubs disappointed and pondering legal action. PSG led the table by 12 points from Marseille when the season was suspended in mid-March because of the Covid-19 outbreak, which has killed over 24,000 people in France. The announcement by the LFP comes after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Tuesday that "professional sports leagues, notably football, cannot restart" because of the pandemic.

"There is no ambiguity about this declaration. We needed to make a final decision about this season. We acknowledge that the 2019-20 season is over," said LFP president Nathalie Boy de la Tour, in a conference call with reporters. France becomes the biggest European league yet to end its season, just as its neighbours in England, Germany, Italy and Spain consider ways of resuming matches. Ruling out any possibility of copying the Netherlands, who voided their season without a champion, relegation or promotion, the LFP arranged a final table on the basis of average points per game.

Ten rounds of matches remained when the campaign was halted, although PSG and Strasbourg both had a game in hand. As a result, PSG are champions with an average of 2.52 points per game, with Andre Villas-Boas's Marseille second with an average of 2 points and qualifying for the Champions League.

Title dedicated to health workers

"We wish to dedicate this title to all health workers and other everyday heroes whose commitment and self-sacrifice throughout these long weeks deserve our admiration," said PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi. It is PSG's ninth French title, the seventh in eight seasons for the Qatar-owned club being awarded in unique circumstances and with many of their foreign players -- including Neymar -- having returned to their home countries with France under strict lockdown. "We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French government to stop the season.

Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone's priority," added Al-Khelaifi, whose club still hope to be able to continue their Champions League campaign having reached the quarter-finals before action stopped. Rennes finish third and also qualify for the Champions League, while fourth-placed Lille will play in the Europa League.

Lyon to appeal?

Toulouse and Amiens, the bottom two, are condemned to relegation, with Lorient, as champions, and Lens coming up from Ligue 2. The usual promotion and relegation play-offs, meanwhile, have been ditched. However, Toulouse have kept open the possibility that they might now take legal action. The identity of the other European representatives depends on whether the finals of the two domestic cups are ever played. Large gatherings remain banned in France until September. However, if the French government and UEFA accept, both finals could be staged in early August with European places still up for grabs.

The LFP then hopes to begin next season by August 23 "at the latest". PSG were due to play Lyon in the League Cup final and Saint-Etienne in the French Cup final. If the games are played, Lyon and Saint-Etienne could qualify for the Europa League by winning. Otherwise, Nice and Reims would qualify by virtue of finishing in fifth and sixth in the league. Lyon -- seventh in the table when the season was stopped -- would otherwise miss out on European qualification for the first time in over two decades. Ironically, they were still involved in this season's Champions League when it was suspended, leading Juventus 1-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas had previously stated his hope that the season could be played to a conclusion via play-offs in August and his club have now hinted at legal action. In a statement on Thursday, Lyon said they "reserve the possibility of trying to appeal against this decision and claiming damages and interest" and adding that "the losses for the club will come to several million euros". For all French clubs, the economic consequences of ending the season now could be dire. Resuming matches behind closed doors would have safeguarded TV income, but the loss for clubs in the top two divisions of remaining payments from broadcasters Canal Plus and beIN Sports is believed to be as high as 243 million euros ($266 million), plus 35 million euros for international rights.

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Italy's 20 Serie A clubs have reiterated their unanimous desire to complete the season as the northern Emilia-Romagna region became the first to open the way to training despite government restrictions. An emergency Lega Serie A assembly via video of the top-flight clubs took place after Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora this week said the chances of restarting were "increasingly narrow". League president Paolo Dal Pino stated after the meeting "his openness to a dialogue with the government from a constructive and collaborative perspective, obtaining on this position the full agreement of all the clubs."

Spadafora has warned that the government will call time on the season which has been suspended since March 9 if the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) fails to convince them on its health and safety protocol. An FIGC meeting slated for May 8 could be decisive. Meanwhile, the Emilia-Romagna region on Friday gave permission for local clubs, including top-flight sides Bologna, Parma, SPAL and Sassuolo, to resume training in sports centres from May 4 if they wished to do so.

Emilia-Romagna regional president Stefano Bonaccini has agreed to allow "professional sportspeople to train individually, in compliance with social distancing rules and without any gatherings in closed-door structures." Southern giants Napoli are also planning to return to training as their safety proposals have received the backing of local authorities.

Friday's league meeting also addressed the issue of TV rights, but no resolutions were adopted concerning broadcasters Sky, DAZN and IMG, with a final payment estimated at 340 million euros ($370 million) for the current season, due to be paid in May. FIGC president Gabriele Gravina has said that calling time would be "the death of Italian football", predicting losses of over 800 million euros in TV rights, sponsors, ticketing and marketing.

If the government did decide to pull the plug on the season it would have the support of a country traumatised by over 28,000 coronavirus deaths. According to a recent survey, two out of three Italians would support a stoppage, in particular in the northern epicentre, stronghold of heavyweights Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan and Atalanta.

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Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne believes the Premier League season will be finished despite the coronavirus pandemic "because the financial aspect is far too important". "My feeling is that we may be able to train again within two weeks. The government wants to restart football as soon as possible to give people something. I think this season will be finished," De Bruyne told Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws.

"The financial aspect is far too important in the Premier League. If the season is not finished, it will cause serious problems," he added. Clubs were presented with the league's "Project Restart" plans at a meeting on Friday and were told the remaining 92 matches of the 2019-2020 season must be played at neutral venues. De Bruyne also said he was optimistic about City's participation in next season's Champions League. UEFA has banned the club from European competition for the next two years for "serious breaches" of financial fair-play rules.

"The club told us they're going to appeal and that they're almost certain to get their way. I'm waiting to see what happens, but I trust my club," said De Bruyne. The 28-year-old Belgium international admitted he would be forced to consider his City future if the ban was upheld. "Once we know more, I will make a decision. Two years without playing in Europe would be long but in the case of one year I might see," he said. bnl/jr/mw/nr

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Former footballer Xavi Hernandez, hoping that Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar will return to Barcelona, said that the latter is among the 'top three or five players in the world'.

"Footballing wise, he's in the top three or five players in the world, no doubt," Goal.com quoted Xavi as saying during an Instagram chat with ex-Barca forward, Samuel Eto'o.

 

 

 

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Avui em connectaré a @roadto2022es per fer una sessió de preguntes i respostes en viu amb @setoo9. Si tens qualsevol pregunta per nosaltres, escriu-la a sota en els comentaris. Les preguntes i respostes es realitzaran a Instagram Live a les 18h horari de Doha, dilluns 4 de maig. ___ Hoy me conectaré a @roadto2022es para celebrar una sesión de preguntas y respuestas en vivo con @setoo9. Si tienes una pregunta para cualquiera de nosotros, escríbela en los comentarios a continuación. Las preguntas y respuestas se realizarán en Instagram Live a las 18:00 hora de Doha, el lunes 4 de mayo. ____ Today, I’ll be in @roadto2022es to participate in a Q&A live session with @setoo9. Send us your questions in comments below, and we’ll answer them on Instagram Live today, Monday 4th, at 18:00h (Doha time)

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"He can make the difference. Let's hope he returns to Barcelona. I'm a Barcelona fan and I want the best players there," he added.

After a four-year stay in the club, the former Barcelona player, Neymar, left in 2017 to join Paris Saint-Germain.

During the interaction, Xavi also expressed a desire to manage Barcelona saying that it is his dream to coach the club.

"In January, it wasn't the right moment. I had conversations with Eric Abidal [Barcelona's sporting director] and Oscar Grau [Barcelona chief executive] and a big offer, but it wasn't the right moment. I need a bit more experience. Coaching Barcelona is my dream. I'd like to do it one day. I've said that many times," he said.

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Former Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has said he received death threats following a racism row involving then-Liverpool forward Luis Suarez in 2011. Uruguay striker Suarez was banned for eight matches by the English Football Association after being found guilty of misconduct for insulting comments to Evra, which included a reference to the left-back's skin colour, at Anfield in October that year. Liverpool, however, mounted a prolonged and public defence of Suarez's conduct as the row between the rival clubs escalated.

Evra said one consequence of the backlash included letters threatening the Frenchman and his family. "Manchester United received so many threatening letters about me," Evra told the club's UTD podcast. "People said: 'We're in jail, we're Liverpool fans. When we get out, we're going to kill you and your family'." Evra said the nature of the threats meant he had to be protected by bodyguards.

"For two months, I had security everywhere I went. They were sleeping in front of my house. Everywhere I went, the security followed me. "It was a tough time, but I wasn't scared. My family were scared: my wife and brother, but I wasn't. "I couldn't understand why people hated me so much. They didn't know the truth." Evra, who saw his attempt to shake hands with Suarez before a match the following February rebuffed by the striker, said he had forgiven his old antagonist and even spoke to the now Barcelona star before the 2015 Champions League final when playing for Juventus.

But it was a very different story at the time , which saw Evra forcing himself to control his emotions after reporting the incident to match referee Andre Marriner, who said it would be dealt with after the game and that both players should continue.

"I remember, during that game, I was talking to myself saying: 'If you punch him now, people will see you as the bad one, people will forget about what he said'," recalled Evra. "I was talking to myself: 'Don't do... do it...' I wasn't focused for the game."

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