Dubbing her as 'wanderlust', actor Kangana Ranaut's team on Sunday posted throwback pictures of her from her trip to Europe in 2008. The picture featured a younger Kangana in her early 20s travelling to various parts of Europe including famous Italy based amphitheatre - the Colosseum.

 

 

 

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Major #Throwback check: Wanderlust Kangana travelling all around Europe (in 2008!!) learning about art-history and wines. Sundays are for reminiscing about those carefree days, till we can travel again ...

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onApr 26, 2020 at 4:08am PDT

The 'Queen' actor is seen dressed in simple yet elegant outfits in the pictures from her two-month-long trip to Europe. "#Throwback to the good old travel days! Major throwback to 2008 when the 21-year-old art, history, and travel enthusiast #KanganaRanaut travelled to Italy for a 2 months long trip!" the team tweeted along with the pictures.

They also shared trivia on the 'Tanu Weds Manu' actor's travel diaries and said that Kangana used to take her camera to each of her trips. "Interesting Trivia: before the iPhone days, she used to take her camera along everywhere," the team tweeted.

Kangana began her acting career at a very young age with her debut film 'Gangster' for which she garnered a lot of appreciation.

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The trailer of Student Of The Year 2 was launched today. The movie, which stars Tiger Shroff as the lead actor, marks the Bollywood debut of two pretty ladies - Ananya Panday (daughter of actor Chunky Pandey) and Tara Sutaria. While Tara is playing the character of Mia, Ananya is playing the role of Shreya in the 'SOTY' sequel.

While Tiger Shroff was seen doing his usual best - dance, action and power-pact dialogue deliveries, Tara and Ananya looked fresh and promising, throughout the trailer.

Check out Student Of The Year 2's trailer:

The first instalment of the movie, which released in 2012, marked the debut of actors Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra in Bollywood. The film was directed by Karan Johar. SOTY2 has been directed by Punit Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar.

Director Shashank Khaitan, who has worked with Dharma Productions with films such has Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Dhadak, took to Twitter, and wrote: "Go Puneet... let the high school games begin ... again ... @iTIGERSHROFF #TaraSutaria #AnanyaPandey @karanjohar @DharmaMovies".

Varun Dhawan also tweeted the trailer and wrote alongside: "Here’s wishing all the new student #tara #ananya and the tiger of our industry @iTIGERSHROFF congratulations on getting into st Teresa. Great job Punit #SOTY2Trailer"

Alia Bhatt wished the team luck and wrote: All the best guys!!!! Looking like soo much fun... @iTIGERSHROFF #AnanyaPanday #TaraSutaria.

Deanne Panday commented on Ananya Panday's Instagram post saying, "So proud of you Ani."

Bhavana Pandey, was all praises for her daughter, after watching the trailer. She wrote, "Fab" on Ananya's Instagram post.

While Warda Nadiadwala commented "Ananya... Kickass", Neelam Kothari wrote "All the Best"

Student Of The Year 2 is slated to hit the screens on May 12.

Also Read: Here's everything you need to know about Student of The Year 2

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Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik

It is common amongst Western scholars and their Westernised students to differentiate between the Vedic yagna and the Puranic puja, rituals that define the two major phases of Hinduism, one that flourished over 3,000 years ago and one that emerged 2,000 years ago. Of course, at the other extreme, we have the bhakta-Indologists who insist that Hinduism has no history, or phases, or evolution — that everything was homogenous and static, until Muslims came into the land 1,000 years ago. The truth is somewhere in between, as usual.

Vedic yagna is conventionally translated as 'sacrifice' and Puranic puja is translated as 'worship'. This translation is the basic problem. Both are based on Christian templates of religion where God of Abraham demands sacrifice (giving up something dear for the pleasure of God) and worship (adoration, veneration of God). Anyone who has actually performed the two rituals, or at least studied the two rituals carefully, will notice that the sacrifice and worship constitutes only part of the ritual, the first half — the second half is about asking for something in return, the fruit of the sacrifice or ritual known as phala-stuti, which is common to both yagna and puja. This makes yagna and puja essentially exchanges with the divine. There is the giving part (sacrifice, and worship, if one wants to call it that); this is followed by the receiving part, or at least the desire for something in exchange. Anyone who performs a yagna or puja knows that the ritual always ends with asking for something, material or spiritual, from the divine. This exchange makes it different from a prayer.

Yagna was designed by Brahmins 3,000 years ago as an elaborate ceremony to invite (avahan) celestial beings (deva) who rode celestial chariots (rathas). Communication was established using fire (agni) as medium, chants (mantra) and special offerings (soma). The yagna acknowledged through symbolic enactment and ritual role-playing the role the devas play in creating and sustaining and even destroying the universe. Having acknowledged the gods, and given them offerings to their satisfaction, a petition is made to them — for children, gold, grain, cattle, horses, power, fame, health — before they are allowed to go (visarjan).

But in yagna, the gods have no form. And they have no permanent residence. They come from the realm of the stars and so the yagna is performed in open air. Yagna could not be performed during rainy seasons, the four monsoon months (chatrumaas) which became linked to inauspiciousness. But, about 2,000 years ago, increasingly gods were seen as images and icons housed in caves and in temples. These sacred icons (archa) were venerated (archana). The ritual involved the same principles as the Vedic yagna – inviting the god to inhabit the image built, then bathing and decorating and feeding and praising and feeding and entertaining that image, before the petition is made. The devotee gives in order to get.  While humans were bound by debt (rinn), and had obligations, the gods were free of debt and so had no obligations. They were untouched by karma. And so what they gave was dependent on their grace! The devotee (bhakta) hence worshipped (bhaja) the divine being (bhagavan) and sought his grace (prasad). This is an exchange, a giving for receiving, unlike a covenant or a contract, which is about giving and taking and obligations that is cornerstone of Abrahmic religions. Exchange (yagna) connects (yoga) the world by establishing relationships (bandhu). Thus, through yagna and puja, we can theoretically connect with the infinite.

The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt@devdutt.com

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Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik

In the beginning, people said homosexuality is unnatural. Then scientists showed them that hundreds of species of animals do indulge in homosexuality. So people started saying homosexuality may be natural, but it is best restricted to animals. Amongst humans, it is a social disease. This unscientific understanding is popularised by many religious leaders, who are clueless about science, though they insist that the Vedas/Quran/Agama/Tripitaka/Talmud are essentially scientific.

These religious leaders fall into two categories. The first category is the 'liberal' guru who says sex is great for spirituality, provided it is heterosexual. The second category is the 'conservative' guru who says sex is not great for spirituality, and if you must indulge in it, do it for babies.

A gay man heard how a broad-minded Indian guru presented sexuality as an integral part of spirituality, and so decided to read a bit more of the guru's writings. He was suitably impressed, there was a lot of talk of how exploring sexual desires authentically enhances spiritual growth. But then came the horror! When the guru spoke of sexuality, he was referring only to heterosexuality and was essentially promoting orgies as a tool to liberate yourself. He saw homosexuality as a social disease resulting from heterosexuality being suppressed when men are locked with men in monasteries and prisons and women are locked with women in nunneries. This was his fantasy, which he marketed as mystical knowledge of the East!

A lesbian woman came upon a guru who gave her a sympathetic ear, and who confidently asserted that ancient mystical sages (all male, of course) had revealed to him that natural sexual activity is for making babies only, and that pleasure is just nature's way of incentivising you to make more babies. It is the human perversion to bypass the baby-making and focus on pleasure. Such value placed on pleasure comes from stress, hormones, and a lack of spiritual grounding. He insisted that homosexuality is a social pathology, not a natural physiology. She could stay a single woman if she did not wish to be a man's wife, but she had to engineer her life towards spirituality rather than sexuality if she sought fulfilment and happiness. Her libido, he insisted, was in dire need of fixing!

Most of these gurus do oppose the criminalising of homosexuality, and so appear to be modern. However, they do see homosexuality as a deviance (or its Sanskrit equivalent), or a 'fluidity' that needs explanation, management and re-alignment. They mirror the homophobia directed at queer people (pandakas, napunsakas) that we find in ancient monastic orders such as Buddhism and Jainism. Their discomfort with queerness is similar to their well-disguised discomfort with gender equality: 'Women are as good as men, provided they put the man's needs first.' Essentially, these gurus preach qualified equality, where their personal comfort zone (heterosexuality, celibacy, masculinity) remains privileged.

It is important to recognise gurus as political figures. They are today clearly political vote banks, with a vast number of followers who do whatever the guru tells them to do. Hence the power of their spiritual discourses to influence social and political direction needs to be acknowledged.

We must also recognise the power of followers over gurus. Gurus are expected to be superhuman, and 'pure and pious'. We don't mind them dancing to Bollywood songs or playing golf. But if they were to talk too much in favour of sex and pleasure, we will see them as less than spiritual. In our hearts, many of us are convinced spirituality is an adversary of sexuality. We see Shiva who burnt Kama to ash. We refuse to see Shiva who was enchanted by Kamakshi and Mohini.

The author writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt@devdutt.com

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Illustration/ Devdutt Pattanaik

One of the unique features of Islam in South Asia is the veneration of five holy men, or saints (auliya), known collectively as pancha-pir. They are often represented by the palm of the hand, mounted on a mound. We find shrines of pancha-pir in Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal. They are sometimes identified as the five pure ones of Shia Islam: the Prophet Muhammad, his daughter, his son-in-law, and his two grandsons. Other identify them as five Sufi saints, often the teacher with his five students. Still others say they refer to the Prophet Muhammad and the first four Caliphs. This veneration of five holy men in dargahs is however frowned upon by Islamic purists, who believe that veneration should be reserved for God, and none other.

In folklore, the pancha-pir often appear to bless heroes on quest, or to establish the greatness of a local king. In many Hindu temples, especially in Rajasthan, where folk-heroes are deified, as in the case of Ramdev baba, one finds pancha-pir endorsing their greatness, thus indicating syncretism of Hindu and Muslim ideas at the grass-root level. In Bengal, they are popular amongst sailors, who seek their protection before setting out into the sea, and thank them on their return.

Stories of pancha-pir often reveal much similarity with village gods and goddesses of India, who are known to help when appeased and harm when angry. So we learn how they gave their horse to a queen so that she could use the horse's blood to cure a husband. The queen later refuses to return the horse and so the pancha-pir destroy her kingdom. Sometimes the pancha-pir are paired with their five wives who disobey them and so are reduced to five piles of ash.

How did this idea emerge? It is possible that these five pirs were earlier the five tathagathas of Buddhism, found in Tantrik Buddhism, that flourished in eastern India during the Pala kingdom. There is the central Buddha, Vairochana, with four other Buddhas in the four directions, represented in four different colours, embodying four different principles, thus indicating universality. Such images are found in Buddhist shrines and Buddhist mandalas.

The idea of the five collective is found in Hinduism too: the Pandavas, for example. In Puri, Odisha, the five Pandavas take the form of five Shivas. There are images of Pancha-mukhi linga, where five faces, each in different mood, arise from a single pillar. There is also the concept of five chaste women: the pancha-kanya, which includes Sita, Draupadi, Ahalya, Mandodari and Kunti.

The most recurring concept in Indian mythology is that of a teacher with four students who take his knowledge in the four directions. One learns of Veda Vyasa and his four disciples, the Shaiva sage Lakulesha with his four disciples; the Jain saint Vajraswami who founded four orders (gaccha); the Sikh saint Sri Chand, the eldest son of Guru Nanak, who passed on the sacred fire (dhunni) of his order (akhara) of ascetics (udasin) to four disciples; the Vaishnava, Ramanuja also passed on his mantle to four disciples. This idea of the collective of five, best represented by the palm of the hand, clearly gave meaning and power to local faiths and also kept together various divisions that emerged in religious orders. Hence its enduring appeal.

Devdutt Pattanaik writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt@devdutt.com

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KC Shankar, Shashwita Sharma and Vicky Ahuja

It was in 2014, when several theatre and screen artistes came together in the hope of bringing the works of renowned, as well as lesser known, Hindustani writers to life. Three years on, that dream is taking shape one storytelling session at a time. Jashn-E-Qalam, a collective of storytellers, comprising actors KC Shankar, Shashwita Sharma, Vicky Ahuja and Madhurjeet Sarghi among others, will celebrate the brilliance of Hindustani literature with solo performances of short stories, over the next three weekends in the city. On the menu this Sunday is Chashm-e-Baddoor, which will showcase satirical texts from Hindustani literature — Harishankar Parsai's Inspector Matadin Chand Par, Ismat Chughtai's Chuimui and Patras Bokhari's Marhoom Ki Yaad Mein. Over the following weekends, the artistes will present Ek Baar Ki Baat Hain at Yoga 101 and Harkat Studios in Andheri. The show will combine an interesting mix of genres.

Literature, says Shankar, "mirrors society and great writers allow the individual and the collective to reflect on their humanity and sometimes the absence of it. This experience can teach, inspire, make us laugh, or horrify us". Shankar says that "Hindustani literature, particularly makes this connection even more personal. The stories, milieu, characters and voices; their concerns and challenges are very relatable". He explains, "Also, as an audience, most of us have grown up on the visual medium, and theatre of a similar, imitative kind. So, you have an audience that comes prepared to watch rather than listen. But, by performing these short stories without any sets, props or costume, the solo storyteller impels the audience to visualise what they are listening to. Thus, opening up their imagination and transporting them to another world." It is this magical experience that the artistes hope to re-create. "Here, even the audience becomes a co-conspirator in the story," says Shankar.

When: Somaiya Centre for Lifelong Learning, Above Kitab Khana, Fort
Entry: Rs 200 – Rs 400
To book: in.bookmyshow.com

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When we first lay our hands on Pashmina, we didn't know what to expect. And that perhaps, is one of the first indications of a good read. A coming-of-age graphic novel which explores the relationship between an Indian-American mother and her teenage daughter, illustrator and writer Nidhi Chanani's Pashmina (HarperCollins) is filled with magic and tied together in such a heartfelt narrative, it would be a challenge not to find bits of your own life in it.

Chanani says her affair with illustration began long ago and that the first step was to fall in love with art, which began when she started drawing as a child. The birth of Pashmina, she says, can be traced back to that phase of her life as well. "My inspiration for Pashmina came from a variety of sources: my mom, growing up in the US, my first trip to India, and the choices women make — all of these things are woven into the story. When I was younger my parents would travel to India often. When they returned, their suitcases had a pungent, almost magical smell — from a place that seemed very far away. I was probably 10 years old. Opening their suitcase made me feel close to this other world. In a way, I believe this story has been with me since then."

The relationship between Priyanka, the protagonist, and her mother hits home the hardest, in that it is an apt depiction of the dichotomy that characterises a quintessential Indian mother — egging us to be freer than they were but also being restrictive at the same time. Explaining what this depicts for her, Chanani says, "As I wrote Pashmina, it also became about the relationship between an immigrant mother and a first-generation daughter. Touching upon the layers of understandings and misunderstandings, I explored my own relationship with my mom. Priyanka, is a teenager and being one is hard enough, especially if you are glaringly different. Many of Priyanka's struggles are ones I experienced myself. She is not only racially different, she's a nerdy teacher's pet, she comes from a single-parent household, and doesn't have as much money as her Orange County counterparts. Her mother struggles to understand her and raise her with her Indian beliefs and values."

Nidhi Chanani

The story comes full circle when Priyanka finally visits Kolkata, her hometown (as well as Nidhi's) in a quest to understand more about her roots. Travelling solo to the country of her heritage forces Priyanka to break free of her sheltered life and grow up, to face herself and begin the process of seeing her mother as a whole person. "I wanted to explore a different path to India than I had experienced. My teenage understanding of India was tainted by poverty-stricken, third world imagery. How wonderful would it be if a young person learned about their culture through only positive representations? That's the root of Pashmina; opening a suitcase and travelling to a fantasy version of India where a character can learn about their heritage in a favourable light," Chanani says. While some aspects of Priyanka's life are similar to hers, the story is not autobiographical. "I love samosas and comics! However, unlike Priyanka, I grew up close to my family in India. Fortunately for me, I wasn't so alone," she shares.

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Representational picture

Are you someone that likes living life on the edge, from salary to salary, buying something as and when you set eyes on it, without worrying about your savings, and a "dekha jayega" attitude? That may seem cool -- but it's also a short cut to financial disaster. Walnut App CEO and Co-Founder Patanjali Somayaji lists five ways to ensure you don't go broke. Ever.

Download a money management app to track your expenses
If you have never been the type to track your expenses, now is a good time to start. You can download an app that tracks your spends and set a budget, keep a watch on your upcoming credit card and utility bill payments, as well as see how much you owe or have to get from others. This is the first step to getting your finances streamlined.

Make a plan and set goals for yourself
Set short-term (a few months ahead) and long-term (a year and beyond) goals. It could be anything from taking up a new hobby like learning the guitar, to buying a new phone/laptop/camera, getting married, buying a new house or being debt-free by a certain date, and so on. Based on the plan, break it down into quarterly and monthly goals so you know how much to save, how much is safe to spend and so on. Having a plan will give you an overview and much better control of your finances.

Set up an emergency fund
Once you're tracking your spends and have set goals, you know how much money you need to allocate to each of them. You would also get an estimate of your spending pattern and expenses for each month. Based on this, have an emergency fund in place that will take care of at least 6-8 months' worth of living expenses so that in case of a mishap or a loss of job, you don't go broke, and have something to fall back on. You can set it up so that a certain percentage of your salary/income each month is automatically transferred to this fund. It could be in a different bank account, a fixed deposit, or even a liquid fund -- and most importantly, it should be accessible easily and quickly when needed urgently.

Set limits for your spend categories
Take a look at your spends in greater detail to understand where the money goes each month. Assign limits to each of these categories for the month and see how you're doing at the end of the month. This will give you an idea of your lifestyle and if you're spending more than you earn, as well as where you can cut down on unnecessary spends.

Stay debt-free
Credit cards can be extremely useful -- for regular spends as well as during emergencies, and over time, with a good payment history, can boost your credit score too. However, if you're the type of person who cannot pay off credit card bills in full each month or who just pays the minimum amount due, stick to using your debit card or cash, or even a Line of Credit, which has a lower interest rate. Revolving credit on a credit card can be dangerous for your finances, and it can take you several years to repay the entire outstanding amount.

There will always be changes in situations, your current needs and requirements as well as your cash flow, so every 3-6 months, you should re-look at your plan and goals, and modify as needed to stay on top of your finances.

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Mumbai: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut has said Indians were, in the past, enslaved by an 'Italian government', in a veiled jibe at the Congress party. The 32-year-old, while speaking to reporters after casting her vote at a polling station in Khar area in Mumbai on Monday, said, "This (polling day) is a very important day for us, it comes only once in five years. I feel India is gaining independence today in real sense. Earlier, Indians were slaves of British, Mughal and Italian governments. Please exercise your Swaraj (independence) and vote."

The 'Italian government' remark is an apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was born and raised in Italy. Gandhi was the president of the Congress party for nearly two decades before handing over responsibilities to her son Rahul Gandhi in December 2017. Kangana went on to say that the situation that prevailed in the country was the worst during Congress' government at the Centre.

"The political leaders used to chill in London and the country used to suffer from an array of issues like poverty, pollution, rapes etc. The situation in our country was worst when Congress was in power. Now that our time has come, we should vote in large numbers," she added.

Polling was held on Monday for 72 seats across nine states including five seats in Bihar, one in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Jharkhand, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal and 17 in Maharashtra. An overall voter turnout of 64.05 per cent was registered in the fourth phase of polling. Seven-phase elections will end on May 19, and results will be declared on May 23.

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Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aditya Nath was quick to call his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray after two Hindu sadhus associated with Kashi's Juna Akhara were lynched by a mob in Palghar last week.

On Tuesday, Thackeray responded by ringing up the UP CM to express his concern over the murder of two sadhus in Bulandshahar. Thackeray said he was expecting Palghar-like prompt police action in arresting the culprits and suggested not giving a communal colour to the incident.

According to a Maharashtra CMO release, Thackeray told Yogi that he was with the UP government in protesting against the heinous crime. Yogi's response was not known.

Thackeray had assured Yogi that the Palghar incident wasn't communal, but a fall-out of rumour-mongering. The government and Opposition continue to exchange barbs and accusations as the lynching is being probed.

Thackeray had issued a warning against communalising the Palghar incident with a special emphasis on the Hindi-speaking religious leaders who threatened to march towards Maharashtra to seek answers from the CM.

When the Palghar issue seemed to be alive, more so because of a police case against a news anchor, the anti-BJP lobby raked up the UP killing asking right-wingers many questions. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant questioned the silence over the UP incident. "This happened in a BJP-ruled state. The BJP politicised the Palghar lynching but is now keeping silent," he said.

April 16
The day three men were lynched in Palghar

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Most athletes in India are looking at Olympic postponement as more time in hand for training but not race walker Bhawana Jat, who isn't quite sure about the Games going ahead even in 2021 after the mayhem unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Bhawana, who qualified for the Olympics in 20km race walk after pulling off a shock win at the National Championships in February, feels that the athletes are staring at an uncertain future due to the pandemic, which has caused over 100,000 deaths globally.

"I was disappointed at Olympics being postponed because I was in a very good shape and I was hoping to do well. The Asian Championships (to be held in March in Japan) was an ideal platform to test myself at the international level. That also got postponed due to COVID-19," she told PTI. "It's uncertain now when the competitions will restart, the season for this year is over in this situation. It is a relief that I have already qualified for the Olympics.

"I don't know what will happen next year. I will have to start from scratch. I don't know whether the Olympics will even be held next year," she added. The 24-year-old is currently based at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru where there is no outdoor training due to the lockdown. She is the only woman race walker at the centre which also has eight other male athletes of the same event. "We do weight training, core strength training or skipping or work with the medicine ball. I walk inside the hall for 15 or 20 minutes," she said.

"Our coach (Alexander Artsybashev) has told us not to rest too much and be active all the time unless we are sleeping at night. So, I play carrom for one hour and then dance to Hindi songs with other athletes from other sports. That is how we keep moving," she added. Hockey players are also currently staying at the SAI Centre Bengaluru. Bhawana had clocked a national record 1:29.54, well inside the Olympic qualification time of 1:31:00, to win the gold in the National Championships held in Ranchi in February.

"Since the time I took up this sport, I have been dreaming of an Olympic medal. That is my ultimate aim. But as of now I am not thinking about Olympics, I am thinking about when this pandemic will end," she said. She said the athletes follow strict social distancing rules at the SAI Centre. "Nobody can go outside and nobody is coming in the centre from outside. While standing in queue for food at the mess, we have to be two metre apart. To get own stuff like shampoo or toothpaste, we have to tell the hostel people who bring them for us.

"Earlier, at least four trainees coud sit at the mess table but now only two can sit there." Bhawana comes from a poor farmer's family at Kabra village in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district, which is adjacent to Bhilwara, considered a model district in the country's fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Asked if she feels anxious about her parents' well being in Rajasthan, she said, "I will not exactly say that but of course I am concerned about them but I can't do anything. I cannot go there unless the lockdown is lifted.

"I talk to them on phone everyday. Our village is not affected but they will have to go out for farming. My parents will not tell me anything about small matters in the family. They will think that it will affect me."

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Some athletes are donating money, some others are helping in providing essentials to the needy, but Asian Games gold-winning rower Dattu Baban Bhokanal took a more hands on approach while helping people amid the COVID-19 pandemic by sanitising his village in Nashik. The 29-year-old used a fertiliser sprayer to carry out the sanitisation drive in his village Talegaon Ruhi, which is part of Chandvad tehsil on Sunday last. He said it took around four hours to complete the task. "Me, my family and some friends decided to sanitise the village, which has a population of about 12,000," Bhokanal told PTI from over phone.

Nashik is not as aggressively affected by the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged Maharashtra. The region has just over 30 cases and a death toll of 2 in all with the Chandvad tehsil reportng just one case. Bhokanal's village is, however, completely unaffected by the deadly outbreak so far. Overall, the pandemic has claimed 339 lives in India where the number of positive cases has surged past the 10,000 mark. In Maharashtra, the total number of cases have gone past 2,000.

Bhokanal was on leave to visit the village when the nationwide lockdown, now extended till May 3, forced him to stay longer than he was supposed to. Making use of the time at hand, he carried out the sanitisation drive with his brother, uncle and a friend to help him out. "Sanitisation of any area is important to keep the virus at bay. For example, when a person visits a doctor's clinic, he might touch the pole or the walls inside that clinic. Therefore we thought sanitisation of the clinic was essential alogn with several other places," he explained.

Rower Dattu Bhokanal (right) at a sanitisation drive in his village in Nashik on Sunday. Pic/PTI

The acclaimed rower, who is a silver-medallist from the Asian Championships, said a spraying machine lying at his home for agricultural usage, came in handy. "We sanitised the places people frequent like the government clinic, veterinary clinic, gram panchayat office, its gates," informed the rower. Bhokanal said he and his family also sanitised medical shops, temples and the local vegetable market.

He said he would continue to carry out this drive twice a week. With the entire sporting calendar shredded due to the pandemic, rowing has also been affected. Bhokanal said working out at home has helped him in shape and be ready for when the action resumes.

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Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand has joined WWF (World Wide Fund) India as its ambassador for environment education programme. WWF India is celebrating its 50 years of conservation in India and it is delighted to see Anand lend his support to conservation and protection of the environment. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, governments, development organisations, corporates and individuals around the world are doing their bit to prevent the spread of the disease.

Talking about his association with WWF India, Anand, said, "Our children deserve a better, greener and more sustainable world than the one we are living in today and it is our responsibility as parents and elders to show them the way. "I am very excited and happy to join WWF India and work together with them to enthuse more and more children and youth about the need to protect our natural world. I look forward to an enriching and progressive association with WWF India."

WWF India's environment education programme is as old as the organisation itself, starting way back in 1976 with the Nature Clubs of India (NCI) initiative. Currently the environment education programme undertakes five large initiatives that reach out to school children, youth and citizens across the country and aim to create a generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers and environmentally conscious individuals.

The environment education programme currently reaches out to over 5,00,000 children across 2000 schools in the country.

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Adhyayan Suman and Kangana Ranaut were in a relationship back in 2008 when they were working together in Raaz: The Mystery Continues but parted ways soon. And in 2016, the Jashn actor made some shocking revelations about the actress and how vociferous the relationship was. It has been four years since that interview and more than a decade since the relation.

Strangely, questions about her are still asked whenever he gives an interview and his recent one with BollywoodLife was no exception. To give a brief background, Kavita Kaushik of FIR fame also tweeted in support of the actor and how Kangana owned an apology to him. In case you missed it, this is what she tweeted.

Have a look right here:

Also, a huge apology is owed to @shekharsuman7 and @AdhyayanSsuman , they are a sweet family and the hate they got from an eager to judge, feeding on lies smeared popcorn audiences is so damn heartbreaking🙏 everyone was so cruel to them at that time cos of the 'woman card' https://t.co/kRZ8kycwJ2

— Kavita (@Iamkavitak) April 19, 2020

And now, talking about it, the actor said, "I have left that topic miles...miles behind in my life. I am right now way ahead in my life. And it doesn't really matter who wants to apologise or not. I wanted to share my side of story, and I did that three years ago. I am very glad and fortunate that some people came out in support."

To give credit where it was due, he thanked Kaushik for her support and said, "Kavita put out a tweet, and I am very thankful to her. But the amount of fake trollers who came and trolled her, said some really mean stuff to her, I thought that was such a disgrace. It is so sad."

Over the years, the actor has been a part of films like Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Jashn, Himmatwala, and Ishq Click.

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As Bollywood's 'Queen,' Kangana Ranaut completed 14 years in the Indian film industry on Tuesday, her team shared a throwback picture from one of her early portfolios. The 33-year-old actor was shortlisted for an audition for her debut film 'Gangster' on the basis of the picture that her team shared on Twitter.

The priceless picture from the past featured a younger version of the actor with her signature curly locks and bold expressions.

#Trivia: On 14th anniversary of #KanganaRanaut ’s Bollywood debut #Gangster, here’s the image from her portfolio on basis of which @anuragbasuofficial selected her for an audition#Throwback #14YearsofKanganaRanaut #14YearsofGangster pic.twitter.com/CkDWat9TJv

— Team Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) April 28, 2020

Ranaut is seen wearing a white and brown coloured muffler in the picture.

"#Trivia: On 14th anniversary of #KanganaRanaut 's Bollywood debut #Gangster, here's the image from her portfolio on basis of which @anuragbasuofficial selected her for an audition #Throwback #14YearsofKanganaRanaut #14YearsofGangster," Kangana's team tweeted along with the picture.

Kangana Ranaut stepped into Bollywood at a very young age and began her career with her debut film 'Gangster' 14 years ago. Helmed by Anurag Basu, the romantic thriller featured Emraan Hashmi and Shiney Ahuja besides Kangana in the lead roles.

'Gangster' received great appreciation from critics as well as the audiences and also won Kangana the best debut award at Filmfare. Earlier in the day, the team of the 'Fashion' actor marked her 14th anniversary in Bollywood by preparing a video reel of her 14-year-long journey.

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We don't expect the usual Kangana Ranaut candour in an interview largely about how many squats she packs into her regimen. But the actor isn't one to offer the ordinary. Unbowed by the heft of her battle against the bulge, Ranaut is playfully self-deprecating when chronicling her 20-kilo weight-loss attempt. "I didn't expect to gain 20 kilos," she says of her endeavour to emulate J Jayalalithaa in the actor-politician's upcoming biopic, Thalaivi. "When Kareena [Kapoor Khan] was pregnant, she gained 16 kilos. I told myself, I am like [a] post-pregnant Kareena Kapoor!" she exclaims at one point, before breaking into a laugh. "I never remember feeling so unfit. At one point, I needed to support myself with my palms to stand up off the floor," she says at another, before the ever-so-slight quiver in her voice reveals the moments that triggered her badly. "I was unable to carry my weight in heels, and that almost left me in tears. One thinks they'll eventually adjust, but, I couldn't walk in my own shoes! Usually, I can run in them, but now my feet would swell. I didn't know how to handle it."

Train, but gain

The diligence with which she had kept tabs on the weighing scale as it climbed by 10, 12 and 15 kilos was rendered redundant after a few weeks of lull. "[The makers] told me to start losing weight so that we could shoot [Jayalalitha's] younger portions, and that's when I noticed that I had gained 20 kilos. I wondered if I had gone too far, and questioned if the decision to take the hormone injections was appropriate." It was towards the close of 2019 that Ranaut had first admitted to leaning on hormone supplements to add bulk to her hips and thighs, to emulate her muse. Unlike the misshapen built acquired by Bollywood's top brass of actors gaining weight for cinema, Ranaut's avatar, though voluptuous, had to resemble the shapely and nimble-footed bharatnatyam dancer that Jayalalitha was. "I had to do bharatnatyam for two hours, yoga for one, and still gain weight in a desirable manner. The mild hormone dosage helped [me] gain weight around the hips. Bharatnatyam involves a lot of leg work, so the dancers tend to [gain weight in this region]. Also, I needed to put on so much weight because I am tall. At 5'8, I had to ensure that the [bulk] was visible on my frame."

Winning the race, slowly, steadily

Currently nestled in picturesque Manali, Ranaut decided to make the most of the lockdown by taking along her trainer of several years. Under the guidance of Siddhartha Singh, founder of iSweat, she has shaved off seven kilos, and continues to crawl, jump and jog off the rest. "We are focusing on workouts that encourage movement for a long duration of time, instead of those involving shorter intervals. The idea is to keep movements sustainable by not rendering her breathless, so that more calories can be burnt. The evening functional training sessions last 45 to 75 minutes, and are coupled with a 20-minute morning walk in her 100-metre driveway," says Singh, attributing her body's positive response to the regimen to her consistent yoga practice.

Her high metabolic rate may afford her many luxuries, but Ranaut won't abuse what she has been blessed with. For as long as Singh can recall, she isn't swayed by food that has little nutritional value, and prefers "home-cooked meals". "Kangana is attuned to her body's [nutritional] needs. If she craves something, she'll have it in limited portion, or cook a [healthier] version of it at home." That her body had become complacent with the additional weight also began to work against her, making the weight-loss process more demanding than both she and Singh had anticipated. "It was difficult. I had to undergo detox. I was affected by the sugar withdrawal, and felt like I was in rehab. For over six months, I was perpetually hungry, and had mood [swings]. The weight wouldn't budge. Also, at 33, things are not as easy [as they were when I was younger]."

Asked if she will do it all over again if a film demands it, her response is prompt, but not very assertive: "No, yaar!" she says. "It's not worth it. My cholesterol level was quite high this time. In my 30s, I don't enjoy doing this."

Singh on principles he uses to train Ranaut

• We're targeting the anterior and posterior muscles at once. We use the driveway to do short jogging sets, shuttle lunges, back crawls, and jumping jacks.
• Usually, I avoided exhausting her because actors have to work for the rest of the day, and can't be dealing with aches and pains. I had to be mindful of not targeting the muscles that she would be using for her action films, like Manikarnika. For instance, horse-riding employs a lot of leg work, and hence, when she was learning it, I'd only do weight-less leg workouts with her. Similarly, when she was training in sword-fighting, and using her upper-body muscles, I'd have to shift focus away from her shoulders and arms [in the gym]. 
• With physical activity currently limited, she is consuming only two to three meals a day. The morning jogs that she takes help in activating her metabolism.

1,800
Ranaut's approximate calorie intake, usually

v/s 

1,000
Calories being consumed by the actor currently

Female actors who've gained weight for cinema

Bhumi Pednekar, Dum Laga Ke Haisha

The actor made a note-worthy entry into Bollywood by adding 30 kilos for the film. She reportedly took to conditioning exercises before jumping into a high-intensity routine, when she began shedding the weight.

Vidya Balan, The Dirty Picture

To play the role of an adult film actor, Balan gained 12 kilos, and was uninhibited as she flaunted her figure to do justice to the part of Silk Smitha.

Anushka Shetty, Size Zero

Unwilling to wear a fat-suit for the part, the actor reportedly put on 20 kilos for the film. Under the guidance of Luke Coutinho, she took a generous amount of time to gradually shed it off.

Kriti Sanon, Mimi

Sanon had been on a weight-gaining spree for several months to gain 15 kilos for her forthcoming movie, Mimi, which sees her as a surrogate mother.

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Veteran actress Shabana Azmi recently met with an unfortunate accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and was rushed to MGM Hospital, Panvel. She was later shifted to the Kokilaben hospital in Mumbai for further treatment.  Her husband, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, was also there in the vehicle but escaped unhurt.

In an interview with Film Companion Akhtar revealed what were his first thoughts when he saw his wife at the car crash scene. He said, "Who could think we would have such a calamity. The accident that Shabana went through was really deadly. We were in the other car, she was sleeping in the car behind us and when this accident occurred and we went back, the first thought was "Is she alive?' Because the whole car was crushed, had become a heap of junk. Somehow we took her out, she was unconscious with blood all over her face and it was only from the nose. There were no wounds but the whole body has taken such a whiplash, that it will take a little time to be totally normal."

The 69-year-old actor suffered head injuries when her car met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on January 18. She was later shifted to the Kokilaben hospital in Mumbai for further treatment. Shabana Azmi was heading towards Pune from Mumbai. The accident took place near Kharagpur on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The car in which Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar were present was hit by a truck on the expressway. While she was in the hospital, Bollywood celebrities like Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Shibani Dandekar, Anil Kapoor, Tabu, Satish Kaushik paid a visit to the actress at the hospital.

She was discharged from the hospital after a few days. "Thank you all for your prayers and wishes for my recovery. I'm back home now," Azmi wrote on Twitter alongside a post-recovery photo of herself.

Thank you all for your prayers and wishes for my https://t.co/A21IxD7Usd back home now Thank you #Tina Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani hospital for the sterling care provided by the doctors team and the nursing staff. Im indebted and grateful🙏 pic.twitter.com/6a1PWsGKnn

— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 1, 2020

"Thank you #Tina Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani hospital for the sterling care provided by the doctors team and the nursing staff. Im indebted and grateful," she added.

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Beyond The Clouds (2017) actor Malavika Mohanan was trolled by Master co-star Vijay's fans. They spewed venom after she questioned a sexist cartoon depicting the cast of the upcoming Tamil action-thriller in lockdown. It showed her cooking while the male actors were playing board games, listening to music and chilling.

The fan-made caricature also featured director Lokesh Kanagaraj and designer Gopi Prasanna. Mohanan wrote, "The task of a woman even in a hypothetical 'movie house' is to cook. When will gender roles die? Sigh (sic)." The barrage of hate tweets forced Mohanan to delete the post. Later, one fan shared the same cartoon, in which she is seen reading a book. "I love this version (sic)," she wrote.

Malavika Mohanan, on the professional front, is now prepping for her next — Anand Annamalai's multi-lingual Hero starring Arjun Reddy (2017) star Vijay Deverakonda. The actress was last seen in Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds.

"Majidi sir has a very clear vision for all his characters. All his characters are real people going through real issues. It started with my losing weight before I started filming to physically look like an inmate," Malavika had said in a statement.

Beyond The Clouds narrates a heart-warming tale of a brother and sister, and how they find happiness in separation and turbulent times. The film celebrates the triumph and adoration of life against a Mumbai backdrop. Produced by Zee Studios and Namah Pictures, the film is set to release worldwide on April 20, 2018.

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My Chintu baba! He was a nice and jovial person. He was good to each and every person. He came from a rich family -- the Kapoor family. Everyone knows who they are. He was so good and a comfortable artiste to work with. We used to call him Chintu baba.

"Bobby" was his first film. His father (Raj Kapoor) used to scold him, still he used to not feel bad. In such cases, kids get conscious but he never felt conscious. If his father would say something to him, he would say it's for his best. As an actor, of course, he was very good but he was also a very good human being. He used to never eat lunch on his own. He would sit down with everybody and eat. The dostana (friendship), yaarana... Where will you find it?

I have done many films with him. There's one incident. We had gone to some remote place for a film's shooting. There were so many mosquitoes that used to bite us. It was difficult to sleep because of that. Back then there were no good hotels also. We told Chintu baba that we will die. Even he said 'Aruna ji mai b mar gaya mujhe neend nai arahi hai (Even I am dead, I am unable to sleep). What should I do?' I said 'We can't say anything but you are the hero, so you only say something'. Then he told the film's producer. I don't remember the film's name. He said it was not possible to work in the morning like this, so shift the location. Then the location got shifted.

It's been many years since we worked together but he used to be so nice. We used to be in touch on WhatsApp. We spoke about his health. I was happy to see him return after his treatment. Then a few days later he said he was going to work. I was so happy then I stopped asking him because I thought he was out of this trap. He had started working, so I thought he had improved but he ditched us.

I still love him. May his soul rest in peace. He was a fabulous person.

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Keeping in mind the increasing number of cases in India, Aparshakti Khurana is certain that movie-making won't resume soon. But, even when away from a film set, he has been diligently following a routine so that resuming work doesn't seem like a struggle, when the time finally arrives. In the interim, he has turned to OTT platforms for his daily dose of entertainment. A recently released German-American drama has particularly caught his fancy.

"It's called Unorthodox and is based on the Amish community and how, even today, they don't use the internet and smartphones. It revolves around a girl who wants to [break free from the practices] and live life on her own terms. The leading actor is among the finest talents I've seen." Netflix's Jamtara is another addition on his binge-worthy list, which also includes Kota Factory. "I've also caught up on films like Cast Away and Shutter Island; the latter will keep you on the edge of your seat."

Meanwhile, Khurana was one part of the trio that released the friendship track, Teri yaari. "The lockdown seemed [like the apt time to release it] since people are missing their friends right now. We shot it in Delhi, weeks before the country was locked down."

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Ananya Panday had an impactful start to her career in 2019 and instantly, won hearts with her debut. The roles she portrayed which were truly versatile. Up next, the actress will be working in Shakun Batra's next where she will be sharing screens space with Deepika Padukone.

Telling us about working with the actress, Ananya expresses how she feels about it. "You don't feel like she's a star overpowering you. It feels like being with a friend. Deepika is more beautiful on the inside than on the outside", says Ananya.

The actress has a great line up of projects, one of them being with her wishlist director Shakun Batra and this untitled film has one of the exciting projects Ananya will be seen working in.

Ananya is all set to once again win hearts with her on-screen presence and serve a varied set of characters. With the passion she is working, one is sure that she will be bringing another spectacular character. The actress also bagged her first PAN-India release.

Ananya's recently announced film Fighter, alongside Vijay Deverakonda. The next one being Khaali Peeli alongside Ishaan Khatter. Ananya has three projects back to back.

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After delivering the hit song "Tera ban jaunga" in "Kabir Singh", singer Akhil Sachdeva has come up with a new Punjabi song "O jaanwaale", which features "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Himanshi Khurana.

"As a musician, it gives me great joy to give people music to hear, feel and heal during the lockdown. It's one of those melodies where there is a lot of pain and sadness involved. As soon as T-Series sent me a version of the song, I knew at once this song is for me," Akhil said.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

When your ♥ï¸Â beats for love! #OJaanwaale, out now. @tseries.official @BhushanKumar @sachdevaakhilnasha @kunaalvermaa @adityadevmusic Makeup by @prabhleenkaur_artistry Outfits by @aliwarofficial Shot by @kunwararorax Artist managed by @nidhe_k

A post shared by Himanshi Khurana 👑 (@iamhimanshikhurana) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:57pm PDT

"O Jaanwaale" is a heartbreak song composed by Kunaal Vermaa, with music production and arrangement by Aditya Dev.

Sharing the making of the track amid lockdown, Akhil said: " 'O jaanwaale' is a heart-wrenching song that listeners will relate to. It has great repeat value. Interestingly, everyone involved in the making of this song is in different cities, at this point of time.

"It was definitely challenging to put this together but in the end I think every song has its own destiny and journey. I guess this was meant to be my lockdown release. Both Himanshi and I shot chunks of the footage from our respective smart phones in our respective homes," he added.

The song is presented by T-Series."

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The casting couch is a dark and depressing reality of the Hindi film industry that has time and again exposed the grime tucked beneath the glamour. Some of the most successful actors and actresses have gone through this horrific process and exposed this brutal truth. The latest one to do the same is someone who's currently going through the best phase of his career - Ayushmann Khurrana.

Talking to Pinkvilla about facing the casting couch during the initial days of his struggles in Bollywood, he made some shocking revelations. He said, "A casting director had told me, 'I'll give you the lead role if you showed me your tool.' I told him I'm straight and I politely refused his offer." He also shed some light on how the process of auditions began to change as years passed by and how it was accompanied by rejections.

He stated, "Initially, there used to be auditions where they would take your solo test. Then suddenly, the number started increasing and there would be 50 people in the same room. When I protested, they asked me to leave. So I have faced rejections. Also, I'm well equipped to handle failure now because of the failures I saw at the very beginning of my career. Had I never witnessed the lows, I don't think I would be able to handle it if it came now."

Today, the actor, who's become a bonafide movie star, has eight consecutive hits in a row and will be now seen in three films very soon, which include Gulabo Sitabo with Amitabh Bachchan, an untitled crime thriller directed by Anubhav Sinha, and a comedy with Alaya F directed by Anurag Kashyap's sister Anubhuti Kashyap.

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Ayushmann Khurrana has enrolled himself for an online course on Indian history. The actor-singer considers learning a life-long process. "I'm a seeker of knowledge," he says. Being a history buff, he decided to make the most of the current time on hand.

"We have a fascinating history; it's rich and diverse. I want to learn more about our past. The session will be an enriching and fulfilling experience," he adds. It will also come in handy if Khurrana is roped in for a historical in the future.

Recently, Ayushmann, accompanied by Virat Kohli, Kriti Sanon and Sara Ali Khan joined hands for a new initiative called 'Mat Kar Forward'. Sharing the same on Instagram, Ayushmann wrote, "No one thought they'd catch it, no one thought it would become a pandemic. But we can change this and the change begins with you. #MatKarForward @indiatiktok"

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ayushmann Khurrana (@ayushmannk) onMay 4, 2020 at 1:25am PDT

The initiative urges people to not share any unverified message, picture or video, on any social networking sites.

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Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap's love story isn't less than a dream or a Bollywood film. And since the lockdown has completely stopped us from going out, Bollywood celebrities are ensuring they keep their fans entertained by sharing their unseen and throwback pictures.

Taking to her Instagram Account, Tahira Kashyap shared a rather romantic and rare picture with Khurrana when they were in their first year of dating and already strong believers of social distancing.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

First year of dating and we were strong believers of social distancing!! #futuristic #throwbackthursdayontuesday #throwbackthursday #throwbacktuesday #samething #lockdown #kitnabadalgayainsaan

A post shared by tahirakashyapkhurrana (@tahirakashyap) onMay 5, 2020 at 12:04am PDT

The post attracted a lot of comments and attention from the industry people. Dia Mirza commented with a heart and a laughing emoji. Aparshakti Khurana had six hearts in the form of his comment. Yami Gautam wrote- "Hahaha...this is so sweet." (sic) Ekta Kapoor wrote- "Wowwwwwwwwwwww" (sic), followed by a bunch of hearts. And Bhumi Pednekar also had her heart for the couple.

And of course, Tahira has been keeping all her fans and followers entertained and enlightened by sharing what she calls as The Lockdown Tales, something unique and refreshing to see amid this crisis. Coming to Khurrana, the actor has become a bonafide movie star and has eight consecutive hits in a row, and will be now seen in three films very soon, which include Gulabo Sitabo with Amitabh Bachchan, an untitled crime thriller directed by Anubhav Sinha, and a comedy with Alaya F directed by Anurag Kashyap's sister Anubhuti Kashyap.

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Actor Sushant Singh Rajput on Tuesday shared the daily routine he has been following over a couple of months now, which he says has done wonders for him. "Of all the various approaches I've tried in the last few months, these meta skills have worked wonders with the best ROI of time..

1. 7 hours of optimised sleep ...2. Regular meditation 3. Writing a journal. 4. Frequent Exercise 5. Optimising digital time and 6. Intermittent fasting," Sushant wrote on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Of all the various approaches I’ve tried in the last few months, these meta skills have worked wonders with the best ROI of time :) 👇🏻 1. 7 hours of optimised sleep 💤 2. Regular meditation 🧘‍♂️ 3. Writing a journal. 🖊 4. Frequent Exercise 🏋️‍♂️ 5. Optimising digital time 🤳🏻 and 6. Intermittent fasting 😇 Try them, if you will, and share your secrets for upgrading quality of life! #eyeofastorm ⚡️

A post shared by Sushant Singh Rajput (@sushantsinghrajput) onMay 4, 2020 at 10:55pm PDT

He even asked his followers to try the above mentioned approaches to upgrade their quality of life.

Also, amid the lockdown, the "Kai Po Che" actor is trying his hand at coding.

A few days ago, he shared a picture of his coding notes saying how he has been trying to learn coding and that it is "an extremely exciting process".

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After the government's protocol of social distancing and self-quarantine, many people have found ways to keep themselves busy into the four walls. Speaking of which, Janhvi Kapoor was seen cooking and trying her hand into various dishes. But guess who turns the judge of her experimentation cooking classes? It's none other than baby sister Khushi Kapoor.

Last time, the actress baked a carrot cake, and once again, it was fed to Khushi Kapoor first. Janhvi shared the review video as her Instagram story, and Khushi liked the cake baked by her sister. Take a look at the video here.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) onApr 21, 2020 at 10:21am PDT

Now, once again, Janhvi Kapoor wore the chef's cap and made 'banana toffee,' and shared a video as her story. As soon as Khushi Kapoor tried the dish, she couldn't help it but subtly reject what Janhvi cooked for her. We can't stop laughing her Khushi's various expressions in one bite of 'banana toffee.'

Speaking of Khushi Kapoor, the star kid was in New York for her further studies, but papa Boney Kapoor brought her back as soon as the coronavirus outbreak started to take over the world slowly. Now, the duo has been living with papa at their Mumbai residence.

On the work front, Janhvi Kapoor will be next seen in Gunjan Saxena, where the actress is portraying a real-life person for the first time in her career. Based on Gunjan Saxena, who is one of the first female pilots to fly in combat, Janhvi plays an important role in rescuing injured soldiers during the Kargil War in 1999 and was awarded the gallantry Shaurya Vir Award for displaying courage during the war.

Directed by Sharan Sharma, the film also stars Vineet Kumar Singh, Angad Bedi and Manav Vij in pivotal roles. She will also be seen in Karan Johar's multi-starrer Takht alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Bednekar and Anil Kapoor, and Roohi Afza opposite Rajkummar Rao.

Apart from Gunjan Saxena and Takht, Janhvi Kapoor will be seen in Dostana 2 and Roohi Afzana.

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Ananya Panday and The Vamps' guitarist James McVey are coming together to raise awareness about social media bullying. The live session will be hosted on May 8 on Instagram.

The actor says, "Social media bullying is an evil that people face every day on the numerous platforms that they use in their daily lives. I'm glad that James McVey and I will be fighting this evil together in our own small way."

Ananya further said, "The world is going through a tough time and it is even more important to be kind to everyone and spread positivity." The session is being put together by the actor's initiative, So Positive, which aims to negate the spread of social media bullying.

McVey added, "During this difficult time, we find ourselves using social media more than ever. Regardless of where you live or your background, it's important to remember that you are never alone. Millions of others are going through the same traumatic experience and I believe together we further the conversation and join the fight to end bullying. I'm looking forward to speaking with Ananya on 'So Positive' to learn more about her experiences."

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Shoojit Sircar's Piku is a film that has been described as a comedy. But none of the conversations (mostly revolving around constipation) that happen between the characters in the film are remotely funny. Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone's incessant arguments escalate to constant bickering and screechy fights, and surprisingly, we laugh. We laugh at how cantankerous a man can be and how cranky a woman can be.

Amid this pandemonium, there was a character that was both immensely likeable and charming, Rana Chaudhary, played by the immortal and inimitable Irrfan Khan. Rana himself hailed from a dysfunctional family, so for him to relate to Piku's relationship with her father wasn't tough, but it was indeed nightmarish for him to take a journey with these characters from Delhi to Kolkatta. This was certainly not the road trip he expected or wanted to experience.

His was a role that was soaked in inherent goodness. He had a taxi service and his drivers were always on time. But nobody wanted to travel with Piku, she was an explosion waiting to happen and was a stickler for precision and perfection, she could very well be suffering from OCD. But Rana is the only one who sees her niceness and says to all his drivers she's not bad at heart.

As the journey begins, he too begins to understand this family and how they function on a daily basis. Any man could lose his sanity staying with them, Khan almost does and explodes at Bhaskar in one scene, leaving him silent and shocked. But a few moments later, we see him helping the man in successfully taking a dump. He has constipation and feels nothing in the morning. Khan gives some suggestions and they finally work. Bhaskar finally cracks a smile after staying solemn throughout the film! The smile is because of Rana, and not Piku!

This cracker of a film also offered us a very unique love story. Right till the end we don't know whether Piku and Rana have developed feelings for each other or not. Given the character she is, she's not easily impressed and she tells this to him at least twice in the film. It would have been interesting to see Rana's reaction when Bhaskar passed away, he died a peaceful death as he wished and wanted, and all his friends and relatives also celebrate the same instead of being choked.

Is this finale of Piku strikingly similar to Khan? He achieved everything in his illustrious career an actor aspires for, both in India and Internationally. His contribution to Cinema can never be forgotten, and he will always be alive with the characters he left for all of us. We all are collectively mourning, but we also need to celebrate the fact that he also passed away peacefully, leaving tears in the eyes but a smile on the lips!

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The stay-at-home period has given Ayushmann Khurrana a breather from his acting commitments to pursue other creative hobbies. Over the past few weeks, he has often shared poems about life during the lockdown, the valour of the frontline workers and other subjects he holds close to his heart. The actor has lined up a special surprise for moms on Mother's Day tomorrow — he will be launching the single, Maa, that he created with friend and frequent collaborator Rochak Kohli.

Though the duo had developed the song years ago, they rendered it only recently amidst the lockdown. "The spirit of motherhood has always amazed me, and I am glad to celebrate this ever-nurturing force through the song. Rochak and I will be singing this track together. It is an honour to dedicate it to mothers who selflessly shape our lives," says Khurrana. The number has been penned by Gurpreet Saini.

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"Hum Paanch" is back on the small screen, and actress Shoma Anand is enjoying seeing the younger version of herself in the sitcom.

"It felt really good to know that after nearly 15 years, the 'Hum Paanch' family is back to make people laugh, that too during such a testing phase of life. A lot of people who are at home were starting to feel depressed, but now they can forget everything and can have at least 30 minutes of fun and laughter with the 'Hum Paanch' family," she said.

Now, she sits with her family and watches the show on Zee TV.

"Just a few days back, while watching the show, me and my family were observing how much I have changed since the show went on floors. I really enjoy seeing the younger version of myself and all my other co-actors because when we used to shoot, we couldn't see the episodes. So while watching the show, we are reminded of all the good old memories," said Shoma, who played Veena in the show.

A story of an ordinary yet amusing middle-class family, "Hum Paanch" revolved around Anand Mathur, his second wife - Bina Mathur and his five daughters, who are constantly plotting plans to turn his world upside down. Adding more chaos and confusion to his life is the photo frame of his late wife, who occasionally talks to him and nags him on certain decisions.

Will she do comedy shows again? "Yes, of course! If I find something that I think will be liked by the audience, then I will definitely do it. In fact, we as artistes always keep learning and for us to come back, the writer needs to write a script that is strong and we fit into the script too," she said.

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Veteran actor Arvind Trivedi, who is best known for his role of Ravana in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, has joined Twitter. His debut on the micro-blogging site comes after his former Ramayan co-stars Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhila made their Twitter accounts.

The actors are back in the limelight after Doordarshan started the re-run of the mythological show amid the Coronavirus lockdown.

With Arvind's Twitter debut, fans got excited and showered him with love and praise. They even started trending #RavanonTwitter.

"Due to my kids and because of your unconditional love, I have joined Twitter. This is my original ID. Whoever retweets my tweet with #RaavanOnTwitter on April 18, I will follow them without second thoughts. Jai Shri Ram. Om Namah Shivaay," Arvind tweeted.

He also tweeted a picture of himself from the show as his character and his picture now, rightly captioning it- Then and now, and wrote- "Finally I Am on twitter." (sic) Have a look right here:

Finally I Am On twitter#RavanOnTwitter pic.twitter.com/3CqPFAUI3X

— Arvind Trivedi (@Arvind_Trivedi_) April 19, 2020

Apart from thanking fans for their love, Arvind also urged people to stay at home.

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It is indeed a rough time and a tough time for all the Bollywood and Television celebrities that have been stranded in different parts of the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Right from Mouni Roy to Sanjay Dutt to Mithun Chakraborty to Irrfan Khan, some lost their parents, and some of their members are all by themselves. And now, Sanjivani 2 actress Chandni Bhagwanani has also been stranded in Australia amid the lockdown.

Talking to SpotboyE, the actress revealed some details about her stay in the country and how she has been coping up. She said, "I am all alone here. Initially, I was staying in a hotel for a month but when this lockdown got extended, I rented an apartment in Melbourne here with two other Indians." She further revealed, "I came down to Australia for a month for some professional work. And by the time I could come back, everything was shut due to corona and now, I am stuck here."

Talking about how she has been managing her finances, she said, "It's quite difficult. Everything is expensive here- stay, food, travel. But whatever savings I have, I am putting it here right now. Since my accommodation is on a sharing basis, it's quite comfortable for me than living in a hotel, studio apartment, or in a flat by myself. That must have been more difficult. Thankfully, I have these two girls around me and have people whom I can talk to in this crucial phase."

We hope she can come back home sooner and safer!

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Actor Lakshay Khurana says that he is a "shy guy" in real life and is not like his character in the TV show "Naagin Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel".

"In real life I'm very shy. I am not the one who flirts with girls. I'm totally opposite of what I play on screen. Hardik (his character) is a guy who can date many girls at one time. The character has many shades and I play that honestly," he said.

"Initially my friends used to tease me because of my character. They never thought that I could play something like this. My family also enjoy watching me and appreciates my acting," he added.

He is happy with his role right now, but in the future he would like to play a protagonist.

"I really like to experiment with my roles. So far the roles that I have played, I have done those parts honestly. In the future also, I am looking forward to doing something very challenging and I want to see myself playing a protagonist," he said.

The actor had earlier appeared in the show "Lajwanti".

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Archana Puran Singh has always believed in laughing out loud and living life to the fullest. We all have seen that in Comedy Circus and The Kapil Sharma Show, and the same amount of mirth and liveliness is to be found in her Instagram posts. But in the latest one, it's her hubby Parmeet Sethi who steals the show.

We all get to see Singh capturing Sethi and her mother and Sethi, who seems to be in a jovial mood, begins taking a dig at her and their 30-year old marriage. He calls her a 'defective maal' and also adds 'Iska koi refund nahin hai.' To make matters worse for her and funnier for us, her mother too joins Sethi to pull her leg.

Have a look at the first video right here where we can see all three of them:

 

 

 

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. Both saasu ma and jawai ji have some fun... at my expense! 😁 Mom has declared me to be the "video waala" ! 🤦‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ˜‚ #lockdown2020 #quarantinelife #madhislandlife

A post shared by Archana Puran Singh (@archanapuransingh) onMay 2, 2020 at 6:47am PDT

And in the second video, the actress gives us a glimpse of their Sunday conversations. She says- "Sunday. No workout. Fresh mint flavoured nimbu paani. Nature. Mom. Parmeet. Bhagyashri. Entertainment. Nok jhok. Happy." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Sunday. No workout. Fresh mint flavoured nimbu paani. Nature. Mom. Parmeet. Bhagyashri. Entertainment. Nok jhonk. Happy. @iamparmeetsethi #madhislandlife #quarantinelife #lockdown2020 #bhagyashrirocks

A post shared by Archana Puran Singh (@archanapuransingh) onMay 3, 2020 at 7:38am PDT

Hope just like us, you also had a laugh!

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TV czarina Ekta Kapoor along with her friends Krystle D'Souza and Anita Hassanandani has shared a throwback video where the trio dances in a funny manner. Ekta took to Instagram and re-posted a video shared by Anita. The producer said she was coerced into joining by her two "mad" friends.

"Not on tik tok but got coerced into this cray video by two of my mad frns ! Since d lockdown is throwing out all old madness let it all be out there credit: @anitahassanandani... Girls just wanaaa have fun! #ThrowBack Merriii cuties @ektarkapoor@krystledsouza," she shared.

 

 

 

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Girls just wanaaa have fun! #ThrowBack Merriii cuties @ektarkapoor @krystledsouza

A post shared by Anita H Reddy (@anitahassanandani) onMay 3, 2020 at 4:49am PDT

Recently, Ekta shared a throwback picture from the days of "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", the show that made Smriti Irani a household name as the nation's favourite telly-bahu, Tulsi.

 

 

 

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Three of us ! Wat e throwback #tarunkatyal @smritiiraniofficial n moi! #thenandnow

A post shared by Erk❤️rek (@ektarkapoor) onApr 13, 2020 at 6:36am PDT

Anita built a fan following with shows like "Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii", "Kkavyanjali" and "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein" over the years. She was last seen in "Naagin 3". In Bollywood, she was paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor in the Ekta-produced film, "Kucch To Hai".

Krystle rose to prominence with her roles in "Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai", "Ek Nayi Pehchaan" and "Brahmarakshas".

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TV stars Smriti Khanna and Gautam Gupta have named their newborn daughter Anayka. On Tuesday, Smriti took to Instagram and shared the "first family picture", also revealing her baby's name. "Anayka...#family#FirstFamilyPic#DaddysGirl," she wrote on Instagram. Smriti and her husband Gautam welcomed their first child on April 15. The couple met on the sets of the TV show "Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi".

 

 

 

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Anayka ❤ï¸ÂðŸ§¿ #family #FirstFamilyPic #DaddysGirl

A post shared by Smriti Khanna (@smriti_khanna) onMay 5, 2020 at 5:26am PDT

A few days ago, Smriti posted her before and after childbirth pictures on social media, leaving everyone stunned with the loss of her pregnancy weight so quickly. "Amazed at what the human body can do!! 1st pic was taken one week before I gave birth. Second pic, a week after I gave birth. My inbox is flooded with questions from new moms and moms-to-be. I'll try and make a video soon answering all of them. Thank you for so much love and blessings for our little one #postpartum#postpartumtransformation#newmom #mombod," she had shared.

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All images for Representational purposes

The thought of regular sex varies from person to person. While for some regular sex is a fun and 'must-have' act, for others it is like a deal beyond imagination. Finally, there is another set of people, who do not consider regular sex as a mandate to a happy relationship. The cosy moments, the mild touches, the gentle bites, the smooch, the eye contact, the silence, the cuddles, and finally the sexual climax make a relationship healthy and strong. Some may be content with their sex life, while others may experience dissatisfaction. Those who are still looking for the ideal ways to reach sexual nirvana and have a successful climax, these six steps may be of great help to them. Take a look:

1. Take a shower together: Sex can happen anywhere in the house and a bed need not be the supporting agent every time. If possible, lock yourselves up in the bathroom and stand below the shower. Come out of the comfort zone and the cliched dark bedroom scenario. For a change, let the shower cubicle do the wonders. Try to grab each other tightly while you get drenched. Go ahead with those touches and kisses that you would have otherwise done in the bedroom. In case you get a chance to bath together in a bathtub, grab it right away.

 

2. Engage in dirty talks: Initially you might hesitate to open up to your partners, but with time opening up to the opposite sex can bring a u-turn to your sexual life. It’s not only those silent acts and foreplay that can help attain sexual nirvana, but also dirty talks and naughty touches can lead to sexual proximity. Be it the man or woman; none should hesitate to utter some flirty speeches to attain sexual satisfaction.

3. Keep the sensual touches alive: No one can deny the fact that sensual touches can gradually lead to a heavenly climax. Arouse your partner with a body massage. Women respond well to sensual touches and therefore attain greater orgasm. They can even touch their man from top to bottom to arouse him and gradually move towards a successful end together.

4. Try different sex positions: If you get bored of one particular position, try different positions like crisscross, 69 and BDSM. Trying a new position for the first time may be a bit difficult, but gradually the experiments can definitely work out. Pay heed to your intuitions and crave for something new every day.

5. Wear appealing nightwear: Men love to see their women in revealing and appealing clothes. Thin-strapped night wears, lacy lingerie, satin gowns or short hot pants can raise the room temperature and arouse the man at the same time. Women can even go for the man’s favourite colour lingerie.

6. Smell good and let the room smell good too: Use floral. fruity or chocolate scented body mists to raise the mood of the man and vice-versa. Try to apply body lotions and face creams that have pleasant fruity aromas. Along with that, the room should also smell good and fresh. Use lavender or rose scented room fresheners to create a romantic environment and set the mood for sex. Women can also opt for a good vaginal wash to maintain hygiene and freshness.



Fasten your seat belts and be ready to turn lust into reality. Sexual nirvana not only brings happiness or fulfils one's physical lust, but also is the core ingredient to a happy and successful relationship. After all, a small act can bring a big blow!

A week ago, actor Irrfan Khan breathed his last after his prolonged battle with neuroendocrine tumour. Tributes have been pouring in for the late actor. Many had the opportunity to work with him while several filmmakers wished they had a chance! Reminiscing about becoming friends with Irrfan, filmmaker Anand Gandhi recently spoke about the possibility of working with him for a film based on pandemic.

The filmmaker recently revealed that he met Irrfan Khan around the release of Maqbool. They drove to Pune once and became friends over the years. They had explored the possibility of him starring in Tumbbad and it was before the final script and schedule changes were made. He said that Irrfan Khan could also have starred in the pandemic film Emergence that he had been working on for years.

Revealing more about Emergence, Anand said that he had been developing the script for five years. It tells the story of five women scientists fighting the contagion and are superheroes in their own way. With Emergence, he was taking the parasite-host relationship further. The script eerily represents the current scenario of the world. Tentatively titled 2020 at the time, he said that it had all the elements of storage crisis for scientific data, rightwing politics, among other things.

His idea is to make the film the most researched one on the pandemic. The filmmaker plans to take the film on the floor by next year. He said that they are collaborating with an American studio and it will be a big-budget project.

ALSO READ: Irrfan Khan’s son Babil shares an unseen video of his father enjoying a dip in ice-cold water

In a first of its kind international venture, youth icons Ananya Panday and international songwriter and guitarist from The Vamps band - James McVey - are all set to come together on the former’s ‘So Positive’ platform to raise awareness about social media bullying. The live session will be hosted on 8th May 2020 at 7 pm.

James McVey, the lead guitarist, and songwriter of the internationally renowned British band The Vamps, is known globally for spreading social media positivity. The coming together of the two, Panday and McVey, marks a collaboration that goes beyond the confines of language and geography to attain more awareness on the issue. The statistics are proof of how teenagers and children are the most affected in this digital era. The number of platforms accessible to the population across the world are increasing with every passing day. This collaboration would be extremely insightful in terms of shedding light on this issue and help individuals dealing with social media bullying.

Sharing his experience James McVey said, “During this difficult time we find ourselves using social media more than ever. When I was at the receiving end of bullying I felt isolated and alone. Regardless of where you live or your background, it’s important to remember that you are never alone. Millions of others are going through the same traumatic experience and I believe together we further the conversation and join the fight to end bullying. I’m looking forward to speaking with Ananya on ‘So Positive’ to learn more about her experiences.”

Ananya Panday shares, "Social media bullying is an evil that people face every day on the numerous platforms that they use in their daily lives. I’m glad that James McVey and I will be fighting this evil together in our own small way. The world is going through a difficult time, currently and it is even more important than ever to be kind to everyone around and spread positivity. So Positive has been creating awareness through different ways and our aim continues to be to negate the spread of social media bullying by spreading positivity all across. I’m really looking forward to this insightful exchange with James”.

So Positive is a cause taken up by Ananya which is backed with substantial data, research, and behavioural statistics. The initiative aims at creating and spreading awareness about social media bullying. Its prime focus is to make people aware of the fact that this issue exists and stays very prevalent in society. Also, the steps that can be taken by the recipients of this destructive criticism in order to deal with this.

ALSO READ: Ananya Panday says Vijay Deverakonda is humble and grounded despite being a huge star

The Coronavirus-induced lockdown will complete two months on May 24. And yet, the situation hasn’t improved, with the cases increasing everyday. The entertainment sector has been hit the hardest. They got shut first and hence, they might also be the last ones to open. And even if cinema halls commence operations, there are fears that viewers will not come in hordes. Taking advantage of this situation, OTT platforms have been approaching filmmakers with tempting offers. Few of them are already in advanced talks. This includes not just filmmakers of smaller films but also the producers of one of the biggest films of 2020, Laxmmi Bomb, starring Akshay Kumar.

Rumours were abuzz that the makers of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai too were open to offers from web streaming giants. Jordy Patel, manager of superstar Salman Khan, who is the film’s leading actor and producer, was also quoted as saying that they were ready to accept the offer, provided that they be offered a staggering Rs. 250 crores.

When Bollywood Hungama contacted Jordy Patel, he declined having made any such statement. “I haven’t given any figure,” he told this writer. He adds, “All I said was that we are ready to release Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai on an OTT platform, once the film is complete and once we evaluate the situation. Only then, we’ll take a call.”

So if not Rs. 250 crores, do they have any figure in mind that they’ll like to quote when meeting the OTT representatives? He explains, “We don’t have a figure in mind. The film is not yet complete. How can I quote an amount? We have got songs which are yet to be shot and even a couple of scenes.”

So how long are the makers planning to hold the release of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai? After all, cinema halls are expected to start in August or September. Jordy Patel retorts, “Would people like to go to watch a film in August? It seems unlikely. So we’ll see what the situation is then and take a call accordingly.”

Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai, besides Salman Khan, also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff. It was to release on Eid 2020.

Also Read: Salman Khan keeping himself in shape to shoot for the climax of Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai post lockdown

StarPlus, the country’s leading general entertainment channel StarPlus is entertaining viewers with the legendary show – Ramayan. Written, produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar, Ramayan, first aired in 1987 and acquired a cult status over the years. The show boasts of a talented ensemble comprising of Arun Govil as Lord Rama, Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala as Goddess Sita and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman. It also starred veteran actors Lalita Pawar as Manthara, Arvind Trivedi as Ravana and Dara Singh as Hanuman. Not many people are aware that the show’s maker Ramanand Sagar was destined to make this mythological saga into a classic rendition for television.

There is an interesting story that has been shared by Ramanand Sagar’s son Prem Sagar in the book that he has written on his father’s life - An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan. In 1942, when Ramanand was 25 years old a Kashmiri mystic, Pandit Nityanandji had predicted that Ramayan would be retold by Ramanand Sagar. In 1976, noted film producer, Mr Mohla, on observing Ramanand’s astrological chart, had said that Ramanand Sagar would cause a spiritual awakening globally through the medium of cinema. Going forward, Ramanand Sagar ensured that this vision turned into reality and the rest is history!

Ramayan created waves across the world with its soulful narrative. The divine tale of how good triumphs over evil gladdened hearts of every viewer. Streets would be deserted on Sunday mornings as people stayed glued to their television sets as Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan described the tale of Lord Ram in vivid detail.

ALSO READ: Ramayan’s Sita denies asking for Padma Award from government

Director Shoojit Sircar has been hinting about it for some time. Now his latest film Gulabo-Sitabo which features Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana as a squabbling landlord and tenant is said to be going straight to the digital platform

While director Sircar is more than happy to facilitate a quick release of his corona-stuck project we gather from sources close to Mr Bachchan that he and his co-star Khurrana are none too pleased with the swift deal that the producers of Gulabo Sitabo have cut with Amazon.

Says the source, “Both Bachchan Saab and Khurrana are keen to wait until the situation normalizes. But the producers are in an advanced stage of negotiation with Amazon.”

Also Read: Shoojit Sircar open to releasing Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana starrer Gulabo Sitabo on digital platform

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> Considering that <em>Khandaani Shafakhana</em> is a Bollywood film, it has half a dozen songs in there. Otherwise a film with a subject revolving around 'let's talk about sex' hardly has the kind of premise which would warrant a music album. Nonetheless, this is indeed the case with this Sonakshi Sinha, Badshah and Varun Sharma film and one waits to hear what is in the offering. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-999303" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Khandaani-Shafakhana-Dil-Jaaniye-Sonakshi-Sinha.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="405" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> As is the trend, a couple of recreated numbers - both courtesy composer and lyricist Tanishk Bagchi - open the soundtrack. First to arrive is Jasbir Jassi's <strong><em>'Koka'</em></strong> which is a good party number that has an immense foot tapping appeal to it. With Badshah and Dhvani Bhanushali joining the fun and Mellow D chipping in with additional lyrics, <em>'Koka'</em> has been a chartbuster over a period of time and would only consolidate its hit status in months to come as well. Next to arrive is <strong><em>'Sheher Ki Ladki'</em></strong> which was a rage back in time when seen in the film Rakshak. The song is recreated with Badshah and Tulsi Kumar, and the overall results are quite good all over again. The core hook of the song is what makes you revisit this one all over again, and there is someting intoxicating about <em>'Sheher Ki Ladki'</em> that it sounds as fresh as ever. After a couple of dance songs arrives a romantic track which is put to tune by Payal Dev and written by Shabbir Ahmed. Titled <strong><em>'Dil Jaaniye'</em></strong>, this one rendered by Jubin Nautiyal and Tulsi Kumar is a pleasant hear and stays well with you for its near five minute duration. With a bit of Punjabi in there, this one is fine while it lasts though, its heard-before feel means you don't quite carry it with you after you are through listening to it. It's back to party time with Badshah playing a triple role of composer, lyricist and singer for <strong><em>'Saans To Le Le'</em></strong>. As is the case with Badshah tracks, there is an inherent hook sound here as well and that's what sticks in your mind after you have heard it a couple of times. Though overall the song, which also has Rico chipping in as a singer, doesn't really give the impression of a major chartbuster in the first go, one waits to see how it is picturised. That could well make a difference to the overall popularity that it ends up gaining eventually. The song which arrives next actually turns out to be a soothing outing that makes one feel that it could well have appeared a bit earlier in the soundtrack. The manner in which Tochi Raina sings <strong><em>'Udd Jaa'</em></strong> is indeed quite impressive and the overall effort by composer Rochak Kohli and lyricist Kumaar is also something that you do notice. Yet again, this one isn't the kind that turns out to be an instant chartbuster. However, there is something soulful and serene about this situational number that you wouldn't mind playing it in loop and listening to it for long. Rochak Kohli concludes the album with Altamash Faridi sung <strong><em>'Bheege Mann'</em></strong> and this time around the end result is just about ordinary. A slow moving situational track written by Gautam G Sharma and Gurpreet Saini, it actually brings down the pace of the soundtrack. Had there been one of the three party numbers placed as the last song in <em>Khandaani Shafakhana</em>, it may just have made for a better end result. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Khandaani Shafakhana</em> turns out to be better than expected. One expected that most of the songs in there would be situational but this one actually turns out to be a good collage of songs with dance numbers, situational songs and a romantic number thrown in as well. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Koka’</em>, <em>‘Sheher Ki Ladki’</em>, <em>‘Saans To Le Le’</em>, <em>‘Udd Jaa’</em>

28/02/2020

A woman in Telangana delivered a child by the roadside as she could not be shifted to a hospital in Suryapet town on time by her husband on his motorbike due to barricades put up on the way due to the ongoing lockdown. D. Venkanna, a daily-wage worker, and his wife Reshma live in Annadurainagar, near Suryapet town.

When his pregnant wife complained of pain late in the night, he called 108 Ambulance service but was told that the vehicle had gone to some other place to pick up a patient. With no option available, he made her sit on his scooty and left for Suryapet Government General Hospital. Venkanna said when they reached the old bus stand, the road was closed with barricades.

As there were no policemen posted there, he asked his wife to sit on the footpath and rushed to a nearby police station and pleaded with a constable to remove the barricade. The cop allegedly told him that he can't move from the assigned place of duty and advised Venkanna to himself remove the barricade. An anxious Venkanna rushed back to the place to find his wife crying with pain.

Even as the man ran around to get some help to remove them, the woman delivered the baby girl by the roadside. The incident occurred barely a km away from a government hospital in the early hours of Thursday. Hearing the cries of the woman and her husband's call for help, some area women rushed out of their houses to assist her.

After repeated attempts by the locals, an ambulance reached the spot. The medical assistants cut the umbilical cord and shifted the mother and the newborn to the hospital. Doctors said both were doing well.

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The Coronavirus outbreak has infected millions of people across the globe and claimed many lives prompting governments to issue lockdown orders. The order has forced offices to provide facilities for working from home. Now with professionals working from home and attending meetings through video conferences, they have resorted to wearing casual clothes. But what if a last-minute video conference is planned? One has to rush to change into work clothes and attend the meeting. A man has come up with an instant solution to this problem which men can use, which has impressed industrialist Anand Mahindra.

The chairman of Mahindra and Mahindra group took to Twitter to post about this man's tutorial video about 'instant suit', with the hashtag #WhatsappWonderbox. The industrialist says in the post, "I'm going to ship this gentleman a lungi, so that he can complete his outfit by wearing it under his 'instant suit."

So I see that creating a new Video conference dress code is a global obsession. I’m going to ship this gentleman a lungi, so that he can complete his outfit by wearing it under his ‘instant suit.’ 😊 #whatsappwonderbox pic.twitter.com/pMWB7DYBV9

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 15, 2020

The post shared by the Mahindra on Wednesday garnered more than 126,400 views with over 7,800 likes and was retweeted more than 1,100 times, with hilarious reactions in the comments.

Is this for real?? Well, necessity is the mother of invention!

— $hilp_$aaz (@ar_shilpz) April 15, 2020

😆👍
Actually Lungi Coat combination looks quite decent 😂😂
👇 pic.twitter.com/ZPetaY3ni3

— Dr Charuhas (@charuhasmujumd1) April 15, 2020

May be Half of half kurta too 😆

— Sanjay (@Sanjay87911567) April 15, 2020

I would totally buy a female equivalent thing 😂

— rujuta (@ObliqueRays) April 15, 2020

Ha Ha ... Lungi & Gamucha would be a deadly combination with relaxation too.

— LUV â™»ï¸ÂðŸ’¯ðŸ”™ (@luvv_agarwall) April 15, 2020

Make sure it is a chequered lungi with red and yellow squares please 😋. 🙏

— Conphucious 🇮🇳 (@Conphucious1) April 15, 2020

What do you think about the video?

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's father Anand Singh Bisht passed away at AIIMS in the national capital on Monday.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath says he will not take part in the last rites of his father tomorrow, to ensure enforcement of lockdown and to defeat coronavirus pandemic in the state. pic.twitter.com/PPjy9xxLgB

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 20, 2020

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel expressed grief over Bisht's death. Several leaders including Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kamal Nath have condoled the death of Adityanth's father.

"Received Sad news of the death of Shri Anand Singh Bisht ji, father of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth. May his soul rest in peace and provide courage to his family in this difficult time," Singh tweeted.

"My deepest condolences on the death of Shri Anand Singh Bisht ji, father of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. May God give courage to the family to suffer pain in this hour of grief. Soulful tribute," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted.

Kailash VIjayavargiya tweeted, "I am saddened by the news of the demise of Mr. Yogi Adityanath ji's father Mr. Anand Singh Bisht ji. I will salute the devotion of Yogiji, who completed the COVID-19 meeting, despite getting the information of his father's death".

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Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that 54 people have been arrested in connection with the Padarayanapura incident and five FIRs have been registered so far.

A ruckus erupted in Padarayanapura on Sunday allegedly over the shifting of suspected COVID-19 persons to a quarantine facility by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials. "Fifty-four people have been arrested and five have been secured. We will book them under suitable sections. We will take them into custody and we will investigate the matter," said Bommai.

"Fifty-eight people were supposed to be taken for quarantine, 15 have been taken, 20 people were ready to go along with the officials but over 100 people damaged CCTV cameras, broke police barricades. Five FIRs have been lodged," he added.

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In a tragic case of migrant labour crisis, a 12-year-old girl, working at a chilli farm in Telangana, collapsed and died on Saturday while trying to make her way back home in Bijapur district in Chhatisgarh, amid the Coronavirus lockdown. According to the officials, the deceased, Jamalo Madkam, who left home in Bijapur’s Aded village just two months ago, was barely 11 km away from reaching there when she collapsed, Indian Express reported.

Officials also said that Madkam is suspected to have died of electrolyte imbalance as she was walking for three days with 13 others working in Telangana to her village, covering the distance of 100 km. The girl has also tested for Coronavirus that came negative. The results of the test came a day after she died.

Other than Madkam, the group included three children and eight women. Madkam’s father Andoram said that he had heard she left with a group from Peruru village in Telangana on April 16. “They decided to come back after realising that the lockdown had got extended and they would not get any work,” he said.

They'd gone to Telangana to work in chilli fields. Since there's no mode of transportation they walked from Telangana. Her body was preserved&samples were sent for testing as a precautionary measure. It came negative so further action is being taken after postmortem: CMHO Bijapur https://t.co/UR23YXW71L

— ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2020

The girl was the only daughter of Andoram (32) and his wife Sukamati (30), who were barely surviving on forest produce until she went to Telangana for the first time to work on a chilli farm. He said that she had gone to work with some women from the village.

Medical Officer of Bijapur district Dr B R Pujari was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the group had walked through forests and in one place, the girl had a fall. The newspaper quoted sources saying that the girl had died at 8 am on Saturday when the group had reached the border of Bijapur district. They could not inform her family earlier as only among them carried a phone whose battery died.

When the group reached Bhandarpal village, they managed to inform the girl’s family by requesting a resident of the village to help them make a call to her parents. They also informed the police about the girl’s death to the police.

Pujari said that the medical team rushed to the spot as soon as they got the news. “Since Telangana had cases, we immediately sent our teams, but we couldn’t find them,” he said.  Then the team found the group who handed over Madkam’s body to them. The group was then sent to a quarantine facility whereas the girl’s body was sent to a morgue. Andoram and Sukamati collected the girl’s body on Sunday evening.

Chhatisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for the girl’s family on Monday.

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