"At the Singapore Grand Prix, Rannvijay Singha met F1 legends Fernando Alonso and Mika Hakkinen and committed to Johnnie Walker's JOIN THE PACT initiative, which is a global campaign that encourages people to NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE."

2017 marks the 10th year of the campaign and the aim is to collect 5 million commitments from consumers to Join the Pact by end of 2018. For every commitment collected 1km of safe rides home is given back by Johnnie Walker.

Mika Hakkinen and the McLaren Honda and Sahara Force India drivers are Johnnie Walker's Global Responsible Drinking Ambassadors. Mika has visited over 40 countries to spread the #JoinThePact message.

British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and German Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel praised late Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio as both racers eye matching Fangio's five Formula One titles.

Hamilton secured his fourth title weeks before the end of the 2017 championship while Vettel won the last of his four consecutive crowns in 2013.

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton

"Certainly, we will never match him in how successful he had been in such a short time and so little races. Obviously, back then it was different. Racing was different," Vettel told Efe on Thursday ahead of the season-ending race this weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Fangio, who died in 1995, won his maiden world title in 1951 and took four straight crowns between 1954 and 1957.

"To have achieved what he did achieve in that time, where a lot of things needed to come together, the cars were not as reliable and all of that, still he managed to be that successful, I think he's probably the best we've ever had in terms of putting it together, in terms of skill, in terms of how brave they were at the time," Vettel said.

Hamilton echoed Vettel's opinion of Fangio.

"I agree with Sebastian. Naturally, he's just a leading icon in motorsport. To have achieved what he achieved in the time, when danger was really at its worst. I think he's the driver that I think everyone admires most, perhaps being that it was in the most dangerous period of time in motorsport," Hamilton said.

"I think he should be celebrated more for his success. It's not really mentioned a huge amount. Often you hear about Ayrton and Prost, but I feel he's the godfather of the sport in terms of the drivers," he added.

Hamilton said he expected fierce competition from Vettel during the 2018 Formula One season.

"No one is perfect. Even I have things to work on. I expect Sebastian to raise the bar again next year. Ferrari had a great season," the British racer said.

Sergio Perez yesterday acknowledged that Force India faces a critical financial situation that has forced him to consider his future in Formula One. The popular Mexican driver said the Silverstone-based outfit remains one of his favoured options, but he feels he must consider other offers and hopes to clarify his thinking during Formula One's upcoming European summer break.

"At this moment, the situation is critical. There's no secret that financial problems have held the team back quite a bit. If you look at the results, we are fifth in the constructors' championship and you cannot imagine the financial issues that we've had so far.

It just shows the potential this team has. Definitely, I would like to see what happens in the coming weeks and months with the team, because I believe it is a great team," he said. "Now, during the summer break, I will have a good idea what's happening, and then I will take a decision," he added.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

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

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

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

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

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

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Sonali Bendre is one of the Cancer survivors in Bollywood, akin to Manisha Koirala and Lisa Ray. These women have some very inspiring journeys and are likely to become role models in the future. And now, speaking about her journey to SpotboyE, Bendre spilled the beans on almost everything, right from her treatment to her husband Goldie Behl's unshakable support to how she feels today. It could leave you teary-eyed.

The first question was about her current health and she said, "I'm doing well right now. I'm feeling good. Also, I would say it hasn't been much of a shift for me because the last 2 years have been sort of a quarantine for me anyway. So it's not too much of a change at this point, but I would have a lot of visitors coming and going then. That's the part that I miss the most." She also said how she has been missing her parents due to the lockdown and can't meet them.

"Above all, I'm missing my parents right now in this because I can't really meet them. But other than that, we have lots to be thankful for. I always count my blessings," stated Bendre. When she posted her bald picture on Instagram, it was welcomed by one and all, and the actress earned the respect from everyone for the same. She even spoke about her decision to do it and how it made her feel.

She said, "Frankly, how long are you going to hide? Just get on with life, man. I felt I was getting distracted trying to hide my falling hair, so just putting it out there fully bald was more to help myself than anything else. It was quite liberating, actually." And do you know Goldie Behl didn't want the actress to grow her hair back? This reveal was also made by Bendre.

She stated, "He used to say I need to own it and that I look fabulous without my hair as well. Today, he tells me that 'you should not grow your hair back, the short hair suits you very much'. My husband has been an amazing support." As we stated above, Bendre has been an inspiring figure and we all need to respect her for the way she has handled her life and been such a sport and a spirited lady!

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Ajay Devgn has produced and directed a music video, Thahar Ja, which speaks about weathering the storm. The star, who also features in the video, shot it himself at his Juhu home. It also marks the debut of son Yug as assistant director. The song has been rendered by Mehul Vyas.

It's a four-minute-long video and it not only captures the actor and his montages but also all the medical practitioners and unsung warriors that are fighting day and night to conquer the Coronavirus crisis. This is indeed a soothing way to spread hope and positivity.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

We will weather this storm together. Stay safe, Stay Happy. Apno ke liye #ThaharJa #IndiaFightsCorona @narendramodi @uddhavthackeray @cmomaharashtra @praveensinghpardeshi @my_bmc @meenaiyerofficial

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) onApr 25, 2020 at 12:31am PDT

During this lockdown, all the Bollywood celebrities have asked all of us to stay safe and inside our homes. They have also been saluting and applauding the efforts being put by the doctors and nurses to eradicate the virus. Some uploaded a video, many of them tweeted to thank them, and Devgn goes a step ahead and dedicates a song that's all about keeping patience and positivity.

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Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor have been sharing some great throwback pictures amid quarantine. The duo has been missing the family and the functions due to this virus outbreak and lockdown session. Now, Sonam has shared a pretty picture with sister Rhea Kapoor which screams sisterly love.

The duo looked all decked up in the posts, seems like of their photoshoots together. Sonam Kapoor captioned, "sister sister." Let's take a look at the picture right away!

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Sister sister ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) onApr 27, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

Adorable, isn't it?

On the professional front, Sonam Kapoor's last outing The Zoya Factor failed at the box-office. This Abhishek Sharma directorial, also starring Dulquer Salmaan, could only manage lifetime collections of around Rs. 4.90 crores. Before this, she was seen playing a homosexual character in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. Now, the actress is gearing up for Sujoy Ghosh's next production, which is the remake of the Korean film, Blind.

Speaking about Rhea Kapoor, the star kid turned producer with Aisha. She has produced Veere Di Wedding and Khoobsurat too, both starring sister Sonam. The Kapoor sisters own a fashion label called Rheason and the former has also turned producer and made the very successful Veere Di Wedding in 2018.

On the personal front, Rhea is said to be dating Karan Boolani, and their social media PDA will surely melt your heart.

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When author turned filmmaker Ram Kamal Mukherjee decided to make the big switch he knew that it wouldn't be a cakewalk.Now with his second Hindi film Season's Greetings he emerges as a confident story teller, who can intrigue audience with simple and thought provoking narrative. In an exclusive chat with Midday he talks about his films and beyond...

Probably you are amongst few film journalist from Bollywood who have successfully switched from print to movie making. Was is a pre planned transition?

It might sound like a 'cakewalk' but unfortunately it was not. I had to go through the grind. After my tenure as Editor in chief of a film magazine. I co-produced a finite series Bin Kuch Kahe for Zee TV with director Rajshree Ojha. It was a learning experience for me. During that time, I realized that I would like to make films. But never in my dream I had imagined that I will become a director. In fact it was Esha Deol who literally forced me to become a director with Cakewalk. She said, "It's your vision, and you are doing everything that a director does. I think you will be a good filmmaker!" Esha stood by me and my production house like the Rock of Gibraltar.

You have been a senior journalist, with almost 20 years experience. Did any of your industry friends help you? Or did you approach them?

No. I didn't approach anyone. I wanted to make a film on my own terms and condition. I knew that once I achieve in making a decent movie, industry will support and stand by me. Cakewalk broke all possible records. It became India's first short film to be premiered in a satellite television Cineplex with Colors, the first look was launched in London by Hema Malini, the music rights was acquired by Zee Music, the film was acquired by Viacom18, I was invited at the BBC studios in London for live chat show, it got selected at 21 film festivals and won at 17 film festivals. It also become India's first short film to be premiered at Inox Insignia one of the biggest theatre chains in India. The film was promoted in 6 major metro cities in India and Dubai. We treated it like a feature film, and I give credit to my team and my friends from media and film industry.

Your second film Season's Greetings seems to have created a much bigger news. With United Nation Free and Equal and legends like Amitabh Bachchan endorsing the film it seems to be one of the much awaited movie of this year on OTT?

I am thankful to Mr Bachchan for being so gracious, he spoke so beautifully about the film in his video message. My film is a tribute to the legendary filmmaker Riruparno Ghosh, and I am grateful that Lillette Dubey maam and Celina Jaitly Haag who agreed to be a part of this venture. It was Celina who connected me with the United Nations Free and Equal, and I had to organize special screening for them in Geneva. It took almost two months to bring them on board as our social cause partner. This wouldn't have been possible without our friend and well wisher Charles Radcliffe. Zee5 had initially decided to release it on March but now due to Corona pandemic we had to reschedule everything. But I am glad that we released on April 15, and the film has become the most watched short film on Zee5. The film got selected at seven prestigious international festivals including Cardiff International Film Festival. It won Best Director Jury award at Rajasthan International Film Festival this year. I am eagerly waiting to show the film to all. This film also marks the debut of young and talented actor Azhar Khan. The film deals with LGBTQIA issue in a very subtle manner. The film has been selected at the prestigious Kashish Film Festival 2020 in Mumbai, Asia's largest LGBTQIA Film Festival. I am glad the film is getting appreciated by all, my film celebrates love beyond gender.

Director Ram Kamal Mukherjee with lead cast Celina Jaitley and Lillette Dubey in Season's Greetings

How does it feel when your film gets thunderous applause from media and film fraternity?

I feel blessed. When veterans like Khalid Mohamad, Shoma Chatterji, Nandita Puri, Ananth Mahadevan, Taran Adarsh, Rajeev Masand and Suman Ghosh writes about your film, its a reassurance. But I would like to thank my team for making this possible. My producers Aritra Das and Shailendra Kumar, my associate producers Mohammad Jameel and my wife Sarbani Mukherjee. You might dream big, but you need a producer who will stand by your vision. And of course Celina Jaitly who worked like a team member all the way from Austria in the middle of lockdown crisis. She would manage her household responsibilities and maintain all her work commitment. She interacted with all leading media over Instagram and Skype, she gave telephonic and email interviews. She actively pushed the film on social media. Lillette Dubey maam though she is not on any social media platform, she would record her bytes for channels and send. Her daughter Ira Dubey would record her interview on phone and we would give those bytes to electronic and web media. Azhar Khan supported us from Pune, while Shree Ghatak in Kolkata went all out to spread the word. My singers Sayani Palit and Jaan Kumar Sanu did radio chats and facebook live performance of the song. It was very tough to promote a 47 minute film in the middle of lockdown. But we all need to keep reinventing ourselves.

In a span of two years you have managed to direct almost five films. That's a decent number...

After Season's Greetings, I wanted to make a short length Bengali film. That's when the idea of Rickshwala came to my mind. I am launching Avinash Dwivedi in as the protagonist in the film. It was a tough project for me. We had to do workshops and shoot in the bylanes of North Kolkata in summers. Avinash gave his blood and sweat for this film. Rickshawla already won Best Actor and Best Director at 13th Ayodhya International Film Festival this year. Then we made Broken Frame, which is based on my fiction Long Island Iced Tea. Yet again I was fortunate enough to work with extremely professional and talented actors like Rohit Bose Roy and Ritabhari Chakraborty. The film deals with martial issue and infidelity. After that, I made Shubho Bijoya with Gurmeet Choudhury and Debina Bonnerjee, which is a romantic film loosely based on O Henry's classic A Gift of Magi. Now I am working on my first full length feature film Binodini Dasi, a biopic on Bengal's famous theatre actress. My first attempt to make a period drama.

Ram Kamal Mukherjee and Esha Deol receiving Society Iconic Award for Cakewalk from Ramesh Sippy, Kiran Sippy and Krishika Lulla

Do you feel that any of your skills as a journalist comes handy when you are donning the hat of a director?

Yes it does! My writing skill helps me in fine tuning my screenplay and dialogues, my editing experience helps me in keeping the scenes precise and save the cost of extra shifts and shoots. My photoshoot experiences helps me in visualizing a character, their costume, hair and makeup. And my nose for news, helps me in creating content that people would like to see on screen. I guess we all use our past experience to enhance our future endeavors.

You have penned five books and directed five movies in a span of three years. You are extremely active on social media, you also conduct special classes for film students and talk shows with celebrities. How do you balance every act?

Huh! Now that you have spelled it, I am feeling breathless. But frankly speaking, I have learnt multitasking from Hemaji (Malini) She inspires me a lot. I think if we can focus on our work then we can distribute our time evenly. Now that we are locked down for almost 40 days, I will be finishing the draft of my Bengali film, work on the story board and first look. I am also working on two non fiction with leading publishers, so my research and drafting is on. I am also working on my Hindi feature film, which will hit the floor by 2021. I don't like to waste time. Even when I am not doing something, I am watching a film or a series. The hunger should never die. And now with lockdown and quarantine, we all have learnt how to multitask, because when you are pushed to the edge then you either learn to fly or you die.

Why do you call Season's Greetings a homage to director Rituparno Ghosh? And how is it different from any other tribute?

Well, this is a different kind of homage to any director. Mostly when we pay tribute, we tend to either make a biopic or remake classics. But I thought of giving him a tribute through multiple ways. Suchitra Bhattacharya was Ritu da's favorite author, veteran Tagore vocalist Suchitra Mitra acted in his film Dahan, so I decided to name Lillette ji's character Suchitra. Celina's character Romita was Rituparna Sengupta's name in Dahan, which was a popular novel written by Suchitra Bhattacharya. The house where they stay is called Utsab, which was yet another film by Ritu. The househelp is Chapala inspired from his film Aarekti Premer Galpo (he acted), where he played a transgender filmmaker and enacted life of theatre actor Chapal Bhadhuri. Transgender actor Shree Ghatak plays the role of Chapala in my film.

There is a sequence between Lillette and Celina where they talk about fragrance of a particular perfume, which is inspired from Aparna Sen and Debasree Roy's kitchen scene from Unishe April. Lavish display of food and characters talking over dinner table has been Rituparno's favourite narrative style, which is a part of preclimax sequence.

Tagore music and Maithili language is yet another aspect which Rituparno had often used in his films. Infact there is a portrait of Tagore used in the film from Balmiki Pratibha, which was prominently used as a metaphor in his film Ashukh. Then references like Banalata pishi is from Bariwali, Abhirupa is again Rituparno's character name from Chitrangada.

Rabindranath Tagore's song Gahana Kusum Kunj Majhe, was used in his film Abhohoman, which has been recreated in the film by singers Jaan Kumar Sanu and Sarbani Mukherjee.

In a scene we see Suchitra is reading Devdutt Patnaik's novel Shikhandi. That's again referring to Rituparno's film Chitrangada, a character from Mahabharata. In fact we have also shown the exterior of Rituparno's house Tasher Ghar in Kolkata which only very few people will relate. There are shots of Ardhanarishwar, that depicts the presence of bisexuality since vedic age.

The entire character graph of boy child Chapal undergoing sex change and becoming Chapala also talks about his films like Memories of March and Chitrangada. But none of it is underlined, everything is subtle. You need to be a Rituparno fan to appreciate or understand. The scene where Romita talks about unexpected rains and letters from her mother is a fleeting reference to his film Tithli.

And of course the climax that would jolt you as an audience, and will remind you of Rituparno in a much prominent way.

In fact the first day and first shot of the movie between Celina and Azhar was shot in Grand Hyatt Presidential suite. After the shot the manager came to meet me. He said, "It's irony that Rituparno had shot Sob Charitro Kalpanik scene with Bipasha Basu and Prosenjit in the same room!" We knew that Rituda is blessing us from the word 'action'!

This film marks return of Celina Jaitly after motherhood, why did you opt for her since she was away and settled in Dubai?

I wouldn't have taken effort if she would habe settled in Mars or Moon, but to not consider an artist for geographical reason in an archaic thought. I knew that she would be my perfect Romita, for three reasons, she never got an opportunity to play a role like this. She shared a very close bonding with her parents whom she lost recently, and she has been associated with LGBTQIA movement for last two decades. I remember Celina broke down before shoot. She went to severe depression and I guess this film was her fulcrum to spring out of the situation. Ritu da once mentioned, every artist comes with their own qualities, as a director you need to utilize that aspect and mould them into your narrative.

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Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor has now approached the King George's Medical University (KGMU), offering to donate her plasma for treatment of other Covid-19 patients. The singer called up the head of transfusion medicine department, Prof Tulika Chandra, and volunteered to help.

"She called me up and said she really wanted to help other Covid-19 patients. Vice Chancellor Prof M.L.B. Bhatt has given a go ahead on it and we will now be carrying out the tests on her to see if she is fit to donate her plasma," said Prof Chandra.

As per experts, Kanika's sample will be tested for a number of things before she can donate her plasma. These include her haemoglobin level that should be above 12.5, weight should be more than 50 kg and the patient should not have diabetes, cardiovascular issues, malaria, syphilis and other such ailments.

Kanika's sample will probably be taken on Tuesday and if found to be eligible, she will be donating her plasma on Wednesday. Kanika Kapoor had grabbed headlines last month when she became the first Bollywood celebrity to test positive for Coronavirus.

Kanika had attended two parties in Lucknow in the presence of top politicians and bureaucrats and all of them were later tested for Corona. Kanika was hospitalized for over a fortnight at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).

She had, on April 26, come out with a statement clarifying her travel and Covid-19 history declaring that she was aware of misconceptions and wrong information floating around her but she chose to remain silent until ready to speak. Kanika in her social media post had said that all persons she came in contact with in the UK, Mumbai and Lucknow had been tested negative and that she had duly followed the process.

Meanwhile, the KGMU on Sunday night, made the first plasma transfusion in a 58-year-old patient from Orai who is a government doctor whose condition was critical. The doctors now say that the patient is responding well to the transfusion.

The university has received three plasma donations from fully recovered Covid-19 patients, two from doctors and one from a Lakhimpur man.

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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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Singer Sona Mohapatra, who is known to speak her mind, has come up with a new song, her own badass version of Raees' Zaalima. The singer's soulful voice is a perfect fit for love ballads, case in point Ambarsariya, Naina, Bolo Na and many of her hits. While, it wouldn't be wrong to say that, very few female solo songs are released nowadays in film soundtracks, it came as a pleasant surprise to see this reprise and refreshing version of the the Shah Rukh Khan's film, Raees' popular love song.

Sona has an unique ability to infuse newness in songs and her version of Zaalima is quite different from the original version, sung by Arijit Singh. As per her post, she had created this in-house video with some interesting 'gender-political' messaging about the state of the music industry some time ago and is all set to release it to spread cheer and even some laughs to drive away the lockdown blues, now!

Sona says, "Musicians have been hit the hardest in recent times. There are no residuals or royalties for creators here unlike the west and unless we step out to play concerts on stage we don't make money. It's only sweat labour in India. The lockdown and post COVID era will hit the musicians even harder with no stages to play in and the economy focusing on essentials. In these grim times, most artists in my community have been setting aside their own emotional state and performing online to spread joy and love and I am so proud of all of them! In these times you realise that it's mostly musicians who have the craft and talent to deliver without too many resources or people helping them. My DIY video should be taken with a pinch of salt although any good comedy does come from a truthful place; our film-music has completely sidelined the strong solo female voice in the last decade and it's time for all of us to notice."

"Few know that I had been called to sing the last few lines of the film version but couldn’t fathom why only the last few lines were reserved for the female voice considering it was a romantic duet!" - she wrote on her YouTube channel, while sharing the song. 

A user commented - "I didn't know who's voice was this? Also, I was a huge fan of Sona Ma'am. But now I'm flat. And now after this rendition, I'm completely dead."

Another user commented: Thank goodness she didn't end up singing the actual song.

Tell us your views about the new version of Zaalima!

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REJCTX is a teen-drama thriller and a coming of age story that revolves around the lives of seven Indian students studying in The Jefferson World School. These privileged kids are thrust into the exclusive world of the rich, right where they belong. But eventually, they find themselves at the disposal of their own insecurities. REJCTX is an expression of that restlessness by a bunch of misfits and rebels.

Goldie Behl, Producer and Director, REJCTX 1 & 2 said, "It was certainly a challenge as it was exciting to cast all new faces, but the kids performed extremely well in the first season and then they have outdone themselves in the second season of the show as well. Everyone has built a great bond while working on the sets and it almost feels like family to be working with them. The second season of REJCTX is really good and we are hoping everyone loves it as much and more than the first season."

Have a look at the recap of Season 1 right here:

MISFIT NO.1: Aarav Sharma

The lead, Masi Wali who played the character of Aarav Sharma, a rich brat, was seen obsessing over one of his teachers and things take a turn for the worst when he goes missing.

MISFIT NO.2: Kiara Tiwary

Anisha Victor plays the role of 'Kiara Tiwary' whose biggest fight is with her inner saboteur telling her she is either not pretty enough or lacks the confidence to be on the top. But in season 2, we will see a new avatar of Kiara pushing that inner voice and taking the new year at school by storm.

MISFIT NO.3: Maddy

Ayush Khurana essays the role of 'Maddy', who is hiding his identity and living with a humiliating secret. The question is, will he be able to accept himself?

MISFIT NO.4: Sehmat Ali

Saadhika Syal plays the character of 'Sehmat Ali', who wants to be known as more than just a girl in a hijab. She is the most rebellious amongst the lot and was also seen exploring her sexuality with Misha. But will she unfold that scarf to reveal her true identity?

MISFIT NO.5: Parnomitra Rai

Ridhi Khakhar who plays 'Parnomitra Rai' comes across as a typical teenager who has built a wall around her and if anyone tries to cross that, Ridhi can be their biggest nightmare. But in Season 2, we could get to see her softer side. She also falls in love with one of her classmates. Can you guess who?

MISFIT NO.6: Misha Patel

She is bubbly, chirpy and extremely innocent. But her innocence is her biggest weakness when she faces the kids of Jefferson World School. Pooja Shetty playing 'Misha Patel' could just be the highlight of Season 2. Wait for it!

MISFIT NO.7: Harry Sandhu

Prabhneet Singh plays a flamboyant character of 'Harry Sandhu' who is witty and humorous but is always called a 'failure' because of his low confidence and is often mocked by his classmates. Will that change in Season 2? There's only one way to find out!

Season 2 will see a whole new side to these characters with the addition of Tanvi Shinde ('Yesha') who will be the new entry to this group of talented kids.

While the first had Sumeet Vyas and Kubbra Sait, season two will have Esha Gupta who is making her digital debut, where she plays the character of Police Officer Rene.

Sumeet Vyas (Farhan Hussain) will play the role of the Vice President of the school just like season one. The makers of the show released the teaser of season 2 recently, which gives us a glimpse of the 'privileged rich kids of the Jefferson World School' from Esha's viewpoint.

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Fitness plays a significant role in the life of Bollywood actresses. To slay in Bollywood, the actresses are maintaining on to a well-toned body. Their toned curves make them look glamorous in the industry. It’s no surprise that for any given role our favorite Bollywood celebs have to set a strict fitness regime and follow a certain diet. Giorgia Andriani, who took the world by storm with her 'size zero' figure, recently through her social media posts, is today considered to be one of the fittest actress in the industry.

“I’m walking, practising yoga and following various workouts on YouTube, sometimes functional, sometimes weight lifting. And I am eating as early as possible at night.” Said Giorgia while talking about her fitness and diet routine. The actress has maintained a routine and stuck to her nutritious way of life all through the coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

 

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You are just one yoga session away from a good mood!🧘🏼‍♀️ #YogaLife #YogaEveryday #MeTime

A post shared by Giorgia Andriani (@giorgia.andriani22) onJan 28, 2020 at 1:32am PST

The Italian beauty Giorgia will soon debut in Bollywood with 'Welcome to Bajrangpur' starring Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra, and Tigmanshu Dhulia. Apart from that, she is set to raise the temperature with an Item Number in much-awaited 'Sridevi Bungalow' starring Arbaaz Khan and Priya Prakash Varrier.

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Disha totally began the year 2020 with a bang and played a free spirited avatar in her latest Malang, looking drop dead gorgeous and the hotness quotient was just on another level. The actress even stole all the limelight and this fresh new avatar was something everyone was rooting for. The character was so relatable that one could connect to it. Disha built an incredible connection with her viewers, setting the bar high with her hotness and oomph.

The duo of Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani was the hot talk of the town and Malang emerged as a widely successful film. Malang truly was a treat to the eyes and we saw Disha in the hottest avatar ever. With her recent throwback picture on her social media, Disha has already raised the temperature of the season with her hotness and one can never have enough. Disha captioned her picture as, "#malang".

 

 

 

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#malang❤ï¸Â

A post shared by disha patani (paatni) (@dishapatani) onApr 27, 2020 at 10:38pm PDT

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Jacqueline is one of the most successful actresses who has given commercially hits as well as some great performances. With every project, the actress has entertained the audiences and will be soon making her digital debut with Mrs. Serial Killer up next.

Stirring things up a bit this time, Jacqueline has opted for a role which is completely opposite of her Miss sunshine avatar, in reel-life with her OTT debut Mrs. Serial Killer which is just a couple of days away from the release. The film is all set to premiere on 1st May.

The actress will be seen alongside celebrated actor Manoj Bajpayee and sharing her experience on working with the actor for the first time, Jacqueline says, "I met him at the shoots in the high altitudes; he is so full of energy and has so may stories to tell you. He is a bit funny as well and that made the shoot worth the while."

Earlier as well the actress had shared how she is a big fan of Manoj Bajpayee's body of work and for her OTT debut grabbed the opportunity to work with him. The actress also loved Manoj's work in 'The Family Man.'

Jacqueline loves to always experiment with her projects and never shies away from trying out something new. Her OTT debut performance is something we are all looking forward to. From the trailer itself, Jacqueline looks extremely promising and we're excited!

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Nitin Kumar is a known name in Pollywood Music, but he is more known as Nitin Vilecha hails from Punjab, he was born on 23rd July 1999 is young enough to gain a good name in the music and fashion world. Although the world of modeling is often dominated by females, Nitin was successful enough in breaking this stereotype and emerged a big name in the fashion world. With his handsome looks, he was able to make his entry into the fashion world. He worked with top models including Jon, Opry, and Lucky Blue to name a few. After reaching the zenith, he tried his luck in acting.

Soon entered in Pollywood music seen with some songs. His intention is clear, he wants to make his entry in Bollywood. He is waiting for the right opportunity to make a move inside B Town. However, in modeling he has proved his worth and soon it won't be surprising to see him becoming the part of several global events as well.He has worked with different brands and companies and with his handsome and stunning avatar, he is willing to go a long way doing big ventures in modeling. Besides, he has remained the part of many fashion shows as well working as a showstopper for several top brands.

In a short time, he was able carve his niche in this field and is now counted among the top models in the glamour world. People have started recognising him as he has become a regular face in the Pollywood music and fashion world. He is leaving no stone unturned to give his best and find time for every assignment doing justice to the ventures he keeps on getting in his way. He may be a stable model with good earning but he wants to make his mark in the Bollywood industry as well. Hope to see him soon on the big screen with B Town stars.

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Amid the nationwide lockdown due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, Bollywood celebrities have been flaunting their culinary skills on social media. Actor Pulkit Samrat treated his actress-girlfriend Kriti Kharbanda to some prawns.

Kriti took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of the prawn curry made by Pulkit and she captioned it: "And then, death by amaze food happened! @pulkitamrat showing off his cooking skills."

 

 

 

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@pulkitsamrat ❤️

A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) onApr 24, 2020 at 3:03am PDT

Recently, Kriti shared a post where she could be seen enjoying a champi (oil massage on the head) by her boyfriend Pulkit Samrat. She also jokingly claimed that her new motto in life is to make Pulkit give her a champi!

 

 

 

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First I made him look like Champak, then made him give me a champi! 😋😋😋 @pulkitsamrat heya! Thanks ya! 😛😘 #quarantinememories #yelocozyolo (this is officially my new motto in life)

A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) onApr 14, 2020 at 10:28pm PDT

Meanwhile Pulkit took to Instagram and posted a black and white picture of himself along with his dog -- a husky.

"Ek Dooje Ke Liye (for each other)" he captioned the image.

On the work front, Kriti and Pulkit were together seen in Anees Bazmee's comedy caper "Pagalpanti. Kriti will next be seen in "Taish". Pulkit will next be seen in "Haathi Mere Saathi and "Taish".

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Actor Taapsee Pannu on Tuesday reminisced the role portrayed by her of a successful businesswoman in her 2019 thriller flick 'Badla,' by sharing an intriguing picture. She also counted on the perks of being an actor and shared that, 'the fact we can live so many lives in one life is the charm of being an actor.'

 

 

 

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Another one from the location of Badla. Actually from Naina Sethi’s cabin. Trust only her to have such a poster in her professional cabin. But let me admit it was a fun change to play the not so nice character on screen. As an actor if one doesn’t get to experiment much it actually feels like a regular desk job which many of us actually gave up to have this edge of the seat career. Every job has its own charm n the fact we can live so many lives inone life is the charm of being an actor. 📷: @the_dahiya_boy #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 28, 2020 at 4:40am PDT

The 'Thappad' star took to Instagram and shared yet another picture from her archives, where she is seen getting into the skin of her character 'Naina Sethi.' The intriguing picture showcased the 32-year-old actor posing just like the poster behind her, as she closes her eyes to imitate it. The poster features a blonde girl with closed eyes, saying "No, Thank You."

Taking to the captions, the 'Naam Shabana' actor wrote, "Another one from the location of Badla. Actually from Naina Sethi's cabin. Trust only her to have such a poster in her professional cabin. But let me admit it was a fun change to play the not so nice character on screen."

The 'Naam Shabana actor added, "As an actor if one doesn't get to experiment much it actually feels like a regular desk job which many of us actually gave up to have this edge of the seat career. Every job has its own charm n the fact we can live so many lives in one life is the charm of being an actor.# Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost"

Taapsee has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown.

On Monday, the 'Manmaziyaan' star shared another throwback picture from her archives on Monday and reminisced the pre-shoot conversation in Glasgow with Sujoy Ghosh, the director of her 2019 thriller flick 'Badla.'

Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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Joining Punjab Police's 'Main Bhi Harjeet Singh' campaign named after the police personnel whose hand was chopped off on duty, actor Anil Kapoor on Tuesday paid tribute to the frontline warriors who are fighting against COVID-19. The superstar took to Twitter to express solidarity and laud the frontline workers.

Here’s a salute to our front line warriors! You have our full support and we stand in solidarity with you in this war!#MainBhiHarjeetSingh #MainBhiPunjabPolice

— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) April 28, 2020

"Here's a salute to our front-line warriors! You have our full support and we stand in solidarity with you in this war!" Kapoor tweeted and adding hashtags #MainBhiHarjeetSingh and #MainBhiPunjabPolice to his tweet.

"Main Bhi Harjeet Singh" - Personnel of Punjab Police on Monday sported name badges of their colleague, whose hand was chopped off while he was trying to impose COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the state.

The initiative was part of a day-long campaign launched on Monday by Dinkar Gupta, DGP Punjab to display solidarity towards Sub-Inspector Harjeet Singh, who was part of the police team that came under attack allegedly by a group of Nihangs who were asked to show their curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala on April 12.

Doctors had reattached the hand of the 50-year-old in a surgery post the attack.

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Should we? Should we not? That's the question on the minds of several filmmakers who are contemplating releasing their offerings directly online as a cloud of uncertainty looms large over the re-opening of cinemas. However, Reliance Entertainment has decided to wait out the lockdown period instead of pursuing a direct-to-web release for their two big-ticket movies, Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh's 83.

While he understands that OTT platforms enjoy a wide reach, Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment, says, "Sooryavanshi and 83 have been made for the big-screen experience. We are hoping theatres will open [in the near future], and we will be able to release our films. For now, we are willing to wait for four to six months [before considering an alternate course of action]." He doesn't deny that holding off a film's release for so long poses a financial risk. "We are taking a risk in terms of our equity and return. But we believe in our films and want to see them on the big screen. Also, theatres are an important part of the entertainment eco-system."

A still from Sooryavanshi

Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi opines that while smaller films can be web-bound, big-budget projects should not bypass a theatrical run as they are integral to the survival of cinemas. "Even 10 films [of the calibre of] Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan can't boost the exhibition sector the way a Sooryavanshi can. We depend on such films to keep our balance sheet in the green. Watching an Akshay Kumar or a Rajinikanth film on a mobile phone hardly gives viewers the larger-than-life theatre experience," he reasons.

Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO, Reliance Entertainment

Grateful that the key players are not biting the OTT bait, Manoj Desai, executive director, Gaiety-Galaxy, says, "Almost 50 per cent of my losses will be recovered if Sooryavanshi is the first release after the lockdown is lifted. If such films consider [a direct-to-web release], I will have to down the shutters of my theatres."

South theatres angry

Down south, multiplex owners are already resisting direct-to-home releases. The Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners’ Association has threatened to ban films produced by or featuring Suriya when his home production announced it will release wife Jyothika's Pon Magal Vandhal directly online. Following this, the association released a video warning that they will not allot screens to Suriya’s films if the couple goes ahead with the decision.

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

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

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

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

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 28, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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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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Kiara Advani began her Bollywood journey with the 2014 film Fugly that was Akshay Kumar's home production. She also appeared in M.S Dhoni- The Untold Story in 2016, a commercial and critical success. She then starred in Abbas-Mustan's thriller, Machine, in 2017 that failed to do well at the box-office. It was Karan Johar's anthology, Lust Stories, which made the audiences sit up to the actor that was yet to be tapped by the industry people.

And with the gigantic success of Kabir Singh, there was no looking back. She became Preeti for everyone and began attracting a lot of memes on social media on her silent and submissive character. The rest, as they say, is history! Her last film, Good Newwz, was a smash-hit too and now she has films like Indoo Ki Jawaani, Shershaah, Laxmmi Bomb, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 coming up. And she has often thanked one man for guiding her through her thick and thin and that's Salman Khan.

And in a chat with Mumbai Mirror, she spoke about meeting the Superstar for the first time and what her initial reaction was. She said, "I was smitten by Salman Khan sir the first time I saw him, which was on a film set at Mehboob Studio. He was sitting outside his vanity van, waiting to be called for a shot." She added, "I was struck dumb, literally! I already knew him but the aura around him was so strong. He made me comfortable and while my mother and he were sharing stories from my childhood, I just stood there, gawking."

Given Salman has acted with almost all the actresses he has guided and mentored, can we expect him and Advani in a film together in the future?

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Twinkle Khanna, Hema Malini, Bhumi Pednekar, Kim Sharma, Surbhi Jyoti and many other Bollywood celebrities took it upon themselves to grow their own vegetables. Many have taken to home gardening and decided to grow some veggies and other plants during the lockdown.

The coronavirus outbreak has put many lives and businesses on halt, but people have decided not to give up and find a different way to help each other. Twinkle Khanna grew green veggies in her garden, and sharing the picture, she wrote, "What you sow, you shall reap and I planted a love for gardening in the hearts of my children. This is my harvest-their help in digging, watering and this large bowl of Ceylon Palak. It grows like a weed and is easily propagated by planting the stem back after taking out the leaves. Thank you @merliynjoseph for helping me with this a few years ago. It is a gift that keeps giving in so many ways. #greenthumb [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna) onMar 26, 2020 at 12:13am PDT

Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan and their tiny tot Taimur Ali Khan have been waiting for the tomatoes they planted to sprout. Kareena, who made her Instagram debut on March 1, 2020, shared, "My boys doing their bit! Together, let's make the world a better place for us all.
Play your part... #StayHome #StaySafe #JantaCurfew [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMar 22, 2020 at 12:34am PDT

Bhumi Pednekar too shared the new members of her family, "After months of tender love & care, we present to you #PednekarKePed #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by BhumiâÂœ¨ (@bhumipednekar) onApr 25, 2020 at 2:56am PDT

Kim Sharma, who also enjoys gardening, wrote on Instagram, "Weekend chores #day4 [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kim Sharma (@kimsharmaofficial) onMar 28, 2020 at 3:38am PDT

Madhuri Dixit-Nene also posted an Instagram story, which showed figs and pomegranates from her home garden. Isn't this truly inspiring? Take a look!

"Ye dekho... Mera naya kaam... preparing beds for methi, kothmir and planted tomatoes! abhi dekhte hain kya hota hai [sic]" wrote Juhi Chawla on her Instagram.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Juhi Chawla (@iamjuhichawla) onApr 11, 2020 at 10:56pm PDT

It's good to see public figures taking up the initiative to grow their own food and showing people how it's done! Home gardening can never get better, or more fun, than this!

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Tuesday marked three years of Baahubali: The Conclusion. Lead star Prabhas took to Instagram to thank fans for the 'enormous outpouring of love that still flows'. The South sensation wrote, "Baahubali 2 was not just a film that the nation loved but also the biggest film of my life. I'm grateful to fans, team and director SS Rajamouli who made it one of the most memorable projects. I'm delighted for all the love the film and I have received (sic)."

 

 

 

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A post shared by Prabhas (@actorprabhas) onApr 27, 2020 at 11:30pm PDT

For the uninitiated, Prabhas started his career in 2002 and has never halted ever since! The actor has with every passing year given one of the most promising performances and characters we can all relate to.

Fans demanded another edition of the epic. Baahibali did tremendously well even at the box office and Prabhas was phenomenal. The speech delivery, physique, body language was so perfect that no one except Prabhas could have aced the role. Baahubali chose Prabhas and it's indeed amazing. Baahubali was one of the biggest films of all time and more so, for its grandeur and Prabhas' stardom.

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Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Wednesday condoled the demise of ace actor Irrfan Khan with a heavy heart. The star called the passing of Khan the 'most disturbing and sad news' and said that he 'left us too soon, creating a huge vacuum.

The 77-year-old actor took to Twitter and conveyed his deepest condolences. He tweeted, "just getting news of the passing of Irfaan Khan .. this is a most disturbing and sad news... An incredible talent .. a gracious colleague .. a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema .. left us too soon .. creating a huge vacuum .. Prayers and duas."

T 3516 - .. just getting news of the passing of Irfaan Khan .. this is a most disturbing and sad news .. 🙏
An incredible talent .. a gracious colleague .. a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema .. left us too soon .. creating a huge vacuum ..
Prayers and duas 🙏

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 29, 2020

Irrfan passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Khan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health. He was regarded as a fine actor by fans and critics alike with critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit.

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Angrezi Medium was Irrfan Khan's return to the big screen after a gap of almost two years. And his fans were elated to see their favourite actor do what he loves- Acting! Everyone thought the actor would now be back and scintillate us with his performances. However, fate had other plans. Irrfan Khan passed away on Wednesday (April 29). Kareena Kapoor Khan, who worked with him for the first time in this comedy, has now taken to her Instagram account to express her sorrow.

She shared a throwback picture from the sets of the film that also had Dimple Kapadia and Deepak Dobriyal and she wrote- "It was an absolute honour sir. Rest in peace." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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It was an absolute honour sir 🙏🏻 Rest in peace ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 29, 2020 at 1:27am PDT

Just like Hindi Medium, Angrezi Medium was also a film about hope and what it takes to fulfill your dreams. It's a film every parent and child should watch, and because this was the last time we saw a legend on the big screen and in a film!

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Radhika Madan, who played the role of Irrfan Khan's daughter in his last release Angrezi Medium, remembers the actor as a "fighter". "I don't know what to say. My heart aches when I write this. He was one the strongest people I knew, a fighter. And so are (Irrfan's wife) Sutapa ma'am, (his sons) Babil and Ayan," Radhika said.

"I am just grateful that our paths crossed in this lifetime. He is and will always be an inspiration to many. A legend. The man who changed the wave of the Indian film industry. May his soul rest in peace," she added in her statement.

Radhika was the last actress in Bollywood to share extensive screen space with the late talented actor in Homi Adajania's comedy, Angrezi Medium. The film centred on a father-daughter story, narrating the desperate bid of a smalltown father to fulfil his daughter's dream of education in a top UK university against all odds, often leading to hilarious outcome.

Irrfan had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the intensive care unit (ICU), as reported by IANS in an earlier report on Tuesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour a while back, and has been under medical attention for the same.

In his last days, Irrfan was mourning the loss of his mother. The actor's mother Saeeda Begum breathed her last on Saturday in Jaipur where she used to stay. However, owing to the ongoing lockdown, the actor could not physically attend his mother's last rites and reportedly paid his last respect through video conferencing.

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Everyone's firsts are always special and stay with them forever. For this actress as well, her debut film was a real life character which affected the lives of many and served as an inspiration, breaking a lot of stereotypes about women. Her character demanded alot from her and the actress had to choose either to give in her all or lose it all.

The actress chose to give in her all, playing a real life character is exciting until the tough part comes across. Being an outsider and a well known dancer of reality shows her character was of a wrestler. Hair being one of the finest jewel a woman has, the actress even chopped it off to breathe more life to her character. The film emerged as a glorious success and the actress was now popularly known as 'The Dangal Girl'.

We are talking about Sanya Malhotra. Being an outsider, the actress played a real life character and Dangal has become as one of the classics and the film always invokes a sense of motivation due to its storyline and dedication towards winning and always working hard and moving ahead in order to achieve your desired goals. A strong step in Bollywood and the actress didn't have a halt ever since.

Sanya being a lover of always doing something different, has always chosen quality scripts and characters that would connect to the audiences. Being an outsider the actress has built her fanbase from scratch. Some of the actresses’ films include Badhaai Ho, where the actress won hearts and looked extremely natural on-screen. Joining hand with more opportunities, the actress is having three major films in her plate.

Sanya will be seen playing tge role of Anupama Banerjee, and also the actress is going to show herself in varied age groups alongside Vidya Balan.

The next one being Pagglait followed by Ludo. The actress has blended well in the industry and made a place for herself. Sanya works on quality scripts and ensures to give a fine delivery of work that her viewers enjoy and always hunts for a new character which challenges her to become better.

The actress has built a strong connect with her audiences by always keeping them involved in her life through various BTS. Apart from being a great actress, Sanya is also a phenomenal dancer and often shares many of her moves on her social media. Sanya is truly a star one can root for.

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While Mira Nair's The Namesake (2006) introduced Irrfan to the art-house West as Ashoke Ganguli, there was a 2012 profile of his in The New York Times (by Kathryn Shattuck) that, he reckoned, alerted many in the Hollywood establishment to the person behind the roles he'd done thus far.

This is a couple of years after the last season of HBO series In Treatment that I recall Irrfan calling up from the US to say he was particularly proud of. And a few months before the release of Andrew Webb's franchise reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, where he played the antagonist, Rajit Ratha.

Titled 'Bollywood Hero, American Everyman', the NYT piece went on to ask, "Could Mr Khan become the first Indian to capture the lead in a mainstream American movie?" It began with Irrfan himself declaiming, "Hollywood isn't ready for an Indian leading man." And Ang Lee later agreeing, while arguing, "But maybe he can do it for us [Asians]. He's definitely rare and very special." Irrfan was dubbing for Lee's Life Of Pi at the time.

The fact is, up until Irrfan had spent over a decade and half in Bombay, after graduating from National School of Drama (NSD), doing grunt-work on television, with shows after shows—some of them hugely popular, like Chandrakanta, Star Bestsellers, Banegi Apni Baat (that he also directed episodes of)—starting from late '80s, all through the '90s, let alone Hollywood, even Indian cinema wasn't ready for him as an Indian leading man!

That real deal happened only with the British filmmaker Asif Kapadia casting Irrfan in and as The Warrior (2001), in a slow, quiet, Himalayan Western, if you may, with his haunting eyes adding to the striking visuals. Thereon, young Kapadia scripted an Oscar-winning career as one of the world's top documentary whizzes (Senna, Amy, Diego Maradona).

Irrfan finally captured desi imagination with his inimitably insouciant, proper desi-cool turn as the rustic college goon in Tigmanshu Dhulia's Haasil (2003). A lot of local filmmakers, he said, could place him as the new villain in town. He refused a few such roles, only to mesmerise audiences even more as the obsessed lover in Vishal Bhardwaj's magical Maqbool (2004)—unreservedly a masterpiece that Bhardwaj found hard to match, leave aside with Irrfan (though Haider and 7 Khoon Maaf with the actor were decent attempts).

Thus, a star was proverbially born. Although he'd been around in Bombay all along. This is no time for rona-dhona on ways the film industry functions, while it was always a pleasure to chat about all of this, on occasion, with Irrfan. He never held back on what he felt or thought, about people and pictures.

Will never forget this one time he told me on a TV interview how embarrassed he felt watching the "aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai" (desi-wedding type) shindig around Slumdog Millionaire (2009) at the Academy Awards stage, with Anil Kapoor over-excitedly jumping about, while he hadn't even heard of Danny Boyle before signing up for the film! Or in another interview where he complained about why Shah Rukh Khan had to play out two schizophrenically different films (one with himself all over it) in Billu (2009), with no one ending up liking either, as a result.

That's how Irrfan was, even in public — charmingly candid, but meaning no malice whatsoever, of course. Despite much that he'd been through. To be fair, just casually scan the timeline for when he moved to Bombay. This was the fallow phase when 'parallel cinema' that had inspired him to become a film actor in the first place, had altogether been phased out. Many of the filmmakers had moved to television.

Irrfan got to do the historical docu-drama Bharat Ek Khoj (1988) with Shyam Benegal. He found a chance to work with Govind Nihalani in Drishti (1990) or Basu Chatterjee in Kamla Ki Maut (1989), in the evening of their careers.

The mainstream space almost wholly consisted of action stars, and thereafter, what he called "chocolate boys". Irrfan was neither. The key issue with him as a young aspirant, he said, was to imagine who he could be like. Until Naseeruddin Shah, from the generation before him, he confessed, metaphorically showed him the way — first from Jaipur where he grew up, to NSD, in Delhi.

An abiding memory of Naseer on screen, Irrfan recalled in a TV interview, was from Umrao Jaan (1981), where he flirts with Rekha's character, who is visibly annoyed and asks what he's up to. He casually mentions, "Waqt hai toh kuch toh karein, saath (Since there's time let's do something together)."

The first time I saw Irrfan on the big screen was in an NFDC production, Fareeda Mehta's Kali Salwaar (2002), where he plays writer Saadat Hasan Manto, staring at the heroine in the balcony, from across the street. What are you up to, he asks her. "Jhak maar rahi hoon (Doing nothing)," she says. "Chalo saath mein jhak maarte hain (Let's do nothing together)," he retorts indifferently. Few have seen that film. Don't remember much of it either — impossible to erase that casually killer moment from memory.

For all the years he was altogether bored of bulk-acting on TV in Bombay, whatIrrfan found the hardest to do was keep the inspiration alive — even while he found none of it in his work. He found most of it in watching films, right from the time he bought a video-player with his first salary in the city.

No actor I know from his generation was as well-versed with world cinema as Irrfan. One of his dreams was to be in the same frame as the French hero Gerard Depardieu. Can't thank him enough for introducing me to the Turkish-German star-director Fatih Akin, much before Akin became a thing. Or filmmaker Michael Winterbottom, who Irrfan, of course, worked with in A Mighty Heart (2007). It is said Wes Anderson specifically pencilled in a part for him in The Darjeeling Limited (2007). In conversations, he was always ready with a recco.

Perhaps exposure of this sort could also frustrate an actor, in contrast to the eco-system that surrounds him. Irrfan spoke quite often about having decided to quit acting altogether in his early years, since television was all he was doing, and the sort of movies he wished for weren't going to materialise anyway. This is the phase, he said, he actively worked on his craft, since he had nothing to lose. And much less to hope for. To keep himself busy, he said, he toyed with ways to gently seduce the camera, besides attempting to "live in the moment".

Irrfan in a still from Inferno 

This became perhaps what critics/reviewers might over-use the word "nuance" to explain many of his performances that highlighted most of all, minimal face-acting — least amount of gestures that also kept space for dramatic revelations, when you least expected them. He was the finest film practitioner of 'less is more' — hitting its highest note perhaps with Dhulia's Paan Singh Tomar (2011) that, despite a fair festival run, remained in the can for the longest, before finding theatrical release to top Bollywood awards that year.

More specifically, he could hold a moment. Also there was something infectious about his performances, if you notice, say Deepika Padukone match her smiles and telling eye-contacts with his, in Shoojit Sircar's Piku (2015). Same between Konkona Sensharma and him in Anurag Basu's Life In A Metro (2007). Or, most recently, actor Deepak Dobriyal playing off Irrfan's thoroughly restrained yet feisty/OTT comic timing in Angrezi Medium (2020), his last release.
That's what earned him most respect from peers and public alike.

I was at a breakfast interview with Naseer in Lucknow (he was shooting for Dedh Ishqiya) when Irrfan joined in (he was there filming Bullet Raja). Throughout, Naseer, who's generally frugal with praise and an idol of sorts to Irrfan, called him "Khan Saab" — referring perhaps also to his aristocratic lineage, although he's had a fairly modest upbringing.

There was still something naturally royal about Irrfan's presence, both off but, more so, on the screen. This was a handicap, at least according to one filmmaker critic of his I know. He was incapable of coming across as "low-status", even in roles that demanded so. This is where Nawazuddin Siddiqui held an advantage, apparently. There was minor tattle going on about a rivalry of sorts between fellow NSD alumnus Nawaz, 45, and Irrfan, 53. Much of it had to do with the phenomenal success of Ritesh Batra's The Lunchbox (2013), arguably the greatest Indian success abroad, that both starred in.

The fact is, Nawaz could never do what Irrfan could, and vice versa. As is true for all unique talents. That royal demeanour no doubt would've helped Irrfan bag the role of Mesrani (probably named after Ambani), the Indian-origin richest man, who's the main villain in the gigantic Jurassic Park franchise film, Jurassic World (2015).

His last major outing in Hollywood was with Tom Hanks in Inferno (2016). This is before he headlined the ambitious Japanese mini-series Tokyo Trial (2017; currently available on Netflix). Just look at that line-up abroad, even while he'd confound producers back home picking up a hardcore art-house film like Qissa (2013), although scoring huge in the box-office with the comedy, Hindi Medium (2017).

Irrfan had been ailing since 2018, diagnosed with a rare, neuro-endocrine cancer. He was never seen in public thereafter. He made sure of that—nothing to mess with our memories of him. The common adage '50 is the new 40' (in line with people in other decades) couldn't have been more aptly applied than with Irrfan. He was at the cusp of something bigger, having kick-started his career with definitive, defining roles, only in his mid 30s!

At 20, he told me, he had trained all the actors of Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay (1988), but failed to star as one of the boys in it, because he was too tall to fit into the frame with them. He lived and learnt a lot about life from those street kids.

The Irrfan I knew came across as a deeply sensitive man. The ongoing wave of Islamophobia bothered him no end. He had dropped Khan from his name. Unsure if being racially profiled twice at American airports had anything to do with it. He also had a strong dislike for traditional stardom-led ways of Bollywood— mildly upset by stuff like, how much he was paid by a friend for a role, and how much was offered to his co-star, for the same picture.

But he also had a playful, roving-eye, happy-high side, behind that gambheer/serious exterior. He was surrounded by friends and well-wishers, I noticed, when graciously invited by his wife Sutapa (they met at NSD), to participate in his episode of the biographical show, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (2012). After all these years, the show's anchor, Bollywood star Raveena Tandon asked where I saw Irrfan in the pantheon of the (more popular) superstar Khans. In a league of his own, obviously.

Some of the fun part of Irrfan's personality you find organically channelled into madcap entertainers like Dil Kabaddi (2008) or Karwaan (2018). Or you could just watch him happily descend into YouTube level sketch-comedy with an AIB video gone viral! Better still, you could catch the totally terrible Thank You (2011), that he certainly did for the bread, butter, or more likely, cheese. Outside the preview screening of one of these flicks, he came up to say I must've got "jaded" watching so many movies. Yeah, right!

If it wasn't for Rajesh Khanna, could Irrfan have carried on as an AC repair mechanic? That's what he had visited the superstar's Carter Road bungalow as, much before he had thought of becoming an actor, or formally moved to Bombay. Irrfan had trained to fix appliances. His father was in the business of selling tyres. That visit as an AC-repair guy to Khanna's residence, he recalled in an interview, somehow ignited in Irrfan the belief that he simply couldn't work for the money. He needed something more to keep him engaged.

Before he left for NSD, Irrfan's father had passed away. His mother Saeeda Begum was worried that he was going to become a "naach-ganewallah". Whatever that means, he promised her, "Aapko sharminda nahin hone doonga (I won't let you down)." He didn't. Saeeda Begum, 95, passed away three days before him.

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Actress Nimrat Kaur worked with Irrfan Khan in the much-feted film "The Lunchbox" that went on winning several award and accolades internationally. The news of his sudden demise came as shock to her.

"It is a personal loss for everyone at this point in time. For everyone who watched his movies or worked with him and met him personally, this is absolutely shocking. I think the face of Indian cinema will not be the same without Irrfan Khan. He was a one-man army. Every film and film stars are on one side and his films are on the other. My heart goes out to his family at this point in time, when we all are suffering under a specific situation. Losing a loved one is always painful but I think this (the COVID-19 lockdown) is worse. I cannot imagine I am talking about Irrfan in the past tense," Nimrat told IANS.

Nimrat worked with Irrfan in "The Lunchbox", the directorial debut of Ritesh Batra, which released in 2013. The film screened in several prestigious international festivals, and notably won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at the 66th Cannes Film Festival.

Sharing her memory of working with Irrfan in the film Nimrat said: "We did not have many scenes together but we got a chance to converse extensively during the premiere of the film at the Cannes Film Festival. I was quite overwhelmed by the response to the film, the way it was celebrated and what it became overnight! I remember I asked him, ‘how do you handle so much appreciation, adulation when a film meets a great success like this?' he smiled and told me, ‘sock up to good times and don't be shy of celebration. This is the gift that God has given us. The bad time is around the corner.'

"This moment does not come very often in life. So take it as a gift after all the struggle we have gone through.' He always said to embrace the good time because that's when we celebrate life," recalled Nimrat.

Irrfan had been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection on Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour a while back and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

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Khosla Ka Ghosla and Bheja Fry famed actor Vinay Pathak bid an emotional goodbye to actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away this morning due to cancer and colon infection-related complications.

"I am very numb right now. I don't know what to say, I am devastated. It's really heartbreaking. I can only imagine what his wife and kids must be going through. I can't talk much, I am sorry," said Vinay, when we contacted him for his reaction.

On the subject that Irrfan's demise is a big loss for the industry, he said: "All these are conversations. This is someone's personal tragedy because this news has shaken his family, his friends, and people like us who were very close to him. This we will debate after one month, on what the industry has lost. In my eyes, he was one of the most gifted and talented actors today," said Vinay.

Irrfan passed away in the wee-hours of Wednesday in Kokilaben Dhuribhai Ambani Hospital.

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Filmmaker Anurag Basu, who directed Irrfan Khan in his 2007 movie Life In A... Metro, said he was hopeful the actor will come out of the cancer battle. Irrfan died on Wednesday, losing a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer that targets various organs of the body.

He was 53. Basu, who has himself battled cancer, said he hoped that Irrfan would also win his fight with the disease as he did. In 2004, the director was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of blood cancer. "I was hoping he would pull it off. I was hopeful because I had pulled through it. He was responding well to the treatment so we thought... This is very unfortunate. I couldn't meet him. I am feeling very very bad for it as I will never get to see him.

#Throwback to our Television days
It was always a challenge to capture your brilliance.
You left us too soon.
But then you were always gypsy at heart and never liked to stay in one place too long.
You lived a hundred in your 53 years . pic.twitter.com/rGipwSOZAD

— anurag basu (@basuanurag) April 29, 2020

"But I did meet Sutapa (Irrfan's wife) while the treatment was going on. It was a long, long fight. He fought this battle alone away from everyone," the filmmaker told PTI. Basu said when Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour in 2018, his wife Sutapa was shaken and had made several queries to ascertain how he got cured.

"After he was diagnosed, Sutapa had called me as she wanted to know the details because I had gone through the same. I didn't meet him in person after that. But I was in touch with him over phone when he was in London. When he came here sadly I couldn't meet him in person,' he said. The filmmaker, who has worked with Irrfan on 2007 movie 'Life in a... Metro', believes there will never be an actor like him.

"I have done some of my best work in television with Irrfan. People just know that we have worked in `Life In a Metro' but we have worked together a lot on television. Irrfan is a unique actor. "He has created a space for himself on his own here and in Hollywood. Nobody can take that space from him. There is no the other actor like Irrfan Khan and there will be no one like him. He was unique."

Basu also revealed that he had discussed the story idea about 'Life in a 'Metro' sequel with Irrfan, which the actor had liked. "I was supposed to start a film with him. We were talking about 'Metro' sequel. We were waiting for Irrfan and didn't start that film. We had discussed the idea back then and he loved the character and he wanted to do that again. This was one month before he was diagnosed.'

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The worldwide lockdown has forced us to stay at homes, stay indoors, and stay as far away from people as possible. Some are safe in their own homes and some are abroad with friends or alone. Jacqueline Fernandez, however, is locked down at a farmhouse and that farmhouse is at Panvel. Yes, we are talking about Salman Khan's very popular farmhouse where he celebrates his birthday every year.

How has the actress been spending time at that place and what exactly has the lockdown taught her? She has spilled the beans on all in her recent interview with Times of India. Speaking to the daily, she said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually." On the work front, she has films like Mrs. Serial Killer, Attack, and Kick 2. And this is what she has to say on getting back to work, "I am eagerly waiting to get back to shoots, get dressed and have fun… I am missing all that."

And Salman Khan took to his Instagram account to share a shirtless picture of himself that was slyly clicked by Jacqueline and don't miss the caption the actor has written:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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April 29 is going to be one of the saddest days for all the Irrfan Khan fans and even Hindi Cinema. His untimely and unfortunate demise has shaken and shocked one and all, especially the people from the fraternity who worked with him and knew him as a human and not just an actor.

Fans mourned the actor's demise by sharing videos of his iconic dialogue. One such viral video that caught our attention was from Life of Pi. In the scene, which occurs at the end of the oscar-winning movie, Irrfan, who played the role of Piscine 'Pi' Patel, says, "I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye."

Scene from "LIFE OF PI"

"I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye"

We love and will miss you #IrrfanKhan. #ripirfankhan 🙏💔 pic.twitter.com/BFz0kRGhis

— Devil V!SHAL (@VishalRC007) April 29, 2020

One fan shared the same video with the caption, "The legend #IrrfanKhan was suffering and now he is resting peacefully. You’ll be missed (sic)."

The legend #IrrfanKhan was suffering and now he is resting peacefully
You’ll be missed ❤ï¸Â pic.twitter.com/Q1IcJwIAzG

— AKU WANITA (@ricamenado) April 29, 2020

Another one shared the video with the caption, "Irrfan Khan Great actor. No more. Sad. I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye (sic)".

Irrfan Khan Great actor. No more. Sad.

"I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye".

Yann Martel, Life of Pi #RIP #IrrfanKhan #Bollywood#quotes #life #Pi pic.twitter.com/8htsdXivU5

— Sunil Yash Kalra (@sunilykalra) April 29, 2020

Irrfan played the role of adult Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel in the 2012 adventure drama. Also starring Suraj Sharma, Tabu and Adil Hussain, Life of Pi won universal critical acclaim and won four academy awards.

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

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

Have a look at his tweet right here:

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

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 30, 2020

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

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

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Poonam Dhillon and Rishi Kapoor were a popular pair of the eighties. They starred together in around 10 films, notably Sitamgar, Yeh Vaada Raha, Zamana, Biwi O Biwi, Ek Chadar Maili Si, and Tawaif. The actress looks back at working with the late Rishi Kapoor, and is too shocked to express her grief.

It is difficult at this moment for me to even talk about Rishi. It is very painful to talk about him in the past tense. So many images of him are coming in my mind.

Devastated !!! Rishi kapoor gone !! What terrible news today!! No words to express. My heart breaking for Neetu, Ranbir, Riddhima ,Daboo, Chimpu & Rima !!

— Poonam Dhillon 🇮🇳 à©´ (@poonamdhillon) April 30, 2020

He really was one of my favourite actors. Over the years people would ask me which co-star have you been a fan of or admired. I have always said Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan. They are my two co-stars from whom I have really learnt a lot. I have been a grear fan of both of them.

Rishi really is one of the finest, most effortless and natural actors we had. All through his life he had this romantic and loverboy image. But the variety of roles he did -- whether it is playing a villain or a bad guy or an old man, any kind of role, put him in any role and he would shine in it. He really was a complete actor and I think the most shining star of the Kapoor family.

We have done quite a number of films together. Anywhere in the world I have traveled to, people would tell me "Yah vaada raha" is one of their favourite songs. People would even convey the same on Insta and Twitter. It has been an immortal creation of R D Burman featuring Rishi Kapoor and myself.

As a person, he was somebody with an amazing sense of humour. He would always reply to texts or WhatsApp messages with something whacky or funny. He was a person who had a zest for life. He was full of life. He enjoyed everything from his work to even being on Twitter! Sometimes he wrote very meaningful and great comments (on social media).

He really lived his life to the fullest. I just wish he had not gone so soon. He still had a lots to do. It is very sad.

When I last met him, he was looking so good and nice. We would text each other on occasions like birthdays, Diwali, New Year and other festivals. I had recently sent him a message wishing him good health. Today, I am going through my old messages with him, our conversations.

It is not an easy time to talk about him like this but he is really a person I would miss as a friend, as a co-star. I would sometimes jump into him asking why are we not doing any film together and we would have a banter about it. He would sometimes say, maine ek do film ki, achha role tha, mujhe laga tu karegi nahi!

I don't think he was ready to go. I don't think this is the perfect time. It must be so very traumatic for his children Riddhima and Ranbir. I can't imagine what his entire family must eb going through. Unfortunately, this is such a time that I can't even go and meet his family, share their grief and pay my last respect to him. I am sitting alone at home and thinking about him.

He will always be immortal. He has given such a fantastic body of work. He was outstanding in every role. I wish I could spend some more time with him after he came back from New York. When I met him a few months ago, he told me tu ghar nahi ayee mujhse milne ke liye! He was an old friend and we could tell each other things as it is! I regret not meeting him recently. God bless him and his family. He was a tremendous actor and will always be remembered for his roles!

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After singing an African lullaby, O lele, Kalki Koechlin is now singing a Portuguese lullaby, Nessa rua, to baby daughter Sappho. Taking to Instagram, the actor posted a video in which she is seen strumming the ukulele and singing to the two-month-oldKoechlin informed that she learnt it while playing the Portuguese character Tara in the web series, Smoke. It seems the baby does not sleep till mommy sings.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kalki (@kalkikanmani) onApr 27, 2020 at 10:39pm PDT

Kalki Koechlin is known to be an eco-warrior and the actress has many a time appealed to her fans to take care of the environment more. Looks like the actress believes in doing what she preaches!

Baby Sappho was both on February 7. Kalki, who turned mother, even shared a long post thanking everyone for her wishes and positive energy. She also gave all the respect to all the women who go through the intense and gruesome experience of birth.

On the professional front, Kalki Koechlin was last seen in Zee5's Bhram and Netflix' Sacred Games.

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Hrithik Roshan on Friday took to Instagram to express how much he is missing Chintu uncle -- as he called the late actor Rishi Kapoor. "Even your love had so much energy that I had to stand at attention every time you called. I don't think I have ever in my life been able to continue sitting down when you spoke to me. Everytime dad called and said 'chintu uncle just saw your movie and he is calling you', I used to get up, heart palpitating and start walking around in the room, preparing myself for the deluge of love and reprimand mixed so genuinely together in your own inimitable way that it was difficult for an observer to distinguish which was which," the actor wrote.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) onMay 1, 2020 at 6:08am PDT

Mentioning how Rishi Kapoor acted as a mentor in his life, Hrithik further wrote: "You gave me strength at my weakest moments. It felt so god damn amazing to think that Rishi Kapoor liked my work. That It made me believe in myself. Thank you for every time you picked up the phone and took the effort , thank you for repeatedly pointing out my mistakes , thank you for that consistent support and encouragement chintu uncle, there will never be any actor or human like you. Thank you for being my childhood , for literally shouting out loud into my ear drums about the importance of hard work. And for being so blatantly and ridiculously honest that it made me believe every single word you ever said . I and the world and everyone you touched and inspired is going to miss you. So so much."

Rishi Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan have appeared together in the 2012 movie "Agneepath" directed by Karan Malhotra. Rishi Kapoor passed away on Thursday morning after a battle with cancer. The 67-year-old actor breathed his last at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away yesterday morning, April 30, 2020, at a hospital in Mumbai. The original chocolate hero of Bollywood had been battling cancer since 2018 and breathed his last at the age of 67. Countless hearts were broken due to his passing, and innumerable tributes came in for the actor from his friends and fans across the world.

Niece Kareena Kapoor Khan, too, remembered her Chintu uncle in a sweet way. She shared a clip from husband Saif Ali Khan's film, Hum Tum, in which Rishi Kapoor can be seen singing the classic Hindi song, 'Main Shayar Toh Nahi', from his own movie Bobby, which was his first leading role.

Check out the video below:

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 30, 2020 at 8:34am PDT

Isn't this the perfect way to remember Rishi Kapoor? In all his glory and classic lover boy sweetness!

Bebo had shared a throwback photo, too, which features her papa, veteran actor Randhir Kapoor, with brother Rishi. It's the kind of throwback photo that will surely bring a smile to your face!

 

 

 

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The best boys I know... Papa and Chintu uncle ❤️❤️

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 30, 2020 at 2:02am PDT

Rishi Kapoor passed away a day after we lost another cinematic gem, Irrfan Khan, on April 29. Irrfan, too, was battling cancer for two years and breathed his last at age 53 in Mumbai. 

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Amid rumours that he was unwell and hospitalised, Naseeruddin Shah has reached out to his fans and thanked them for their concern. Rubbishing the reports of hospitalisation, Shah took to Facebook to reassure everyone about his health.

He wrote, "I thank all those enquiring after my health and reassure them I am fine," he said. "I'm at home and observing the lockdown. Please don't believe any rumours," he added.

The actor's younger son Vivaan Shah also dismissed rumours about his father's health. "He's alright. These are just rumours," Vivaan told PTI. Reports about Shah's health started surfacing on social media as the industry was coming to terms with the deaths of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor.

All well everyone! Baba's just fine. All the rumours about his health are fake. He's keeping well 🙏Praying for Irfan Bhai and Chintu ji. Missing them a lot. Deepest condolences to their families. Our hearts go out to all of them. It's a devastating loss for all of us 😔🙏

— Vivaan Shah (@TheVivaanShah) April 30, 2020

Rishi Kapoor, aged 67, breathed his last on Thursday in a Mumbai hospital after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia, while Irrfan, 53, passed away on Wednesday due to neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer.

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During his career of close to five decades that has been predominantly defined by a loverboy image, Rishi Kapoor has romanced over 45 actresses on screen. He struck magic with each romantic shot and managed to weave a dream with each song, opposite each of his leading ladies. Yet, there are the ones who have seemed a little more special than the others, facing the camera with him.

Dimple Kapadia:

Rishi Kapoor's first role as a hero in Bollywood was in "Bobby" opposite Dimple Kapadia and he nailed it at the first chance. He proved he could be the lover boy every girl craves for! His rocking chemistry with 16-year-old Dimple Kapadia in the film remains etched in the songs and romantic scenes.

Neetu Singh:

They would carry their romance onto real life, but not before delivering films like "Kabhi Kabhie", "Khel Khel Mein", "Amar Akbar Anthony" and "Zehreela Insaan" among others. Their sizzling on-screen chemistry transpired into off-screen romance and Neetu Singh eventually quit acting to become Rishi Kapoor's wife Neetu Kapoor. Their song "Ek main aur ek tu" in "Khel Khel Mein" continues to be a favourite across generations.

Sridevi:

Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi will perhaps go down in Bollywood as one of the best-looking pairs! Although "Nagina", "Chandni" and "Banjaran" were heroine-centric films with Sridevi in title roles, their chemistry was worth applauding. Their song "Chandni o meri Chandni" - incidentally the only song Sridevi sang -- is a timeless hit.

Jaya Prada:

She was a frequent co-star. Jaya. like Dimple Kapadia, made her Bollywood debut opposite Rishi Kapoor. Their first film together was in 1979, titled "Sargam". Rishi and Jaya Prada have together appeared in several movies including "Sindoor", "Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani", "Gharana" and "Dhartiputra". The song "Dafaliwale defali baja" in "Sargam" was huge.

Tina Munim:

Rishi Kapoor and Tina Munim cycling - a rare picture in sepia mode

"Karz" cast Rishi Kapoor opposite Tina Munim. Each song of the film is a super hit. And the film itself emerged a blockbuster. Movies featuring this pair include "Yeh Vaada Raha", "Bade Dil Wala" and "Aap Ke Deewane" among others.

Moushumi Chatterjee:

Some of the popular movies featuring the Rishi Kapoor-Moushumi Chatterjee pair include "Zehreela Insaan", "Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan" and "Do Premee". "Zehreela Insaan" also starred Neetu Singh. The Kishore Kumar track "O hansini" featuring Rishi and Moushumi became an instant hit and is still counted among one of Bollywood's best romantic numbers. Moushumi Chatterjee later in her career has also worked in Rishi Kapoor's one and only directorial flick "Aa Ab Laut Chalen".

Poonam Dhillon:

Poonam Dhillon and Rishi Kapoor made another very popular pair of the eighties. They starred together in movies like "Sitamgar", "Yeh Vaada Raha", "Zamana", "Biwi O Biwi", "Ek Chadar Maili Si", and "Tawaif".

Meenakshi Sheshadri:

Apart from the multiple award-winning "Damini", Rishi Kapoor and Meenakshi Seshadri have together appeared in movies like "Ghayal", "Hero", "Shahenshah" and "Ghatak". The actress, who currently resides in the US, paid a surprise visit to Rishi Kapoor a few years ago. The actor took to Twitter to admit that he could not recognize his Damini co-star for a moment! The songs "Jab se tumko dekha hai sanam" and "Gawah hain chand taare" in "Damini" featuring this jodi remain evergreen.

Madhuri Dixit:

 

 

 

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A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:19pm PDT

Madhuri Dixit and Rishi Kapoor have appeared in movies like "Sahibaan", "Yaraana" and "Prem Granth". The song "Dil dene ki ruth ayee" from "Prem Granth" enjoys a huge number of views on YouTube even today. Last year when Madhuri Dixit tweeted wishing Rishi Kapoor on his birthday, the actor had replied: "Thank you Madhuri. I have to make a super hit film with you that's my mission. Love to the family."

Juhi Chawla:

Rishi Kapoor and Juhi Chawla have featured together in several movies like "Bol Radha Bol", "Rishta To Ho Aisa", "Ghar Ki Izzat" and "Saajan Ka Ghar" among others. This jodi deserves a special mention because Rishi Kapoor was shooting the last film of his life with Juhi, which he could not complete. The film titled "Sharmaji Namkeen" was being directed by Hitesh Bhatia. The actor fell sick while shooting for the movie in Delhi recently.

Rishi Kapoor has worked with many other popular actresses including Rakhee, Rekha, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Raveena Tandon, Divya Bharti, Manisha Koirala and Tabu. The actor with his looks and divine smile won the hearts of ladies from eight to eighty.

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Last week Jassie Gill released his song Ehna Chauni Aa, which was the first song to be shot on an iPhone. The song instantly became a hit overnight. It not only created the right kind of the noise, but was also loved by none other than Armaan Malik who took to Twitter to express his love for the song.

In the midst of quarantine where people are looking out for new entertainment, Jassie Gill is back with yet another peppy number titled Johnny Waker. Jassie this time is supporting his friend Simmie by not only singing the song, but also featuring in it. The new song is a peppy party number which will have one and all groove to its tunes.

Talking about the same, Jassie says, "Simmie is a friend and is a great artist. When he came to me with the song, I really liked it and I am glad I am a part of the song. Luckily we shot the song before quarantine and it is shot beautifully."

Simmie added, "Jassie is a great guy, he is an amazing human being. I am very happy he said yes to be a part of the song."

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While competition in Bollywood has always been cutthroat, there have been a few exceptions, who with their A-game have managed to rule the roost in the entertainment world. And ever since actress Radhika Madan stepped on board in Bollywood there has truly been no looking back for her. In fact, in very little time the actress has garnered immense popularity, thanks to her amazing performances. Now while Radhika continues her victory march, we bring you 3 reasons why she is Bollywood’s next blue-eyed girl.

1) She made it without a godfather in the industry

Radhika is amongst those few who ventured into the movies on their own terms. Yes, the Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota actress stepped into the industry with a guiding force or a godfather and yet has managed to do so well for herself. And while she also fought her detractors all alone, her earnest approach and efforts are what brought her all the name and fame.

2) She has played 3 unique roles

Very few get opportunities like Radhika did, right from her debut the actress has only landed in roles which made her standout. While all her roles in Pataakha, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and Angrezi Medium have been quite different, they have also been quite complex, but Radhika has pulled them off quite effortless. With all her roles she has truly proven that she is a versatile actress we all need to watch out for.

3) She has been a director’s favourite

With amazing performances to her credit, the Angrezi Medium actress has been making her way to every director’s wishlist. While so far she has been working with the best of filmmakers, namely, Vasan Bala, Vishal Bhardwaj and Homi Adajania, we are sure that Radhika is going to be working with a lot more movie mavericks in the future.

While Radhika is rising to greater heights with every film, the actress is going to charm us next with her performance in Shiddat.

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After the lockdown started, everyone has seen fitness bloggers actively posting home exercise videos, seeking to encourage the rest of us to budge on the couch and do a squat. Bollywood celebrities, who won't be left behind when it comes to fitness fever, have taken to social media to give us all the big workout goals. Like most of us, during this time away from offering ourselves inane reasons for not exercising, celebrities quickly turned their homes into gyms to keep themselves lean and mean. while in the midst of this Bollywood Star, Urvashi Rautela focuses solely on her wellbeing and fitness, and her Instagram posts are real proof of this.

Quarantined or not, Urvashi has to maintain her Greek god bod. She is one of the fittest celebrities in Bollywood and there is no denying that. The actress has also become famous for her intense fitness sessions. Her workout routines are easy to follow during the quarantine period. And though she's at home, she manages to interact with her followers either through her heavy weight lifting exercise videos or by sharing some of Backwalkover videos.

 

 

 

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What hurts the most in life? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #love #UrvashiRautela

A post shared by URVASHI RAUTELA 🇮🇳Actor🇮🇳 (@urvashirautela) onApr 29, 2020 at 12:11am PDT

On the work front, Urvashi Rautela will be next seen in an untitled film which is the remake of 2017's super hit Tamil film Thiruttu Payale 2. Helmed by director Susi Ganeshan, the film also stars Akshay Oberoi and Vineet Kumar. Urvashi Rautela will be essaying the role of a girl next door in the untitled.

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Jacqueline Fernandez is an actress who has a captivating presence on-screen and the audience is plainly mesmerized to see her play a character. She has an optimistic persona to herself and a charming nature and the combination of both of those things are what make her Bollywood's Miss Sunshine.

This time around she is playing a more distinctive darker shade of a character with her new film Mrs. Serial Killer and Jacqueline shares with the audience how she is glad to be taking a plunge into uncharted waters.

Jacqueline Fernandez shared, "I have got to the point where I don’t care anymore. I realised that if I don’t experiment, I would never be able to grow. Transition is always daunting, as you don’t know if you are making the right moves. But I see Mrs Serial Killer as the start of the next chapter of my career."

The actress is all set for the release of her film and how she chooses to experiment with her characters, shows how she flourishes and nourishes her acting skills.

The actress has molded into the mask of different characters on-screen, which have always left the audience asking for more of her appearance in films.

Mrs. Serial killer is produced as an Original for Netflix and is directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by his wife Farah Khan where the audience will be seeing Jacqueline Fernandez enchanting the audience with her magical performance on screen, alongside Manoj Bajpayee and Mohit Raina. So make sure to watch out for Jacqueline!

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

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

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

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

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After Race 3 (2018), Jacqueline Fernandez had been missing from the scene, barring sporadic appearances in music videos with Badshah and Bigg Boss contestant Asim Riaz. So where has she been all this while? "For now, I am at a farm far away," she laughs, alluding to spending the lockdown at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse. "On a serious note, I went through a period where I needed to reinvent myself."

A still from Mrs Serial Killer

The actor considers Mrs Serial Killer, the crime thriller that dropped on Netflix yesterday, her first step in "rebooting myself." "I have always done mainstream films, and was tired of playing chirpy and superficial characters. I was keen to attempt something dark and complex. So when Shirish [Kunder, director] said that Manoj [Bajpayee] would be my co-star in Mrs Serial Killer, I jumped at the idea." Fernandez admits she was a bundle of nerves on the first day of shoot. "I was excited as well as petrified about working with Manoj. Going by his films, I felt he would be a strict actor. But we had a great time on the set. I had to unlearn several things while working with him."

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