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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Singer Sachet Tandon, voice behind the recreated versions of the 2009 AR Rahman hit "Masakali", has reacted to all the criticism coming the new version's way saying he respects audience opinion.

"It's Tanishk Bagchi's song and I was approached by the creators to sing it. I was glad to be part of the song and I am still happy that makers thought of me. But ultimate decision always lies in the hands of public. It's totally upto them whether to like a particular song or not, and I truely respect their opinion," said Sachet, about his version, titled "Masakali 2.0".

"Also, I don't think that any creator would intentionally try to distort an original song. Speaking of 'Masakali 2.0', I was not its creator. I just sang it and tried to give my best," Sachet told IANS.

The original "Masakali" was composed by Rahman, written by Prasoon Joshi, and sung by Mohit Chauhan for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 2009 film "Delhi-6". It was picturised on the film's lead pair, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. Although the film fared below expectation, the song has gone on to attain cult status.

Shortly after the release of "Masakali 2.0", both Rahman asnd Joshi expressed disappointment on social media, and were joined by a huge number of fans who agreed with them.

When asked Sachet about his views on the ongoing trend of recreations, he said: "In today's time, everything is being liked by audience. Some remakes have done amazingly well, some originals have become hits. Proper balance should be maintained."

Sachet, who gave Indian cinema a blockbuster love anthem, "Bekhayali" in collaboration with Parampara Thakur last year for the film "Kabir Singh", , has now come up with the melodious track "Bewafai", which has garnered over 20 million views on YouTube.

"It's a beautiful song (and I )loved giving voice to 'Bewafai'," Sachet said, sharing that he never gives heed to "likes" and "number of views".

"For me likes and number of views do no matter. What matters the most is the love of the audience. The best feeling is to hear compliments about your song. Jab log baat karte hain song ke baare me tab zyada acha lagta hai," Sachet signed off.

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

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

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

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

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

— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 1, 2020

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

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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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April 30 will be one of the saddest days in Hindi Cinema as one of its most beloved actors Rishi Kapoor left for the skies. He passed away today morning at 8:45 IST after a two-year battle with leukaemia. He has left a void that will never be filled.

His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai, near the H.N Reliance hospital where he was admitted. Alia Bhatt arrived at the hospital who came to pay her last respects to the veteran actor. Her car was spotted outside the hospital.

Have a look right here:

Alia Bhatt: Picture Courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Rajiv Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor's younger brother, was also seen arriving at the hospital. Take a look right here:

Rajiv Kapoor: Picture Courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Saif Ali Khan was also seen arriving at the hospital and pay his last respects. He could be seen inside his car:

Saif Ali Khan: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Kareena Kapoor Khan was also spotted arriving at the hospital and could be seen wearing a mask:

Kareena Kapoor Khan at the hospital: Picture Courtesy/Ashish Raje

Armaan Jain was seen arriving at the hospital with fiancee Anisha and brother Aadar Jain:

Armaan Jain with and wife Anissa Malhotra and Aadar Jain: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Abhishek Bachchan, who shared the screen with Rishi Kapoor in films like Delhi-6 and All Is Well, could also be seen arriving at the hospital to pay his respects to the veteran Bollywood star:

Abhishek Bachchan arriving at the hospital: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Preparations for his funeral have begun outside the Chandanwadi Crematorium, here's a picture:

Rishi Kapoor Cremation: Picture Courtesy/Shadab Khan

Rishi Kapoor's body has now been taken for the last rites at the crematorium. May his soul Rest In Peace!

Rishi Kapoor's Body Being Taken For The Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

His family members also proceeded to the Crematorium for his last rites. This included Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Armaan Jain, and Aadar Jain.

Saif Ali Khan Going For Rishi Kapoor's Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Ranbir Kapoor was also seen going for his father's last rites. He had the company of his mother Neetu Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

Ranbir Kapoor Going For Rishi Kapoor's Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Rishi Kapoor has gone too soon and we were hoping he would entertain and charm us with a lot more exhilarating and enigmatic performances. But he has left behind millions of memories for all his fans and Cinema lovers that can never be forgotten. With a career of over five decades and tons of blockbusters and classics, we shall make sure he's always alive and among us!

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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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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

Singer Dhvani Bhanushali says her upcoming song "Jeetenge hum" is dedicated to the frontline workers who are battling the COVID-19pandemic. "#JeetengeHum is just a small effort in keeping you all entertained and to keep your spirits high. Hope you all like it. Stay tuned for the song tomorrow," she tweeted on Friday with her video.

In a separate tweet, she also mentioned the song has become really close to her heart. "I have been working on this song for some time now and it has become really close to my heart. #JeetengeHum releasing tomorrow. Stay tuned," she wrote.

 

 

 

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So here's the special surprise that I was talking about. I have been working on this song for some time now and it has become really close to my heart. #JeetengeHum releasing tomorrow. Stay tuned! @tseries.official @BhushanKumar @manojmuntashir @dj.lijo @djchetas #TriggerHappyVR

A post shared by Dhvani Bhanushali (@dhvanibhanushali22) onApr 30, 2020 at 11:32pm PDT

Earlier, the "Vaaste" singer had donated Rs 50,000 to the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, for daily wage workers whose income has stopped due to the lockdown of the entertainment industry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

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Amid the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic, Bollywood celebrities have taken up the responsibility to appeal to everyone to stay safe, take precautions, stop panicking and refrain from spreading rumours. The quarantine time has also given celebrities a chance to spend maximum time with their families. Some of them are busy pursuing their hobbies. Speaking about Kareena Kapoor Khan, the actress is spending her time with her husband Saif Ali Khan and son Taimur Ali Khan and keeping us updated about their quarantine life through her Instagram pictures.

Recently, Kareena posted an adorable picture of Saif and Taimur. In the picture, Saif is seen giving Taimur a haircut while the little one sits patiently through it. The actor has donned a white kurta-pyjama with a pair of scissors in his hand. "Haircut anyone?", Kareena captioned the post.

 

 

 

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Haircut anyone? 💁🏻‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ¤­

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMay 2, 2020 at 4:58am PDT

Earlier, Kareena posted a picture with her family on her Instagram. In the first picture, the husband-wife duo is seen resting next to each other with their eyes closed while the second one features Kareena sitting next to Saif. The actress gave a very witty caption to the picture. Sharing the photos, Kareena wrote, "Fall in love asleep... #Mess (sic)."

 

 

 

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Fall i̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ asleep... #Mess 😝

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 24, 2020 at 1:37am PDT

This week has been particularly tough for Kareena and her family after she lost her uncle Rishi Kapoor and her Angrezi Medium co-star Irrfan Khan. Irrfan Khan passed away on April 29 at 11:11 am at the Kokilaben hospital due to complications arising out of Colon infection. And on April 30, we lost Rishi Kapoor. Battling leukaemia for the last two years, he passed away at 8:45 am IST in hospital.

Kareena remembered her uncle by sharing a throwback picture of Rishi with her father Randhir Kapoor.

 

 

 

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The best boys I know... Papa and Chintu uncle ❤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Â

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

She also shared a throwback picture of herself from the sets of Angrezi Medium. She mourned the loss of her co-star Irrfan and wrote, "It was an absolute honour sir. Rest in peace".

 

 

 

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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

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On the occasion of their 38th wedding anniversary, evergreen actor Hema Malini and Dharmendra thanked fans for sending their warm wishes to them.

Malini (71) took to Twitter on Saturday and shared a picture with her husband on the occasion. She tweeted, "Dharam ji & I thank all those who have wished us on our wedding anniversary today. It is your blessings & good wishes that have always been with us all through these years."

Dharam ji & I thank all those who have wished us on our wedding anniversary today. It is your blessings & good wishes that have always been with us all through these years🙏 pic.twitter.com/tEtO6L4Boj

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 2, 2020

Daughter Esha Deol also showered anniversary wishes on her parents by sharing a picture of them on Instagram. Wishing for infinite years of togetherness of her parents, she wrote, "Happy wedding anniversary my darling parents! My mamma & papa, I love u both soooooooo much & pray to God to bless you both with infinite years of togetherness, love, happiness & the best of health! @dreamgirlhemamalini @aapkadharam. Love you, Esha, Bharat, Radhya & Miu."

The post received more than 18,000 likes within an hour after the post was put up.

Several celebrities including Tusshar Kapoor commented on the post and wished the couple. "Happy anniversary to this wonderful couple," he wrote.

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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

Rishi Kapoor's demise was one of the most shocking news of the year. He was an actor, a star, and an entertainer for nearly five decades and was known for his wit, honesty, and fantastic performances. He passed away on April 30 at 8:45 am in hospital after a two-year battle with leukemia.

Ranbir Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor, his son, and wife, attended his prayer meet and his daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni also arrived with her daughter Samara Sahni to be with her family. And now, Ranbir, Neetu, accompanied by Alia Bhatt and Ayan Mukerji, visited the Banganga Tank to immerse the late actor's ashes.

In a video that was shared by Manav Manglani, we could see Ranbir, Ayan, and Alia proceeding towards the Banganga Tank, have a look at the video right here:

 

 

 

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#RanbirKapoor #neetukapoor 🙏🙏 #RiddhimaKapoorSahni #AyanMukherji #AliaBhatt snapped as they perform puja for #RishiKapoor ji at #banganga today #instalove #RipRishiKapoor #sunday #manavmanglani @manav.manglani

A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:56am PDT

And then came a video where Ranbir could be seen immersing his father's ashes, take a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#RanbirKapoor at #banganga for his father #RishiKapoor #pray #RipRishiKapoor #sunday ❤️🙏

A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:49am PDT

Rishi Kapoor is one personality that can never be forgotten! He was charm and honesty personified and his presence will always be felt around us!

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Zoya Akhtar is a pioneer when it comes to thinking outside the box and delivering the best of content. The director has done it once again with the "I for India initative" to help reduce the impacts of Covid-19.

The initiative has been making headlines ever since it was announced with everyone waiting for the event to go live. Spanning over four hours, the Facebook live event saw 85+ celebrities from Bollywood take part in it including international celebrities like Will Smith and Mick Jagger joining in as well along others.

The event saw artists do various performances in the safety of their homes to raise money for GiveIndia.org to support frontline workers fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and also to help people like daily wage workers who have been affect due to the ongoing crisis.

The vision for the concert was three-pronged: to entertain those locked down in their homes. To pay tribute to those who are working on the frontlines. And to raise funds for those who have no work and no home and do not know where their next meal is coming from.

Needless to say, the concert was a huge success and managed to raise substantial amounts of funds that will indeed benefit those in need. The 'I for India' initiative was organised by Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar.

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The media industry and movie industry are very much interlinked with each other. It’s very common that many media personnel are associated with well-known film stars. One such name who is building her reputation among many celebrities is Vaishali Rathod, a journalist who is the favourite of every celebrity in Dhollywood. She has not just covered events but has also interviewed many big stars and veteran personalities from Bollywood and Dhollywood. With a degree in journalism from the University of Mumbai, Vaishali also had the flair of writing and taking interviews.

She is currently handling the Gujarati entertainment section from Mumbai. Some of the well-known names from Dhollywood with whom Vaishali share a warm rapport include Khushi Shah, Aarohi Patel, Malhar Thakar, Mitra Ghadvi, Hiten Kumar, Alisha Prajapati, Meet Jain, Bharat Chawda among others. As far as Bollywood is concerned, she has interviewed top stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Yami Gautam, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal and many other prominent names.

Besides writing, the journalist also loves to act and loves to create videos during her leisure time. While speaking about her work, she said, "As a celebrity journalist, it is always a pleasure to meet some of the dignitaries from the film industry. Every celebrity has his or her fair of struggles before they gain success and it has always been a delight to know about their life story", said Vaishali. When asked about her future plans and, she said, "My current focus is to build and grow myself in the field of journalism. There are a lot of things to learn. So I am going with the flow." The journalist further stated that she focuses on one thing at a time as she does not like to do things in haste.

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The I For India concert was possibly the best initiative by the Hindi film industry ever since the Coronavirus pandemic began. The intent was to raise money to financially help all those warriors or the unsung heroes that are battling day and night to ensure the crisis ends soon. All the major Bollywood celebrities went live on Facebook and paid a tribute to them in their own style.

Let's talk about two of the best tributes, that of Hrithik Roshan and Alia Bhatt. Talking of Roshan first, he took to his Instagram account to share a video where he could be seen singing and playing the piano at the same time, and confessed he knows neither. He sang the Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahaan song and it's a must-watch.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So the equation goes as: Non pianist + non singer x 7 hours = 😐 (On phone speaker) and. 😬 (on headphones). . . I FOR INDIA. . Thank you Zoya and Karan and the rest of the team for initiating, conceiving, constructing , designing and assembling all of us together for something so needed and important. Proud. 👏. @zoieakhtar @karanjohar

A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:19pm PDT

Coming to Bhatt, she crooned her own song from Udta Punjab, Ik Kuddi, and had the company of her elder sister Shaheen Bhatt. One of her fan-clubs posted the video. Don't miss this either:

 

 

 

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Ikk Kudiiii 😍😘Uffff her voice 😭🔥💘 __________________________________ @aliaabhatt and @shaheenb join the #IForIndia initiative ❤✨ __________________________________ Follow for more 👉 @aliabhatt_heart 🌸 - - #aliabhatt #alia #aliabhatt_heart #followforfollowback #follow4followback #followtrain #follow #followｍe #followfollow #followmeto #followfollowfollow #followmeto #followyou #follower #followers #followbackinstantly #followmeplease #follow4like #followbacknow #followparty #followalways #likeforlikes #likelike #like4follow

A post shared by ❥ Alia Bhatt Fanclub☀ (@aliabhatt_heart) onMay 4, 2020 at 12:05am PDT

As mentioned above, this is indeed a heartfelt initiative and we hope the crisis ends soon. Way to go!

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In the making for over two years, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt's Brahmastra is slated to hit the theatres on December 4. Even though the movie's final 20-day schedule in Mumbai was disrupted due to the lockdown, director Ayan Mukerji is ensuring that work progresses at a steady pace despite the unprecedented events. Sources suggest the director has roped in a London-based studio to handle the special effects of the fantasy drama.

Amitabh Bachchan; Ayan Mukerji

A source reveals, "A large portion of the footage has been sent to the London team so that it can begin working on the visual effects in this period. Aware that outsourcing the job and sharing the content can increase the risk of the film being leaked, Ayan wanted only a core team of experts working on it. The director handpicked a five-member team who are the only people in possession of the footage."

Considering it is a superhero drama with Kapoor's character Shiva having the power to emit fire from his palms, the Karan Johar production is touted to be high on visual effects.

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Noted actor Sonali Kulkarni known for lending support to social causes has raised her voice against the discrimination against COVID-19 positive patients across Maharashtra, through a video. 

There have been rising cases of COVID-19 positive or even suspected patients facing discrimination. Recently in Mumbai's Lalbaug area a 24-year-old photojournalist working with a Marathi newspaper was ostracised and verbally abused by his neighbours after he returned home from institutional isolation. 

The photojournalist had not even tested positive, however, since he was in close contact with two other photojournalists, who had tested positive, the BMC identified him as their high-risk contact and asked him to go to an isolation center on April 20. COVID-19 positive patients are also facing issues like their videos being circulated or their names being shared on Whatsapp groups.

Health professionals including mental health experts are increasingly expressing concerns over the long-term psychological impact of this on patients and their families. Even Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray has been urging people to show support towards the COVID-19 patients as well as their families instead of stigmatising them.

The 70-second video has been released by Mumbai based Waatavaran Foundation, and Jhatkaa.org who are working together in Maharashtra to create public awareness on COVID-19. The film has been conceptualised and executed by Goregaon based Geeta Singh and Avinash Kumar Singh of Turtle on a Hammock Films. Through this video, popular actor Sonali Kulkarni is seen encouraging and urging people to treat those suffering from COVID-19 with dignity and respecting their privacy. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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It's a small effort but let's take it.. it's going to be our lifestyle to wear a mask.. just like that - let it be as normal to accept a covid recovered person in the society 💕 Wonderful initiative by @waatavaran 👍🙏 #विà¤Âšार_बदला_à¤Â•à¥Â‹रà¥Â‹नाला_हरवा

A post shared by Sonali Kulkarni (@sonalikul) onMay 4, 2020 at 6:59am PDT

"The unfortunate fact is that being COVID-19 positive seems nothing less than a crime as people think that if a person is tested positive for COVID-19 the person is a criminal. This is wrong and this mentality needs to change," says Sonali Kulkarni in the video. "Our fight is against the pandemic, not the people suffering from it," appeals Kulkarni.

Kulkarni concludes by appealing to the public that, let's not shake hands, instead let's shake off all the myths and stigma that is associated with being COVID 19 positive.

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On Tuesday, to mark World Hand Hygiene Day, Hema Malini and Amrita Rao raised awareness about hand hygiene. The two were united for the initiative by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.

"While everyone is wearing face masks and gloves nowadays, they are not at all sensitive about sanitising their hands," said Rao. Proper handwashing with soap is the topmost measure to prevent the spread of the virus.

"It's high time every effort is made to create awareness, educate and remind people that hand hygiene is crucial. It is important to make handwashing a daily habit. Good handwashing with soap can save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention. I would be happy if this effort is able to bring a difference in the lives of many people," Rao added.

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Actress Sara Ali Khan has shared her mantra to stay positive amid lockdown in the country. Sara took to Instagram where she shared a stunning photograph of herself in an off-shoulder beige dress. She completed the look with her hair tied back and nude make-up.

"Control your mind and free your spirit #stayhome #staysafe #staypositive," she wrote alongside the image.

 

 

 

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Control your mind & free your spirit 🧠💞 #stayhome #staysafe #staypositive 🌞ðŸ¤Â—🍑💥

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) onMay 5, 2020 at 2:37am PDT

Recently, she had shared an adorable throwback photograph from her childhood and disclosed that she was always her own "sapno ki rani".

On the work front, Sara was last seen in Imtiaz Ali's "Love Aaj Kal", which also starred Kartik Aaryan. She will be next seen opposite Varun Dhawan in the remake of "Coolie No.1". Sara will also be seen sharing screen space with Akshay Kumar and Dhanush in "Atrangi Re".

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Reminiscing one of his fashion shows that featured celebrity couple Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan for the first time on-ramp, fashion designer Manish Malhotra on Wednesday shared a throwback video from the grand event.

Malhotra took to Instagram to share the video from the 2009 fashion show and shared the details of the event in the caption.

 

 

 

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#throwback When the most beautiful @kareenakapoorkhan and dapper #saifalikhan walked the ramp together for the first time .. True style and panache they both have and carriage that’s their own .. It was magical .. it was one of my first shows which had more than 50 models and turned out to be a Grand Show and the colour story and the cuts were all an amalgamation of rose and deep colours and lots of textures and fabrics together #2009 when couture week was in mumbai and then it shifted to delhi .. #fashionshow .. @mmalhotraworld #memories #gratitude #love

A post shared by Manish Malhotra (@manishmalhotra05) onMay 5, 2020 at 11:08pm PDT

The video features the showstoppers - Saif and Kareena - decked up in Malhotra's haute couture and walking down the ramp holding each other's hands.

While Saif is seen wearing a black coloured velvet sherwani, Kareena is seen in an Indo-western avatar wearing a light rose coloured heavily embroidered skirt paired with a golden shimmery top.

Sharing more insights about the show, the 53-year-old fashion designer wrote in the caption, "#throwback When the most beautiful @kareenakapoorkhan and dapper #saifalikhan walked the ramp together for the first time .. True style and panache they both have and carriage that's their own. It was magical."

"It was one of my first shows which had more than 50 models and turned out to be a Grand Show and the colour story and the cuts were all an amalgamation of rose and deep colours and lots of textures and fabrics together #2009 when couture week was in Mumbai and then it shifted to Delhi," he added.

Manish Malhotra has been hosting Bollywood celebrities on his fashion shows for years. Many actors and celebrities have been wearing his designs in films and in real lives.

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As Bollywood celebrities practice self-isolation in view of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, actor Sara Ali Khan on Wednesday shared her thoughts on social media and said that she misses being a "working woman on a working Wednesday."

The 24-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a collage of five pictures, each one being a picture of her holding the clapperboard of the movies she acted in.

 

 

 

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Missing being a #working #woman on a #working #wednesday 🤦🏻‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ¤·‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ˜¢ðŸ™ˆðŸ”™ But for now- I’m a cook, cleaner, binge tv watcher, nerdy reader, annoying sister, needy daughter, responsible citizen and hopeful human 🙏🏻 #stayhome #staysafe #staypositive 🏡💟☮ï¸Â

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) onMay 6, 2020 at 5:38am PDT

In the shared photograph, she is seen holding the movie clapperboards of her first Bollywood debut movie 'Kedarnath', followed by 'Simmba' and the latest release 'Love Aaj Kal.' The actor also shared pictures from her upcoming movie, 'Coolie No.1' and 'Atrangi Re.' Taking it to the captions, she wrote: "Missing being a #working #woman on a #working #wednesday."

However, bringing comical twists to the captions, for which Sara is well known, the chirpy beauty also emphasised about the roles she has taken up during these trying times. "But for now- I'm a cook, cleaner, binge tv watcher, nerdy reader, annoying sister, needy daughter, a responsible citizen, and hopeful human," she wrapped up the post.

Earlier, Sara also pledged to donate to PM-CARES Fund and CM's Relief Fund of Maharashtra to combat the coronavirus crisis in the country. She announced the same on Instagram and wrote: "Time to do a good deed. Stay in and help those in need! Your contributions will protect and feed. I urge you to support, I request, I plead."

In her statement posted on her handle, the actor also added that "every contribution counts, and solidarity is our only hope against this pandemic."

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Superstar Saif Ali Khan's son Ibrahim Ali Khan on Thursday treated fans with a priceless childhood picture of himself and his star sister Sara. Ibrahim took to Instagram to share the picture that he had dug out of his childhood albums.

 

 

 

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The face I make when it’s me who can bully sara now

A post shared by Ibrahim Ali Khan (@iakpataudi) onMay 6, 2020 at 5:01pm PDT

While he is seen wearing glasses and giving a sly look to the photographer of the picture, Sara is seen busy in some work as she is looking downwards. Ibrahim further revealed the reason for his expressions in the caption and wrote, "The face I make when it's me who can bully Sara now."

The Pataudi siblings are known to enjoy a great brother-sister bond and are also quite close to each other. Both Sara and Ibrahim keep fans well posted with their childhood and recent pictures with each other.

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Noted cinematographer Nadeem Khan has undergone brain surgery at a hospital here after he suffered a fall. Khan, son of famous Hindi novelist and scriptwriter Rahi Masoom Raza, was admitted to Lilavati hospital in suburban Bandra on Monday evening after he fell from a flight of stairs and suffered injuries in head, shoulder, and chest.

"We have been in the lockdown for the last two months and just a night before we stepped out of our house and while we were getting down he fell from the building staircase and started bleeding. We immediately rushed him to the hospital. He has been admitted to the hospital, he is in the ICU. He has undergone brain surgery. The next 48 hours are critical. We are praying and hoping he will be fine," Khan's wife Parvati, who is a singer, told PTI.

Khan has been a cinematographer on more than 40 films such as Disco Dancer, Zamana, Aandhi-Toofan, Aag Hi Aag, King Uncle, and Gunaah. He has also directed one film titled Tirchhi Topiwale (1998) starring Chunky Panday, Inder Kumar, and Monica Bedi

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Saif Ali Khan may be a big name in the film industry today, but as a newcomer, he too had to experience rejection and struggle to get where he is today. Today, he is one of the most bankable stars in Bollywood, but when he first started out, he was kicked out of what could have been his first film! Don't believe us? Here's what Khan has to say!

In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Saif recalled how he was thrown out of a film, Bekhudi, and how it was quite difficult to find his footing in the industry as a newbie who was just out of boarding school. He shared, "I have a vague memory of my first day on a film set. I was shooting a song for Bekhudi, with Rahul Rawail (director) and Kajol (co-star). I had to tear through fake cobwebs and emerge, singing a line that went, 'Chaahat Ki Raahon Mein, Kyun Itna Darti Hai'. I might just about pull it off today, but, back then, straight out of a boarding school in England, I was petrified."

Saying that he must have performed badly, Saif added, "Soon after, Rahul Rawail threw me out of the film, complaining I wasn't showing enough interest. That shot, I have to admit, was particularly appalling."

While Saif lost Bekhudi to Kamal Sadanah, he landed another project, a film titled Parampara. Speaking about technicalities in a film and how he is much better at the smaller details now than he was back then, Saif said, "I was pretty bad in Parampara, too, and my voice didn't help. Fortunately, there were several big names in the film, so either I must have stood out like a sore thumb or simply gone unnoticed. I still don't know which."

Well, it's hard to believe that Saif, the star that he is today, was quite the anxious newcomer back then! On the work front, the Laal Kaptaan actor was last seen in the comedy Jawaani Jaaneman, co-starring Alaya F and Tabu. The film did good business at the box office.

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Several showrunners are speeding up the post-production work to release their digital offerings during the lockdown. Though the idea of having all eyes glued to his show sounds tempting, director Ali Abbas Zafar is in no hurry to reach the finish line. The director — whose political drama, tentatively titled Dilli, is currently in post-production — says he would rather revel in the satisfaction of a series made well than join the rat race.

"On Twitter and Instagram, people have been asking us to release the show now. So, there has been pressure, but we don't want to rush the process. Our series was supposed to drop in the last quarter of 2020, and we will stick to that deadline. If the show was ready, we would have released it now because it is an ideal time to grab eyeballs," says Zafar, happy that the Saif Ali Khan-starrer has piqued the audience's interest.

When it comes to developing an offering for the global audience, the post-production is a long-drawn process. "Once you deliver your project, it has to be dubbed in nine languages. So, the post-production takes three to four months, longer than the shoot itself."

Ali Abbas Zafar

As his team gives the finishing touches to the project, Zafar, nestled in his hometown Dehradun, has begun writing the sophomore season. "[The top brass of] Amazon Prime have seen the rushes, and basis that, they have decided to sanction the second edition," he says, beaming with pride.

Point out to him that the drama has found its way into the second instalment, but has yet to find an apt title, and he laughs at the irony of the situation. While the working title was Tandav, the makers rechristened it Dilli, only to have a change of heart later. "We are struggling with the name. That's why Amazon has not been able to make an official announcement."

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The song Genda Phool, featuring Badshah and Jacqueline Fernandez, may have gone through its ups and downs but there's one actress that's clearly enjoying dancing on it. We are talking about the Bengali beauty Monalisa, who shot to fame with her career in Television. She is known for acting in the serial Nazar, both season 1 and 2.

The aforementioned song is set against the backdrop of the Bengali culture and since she too is a Bengali, couldn't stop herself from grooving on its pulsating beats. Taking to her Instagram account, she shared a video and danced with both oomph and elan. Also featuring in the video was her hubby and actor Vikrant Singh.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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“GENDA PHOOL” ❤ï¸ÂðŸ¥°.... Finally 🤷‍♀ï¸Â#myfavourite #song #gendaphool #bongconnection #lovingit #quarantinelife #havingfun #dance #stayhome #staysafe @vikrant8235

A post shared by MONALISA (@aslimonalisa) onApr 10, 2020 at 2:29am PDT

The song has fetched a staggering response on YouTube and now has even attracted the attention of Monalisa. Let's see who happens to be the next one to dance on this infectious song!

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The lockdown was supposed to end tomorrow on April 14, but given the extent to which the Coronavirus pandemic has spread, it seems things will take time to get back to normal. Not only that, but the cases are also only rising and this has led to buildings being sealed. One of the recent ones being the residency of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actress Sonalika Joshi.

Speaking to SpotBoyE, she confirmed that it had indeed happened. She said the building has been sealed since March 27. She resides in the Kandivli area of Mumbai. Another actor from the same show whose building was sealed is Tanmay Vekaria, who stays in the same area as Joshi. Tanmoy also confirmed this news to the same portal.

We wish that everyone stays safe and the pandemic is eradicated soon!

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There are a lot of actors that have gone for adoption to embrace parenthood. Sushmita Sen immediately comes to mind. And another name that comes to mind is Sunny Leone, who adopted a baby girl from Latur, Nisha Kaur Weber. And Leone seems to have inspired Shefali Jariwala, who has spoken to Times of India about how Leone's story moved her.

She said, "I discussed adopting a baby with Hindustani Bhau inside the Bigg Boss 13 house. I was actually moved by Sunny Leone's decision when she adopted a girl child. I always wanted to adopt a baby girl and after I got married to Parag when we were discussing about starting a family." She added, "I shared my views with him and he is a very supportive husband."

Highlighting the importance of adoption, the actress said, "There are a lot of children in the world who need home and I think I am in a position where I can give them a secure, good life then why not. I want to give that child a good home, education and a good life because God has given me everything!"

And if all goes well, there might be a new little member in the house very soon. "I have been blessed with all this so I want to share my blessings with that child. But the adoption process in this country is a little tedious. There's a lot of paperwork involved and there's a lot of waiting also. So we are currently in the middle of the process and if God is kind and your wishes are with us, my dream to bring my child home will come true. I'll become a mother and bring a lovely girl home," said Jariwala.

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"Dance India Dance 2" winner Shakti Mohan says dance-based reality shows have given opportunities to many dancers and choreographers to dream big. She feels that due to these shows, the level of dancing has gone up in films, too.

It's been about a decade that she was announced as the winner of "Dance India Dance 2". Since then a lot of dance-based shows have emerged.

Talking about the rise of dance reality shows, Shakti told IANS: "It's unbelievable how much it has grown in last 10 years. I feel it has given opportunities to so many dancers and choreographers to dream big. I feel the way India has loved and supported dancers is incredible."

"All channels today have big reality shows around dance that feature industry's biggest names as judges on the panel. To have these shows is the only way for dancers to showcase their talent to the world. Thanks to these reality shows, the level of dancing has gone higher in films as well. Even Bollywood actors are picking up tough routines for songs these days," she added.

On the differences between then and now shows, she shared: "Back then when I started off, I did not expect anything at all from myself. I just knew I wanted to dance. At that time there were no reality shows, we did not have platforms like YouTube where we could learn from."

"Nowadays dancers are very particular about what style they want to do. Kids today are learning from the best in the world and following them right from the time they start their journey. Back then we did almost everything. I used to watch Bollywood songs and learn choreographies from there."

Nevertheless, Shakti loves her journey. "I love doing it and I am very proud to call myself a dancer," she said. "Dance India Dance season 2" is back on Zee TV to get the viewers nostalgic.

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Relationships in Tinsel Town can be very fragile. There are a lot of couples that got married and there are more couples that drifted apart due to irreparable differences. One of the couples is Shefali Jariwala and Sidharth Shukla. Shefali turned a lot of heads and made a lot of noise when she became the wild-card entry in Bigg Boss 13 last year, and her bonding with Shukla could clearly be seen. And speaking to BollywoodLife, she spilled the beans on her past and current relationship with the actor.

She said, "See, initially we bonded and then we had a bad fight. After he came back from the secret room, our equation got better. Both of us are very logical people. Also, we have similar interests, we would talk about travel, space, bullet trains and what not. Even after we stopped dating, we were always cordial whenever we bumped into each other."

And then, talking about his relationship with Shehnaaz Gill, she said, "See, that is my opinion of their equation from what I saw inside the house. Sidharth definitely cares for her but I did not find it a romantic equation per se. However, saying that, I would be happy if they indeed fell in love and got married. It would be great. It will be wonderful."

Would you also like to see Shehnaaz and Sidharth tie the knot soon? 

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Actor Rajeev Khandelwal will make his theatre debut in the play "Court Martial". He says essaying a character on stage is supremely challenging and it provides the ultimate validation for any actor.

"I think essaying a character on stage for theatre is supremely challenging and provides the ultimate validation for any actor. I have always envied actors who can entertain audience on stage. It was as good as one of the things in my 'to do list'," Rajeev said.

Zee Theatre's teleplay "Court Martial" follows the unusual trial of a junior ranked army man convicted of murdering his senior officer. Rajeev plays the role of Bikash Roy, an extremely sharp defence lawyer who goes deep into the shocking truth behind the assault.

Talking about the play, the actor said: "'Court Martial' demanded an intensity that required me to work on myself and prep for the role. It is an intense and gripping play with a fabulously taut storytelling technique. This play is regarded as a classic in the world of theatre."

Written by Swadesh Deepak, the play also stars Govind Pandey, Bhagwan Tiwari, Saksham Dayma and Swapnil Kotiwar.

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On Saturday, actress Hina Khan took to Instagram to share a few pictures from her first Roza (fast) during the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramzaan.

Praying for all those who have tested COVID-19 positive, Hina wrote: "Ramadan Kareem Let's make Dua Let's pray for Infected, let's pray for Protection and Healing #FirstRoza #Positivity #WeShallGetThruThis."

 

 

 

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Ramadan Kareem Let’s make Dua 🤲 Let’s pray for Infected, let’s pray for Protection and Healing 🙏 #FirstRoza #Positivity #WeShallGetThruThis

A post shared by HK (@realhinakhan) onApr 24, 2020 at 5:13pm PDT

Dressed in yellow suit with duppata tied around her head, Hina strikes a peaceful picture while praying.

A while back, Hina took to sketching to show the present situation of the country. She shared a sketch resembling a map of India, tied with a lock and chain.

On the acting front, the actress was last seen in Vikram Bhatt's "Hacked".

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

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

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

We hope she can come back home sooner and safer!

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Ramanand Sagar's epic "Ramayan", a show re-telecast almost three decades later, has become the most-watched entertainment show in the world. Actress Deepika Chikhalia, who gained popularity playing Sita, is ecstatic with the love that the serial has received yet again. She feels the magic created 30 years ago has helped make the re-run very successful.

On Thursday, a tweet from the official account of channel Doordarshan read: "WORLD RECORD!! Rebroadcast of #Ramayana on #Doordarshan smashes viewership records worldwide, the show becomes most-watched entertainment show in the world with 7.7 crore viewers on 16th of April"

According to media reports, the show has overtaken the popular "Game Of Thrones" in terms of viewership.

"I am really overjoyed that it has overtaken 'Game Of Thrones'. I thought it was one show that everyone has viewed and when I looked into it that 'Ramayan' has overtaken 'Game Of Thrones', I was really very happy. I am really very happy about it. It is great news," Deepika told IANS.

What according to Deepika is the reason behind the smashing success? "I have not analysed. I am not the sort of person who sits down and analyses. The only immediate thing I can think of is -- it has always had a story and a background. It always had a legacy and an era. When people started watching I would get messages that 'now, we are also part of that legacy and the magic'."

She added: "I think the word of mouth that people had loved it 30 years ago was the first kick-off. And once they started seeing and watching I think they kind of believed in the magic. I think that is how the circle moved. The series already had a name for itself and I think that the re-telecast rode on the success of original success. That's how I see it."

Deepika credits all the hard work of all departments for the show's success.

"I see it as a genuine labour of good work when it comes to performances, narration, direction. As an actor, when I see my own performances, I am baffled that at the age of 18, I had so much maturity to carry forward the lines, dialogue and there was so much patience in me. I performed with my eyes. Ramanand Sagar said that I want someone who emotes with her eyes because the body language should be that of Sita."

"Today, I see his vision. He had a vision and it's really, really wonderful. It is a genuine piece of work in every department. They all added to the success," she said.

Would she like to be a part of "Ramayan" again, if re-made? "If I am Sita I would like to," she said.

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The year 2020 keeps getting worse. In another heartbreaking piece of news, Shehnaaz Gill's grandmother has been hospitalised due to liver ailment and this news was broken by her father Santokh Singh Sukh on his Instagram account.

Taking to his account, he shared a shattering image of his mother and wrote- "My mother hospital mein hai liver mein problem ho gayi hai God jaldi thik kar do." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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My mother hospital mein hai liver mein problem ho gayi hai God jaldi thik kar do

A post shared by SANTOKH SINGH SUKH (@santokhsukh1) onMay 6, 2020 at 4:43am PDT

If you all go through the comments, everyone, especially Shehnaaz's fans, are praying for her recovery and we also hope she gets well soon and comes back home! If you all followed Bigg Boss 13, the actress, on multiple occasions, used to share anecdotes of spending some special moments with her grandmother and how she is really funny.

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Benjamin Diokno, the Philippines' Budget and Management Secretary, says the Government should secure the passage of all the remaining comprehensive tax reform bills within the next two months.

With everything going digital amid lockdown due to Coronavirus outbreak, reality shows have found a new way to conduct auditions. Madhuri Dixit, Shashank Khaitan, and Tushar Kalia will return as judges for Dance Deewane 3.

For the show, the makers have begun virtual auditions. Madhuri Dixit kicked off her work by recording the promo for the show and asking the audience to participate by uploading their videos oh Viacom18's digital platform.

The final aspirants will be selected for the show once the film and TV bodies resume shoots. Arjun Bijlani will be returning as the show host. They'll kick off the new season after everything goes back to normal.

ALSO READ: Madhuri Dixit and Kajol reminisce about sharing screen space with late Rishi Kapoor

On Monday, the Bombay High Court directed Eros International Media Ltd to pay Rs 19.39 lakh to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bhansali Production within three weeks. This move comes after Bhansali had approached the court to restrain Eros International from exploiting rights over actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh starrer Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela.

Bhansali had sought urgent reliefs to restrain Eros International from selling, exploiting, distributing , licensing and renewing rights over the film. Bhansali Productions had challenged an intimation filed by Eros International with Bombay Stock Exchange of an all-share merger with its parent company Eros International Plc and Hollywood's STX Filmworks.

Bhansali's Production house claimed that the merger was based on incorrect and misleading disclosure and that STX Filmworks or other companies cannot claim any rights in the film.

Meanwhile, the advocates representing Eros International said that the film Ram Leela was specifically mentioned in annual returns published for the fiscal ending March 31, 2019 and therefore there was no urgency to grant interim reliefs to the Bhansali Productions.

While the court has directed Eros International to pay Bhansali production the dues, it also said that the Production will have the liberty to approach it for relief against the merger after regular court resumes post lockdown.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Eros India said “The Bombay High Court has adjourned the case in our favour. Eros always sticks to best corporate governance and business practices and had already given the cheque in advance as per our agreement. We will take appropriate legal action against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production for this mala fide and unfounded action, which has also been duly noted by the court”.

While the film industry has come to a halt, the producers, actors and directors are interacting with each other through video calls and getting things in order for the future. Multiple films are being planned at the moment and one of them is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious period musical drama, Baiju Bawra. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that the celebrated director is in talks with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone for the official remake of the 1952 film.

“Ranbir and Deepika make a pair to reckon with on screen and Bhansali wants to create magic on screen with the two actors. Talks are on, however neither of the two have signed the dotted lines yet,” revealed a source close to the development, adding further that the idea is to move away from the conventional pairing for Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. “He will work with Ranveer again in the future, but he doesn’t want to repeat the pairing of the real life couple for the fourth consecutive time.”

Ranbir made his acting debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Saawariya, which was a colossal disappointment, while Deepika has worked with the director in Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmavaat. Ranbir and Deepika, on the other hand, have worked together in two successful films – Bachna Ae Haseeno and Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani, while their third collaboration, Tamasha, was a flop. “These are all early talks, which started before the lockdown, but with the entire calendar of actors going for a toss, it would be interesting to see how things shape up. Though Ranbir and Deepika will make for a formidable pair in a Bhansali film,” the source added.

Bhansali is currently working from home on the post production of his next directorial, Gangubai Kathiawadi with Alia Bhatt, which went on the floors in November last year. A lot of shoot still remains, and it will be resumed once the national scenario gets back to normal.

Also Read: Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt to reunite for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Baiju Bawra?

With the lockdown in place, the theatre business has been shut completely. This has led to a substantial increase in content consumption through digital streaming platforms. Several web series makers are speeding up post-production work to release their shows during the lockdown. 

While releasing shows during lockdown sounds good, director Ali Abbas Zafar is in no hurry to finish the post-production of his show. Ali Abbas Zafar is currently working on a political drama tentatively titled Dilli. Talking to a tabloid he said that he would rather revel in the satisfaction of a series well made than join the rat race. He said that people have been asking them on social media to release the show, but they do not wish to rush the process.  The series was supposed to release in the last quarter of 2020 and they intend on sticking to it. 

The Saif Ali Khan starrer is currently in the post-production stage. Zafar said that if the show was ready they might have released it now. He said that when it comes to developing an offering for the global audience the post-production is a long drawn process. He said that once the project is delivered, it has to be dubbed in nine languages and the post-production takes three to four months. 

The show will be aired on Amazon Prime videos and the makers have already started working on season 2. Amazon Prime green signalled the second season after watching the rushes of season 1. 

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Ali Abbas Zafar confirms teaming up with Katrina Kaif for superhero flick

The Ranveer Singh starrer '83 directed by Kabir Khan was supposed to release in theatres on April 10. However, owing to the lockdown the theatres have been shut down indefinitely. '83 narrates the story of Indian cricket team's historic World Cup win with Ranveer Singh playing the role of Kapil Dev who was leading Indian team back then.

Kabir Khan while talking to a tabloid revealed that the 1983 cricket world cup is the greatest underdog story ever. He said that one can replace cricket with kabbadi and it would still hold weight.

Kabir Khan after talking to the team of 1983 got to know of several stories related to the world cup that year and what went behind the scenes. However, he found it difficult to incorporate everything into the screenplay. He said that he could only pick 25 stories from the 100 stories he had. This is the reason that it took him one and a half years to finalize the script. The film is not just from the point of view of players but also that of commentators and the spectators.

Kabir Khan also revealed that cricketer Krishnamachari Srikant had got married three months before the world cup. When he got to know that they have been selected to play the world cup he booked tickets to go to the US with six other players. They were supposed to fly as soon as the group stage ended as they were confident that India would be knocked out of the competition. He said that no one believed that they would even make it to the semifinals, but once their winning streak started, the players started cancelling their tickets.

ALSO READ: Kabir Khan reveals Irrfan Khan was left in tears after watching Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s scene in New York

On the occasion of Bengali New Year which is also celebrated as Pahela Baishakh (first day of Bengali Calendar), Trinamool Congress MPs Nusrat Jahan and Mimi Chakraborty took to Instagram to wish their fans on the auspicious day.

 

 

 

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Shubho Nababorsha to all... May we fight this situation of crisis and move towards a brighter day..!! Shokol ke amar subhechcha 🙏🏻

A post shared by Nusrat (@nusratchirps) onApr 13, 2020 at 10:53pm PDT

Basirhat MP Nusrat Jahan shared a series of pictures where she can be seen in traditional attires as she wished her followers a 'Happy New Year' to all. While extending her wishes, Nusrat urged her fans to fight the coronavirus crisis and move towards a brighter day..!!

 

 

 

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শà§Âভ নববরà§Âষà§Â‡ পà§Âরà§Â€তি à¦Â“ শà§Âভà§Â‡à¦Âšà§Âà¦Â›া, বাড়িতà§Â‡ থাà¦Â•à§Âন- সà§Âসà§Âথ থাà¦Â•à§Âন ।

A post shared by Mimi (@mimichakraborty) onApr 14, 2020 at 12:57am PDT

On the other hand, Jadavpur MP Mimi Chakraborty shared a beautiful picture where she can be seen welcoming the new year in a traditional way. While wishing people a happy new year, Mimi requested her followers to stay home and stay healthy in order to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus.

 

 

 

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Waiting forðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â” umm ohh yes bengali new year.. And plansðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â”ðŸ¤Â”??ummm âž¡ï¸ÂðŸ”🥩🌭🍳🍞ðŸ¥Â–ðŸ¥ÂžðŸ§Â‡ðŸ¥¨ðŸ¥ªðŸ•ðŸšðŸ±ðŸ£ðŸ›ðŸ¦ªðŸ²ðŸ¥Â—🌯🌮ðŸ§Â†ðŸ¥Â™ðŸ¥®ðŸ¥ ðŸ¨ðŸŽ‚🍿🍦🍭🥧🍰ðŸ§ÂðŸ¥ÂœðŸ§Â˜‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ§Â˜‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ˜´ðŸ˜´ðŸ˜´

A post shared by Mimi (@mimichakraborty) onApr 13, 2020 at 3:49am PDT

Mimi also shared a small video clip where she was seen wishing her fans on the occasion of Bengali new year. In the video, Mimi was seen donning a black shirt with the caption: All I did todau was survive! A day before welcoming the Bengali new year, Mimi shared a picture where she can be seen posing for a selfie while being sunkissed.

While sharing the sun kissed picture with her fans, Mimi wrote: Waiting for...umm ohh yes bengali new year...And plans?

 

 

 

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‪Stay Home ~ Stay Safe 🙏‬ ‪We shall overcome ❤ï¸Ââ€¬ #quarantine #indiafightscovid19

A post shared by Nusrat (@nusratchirps) onMar 23, 2020 at 8:35am PDT

Both Nusrat and Mimi have been quarantined at home and have been updating their fans on how they are staying safe and maintaining social distance. From Mimi playing games, cleaning her kitchen and enjoying the beauty of nature to Nusrat showing off her painting skills and donning a chef's hat, the two BFFs are making the most of the quarantined period.

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The Centre on Monday said that around 50 journalists testing positive for COVID-19 in Mumbai is very unfortunate.

"Journalists testing positive for COVID-19 is very unfortunate news. When you (journalists) attend your call of duty, kindly take the required precautions, follow the norms of social distancing and wear face masks," Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare said at a daily briefing here.

#WATCH Journalists testing positive for #COVID19 is very unfortunate news. When you (journalists) attend your call of duty, kindly take the required precautions, follow the norms of social distancing & wear face masks: Lav Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/0Xu9vP9xLw

— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2020

This comes as 53 journalists in Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19. All of them are under isolation, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Responding to a question of whether asymptomatic people need to be tested, Agarwal said, "80 per cent cases are asymptomatic and mild symptoms and we can track them. Sampling criteria is very clear that anyone who needs to be tested will be sampled."

"We have been highlighting that there are two criteria of concerns -- areas having a large number of cases, areas having the rate of growth of cases is high and the doubling rate is low," he added. Agarwal stated health officials are ensuring effective intervention so that affected areas do not lead to a large number of cases further.

"We are coordinating with states and district administration and take necessary action. Three teams of the central government have been sent to Maharashtra which is working in Pune, Mumbai and a team co-ordinating between Maharashtra state with central government and district administrations," he said. Agarwal said that India's COVID-19 doubling rate has improved to 7.5 days from 3.4 days before the lockdown was enforced.

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The mortality rate in Maharashtra due to coronavirus is 4.24 per cent said the State Health Department on Monday. "With 440 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases in Maharashtra has mounted to 8,068. Besides, the total number of deaths has reached 342 after 19 new deaths were reported," said an official statement from the Health Department.

The statement also said, "While India's mortality rate is 3.13%, the mortality rate in Maharashtra due to coronavirus is at 4.24 per cent."

According to the latest update by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country stands at 27,892, of which 6185 have recovered/migrated and 872 patients have succumbed to the disease.

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Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that India's COVID-19 mortality rate of 3.2 per cent is the lowest in the world and over 10,000 coronavirus patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease so far.

Today more than 10,000 COVID19 patients have been discharged. Those still admitted at hospitals are on the road to recovery. If in last 14 days doubling rate was 10.5 days, then today it's around 12 days.Our mortality rate of 3.2% is the lowest in the world: Union Health Minister pic.twitter.com/YnQpnJ9IeJ

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2020

"Today more than 10,000 COVID-19 patients have been discharged. Those still admitted at hospitals are on the road to recovery. If in last 14 days doubling rate was 10.5 days, then today it is around 12 days," the Minister told ANI after visiting Lady Hardinge Hospital.

"Our mortality rate of 3.2 per cent is the lowest in the world," he said. With 2,644 more COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths in the last 24 hours, the number of people infected from coronavirus in the country has reached 39,980 including 1,301 deaths, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

Currently, there are 28,046 active cases while 10,633 COVID-19 positive patients have been cured/discharged.

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Twenty eight-year-old freelance journalist, Rizwana Tabassum, committed suicide by hanging herself. Samajwadi Party leader Shamim Nomani has now been arrested for abetting the extreme step after a suicide note recovered from her room blamed him.

"Shamim Nomani is responsible," her suicide note said. Tabassum killed herself in Harpalpur of Varanasi district on Monday.

SSP's PRO Sanjay Tripathi, told IANS on Tuesday that Shamim had been formally arrested. He was detained and interrogated on Monday night.

The PRO further said that the post mortem report of Rizwana had confirmed death by hanging.

According to Varanasi Sadar CO, Abhishek Pandey, a case has been registered against Lohta resident Nomani on the charge of abetment to suicide under Section 306 on Tabassum's father complaint.

Nomani has been detained for interrogation and the body has been sent for post-mortem.

Shamim and Rizwana reportedly were friends for a long time but no one is aware of what happened suddenly.

According to reports, when Tabassum did not come out of her room on Monday, they called out to her but there was no response.

The police were informed about the incident and when the policemen broke open the door, Tabassum's body was found hanging from the ceiling fan.

Her father said, "She never told about anything nor did she have any enmity with anyone. She was a good daughter as well as a good journalist."

She had completed Mass Communication from Banaras Hindu University and worked as a freelance journalist for several portals and publications.

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India's fatality rate of COVID-19 patients is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate 28.83 per cent but the number of cases rose by a steep 3561 taking the total count beyond the 50,000 mark to 52,952. Of the total number of cases, 35,902 are active cases, 15,266 cured or discharged and 1,783 persons have died. While 3561 new confirmed cases have been added since yesterday, 1084 patients have been cured.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday held a meeting today with Health Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, and senior officials from both Centre and the states to review the situation, actions being taken and preparedness for management of COVID-19.

He said that as on May 7, a total of 52,952 cases have been reported from the country. He noted that in comparison to other countries, India is in a better condition as the fatality rate is 3.3 per cent and recovery rate is 28.83 per cent.

The minister said that 4.8 per cent patients in ICU, 1.1 per cent on ventilators and 3.3 per cent on oxygen support of the active cases. The testing capacity has increased in the country and it is 95,000 tests per day. Cumulatively, 13,57,442 tests have been done so far for COVID 19. There are 180 districts with no new cases in less than 7 days, 180 districts with no new cases in 7-13 days, 164 districts which have not had any new case in 14- 20 days and 136 districts with no new cases since the last 21-28 days.

In view of the increase in the number of migrant labour expected to reach their native states in the days to come, Harsh Vardhan noted that robust strategy and mechanism need to be drawn up for their testing, quarantine, and treatment of the positive cases.

States were also informed that helpline number 104 in addition to 1075 can be used for grievance redress for non-COVID essential services. They were advised to take adequate measures for prevention of vector diseases. AIIMS-Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that as per the modeling data and the way India's COVID-19 cases are increasing, it is likely that peak can come in June and July. Maharashtra continues to have the highest number of cases in the country at 16,758 followed by Gujarat (6,625) and Delhi (5,532)

No new case of COVID-19 has been reported in Kerala on Thursday and the total number of active cases stands at 25. The Union Health Minister and Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik jointly launched clinical research studies on Ayurveda interventions as an add-on to standard care to COVID 19 situation and AyushSanjivani application.

Vice President and Chairman Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and discussed the situation regarding COVID19 disease in the country and role being played by members of Parliament. Naidu and Birla also discussed the issue of feasibility of various committees of Parliament holding their meetings at the earliest in the prevailing situation. They felt that if the situation does not allow regular conventional meetings of the committees in the near future, alternative means of enabling such meetings may be explored.

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As the world began bingeing on Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher's new creation, Never Have I Ever, British musician DJ Rekha and Poorna Jagannathan — who plays a pivotal role in the comedy — hosted a special Instagram party on Sunday to celebrate the series. A Bollywood-themed virtual bash seemed like the perfect way to tackle the lockdown ennui as several stars around the globe logged in to congratulate Kaling on her latest offering. Amongst the Bollywood stars to join the fanfare were Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal.

Mindy Kaling

A source reveals, "It was essentially a lockdown party with Mindy joining in from the US, and Richa and Ali logging online from Mumbai. Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali too attended the virtual do. Most of the stars had watched the show beforehand. While they loved how the slice-of-life series captured the joys and sorrows of a second-generation Indian teenager growing up in the US, the larger discussion was about how it beautifully highlighted the issues faced by people of different ethnicities through the protagonist and her diverse set of friends. DJ Rekha made sure that the party, though online, wasn't without its share of music as she belted out hits from her console."

Mahershala Ali

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Fashion model Gigi Hadid and her boyfriend Zayn Malik are expecting their first child together. The news of the 'Victoria's Secret' model's pregnancy was reported by TMZ.

"Gigi is 20 weeks along, and both their families are happy" the publication quoted the family sources for the couple as saying. The model who rang in her 25th birthday on April 23, took to social media to share multiple pictures from the celebration.

As reported by E! News, the couple who started dating in 2015, officially called it quits in 2018.

However, Gigi and former 'One Direction' member came back together just before the December break and the singer reached out to Gigi last month and she seemed to be giving him another chance.

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Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman has sent her love to the near and dear ones of Irrfan Khan, who died on Wednesday in Mumbai. Remembering Irrfan, Portman took to Instagram to share a photo of herself with the actor. In the photo, she is in a white bridal wear and is held by Irrfan, who is in a black and white suit with a hat. "Sending love to Irrfan Khan's loved ones today," she captioned the snap.

The two had featured together in Mira Nair's segment of "New York, I Love You", a 2008 American romantic comedy-drama anthology film.

Ever since the news of Irrfan's demise came out on Wednesday, celebrities from Bollywood as well as Hollywood where he was the face of India, have been pouring in.

Earlier, Hollywood star Angelina Jolie had also expressed her condolences, in a message shared with IANS.

"I had the privilege of working with Irrfan Khan on the set of 'A Mighty Heart'. He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him. I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world," Jolie said in her message.

"A Mighty Heart", is a 2007 drama directed by Michael Winterbottom based on the 2003 memoir of the same name by Mariane Pearl. The film accounts the aftermath of the kidnapping of Marianne's journalist husband Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, and his subsequent beheading by the kidnappers.

Jolie played Marianne Pearl while Irrfan impressed Karachi police chief Zeeshan Kazmi, in a well-written role.

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For long, Mindy Kaling felt like an outsider in Hollywood due to constant reminders that she is different — thanks to the stereotypical attitude towards her ethnicity and gender. The actor, who has Indian roots, is glad that things are changing, and says right representation matters. "We talk about how representation matters in Hollywood, so much that it almost loses its meaning. But it's real," said Kaling while talking about how things have changed for women of colour in the West.

"Growing up, I realised that there was no one who looked like me on TV, so I often found myself drawing parallels to people who are like me on shows like the Cosby Family or characters on white sitcoms. You cannot imagine how excited I was when Bend it Like Beckham (2002) came out. The idea that I could actually see people from my community on screen blew my mind," added Kaling, who is basking in the appreciation coming her way for her latest Netflix show Never Have I Ever.

Kaling has been a torch-bearer for diversity and right representation. At 24, she was the only woman and person of colour when she joined the writing team of popular show, The Office, in which she also essayed role of Kelly Kapoor. She also became the first woman of colour to write, star in and create the primetime sitcom titled The Mindy Project in 2012, which not only got her wider attention but global fame as well.

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If you are a budding entrepreneur and an avid watcher of TV shows, you must be certainly thinking of which product to launch post the lockdown and if there are any shows out there that can help you better assess the target audience, risks, financial aspect amongst other facts that are involved with launching your own business.

While business markets and sectors are certainly a tough place to be in with a humongous competition, here are a few shows that will give you a glimpse of the entrepreneurial world with a few lessons that will help you through your journey.

Silicon Valley

Created by Mike Judge, Silicon Valley is a critically-acclaimed sitcom that follows the struggle of a group of young software programmers and developers trying to succeed in Silicon Valley. The show features the challenges new entrepreneurs face to make an impact in the competitive environment of Silicon Valley, despite having a game-changing product. Silicon Valley recently completed its 6th season and can be viewed in the country on Disney+Hotstar

Shark Tank

Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy Award-winning reality show that has reinvigorated entrepreneurship around the world, recently returned with its dynamic eleventh season. The Sharks – tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons – continue their search to invest in the best businesses and products that America has to offer. Watching this show will give you an insight of all aspects of the business world as you will develop the insight of a venture capitalist mind. Season 11 of Shark Tank is exclusively streaming on Voot Select while its television premier on 18th May 2020 on Colors Infinity

Billions

Think of Billions as the high-finance counterpart to House of Cards and you will not be far off the mark. Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti are superb as, respectively, the win-at-all-costs head of a massive hedge fund and the win-at-all-costs district attorney determined to put him behind bars, although both are thoroughly upstaged by the even better Maggie Siff as the woman who keeps both at the top of their game. This show emphasizes on the importance of being street smart and ahead of the game. The latest season of Billions is streaming in the country on Disney+Hotstar

Empire

Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Empire is a drama series that tells the story of Empire Entertainment, a fictional hip hop music and entertainment company, and the drama that unfolds among the members of the founders’ family as they fight for control of it. The show will familiarize you with the importance of always staying on top of your game, the show is streaming in the country on Disney+Hotstar

Startup

StartUp follows the emergence of GenCoin, a brilliant yet controversial tech idea centred on a digital currency — an idea that gets incubated on the wrong side of the tracks by three strangers who don’t necessarily fit the mould of 'tech entrepreneurs' and a crooked FBI agent who will go to any lengths to take them down. The series is available to watch in the country on Amazon Prime India.

Tune-in to these compelling entrepreneurial shows for all the inspiration you need to begin your journey towards your dreams.

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