Veteran Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has been left disappointed with the postponement of Tokyo Olympic Games due to the Coronavirus pandemic which has wreaked havoc across the world. India last won a gold in Hockey in 1980 in Moscow Olympics. Since then, they have participated in eight Olympic editions but have failed to make a podium finish. And after qualifying for the Tokyo Games, the team was in high spirits and were looking forward to end the medal drought.

However, their dream remains unfulfilled for now as the International Olympic Committee has postponed the Games to summer 2021. "It's disappointing that the Olympics has been postponed. We have been focussing only on the Olympics in the last one year. We qualified for the Olympics and started very well at the FIH Hockey Pro League, but then the COVID-19 crisis began and everything changed," Sreejesh said.

"But though it is disappointing that the Games are delayed, when you take the health and safety of the players into consideration, the best thing to do is to postpone the Games instead of cancelling it," he added.

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Uncertainty is so intrinsic to sports that elite athletes will not have much trouble coping up with a pandemic-forced lockdown, feel India's top sports psychologists as they become a part of their journey into an unchartered territory. Rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted minds as much as health and productivity, sports pyshologists Dr Chaitanya Sridhar, Nanaki J Chadha, and Keerthana Swaminathan are dealing with athletes across disciplines and economic spectrum, being their "sounding board, friend" and enabling them to process the magnitude of the situation.

"When you are dealing with athletes, you can broadly divide them in three categories—the elite, the ones who are at national level aspiring to make it and the next group is academy bunch. The reaction to lockdown will be different," said Dr Sridhar, who is associated with JSW Sports and has worked with GoSports Foundation and IPL franchise RCB.

For performance analyst and sports psychologist Nanaki, this is the time when "you help them steer clear of negative thoughts." For Keerthana, there is light at the end of the tunnel where a lot of athletes, who probably had injuries or may have been going through slump in form, get a chance to "recuperate both physically and emotionally" in the time away from sport.

But yes, there is also the disappointed lot, which was hitting the peak in what was to be an Olympic year. "As a psychologist, it breaks my heart to see those who were really peaking before the big tournament. They are the ones likely to be disappointed more. But I am a big believer in Rahul Dravid's statement: 'Control the controllables'."

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Legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra believes once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, it could be a blessing in disguise for Indian sports due to absence of much foreign exposure. "The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure. We need to build our own coaches and our own support staff," Bindra said on Monday. The entire sporting calendar has come to a grinding halt across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Major sporting events, including Tokyo Olympics and Wimbledon, have either been postponed or cancelled.

Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, alongwith Nandan Kamath, lawyer and managing trustee GoSports Foundation, on Monday addressed the newly-appointed assistant directors and other senior officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) during a special session. Bindra said that as sports administrators they need to work towards creating an alternate skill development programme for athletes to ensure their well-being in the long run.

"We need to look after athletes because the very nature of sport is that more will fail than succeed. It is important that athletes have backup plans in case their sports career doesn't work out," he pointed out. Bindra further said that sports administrators need to understand the psychology of an athlete to be able to build them up because athletes pass through different phases because of the nature of sport and the probability of failure.

"An expert can give a larger overview of the various elements that go into sporting performance and that's where you will understand where performance is built and what are the various elements that go into performance and then you will start to have a better and deeper understanding of where performance is built. Results at a competition cannot be the only denominator when planning for an Olympic Games or an Asian Games," he added.

Bindra spoke at length on his experience as an athlete and also on the future of sports in India. "The one per cent (of athletes) makes all the difference in sport, and as our sports ecosystem starts maturing, we need to start focussing on that one percent for all athletes," he said.

Stressing on the need to build a strong talent identification and nurturing programme, he added, "Getting foundations right is important, a lot of work on that has already been started with the Khelo India programme and also emphasis placed on junior programme of different sports.

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Bajrang Punia, World silver-medallist wrestler

Wrestling is a contact sport. When wrestling will resume, there is no way you can avoid physical contact. But I don't think there would be any hesitation. I don't see any change happening.

Sachin Tendulkar, cricket legend

Players will be wary for some time when it comes to using saliva [to shine the ball]. High fives and hugging your teammates will be avoided for some time. They will be conscious to begin with and may maintain social distancing.

Vijender Singh, India's only male boxer to win an Olympic medal

Athletes will be more cautious. Certainly, training abroad won't be all that easy. Less tournaments will happen and whenever they happen, I am not sure what the participation would be like.

Joshna Chinappa, Top squash player

I think I will have to be extra careful on flights as those are the main transporters of germs around the world. My first instinct after the game is to shake hands with the opponent but now things might change there also.

Bhaichung Bhutia, Former India football captain

Sports events will gradually come back to what they were before and can be held behind closed doors for now. Till the time a vaccine is out, I don't think they can have people inside as it involves a lot of risk.

Mahesh Bhupathi, Multiple-time Grand Slam winning former tennis player

Sport won't change. Things will be normal once COVID-19 goes away.

Abhinav Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold-medallist

The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure.

MC Mary Kom, Six-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist

Once a vaccine is developed, things can go back to how they were before but until then, travelling will be less frequent, training will not exactly be a team thing and tournaments, I don't know how they will resume.

Text:PTI

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National rowing coach Bajrang Lal Takhar, 39, wants India's ace rowers, Sawarn Singh and Dattu Bhokanal to make the most of the Coronavirus-caused lockdown by working on their mental toughness.

Takhar, the first to win an Asian Games individual gold [Guangzhou 2010], is keen that the duo fine-tune their technique and emerge mentally stronger when the lockdown is over.

"Dattu performed well at the Rio Games in 2016 [finishing 13th in men's single sculls] in his maiden Olympics. Sawarn is also a good rower. My advice to them is to become mentally strong if we want to win at the Olympics. At the top level, there is not much to differentiate in terms of physical fitness. Being mentally strong can make a huge difference. They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] also need to work on their technique," Takhar, who has been guiding the rowers via video conferencing from his hometown in Maganpur, Rajasthan, told mid-day on Monday.

Meanwhile, Takhar urged patience from those expecting a rowing medal at the Tokyo Olympics. "They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] will surely qualify for the Tokyo Games. They will make it to the final as well, but we may have to wait for another Olympics [Paris 2024] to win a medal," felt Takhar.

Sawarn, 30, has won gold in quadruple sculls along with Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, while he bagged a bronze in single sculls at the Incheon Games in 2014. Bhokanal, 29, won silver in single sculls at the 2015 Asian Rowing Championships in Beijing.

Takhar has urged the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) to concentrate on rural areas if they wish to tap upcoming talent.

"The RFI needs to search for talent in rural regions. Getting physically strong people is extremely crucial to succeed in rowing. We have worked on certain plans to train aspiring players," he concluded.

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The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) asserted that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) acted in haste after the hosting rights of the 2021 men's world championship were taken away from the country for non-payment of host city fee. In a statement, AIBA handed over the championship, originally allotted to India in 2017, to Serbian capital Belgrade. The BFI acknowledged the delay in payment but blamed it on procedural complications arising out of the AIBA's failure to resolve issues with regards to the account in which the money was to be transferred.

Delay in payment

The payment of what is estimated to be USD 4 million was due to be made on December 2 last year. "After New Delhi didn't fulfill its obligations to pay host fee as mentioned in the Host City Agreement terms, AIBA has terminated the contract. Therefore, India would have to pay a cancellation penalty of USD 500," the AIBA said in a statement. The elite competition would have happened for the first time in the country.

The BFI, headed by Spicejet Airlines owner Ajay Singh, said the AIBA could not clearly tell where to transfer the money. "We have reason to believe that the decision to change the venue of WCH-2021 was taken in haste without due consultation with BFI...the penalty that is imposed is shocking and surprising. Both parties are working for an amicable solution. BFI is confident that the penalty will be waived off and we will host World Championships in future," the BFI statement read.

AIBA's account frozen

AIBA has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administrative and financial mismanagement. "The AIBA account in Lausanne was frozen. The account of AIBA in Switzerland as mentioned in Host City Agreement is still inoperative. AIBA intended to have some previous payments through an account in Serbia. "As Serbia is in the Grey List of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) countries, Indian Banks do not normally send money to Serbia. AIBA could not resolve these issues," said the BFI.

"The account of AIBA in Switzerland, as mentioned in Host City Agreement, is still inoperative," it added.

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The Indian women's hockey team has raised funds to the tune of Rs 20 lakh to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian team raised the money through an 18-day fitness challenge, which concluded on May 3 and resulted in raising Rs 20, 01,130. The funds have been donated to Delhi-based NGO Uday Foundation. The funds will be used to provide basic necessities for patients at various locations, migrant workers and slum dwellers.

"The response we have received was really overwhelming. People, especially Indian hockey lovers from across the globe took part in the challenge and contributed to the cause. "On behalf of the Indian Women Team, I would like to thank everyone who took part in this initiative to help the poor," India skipper Rani Rampal said.

The challenge involved the team members who came up with different fitness tasks that ranged from burpees, lunges, squats to spider-man pushups, pogo hops and more. Each day a player gave a new challenge and tagged 10 people on their social media handles to take up the challenge and donate Rs 100 to the fundraiser.

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Chef Saransh Goila and TV personality Mini Mathur at Silver Beach Cafe, Juhu. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

The glass walls overlooking a quiet street at Silver Beach Café are misty. Chef Saransh Goila is early and orders a plate of Eggs Benedict, Beetroot Cous Cous Salad and a glass each of orange and carrot juice, choices that TV host Mini Mathur is happy with when she walks in. "The last time we met we were both drunk," Mathur says animatedly. Both TV stars are currently hosting digital food shows. Goila has married his two loves — fitness and food — for his Facebook show Run to Eat (Singapore). Mathur has been cooking with Bollywood stars for her show The Mini Truck. One is a trained chef and the other a home cook, but when they speak, their love for rich traditional food takes over.

Sabhnani: How did an erstwhile vegetarian chef move to selling butter chicken?
Goila: In Delhi, my vegetarian family was tired of eating sweet paneer. So I smoked the gravy for them. That's how I came up with it. My friends in Mumbai loved it. We are actually Goels, my great-grandfather changed it to 'Goila'. When I was opening Goila Butter Chicken, my dad got calls asking him, 'Can't he just call it Saransh's Butter Chicken?' Once I graduated, I realised you cannot be a chef who is vegetarian.
Mathur: Mera butter chicken khaake dekho, hum bhi Dilliwalle hai! I am a Kayasth married to a Hyderabadi. Both the families are very proud of traditional recipes. I hate bastardised versions of food — if someone gave me Szechuan dosa, I'd spit on them! Every Diwali, I pickle six kilos of aloo or chana for achaar. I will make some for you and you can give me butter chicken instead.

Sabhnani: Your new shows are shot internationally, though…
Mathur: My next show, Mini Me, is about a bad**s mum travelling with her seven-year-old. We went to 15 cities across six countries in Europe in 25 days. It was originally shot for digital viewing, but a channel picked it up.
Goila: Run to Eat (Singapore) was originally supposed to be shot in India, but I didn't get support from the state tourism boards.

Sabhnani: You must have collected many stories while shooting.
Goila: Once, on an uphill trek in Himachal, we saw a tree full of apples. As soon as I plucked one, I slipped. I quickly grabbed a branch or I would have rolled down the hill. Things you do for apples and shots!
Mathur: Sunny Leone is such a cool woman. When she shot for my show, she said things like, 'Now let's grind.' I had to control my crew.

Sabhnani: Was the shift to digital platforms a natural progression?
Mathur: Digital is the future. The problem is figuring out how to monetise it.
Goila: Every time I enter a house party, there is a group of people watching something on their phones. My mom wants a Chromecast!
Mathur: People are waking up to the fact that watching TV at an appointed time is not necessary.

Eggs Benedict, Beetroot Cous Cous Salad and juices arrive
Goila: My plate looks beautiful! They have made an effort.
Mathur: Do you always shoot your food before you eat? The whole thing of 'let's tuck in yaar' is not happening any more.

Sabhnani: The impact of social media is huge...
Goila: People explore social media, and not colleges, for learning, which is fine. But one out of 100 people succeeds that way.
Mathur: I mostly find positivity on Instagram and YouTube. Twitter is a different universe.
Goila: Sometimes you have to choose to ignore it [trolls]. It's also driven by brands and PR.
Mathur: Today, you can backslap a star online and say, 'Hey, I don't like your moustache!'

Sabhnani: Do looks matter?
Goila: I am not the best-looking chef in the country. I generally believe in fitness (I used weigh 93kg). You can't judge a chef by his belly, though.
Mathur: If you are good-looking, it can't harm you.

Sabhnani: Dilliwallah's take on Mumbai's food?
Mathur: I love Maharashtra's coastal cuisine. Mumbai should give up on chaat; vada pav is your thing. The Mughlai scene is better in the north.
Goila: The international cuisine spread is better in Mumbai.
Mathur: Eat food at the place where it comes from. Don't go asking for vada pavs in Delhi.

Bittu Sahgal and Dia Mirza enjoy a meal at Kitchen Garden by Suzette in Bandra. Pics/Shadab Khan

There is a peacock whose cacophony Bittu Sahgal wakes up to at his Napean Sea Road residence every morning , before he starts hammering away at articles for Sanctuary Asia, a magazine he launched and has been editing since 1981. And as Dia Mirza tells us how she came to be associated with Sahgal's various projects, a butterfly fluttering in the al fresco section of Kitchen Garden by Suzette lights up her eyes. The actor, who has been deeply involved with the cause of the environment, attended The International Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Forum in Kyrgyzstan last month, and was appointed the ambassador of the Wildlife Trust of India earlier this year. As the mentor and the mentee meet over lunch, words flow as odes to nature, unravelling the green legacy of India and the ecological miracle called Mumbai.

Hasan: How did your association come about?
Sahgal: She walked into our lives like a breath of fresh air.
Mirza: There had been always a sense of awe for the man he is and his work, but I hadn't had facetime with him. So, when I met him socially at a dinner, I chased him. I told him, 'The problem with people like you is that you don't communicate with people like me. If I had more access to your mind, I would take your ideas to more people.' Bittu is someone I look up to as my guardian, my guru. He really changed my life.
Sahgal: It takes a lot out of somebody to keep fighting for 40 years. Then I look at you and I say to myself, 'We won!' Life is a marathon and the baton has been passed on.
Mirza: The world is constantly drawing you away from your purpose. Bittu came into my life as a reminder of all the things I was nurtured with when I was being brought up. I went to a J Krishnamurti school, where we did classes under trees, we grew vegetables and discussed materialism. My work in films had taken me far away from all this but he reminded me that the two can co-exist. And I made a choice.

Avocado Toast and The Greek salad arrive.
Hasan: Speaking of choices, are both of you vegetarian?
Sahgal: I don't perceive meat as food. I was born in a non-veg loving Punjabi family, but I stopped eating meat when I was old enough to say no to my mother.
Mirza: I am not a vegetarian, but I have become more conscientious about my consumption. There are certain meats I don't eat, like wild animals.

Hasan: Where does Mumbai stand in the fight to ensure urban centres retain their green cover?
Mirza: As citizens of Mumbai, we need to remember that we are the only city in the world with a large forest cover in the heart of the city.
Sahgal: We have a garland of mangroves protecting us. Sanjay Gandhi National Park has more butterflies than the entire UK. We are like spoilt rich brats who don't understand the value of our wealth. Like the biodiversity of forests, we need biodiversity of attitudes and strategies.

Mirza: And laws. Isn't it appalling that we are waking up to waste management systems only now?
Sahgal: We have planners planning infrastructure at sea level, when the rest of the world is planning for six metres above sea level. It defies logic that my generation is straddling your generation with white elephant investments that can never work. Nature doesn't give you judgement, it gives you consequences. Mithi river was a consequence, as is Florida.

Mirza: As Bittu always quotes Senegalese environmentalist Baba Dioum: In the end we will conserve only what we love and love only what we learn about.

Potato Chops

"Despite having lived in the city for years, not many people are even aware of the existence of this cuisine," begins Sajida Khan, founder of Culinary Craft studio, which will be the venue for a workshop on East Indian fare this weekend.

Mumbaikar Lloyd Rodrigues will conduct the session where he will teach participants how to make four East Indian dishes. The first is the Mutton Stew, which is a combination of vegetables like carrots, peas, onions and tomatoes, and mutton blended with mild spices.

The second item on the menu, shares Rodrigues, is the East Indian Potato Chops, a much-loved snack featuring crumb-coated potato mash stuffed with spiced minced meat.

"The third is a rice dish, which is colloquially referred to as Wedding Rice, since it is usually prepared as part of the East Indian wedding spread," informs Khan. The dish is akin to a pulao, and comes topped generously with fried onions and shavings of almonds and cashew nuts.

No meal is complete without dessert. And the sweet dish that participants will learn to make is a unique preparation called Letri.

Rice is a staple in the community's meals, and this dessert, too, makes use of colourful rice vermicelli mixed with generous amounts of coconut and jaggery.

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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Dia Mehta's lone goal helped Bombay International School (Babulnath) beat Bombay Scottish (Mahim) in the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)-organised inter-school girls U-14 Division I football tournament at Azad Maidan yesterday. Both teams started off in an aggressive fashion, but the first half ended goalless.

Switching sides, Dia broke the deadlock in a nonchalant fashion. The goal came in the 27th minute when she intercepted a cross from teammate Simran Jasubhai and hammered into the net from long range to seal the win for her team.

Meanwhile, in a boys U-14 Div II encounter, Holy Family High School (Andheri) beat Infant Jesus High School (Malad) 4-0. Sanford Dias scored a brace while Rommaan Khan and Gavin D'Souza netted one apiece.

Suraj Narredu astride Lady in Lace

Growing up in a racing family and watching my father (Satish) and uncle (Malesh) riding as top jockeys, shaped my destiny, and I started riding at a young age. Though record books will tell you that I climbed the ladders of success rather swiftly, no jockey can experience a real sense of fulfillment unless he wins the greatest race of them all — the Indian Derby at Mahalaxmi.

And because both, my father and uncle, had won the great race as jockeys, it was almost a question of continuing the family tradition. So it was a dream realised when I won the 2015 Indian Derby with Be Safe (trained by Malesh), who matched the record of my father, having won the big race both as jockey and trainer. Be Safe thus marked a new chapter in my career. Now I get another opportunity to have my moment in the sun. This Sunday, I will ride another, very capable Derby aspirant in Lady In Lace, trained by Prasad Raju of Hyderabad. Here's why I consider her so special.

I was on the bench with an injury when Raju sent her into the care of my trainer-brother Rajesh Narredu in Bangalore. From the sidelines, I watched her winning two races — one with an apprentice rider (M Ayyer), and the other, with jockey YS Srinath, who also went on to win two more races, including the Fillies' Championship, when she went back to Hyderabad. The trainer optimistically pitched her in the Hyderabad Derby, and in blinding rain, Prevalent Force (ridden by jockey Srinath who had switched allegiance) had to go to the bottom of the well to contain Lady In Lace.

It was a big let down for Raju. Though I had not ridden the filly yet, I felt she was high-class material. The Pune Derby was round the corner. I used my persuasive skills to convince Raju that Lady In Lace should take her chances. She was supplemented at a prohibitive cost with a late entry fee. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. Lady In Lace put up a jaw-dropping show. It was Raju's first Derby winner, and I was thrilled to be part of his team.

Later, Lady In Lace did not even break a sweat when winning the Golconda 1000 Guineas. Shapoor Mistry, a keen judge of horseflesh, opted to buy a 50% share in the filly — that's vindication of the class I always knew she had. She further confirmed my opinion about her when storming past her adversaries late in the lane in the Indian 1000 Guineas. An infection disrupted her training schedule, and she skipped the Indian Oaks. However, she was impressive in a recent mock race. I galloped her on Monday over a mile, and she could not have done better. I strongly believe Lady In Lace is peaking at the right time.

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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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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Riteish Deshmukh and Karan Johar have no inhibitions showing off their grey hair. KJo is unable to get his tresses coloured at a salon due to the lockdown. His kids, Roohi and Yash, call him 'buddha'. Deshmukh, too, sported his salt and pepper look on Insta and quipped, "Main celebrity hoon (sic)." Will the B-Town female brigade flaunt their grey locks?

 

 

 

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Ek Joke Saanga Na

A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:36am PDT

On the professional front, Karan Johar will be next seen as a producer in Sooryavanshi and Brahmastra. Speaking of Riteish Deshmukh, the actor was last seen in Baaghi 3, along starring Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor and Ankita Lokhande.

Amidst the global outbreak of the Coronavirus, the entertainment industry has taken a hit. Several movies including the upcoming James Bond movie are being pushed back from their intended release dates and movies like Baaghi 3 saw a huge impact on their box office collections.

All the projects are currently on halt after the outbreak. People are waiting with bated breath for this lockdown to end and get back to business.

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Kulmeet Makkar, CEO, Producers Guild of India (PGI), died on Friday morning. He was 60.

Makkar suffered a massive heart attack and passed away in Dharamsala, PGI spokesperson told PTI.

In a statement PGI remembered Makkar for his immense contribution in the growth of Indian film and television industry.

“Today we lost our pillar of strength. Kulmeet is irreplaceable. His passion, integrity,resourcefulness and commitment were only matched by his deep empathy and unique ability to find a way through the toughest situations.

“Today we have lost someone who has played an integral role - always unassumingly and behind the scenes to nurture and grow the Indian film and television industry. Our dearest Kulmeet, you will always be missed. Your legacy will live on,” the statement read.

Many from the film industry including filmmakers Karan Johar, Ashoke Pandit, Subhash Ghai and actor Sanjay Suri among others paid tributes to Makkar on social media.

Johar said he tirelessly worked towards advancement of the film industry.

Kulmeet you were such an incredible pillar to all of us at the Producers Guild of India....relentlessly working for the industry and towards its enhancement and advancement... you left us too soon...We will miss you and always Remember you fondly.... Rest in peace my friend, he posted on Twitter.

Kulmeet you were such an incredible pillar to all of us at the Producers Guild of India....relentlessly working for the industry and towards its enhancement and advancement... you left us too soon...We will miss you and always Remember you fondly.... Rest in peace my friend... pic.twitter.com/GUcapyjfMo

— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) May 1, 2020

Ashutosh Gowariker wrote, "A sad day for the Film & Television Producers Guild of India! The CEO #KulmeetMakkar has passed away. Kulmeet, THANK YOU for always being there - to help, solve, inform, strategize, corporatize & build relations! You will be missed! Heartfelt condolences to the family.”

A sad day for the Film & Television Producers Guild of India! The CEO #KulmeetMakkar has passed away.

Kulmeet, THANK YOU for always being there - to help, solve, inform, strategize, corporatize & build relations!
YOU will be missed! 🙏

Heartfelt condolences to the family! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/pKJjgYSiWl

— Ashutosh Gowariker (@AshGowariker) May 1, 2020

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In 2016, Bollywood got a stellar performer in the form of Zaira Wasim, thanks to Nitesh Tiwari's Dangal. And with Secret Superstar and The Sky Is Pink, she proved to be a force to reckon with at a tender age. But she quit acting as she felt it was a hindrance to her religion. Despite mixed reactions, she stood by her decision and people respected her for that. However, despite quitting Bollywood, Zaira manages to grab attention through her social media posts.

Recently, she posted a statement on her social media account on how trolls can affect people and traumatise them for the rest of their lives. She also asked people for empathy.  "We remain so unaware of the power of our words, an utter them without giving them an ounce of thought, little it is that we realise that our actions, words and stupid jokes impact people and influence their beliefs about their own esteem and integrity. Imagine somebody out there genuinely believes he's a loser just because of you, because of a joke, a meme, a comment you made just to look cool or funny in-front of your followers, but not everyone's born with a thick skin, not everyone can withstand the harsh criticism," she wrote.

She also reacted to how negative comments, trolls, memes and jokes can severely impact the mental well being and self-esteem of a person.  "Imagine somebody out there genuinely believes he's a loser just because of you, because of a joke, a meme, a comment you made just to look cool or funny in-front of your followers, but not everyone's born with a thick skin, not everyone can withstand the harsh criticism," she said.

The Secret Superstar actress added, "Some are more vulnerable that others and become easily overwhelmed and disappointed in themselves, your words could be a reason for someone's heart to shatter, for someone to cry all night long. It can damage and traumatise someone beyond where language can reach and could scar someone for the rest of their lives. We refuse to even countenance the idea that some just have to struggle much more to reach minimum expectations."

Read her full statement here:

 

 

 

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A post shared by Zaira Wasim (@zairawasim_) onMay 1, 2020 at 4:20pm PDT

Earlier too, the actress had put out a statement and asked us not to praise her since all these appreciations are dangerous for her Iman. 

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Yoga is considered as a good way not only to stay fit, but also become strong mentally. It has the power to provide mental peace, and can work wonders for the mind, body and soul. Considered as one of the best ways to unwind and achieve calmness, many have aced yogasanas with the utmost ease.

Speaking about the same, Kavita Kaushik, Sushmita Sen, Ashka Goradia, Pooja Batra and many celebs have been working out with their partners. Let's take a look at their version of how they unwind and relax.

Kavita Kaushik was seen performing some yoga poses with husband Ronit Biswas at their home during the lockdown. These stretches really look cool! What do you think?

 

 

 

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Strrrrrrrretch 🥰

A post shared by Kavita (@ikavitakaushik) onApr 12, 2020 at 2:45am PDT

Sushmita Sen and Rohman Shawl have also been sharing some couple yoga poses on social media, and leaving fans in awe of their chemistry. This also brings flexibility and balance, apart from giving extreme strength to the body and soul.

 

 

 

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All grown up & yet nothing beats the comfort of the fetus pose!! Nothing calms the mind faster than going back to the source!!👍😇❤ï¸ÂðŸÂÂÂ’ƒðŸ» besides, @rohmanshawl attempting this with me is #adorable ðŸÂÂÂ’‹ðŸ˜„😍we wish you calm & all the love in the world!! #yourturn 😉👊❤ï¸Â I love you guys!!! #duggadugga ðŸÂÂÂ’‹

A post shared by Sushmita Sen (@sushmitasen47) onApr 22, 2020 at 9:44am PDT

Ashka Goradia, on the other hand, has been surprising fans with her yoga poses. Be it alone or with husband Brent Goble, Ashka has left no stone unturned to keep it calm during this difficult period of lockdown. 

 

 

 

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If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a transformation. ~ Jiddu K . . . #allinclusive #onelove #couples #coupleyoga #acroyoga #yogaforlife #yoga #yogaeveryday My ðŸÂÂÂ’“ @ibrentgoble 📸 @dattaatinaa thankkuuuu

A post shared by Aashka Goradia Goble (@aashkagoradia) onApr 21, 2020 at 11:45pm PDT

Pooja Batra loves sharing her workout videos and posts. Pooja, too, is homebound like everyone else during the lockdown, but the actress has her hubby Nawab Shah for company. During her quarantine time, Pooja Batra has been practising a wide range of yogasanas along with Nawwab. Let's take a look.

 

 

 

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#couplesyoga #acroyoga Home is where the workout is 🙏#yogawithpoojabatra ðŸ§Â˜‍♀ï¸Â#stayactive #stayhome

A post shared by Pooja Batra Shah (@poojabatra) onApr 23, 2020 at 8:00pm PDT

So, how many did you get right?

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Actress Rakul Preet Singh has relived her childhood days in a new post she shared on social media. Rakul took to Instagram and shared a video where she plays games like "dog and the bone", "Kabbadi" and "chidiya ud" with her brother Aman Preet.

"When time takes you back to your childhood #quarantinediaries," the actress captioned the video. 

 

 

 

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#quarantinediaries with @amanpreetoffl ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Rakul Singh (@rakulpreet) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:28am PDT

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

Rakul will also be seen in Kamal Haasan's ambitious upcoming film "Indian 2", which also stars Kajal Aggarwal and Vidyut Jammwal.

Her brother Aman Preet Singh is all set to make his Bollywood debut with the film "Ram Rajya". It also stars Shobita Rana, Salman Sheikh, Shashwat Pratik, Rajesh Sharma, Govind Namdev, Manoj Bakshi, Sandeep Bhojak, Mukhtar Dekhani and Mushtaq Khan.

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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

With less than a few hours to go for the telecast of the much anticipated 'India's biggest' virtual concert, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday expressed his happiness to participate in the event -- 'I For India.'

The 54-year-old star took to Twitter and wrote: "Happy to participate in #IForIndia... a concert to raise funds for those affected by Covid-19."

Happy to participate in #IForIndia... a concert to raise funds for those affected by Covid-19.
Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30 PM IST.
Concert dekhiye aur yaad rakhiye... Sab Sahi Ho Jayega.

Watch it LIVE here: https://t.co/OYQnGdXB19 pic.twitter.com/9d9WsnZIij

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 3, 2020

"Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30 PM IST. Concert dekhiye aur yaad rakhiye... Sab Sahi Ho Jayega," his tweet read.

Many stars participating in the event have taken up to social media this morning to show their support and to invite their followers to tune in to the concert.

The event dubbed as the 'India's biggest concert' by ace filmmaker Karan Johar, is an attempt to spice the lockdown with a dose of entertainment while raising funds for COVID-19 relief.

The director and Zoya Akhtar have joined hands to organise a virtual concert 'I For India' which will feature over 85 celebrities.

Other celebrities joining SRK for the event will include, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, AR Rehman, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arijit Singh, Anushka Sharma, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and band, Javed Akhtar, Madhuri Dixit, Vicky Kaushal and more.

The event will also have some global celebrities like musicians Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Bryan Adams, Nick Jonas, actor Sophie Turner, and comedians Mindy Kaling and Lilly Singh.

The virtual concert will stream live on Facebook on May 3 at 7.30 PM IST.

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Just a few hours ahead of the much-anticipated event, Bollywood stars including Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, and Bhumi Pednekar invited people to join for the telecast of 'India's biggest' virtual concert- 'I For India.' The 'Khiladi' star Akshay, took to Twitter and shared a montage of the pictures featuring all the stars coming together from their homes for the virtual concert. He wrote, "We bring you India's biggest at-home concert - #IforIndia. Click the donate button and make a difference. Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30 pm IST. 100% of proceeds go to the India COVID Response Fund by@GiveIndia."

We bring you India’s biggest at-home concert - #IforIndia. Click the donate button and make a difference.
Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30pm IST.
Watch it LIVE- https://t.co/DGhmShw3aI
Donate now- https://t.co/cEgmMhAdHa
100% of proceeds go to the India COVID Response Fund by @GiveIndia pic.twitter.com/aBqlPZN1Zp

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 3, 2020

Kareena Kapoor Khan took to Instagram and shared a picture along with Saif where she urged people to join in the concert and donate to the India COVID-19 Response Fund set up. She wrote, "From my home to yours.

Watch me on India's biggest fundraising concert - #IForIndia, a concert for our times., 3rd May, 7:30 pm IST. Watch it LIVE worldwide on Facebook. Tune in. Donate now. Do your bit. Link in bio. #SocialForGood.100% of proceeds go to the India COVID Response Fund set up by @give_india"

 

 

 

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From my home to yours. Watch me on India’s biggest fundraising concert - #IForIndia, a concert for our times. Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30pm IST. Watch it LIVE worldwide on Facebook. Tune in. Donate now. Do your bit. Link in bio. #SocialForGood 100% of proceeds go to the India COVID Response Fund set up by @give_india

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMay 2, 2020 at 11:18pm PDT

Bhumi Pednekar took to Instagram and shared a picture featuring herself holding the 'I for India' placard. Along with the post, she wrote, From my home to yours. Watch me on India's biggest fundraising concert - #IForIndia, a concert for our times.Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30 pm IST. Watch it LIVE worldwide on Facebook."

Abhishek Bachchan also shared his picture holding the 'I For India' placard' and inviting people to join in the virtual concert. He wrote, "From my home to yours. Watch me on India's biggest fundraising concert - #IForIndia, a concert for our times. Sunday, 3rd May, 7:30 pm IST. Watch it LIVE worldwide on Facebook. Tune in. Donate now. Do your bit."

Other celebrities including Vicky Kaushal, Parineeti Chopra and Alia Bhatt also urged people to join in the concert.

Earlier in the day, many stars participating in the event took to social media to show their support and to invite their followers to tune in to the concert.

The event dubbed as the 'India's biggest concert' by ace filmmaker Karan Johar, is an attempt to spice the lockdown with a dose of entertainment while raising funds for COVID-19 relief.

The director and Zoya Akhtar have joined hands to organise a virtual concert 'I For India' which will feature over 85 celebrities.

Other celebrities joining SRK for the event will include, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, AR Rehman, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arijit Singh, Anushka Sharma, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and band, Javed Akhtar, Madhuri Dixit, Vicky Kaushal and more.

The event will also have some global celebrities like musicians Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Bryan Adams, Nick Jonas, actor Sophie Turner, and comedians Mindy Kaling and Lilly Singh.The virtual concert will stream live on Facebook on May 3 at 7.30 PM IST.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

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

Despite the sealed borders keeping him from returning home to India, Sonu Nigam has been neck-deep in work, supporting causes for daily-wagers, and raising awareness for relief funds for the country. It's been a month since Nigam, who is currently holed up in Dubai, began the cumbersome task of breathing life into a passion-project, the brainchild of his industry associate Srinivas. Along with Indian Singers Rights Association CEO Sanjay Tandon, the duo reached out to 100 artistes from across India for the creation of the 14-language track, One nation one voice, which is set to be unveiled by Lata Mangeshkar.

"We had been struggling to find a Sindhi [singer], and that's when we reached out to Ghanshyam Vaswani. Though disconnected from mainstream [music], he has been a ghazal singer for decades. My mother was proficient in Sindhi. So Ghanshyamji and I collaborated for those portions. Similarly, Papon [worked on] the Assamese [verses], Bhajan Soporiji and Kailash Kher did the Kashmiri track, Mame Khan crafted Rajasthani [verses] and Krishna [Beura], the Odia portions," Nigam tells mid-day of the song that also includes lines in Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, and Tamil.

The coalescing of an assortment of home-bound artistes for a single track becomes simpler when employing a digitally transferable background score that they can individually lay their vocals on. But Nigam was creating an acapella piece, which didn't have instruments to play second fiddle in supporting his endeavour.

"We sent two songs to all the singers. One [included] the base track that had been created by [a select few], and included sounds, layers and harmonies. No instruments were used to create this, and it was upon this piece that the singers [recorded their vocals]. We also gave them a reference piece of how we wanted the song to sound, but offered an empty space [for them to experiment]." Those singers who do not have a home-studio had to let the acapella piece play in the background as they recorded their vocals over it, he informs.

There's a peculiar cheer in his voice when he talks of Asha Bhosle's involvement in this number. "With her being by our side, this project has become invaluable. At 86, she has opened this song like a boss. You find yourself wondering how someone at that age can sing so beautifully. I was reduced to tears on hearing her 30-second performance."

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Amidst the perilous times of the pandemic, global artists assembled on a live platform for a charitable home-to-home fundraiser concert- I For India concert to raise money for GiveIndia COVID-19 relief fund on 3 May, 2020. Hrithik Roshan, was also one of the artists who was a part of this initiative and as a special sight, the actor sang a song with the accompaniment of a piano.

A source close to the event shared, "Hrithik spent over 7 hours practising the piano and singing. He is neither a professional singer nor a pianist but he put additional efforts and learnt the piano notes for this one, on his own." It is not easy to play the piano and sing together for someone who is new to both but Hrithik worked hard for this performance.

The objective of the philanthropic concert was to pay tribute to those who are working on the frontlines and to provide 100 per cent proceeds from the fundraiser concert to the India COVID Response Fund, to support on-ground relief efforts.

 

 

 

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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

Amidst this lockdown, Hrithik Roshan who has music running in his family, has taken to it too and spends a lot of his time learning music on his own. The effort made by Hrithik was very evident in his heartwarming performance that won many hearts. The actor also urged and inspired everyone to mark their donations.

Through these challenging times, Hrithik has time and again extended his support to the fight against COVID-19. With this, another initiative, the actor continues to inspire everyone and spread positivity.

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The I for India concert saw the biggest names in Bollywood come together to raise money for GiveIndia.org. The nation witnessed 85 Indian and global stars come on one platform to raise funds for GiveIndia Covid-19 relief fund for a fundraiser concert which was held live on 3 May, 2020. One of the most surprising performances was delivered by the worlds youngest action star Tiger Shroff.

Fans of the actor got to witness a whole new side of him as he flaunted his singing prowess. Tiger October and the yesteryear classic Roop Tera Mastana were the songs of Tiger's choice. The actor sang his heart out but had sunglasses on Tiger felt shy.

Tiger Shroff Sings Roop Tere Mastana To Raise Funds During I For India Concert#TigerShroff @iTIGERSHROFF #IForIndia @TeamTIGERSHROFF @AyeshaShroff pic.twitter.com/tNBSU54633

— TIGER SHROFF Planet™ 𝓐𝓴𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓲 (@TIGERSPLANET) May 3, 2020

The actor stunned the audience as he showed off his skills to the point where fans want him to come up with his own single and also to sing in his forthcoming films.

 

 

 

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I love my INDIA ðŸ˜ÂÂŽðŸ˜ÂÂŽ

A post shared by tigershroff (@tigershroff_95009_) onMay 3, 2020 at 7:56am PDT

On the work front, Tiger's recent release Baaghi 3 was a box office hit and saw the actor take action to the next level as he battled against a nation. The actor will next be seen in the sequel of Heropanti which will release in 2021.

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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 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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Social media has really helped people to gain a great fan following through their talent and amazing work. The rise of fashion blogger in India has given many amazing performers a platform to perform on movie scenes and songs. One such person whose popularity rose in no time is Mohammed Azharuddin MAU.Azhar.

With his good looks, charm, style and super cool personality, MAU.Azhar earned a lot of admirers on social media. Azhar enjoys celebrity status on social media and he is eyeing to make his debut on the silver screen.

Mohammed Azharuddin MAU.Azhar, who has been reportedly approached for a film, is currently working on his body. Azhar started acting on social media and came into limelight due to his charming personality

Azhar is also one of the most popular and most followed Instagram Influencer.

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Rishi Kapoor, the original chocolate hero of Hindi cinema, passed away on April 30, 2020, leaving behind a massive feeling of loss and sorrow in the heart of every Indian. The veteran actor had fans across the world, and was hugely admired for his acting prowess and his charm.

The Chandni actor had been battling cancer for over two years and was in New York for the better part of a year seeking treatment for it. He and wife, veteran actress Neetu Kapoor, returned to India in September 2019, and on April 30, 2020, Rishi Kapoor breathed his last in a hospital in Mumbai.

Now, a few days after his passing, Neetu Kapoor has taken to Instagram to thank Mukesh and Nita Ambani, who gave the Kapoors their utmost support and love during their difficult time. Sharing a photo of them together, Neetu wrote, "From ensuring he was medically attended to, to making frequent, personal visits to the hospital to shower him with love and attention, to even holding our hand and comforting us when WE were scared. To Mukesh Bhai, Nita Bhabhi, Akash, Shloka, Anant and Isha - you have been our guardian angels on this long and trying experience - what we feel for you can not be measured..."

Read the full note here:

 

 

 

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For us, as a family, the last two years have been a long journey There were good days, there were a couple of bad days too.. needless to say it was full of high emotion. But it’s a journey we would not have been been able to complete without the immeasurable love and support of the Ambani family. As we’ve gathered our thoughts over the past few days we’ve also tried to find the words to express the gratitude we feel towards the family for the countless ways in which they have seen us safely through this time. Over the last seven months every member of the family has gone above and beyond in every way possible to care for our beloved Rishi and ensure he experienced as little discomfort as possible. From ensuring he was medically attended to, to making frequent, personal visits to the hospital to shower him with love and attention, to even holding our hand and comforting us when WE were scared. To Mukesh Bhai , Nita Bhabhi, Akash, Shloka, Anant and Isha - you have been our guardian angels on this long and trying experience - what we feel for you can not be measured. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your selfless, unending support and attention. We feel truly blessed to count you among our nearest and dearest. Sincerely and with utmost gratitude, Neetu, Riddhima, Ranbir and the entire Kapoor Family.🙏💕

A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) onMay 4, 2020 at 9:05pm PDT

The Ambanis and Kapoors are closest of friends, and Neetu Kapoor showed utter strength and affection in expressing her gratitude towards them through this post.

In fact, Neetu Kapoor had shared another post in which she thanked the medical staff at Mumbai's HN Reliance Hospital who cared for Rishi Kapoor as their own. 

 

 

 

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As a family we have a deep sense of loss.. when we sit together and look back at the past few months what we also feel is immense gratitude - gratitude towards the doctors at HN reliance hospital! The whole team of doctors, brothers and nurses headed by Dr Tarang Gianchandani treated my husband like he was their own - they advised us like we were their own.. and for all that and more I thank them from the bottom of my heart..🙏 @rfhospital

A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:40pm PDT

A comment on this post expresses what we think about Neetu Kapoor at this moment: "Gratitude even in grief. You are pure class and grace. And we all are with you, hamesha," wrote an Instagram user.

Neetu Kapoor has proved once again that a spirit of gratitude goes a long way in making friends and keeping them for life!

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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Among the most promising shows on Amazon Prime's slate this year is Nikkhil Advani's Mumbai Diaries 26/11. The eight-part series, starring Konkona Sensharma and Mohit Raina, offers a fictionalised account of the terror attack that took place at the Cama Hospital, among other venues, on November 26, 2008. Though the show was earlier titled Bombay Hospital, Advani says it was a unanimous decision to rechristen it. "There is a hospital in south Bombay called Bombay Hospital. Our show is not only about what happened at the [Cama] hospital that night; it also deals with the overarching theme of humanity. We had to come up with a title that sums up the theme," reasons the director.

With the release of Dev Patel-starrer Hotel Mumbai last year, the recreation of stories as sensitive as the 26/11 terror attacks has been widely debated. Is it judicious to tap into those memories? "We Mumbaikars still discuss where we were on that [fateful] night. I hope we have treated the story with sensitivity. The show plays out in a hospital, and little has been said about the hospital staff in our stories of 26/11. I wanted to celebrate the brave doctors who had saved the day."

The drama, which went on floors last August, was wrapped up only days before the lockdown was announced across the country. Counting himself among the fortunate few whose projects remain unaffected, the director is working with his post-production team remotely to meet the deadline.

"Luckily, the show was shot in sync sound, so we don't have the problem of dubbing. Given the subject, it is likely to release around November 26. People talk about how editing from home is a challenge, but it isn't. My editor puts the edited content on Vimeo for the post-production supervisor and me to see. We are constantly on Zoom calls, telling each other what works, and what doesn't," he shares, adding that his 2013 offering, D-Day, too was edited remotely.

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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Zakir Khan, Atul Khatri and Rahul Dua are amongst India's top eight stand-up comedians who will engage with Helo users during the Just Comedy festival, being hosted exclusively on Helo. To uplift the mood of its users while they #StayHome and #StaySafe, Helo has partnered with Just Comedy Festival to bring these renowned comics closer to their platform. As part of this unique initiative, the artists will interact with their fans live through their official Helo accounts on May 8 and 9, 2020, between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM.

Commenting on the initiative, Chhandita Nambiar, Head of Entertainment, Helo said, "It is a constant endeavour to bridge the gap between fans and their favourite stars through our platform. Through this exclusive partnership with Just Comedy, we aim to pump a wave of joy amongst our users and bring a smile to their faces while they stay safe at home. We are bringing some of their favourite comedians to their screen to interact with them directly."

Helo has emerged as a platform that facilitates the biggest celebrity interactions. During this two-day comedy extravaganza, Helo users will be able to join the live sessions of top comedians like Zakir Khan, Atul Khatri, Rahul Dua, Nishant Suri, Prashasti Singh, Kumar Varun, Nishant Tanwar, and Sumaira Shaikh and even interact with them using the Helo Live Feature. Additionally, #JustComedyVotingCompetition, a unique hashtag campaign will enable Helo users able to share their jokes with the comedians, who will read out a few of them during their live sessions. A few lucky fans will also stand a chance to be a part of a joint live session with their favourite artists through in-app voting. Users can subscribe to the live sessions in advance through an in-app page or can register themselves on Insider to watch it live on Helo.

One of India's most-loved comedians, Zakir Khan said, "Just Comedy Festival is a very unique show that I have been associated with, since inception. An online live event is a very new thing to me, but given the situation, this is the best way to reach out to the audience. I believe, Helo as a platform has a vast and diverse audience and that's what makes it perfect for such an event. I am thrilled to have got this opportunity and we all will do our best to entertain our users while they contribute towards the nation's well-being by staying home."

Expressing his excitement, renowned comedian Atul Khatri said, "JCF is such a unique festival with all the best artists on this super platform. Super excited always to meet fans. Stay safe stay positive."

Helo will be hosting Just Comedy Festival in partnership with Speed Records and EYP Creations Property. In the current situation of the countrywide lockdown, Helo continues to make an effort of positively impacting users through innovative ideas. This initiative is a part of the platform's #HeloLivePeMilo property, that offers exclusive content to users across languages to watch and interact with their favourite stars during a live session.

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Actress Nushrat Bharucha has been in the industry for quite some time and with lots of films to her credit, the actress was quite applauded for her role in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. While some of her films have done amazingly well at the box office, Nushrat has been working with some really good actors. And not just her acting prowess, Nushrat has also time and again made heads turn on the red carpet and also taken the internet by storm, be it her holiday pictures or the high slit gown picture, the Dream Girl actress has been doling out some amazing goals.

On social media, while we see Nushrat often giving fans a sneak-peek into her simple yet beautiful life, the actress also inspires them in many ways. From posting pictures with her fashion game on point to spending some quality time with her loved ones, Nushrat is undefeated when it comes to doling out fashion and life goals. While the actress often indulges in some fun activities in the virtual space, she totally connects with her fans. And going by her vacation pictures, we can say that she is living one amazing life.

Workwise Nushrat has had a series of hits in her filmography and next she will be seen opposite Rajkummar Rao in the movie Chhalaang and after that, she will also be seen in Hurdang.

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

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

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

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

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Sudip Sharma's Paatal Lok, which is produced by Anushka Sharma and will drop on Amazon Prime Video on May 15, was shot in 110 locations across six Indian cities. "We wanted to explore different cultures, and perspectives, and [narrate] tales from various regions of India. The idea was to present to the audience what they possibly didn't know, or at least, in a manner they weren't familiar with. It is set in parts of Delhi and Punjab," says Sharma of the nine-part investigative crime drama that follows an inspector chasing four suspects nabbed in the assassination of a renowned journalist, and the subsequent dangerous fate he is met with.

Anushka Sharma

"I have spent a lot of time in Delhi, Punjab, Bundelkhand, and UP while researching for previous projects. Delhi is also the apex of Indian politics, and where the power centres lie. That most media channels operate out of Delhi was another reason to set the series there. The city is fascinating owing to its location too. It has the feel of a frontier town, bordering certain lawless parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan."

Gurgaon, and parts of Haryana, particularly Rohtak, were the primary areas where the Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, and Gul Panag starrer was filmed.

Sudip Sharma

"While 70 per cent of the show has been shot at actual locations, the rest was done in Mumbai, where we recreated certain areas. We researched on various aspects, like what a cop station actually looks like, and the design and aesthetics of a Delhi policeman's home, and [integrated] that into the show to make it authentic," says Sharma, who filmed in Delhi, Gurgaon, Rohtak, Chitrakoot, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai.

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Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra and her businessman husband Raj Kundra have yet again treated their fans and followers with a new funny video. This time the video is about "food for thought" but with a quirky twist. Shilpa took to Instagram, where she shared a video of herself along with Raj. The clip starts with Shilpa serving aloo paranthas to Raj, who says that he can't see the potatoes in the paranthas.

Shilpa is then heard saying: "Kashimiri pulav main Kashmir dikhta hai tereko our top aur Benarasi saree main benares dikhta hai tereko? (can you see Kashmir in Kashmiri pulav or can you see Benares in Benarasi sarees?)" The actress captioned the video: "Food for thought! #fridayfun #laughs#comedy #cray #food."

 

 

 

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Food for thought !!👹👹😈😈😂😂 #fridayfun #laughs #comedy #cray #food

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onMay 7, 2020 at 10:40pm PDT

Her "Nikamma" co-star Abhimanyu Dassani commented: "Haha you guys." Shilpa is an avid user of social media. She keeps treating her fans with quirky videos on her Instagram and TikTok handles. Recently, she posted a photograph of herself and said that a smile is more contagious than a virus.

On the film front, Shilpa is all set to make her comeback to acting with "Nikamma" and "Hungama 2".

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Geeta Basra has been maintaining a lockdown diary. She has been jotting down her thoughts and reactions daily to happenings. Moved by the struggles of those hit hard in the present scenario, she says one should be grateful for what we have in these unprecedented times. The actor is keen that her three-year-old daughter Hinaya read these notes some years later to understand that nothing in life can be taken for granted.

On the professional front, Geeta Basra was seen in The Train and Dil Diya Hai. In an interview, Geeta shared, "My relationship started with Harbhajan the moment The Train had released, I had met him. And, I think, I had entered the industry at a very different time for a girl. For me, at that time, my priority lied in my relationship."

She added, "I did Zila Ghaziabad after Lock (Punjabi film) and Second Hand Husband, but then we got married and I decided that my focus was our relationship, our family, and that became the priority. So, I let go of a couple of good projects and I had to shift base also because after I got married, we shifted to Punjab for a while. We just returned like a year back to Mumbai."

Geeta and Harbhajan tied the knot on October 29, 2015, and were blessed with a beautiful baby girl Hinaya Heer Plaha on July 27, 2016.

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Ishita Dutta's love for painting is not known to many. Now that shooting has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and she is indoors, she is engaging in painting.

"I am painting, sketching, watching TV and cooking a bit. It's such a bliss to be able to find time to do things that I love as we are always working. We never really get much time for ourselves or with each other," she said.

 

 

 

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So I tried making ice cream with what I had at home and it turned out pretty good.... step 1 Beat fresh cream (If u don’t have enough add little milk or almond milk n beat till it becomes thick n foamy) Step 2 Add flavour whatever u have (I added crushed Oreo, Nutella) Step 3 Freeze for 15 min take out beat again and then freeze again Repeat step 3 3-4 times Step 5 Add nuts, chocolate pieces whatever u can add for texture and mix but with spoon softly and then freeze. Do not use a beater for this step. Step 6 Keep the ice cream out for 5-10 min before serving so it’s soft n easy to serve. Enjoy 😊 Note: If you don’t have a blender like I used try with an egg beater or take a bowl and a fork freeze it and then use it to beat the cold cream.

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onApr 2, 2020 at 6:02am PDT

"In these difficult times, we all need to stand together by distancing ourselves from each other. We have to stay home and practice self-isolation and social distancing. People are treating this as a holiday, going out and meeting others. We have to refrain from all these activities and take this more seriously," she added.

 

 

 

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❤️❤️❤️ Note: Pic ref google. 😊

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onApr 3, 2020 at 6:29am PDT

Her Instagram page is full of her photos and videos in which she can be seen having a fun time with her husband Vatsal Sheth, doing yoga, painting, cooking and much more. Have a look:

 

 

 

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Cook, paint, clean, dance, workout, do yoga, watch tv, read a book, spend time with ur family, play with your pets, write something, water ur plants here’s a list of things you can do just don’t go out please.. 🙏🙏🙏 Let’s fight this together by staying away from each other... #socialdistancing #selfisolation #fightagainstcoronavirus✌️

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onMar 22, 2020 at 12:39am PDT

 

 

 

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Just another day... ❤️

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onMar 26, 2020 at 9:35am PDT

 

 

 

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Food for my soul 🎨 ( inspired from a painting I saw online... just wanted to give credit to the painter ❤️)

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onMar 31, 2020 at 11:22pm PDT

She was last seen on the small screen in the show "Bepanah Pyaarr", which went off air in February.

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Ramayana actress Mahika Sharma is stuck in the United Kingdom owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has prompted nationwide lockdowns all over the world. Far away from family and friends, the F.I.R actress has been in self-quarantine all alone in the foreign city and celebrating the Indian New Year distributing self-made sweets.

"Being Indian girl, and coming from a very religious Brahmin family I was always taught a girl should learn to adjust and survive in any circumstances away from family and should care to bring joy all around to let people feel her presence. Here in London I'm in a friend's apartment. Its a new year time in India. Be it Bihu in my home state Assam. Pôhela Boishakh at Kolkata or Vaisakhi.. Its a new year for India. So for celebrating it I'm making sweets here and greeting to people here. Its my luck," she said.

Later talking about coming back to nation. Former Miss teen northeast said, "I want to return India as soon as possible. But I don't want to take any risk. I'm safe and healthy here.. so won't return till things genuinely change and provide me a healthy and safe travel."

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Actress Divyanka Tripathi has turned hairstylist to beat the lockdown blues, and ended up giving hubby, actor Vivek Dahiya, a whole new look. On Wednesday, Vivek took to Instagram and shared a picture in which Divyanka is seen giving him a hair cut and, according to Vivek's caption, something went wrong. He will share the final outcome of his haircut soon.

"Can you trust your wife with a haircut? Apparently, I did and wait to see what happened. Video rolling out soon..! Bolo toh tha kaan sambhal ke kaat na...#StayTuned! LifeUnderQuarantineSeries," Vivek wrote.

 

 

 

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Can you trust your wife with a haircut? Apparently, I did and wait to see what happened. Video rolling out soon..! Bola toh tha kaan sambhal ke kaat na...#StayTuned ! #LifeUnderQuarantineSeries

A post shared by Vivek Dahiya (@vivekdahiya) onApr 15, 2020 at 4:17am PDT

In a recent interview with IANS, vivek expressed his wish to work with Divyanka again.

"I know our fans are waiting for long to see Divyanka and I together on screen.... I also want to work with her again... It''s just that I am waiting for some right project to come our way. If the project is right and script looks interesting, we would definitely give a heads-up," Vivek said.

The couple first met on the sets of "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein" and after several months of dating, the two got married in 2016.

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Actor Kushal Tandon is totally against the use of TikTok application in India, especially amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Not only this, he has demanded a ban on the app that originated in China.

"While the whole world is f****d coz of China, but still guess what are Indians and many others are giving them the revenue from s*** #tikTok, while China made TikTok for people who were useless and who had nothing to do, and look at us all haha, every one is on TikTok, ban TikTok ...proud of never using TikTok," Kunal wrote on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Ban TIk tok 🙏🤟

A post shared by Kushal Tandon (@therealkushaltandon) onApr 16, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

Kushal's post comes after Vivek Dahiya showed his support for the application.

"For those suggesting we should ban made In China. remember -- the mobile phone you use to express your thoughts about banning an app was also assembled in the same part of the world so are 7 out of 10 products in every average household. China is branded the manufacturer of the world, whether we like it or not. Am pretty sure the founder of this app was not responsible for conspiring the coronavirus. Additionally, Hydroxycloroquine used for recovery is either made In India or China. The bottom line is. we are all interdependant in this global marketplace. II one nation is a Buyer, then the other is a Seller. and both need one another to move forward. towards a single Goal of prosperity. Unless of course, we are fully self sufficient in everything but no such example exists," Vivek had said.

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With Sony SAB bringing one of India's most favourite comedy shows 'Office Office' back to the television screens, viewers seem to have found a much-needed dose of happiness amidst these challenging times.

A comedy for all generations, Office Office revolves around the character Mussadilal (Pankaj Kapur) and his struggle to get work done from an office filled with employees all having annoying yet entertaining and unique characteristics.

While you are at home and might be missing your colleagues, let's take a trip down memory lane and visit India's most entertaining office.

As Office Office makes a comeback in our lives, we list down some of the best characters and their key dialogues from the show.

Deven Bhojani as Patel Ji and his Do Baatein:

A master of situation analysis - Patel Ji could think of all the 'possible possibilities' that could arise out of any situation. While Deven Bhojani portrayed the role of Patel Ji with immense ease and class, his takiya kalam "Do Baatein" went on to become one of the best elements of the show.

Here's one of his most famous monologues from the series:

"Dekho gaur se dekho toh theek hai nahi toh Do baatein ho jaayegi. Ya toh aap mujhe pehchange ya toh nahi pehchange; pehechan lia toh theek hai nahi pehechan toh 2 baate hojaayegi. Ya toh aapka kaam hoga ya toh nahi hoga; phenchaniye na mujhe kaam hua toh acha hai nahi hua toh 2 baatein ho jayegi - ya toh aapko pension milegi ya toh nahi milegi. Pension mili toh acha hai nahi mili toh 2 baate hojaayegi - ya toh aapko dobara naukri karni padhegi ya toh bhuka marna padhega. Kyun bhuka marna chahte hai master ji?"

The Foodie Manoj Pahwa as Bhatia Ji

There's always that one person in office who can smell food from wherever he/she is! This is that one person who does not just love food but worships it. Well, every office has that one Bhatia Ji. Essayed by Manoj Pahwa, Bhatia Ji is fond of food and he will make it very evident and endearingly so. Don't believe us? Here's a story from his life, in his own words:

"Kya khana banata hai! Mere chintu ke mundan may usne khana banaya, logo ko itna pasand ayaa ki mujhe apne bete ka mundan dobara karna padha. Aapne bhi agar apne bete ka mundan 3 baar na karaya naam badal dena."

Tina Grover as Eva oops Eva Grover as Tina

Probably the youngest team member, Tina is always confused and jumbles up her words, and you are bound to find her confusion mostly endearing and maybe sometimes annoying. With dialogues such as "Koi zinda bhi nahi hay ki aap saboot hay" or "Kya raid ka police padha hai?" Tina is bound to keep you entertained.

The master of multi-tasking – Usha Madam played by Asawari Joshi

Every manager would want their subordinate to have this one quality – the ability to multitask! Usha Madam is one such example of an efficient multi-tasker who will teach you the skills of multi-tasking in her own unique andaaz. "Yehi Toh" inki khoobi hay! So, take a refresher course on how to finish your household chores while completing your TTDs with Usha Madam.

Besides these characters, the office is also blessed with the presence of Shukla Ji (Sanjay Mishra) and Hemant Pandey as Pandey Ji in pivotal roles.

Witness all the madness galore again with Office Office on two dedicated timeslots from Monday to Friday at 6 PM and 10.30 PM only on Sony SAB.

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Television actor Arjun Bijlani's mornings begin with a call to mother Shakti, the first of many times he dials her number throughout the day. His anxiety is not unfounded — last week, the highrise near Infiniti mall in Malad west, where his mother resides, was sealed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after a resident tested positive for COVID-19.

"The lockdown is not easy, especially if you have ageing parents. It's unbelievable that I am not able to meet my mother," says Bijlani, who lives with wife Neha Swami and son Ayaan in Lokhandwala, Andheri.

Arjun Bijlani

Even though he understands that the lockdown is a necessary measure to contain the spread of the virus, the Ishq Mein Marjawan actor notes that it poses difficulty for senior citizens. "I am worried for my mother because she is diabetic. Despite suffering from chronic back pain, she has no option but to do the household chores at the moment. My younger brother Niranjan and I are trying to help her in every way we can. [We are ordering the essentials online], which are then being delivered at the gate of the complex," he says.

Bijlani is trying to maintain an optimistic stance and be her emotional anchor in these trying times. He adds, "When I was talking to her recently, my eyes welled up as I listened to how she is running the house. After my father passed away, I have been her pillar of support. But, I feel helpless at this point as I can't rush to her."

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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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Actors and celebrities have been busy honing new skills during the lockdown, and television actress Karishma Tanna is no different. She has aced the complicated inversion pose of yoga, going by her new social media post. In a photograph shared on Instagram, Karishma can be seen in hot pants and a sports bra pulling off the pose with ease. "Sometimes you have to let life turn you upside down, so u can learn how to live right side up!" she captioned the image.

 

 

 

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Sometimes you have to let life turn you upside down, so u can learn how to live right side up! • . #thoughts #yogi #mood #intezaar #quarantine

A post shared by Karishma Tanna (@karishmaktanna) onApr 20, 2020 at 6:45am PDT

Karishma's efforts left her friends stunned, who rooted for her at the comment section. Actress Lauren Gottlieb wrote: "Get it girl". Actress Amruta Khanvilkar said: "Whoaaaaaaaaa so good". While Aamna Sharif mentioned: "Wowww"

The pose was recently tried by Jawaani Jaaneman actress Alaya F. She got the complicated pose right after a few failed attempts, she informed, adding that she was inspired by Jacqueline Fenrnandez and celebrity fitness trainer Kuldeep Shashi.

On the work front, Karishma is currently the part of the action reality show "Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 10" (KKK 10).

The new season is shot in Bulgarian landscapes with actors Ada Khan, Amruta Khanvilkar Karan Patel, Shivin Narang, Tejashwi Prakash, Amruta Khanvilkar and Rani Chatterjee, along with comedian Balraj Syal, RJ Malishka and choreographer Dharmesh Yelande.

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It's Ishq Mein Marjawan star Kushal Punjabi's birth anniversary. The actor passed away on December 26, 2019, in Bandra, Mumbai. He was found hanging at home, and a suicide note was found that said nobody was responsible for his death.

Some of his friends remembered the actor on his birth anniversary and took to social media to post their memories of and with him. Apurva Agnihotri shared a photo of them together and wrote, "I stood and watched as my brother rode by it wasn't the way it should be But I shed not a tear for this brother for he lived free and loved his life So ride on my brother till we meet again and when my time comes to take that last ride you can bet it'll be with a smile... (sic)"

 

 

 

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I stood and watched as my brother rode by it wasn’t the way it should be But I shed not a tear for this brother for he lived free and loved his life So ride on my brother till we meet again and when my time comes to take that last ride you can bet it’ll be with a smile...till then enjoy your special day Happy Birthday Dear Kushal Bhai...Miss ya❤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Â

A post shared by Live what you love.... (@apurvaagnihotri02) onApr 22, 2020 at 7:52pm PDT

Model and TV host Diandra Soares, who called Kushal her 'sunshine boy', also shared a photo on her Instagram story. Take a look:

Actor Deepak Bajaj also shared a photo from happier times spent with Kushal. He wrote, "Happy Birthday KP #memories"

 

 

 

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Happy Birthday KP ðŸÂŽˆ #memories

A post shared by Deepak Bajaj (@mr_bajaj) onApr 22, 2020 at 7:30pm PDT

Kushal Punjabi was said to be depressed ever since his wife, Audrey Dolhen, left him, taking their son with her. His wife is a French national and lives in Shanghai with their son.

Kushal Punjabi is sorely missed by his friends and fans!

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The Bollywood couple of Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth has been uploading content for Instagram followers, aimed at tickling the funny bone, during the ongoing lockdown. In their recent post, the two are seen discussing what to cook. The argument continues in Gujarati style, which is meant to make people laugh.

 

 

 

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Gujju Ben vs Gujju Bhai 🥊🥊 @vatsalsheth

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onApr 20, 2020 at 8:42am PDT

"We had thought of creating content together but we never got the time earlier. We have been shooting round the clock. Now that we are locked down and at home, we thought why not give it a try and create some stuff," said Ishita.

 

 

 

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#ThisIsUs ❤️

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onApr 16, 2020 at 7:19am PDT

"We have got great feedback and it's been exhilarating to hear from fans and friends. It's a great time to actually work on content via the phone from home," she added about the videos that have got a thumbs up from celebrities like Suniel Shetty and Kapil Sharma.

The couple has also made a short film together, which will be out soon. Amidst all the fun and laughter, Ishita has urged people to "follow the government's orders and give it paramount importance".

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There cannot be a greater feeling for any actor when he's known by the name of the characters he has essayed on the big screen or even the small screen. If Amjad Khan was Gabbar Singh, Amrish Puri was Mogambo, Shah Rukh Khan was Raj and Rahul, Feroz Khan was Arjun. Yes, the Arjun from Mahabharat.

Such was the popularity of the role and such was the impact on people that he was rechristened as Arjun Feroz Khan. You may know him as the villain from a lot of Bollywood films of the 90s but it was this iconic television show that shaped his career and made him a household name. Speaking to Hindustan Times about being selected for the show and how it made history, he spilled the beans on everything.

He said, "It's a proud moment to watch Mahabharat with the present generation. It's a good opportunity for them to know more about their culture. It was a game-changer for Indian television. It impacted people's lives. Due to the lockdown, everyone is at home and they're glued to their television sets to watch epics like Mahabharat and Ramayan. Even my grandchildren are watching it and they're amused to see me shooting arrows."

History isn't made easily so expectedly, getting such a fascinating role wasn't easy for the actor either. He recalls the day when he went for the audition. "I went in and saw actors like Deepak Parashar, Raj Babbar and Govinda, among others there. The auditions for Mahabharat were going on and Govinda told me to give it a shot. I was given two pages of dialogues in Hindi. I told him to read out the lines in Hindi so that I could rewrite them in English."

He added, "A week after when I didn't get a call back, I went to his office. I was asked to wear my costumes and a moustache. I went up to Chopra Saab's cabin in the first floor and he was sitting their along with our writers, Dr Rahi Masoom Raza and Pandit Narendra Sharma and they told me that I've been locked to play Arjun." And as they say, the rest is history! He was addressed as Arjun by everyone, even his mother. What greater validation can an actor ask for?

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"Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!" actress Shubhangi Atre will now give Kathak classes online.

"I have noticed that during the lockdown period, many people are showing interest in learning the dance form. I'm available for whoever wants to learn it online," said Shubhangi. "As they say this beautiful knowledge of art never ends but grows with sharing more and more..I'm here to share and improve myself and enjoy my lockdown period," she added.

She has been getting many requests from people who are willing to learn Kathak. "April 29 is celebrated as International Dance Day, so I'll start my classes on social media from today," she said.

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