Lady Gaga on Sunday kicked off the virtual concert One World: Together At Home online with her soulful Smile performance. According to Variety magazine, Smile is a classic majorly popularised by Jimmy Durante and Nat King Cole.

The musician had co-ordinated with the leaders from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other musicians to begin the show.

Lady Gaga started the show by asking viewers to put their wallets aside as the show wasn't a fundraiser and didn't ask for donations. The online concert was organised to express gratitude towards the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Terming the special show as the 'love letter to the world,' the pop star shared pictures and videos of other performers as well.

Over 70 artists and celebrities from across the globe had joined the WHO's initiative of the online concert to thank and celebrate the healthcare workers fighting the pandemic.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the virtual concert raised over USD 127 million for the relief efforts of COVID-19.

Some of the artists that were a part of the show are Elton John, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Celine Dion, and the Rolling Stone.

The show was hosted by the most popular hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert.

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On a Wednesday morning, the cottages that line St Roques Road in Bandra bask in the winter sun. The lane is quiet, except for the occasional bark of a pet or scooters zooming off into the nearby Ranwar village. As a taxi driver wipes the dust off his kaali peeli, Jay Weinstein approaches him with a camera in tow. He doesn't ask for his name, ethnicity or life story; only for a couple of photographs. Seeing him puzzled, the Australian-origin photographer breaks into crisp Hindi, "Main kahin bhi jaata hoon, anjaane logon ki tasveer banata hoon [Wherever I go, I make images of strangers]."

Hearing the familiar language, the driver is game to play the subject. First, he's asked to wipe the expression off his face and stand next to his cab. Satisfied with the shot, Weinstein tells him, "Ab muskuraiye [now smile]," and captures his wide grin on camera. The interaction lasts only for a few minutes but we spot the driver smiling even after Weinstein's DSLR is back in his bag.

Jay Weinstein documents  the smile of a taxi driver in Bandra. Pics/Bipin Kokate

This connection forms the essence of the 38-year-old's ongoing photography project, So I Asked Them to Smile (SIATS). Over the last two years, Weinstein has shared 250 portrait pairs - non-smiling and smiling frames of kids and adults from all walks of life - on digital platforms. Next week, he will display 30 most compelling frames for the first time at an exhibition.

The photographer shows the images he takes to each subject

The backstory
It was a trip to Bikaner in 2013 that gave birth to this project. When Weinstein raised the camera to photograph a man with a wispy beard, he was greeted with a stern look. Miffed, he turned away, only to hear the man urging him to take his picture. "We make judgments about strangers in binaries as friendly-unfriendly or good-bad. These are rarely accurate. The idea is to change the way we view a stranger, and see how their smile changes our assumptions," says the US-born photographer, who spent his growing up years in Vrindavan, studied recreational sports coaching in Australia and returned to Mumbai in 2004 to pursue acting.

"He was jumping around in the water with a friend one afternoon, as I wandered down Juhu Beach," says the photographer

Soon, he ventured into advertising, and rekindled his love for travel and photography. "It gave me a reason to notice things that we walk past, and start conversations with strangers," says Weinstein, who considers the art meditative. "The calmer you are, the more of the outside world you notice."

"She was exploring the stunningly restored Kaiyuan temple complex one evening, with her daughter in Quanzhou, Fujian, China"

Say cheese
For the last few years, he has turned a full-time traveller and spends most of his time in India. "I love Mumbai but when you step out, you realise how different the rest of India is," shares Weinstein, who has visited Meghalaya, the interiors of Maharashtra, Orchha in Madhya Pradesh and the coast of Kerala, where he found his subjects to be camera-shy. "In rural areas, I also had to translate 'smile' as 'daat dikhaao' since they don't understand the meaning of muskurana."

Language also poses a barrier in non-English speaking countries. "In China, instead of 'say cheese', they say 'chetz', which means eggplant," he laughs. What's the next country on his wishlist? "Pakistan. The project's initial followers were Pakistanis. I assumed they wouldn't be happy seeing these photographs but realised where else would they have seen images of Indians as humans, without an agenda. Indians don't get to see their photographs this way either."

From: December 20 to 26, 11 am to 7 pm
At: Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda
Call: 8828472412

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Portrait-making tips
While there is enough information about how to get your technique right, I'd suggest you interact with your subjects and treat them with dignity

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Washington: Girls her age play Candy Crush or like watching cartoons, but 15-year-old Hita Gupta peps up hundreds of lonely Americans, including the elderly and children, marooned in nursing homes due to the COVID-19 lockdown by sending them gift packs and spirit-lifting notes.

The 10th-grade Indian-American student from Pennsylvania's Conestoga High School has an NGO 'Brightening A Day' and is using it to spread love, hope and joy among America's nursing homes' residents, especially senior citizens, to help them keep at bay their boredom arising from the COVID-19 restrictions.

Gupta brightens up their lives by sending them handwritten notes and gift packs containing puzzle and colouring books and a packet colour pencils.

"It saddens me to think of how lonely or depressed many nursing home residents feel because they cannot see their loved ones. Our seniors are already one of the most isolated groups. A research has shown that more than 40 per cent of seniors regularly feel lonely," Gupta told PTI in an email interaction.

"During this uncertain time, which is causing panic among many seniors, it's our responsibility to let them know that they are not alone. I initially started sending gift packs to nursing homes using self-funding. Now, I have sent them to residents of 16 local nursing homes," she said.

Each gift pack contains one puzzle book, one colouring book, and a pack of colour pencils/crayons, Gupta said. "It also contains an uplifting note written by my 9-year-old brother Divit Gupta," she said.

Her NGO has reached more than 2,700 kids and seniors in 50 hospitals and nursing homes in seven different States in the US with hand-made cards on holidays like Christmas and Valentine's Day. "We have also sent school supplies and cards to orphanages in India," Gupta said.

Gupta's initiative has won her praise from one and all.

"Need some inspiration? 15-year-old Hita Gupta, from Pennsylvania, USA, is brightening the lives of nursing home residents with gift packs through her NGO, Brighten A Day," the US Embassy in New Delhi wrote on its Facebook page.

"She aims to lift the spirits of those who are in need of some cheer by sending them love, hope, and joy through cards and gifts. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, she is sending handwritten notes and gift packs to cheer the residents and help them overcome loneliness and isolation. More power to you Hita!" the embassy said.

Nursing homes throughout the US are limiting the interaction of senior citizens who remain mostly confined to their rooms. Outsiders are also prohibited form visiting them, resulting in feelings of loneliness and isolation in many of them.

The US is the worst affected country from the coronavirus, with 842,000 infections and over 46,000 deaths reported so far. According to Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention, eight in every 10 deaths due to the coronavirus reported in the US are adults, and people who are 65 years old or above.

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed over 185,000 lives and infected more than 2.6 million people, according to the Johns Hopkins University data.

He is fresh off two successful gospel albums after a religious awakening. And Kanye West was the picture of good cheer as he stepped out in the Kardashian enclave of Calabasas.

The 39-year-old reality star showed off her flawless complexion in the snap with her rapper beau which she joked was taken 'before we had kids.'

The professional swimmer, 32, and his 25-year-old model fiancee looked happy as they were spotted on a date night out in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Gigi and Bella Hadid were spotted in high spirits and makeup free on Friday evening ahead of their flight from LA back home to NYC.

The image was from when the grieving 34-year-old attended the Grammy Awards with the late 33-year-old rapper (born Ermias Asghedom) on February 10 at Staples Center

Love Island Australia winner Anna McEvoy returned home on Friday after weeks abroad in Fiji.

Angelina Jolie kept a cheerful smile on her face when she was seen grocery shopping with her daughter Vivienne, 11, in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Former Home And Away actor Luke Bracey is making waves in America. And Luke looks to be enjoying his new home in Los Angeles after being spotted with Fast &Furious star Eiza González.

Shes endured a difficult past few months due to recent AVO dramas with her estranged husband, Stuart Webb.

Radamel Falcao has given the biggest hint yet that he could be off to Chelsea after giving a journalist a cheeky smile when asked whether details of the proposed move were true.

Arriving at Thomas's Battersea, where her brother George is two years above, four-year-old Princess Charlotte clung to her mother's hand and was sure to keep her manners in check.

Princess Charlotte, four, was given a £1.50 pink plastic flamingo by royal fan Gemma Clark, 39, as she left St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate.

North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un supervised test-firings of an unspecified new weapons system today, seen as an attempt to build leverage ahead of negotiations with the United States.

Prince Charles, 71, could be seen smiling and clapping as he unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark his visit to the Emma Willis LTD factory in Gloucester today.

She was punched in the face for trying to 'rescue' a Syrian child she believed was being trafficked in France, on Saturday night - with the bizarre events unfolding live on her Instagram feed. 

Need a pick-me-up? Lipstick always does the trick for me. These are my current favourites 

She's the tattooed bombshell from Matt Agnew's season of The Bachelor who always seems to be full of confidence.

The singer, 36, exuded elegance in a form-fitting black dress with dramatic fringed detail on the shoulders as she stepped into a cab

The X Factor stars headed to Leeds to rehearse their sets ahead of the first concert on the show's annual tour in Belfast on Friday.

They were front and centre to attend one of his girlfriend's favourite designer's New York Fashion Week show. But if Lara Bingle and partner Sam Worthington were excited about what they were about to see, they certainly weren't showing it.

It was just another day for Mila Kunis on Tuesday in LA, but the starlet looked just as pretty as ever.

Kendall Jenner struggled to wipe the smile off her face when she walked around SoHo New York City during a coffee run on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old rapper-turned-actor wore a dapper black-and-white patterned suit and shared his spotlight with wife Jada, daughter Willow, and sons Trey and Jaden.

She had a banner year in 2019, but for 2020, she's going back to basics and keeping it simple. Rihanna posted her first selfie of the year on Monday, choosing to go makeup free in a simple photo.

Kirsten Dunst was all smiles alongside her fiance, Breaking Bad star Jesse Plemons, at the premiere of the new Breaking Bad movie El Camino.

Barack Obama has been pictured enjoying a round of golf in Hawaii on the same day his successor Donald Trump was impeached.

North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un supervised test-firings of an unspecified new weapons system today, seen as an attempt to build leverage ahead of negotiations with the United States.

The adorable little animals jumped all over the delighted 35-year-old songstress when she visited Cafe Harajuku in Tokyo, Japan on Friday, where fiance Orlando bloom is on a press tour,

The actress, 34, looked as though parenting a newborn was suiting her well as she stepped out near her home in London with baby Delilah on Friday morning.

Though busy, the Academy Award-winning actress, 29, appeared like she was in a great mood, smiling while making her way to Bergdorf Goodman to pick up some bridal supplies.

The 34-year-old pop star and boyfriend Michael Polansky smiled Wednesday while watching Tony Bennett perform during a fundraiser.

The 40-year-old Almost Famous actress shared two snaps of her and her 10-month-old daughter in white dresses with black embroidery over the cap sleeves, chest.and around the hem on Thursday

DR MAX THE MIND DOCTOR: How has it been for you? A month in lockdown and with no reprieve in sight, it's starting to feel like a life sentence, isn't it?

Luke Shaw believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has put a smile back on his face after a difficult time at Manchester United under the Norwegian's predecessor Jose Mourinho.

Her Voice co-stars Kelly Rowland, Boy George and Guy Sebastian caught a $50 million private jet back to Sydney on Sunday night following the Logie Awards on the Gold Coast. 

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton flash beaming smiles during charity signing event ahead of 62nd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Friday.

Shes endured a difficult past few months due to recent AVO dramas with her estranged husband, Stuart Webb.

The beautiful brunette supermodel, 32, who is expecting a little boy with her filmmaker husband, 31-year-old Justin Ervin, in January, was spotted out in the Big Apple on Friday

Former Married At First Sight star Dean Wells was the victim of a vicious personal attack from Bachelorette winner Lee Elliott last week.

Her time in the Celebrity Big Brother house was short but far from sweet. Yet Marissa, 32, looked in far better spirits leaving her hotel in London on Friday following her eviction this week.

It seems that a month in the CBB house was just the tonic Dan Osborne and Jacqueline Jossa needed to salvage their marriage, as they were spotted out and about on Sunday evening.

Just weeks after announcing that he and his wife are expecting their first child, country superstar Kane Brown and Katelyn Jae hit the red carpet.

He's counting down until his 'big gay wedding' with partner Ash Toweel.

Zara Tindall, 38, posed for photos with close friend Dolly Maude as she made her way inside Cheltenham Racecourse for the start of the four-day meet.

Van Persie can sympathise with Sanchez. He, too, swapped Arsenal for United. He, too, knows the baggage that comes with life at Old Trafford.

Tennis player Caroline Wozniacki and husband David Lee stepped out in style for an event this week.

BRIAN BARWICK: And so to Match 64, or the World Cup Final as you and I call it. And the two teams are rested, recuperated, and ready for ‘the big one’.