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Music Review: Arjun Patiala

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> There are good expectations from the music of <em>Arjun Patiala</em>. After all, films coming from the house of Dinesh Vijan always result a chartbuster score, case in point being <em>Luka Chuppi</em>, <em>Stree</em>, <em>Raabta</em> and <em>Hindi Medium</em> to name a few. Moreover, <em>Arjun Patiala</em> has the kind of subject that promises peppy score and then there is Diljit Dosanjh as the main lead along with Kriti Sanon who further add on to the fun element. Sachin-Jigar are roped in as the composers for Arjun Patiala and this time around Dinesh Vijan decides to go for an out and out original soundtrack. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-990995" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Official-Trailer-Arjun-Patiala-Diljit-Dosanjh-Kriti-Sanon-Varun-Sharma1.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="405" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> It is a Guru Randhawa show all the way as he sings, writes and co-composes <strong><em>'Main Deewana Tera'</em></strong> with Sachin-Jigar. The song reminds one of the kind of sound and rhythm associated with <em>'Badtameez Dil'</em> [<em>Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani</em>] and the good part is that it works quite well too. Credit it to the sound of trumpet which brings in the similarity but the fact remains that everyone attached to the song, including singer Nikhita Gandhi, truly have a blast with this fun-n-peppy party number which has all in it to set the dance floor on fire while it is played on. The song which arrives next, <strong><em>'Crazy Habibi vs Decent Munda'</em></strong>, is a major chartbuster in the making as well and rest assured it would find some good audience for itself in the long run. Yet another Guru Randhawa sung and written number, this one has Benny Dayal chipping in with Arabic vocals and lyrics. With a good rhythm to it that makes the song instantly catchy, this one has Sunny Leone pairing up with Diljit Dosanjh and Varun Dhawan for an 'item song' outing. Moreover, it is remarkable to see how Guru Randhawa's voice suits Diljit Dosanjh so very well. Soon enough, Diljit Dosanjh comes up with a song of his own as he croons <strong><em>'Dil Todeya'</em></strong>. Yet again, Guru Randhawa writes and co-composes this one with Sachin-Jigar and the team ensures that the soft romantic number does manage to find a place of its own in the proceedings. Yes, it is a bit difficult to adjust to the sudden change in mood as one is coming fresh from a couple of outright dance numbers. Still, one waits to see how does <em>'Dil Todeya'</em> grow in time to come and manage to find an audience. Sachet Tandon, who has been creating a good impression of late with <em>'Bekhayali'</em> [<em>Kabir Singh</em>] and <em>'Khwabfaroshi'</em> [<em>Jabariya Jodi</em>], gets into a different mood altogether with <strong><em>'Sachiya Mohabbatan'</em></strong>. This time around he gets into a Punjabi melody zone instead of soft rock mode that he typically explores, and the results are actually good. A beautifully composed number by Sachin-Jigar which has simple yet effective lyrics by Priya Saraiya, <em>'Sachiya Mohabbatan'</em> is the kind of number that would be picked by those who loved <em>'Duniya'</em> [<em>Luka Chuppi</em>]. It is back to fun, party and celebrations with <strong><em>'Sip Sip'</em></strong> and this time around Sachin-Jigar make way for Akash D who writes and composes <em>'Sip Sip'</em> that has Guru Bhullar coming behind the mike. Yet again, it is the hook of the song that manages to make an instant connect and it doesn't take much time before you find yourself grooving on it at the dance floor. The intermittent rap portion is also quite good and one just wonders why the song wasn't released much in advance itself. This has in it to emerge as a good chartbuster in time to come. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Arjun Patiala</em> is even better than what one expected out of it. While the three dance numbers are all potential chartbusters in the offering, a couple of love songs do make their presence felt as well. Considering that this soundtrack is made of original numbers instead of recreated versions, it may take some time for popularity to come but it will come eventually. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Main Deewana Tera’</em>, <em>‘Crazy Habibi’</em>, <em>‘Sachiya Mohabbatan’</em>, <em>‘Sip Sip’</em>




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Music Review: Khandaani Shafakhana

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




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Music Review: Chhichhore

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> One isn't really sure of what to expect from the music of <em>Chhichhore</em>. Considering the fact that it is set as a campus entertainer, one expects situational music at best from this soundtrack that has been put together by Pritam and Amitabh Bhattacharya. That said, since the film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala who has a keen ear for music, one expects some melodies too. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1014368 size-full" title="Music Review Chhichhore" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Music-Review-Chhichhore.jpg" alt="Music Review Chhichhore" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> The soundtrack kick-starts with the sound of <strong><em>'Woh Din'</em></strong> and it is just the right kind of number that one expects at the beginning of a film with a campus setting. Had it been a romantic beginning, one may have felt a tad disappointed. Thankfully what one hears here is a beautiful rendition by Tushar Joshi who sings this heartfelt number with simple lyrics and beautiful melody. You are actually transported into the stage and setting of a college and later when the Arijit Singh version arrives, you lap up the song all the more. This one has a long shelf life. Surprisingly though, the song that follows just doesn't entertainer. Though set as a kind of number that could well have been an outcome of a jam session in the studio, <strong><em>'Control'</em></strong> tries to be all funny and entertainer but falls flat. There is a horde of singers in the form of Nakash Aziz, Manish J. Tipu, Geet Sagar, Sreerama Chandra and Amitabh Bhattacharya but the overall outcome fails to make any kind of impact despite repeated hearing. It may just manage to make some kind of an impact if picturised interestingly. Thankfully, the experiment of getting multiple singers together in yet another campus track, <strong><em>'Fikar Not'</em></strong>, works quite well. Reminding one of the kind of mood that Pritam had created for <em>'Galti Se Mistake'</em> [<em>Jagga Jasoos</em>], this one by Nakash Aziz, Amit Mishra, Dev Negi, Amitabh Bhattacharya, Sreerama Chandra and Antara Mitra is a fun track all the way. In fact it also carries a good message of thinking only about the current times rather than wasting one's time and energy in worrying about what future has in hold. This one could work well in a long run. A happy-sad song comes next in the form of <strong><em>'Kal Ki Hi Baat Hai'</em></strong> and it is after a while that one hears K.K. in a Pritam composition. A situational number about recollecting the good times gone by, it comes across as a track that would play on as a montage sequence. One just hopes that since this one has a slow pace composition wise, it doesn't slow down the film's narrative when it plays on screen. The song that is set to grow quite well in time to come though is <strong><em>'Khairiyat'</em></strong>, which is also the best of the soundtrack. This one appears in a couple of versions, one happy and one sad by Arijit Singh. A song which is about a lover wondering if the one whom he believes to be his life no less even thinks about him while being far away, <em>'Khairiyat'</em> boasts of a beautiful melody and deserves to be played in loop. Though it has been released recently, one just wonders about the kind of distance it would have already covered had it arrived a couple of weeks back. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Chhichhore</em> is the kind that grows on you and has the potential to make an even better impression when heard and experienced in the context of the film. This one has a classy feel to it. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Khairiyat’</em>, <em>‘Fikar Not’</em>, <em>‘Woh Din’</em>




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Music Review: Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> A launch-pad is always special, especially so when it is that of a star son. Moreover, when the debut affair is a love story then you do expect soulful music as well. This is what makes one look forward to what does Sunny Deol has in store for the launch of his son Karan Deol along with newcomer Sahher Bambba. The good thing is that he brings on board hottest sensations Sachet-Parampara to put together the soundtrack with Siddharth-Garima doing the honours as the lyricists. Rishi Rich produces the music and his touch is quite visible in there. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1014370" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Music-Review-Pal-Pal-Dil-Ke-Paas.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Newcomer Hansraj Raghuwanshi, who is known for his devotional songs, makes his Bollywood foray with <strong><em>'Aadha Bhi Zyaada'</em></strong>. A number about living life to the fullest, this one is a peppy outing and in fact reminds one of <em>'Sochna Kya Jo Bhi Hoga Dekha Jaayega'</em> from Sunny Deol's <em>Ghayal</em>. That song was rendered by Bappi Lahiri and incidentally Hansraj's voice pretty much sounds similar to that of the veteran composer-singer. Meanwhile, Karan Deol too makes an intermittent appearance as a rapper in this song which does carry the sound of <em>'Jai Bhole'</em>. The song that is set to become an anthem in time to come though is the title track <strong><em>'Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas'</em></strong>. An excellent number that is very high on melody and showcases the best side of composers Sachet-Parampara, it has poetic lyrics by Sidharth-Garima that makes a very strong impression. Meanwhile, the song is made special due to the voice of Arijit Singh who is superb all over again and also Parampara Thakur who shows once again that other than being an efficient composer, she is also a very good singer. No wonder, the song deserves to be heard in a repeat mode and that is evident in the kind of confidence that the makers have as well, what with <em>'Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass'</em> arriving in as many as three more versions. Whether it is the second version, the 'celebration' version or the one which goes by the title <strong><em>'Suun le Rabb'</em></strong>, the song is beautiful every time it is heard and one just can't let the melody go off from one's mind and heart. Composer Tanishk Bagchi makes a special appearance with a solitary number, <strong><em>'Ho Jaa Awara'</em></strong>. He too demonstrates once again that there is a lot more to him than the recreated versions that he is largely known for, what with this one turning out to be yet another beautiful number in <em>Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas</em>. Monali Thakur is the one who kick-starts the proceedings for the song and somewhere also reminds one of the kind of pitch that Hema Sardesai used to take in her songs back in the 90s. Ash King is her accompanying partner in this peppy-n-sweet outing. It is back to Sachet and Parampara and this time around other than being the composers, they are also the singers for three songs in a row. First to arrive is <strong><em>'Ishaq Chaliya'</em></strong> which has a good hook to it and makes one tap feet instantly. A Punjabi-Hindi number, this one has a good pace as well and lends a happy sound to the overall outing. A difficult song to sing, especially the manner in which Sachet brings on the hook words, this one takes a bit of time to grow on you but eventually you get a good hang of it. This is followed by <strong><em>'Dil Uda Patanga'</em></strong> which has Parampara Thakur taking the lead and Sachet Tandon joining her soon enough. A song which has a teenage feel to it with an Indi-pop flavour, there is certain innocence to it that should work with the teenagers if the film manages to strike a chord with the audiences. Play this one loop and you won't be disappointed at all. Third song that arrives in the voice of Sachet and Parampara is <strong><em>'Maa Ka Mann'</em></strong> and this one is a devotional piece with a difference. While the sound of 'Satnam Shri Waheguru' keeps playing in your mind during the track's duration, you like the manner in which there is a soulful feel being carried. This one should make for a good situational piece in the film's narrative. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass</em> was expected to be good but the soundtrack actually goes on to exceed expectations. Sahcet-Parampara, Sidharth-Garima and Richie Rich do quite well in their biggest album till date where they are entrusted to put together music for the two newcomers. There is certain consistency in the film's music and that is always on the cards as well when there is a single team put together in charge instead of multiple composers, lyricists and singers. This one is a winner. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’</em>, <em>‘Ishaq Chaliya’</em>, <em>‘Ho Jaa Awara’</em>




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Music Review: Dream Girl

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> Though Ayushmann Khurranna's upcoming release is titled <em>Dream Girl</em>, one doesn't expect a romantic soundtrack here. Reason being that even with Nushrath Bharucha as the leading lady, this Ekta Kapoor and Raaj Shandilyaa film isn't really a love story and instead a comedy about a man who mimics the voice of a woman. Hence, one expects a situational fun score by composers Meet Bros who are joined by lyricist Kumaar. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1008181" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Dream-Girl-Radhe-Radhe-Ayushmann-Khurrana-Nushrat-Bharucha.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="405" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> This is what one gets right at the onset too as Amit Gupta croons <strong><em>'Radhe Radhe'</em></strong> which turns out be a fun song about Radha-Krishna love story. Ayushmann Khurranna gets into a full-on fun mood with this song which is also his biggest when it comes to the stage, setting and the canvas. In fact the manner in which this song is composed and orchestrated, it also reminds one of the kind of music that Sajid-Wajid created at the turn of the millennium. A good foot tapping number that also sees a good remix version, courtesy DJ Harshit Shah. There is more fun in store with Jonita Gandhi and Nakash Aziz letting their hair down and coming together for <strong><em>'Dil Ka Telephone'</em></strong>. Yet again, there is 'masti' and 'mazaa' galore in this song that has a 50s style retro feel to it. A song where Ayushmann Khurrana gets into phone conversations with his various suitors, this one is a fun outing with a good hook to it that catches up with you instantly. In fact it would really add on to the film if portions of the song, which also has a remix version by DJ Himani Singh, appear at various junctures of the narrative. It is a hat-trick of fun songs with Mika Singh and Jyotica Tangri coming together for the legendary Marathi song <strong><em>'Dhagala Lagali'</em></strong>. A foot tapping song that has no dull moment whatsoever, this one is instantly catchy and would immediately find attention in the Maharashtra belt. A lively song with good music arrangements going for it, <em>'Dhagala Lagali'</em> could well find itself on the list of DJ's favourites also in quick time. The mood changes though with a sufi outing <strong><em>'Ik Mulaqaat'</em></strong>. On the same lines as <em>'Dekhte Dekhte'</em> [<em>Phata Poster Nikhla Hero</em>], this one has Altamash Faridi taking the lead and singing in a style similar to that of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. With guest lyricist Shabbir Ahmed pitching in, this romantic number has Palak Muchhal pairing up with Altamash. Meet Bros aim to give this one a contemporary touch by fusing it with rock elements as well. Though one doesn't expect this one to be covering a very long distance, as a part of the film it should fit in well. The soundtrack of <em>Dream Girl</em> concludes with a mandatory Punjabi 'desi' number <strong><em>'Gat Gat'</em></strong> which has Jass Zaildar and Khushboo Grewal coming together. Yet again, there is good foot tapping appeal that the song carries, hence ensuring that the celebratory mood continues. In fact this is one of those songs that could well have been unveiled a little earlier as well since it has in it to become popular in time to come if promoted aggressively. <strong>OVERALL</strong> <em>Dream Girl</em> boasts of a good soundtrack with Meet Bros and Kumaar doing well to create songs that work for the narrative and also have it in them to enjoy a longer run as well beyond the release of the film. Hear it for some entertaining times. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Dhagala Lagali’</em>, <em>‘Dil Ka Telephone’</em>, <em>‘Radhe Radhe’</em>




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Music Review: Dabangg 3

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> There are good expectations from the music of <em>Dabangg 3</em>. After all, the music of both <em>Dabangg</em> and <em>Dabangg 2</em> had done quite well, and composer duo Sajid-Wajid is expected to score a hat-trick with this one. Danish Sabri is the prime lyricist with others pitching in as well. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1057746" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Music-Review-Dabangg-3.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> The album kick-starts with the title song <strong><em>'Hud Hud'</em></strong> which has seen a variation of sorts this time around with Jalees Sherwani coming together with Danish Sabri as the lyricist. Somehow, the punch is missing in this re-dux version. Though the song is in the same zone as the earlier version, something which makes the 'mukhda' interesting, the 'antara' portions don't quite work. Moreover, rendition by Shabab Sabri, Divya Kumar and Sajid doesn't carry much energy either which results in <strong><em>'Hud Hud'</em></strong> turning out to be rather ordinary. As is the tradition with <em>Dabangg</em> franchise, there is yet another 'naina' song coming in the form of <strong><em>'Naina Lade'</em></strong>. The song belongs to the kind which was popular around a decade back when Salman Khan had many such chartbusters to his name. Perhaps the makers wanted to retain a similar sound in order to stick to the ethos of <em>Dabangg</em> franchise. However, what one ends up listening to is a rehashed version of sorts that has been written by Danish Sabri and rendered by Javed Ali. There is some excitement that steps into the proceedings with Danish Sabri written <strong>'Yu Karke'</strong> that has naughty undertones to it. In the same zone as <strong><em>'Saree Ke Fall Sa'</em></strong> from Prabhu Dheva's own <em>R... Rajkumar</em>, this one caters to the gentry and is an out and out massy number. Surprisingly, even though Salman Khan has sung this track which boasts of some eye catchy choreography and picturisation as well, the song hasn't been promoted to the fullest. Payal Dev accompanies Salman Khan behind the mike and has her share of fun as well. Badshah joins Danish Sabri as the co-lyricist for <strong><em>'Munna Badnaam Hua'</em></strong> and in fact also opens the number with his rap portion. Considering the kind of set up that <em>Dabangg</em> has, it seems a bit odd to have Salman Khan lip synching to a rap outing here. One of his favorite singer Kamaal Khan takes the lead along with Mamta Sharma for this fun-n-celebration track that is doesn't really turn out to be another <strong><em>'Munni'</em></strong> [<em>Dabangg</em>] or <strong><em>'Fevicol'</em></strong> [<em>Dabangg 2</em>]. Still, it is a better recreated version when compared to <strong><em>'Hud Hud'</em></strong>. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan along with Sajid write <strong><em>'Awara'</em></strong> that doesn't really impress even after a couple of listening. Newcomer Muskaan renders this song and one can't really say that she ends up making an instant impression. Moreover, the tune is way too old fashioned here; so much so that another newcomer singer Salman Ali isn't able to salvage the song much. Last to arrive is <strong><em>'Habibi Ke Nain'</em></strong> which has Jubin Nautiyal taking charge with Shreya Ghoshal soon after. A love song which is on the same lines as <strong><em>'Awara'</em></strong> or <strong><em>'Naina Lade'</em></strong>, it scores in maintaining consistency but in the process also ends up becoming yet another romantic track that doesn't really have in it to cover much of a distance. Irfan Kamal's lyrics try to be all poetic and soulful but somehow the impact is missing, just as is the case with majority of soundtrack. <strong>OVERALL</strong> While relatively speaking the music of <em>Dabangg 3</em> is not a patch on <em>Dabangg</em> or <em>Dabangg 2</em>, even on an absolute scale it doesn't have much in there to go a long way in time to come. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> ‘<em>Munna Badnaam Hua’</em>, <em>‘Yu Karke’</em>




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Music Review - Good Newwz

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> When a biggie arrives from the house of Karan Johar with a massive starcast led by Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor along with Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani, you don't quite settle for something ordinary. Moreover, with the film also being titled <em>Good Newwz</em>, you expect the same flavor in the soundtrack as well. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1057786" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Music-Review-Good-Newwz.jpg" alt="Music Review - Good Newwz" width="750" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Tanishk Bagchi, who is known more for his recreated versions, hits it out of the park with an original track <strong><em>'Chandigarh Mein'</em></strong>. A Hindi-Punjabi number that has an eclectic mix of singers in the form of Badshah, Harrdy Sandhu, Lisa Mishra and Asees Kaur, this one has Tanishk and Badshah coming together for the lyrics department as well. A dance number with a mega celebratory feel to it, 'Chandigarh Mein' has a really catchy hook to it which doesn't take time to get on you, so much so that you find yourself humming this one soon enough. Next to arrive is <strong><em>'Sauda Khara Khara'</em></strong> which has stayed on to be a major chartbuster for many years now. Originally rendered by Sukhbir, this one has Diljit Dosanjh taking over the center-stage this time around, and the actor-singer does a really good job all over again. With Kumaar stepping as the lyricist, this one has Lijo George-Dj Chetas as the composers while Dhvani Bhanushali is also the newest entrant behind the mike. A Punjabi dance number, it is now bound to have an even longer shelf life due to the presence of Diljit and Akshay in the video. The manner in which <strong><em>'Maana Dil'</em></strong> begins, it reminds one of <strong><em>'Fakira'</em></strong>. However, the similarity is just for a few seconds as soon enough B Praak makes a solid impression once again with his characteristic voice even as Tanishk Bagchi spins together a soulful tune for this beautifully written sad number by Rashmi Virag. While the 'mukhda' makes a good impression, it's the manner in which the 'antara' portions are put together that take the song, which has Farhad Bhiwandiwala as the additional singer, take it to the next level. Hear this one for sure. It is back to celebrations with RDB's <strong><em>'Laal Ghaghra'</em></strong> brought to fore once again by Tanishk Bagchi, Manj Musik and Herbie Sahara. A fast paced dance number that sets one feet tapping from the word go, this one is written by Tanishk Bagchi &amp; Herbie Sahara and sung with aplomb by Manj Musik, Herbie Sahara &amp; Neha Kakkar. The song's placement in the film is also apt as it adds on to the fun feel that director Raj Mehta has adopted for the first half of the narrative. With each of the four songs making a really impression, it is indeed 'good news' so far. A song with a core Western touch to it, <strong><em>'Dil Na Jaaneya'</em></strong> arrives next. Composed by Rochak Kohli and Lauv who also sing this one with Akasa leading the show, this one is a kind of song that one associates with an urban romcom entertainer by Karan Johar. A soft number which is soothing to the ear, it has a mix of Hindi and English lyrics, courtesy Gurpreet Saini, Ari Leff and Michael Pollack. Though one waits to see if the song gains as much as popularity as rest of the massy soundtrack, this one would go down as a classy outing which is also heard in an unplugged version with Arijit Singh leading the show. Dance and celebrations continue with <strong><em>'Zumba'</em></strong> which is based on Punjabi folk music that is commonly heard in weddings up north. Tanishk Bagchi does well to bring on core Punjabi flavor in this dance number that has a mix of contemporary and traditional lyrics by Vayu with Romy taking center-stage as the singer. This is a song that keeps the narrative of the film exciting. Last to arrive is the peppy theme music of the film<strong><em>, 'Good Newwz Theme'</em></strong>, which is just an apt finale for the soundtrack. KSHMR and Tanishk Bagchi are the creators for this fun track. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Good Newwz</em> is quite good and has already helped the film find ample attention coming its way. With the film doing quite well in theaters already and the music gaining further thumbs-up from the audiences, expect the songs to play on for many more months to come. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>Chandigarh Mein</em>, <em>Sauda Khara Khara</em>, <em>Laal Ghaghra</em>, <em>Maana Dil</em>




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Music Review - Pati Patni Aur Woh

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> Of late, music in films starring Kartik Aaryan has invariably turned out to be of chartbuster variety. It was seen earlier this year in <em>Luka Chuppi</em> as well and now 2019 is ending with a bang, what with each of the songs from <em> </em> turning out to be a chartbuster. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1057787" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Music-Review-Pati-Patni-Aur-Woh.jpg" alt="Music Review - Pati Patni Aur Woh" width="750" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> It is time to welcome yet another recreated version, this time that of Tony Kakkar's mega hit number <strong><em>'Dheeme</em> <em>Dheeme'</em></strong>. The man who has been getting it right for most of the times, Tanishk Bagchi, hits a six yet again with this version which has Tony Kakkar and Neha Kakkar coming together for this rollicking club track. A superb number that has a huge foot tapping appeal and is set to rock the show for many more months to come as well, <strong><em>'Dheeme</em></strong> <strong><em>Dheeme'</em></strong> has Tony Kakkar, Tanishk Bagchi &amp; Mellow D contributing towards the lyrics as well. A love song comes next in the form of <strong><em>'Tu Hi Yaar Mera'</em></strong> which has Neha Kakkar being heard in an altogether different avtar from her usual self. Instead of a fun-n-frolic outing, she becomes a part of a love song which has been beautifully composed by Rochak Kohli with Arijit Singh showing once again that he is the numero uno choice when it comes to singing his way right into the heart. Moreover, it is lyrics by Kumaar that make a good impact as well, hence ensuring that <strong><em>'Tu Hi Yaar Mera'</em></strong> turns out to be a song that would have a good shelf life. As for a love song that has certain depth to it, <strong><em>'Dilbara'</em></strong> couldn't have come at a better time, what with Sachet-Parampara doing well yet again after their superlative effort in <em>Kabir Singh</em> and then <em>Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas</em>. A Hindi-Punjabi song which has a trademark stamp of the composers-singers, <strong><em>'Dilbara'</em></strong> is pretty well written by Navi Ferozpurwala who gets the feel of 'dard-e-judaai' right. In fact it is surprising that the song hasn't been hammered to the fullest as this one carries good potential to find popularity amongst those mending a broken heart. Last to arrive is yet another recreated version, <strong><em>'Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare',</em></strong> which has stayed on to be a chartbuster even after a couple of decades since it was heard first in <em>Dulhe Raja</em>. The tune by Anand-Milind is given a good twist by Tanishk Bagchi who brings on board just the right singers in the form of Mika Singh and Tulsi Kumar to result in a song that sounds fresh till date. While the core peg <strong><em>'Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare'</em></strong> as well as the 'antara' by Sameer is retained as is, the 'mukhda' goes through a transformation albeit without hurting the originality much. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Pati Patni Aur Woh</em> is on expected lines as there is no dull moment whatsoever. A couple of recreated dance numbers and then a couple of love songs ensure that this one turns out to be a well-rounded affair. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>Dheeme Dheeme</em>, <em>Ankhiyon Se Goli Mare</em>, <em>Dilbara</em>




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Music Review: Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> When it comes to a film like <em>Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior</em>, the expectation is that of a situational score. Moreover, since the core genre of the film is action-drama, all that is required too is three to four tracks that come at just the right points in the film. This is what the team of composers, lyricists and singers delivers as well. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1062213" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Tanhaji-5.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> It's a euphoric beginning for <em>Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior</em> as composer Mehul Vyas puts together a ferocious piece, <strong><em>'Shankara Re Shankara'</em></strong>. He sings this Anil Verma written track as well along with Adarsh Shinde and together the trio delivers a song which has a 70s and 80s feel to it in the way it is orchestrated and delivered. For the situational in the film, this one works. The experience of Sukhwinder Singh and Shreya Ghosal is apparent right at the beginning of <strong><em>'Maay Bhavani'</em></strong> which pretty much takes off from where <strong><em>'Shankara Re Shankara'</em></strong> left. With both the songs based on Indian Gods, one can sense the kind of feel that the team wanted to bring in the soundtrack here. Ajay - Atul bring in their characteristic style into play in this Swanand Kirkire written number, especially in the way 'mukhda' transitions to 'antara'. Yet another situational number, this one goes with the essence of the film. Sachet-Parampara, who are known most for their melodious songs, especially in last year's all time blockbuster Kabir Singh, showcase their versatility with <strong><em>'Ghamand Kar'.</em></strong> They compose as well as sing this Anil Verma written number which is ferocious in its appeal. Pretty much the theme track of the album, this one has a haunting sound of 'ra ra ra ra' which elevates the soundtrack to a great degree. Appearing at just the right juncture in the film, this one should actually have been the opening song of the soundtrack as well. Very well orchestrated. Last to arrive is <strong><em>'Tinak Tinak'</em></strong> and this too is a product of Sachet-Parampara and Anil Verma combo. Appearing during the end credit roll of the film and picturised on Kajol, this one has Harshdeep Kaur coming behind the mike. Though the styling of the song compliments the kind of set up that Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior boasts of, somehow this one doesn't quite manage to make much of an impression. More so since the film as a whole doesn't really have any romantic undertones and hence this one comes across as rather misfit. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The soundtrack of <em>Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior</em> delivers as expected. Though there aren't many memorable songs out there, they do well enough to keep the film's narrative engaging. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Ghamand Kar’</em>, ‘<em>Shankara Re Shankara’</em> &nbsp;




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Music Review: Marjaavaan

<p dir="ltr"><strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Well before Marjaavaan was gearing up for release, a lot was being spoken about the music that had been put together for the romantic action drama. With the soundtrack comprising of almost a dozen songs, it was further established loud and clear that music would play a major role in taking forward the narrative of this Milap Zaveri directed film. Multiple composers, lyricists and singers come together to put together music of Marjaavaan which has multiple recreated versions of the yesteryear hits as well.</p> <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1059330" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Marjaavaan-Music-Review.jpg" alt="Marjaavaan Music Review" width="750" height="450" /> <p dir="ltr"><strong>MUSIC</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">As expected, it’s an out and out love song 'Tum Hi Aana' that opens the soundtrack of Marjaavaan. Payal Dev is the composer of this beautiful melody that should find its way into one of the most popular love songs of 2019. Pretty well written by Kunaal Vermaa whose lyrics are heart rendering to say the least, the strength of 'Tum Hi Aana' also lies in the manner Jubin Nautiyal sings this one. No wonder, as many as four versions of the song are heard with Jubin also going for a happy and sad version each and then pairing up with Dhvani Bhanushali for a duet too.</p> <p dir="ltr">The love song that takes the soundtrack forward is 'Thodi Jagah' which has really sentimental lyrics put together by Rashmi Virag. Moreover, with Arijit Singh taking over the center-stage, you know that the outcome would be straight from the heart, and that indeed turns out to be the case as well. Reminding one of the kind of music that was heard in Aashiqui 2, this one is an original composition by Tanishk Bagchi who does quite well here. Later, the song is heard in Tulsi Kumar's voice as well and she too is impressive with her rendition here.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tanishk Bagchi gets into a recreation mode soon after though with as many as two numbers to his credit, 'Ek Toh Kum Zindagani' and 'Haiya Ho'. Both songs are originally written by Indeevar and have late Firoz Khan as the director. While 'Ek Toh Kum Zindagani' is a Kalyanji-Anandji composition ['Pyar Do Pyar Lo'] from Janbaaz, 'Haiya Ho' is based on Laxmikant-Pyarelal's 'Chahe Meri Jaan Tu Le Le' from Dayavan.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though Neha Kakkar's rendition is just apt as she comes with an apt follow up to Sapna Mukherjee's voice, the male inclusion by Yash Narvekar in 'Ek Toh Kum Zindagani' could have been totally avoided. On the other hand Tulsi Kumar &amp; Jubin Nautiyal's rendition of 'Haiyaa Ho' [originally sung by Jolly Mukherjee and Sapna Mukherjee] turns out to be actually a better version and could well have been more aggressively promoted.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another recreated version that arrives next is 'Kinna Sona' which has Meet Bros and Kumaar coming up with their own take with Jubin Nautiyal &amp; Dhvani Bhanushali doing the honors behind the mike. This one in fact turns out to be rather mild in comparison to the versions that one has heard in the past and surprisingly also takes a lot of time to actually come to the point.</p> <p dir="ltr">Next to arrive are situational numbers that remind one of songs like these that were placed in the action packed narrative of the 70s and the 80s. As a matter of fact this genre of songs are still quote popular in films being made down South and it is apparent that Milap Zaveri was influenced by that style of filmmaking here. No wonder, he has Palak Muchhal lead from the front for 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' which is composed by Tanishk Bagchi, written by Manoj Muntashir and appears just before the climax of the film. A passable track.</p> <p dir="ltr">The one that does lend goose bumps though is Aditya Dev composed 'Hasbi Rabbi' which has Altamash Faridi &amp; Kamaal Khan come up with the kind of rendition that has a haunting appeal. Based on traditional lyrics, this one too is old fashioned in style but goes well with the overall treatment of the film. The version that did elevate the proceedings of the film is 'Hasbi Rabbi Naat' which is composed by Sanjay Chaudhary and written and sung by Mujtaba Aziz Naza. This one lends a short and impactful closure to the soundtrack.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>OVERALL</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The music of Marjaavaan is quite satisfying and is in fact even better than expected. A well rounded affair which has everything for everyone, be it the masses or the classes, Marjaavaan would be picked up by music lovers in time to come as well.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">'Tum Hi Aana', 'Thodi Jagah', 'Ek Toh Kum Zindagaani', 'Haiya Ho'</p>




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Music Review: Housefull 4

<p dir="ltr"><strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">'Bala' did the trick! Time and again it has been said that even if there is just one blockbuster song in a film, it can elevate its fortunes in a big way. This is what happened with Housefull 4 as well which had 'Bala' turning out to be a rage en route the film's release. The other songs that were put together by Sohail Sen and Farhad Samji only turned out to be an added bonus.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1059332" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Housefull-4-Music-Review.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>MUSIC</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">There is a signature Housefull feel to the manner in which 'Ek Chumma' kick-starts the proceedings for Housefull 4. When it comes to the franchise, the music is expected to be peppy, lively and catering to the masses. This is what is the case with this Sameer Anjaan written number as well which has composer Sohail Sen also come behind the mike along with Altamash Faridi and Jyotica Tangri. Together, the team ensures that there is a catchy number in the offering which is reminiscent to the kind of music that was popular back in the good part of the 80s and 90s.</p> <p dir="ltr">The song which brings the house down though is 'Shaitan Ka Saala' which has its hook based on Tony Montana's 'Bala'. However, Sohail Sen along with the film's director and lyricist Farhad Samji spins it in a big way to come up with an even more entertaining piece that turns out to be far better than the original. One of the biggest chartbusters of 2019, it was also notable for its unique dance step, something that led to hundreds of cover versions that are popular till date. A bonafide blockbuster song all the way.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another recreated song that arrives next is 'The Bhoot Song' which is based on Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Anand Bakshi's ‘Bhoot Raja Bahar Aaja’ from yesteryear film Chacha Bhatija. Farhad Samji and Sandeep Shirodkar come together to recreate their own version with Mika Singh taking over the center-stage and being his energetic best. In fact Farhad Samji plays a triple role here of being a composer, singer as well as lyricist (along with Vayu) with help also coming from Devi Sri Prasad who lends signature music to the track. A fun passable number.</p> <p dir="ltr">The song which turns out to be a good celebration track though is 'Chammo' and this could well have been the first to be promoted. A lavishly picturised song that reminds one of the kind of songs that filmmakers like Manmohan Desai and Raj Kumar Kohli used to have in their films back in the 70s and the 80s, 'Chammo' has Sohail Sen and Sameer Anjaan do well all over again. With a strong base in Hindustani classical music as well, this one has Sukhwinder Singh, Shreya Ghoshal and Shadab Faridi come together and give this one as a grand appeal.</p> <p dir="ltr">Last to arrive is Danish Sabri sung 'Badla' and this one turns out to be truly forgettable. Perhaps the core idea behind this Farhad Samji composed and written number was to ham it up, as is apparent in the lyrics as well as the music of this parody number. However, by and large this one actually turns out to be the weakest spot of the soundtrack as well as the film's narrative. This one can be conveniently skipped.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>OVERALL</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The music of Housefull 4 is just the kind that one expects from Housefull franchise. By and large it's the kind that goes with the pace of the narrative and stays along as the accompanying partner.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">'Bala', 'Chammo', 'Ek Chumma'</p>




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Music Review: War

<p dir="ltr"><strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">When Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff come together for a film, the music has to be special. This is what happens as well in this short-n-catchy soundtrack by Vishal-Shekhar which has just two songs, both written by Kumaar, with three theme tracks put together by Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1059333" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WAR-MUSIC-REVIEW.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>MUSIC</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">It's 'Ghungroo' right at the beginning and has Vishal-Shekhar's stamp all over it. They put together the right team of singers as well, what with Arijit Singh modulating his voice in a major way to sound like Hrithik Roshan. A westernized tune with a 'desi' feel to it, 'Ghunghroo' goes to the next level with one of the most underrated female singers around, Shilpa Rao. The lady had made waves back in time with Vishal-Shekhar's 'Khuda Jaane' [Bacha Ae Haseeno] as well and she is on fire yet again in this rollicking track as well which is a huge chartbuster already.</p> <p dir="ltr">Next to arrive is 'Jai Jai Shivshankar' which features the dance face-off of last many years, what with Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff bringing their best moves on screen. Yet again, Vishal-Shekhar do well to get the right vocals for both the actors, what with Vishal bringing himself on board for Hrithik even as Benny Dayal gets into a playful mode for Tiger. As is the case most of the times with Kumaar, the lyricist comes up with some unconventional words for 'Jai Jai Shivshankar' which has already gained huge popularity and would be played for months to come.</p> <p dir="ltr">From here on arrive three theme tracks by Sanchit Balhara &amp; Ankit Balhara. First up is the 'War Theme' which has just the kind of sound that one associates with a Bond, Mission Impossible or Bollywood's very own Don franchise. In fact this has a kind of punch to it which should make it integral to the next installments of the War franchise that would be unleashed in time to come.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is followed by 'Kabir’s Theme' and 'Khalid’s Theme', both of which have strong Western base to them, hence allowing the narrative of the film exciting, engaging and truly thrilling. In fact latter also has English lyrics by Vishal Dadlani who also comes behind the mike to croon these couple of lines, hence adding on further punch.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">'Ghunghroo', 'Jai Jai Shivshankar', 'War Theme'</p>




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Music Review: Chhapaak

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> When it comes to a concept film like <em>Chhapaak</em>, one expects a situational soundtrack at best. Moreover, director Meghna Gulzar has a certain style of music in her films and one is assured of that with Gulzar as the lyricist. Shankar - Ehsaan - Loy are the composers of <em>Chhapaak</em> which has just four songs. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1063057" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Chhapaak-18.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Arijit Singh gets to croon three out of four songs in Chh<em>a</em>paak and none of these is a romantic number. Title song <strong><em>'Chhapaak'</em></strong> comes next and it narrates the plight of how a few drops of acid can scar a person for life. This one in fact has the kind of sound that one associates with Vishal Bhardwaj, given the kind of collaborations that he has had with Gulzar over the years. Siddharth Mahadevan comes behind the mike for a love song <strong><em>'Nok Jhok'</em></strong> which is again situational in appeal. Not the kind of song that one would expect to have a chartbuster appeal, it in fact has the kind of sound that one heard back in the 90s as a part of Indi-pop albums. A decent number which is soothing to listen to, though not quite expected to cover a long distance. It is back to Arijit Singh as he begins from where he left in the title song <strong><em>'Chhapaak'</em></strong>. This time around the song in question is <strong><em>'Khulne Do'</em></strong> and the theme is that of hope and belief around something good about to happen. The song has an ordinary tune and doesn't really carry the kind of pull that would make a listener play it on repeatedly after listening to it once. There is a bit of a follow up version of the song though that comes in the form of <strong><em>'Sab Jhulas Gaya'</em></strong>, and the results are just the same. <strong>OVERALL</strong> As expected, the music of <em>Chhapaak</em> is strictly situational and the recollection is restricted to just its placement in the film's narrative. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>Chhapaak, Nok Jhok</em> &nbsp;




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Music Review: Jai Mummy Di

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> Filmmaker Luv Ranjan has certain style when it comes to creating soundtrack for his films. His <em>Pyaar Ka Punchnama</em> series as well as <em>Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety</em> in particular have boasted of youthful peppy music. Now that his production <em>Jai Mummy Di</em> is releasing, one expects something similar from over half a dozen songs that appear in the soundtrack. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1063485 size-full" title="Music Review: Jai Mummy Di" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Music-Review-Jai-Mummy-Di.jpg" alt="Music Review: Jai Mummy Di" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> As is the trend, <em>Jai Mummy Di</em> too kick-starts with a couple of recreated songs. First to arrive is Sukh-E Muzical Doctorz composed and Jaani written <strong><em>'Mummy Nu Pasand'</em></strong> which has been recreated by Tanishk Bagchi who is also the man behind additional lyrics. Sunanda Sharma is the singer here and boasts of a distinct voice which is strikingly different from many of her ilk and hence lends quite a solid impression. The song has a catchy hook to it and is a chartbuster all the way. Even if you haven't heard this song before, you would like it this time around. Next to arrive is the chartbuster track <strong><em>'Lamborghini'</em></strong> which has a beautiful sound to it and has just the right mix of Punjabi mix and 'desi' feel with a slightly Western touch to it which gives it an edge. Written by Kumaar, this celebration track has a peppy presentation by Meet Bros who utilize the vocals of Neha Kakkar and Jassie Gill quite well to result in a number that would find a place amongst youth as well as elderly alike. The surprise though is <strong><em>'Dariyaganj'</em></strong> which is rendered by Arijit Singh. It is always so refreshing to hear a new team collaborate to create something melodious and this is where one would complement lyricist Siddhant Kaushal and composer Amartya Bobo Rahut. They put together an unconventional hook for the song's title while ensuring that the melody element remains intact. Rest is taken care of by Arijit who along with Dhvani Bhanushali makes sure that this romantic number finds itself in your playlist. Later Dhvani goes solo to make further impact. With a hat-trick of good songs, expectations soar further from <em>Jai Mummy Di</em>. Mika Singh is the man of the moment as his boisterous vocals kick-start the proceedings for <strong><em>'Ishq Da Band'</em></strong>. The manner in which the singing team (with Shilpa Surroch and Harjot K Dhillon as the other singers] comes together for this Gaurav Chatterji composed and Ginny Diwan written number, you get the feeling of one of those David Dhawan films from the 90s where 'masti' and 'dhamaal' ruled in many a Govinda or Salman Khan starrers. This one is fun while it lasts. Yet another new team joins forces for the title track <strong><em>'Jai Mummy Di'</em></strong>. Composer Parag Chhabra and lyricist Shellee join hands for this situational number. Though there isn't anything really memorable about this Nikhita Gandhi, Parag Chhabra, Vivek Hariharan and Devender Pal Singh sung track, expect this one to arrive at certain montage sequences in the film to lend entertainment to the narrative. Though Amartya Bobo Rahut and Siddhant Kaushal had done quite well in <em>'Dariyaganj'</em>, same can't be said about <strong><em>'Manney Ignore Kar Rahi'</em></strong> which comes across as a jamming session at best. Agreed that this Amitabh Bhattacharya rendered number aims to be all funny and has a parody flavour to it, the end result is the kind which can possibly be enjoyed only if accompanied by some really entertaining visuals. Last to arrive is <strong><em>'Ajaa Ajaa'</em></strong> which has a 50s style rock-n-roll feel to it and is yet another situational track. One in fact wonders at what situation of the film will this Divya Kumar sung number appear eventually as it comes across like a force fitment. Composed by Rishi Singh &amp; Siddharth Amit Bhavsar (who also lend additional lyrics), this one is written by Gautam G. Sharma and Gurpreet Saini who don't quite manage to come up with anything memorable. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Jai Mummy Di</em> starts well with a couple of recreated songs and then a couple of original songs making a mark. However, the impact tapers a bit as it progresses further. Nonetheless, it still manages to almost deliver what it promised with at least 2-3 songs expected to play on for some more time to come at least. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Mummy Nu Pasand’</em>, <em>‘Daryaganj’</em>, <em>‘Lamborghini’</em>




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Music Review: Panga

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> One expects situational soundtrack for <em>Panga</em>, considering the fact that it is a slice of life film with sports as the core theme. Though Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Javed Akhtar come together to create half a dozen songs for the film, one doesn't quite expect a chartbuster outing here since there has hardly been any promotion either for the music as the focus has been on the film. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1068031 size-full" title="Music Review: Panga" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Music-Review-Panga.jpg" alt="Music Review: Panga" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Harshdeep Kaur, Divya Kumar and Siddharth Mahadevan come together to create the title song <strong><em>'Panga'</em></strong> which has a good hook to it. A feel good number with a catchy rhythm, this one has certain nicety to it, courtesy the manner in which the singers come together to croon this one. This one has an anthem feel to it and could have covered some distance with good promotion. Jassie Gill, the leading man of <em>Panga</em>, takes charge as a singer for <strong><em>'Dil Ne Kaha</em></strong>', which has the kind of sound that one associates with Salman Khan's Dabangg franchise. Reminding one of <strong><em>'Tere Mast</em></strong> <strong><em>Mast Do Nain'</em></strong> with a bit of 'Brathless' feel to it in the manner in which it begins, <strong><em>'Dil Ne Kaha'</em></strong> is a romantic track that comes in two versions with Jassie Gill and then Shahid Mallya taking charge. Asees Kaur is the common factor in both the songs and she does well as she has been over a period of time now. Next to arrive is <strong><em>'Bibby Song'</em></strong> and this one tries to be all funny. However, at best this one is a situational track with no real appeal outside the film. Annu Kapoor comes behind the mike for this one alongside Sherry and you don't really get hooked on it. As a matter of fact you move on to the next in line soon enough to check out what rest of the soundtrack has to offer. Shankar Mahadevan makes a belated entry as a singer with <strong><em>'Jugnu'</em></strong> and he has Sunny for company. Though he does well as a singer all over again due to his characteristic voice, overall the music - with a Sufi touch to it - stays on to be situational at best. A montage number which is about dreams and aspirations, it goes with the theme of the film but that's about it. Last to arrive is <strong><em>'Wahi Hai Raste'</em></strong> which has Mohan Kannan taking charge. This one brings with it the mood and feel which one associates with the kind that was heard in the non-mainstream films of the 70s. A little later in the album, Asees Kaur's voice is heard. With Bengali folk music base to it, <strong><em>'Wahi Hai</em></strong> <strong><em>Raste'</em></strong> is just about okay and doesn't quite warrant repeat hearing. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Panga</em> is largely situational with a couple of songs at the beginning making some sort of an impression. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>'Panga', 'Dil Ne Kaha'</em>




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Music Review: Street Dancer 3D

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> With close to a dozen off songs in <em>Street Dancer 3D</em>, one expects an out and out musical in the offering from filmmaker Remo D'Souza. With Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhudeva and Nora Fatehi as the principle cast members, there is a good visual appeal on the cards as well. Multiple composers, lyricists and singers come together to put together the soundtrack. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1073215" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Gann-Deva-Full-Song-Street-Dancer-3D-Varun-Dhawan-Shraddha-Kapoor.jpg" alt="Gann Deva Full Song Street Dancer 3D Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor" width="720" height="405" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> A.R. Rahman's chartbuster <strong><em>'Muqabla'</em></strong>, which has regaled audiences for over two decades now, is back in the fold with - who else but Tanishk Bagchi - bringing on the recreation. The essence of the original, especially the passages, is kept intact even as Shabbir Ahmed and Tanishk Bagchi add on to the lyrics that had been originally written by Valee. Yash Narvekar and Parampara Thakur do well to bring on the energy and though the end result is satisfactory, all said and done one would rather go back to the original. Badshah continues to bring on the sound of seduction with <strong><em>'Garmi'</em></strong> where he plays the triple role of being the composer, lyricist as well as singer. He is joined by Neha Kakkar who is just the right voice for this track that has Nora Fatehi at her sizzling best and Varun Dhawan serenading her. Expect this one to play on in night clubs for quite some time to come. Tanishk Bagchi and Intense join hands for <strong><em>'Illegal Weapon 2.0'</em></strong> which is yet another recreated version. Written by Priya Saraiya and Garry Sandhu with latter pairing up with Jasmine Sandlas behind the mike, this Punjabi-Western combo number is just the kind that is made for the night clubs. That said, this one had the kind of set up to it which would have been propelled to a higher stage had it been more energetic. Sachin-Jigar have composed as many as five songs in the album and the first one to arrive is <strong><em>'Dua Karo'</em></strong>. A situational track written by Priya Saraiya with a sad undertone to it, this one is a 'sufi rock' number that is rendered by Arijit Singh. Bohemia chips in as well for an intermittent rap portion, something that makes an impression primarily along with the film's narrative. Guru Randhawa's chartbuster track <strong><em>'Lagdi Lahore Di'</em></strong> is brought to fore all over again with Sachin-Jigar taking charge and Tulsi Kumar stepping in as a female vocalist. The song has been a huge success across the country, especially up North and its re-entry in <em>Street Dancer</em> <em>3D</em> brings on an added shelf life. However, just as was the case with <strong><em>'Illegal Weapon 2.0'</em></strong>, this one too could have gained further from enhanced energy. Somehow this one appears to be rather subdued. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Sameer's <strong><em>'Hindustani'</em></strong> [<em>Dus</em>] is recreated by Harsh Upadhyay and the results aren't really the kind that would have taken the song to the next level. As a matter of fact this one seems like a rather rushed job and even though the voices of Shankar Mahadevan and Udit Narayan are retained, the punch is clearly missing. <strong><em>'Bezubaan Kab Se'</em></strong>, which has a thematic appeal when it comes to the ABCD franchise set by Remo D'Souza, appears in a new version with Siddharth Basrur and Jubin Nautiyal crooning for Sachin-Jigar who compose as well as write this one along with Mayur Puri. While it does play a part in carrying forward the core spirit of <strong><em>'Bezubaan'</em></strong>, somehow it doesn't cover the distance. Next to arrive is Gurinder Seagal sung and composed <strong><em>'Pind'</em></strong> and somehow this sad song about returning to the motherland only slows down the soundtrack further. Kunaal Vermaa writes this Punjabi-Hindi number which has a very dull feel to it and just doesn't manage to make its presence felt or register any sort of impact whatsoever. It is back to some dance and fun with Neeti Mohan, Dhvani Bhanushali and Millind Gaba coming together for Sachin-Jigar created <strong><em>'Nachi Nachi'</em></strong>. Though the song has a good hook to it, somehow there hasn't been any promotion whatsoever which means this Millind Gaba and Asli Gold created track would largely go unannounced. This is followed by a devotional track comes next in the form of <strong><em>'Gann Deva'</em></strong> which is in praise of Lord Ganesha. Written by Bhargav Purohit, composed by Sachin-Jigar and sung by Divya Kumar, this one doesn't make an impact either. Garry Sandhu's <strong><em>'Sip Sip'</em></strong> finds a recreated version in <strong><em>'Sip Sip 2.0'</em></strong>, courtesy Tanishk Bagchi and Kumaar. Jasmine Sandlas comes behind the mike for this Punjabi-Hindi number which hasn't really been immensely popular at an all-India even as an original. The recreated version is the kind that could have covered some distance but since it hasn't been hammered all along, that won't really turn out to be the case. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The soundtrack of Street Dancer 3D starts off well but then as it proceeds, the impact starts getting lesser and lesser. The good thing is that this one is a music heavy album as a result of which around four to five songs do ultimately manage to make an impression. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> ‘<em>Muqabla’</em>, ‘<em>Garmi’</em>, <em>‘Illegal Weapon 2.0’</em>, <em>‘Lagdi Lahore Di’</em>




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Music Review: Love Aaj Kal

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> Back in 2009 when <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> had released, its music had turned out to be a roaring success. Yet again, it's the team of Pritam and Irshad Kamil coming together for Imtiaz Ali and one waits to see that after creating magic for Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone a decade ago, whether they have repeated the same for Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan as well. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1074708" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Love-Aaj-Kal-16.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> It is old world charm revisited with <strong><em>'Shayad'</em></strong> which has Arijit Singh taking center-stage. Just the kind of song that is made for hearts deeply in love, this one is for die hard romantics. Be it the lyrics, music or the manner in which Arijit Singh goes about rendering this one, <strong><em>'Shayad'</em></strong> is a winner all the way. No wonder, its 'reprise version' comes later in the soundtrack as well with newcomer Madhubanti  Bagchi giving Arijit coming. Had this song been promoted more aggressively, it could well have turned out to be a major chartbuster already. Next to arrive is <strong><em>'Mehrama'</em></strong> and the song just picks up from where <strong><em>'Shayad'</em></strong> left, hence turning out to be yet another beautiful melody that makes an entry right into your heart. Darshan Raval and Antara Mitra pair up for <strong><em>'Mehrama'</em></strong> which later also arrives in an 'extended version' and makes you long for the one you love. These two songs, coupled with an additional version each, set the 'sur' of <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> and one expects the romantic mood to continue right through. This is the reason why ‘<strong><em>Raftaar’</em></strong> rendered rap track <strong><em>'Parmeshwara'</em></strong> turns out to be nothing but a rude shock. A truly annoying piece which just doesn't manage to register itself and is a misfit both in the soundtrack as well as the film's narrative, it tries to be all cool and smart but fails big time. This one just didn't have a place in the music of <em>Love Aaj Kal</em>. Arijit Singh is back in the fold and he croons two back to back tracks, <strong><em>'Rahogi Meri'</em></strong> and <strong><em>'Haan Tum Ho'</em></strong>. Yet again, it's the usual romantic mood that is created in these love songs that are just the kind that one expects in an Imtiaz Ali film. Not that these songs are chartbusters in the making as they aren't really massy in their presentation and outlook. However if you just want to sit back, relax and think about the one whom you love the most, <strong><em>'Rahogi Meri</em></strong>' and <strong><em>'Haan Tum Ho'</em></strong> (which has Shipra Rao entering the fray as well) truly end up fitting the bill. Mohit Chauhan had rendered <strong><em>'Yeh Dooriyaan'</em></strong> in the first <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> and there is a new version of the song that arrives in the latest <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> with the same title. The singer brings all his experience into play with this heartfelt number that is just the kind which is to be heard with quietness and serenity all around. Carrying a good dose of pain with it, this one has the signature theme that went in the background of <strong><em>'Yeh Dooriyaan'</em></strong>, hence bringing on the nostalgia. The tonality of the soundtrack changes though with <strong><em>'Dhak Dhak'</em></strong> and though this one is at least somewhat better than <strong><em>'Parmeshwara'</em></strong>, yet again it is a misfit into the soundtrack. Trying to infuse 'pahadi' style into the contemporary sound, this Nikhita Gandhi and Akasa rendered track tries to bring in everything from Rumi to internet in one go but doesn't really make you play it in loop all over again. Thankfully, it is back to romantic zone with <strong><em>'Aur Tanha'</em></strong> which sees KK return after a hiatus. With a guitar in the background, this is yet another song which has a heart in love longing for the one closest to it. A soft rock number that goes well with the film's narrative, this one could well make it as a bonfire affair amongst youth. The soundtrack concludes with a bang though with Arijit Singh and Shashwat Singh coming together for <strong><em>'Haan Main Galat'</em></strong>. A new age version of <strong><em>'Twist'</em></strong> that had made huge waves in <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> [2009] more than a decade back, this one actually turns out to be a very good version of the original. Number of times one has complains around recreated versions not really matching up to the original but this one actually succeeds in taking it to the next level. Chartbuster. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> has consistency written all over it, barring a couple of songs which are misfits. There may not be many chartbusters out there but if you are the one who is either truly in love with someone or is nursing a broken heart, <em>Love Aaj Kal</em> does well in rekindling those emotions well enough. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> ‘Haan Main Galat’, ‘Shayad’, ‘Mehrama’, ‘Yeh Dooriyaan’




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Music Review: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> As is the current trend with majority of Bollywood flicks, soundtrack of <em>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan</em> too has released alongside the arrival of the film in theatres. Though an early release of the jukebox can well help gain added popularity in days preceding to the film's release, one wonders if this trend would reverse in time to come. Moreover, yet again there are three recreated songs in this album which has over half a dozen numbers in there. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1077562 size-full" title="Music Review: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Music-Review-Shubh-Mangal-Zyada-Saavdhan.jpg" alt="Music Review: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Yo Yo Honey Singh (composer), Kinder Deol (lyricist) and singer J-Star's <strong><em>'Gabru'</em> </strong>from the album International Villager is recreated by, who else but, Tanishk Bagchi as <strong><em>'Pyaar Tenu Karda Gabru'</em></strong>. A fun track all the way which is already quite popular, especially up North, this one is a celebratory outing with newer lyrics by Vayu. Singer Romy does quite well in rendering this hard-core Punjabi number that is set to be a chartbuster all over again. Tanishk - Vayu come together to create number of songs in <em>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan</em> and one of their first collaborations is <strong><em>'Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho'</em></strong>. Ayushmann Khurranna brings himself behind the mike for this Vayu written number and his voice actually comes across as quite different in here. A decent track which is easy on ears, it comes across as a situational number at best as it doesn't really have that punch in there to emerge as a chartbuster. Second recreated song in the album is <strong><em>'Arey Pyaar Kar Le'</em></strong> which is a take-off on Bappi Lahiri and Anjaan's <strong><em>'Yaar Bina Chain Kaha Re'</em></strong> from Anil Kapoor and Amrita Singh's <em>Saheb</em>. A good recreation by Tanishk Bagchi and Vayu, this one has Bappi Lahiri's voice been retained which actually works tremendously for the song. While Ayushmann Khurranna chips in as well, the real fun is to listen to Bappi Lahiri due to his unique vocals. A good take on 80s nostalgia. It's time for the Kakkar family to come together for <strong><em>'Ooh La La'</em></strong>. While Tony Kakkar writes and composes this one (along with Tanishk Bagchi), his sisters Sonu Kakkar and Neha Kakkar take centre-stage to let their hair down. A fun number all the way, its promotion surprisingly kick-started quite late in the film's campaign and it could well have been beneficial had this been earlier. Not that the song is a huge chartbuster in the making but still it has the kind of energy in there that would have pepped the film even further. Mika steps in soon after for Tanishk - Vayu created <strong><em>'Aisi Taisi'</em>.</strong> Though the fun element is intact this time around as well, as has been the case with most of the songs heard before, at the end of the day it only fits in the needs of being a situational outing. Same is the case with <strong><em>'Raakh'</em></strong> which is actually a melancholic outing and arrives out of nowhere. Though Arijit has sung for this Tanishk - Vayu creation, the punch is not really there and you don't quite crave to return and give this one a repeat hearing. There is some fun that comes to the proceedings though Anuradha Paudwal and Mohammad Aziz's <strong><em>‘Kya Karthe The Saajna’</em></strong> from Anand-Milind's <strong><em>'Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka'</em></strong> is sampled for <strong><em>'Kya Karte Thay'</em></strong> by Tanishk Bagchi and Vayu. Though Zara Khan tries to bring in something quirky to the proceedings, the fun element actually comes in when the original makes an appearance. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan</em> turns out to be decent enough with a couple of songs making an impression, albeit both being recreations. Somehow the new songs that have been created for the film don't quite cover the distance and had there been a chartbuster ortwo there, it would have only helped the soundtrack further. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Pyaar Tenu Karda Gabru’, ‘Arey Pyaar Kar Le’, ‘Ooh La La’</em>




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Music Review: Baaghi 3

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> A big film always comes with major expectations when it comes to music. Moreover, with Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor coming together for a film which is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, who has an ear for music, and directed by Ahmed Khan, who has been a choreographer for over two decades, it is a given that the music would turn out to be good. That said, as is the trend, most of the songs on <em>Baaghi 3 </em> are recreated versions and one waits to check out what does the soundtrack have to offer. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1082518 size-full" title="Music Review Baaghi 3" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Music-Review-Baaghi-3.jpg" alt="Music Review Baaghi 3" width="720" height="405" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> <em>Baaghi 3</em> kick-starts on a 'dhamakedaar' note as Vishal-Shekhar recreate their own chartbuster hit '<strong>Dus Bahane 2.0</strong>'. In the times when this is a job done by those who specialize in recreating hit songs of others, it is a pleasant surprise to see Vishal-Shekhar picking this up and doing complete justice to this Panchhi Jalonvi written track. While the beats are all there and the hook is thrilling as ever, one can well see the kind of maturity that comes on display with the experienced composers doing it themselves with singers KK, Shaan &amp; Tulsi Kumar. Well, this is where the originality around original composers recreating their own songs stops as Tanishk Bagchi, the specialist, is roped in for Bappi Lahiri's <strong>'Bhankas'</strong>. A recreation of Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle's <strong>'Ek Ankh Marun To</strong>' from <em>Tohfa</em>, this song (which as originally written by Indeevar) is given a pacy treatment by Tanishk Bagchi with Dev Negi and Jonita Gandhi doing the job along with lyricist Shabbir Ahmed. An out and out massy number which is aimed for the single screen audiences, this one does the job. The song which is picturised for the single screen audiences and has a tone and mood which is multiplex oriented is Nikhita Gandhi rendered '<strong>Do You Love Me</strong>'. Originally written, composed and sung by Lebanese artist Rene Bendali, this one has Disha Patani sizzling it up for screen. Let the fact be stated that the recreated version is actually better than the original. Moreover, the hook of <strong>'Do You Love Me'</strong> is impressive too. However, somewhere the energy of the song could have been better as it could well have complimented Disha's striking presence on screen. There is good energy on display though when Pranaay composed <strong>'Get Ready to Fight'</strong> returns from where it left in <em>Baaghi 2</em> after being heard first in <em>Baaghi</em>. There is something truly thematic about this track that always works and it could well act as a motivational and inspiring piece as well which isn't restricted just to the play of the film. Written by Ginny Diwan and composed by Siddharth Basrur, this one fits in quite well as a part of the film's thrilling action packed narrative. Sachet Tandon sung <strong>'Faaslon Mein'</strong> is actually the first original number, which is created only for <em>Baaghi 3</em>, to arrive in the soundtrack. Written by Shabbir Ahmed, this love song could well have managed to cover some sort of distance had it been released earlier and promoted more aggressively. In fact this Sachet-Parampara song has a melodic base to it and could well have found more popularity had it been a part of a romantic drama like<em> Kabir Singh</em> instead. Last to arrive is <strong>'Tujhe Rab Mana</strong>' which is about the bond between two brothers (played by Tiger Shroff and Riteish Deshmukh). This one features right at the beginning of the film and is inspired by<strong> 'Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahan'</strong> that was heard in Amitabh Bachchan's <em>Yaarana</em>. However, the buck stops at the hook line as the rest of the song has an entirely different tonality set by composer Rochak Kohli with new lyrics by Gurpreet Saini and Gautam G Sharma. It is good to hear Shaan in a new song here, though he did set the tone with '<strong>Dus Bahane 2.0</strong>' earlier on. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Baaghi 3</em> works for the 'masala' genre of the film. Though a couple of songs could have done better with added pace, tried and tested numbers like <strong>'Dus Bahane 2.0'</strong>, '<strong>Get Ready to Fight'</strong> and <strong>'Bhankas'</strong> make up for that.<strong> </strong> <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> 'Dus Bahane 2.0', 'Get Ready to Fight', 'Bhankas'




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Coronavirus Outbreak: After losing job, youth cycles 2,000 km over seven days to reach Odisha

On April 9, Odisha became the first state to extend the 21-day nationwide lockdown in the state till April 30. But two days before the extended lockdown was announced, a 20-year-old youth from Odisha, who was working in Maharashtra's Sangli district before the lockdown returned to his state after cycling for around 2,000 km.

The 20-year-old youth identified as Mahesh Jena left Sangli on April 1 and reached Odisha on April 7 after he cycled around 2,000 km for seven days. Jena took the bold decision when the factory where he worked was closed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the global pandemic.

While speaking to Hindustan Times Jena said, "When the factory was closed we were told that it would not reopen for the next five months. I figured out that if I continued to stay then I would run out of money quickly. So the only option was leaving the place at any cost."

In order to reach Odisha, Jena bought a bicycle for Rs 1200 and spent another Rs 500 to replace its tyre and tube. Jena, who began his journey on April 1 at 4.30 a said that his original plan was to reach his village in 15 days.

Talking about his journey he said, "When I started, I did not want to stop, I rode during the daytime and carried on till 12 in the night. I would then look for a temple or roadside dhaba to sleep." During his journey, Jena ate at roadside dhabas and at places where local police or NGOs would offer free food. During the journey, Jena not only replaced his cycle tyres but his phone was also conked off.

Speaking about how he planned to reach Odisha Jena said, "When I first arrived in Sangli along with my village friend 7 months ago, I had hazy idea about the route. On April 1 when I started from Sangli, I thought I could cover about 120-130 km a day on the cycle and reach home. But when I started, I did not want to stop, I rode during the daytime and carried on till 12 in the night. I would then look for a temple or roadside dhaba to sleep off."

Upon reaching Sholapur, Jena rode towards Hyderabad and then towards Vijayawada. Post which he rode his bicycke to Vishakhapatnam and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh before entering Odisha at Ganjam. From Ganjam he then cycled to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and finally Jajpur on April 7 evening.

Upon reaching Jajpur on April 7, Jena was stopped by the police at a check post installed where the police personnel stopped outsiders from entering the district. Talking about Jena, police inspector Ashish Kumar Sahu said, "With a rucksack on his back, he was cycling. After lockdown was announced, the factory in Maharashtra where he worked as a daily labourer was closed leaving him and several others in great misery. He somehow managed to get a rickety bicycle from a local there and started cycling to his home in Odisha."

Following lockdown procedures, Jena was first screened at the district headquarters hospital where he was found without any COVID-19 symptoms. Post which he was sent to a government quarantine centre, where he would be kept in isolation for 14 days.

"I was worried about being picked up by police during my journey. I was stopped twice by police on Andhra-Maharashtra border and Andhra-Odisha border, but I was allowed to go,"recalls Jena, who was stopped by the police on two occasions.

The 20-year-old migrant worker has spent over seven days at the quarantine facility. Speaking about his time at the quarantine centre, Jena said that the meal which comprised of rice and a boiled curry of lentil and vegetables was getting too boring for him. Speaking about the food, he stated, "How long can you eat the same food twice a day? After I am discharged from the quarantine centre, I plan to go back home and have a nice meal. Once the factories reopen, I would again go back."

Lauding the youngster on his inspiring journey, Odisha's Jajpur block development officer Sourav Chakraborty said that it was incredible the way he cycled to his home. "His journey would make a very good script for a movie."

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Night shelters in Nagpur provide skill development opportunities to homeless

To ensure that the labourers and migrant workers can earn a livelihood once the lockdown is over, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation has started an initiative to introduce skill-based training among beggars and the homeless in the city. Tukaram Mundhe, Nagpur Municipal Cooperation Commissioner said, "After the lockdown was announced, we shifted the homeless and beggars to shelter homes and providing them with food, accommodation and other facilities."

With about 19 shelter homes around the cities accommodating close to 1,500-2,000 people, the commissioner said they are being provided with some skill development activities apart from having basic amenities. "We have also introduced skill development programmes for them. In the long run, we intend to take up the eradication of beggary program in Nagpur by providing them skills so that they can get employed," Mundhe said.

"We are also giving them a makeover as we are providing them skill-based training so that they can earn their livelihood once the lockdown ends," said Manish Soni, Public Relations Officer, NMC.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2,916 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state, out of which 295 patients have recovered and 187 patients have succumbed to the virus.

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Nearly 30 per cent Coronavirus cases linked to Tablighi event, says Union health ministry

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday said 4,291 or about 30 per cent of the Coronavirus cases in the country have been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi. In Delhi, 63 per cent of the reported 1,707 cases are linked to the same gathering.

The total number of confirmed cases in India is 14,792. So far, 488 people have succumbed to the disease. The mortality rate of COVID-19 is 3.3 per cent. Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary Health Ministry, said that 4,291 cases are epidemiologically linked to the Nizamuddin Markaz event. "These cases are spread across 23 states and Union Territories, which include most of the high-degree burden cases. There are 84 per cent cases in Tamil Nadu, 63 per cent in Delhi, 91 per cent in Assam, 61 per cent in Uttar Pradesh and 83 per cent in Andaman & Nicobar.

"If lockdown and social distancing norms are not followed, then the entire country would have to face the consequences," said Agarwal. He also added that 47 districts in 23 states have shown positive trends in the fight against the outbreak in the country. "One district each in Puducherry and Karnataka has not reported a positive case yet. Along with this, 22 new districts, split across various states, have also not reported new cases in the last 14 days," added Agarwal.

Probe in Tablighi funding
The role of money exchanger RM & RM Associates based in Delhi's Nizamuddin and a chartered accountant working with Tablighi Jamaat is being scrutinised by Crime Branch sleuths of Delhi Police to ascertain foreign remittance received by the Jamaat, a senior IPS officer said.

The role of RM & RM Associates was flagged by senior police officers in the case against Tablighi Jamaat. Deputy Commissioner of Police Joy Tirkey has been directed to probe the financial aspects in the case. Senior officers have issued directions to Tirkey to question owners and employees of RM & RM Associates. "They should be thoroughly questioned about the amount of remittance received from foreign countries by the Tablighi Jamaat," the direction stated.

Medical supplies flown
The Centre on Saturday said that under the Lifeline Udan initiative, 274 flights have transported around 463.15 tonnes of medical supplies across the country till April 17. "About 274 flights have been operated under Lifeline Udan by Air India, Alliance Air, IAF and private carriers. Cargo transported till date is around 463.15 tonnes," the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said in a statement on Saturday.

GoM may enlist retired docs
A Group of Ministers' meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reviewed the situation in the wake of lockdown. The meeting examined suggestions received to enlist services of retired doctors and medical students in the final year of their graduation.

Plasma Therapy in Gujarat
After Kerala, Gujarat has become the second state to have started Convalescent Plasma Therapy from Saturday to treat patients. An oral nod from the concerned Central Government agencies has been obtained and the state has started the preparations to commence the treatment of patients in two of the Ahmedabad hospitals. Jayanti Ravi, principal secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Gujarat, said, "We have obtained the Drug Controller General of India's (DCGI) approval over phone."

Punjab cop succumbs
Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) Anil Kohli, who was posted in Ludhiana city, on Saturday succumbed to the virus. The 52-year-old officer was diagnosed positive on April 13. The officer was on ventilator in a private hospital in Ludhiana since April 11, Civil Surgeon Rajesh Bagga said.

In a first-of-its-kind clinical use of convalescent plasma therapy in the state, doctors on Saturday decided to try to cure him by using plasma of another young volunteer patient. Doctors said he died due to multiple organ failure.

Railways makes contactless cubicles for COVID-19 doctors in Karnataka

The South Western Railway (SWR) zone's Hubballi workshop has produced a contactless doctors' cubicle to treat patients without direct contact, an official said on Saturday. "SWR Hubballi workshop has come out with an innovative idea by creating contactless cubicles so that doctors checking suspected patients do not come in direct physical contact with them," a SWR spokesperson said in a statement. Looking like a telephone booth of yesteryears, the transparent cubicle will enable a doctor to put his hands out through two flexible glove-like protrusions to reach the patient.

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Coronavirus outbreak: COVID-19 crisis wake-up call for slum development policy, says Ratan Tata

Terming the Covid-19 crisis as a wake-up call, Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, on Monday slammed the housing policies under which slums are moved from one location to the another.

Speaking at a webinar, Tata said, "For the first time, the close proximity and low value structures that we have built are the cause of new problems. The last few months have taught us that we're suffering from close proximity".

"The corona issue is a wake-up call of what beholds us and what our concern is as it turns around us and holds us back. I think there should be a re-examination of what we consider to have acceptable standards in terms of quality of life. Perhaps there ought to be a revision in terms of the fact that we are dealing with communities, we're dealing with populations that need to be a part of new India," he underlined.

On the issue of slums being relocated, Ratan Tata said, "We just go to affordable housing, slum elimination. We're trying to remove slums by moving them to another location, high value housing is being put over there. Slums are the residue; we're building a vertical slum.

"For the first time, the close proximity, low value structures that we have built are the cause of new problems. The last few months have taught us that we're suffering from close proximity. We have the image we want to project of ourselves and there's a part we want to hide. We have social responsibilities as architects and builders."

He further said: "We are creating a community which we're ashamed of. We should be really driven by the desire of creating, it creates a world culture.

"I think the happenings of the last few months have should have been a wake-up call for us. We have been humbled to realise that a disease could run across the globe, totally changing the dimension of how we are and what we do."

"I think we have to consider this issue as being our problem, and not their problem. We need to concern ourselves with the quality of lives everywhere. We need to ask ourselves, are we ashamed of what we see or proud of what we see'. We need to consider urban communities as one," he said.

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IIT-Delhi develops COVID-19 test kit, gets ICMR's approval

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has developed a COVID-19 test kit, which has got the approval of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "We started working on it by the end of January and got it ready in three months. We wanted to contribute to affordable low-cost diagnostics that could be used in large numbers," V Perumal, Professor at IIT-Delhi, told ANI.

Perumal said that it is a swab testing kit. "Testing will be cheaper than all existing devices," he said, adding that the device is affordable for commercial production. ICMR had on Thursday approved detection assay for COVID-19, which has been developed by researchers at IIT-Delhi's Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS).

"The assay has been validated at the ICMR with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 per cent. This makes IIT-Delhi the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay," read a statement from IIT-Delhi.

This is the first probe-free assay for COVID-19 approved by the ICMR and it will be useful for specific and affordable high throughput testing. It can easily be scaled up as it does not require fluorescent probes. The team is targeting large-scale deployment of the kit at affordable prices with suitable industrial partners as soon as possible.

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Coronavirus Lockdown: Despite reprieve, salons, gyms, liquor shops to remain shut, says Home Ministry

New Delhi: On Saturday, the Home Ministry clarified that only standalone shops are being allowed to open as per the directive and that the order does not apply to Covid-19 containment zones or liquor stores. Then in further clarification, the government said that salons, barbershops, and restaurants will continue to be closed as the relaxation was given to "shops selling items".

The Ministry has cleared the air after initial confusion due to Friday night's MHA order. The clarification says, "In urban areas, all standalone/neighbourhood shops & shops in residential complexes are allowed to open. Shops in markets/market complexes & shopping malls are not allowed to open."

Here are all shops that can open:

1. All shops in residential areas and markets in the neighbourhood will open those sell items.

2. All shops that are registered under the Shops and Establishment Act of the respective State or the Union Territory, including those shops in residential complexes and market complexes, outside the municipal corporations and municipalities, will be allowed to open.

3. In urban areas, non-essential goods and services will be allowed to operate provided they are in residential areas or are a standalone shop. This essentially means a sweet shop too can function.

4. However, those shops in registered markets but outside municipal corporations and municipalities can open only with 50 per cent staff.

5. Shops that fall under rural and semi-rural areas and markets that are registered can open. In cities, only standalone shops and residential shops can open.

Meanwhile, the ministry also clarified that sales by e-commerce companies will continue to be restricted to essential goods only.

So, what all that can't be open?

1. No shops have been allowed to open in multi-brand or single brand malls, it had said. So, one can forget about their plans for a mall visit.

2. No movie theaters are being allowed to open.

3. lquor shops too will remain closed and the MHA has made it a point to stress on that.

3. Gyms and swimming pools too will be off-limit as they are areas where social distancing goes for a toss.

4. Markets with a cluster of shops like that of south Delhi's Khan Market too will remain shut.

5. Since they don't sell items but offer services, salons too will remain closed.

However, much of the final decision rests with respective state governments and UT administrations. But where they do allow these new reprieves, however conditionally, it will surely be a welcome change for a locked-down populace.

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COVID-19 Outbreak: No evidence that plasma therapy can be used for treatment, says Health Ministry

New Delhi: The Health Ministry on Tuesday said currently plasma therapy is at the experimental stage and there is no evidence yet to support that it can be used as a treatment for COVID-19.
Addressing a press briefing, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said currently there are no approved therapies for COVID-19 and there is not enough evidence to claim that plasma therapy can be used for the treatment of the disease.

"ICMR has launched a national-level study to study the efficacy of plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID 19," he said.

"Till ICMR concludes its study and a robust scientific proof is available, plasma therapy should be used only for research or trial purpose. If plasma therapy is not used in a proper manner under proper guidelines, then it can also cause life-threatening complications," said Agarwal.

The official said that the doubling rate of coronavirus cases now stands at 10.2 days.
He further said that in the last 24 hours, 1,543 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, taking the total cases to 29,435.

"6,868 COVID-19 patients, which is 23.3 per cent of total cases, have recovered so far," he added.

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'Congress never showed any inclination to stop corruption'

Hitting out at the Congress party, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that wilful defaulters were beneficiaries of 'phone banking' under the UPA regime and the Modi government is chasing them to recover the dues. She was responding to the opposition's allegations of loan waivers worth Rs 68,607 crore in the form of write-offs of top 50 wilful defaulters during the first half of the financial year ended March 2020. The Finance Minister, through a series of tweets posted late night on Tuesday, said that the Congress has attempted to mislead people, and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi should introspect why his party fails to play a constructive role in cleaning up the system. "Shri @RahulGandhi MP (LS) and Shri @rssurjewala spokesperson of @INCIndia have attempted to mislead people in a brazen manner.

Typical to @INCIndia, they resort to sensationalising facts by taking them out of context. In the following tweets wish to respond to the issues raised. "@INCIndia and Shri.@RahulGandhi should introspect why they fail to play a constructive role in cleaning up the system. Neither while in power, nor while in the opposition has the @INCIndia shown any commitment or inclination to stop corruption & cronyism," she said. Highlighting that between 2009-10 and 2013-14, scheduled commercial banks had written off Rs 1,45,226 crore, she quipped, 'Wished Gandhi consulted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on what this writing-off was about'. She also referred to media reports quoting former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan as having said that a large number of bad loans originated in the period 2006-2008 and "too many loans were made to well-connected promoters who have a history of defaulting on their loans".

"Those defaulters who do not repay despite having capacity to pay, divert or siphon-off funds, or dispose of secured assets without bank's permission are categorised as wilful defaulters. They are those well connected promoters who benefitted from UPA's `phone banking'," she added. In another tweet she said, "Earlier, on 18.11.2019, in the Lok Sabha for an unstarred Question no:52, a list of 'Borrowers flagged as wilful defaulter by Public Sector Banks under CRILIC (Central Repository of Information on Large Credits) reporting as on 30.09.2019 (For borrowers with exposure of Rs. 5 crore and above, Global operations) was provided."

Bank-wise details of aggregate funded amount outstanding and amount technically/prudentially written off pertaining to top 50 wilful defaulters was provided as an annex to the answer to Lok Sabha starred question 305 of Gandhi on March 16, 2020. However, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he had asked the government in Parliament the names of the top 50 bank loan defaulters, but the Finance Minister did not answer his question. "Now the RBI has given the names of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and many of BJP's ''friends'' in the list of bank frauds. That is why this truth was held back from Parliament," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Congress alleged the government waived loans worth Rs 6.66 lakh crore since 2014 till September 2019. Sitharaman said this is an attempt of Congress leaders to mislead on wilful defaulters, bad loans and write-offs. She emphasised that it is the Narendra Modi-led government which is pursuing cases against these wilful defaulters and 9,967 recovery suits, 3,515 FIRs, invoking of Fugitive Amendment Act in cases are on now. The total value of attachment and seizures in the cases of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya is about Rs 18,332.7 crore, she said. Sharing details, she tweeted: "Vijay Mallya Case: Total value at the time of attachment was Rs 8,040 crore and of seizure was Rs 1,693 crore. Value of shares at the time of seizure was Rs 1,693 crore. Declared fugitive offender. On extradition request by GoI, UK High Court, has also ruled for extradition."

In case of Mehul Choksi she said, "attachments of Rs 1,936.95 crore including foreign attachment of Rs 67.9 crore. Seizure of Rs 597.75 crore. Red Notice issued. Extradition request sent to Antigua. Hearing for declaration of Mehul Choksi as fugitive offender is in progress." On the Nirav Modi case, the Finance Minister said, "Immovable and movable properties worth more than Rs 2,387 crore attached/seized. (Attachment Rs 1,898 crore and Seizure Rs 489.75 crore). This includes foreign attachments of Rs 961.47 crore. Auction of luxury items for Rs 53.45 crore. He is in prison in the UK."

Provisions are made for non-performing assets (NPAs) as per the four-year provisioning cycle laid down by the RBI, she said, adding, upon full provisioning being done banks write-off the fully provided NPA but continue to pursue recovery against the borrower and no loan is waived off. On Tuesday, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala demanded answers from the Prime Minister on why their loans were waived. "This is a classic case of promoting ''dupe, deceive and depart'' policy of the Modi government, which can no longer be accepted and the prime minister has to answer," Surjewala said. He said the entire country is fighting the coronavirus and the government has no money to pay.

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ates, but has the money to condone and write off Rs 68,607 crore of bank loan defaulters.




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'Corona prevention measures not being followed in hotspots'

Central teams, which were tasked to check preparedness of districts with a high load of Coronavirus cases, found that infection prevention control practices were not properly followed in several hospitals raising concerns over safety of healthcare workers, official sources said.

Six high-level multi-disciplinary teams were constituted by the Union health ministry to assist and review state health departments for proper implementation of cluster containment plans for large outbreaks and check hospital preparedness for COVID-19. Teams comprising experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), AIIMS and ICMR among others visited states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, which have high case load districts. They visited the stated between second and third week of April.

"They have observed that infection prevention control practices were not being followed properly during sample collection and treatment of confirmed cases raising concerns over the possibility of healthcare workers getting infected and leading to further transmission," the sources said. They have recommended that such infection prevention control guidelines should be strictly followed in hospitals. Several healthcare workers have been infected by COVID-19 across the country. Asked about the number of infected healthcare personnel, an official said no such centralised data has been maintained.

No April, May pay for Spicejet staff

SpiceJet told its pilots that they will not be paid salaries for April and May, and said those who have been operating cargo flights will get paid for "block hours flown". SpiceJet's flight operations chief, Gurcharan Arora told pilots through an email that "as of today, 16 per cent of our aircraft and 20 per cent of our pilots are flying".

Jamaatis asked to donate plasma

Tablighi Jamaat members, who got cured of COVID-19, have been asked by their organisation to donate their plasma for treatment of other COVID-19-infected patients, a move that the outfit thinks will help it shed its "villain" tag. "Maulana Saad, in an open letter on April 21 has appealed them to donate their plasma to help others. The message has reached all the members," Maulana Anees Ahmad Nadvi, the manager of Tablighi Jamaat's Lucknow branch, told PTI on Wednesday.

Punjab extends lockdown; 10 held in Kolkata

. The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to issue an ordinance empowering it to deduct salaries of its employees to mobilise funds to fight COVID-19 in the state.

. The spread of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu is "largely under control" due to the implementation of various government guidelines, but the contagion is "easily" spreading in this city due to its large population, cm, K Palaniswami said.

. Nine new cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of infections in the state to 532, the health department said.

. Ten persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting policemen enforcing lockdown in the Coronavirus red zone of Howrah district last evening. According to a senior official of the Howrah police commissionerate, a total of 10 persons have been arrested and three cases under different sections of the IPC and other penal laws have been lodged against the accused.

. Punjab CM, Captain Amarinder Singh has announced to extend the curfew for two more weeks to check the spread of Coronavirus in the state.

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Raghuram Rajan tells Rahul Gandhi: India needs to be cleverer in lifting lockdown

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan on Thursday said that unemployment numbers are really worrying and India needs to be "cleverer" about lifting the lockdown. Rajan's remarks came during his interaction with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, via video conference, on the economic crisis due to ongoing lockdown which is scheduled to end on May 3. "The numbers are really worrying. If you look at CMIE, virtually another 100 million more people have been put out of work as a result of COVID. 50 million through unemployment and 60 million through leaving the labour force," he said while responding to Rahul's query that India has a high level of unemployment, that is now going to be massive.

"I think it says, we need to open up in a measured way but as fast as possible so that people start having jobs. We don't have the capacity to support people across the spectrum for too long. Being a relatively poor country, people start out with significantly lower reserves," he said. "But we have to be cleverer about opening up. Perhaps do mass testing. Take a mass sample, say 1000 samples and check in mass, if there is any sign of the virus in those mass samples. If you do find it, then go deeper into the sample and check who it might be. This way it would reduce the burden on our test infrastructure and can allow us to try and vet much more. We have to be cleverer since we simply cannot wait till we have that kind of testing," the economist said.

Rajan said that it is all too easy to cover a lockdown forever, but obviously that is unsustainable for the economy. On the opening of the economy, he said: "It has to be sequencing. First, places where you can maintain distancing. It is not just distancing in the workplaces, but also distancing to and fro, from the workplace."

"So, a lot of work needs to be done both on creating the structures, as well as ensuring that the workplace is relatively safe. As well as ensuring that if there are accidents, if there are fresh cases, how do we isolate quickly without having to go to a second or a third lockdown? Those will be devastating if we have to go there," he added.

When asked about finances of the agricultural sector and the workers, migrant workers, Rajan said that the government should to find ways of getting both money as well as food through PDS to as many of these people.

"This is where the efforts we have made in Direct benefits transfer (DBT) need to be realised at this point. All the ways we transfer to relatively poor people, we need to take a call on that. We have different ways of accessing - through widow pensions, MGNREGA Rolls. And we need to say that look these are people who don't have a job, who don't have a livelihood and for the next 3-4 months while the uncertainty is on, we are going to support them," he said.

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'We never spoke about charging migrant workers'

The government has not talked about charging anything from migrant labourers as 85 per cent of the transportation cost is borne by the railways and 15 per cent by state governments, the Centre said on Monday amid a row over the national transporter allegedly charging the workers for ferrying them home during the COVID-19-induced lockdown. The government also said the process of transporting the stranded migrant labourers was being coordinated by states "except for one or two states".

Asked if the migrant labourers were being charged for being ferried home, Joint Secretary at the Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal said that as far as migrant labourers are concerned, the guidelines have clearly stated that under the infectious disease management one should stay where he or she is.

"Based on the request given from states for particular cases, permission was given to run special trains. Be it government of India or the Railways, we have not talked about charging from workers. Eighty-five per cent of the transportation cost is borne by the Railways, while states have to bear 15 per cent of the cost," he told the media.

At the daily briefing on the COVID-19 situation, Agarwal also said that in the last 24 hours, 1,074 COVID-19 patients have recovered, the highest number of recoveries in one day. The recovery rate stands at 27.52 per cent with 11,706 COVID-19 patients cured till now, he said. Agarwal said in the last 24 hours, 2,553 Novel Coronavirus cases were reported, taking the number of overall cases to 42,533.

India on its way back to normalcy

. Life was limping back to normalcy in most parts of Karnataka with easing of COVID-19- induced restrictions on Monday as the state headed into the third phase of lockdown started since March 24.

. West Bengal has the highest mortality rate in the country at 12.8 per cent, Inter Ministerial Central Team leader Apoorva Chandra wrote in his final observations to state Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, before leaving for Delhi on Monday.

. Electricians, plumbers, part-time house helps and other workers took tentative steps back to work on Monday as large parts of India, including the national capital, entered the third phase of the lockdown with curbs eased in some places.

. Kerala on Monday opened its borders at six places for Keralites stranded in other states due to the COVID-19 lockdown to return to their native place. The government through an order issued earlier had designated six entry points for receiving the stranded persons from other states to enter Kerala.

Migrants pelt stones at cops in Gujarat

Hundreds of migrant workers seeking to return home clashed with the police and pelted stones at them near a village in Gujarat's Surat district on Monday, following which the security personnel lobbed teargas shells and baton-charged the agitated workers, an official said. Besides, several labourers also came out on a road in Rajkot demanding that they be sent back to their hometowns, while some migrant workers got their heads tonsured in an area of Surat after being unable to go back home.

Section 144 extended in Noida area

The Noida district administration has extended Section 144 of the CrPC till May 17 in Gautam Buddha Nagar, with relaxations in the lockdown subject to certain restrictions. The police shared some information on the relaxations through tweets. A notification was issued by Gautam Buddh Nagar Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ashutosh Dwivedi, stating that "the home ministry has issued detailed guidelines to prevent spread of Coronavirus.

BSF hdqs sealed after staff tests positive

Two floors of the BSF headquarters in Delhi have been sealed after a staff member was tested positive for COVID-19, officials said. The eight-storeyed BSF head office is located in the CGOs complex on Lodhi road that also houses the CRPF headquarters. "A head constable of the BSF working in the force headquarters has been found COVID-19 positive," a BSF spokesperson said on Monday.

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Here's why Ruby Rose believes that the 'Batsuit' is made for her

While Superheroes have always been a favourite amongst the audience, new age female superheroes have earned much praise from viewers in recent times creating a humongous fan base. Be it Captain Marvel, The Wasp, Wonder Woman, Black Widow, or Batwoman, each of these crusaders flaunt a glorious suit bringing out imminent traits of their characters.

Gathering momentum on Indian television to become one of the highest-rated shows on TV, the premiere season of Batwoman has become a fan favourite. Speaking about wearing the majestic Batsuit for the first time, Ruby Rose said, "I still remember putting it on for the first time with Colleen, who is magnificent at what she does, and it's just a magical feeling. It's not like when you dress up for Halloween and sort of put something on. This thing has been like, within an inch of its life, it just fits me like a glove."

Further speaking about filming while wearing the Batwoman attire, Ruby Rose mentions, "Every single part of it has been designed for my body. So, I feel it moves with me, and I move with it, and it feels like a second skin for the most part, and, yes, it's an incredible feeling. You feel the transformation, unlike any costume I've ever put on in any role in my life. It's just very difficult to pee in, that's all."

With the responsibility that comes with portraying a phenomenon like Batwoman on the silver screen, Ruby Rose excels in breathing life into the character of this superhero. The story of Batwoman continues to unfold with its premiere season currently being aired in India, exclusively on Colors Infinity.

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Chris Hemsworth reveals he felt 'suffocated' by his Hollywood career

Australian actor Chris Hemsworth recently revealed what made him move back to Australia and spoke of the time when he felt "suffocated" in Hollywood. According to Fox News, the 36-year-old star in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph opened up about what made him move back from California to his native Australia.

The 'Avengers: Endgame' star said, "When you're suffocated by the work, every conversation that you're having and every billboard you're seeing is to do with a movie or whatever around the industry. You lose perspective."

Hemsworth, packed up and moved back to Australia with his wife Elsa, daughter 7-year-old daughter India and twin six-year-old boys Tristan and Sasha.

The actor said, "There's not a single person [in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia] that I interact with, or close friends of mine, that are really in the industry and so that's hugely refreshing. It's great for my kids and my wife."

The star also shared that with a number of high-profile projects under his belt including 'Ghostbusters,' 'Men in Black: International' and the Marvel franchise to name a few, Hemsworth said that he is ready for things to slow down for a bit.

The actor noted, "I just want to stop for a while. I need to be home for a minute. Just enjoy. It all flies by."

Previously, Hemsworth spoke with OK! magazine about his struggles living in Hollywood, and noted that while living there, "you just kind of lose touch with reality."

The 'Thor' shared of living in Australia, "It's nice to be a part of a community that doesn't live and breathe that world."

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Extraction Movie Review: Scriptless set-piece stunner!

Extraction
On: Netflix
Director: Sam Hargrave
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Randeep Hooda
Rating: 

Takes a bit of an insider to know exactly how Bombay beat-cops randomly harass young adults milling around, minding their own business, outside clubs/bars past midnight — as if that's the biggest crime in town.

That scene, so representative of the city's dying night life, occurs rather early on in Extraction. By the look of it, it is shot in Bombay — set in a lane that could easily pass off for back-alley of what used to be Elbo (and is now Glass) Room in Bandra.

Only that this is a proper, hardcore Hollywood production, directed by a first-timer (Sam Hargrave) who, until this shoot, had probably never been to India. The hero, Australian-born Chris Hemsworth, tops the world's highest paid actors' lists, and is widely adjudged 'world's sexiest man alive' in the western press. The script — or rather the lack of it (sadly) — is written by Joe of the Russo Brothers — their last film as directors being Avengers: Endgame (naam toh suna hoga!).

Up until that point in the film I speak of (above), the dialogues in Extraction are mainly in Hindi. This carries on for long passages in the picture thereafter; including a whole lot of Bengali, as the action in the film altogether, ostensibly, shifts to Dhaka.

What's there not to be pleasantly gob-smacked by all this shudh 'desiness' going on in a thoroughbred global stunt-actioner? But I speak too soon. For, the moment those fellows in police uniform approach a few kids outside a Bombay bar, one of the boys in the group is abducted, others shot at. And the thriller cuts to such a frantic chase, that all there's left to it are a series of set-pieces, involving grenades, gun-fires and mortal combat.

No issues with that, of course. Just that this is so much of a (critic-proof) genre film, it seems the filmmakers couldn't care two hoots about every moment from thereon — flowing as generically as the audiences would ever imagine them to.

But for the setting, obviously. Which, truth be told, is essentially a white man's gaze at what a rat-hole the size of hell would look like, with the military and ragtag militias being one and the same thing. Guns going off on streets all day, people flocking and flopping like packs of sardines or lemmings off cliffs. This is supposed to be Bangladesh on any given day. Though, am told this was shot in Ahmedabad.

Watch the trailer of Extraction trailer here

Recalling how some Indians outraged over poverty-porn in Slumdog Millionaire, as if Danny Boyle had built a set to defame Bombay (he hadn't; it was what it was) — desis should take mass offence at the portrayal of Dhaka. Relax, that's a joke; suggesting no such thing! This is a frickin' movie. Watch it for that — just as others will.

What you'll appreciate then is the sort of fire-power and raw energy that laces this dusty stunner throughout. For its setting, this is probably a Rohit Shetty actioner to the power 10, in terms of gritty realism. And maybe there's a template in it somewhere for something desi in the Fast and Furious space.

Basically, Sam Hargrave has come into direction after a heavy body of work as stunt coordinator in Hollywood. A story-line may not artistically be his strongest point. But hell yeah, he knows a thing or two about action.

As does Hemsworth — a one-man army, running around here with a loaded arms factory, ensuring bang for the buck. Speaking of which, ideally, this Netflix film would've been best enjoyed in a theatre. This must also be said for the relatively under-rated, but much superior Netflix thriller, Triple Frontier (2019). That was about a huge robbery, involving a Colombian drug-lord, gone bizarre. This one involves Hemsworth's character being hired to 'extract' or rescue the abducted son of 'Bombay's Escobar', who's been kidnapped by 'Dhaka's Escobar' (accha!). Besides the entire city of Dhaka, along with all exit routes closed, Hemsworth has to also take on the Indian don's henchman — for reasons that should only be unlocked by viewers.

Randeep Hooda plays this feisty antagonist — full-on kicking ass, firing on all cylinders, opposite Hemsworth, no less — in Steven Seagal hairdo from the '80s. That's where this film deliberately belongs, too. Pankaj Tripathi is the Indian don, Ovi Mahajan Sr. His missing son is named, Ovi Mahajan Jr (kuch bhi!). Young Priyanshu Painyuli — the super-fine 'find' from the film Bhavesh Joshi Superhero — is the Bangladeshi don.

But for so much delightful desiness in this grand deadliness, would one have even watched this flick with such keen eyes? Let alone responded to it in so many words? Good question.

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Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson offer blood to help develop vaccine for Coronavirus

Covid-19 survivors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have offered their blood to help develop a vaccine for coronavirus. In early March, the couple had tested positive for Covid-19 while in Australia. They returned home to Los Angeles at the end of March after recovering.

Hanks said on a podcast last week that he and Wilson volunteered to donate their blood and plasma for coronavirus research, reports variety.com.

"A lot of the questions (are) what do we do now? Is there something we can do? And, in fact, we just found out that we do carry the antibodies," he said. "We have not only been approached, we have said, aDo you want our blood? Can we give plasma?'"

The actor also said that he had a name ready if a coronavirus vaccine is made from his blood donation. "In fact, we will be giving it now to the places that hope to work on what I would like to call the 'Hank-ccine'," he said.

Hanks also said that he and Wilson are feeling "just fine" and "dandy" after their bout with the virus.

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Hollywood filmmakers Colin Trevorrow and Ava DuVernay condole Irrfan Khan's demise

Late actor Irrfan Khan not only proved his acting mettle in Bollywood but has also left a mark over Hollywood cinema with his class-apart acting skills. Several Hollywood filmmakers on Wednesday paid tribute to the legendary actor and mourned the loss.

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow took to Twitter and expressed his grief over Irrfan's demise. "Deeply sad to have lost #IrrfanKhan. A thoughtful man who found beauty in the world around him, even in pain. In our last correspondence, he asked me to remember "the wonderful aspects of our existence" in the darkest of days. Here he is, laughing," he wrote.

Have a look right here: 

American filmmaker Ava DuVernay also paid tribute to the late actor. "A grateful fan of #IrrfanKhan here. Gone too soon. When he is on screen, you can't take your eyes off of him. He lives on in his films," she said in a tweet. Take a look:

Irrfan appeared in several international films such as Jurassic World, Inferno, Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire and others, over the years.

The actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Khan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

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Chris Evans joins Instagram for a cause

"Captain America" star Chris Evans has finally joined Instagram to raise funds for the fight against the novel coronavirus. Evans made his debut on the photo-sharing website on May 1 and shared that he is taking part in the All In Challenge, launched to help raise money to fight hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In his debut video Evan says: "A virtual hangout with me and five of my closest friends." He was referring to his "Avengers" co-stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner.

"We can do a private Q&A. You can ask us anything. We'll spill the beans. And then maybe some games."

Evans feels the cause should encourage fans to join in. "This is a great cause. This helps people who are in need during this COVID nightmare. So I am very happy to be doing this."

He then passed the challenge to fellow Marvel star friends, Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie, as well as "Pose" star Billy Porter.

The actor's challenge page shared details that the offer of hanging out goes to one lucky winner and two friends.

"100 per cent of the money raised through this Game/Auction will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry," read his statement.

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Tom Hardy's drastic transformation for Capone revealed in new photo

Actor Tom Hardy, 42, had to havily work on his look in order to play gangster Al Capone in the upcoming biopic "Capone", as revealed in a new behind-the-scenes photo.

Photographer Greg Williams shared a new behind-the-scenes photo of Hardy that shows his transformation to play an aging Capone after an extensive make-up process, reports dailymail.co.uk.

 
 
 
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Capone May 12 Chasing Fonzo ♠ï¸ÂðŸ”¥

A post shared by Tom Hardy (@tomhardy) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:12pm PDT

Hardy also took to Instagram to share the new poster for "Capone", which will release digitally on May 12.

Williams also praised the "amazing make-up" by Audrey Doyle, who served as the make-up and prosthetics designer to Hardy on the movie.

Capone was 48 years old when he died in Palm Island, Florida in January 1947, so the make-up aged the 42-year-old actor slightly for the role.

"Capone" follows the last year of the mobster's life, as he settles down in Florida after spending 10 years behind bars.

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Kevin Spacey speaks out for 1st time after sexual assault charges

Disgraced Hollywood star Kevin Spacey has opened about how sexual assault allegations meant "my job, many of my relationships were all gone in a matter of hours". The 60-year-old described his "painful" journey three years after he was accused of assault by a string of men in 2017 and said he could relate to workers who've being laid off during the coronavirus pandemic, reports dailymail.co.uk.

"I don't think it will come as a surprise for anyone to say that my world completely changed in the fall of 2017. My job, many of my relationships, my standing in my own industry were all gone in just a matter of hours," Spacey said during a podcast. He was dropped from the "House Of Cards" show after allegations surfaced.

He has mostly kept a low profile since the slew of sexual assault claims first came up. He has always denied the claims. He was also removed from the completed movie "All The Money in the World", which was reshot with actor Christopher Plummer.

Spacey was asked during the podcast to reflect on the current coronavirus pandemic causing global and widespread devastation. The actor, who has not appeared in a professional movie or series since the accusations were made, said: "I don't often like to tell people that I can relate to their situation because I think it undermines the experience that they may be having which is their own unique and very personal experience."

Spacey added: "But in this instance I feel as though I can relate to what it feels like to have your world suddenly stop. And so while we may have found ourselves in similar situations, albeit for very different reasons and circumstances, I still believe that some of the emotional struggles are very much the same.

"And so I do have empathy for what it feels like to suddenly be told that you can't go back to work or that you might lose your job and that it's a situation that you have absolutely no control over."

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Lady Gaga reveals new release date for 'Chromatica'

Singer Lady Gaga on Wednesday said that her latest album 'Chromatica' will be out on May 29, nearly a month after announcing its postponement due to coronavirus outbreak.

The 34-year-old singer took to Twitter to make the announcement with regard to her sixth studio album. "The journey continues. You can officially join me on #Chromatica on May 29," she tweeted.

The original release date of the album was April 10. Earlier in March, the 'Shallow' singer had announced that she is postponing the release of the much-awaited album as she felt that it's not right to release it at a time when the world is fighting against a pandemic.

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Julie Andrews on evading casting couch in Hollywood

Veteran Hollywood actress Julie Andrews says having children and being married to late filmmaker Blake Edwards protected her from the casting couch early in her career. "I was certainly aware of tales about the casting couch," theguardian.com quoted Andrews as saying.

"But I was so busy working and raising my kids and being married to Blake Edwards eventually, it was an extremely busy life, and to a certain extent that put a protective fence around me, I think," she added. It was in 1964 when she got her big break in Hollywood with the role of Mary Poppins. Andrews got married to Edwards in 1969. In the 1970s, the couple adopted two daughters -- Amy in 1974 and Joanna in 1975.

Andrews was born as Julia Wells in Surrey in 1935. Her father was a "gentle and adoring" man Ted Wells and mother Barbara Morris was erratic. When she was young, her parents split up. Andrews went on to live with her mother and step-father Ted Andrews -- who was not only an alcoholic but also tried to get into Andrews' bed two times, as mentioned in the piece.

Asked if her desire to adopt children stemmed from her turbulent childhood, Andrews said: "I think it had more to do with -- well, you know, I was just a working girl in my teens, travelling around England, singing my heart out, learning my craft. But once I got to Broadway and Hollywood, the films drew me into that particular work, and I found that it was what I wanted to embrace, because it was giving me so much pleasure."

"Those movies led me into this concern for kids, and I think probably subliminally I was trying to give them as good a feeling as I could. I have no idea if that comes from my own childhood. It was just the way I stumbled forward in the world. Does that make sense? I hope it does," added the actress, who was referring to iconic films "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound Of Music".

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Never Have I Ever, Sex Education, Elite: Teen series to watch on Netflix

Teenage days are never coming back! If you are out of your teens, you'll be surely reminiscing the old gold days. If you've grown up watching Beverly Hills, 90210, Dawson's Creek, Everything Sucks, That 70s Show, Gossip Girl, you'll surely relate to what you are about to read. Netflix has a wide range of teen shows, and as the lockdown continues, we still have time to watch some more and complete the list. Check them out.

Never Have I Ever:

A coming of age comedy-drama television series by Netflix, Never have I Ever, starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is created by none other than The Mindy Project actress, Mindy Kaling, along with Lang Fisher. Partially based on Kaling's growing up years in the Boston area, the show shares the story of an Indian American high school student dealing with the death of her father and other teen issues.

Sex Education:

Oh, man! Where do we start with this one? It's a goldmine for all the teen drama. In this British comedy-drama, Sex Education talks about growing up and difficulties faced by high-school kids. Be it physical, emotional or psychological, Sex Education gives a panoramic view of the no-more-kids, not-yet-adults stage of the students. It stars Asa Butterfield as a socially awkward teenager who finds it difficult to adjust in the everyday changing lifestyle of the high-school kid.

Elite:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Élite (@elitenetflix) onMar 25, 2020 at 9:59am PDT

If you follow Money Heist, you won't get bored watching Rio and Denver in this one too! Elite is a Spanish thriller teen drama web television series, set in Las Encinas, a fictional elite secondary school. Elite revolves around the relationships between three working-class teenage students enrolled at the school through a scholarship and their wealthy classmates. Things turn dirty with every episode and reveal how wealth is used to manipulate the future of teenagers.

Riverdale:

 
 
 
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There's no place like Pop's. Stream the season finale free, link in bio. #Riverdale

A post shared by Riverdale (@thecwriverdale) onMay 8, 2020 at 5:30pm PDT

If you think Gossip Girls is dramatic, wait until you binge-watch this one! Based on the characters of the popular Archies comics, Riverdale screams high-school drama. There's a cool guy, who has the most popular girl in town as his girlfriend, and then comes along a string of events that turn the lives of the teens living in Riverdale upside down.

The End Of The F***ing World:

 
 
 
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A post shared by The End of the F***ing World (@teotfw) onNov 5, 2019 at 4:07am PST

The End of the F***ing World is so dark it will make you weep to look at the miserable lives of the characters before you go to sleep. If you aren't an ardent fan of dark humour, abort mission! Well, many aren't aware that this one is based on a graphic novel of the same name created by Charles Forsman. The programme follows James (Alex Lawther), a 17-year-old who believes himself to be a psychopath after a series of incidents occur in his life after his mom's death. Alyssa (Jessica Barden), is shown as an angry classmate who has profound parenting issues ever since her childhood. James and Alyssa are connected in the weirdest way possible, and the entire show speaks about their escape from their tumultuous home life. 

Entertaining much?

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Teacher advises girl not to date student; gets threatened with revolver

Pune: A 18-year-old student along with his three friends on Saturday threatened a tuition teacher with a revolver for advising a girl to not to go out with him. The Boisar police arrested the youth and his accomplice and confiscated three country-made revolver and ten bullets.

According to Hindustan Times, the alleged incident occurred in Boisar, where the accused identified as Manish Tiwari, a college student, threatened his tuition teacher Ranbir Paswan with country-made pistols. The four accused studies English in Paswan's tuition.

The alleged incident occurred after Tiwari reportedly asked the girl, who also studies in the same tuition, out for Dahanu beach. The girl then complained to Paswan about the incident, to which he suggested to ignore Tiwari and concentrate on her studies.

When Tiwari learned about Paswan's advice to the girl, he and his three friends went to Paswan's class the same evening and threatened him with country-made pistols saying that he would kill him if he did not let the girl go out with him, said the spokesperson of the Palghar police, Hemant Katkar.

Following the incident, Paswan approached the Boisar police station and registered a complaint against Tiwari and his accomplices.

Acting on the complaint, some police personnel was sent to the class in civil clothes. When the accused returned to the class, the police caught the accused and his allies. Three country-made revolvers and ten bullets were confiscated from them.

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The article has been sourced from a third-party source and Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. All information provided in this article is for informational purposes only.





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Elections 2019: Twenty-seven members of Pune family vote together

The motto of the Bhosale family from Pune's Rasta Peth area can be described as `the family that votes together, stays together'. Continuing a tradition, 27 members of the family voted in the Lok Sabha election Tuesday.

While the eldest among them was 95-year-old Parvatibai Bhosale, the youngest was her 26-year-old grandson Niranjan. The family lives in a 'waada', a specimen of old-style architecture for which Pune was once famous. They walked to the nearby polling centre in a procession Tuesday morning.

"We are six brothers, and ours is a joint family. In every election we step out together and exercise our franchise," said 60-year-old Jaysingh Bhosale, himself a former corporator. For the last few days, they were also creating awareness about importance of voting in their neighbourhood, he said.

"The eldest voter in our family is our mother, who is 95 years old. Despite being wheelchair-bound, she makes sure that she casts vote in every election," he said. Parvatibai told PTI that she would be happy if people were inspired by her family and went out and voted. The BJP's Girish Bapat, a state minister, is pitted against Congress' Mohan Joshi in Pune.

An average 46.28 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm in 14 seats of Maharashtra where polling for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections was underway on Tuesday, an official said. Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside several booths.

The Kolhapur Lok Sabha constituency recorded 54.27 per cent voting till 3 pm, followed by Hatkanangale, where there was 52.27 per cent polling, according to the state election office.

The voting figures in other constituencies are as follows: Jalgaon-42.62 per cent, Raver-46.04 per cent, Jalna-49.4 per cent, Aurangabad-47.36 per cent, Raigad-47.97 per cent, Pune-36.29 per cent, Baramati-45.35 per cent, Ahmednagar-45.65 per cent, Madha-44.13 per cent, Sangli- 46.64 per cent, Satara-44.77 per cent and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg- 47.18 per cent.

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Taapsee Pannu reveals she is enjoying her stay at home, keeps sitting at her favourite corners

For many of us, this lock-down is turning out to be the longest break we've ever taken, from going out, or going anywhere for that matter. And for actors, it is a break with no 'work from home' which they are spending with family and loved ones. Taapsee Pannu is also making the most of it in her Mumbai house, along with sister Shagun Pannu.

Speaking to a leading daily, Taapsee opened up on how actors work so hard to have a house of their own but would barely have any time to spend there as they were always traveling for work. She added that she was reveling in her uninterrupted free time and would just sit at her favourite corners of the house.

Several cities including Mumbai and Taapsee's hometown Delhi, where her parents live, come under the red zone. However, the actor says she is relieved that her parents do not live around the hotspot zones, since they both are above 60 years in age and needed to be careful. She went on to add that her parents, one retired and another a house wife, did not go out much and hence weren't very severely affected by the lock-down.

Taapsee will be next seen in Akshay Kumar starrer Rashmi Rocket and Aanand L Rai's Haseen Dillruba.




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Kirti Kulhari posts a bikini-clad picture, says every body is bikini body

Kirti Kulhari has wooed us with her performance in films like Pink and Mission Mangal, her recent performance was the season two of Four More Shots, a web show. The actress has always encouraged people to love themselves as they are and does not hesitate is shattering the body shaming practices.

She posted a picture donning a multi-coloured bikini and the caption will surely make you love yourself a little more. She says that anyone who choses to wear a bikini has a bikini body. Making more space for positivity, needless to say, Kirti Kulhari's words are going to lift your spirits high. Take a look at the picture.

On the work front, Kirti Kulhari has not announced her next project yet.

Also Read: Kirti Kulhari goes on a digital detox




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The voice of Rishi Kapoor, Shailendra Singh, reveals how his promising singing career ended

‘Main Shayar To Nahin’ in Bobby gave birth to two stars. Rishi Kapoor who lip-synced this timeless song and Shailendra Sing who actually sang the tune to eternal fame. Singh, now 67, living alone in blissful isolation, blames his own poor networking abilities to his short-lived stardom. “I don’t speak about my past glory and when my friend Chintu (Rishi Kapoor) passed away I saw that wonderful phase in my life when we both dazzled the world come to a closure,” says the affable singer when I coax him into an interview.

“I met him after he returned from his treatment, three months ago. He was his usual self, so full of life, sparkling with humour and warmth…Why does such a man leave us so quickly? We were almost the same age. I still remember a very young fair-skinned boy standing quietly in the studio when I was recording ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ for Raj Saab and Laxmikant-Pyarelalji. He didn’t say anything. Just kept observing, later he introduced himself as the hero of the film that I was singing for, says Shailendra fondly.

How did he, a newcomer, get such a prized singing assignment like Bobby? Shailendra sighs, “Even I wondered why, and how. I had nothing to do with the film fraternity. I lived in Pune and learnt classical Hindustani music from my Guru. Then suddenly one day I was told that Raj Kapoor Saab was looking for a fresh voice for his son, and why don’t I try for it?”

Shailendra “gave it a try” with no expectations. “How was I to know that Raj Saab would like my voice? At that time I had no idea what it was for, that Raj Saab was making a film called Bobby with his son Rishi Kapoor in the lead. Or that the composers were the great Laxmikant-Pyarelal and that my duets would be with the Singing Queen Lata Mangeshkarji. I knew none of this.”

Here came a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. “Laxmikant-Pyarelal wanted the voice of Mohd Rafi Saab for Chintu. But Raj Saab was adamant. It had to be a fresh new voice for Chintu. Aur bhala Raj Saab ki baat kaun taal sakta ttha? So there I was, being told by Laxmikantji to sing something, anything…And guess what I chose to sing for him? ‘Dekha Na Haye Re Socha Na Haye Re’ from Bombay To Goa. An R D Burman composition for Laxmikant-Pyarelal! I remember the very talented composer Rajesh Roshan played the congo as I sang for Laxmi-Pyareji. That was the song of my life ‘Dekha Na Haye Re Socha Na Haye Re’. I never cared about cultivating the right people in the film industry, or belonging to any camp.”

Thereafter a couple of significant incidents happened in the Kapoor parivar. “Daboo (Randhir Kapoor) got married. Raj Saab lost his father (Prithviraj Kapoor). Finally I recorded ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’. Everyone congratulated me. I was formally introduced to the film fraternity by Raj saab at a get-together. I remember Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Rajesh Khanna, R D Burman they were all there. My dream run had just begun. The duets with Lataji were yet to come, though she was there for my recording of ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’. I remember she introduced herself (as though I didn’t know who she was!), watched me sing and then left quietly. Soon I was singing ‘Hum Tum Ek Kamre Band Ho’ with her. The first of our three super hit duets in Bobby. She saw my nervousness and put me at ease. I became a lifelong fan. My day still starts with her song. By the way ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ was re-recorded. I had to do it a second time, though I thought I was better in the first version.”

Shailendra Singh reveals how his dream of becoming Rishi Kapoor’s permanent ghost voice were shattered. “I thought I’d be Chintu’s ghost-voice, just like Mukesh Saab for Raaj saab. Chintu of course believed in my voice. He would always recommend me. I sang two songs for him in his second film Zehreela Insaan. I was supposed to sing a third song ‘Oh Hanseeni’, which became the biggest hit of the film. Before I knew it, the song was taken away from me and given to Kishore Kumar Saab.”

An identical situation arose during Saagar. “I was told S P Balasubramaniamji would be Kamal Haasan’s voice. And I would be singing all the songs for Chintu. I recorded one song ‘Jaane Do Na’ with Ashaji for Saagar .It was used for the mahurat of the film. And then suddenly, all the other songs were sung by Kishore Kumar Saab. I don’t blame anyone for this sudden change. Kishoreda was a much bigger and better singer than me. I am happy to have got songs like ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ (Bobby), ‘Humne Tumko Dekha’ (Khel Khel Mein), ‘Sham Suhanee Aaye’ (Zinda Dil), ‘Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun’ (Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai), ‘Jaane Do Na’ (Saagar) and ‘Oh Meri Jaan’ (Manzil Manzil). The rest was all destiny.”

In 1994, Shailendra Singh was hospitalized for complication due to diabetes. “The talk in the industry was that I had a heart attack and that I had died. I didn’t die. But the rumours killed my career.”

Shailendra’s acting ambitions also came in the way of his singing career. “I played the lead in a couple of Hindi films Agreement opposite Rekhaji and Do Jasoos where I got to work with Raj Saab as an actor. Then I did guest appearances in two films with Bhaijaan (Mehmood) Ginny Aur Johnny and Naukar. I was very close to Bhaijaan. I also played the lead in a Bengali film Ajosro Dhanyobaad with Aparna Sen as my leading lady. I spoke all my dialogue in Bengali and sang all the songs…I soon realized acting wasn’t my forte. Singing was. And singing it shall remain. Even today no matter where I go at every concert the audiences go wild when I sing ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’. Incidentally Chintu returned to sing ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ in Kunal Kohli’s Hum Tum in my voice. It was a grand reunion. Now I will sing ‘Main Shayar Toh Nahin’ for Chintu when we meet again. ”

Also Read: Dimple Kapadia’s big Rishi Kapoor connection & little Irrfan Khan connection




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Sherlyn Chopra reveals the code filmmakers use to refer to the casting couch

Casting couch is a reality in the film industry and time and again some of the celebrities have shared their experience regarding the same. Sherlyn Chopra has also been on the receiving end of it.

Sherlyn Chopra in an interview with an entertainment portal revealed that at the initial stage of her career when she would approach filmmakers with her portfolio they would ask her to meet them for dinner at around 11 or 12 in the night. At first, Sherlyn said that she was clueless and took time to understand that filmmakers do not have a professional dinner in mind. She said that dinner means compromise for them.

Sherlyn said that once she understood the intentions of the filmmakers she would politely let them know that she was not interested. Sherlyn then started telling filmmakers who approached her with dinner that she does not have dinner and asked them to invite her for breakfast or lunch and they would never respond.

Sherlyn has acted in films such as Jawani Diwani: A Youthful Joyride, Dil Bole Hadippa! and Red Swastik.

ALSO READ: Ayushmann Khurrana recalls a casting couch incident from his early days in Bollywood




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EXCLUSIVE: Subhash Ghai reveals the plot of Khalnayak 2 with Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, and Jackie Shroff

Khalnayak is one of the most respected films made by Subhash Ghai, despite the controversies that revolved around it. From Sanjay Dutt’s arrest post shooting for the final scene to Madhuri Dixit’s famous song, ‘Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai’, there were a number of controversies that came to light. However, after the film released, it became a blockbuster and was even recognized internationally. Subhash Ghai, in an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, spoke about how he ideated the sequel of this film after Sanjay Dutt wrote to him from jail.

He said, “We’re working on Khalnayak 2 from the past 2-3 years now. Sanjay Dutt has always been a dear friend of mine and even when he was in jail, he used to write to me. So, in those letters, he would always write to me saying that whenever he entertains here, they hand him the mic and ask him to sing as well. The most famous song there was ‘Nayak Nahi Khalnayak Hu Main’, and Khalnayak was a very popular film there and they loved him for the character Ballu Balram, so why don’t we make a sequel for it?”

He further continued and said, “So, he wrote it to me in a letter and that’s when I thought that it’s possible to make a sequel. It would revolve around Ballu Balram returning from jail after completing his sentence and then he would come across Madhuri Dixit and Jackie Shroff’s characters that have gotten married and have kids. Then I narrated it to Sanjay and he said that we will definitely make this film, that’s when we started working on the script and it has been close to two years now and the script is ready. God willing, we will soon take the film on floors. The story will revolve around Ballu Balram’s older and younger version. Sanjay will portray the older version and the younger one will be portrayed by a new-age star.

He further confirmed that Madhuri Dixit and Jackie Shroff will also be a part of the film. Watch the entire segment right here.

Also Read: Sadak 2: Sanjay Dutt says Mahesh Bhatt still seeks perfection in every shot




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Ajay Devgn feels like it has been 22 years since the lockdown started; shares picture with Kajol 

The nation went under lockdown on March 25 owing to a spike in the coronavirus cases. The lockdown has been extended twice and we are currently in the third phase of lockdown with a total of 56000 cases in the country. Several sectors have been severely hit by the lockdown, including the entertainment sector. However, actors and other artists are trying to entertain people during this distressing time.

 Actor Ajay Devgn took to Instagram to share an old picture of him posing with Kajol where the two are looking away from the camera with Ajay holding Kajol's hand and looking at it. He took a hilarious dig at how he has been on lockdown since his marriage with Kajol in 1999. Sharing the picture, Ajay wrote, "feels like it’s been twenty-two years since the lockdown began."

 

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Feels like it’s been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol

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Recently, Kajol hosted an AMA session where she spoke about how she doesn't enjoy cooking but loves to eat. When asked whether Ajay Devgn has been cooking for her, she said that he hasn't been inspired yet to go to the kitchen yet.

ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Suniel Shetty and more feature in Gully Gang Entertainment’s trilingual music video for COVID-19




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Amitabh Bachchan remembers Sridevi and Irrfan Khan as Khuda Gawah and Piku complete 28 and 5 years respectively

On May 8, Amitabh Bachchan remembered two late actors - Irrfan Khan and Sridevi. He took to social media to share stills from Khuda Gawah and Piku as the films complete 28 years and 5 years respectively. Both Sridevi and Irrfan Khan have been two of the finest actors of the film industry and left the world a little too soon.

The Shahenshah actor took to Instagram and shared a collage of a still from both films. Sharing the picture, he wrote, “28 years of KHUDA GAWAH .. 5 years of PIKU .. today 8th May .. and in remembrance of the two that have left us.”

 

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28 years of KHUDA GAWAH .. 5 years of PIKU .. today 8th May .. and in remembrance of the two that have left us ????

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Amitabh Bachchan even took to his blog to share some memories of the films. “28 years of Khuda Gawah .. 5 years of Piku .. vivid as ever .. alive in memory .. lost in the remembrance of the two from there .. exceptional in presence and talent .. and leaving at such short presence .. But a third too from Khuda Gawah .. the director Mukul S Anand .. left too early .. the magic of his vision .. his eyes were magical camera lenses .. even after this large interval the frames he did were extraordinary .. Khuda Gawah .. the shooting in Afghanistan .. a book shall be required to describe that detail .. hopefully some day ..” he wrote talking about Khuda Gawah.

Remembering Piku in which he shared screen with Irrfan Khan and Deepika Padukone, he wrote, “.. and Piku .. each day spent in the delight of inventing, ad libbing .. making that which has not been written or described , but felt .. doing that which even during the early working days at Calcutta were never done .. cycling the streets ..”

ALSO READ:  Abhishek Bachchan shares fond memories of traveling with Amitabh Bachchan for live stage shows