Former World no.1 badminton player Kidambi Srikanth has said that he was not happy with the unexpected break from the sport activities due to the lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Srikanth last played at the All England Championships in March, where he lost to China's Chen Long in the first round. "I am not really happy with this forced break. We, as players, usually would like a break from the regular stretch of tournaments, training and then playing tournaments again," Srikanth said in his column on Hindustan Times.

"Having said that, this is not exactly the kind of break we want to take. You do not want to be in a position where you cannot even train. Hence, this period is really very frustrating as neither can you go out, train or pretty much do anything." Srikanth said that most of his time went in sleeping and he spends about 15 minutes every day working out.

"With so much time available and nothing much to do, I have been sleeping mostly; that is where most of my time goes. I sleep for 12 to 14 hours every day, after which there is little time left anyway," he said.

Srikanth had been in the middle of a race against time to seal qualification to the Tokyo Olympics when the coronavirus pandemic exploded on a global scale. It ultimately led to an unprecedented postponement of the Olympics itself to 2021.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

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

Two bad games in the IPL was all that it took for premier Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to realise that bowling in T20s was not as easy as he assumed it to be, the reality hitting him like a "hard slap" a decade back. During a podcast with cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar for 'ESPNCricinfo', Ashwin spoke about how the 2010 IPL with the Chennai Super Kings affected him, the challenges of bowling in hostile conditions of Australia and England, and why spin twin Ravindra Jadeja is a "natural athlete". Ashwin recalled the 2010 IPL when he was dropped from the CSK squad after two bad games, which was like a "hard slap", more so because he felt that coach Stephen Fleming "didn't talk to him" and he was not backed enough.

"People thought that I think highly of myself but flattening of the curve happened when I played in the IPL. It was like a slap in the face like 'listen boss you are not even here'. "I thought bowling in a T20 game was much easier than bowling in a first-class game," Ashwin recalled. It was a game against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru where Robin Uthappa and Mark Boucher took him to the cleaners. "Robin Uthappa and Mark Boucher taught me harsh lessons as I bowled 14th, 16th, 18th and 20th over at RCB. That youth in me never told me that it was a challenge. I found it as an opportunity to pick wickets.

"I didn't get wickets but went for 40 or 45 runs and put my team into a hole as the next game went into Super Over and we lost it and I was dropped from the squad. It felt like a hard slap," the Tamil Nadu tweaker said. Those were the days when IPL franchises, during home games, would release players who are not in first 18 in order to save hotel cost. Ashwin was back home watching CSK games on TV. "I was dropped, I vacated the hotel and was sitting at home. I thought that I deserved better as I was in the 30 probables for the 2010 World T20 in West Indies (he didnt make it on that tour)," he said. "Like I thought, why didn't you back me (CSK). I did exceedingly well in first three games and I had just had two bad games. Anybody can be hit for a couple of games." He admitted having issues with Fleming who, he thought, had let him down.

"Actually, I had an issue with Stephen Fleming that he didn't have a chat. I valued him so much and he didn't have a chat. So I was sitting at home watching CSK games and making promises in my head that one day I will turn the tide," Ashwin said. He has come a long way since then. The 33-year-old Ashwin has picked 365 wickets from 71 Tests, but his performance in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) hasn't matched the lofty standards that he has set at home. "Increasingly, the number of games I've played in England, I've started realising that for a spinner to be bowling in alien conditions and to be able to repeat similar numbers (as at home), you need to be bowling in all the possible right times of the game, first," Ashwin said.

"And, secondly, you do need a little bit of luck. After 2014 (December 2013) when I had that South Africa game, I've taken a very serious look at my numbers and those numbers have significantly increased very, very well." "For me to able to deliver on a consistent basis abroad there are a lot of factors beyond just me that need to go into it." The current Indian team is by far the fittest across generations and when Manjrekar asked how he is a bit different from the chiselled modern day players, Ashwin compared himself to Jadeja to explain the difference. "...let me tell you even if I train twice a day and then have a cheat meal, it will show on weighing scale by 800 gm," Ashwin said. But someone like Jadeja is a natural and doesn't need to put that extra effort to be fit unlike him, according to Ashwin.

"Certain people are blessed in a certain way and I love to take my comparison with that of Ravindra Jadeja. He is a blessed cricketer, who is completely physically fit. "The harder I train, more rudimentary I become to stay even close to where Jadeja is. Whereas Jadeja is a natural cricketer, natural bowler, natural batsman. So he just needs to tick all boxes during a game." Ashwin said to attain Jadeja's level of natural fitness, he needs to work two months prior to a series. "...that's why I need to think more while having a field and taking accountability for it. Jaddu doesn't even need to think as he will able to land 30 overs on spot because of his physical fitness," he said.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

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

Baresi: I’m lucky to have played at three World Cups

Even after spending Rs 3.50 lakh and working for more than 30 days to set up the Dhobi Ghat police chowkie, the locals have not been able to get the structure inaugurated. Reason: The Dharavi police reportedly refused to attend the inaugural ceremony scheduled on Wednesday, just because the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has termed the structure illegal. More than 100 residents of the area are now trying to convince the police officers to help inaugurate the chowkie.

The civic body had demolished the beat chowkie last year after the walls of the structure developed cracks and it became dangerous. Even though at that time BMC had promised to rebuild it, no development happened thereafter. However, last month Dharavi Nagrik Seva Samiti took up the responsibility of rebuilding the structure and raised money for the purpose. After construction work started on January 15, the samiti decided to inaugurate it on Republic Day, but then they had to postpone it to February 6.

Meanwhile, BMC said that the structure would be razed, as there was no place for a chowkie in the area as per the development plan.

"The chowkie was first built in 1991. Since then it has been razed twice and rebuilt again. At that time BMC had no objections to the structure, but now they have issues," said a Dharavi resident.

"Due to BMC's negative approach, even the cops did not attend the inaugural ceremony. This is really disheartening for all of us," another resident said.

Speaking to mid-day, Siddharth Medhe, president of Dharavi Nagrik Seva Samiti, said, "We had planned the inauguration on February 6, but now it has been rescheduled. None of the cops confirmed their presence for the event. Hence, we had to cancel it. Members from our team will visit the officers to know their concerns and then decide on another date for the inauguration."

Even after several attempts to contact the senior police inspector of Dharavi police station, he refused to comment on the matter.

Popcorn

• Jan 15: Day construction work of the chowkie had started
• 70: No. of residents who have funded the project
• 1991: Year the chowkie was first set up

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Representational picture

San Francisco: To help small and large businesses reach out to 1.3 billion people who use Messenger every month, Facebook has launched an Augmented Reality (AR) tool for them. With this tool, the businesses can leverage the "Camera Effects Platform" to easily integrate AR into their Messenger experience, bringing the virtual and physical worlds one step closer together.

"When a person interacts with your business in Messenger, you can prompt them to open the camera, which will be pre-populated with filters and AR effects that are specific to your brand," David Marcus, Vice President of Messaging Products, said in a blog post on Tuesday.

From there, people can share the image or video to their story or in a group or one-to conversation or they can simply save it to their camera roll.

"To date, there are over 300,000 active bots on Messenger, and over 8 billion messages are exchanged between people and businesses each month -- that's 4 times the amount of messages exchanged since just last year," Marcus informed as Facebook began its annual two-day F8 Developers' Conference in San Jose on Tuesday.

"Today, there are 200,000 developers actively building experiences, forging connections between people and the brands they love and bringing real value to their everyday lives," the post added.

To begin with, ASUS, Kia, Nike and Sephora will launch AR effects for their Messenger experiences.

Facebook also announced that buyers and sellers in its Marketplace will be able to communicate across languages with "M Translations".

"Now when people connected through Marketplace receive a message in a language that is different from their default language in Messenger, M will ask them if they want to translate the message.

"This will help drive commerce between buyers and sellers despite language barriers. At launch, translations from English to Spanish (and vice-versa) will be available in Marketplace conversations taking place in the US," the post further said.

Facebook will gradually roll out "M suggestions for translations" in additional languages and countries.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

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

Targeted at millennials, Chinese smartphone maker OPPO on Tuesday debuted its sub-brand "Realme 1" smartphone in India for Rs 8,990 (3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage model).

The 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage variant is priced at Rs 13,990.

The smartphone comes with the world's first 12-nm Artificial Intelligence-based MediaTek Helio P60 chipset with "AI shot" technology.

"Realme 1 is focused at young online consumers and is primed to be a market disruptor with a stylish design," Madhav Seth, Chief Executive Officer, Realme India, said in a statement.

The device will be available on Amazon India, starting May 25, in diamond black and solar red colour variants.

A third variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage, in moonlight silver and diamond black colours for Rs 10,990 will go on sale in June.

Realme users will have access to over 500 OPPO service centres across the country with guaranteed 90 per cent repair cases resolved within an hour.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

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

Louiz Banks

I must first establish that jazz is not solely American music. It was born there, no doubt, but gradually it has become a universal musical language, seamlessly integrating with other cultures around the world driven by gifted musicians with an open mind. Thereby becoming a well-loved genre of music. There's a bunch of young and talented musicians in Mumbai and India who are getting into jazz in a serious manner despite the fact that they also play other genres of popular music.

Rhys Sebastian D'Souza

They are versatile, but jazz is their focus, which is great. Because of their commitment, supported by application and daily practice, they are bringing freshness and vitality to the growth and popularity of jazz.

Rhythm Shaw

I am happy about this because it's my dream to bring jazz to the intelligent masses. Among the youngsters who are the driving forces in this amazing movement are Gino Banks, Sheldon D'Silva, Mohini Dey, Anurag Naidu, Andrew Kanga, Rhythm Shaw, Abhinav Khokhar, Rahul Wadhwani, Vasundhara Vee, Sonia Saigal, Isheeta Chakravarty, Harmeet Manseta, Tarun Balani, Ron Cha, Sharik Hassan, Shirish Malhotra and Rhys Sebastian D'Souza, among other talented musicians.

Isheeta Chakravarty

Each of them is bringing his/her own perception and unique individuality to the understanding and 'live' performance of jazz. These artistes are taking the jazz movement forward into the now and beyond. God bless their zeal and may their tribe increase manifold. My dream is becoming a reality.

As told to Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Haitham with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of Dil Hai Hindustani where the two sang SRK’s chartbuster Jabra Fan

When we meet Haitham Mohammed Rafi inside the dimly-lit sets of a popular music reality show, he stands out from those sitting beside him. The white of his traditional dishdasha and the colourful turban — called the massar — make him look like an anomaly. The 23-year-old appears to be closely observing his fellow singer — a girl half his age — who is on stage and singing the famous DDLJ-towel song, 'Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye,' when we raise our hand and call for his attention. There is instant recognition.

"Wallah!" he yells out in Arabic. "How come, you here?" he goes on, in his Middle-Eastern accent.

It has been three years since we first met Haitham. The last time it was in his hometown Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman. "I will sing in Bollywood, someday, Inshallah!" he had then rapped, much to the amusement of this correspondent. At the time, we had wished him luck, without mocking his expectations or pointing out the risks.

Last week, when a video of filmmaker Karan Johar sitting in stunned silence after Haitham’s performance of Naina Thag Lenge, went viral on Arab social media, this writer was glad she had kept mum then.

Haitham, an Omani national, has just made it in the final 11 of the first season of music reality show Dil Hai Hindustani. Being an Arab, has only worked in his favour. For the judges, Johar, Badshah, Shalmali Kholgade and Shekhar Ravjiani (of Vishal-Shekhar fame), the first question on their mind was, “Can an Arab sing in Hindi?”

"Okay, maybe!" "But, that good!"

"I have Mohammed Rafi’s blessings," Haitham jokes. Not like, we hadn’t been meaning to ask him the story behind his namesake. Haitham al Balushi takes his middle name, Mohammed Rafi, from his father, who was surprisingly christened by the veteran Hindi singer himself. "Though Omani, my grandfather was a huge fan of Mohammed Rafi," he recounts. “When my father was born, Rafi saab was performing in Bahrain. My grandfather, who was working there, went for the show and managed to have a quick chat with him backstage," he says, adding, “He told Rafi saab, I want you to name my newborn.” The rest, as the Balushi family recalls, is history.

Until seven months ago, Haitham worked as a personal banker with a leading national bank in Muscat. “It was so boring. I hated going to work...it was suffocating," he says. Unable to take it anymore, Haitham put in his papers, and ferociously started looking for opportunities to sing. "I wanted to pursue my passion," he says. We ask him what that is? And, pat comes the reply, "I want to become the first Arab playback singer and composer in Bollywood." Haitham has been harbouring that dream since he was 11.

In Oman, Haitham says, there is no concept of vocal training. "If you're a good singer, you're a good singer." His only source of Bollywood music was audiocassettes and CDs as a child, and later YouTube. "So, when I told my Omani friends that I wanted to become a singer, they laughed. They said, 'You can’t make it big in India…it is so tough'."

On an Indian friend’s advise, he started listening to a lot of ghazals. "I was told that it would help me get my nuances and accent right," he says. His favourite ghazal singers are Jagjit Singh and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. But, that's how Haitham’s Bollywood dreams first took flight.

In 2012, he became the first Omani to win Muscat Idol, which sees participants mostly from the Indian Diaspora. From there on, due to dearth of a great body of work, Haitham started composing music for Omani TV shows. “But, I realised that I wasn’t enjoying Arabic music. Each time, I sang in Hindi, I was happier,” he says. Of the 500 songs he has composed, 450 were in Hindi. “My mum knew I wasn’t meant for Oman. So, she kept pushing me to try my luck at Indian reality shows,” he says. He tried thrice and failed. The fourth time, he decided to think practically and opted for 'The Voice Ahla Sawt', the Arabic version of the international music show. “Even there, I could not fit in,” he says. This December, after five years of working towards his dream, he got the call. And, that too, from India.

Here, he is still just another contender at the show. But, back home, things have changed for Haitham. After a video of his performance went viral, Omanis in Muscat, who he claims love Hindi cinema, have gone into an overdrive. “I’ve already signed 13 shows in Muscat and Dubai,” he says. “My friends are buying the Indian digital channels, just to watch my show.”

"I think it's a proud moment for my country," Haitham says. Just as we end, he gets his cellphone out, and shows us a photograph of his, clicked with Shah Rukh Khan, where the two are facing each other, striking the latter's signature pose. “India has already opened its arms to me," he gushes.

One Less God

U/A: Drama, Thriller
Director: Lliam Worthington
Cast: Joseph Mahler Taylor, Sukhraj Deepak, Mihika Rao
Rating: 

As a film that hopes to capture the terror heralded by the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, 'One Less God' is rather feeble, nondescript and ineffective. The scope is narrow and the budget too small to do justice to a disaster that is amongst the most unforgettable in recent history. This is drama written around a real-life crisis but at no point does it feel real. The 2008 Mumbai attacks included a series of terrorist strikes that felled 164 people across south Mumbai - carried out by 10 members of the Laskar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. But none of that drama or tragedy is captured here with any grit or enticement.

The Mumbai siege is presented in a slap-dash fashion that never really gets the audience involved. The focus is largely on the Taj Mahal hotel and what it's guests went through in the final hours before their falling victim to the terrorist onslaught. The film focuses its efforts on the men and women attempting to survive, while intermittently cutting across to the two men perpetrating the attack. The bits of humour that creep in at odd times appears to be in bad taste.

Check out the trailer here:

Everything here seems rather pretentious and ineffective. The general cross-national mix of characters, their touristy experiences and the aftermath of the siege may have some diverse moments but we never feel attached or interested enough to be affected. There are barely any validating moments here. The performances are bad, the direction is sloppy, there are continuity breaks that look ridiculous, the art direction and production values leave a lot to be desired. Even the attempt to go one-up on the much awaited Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Nazanin Boniadi, Jason Isaacs starrer 'Hotel Mumbai'- (a film that covers the same territory), by releasing earlier, reeks of Opportunism.

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

Amavas
U/A: Horror
Dir: Bhushan Patel
Cast: Sachiin Joshi, Nargis Fakhri
Rate: 

The experience of watching a Ramsay Brothers horror is unique. It's almost synonymous to buying a ticket for a comedy. Dealing with Amavas, is pretty much the same. It's the modern-day equivalent to a Ramsay product. Do you love it? Yes, to bits! It's a laugh riot. But, that's not how director Bhushan Patel designed it to be, which is why, it's disappointing.

Patel, who previously directed the Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover-starrer Alone, takes the tomfoolery a notch higher with this film. We are introduced to the familiar 'praacheenkal' knowledge of 'bhooth-pret'. There is a haunted mansion - resembling a cross between that in The Conjuring and Sushmita Sen's Vaastu Shastra.

Familiar tactics - creaking doors, spooky scores and shadows - are employed to evoke fear. Yet, the idiocy on display doesn't occupy my mind. What does is the fact that viewers could have been spared from the goings-on had the cast simply travelled to Paris. Let me explain. Karan Ajmera (Sachiin Joshi) is coaxed by girlfriend Aahana (Nargis Fakhri) to take a trip to the former's Brit mansion, instead of taking off on a romantic getaway to the French capital. On arriving, skeletons begin to tumble out, and they learn the reason behind the house being locked up for eight years. All hell breaks loose.

Even the slightest mention can be a spoiler in a horror, so we'll leave the details aside should you wish to catch this one. But, we can reveal that this uninspiring story ticks every clichéd check box in the horror rule book, including possessed bodies, hapless spirits, barren trees, a grave and temple bells. In addition, there's a half-faced doll, and a bored ensemble of supporting actors who look more clueless than the doll in question. As lovers, Joshi and Fakhri certainly lack chemistry. In fact, the latter's visible disinterest even overshadows Joshi's ineptness.

What is really horrifying is the depiction of the psychiatrist, played by Mona Singh. 'Calm down' or an increase of medicinal dose, are apparently appropriate responses to paranoia and migraine. While the boyfriend battles serious issues, the girlfriend busies herself by exploring the estate, and playing hide-and-seek.

The incoherence is baffling, and one is only compelled to wonder why a team of qualified artistes would create this kind of cinema. But since the movie doesn't take itself too seriously -the quality of VFX and continuity being obviously ignored - it is best relished as a comic caper.

As for Fakhri, who makes a comeback of sorts to Bollywood with this film, she had more meat in her five-minute act in the American thriller, Spy (2015) than she does here. Pro tip for the writers - Just send them to Paris next time. It's always a good idea!

Also Read: Nargis Fakhri annoyed with press prying into personal life; leaves Amavas promotions midway

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

The Least Of These
U/A: Drama
Dir: Aneesh Daniel
Cast: Sharman Joshi, Stephen Baldwin, Shari Rigby
Ratings: 

Aneesh Daniel's attempt to relook at real-life events that triggered the grisly murder of Graham Stuart Staines - Australian born evangelist/poor leprosy patients' caregiver, living and working in the remote regions of Orissa - is a rather tame experience.

It's obvious the filmmakers were eager to avoid any confrontations with right-wing fanatics, who had a major role to play in triggering the gruesome killing of Staines (Stephen Baldwin) and his two sons. Don't know how much of a spoiler the censor board played in this regard, but needless to say, this is a largely sanitised version of the truth and does a great disservice to the lives lost in the throes of a communal crossfire. Defanged of the court ordained facts, including the name of the convicted killer (Dara Singh) and his right-wing Hindu fundamentalist political affiliations, this film merely plays around with the 'conversion' issue.

The narrative device employed here is in itself flawed. It's the late 1990's. Journalist Manav Banerjee (Sharman Joshi) moves with his pregnant wife to a small town in Orissa. The editor (Prakash Belawadi) of the New Orissa Daily treats him like a stringer and expects him to coerce stories about forced conversions from the villagers. Manav, who shuns lepers and is clearly biased against Christian groups, would rather do the exposé without being personally involved. But his editor deems it necessary that Manav himself play victim to the conversion hoax to expose the Australian missionary's so-deemed unlawful activity. With his wife delivering prematurely and costs of hospitalisation mounting by the day, Manav is forced to toe the line.

While forgiveness plays an important part in this misrepresented drama, it doesn't have the effect of a great act here. It is depicted so ineffectually that there is little impact on the viewer. The actors are either over-the-top or inconsistent. Joshi overstates his eagerness by repeating phrases like 'I am a journalist' and 'He is a leper'. Scripting by Andrew E Mathews is so slack that his turnaround defies logic. Even Baldwin and Shari Rigby fail to arouse empathy. Technically too, this film is not upto the mark. The direction, editing and cinematography lack distinctive focus. This unaccomplished production doesn't amount to anything!

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

Mid-day online journalists interact with the frontline workers in a new series 'Real heroes of coronavirus'. Media photographers, reporters, railway staff and medical workers tell their stories of grit, determination and every-day challenges in times of the pandemic.

Mid-day senior photographer Shadab Khan is out on the field capturing striking photos of people, health-workers, the police and the city as part of his daily assignment at a time when coronavirus pandemic is spreading rapidly in Mumbai and the entire nation is under lockdown.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Alhamdulillah just got to know that my covid-19 swab test report is Negative by the grace of god. I tested my self 2 days ago during the special covid-19 test for Media persons who are on field by BMC medical team in Mumbai as our services comes under essential services during this pandemic we have to work on field and visit to all over the city for relentlessly bringing out timely good pictures, news and updates daily, through all the perils and under the most trying conditions. Special thanks to @my_bmc @cmomaharashtra_ @middayindia

A post shared by Shadab Khan (@photographer_shadab) onApr 25, 2020 at 3:53am PDT

We spoke to Shadab Khan about his work and what it's like to be a news photographer in times of pandemic.

Here's an excerpt from the interview.

How has the global pandemic impacted your work?

The coronavirus outbreak hasn't affected our work as such. Since we come under the essential service providers and ours is a field job, it's the same daily routine. The focus is more on pandemic photos as we visit sensetive areas and try to get pictures of people who may have broken lockdown rules and also capture shots of how the police are handling the situation. Nowadays, we also visit contaminated areas to get photos of medical staffs conducting COVID-19 tests and get visuals of the epidemic situation in Mumbai. For us, the work has only increased due to the outbreak of the global pandemic.

Nowadays, do you prepare yourself mentally before going out on assignments?

To be honest, there is no mental preparation as such. But I offer prayers five times a day and pray that I go safely and come back home safely. As a media-person, I also consume a lot of news and keep reading about the International guidelines laid down for photojournalists as to what precautions should be taken. I do this as it helps me to stay motivated in the fight against coronavirus. It is the first time that I am experiencing a pandemic which has changed our lives. I have never covered something like this ever before. Although I have covered riots and other sensetive events, a pandemic that takes place only once in 100 years is a different experience. I have been following international reports and guidelines to take precaution and prepare mentally to fight the COVID-19 crisis.

Shadab makes sure that his equipment, bag and mobile are sanitised in order to take precautions against COVID-19

How do you protect yourself?

Face mask, hand sanitisers and hand gloves are mandatory when I am leaving the house. With the increasing number of cases in Mumbai, we have to take extra precautions as our camera equipment is metal. While shooting, we are constantly handling the camera with our hands and our eyes are exposed when we are focusing to click the pictures. To ensure our safety, we sanitise the camera every two to three hours. Besides the equipment, I also sanitise my mobile phone with a spray sanitiser that I carry with me. After completimg a shooting assignment in a contaminated area, I make sure that the camera equipment is sanitised before keeping them in the bag.

Do you take any precaution while heading back home after doing on-field reporting?

Though it is risk to be outside during the pandemic, the real challenge begins when we get back home to be with our families. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, I have isolated myself to another room and make sure that I maintain social distancing with my family members. While leaving for work and after coming back home, I don't hug my children. Since day one, I am practising self-quarantine to keep my family safe and away from any risk. Infact, I take more precautions at home than I do while I go out. The epidemic is so dangerous that one cannot be sure how the infection will strike.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A man sleeping outside his house during lockdown to prevent the spread of new coronavirus at Vakola in Mumbai, Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended the world's largest coronavirus lockdown to head off the epidemic's peak, with officials racing to make up for lost time. PIC/SHADAB KHAN Paparazzi#Fashion#bollywood#lovemyjob#photography#Mumbai#India#middayindia#covid19#fightagainstcorona

A post shared by Shadab Khan (@photographer_shadab) onApr 16, 2020 at 8:09am PDT

During the COVID-19 coverage did you face scary moments? Which has been your scariest moment?

It is scary to visit crowded localities nowadays to cover the pandemic. In the beginning it was not a problem but since the police have imposed strict rules in these areas, we are facing issues. On few occasions, people in these localities have attacked and abused us, blaming the media for the strict police action. But all localities are not the same. We keep calm and ensure that we don't fight back or argue with the people when faced with a hostile situation. To ensure our own safety, we move out of the place quickly if we are confronted by the crowd.

Did you face challenges from the police while covering the COVID-19 pandemic?

In the beginning the police officials were not aware that the media comes under the essential services list and stopped us from entering certain areas which led to arguments sometimes. But gradually they understood and let us do our jobs. When they see the cameras and we show them our press cards, they ask us where we are going and all, that's it.

How is your department and the organisation supporting you?

We are getting the support of our department and the organisation in every possible way. I have been working in mid-day for 15 years and the organisation has been always supportive, our managers do not pressurise us for assignments. My reporting officer calls twice a day and inquires about my whereabouts and tells me to be extra careful while visiting contaminated zones and avoid going to sensitive areas frequently. We are always told to ensure safety first before work.

Shadab feels that practicing social distancing in Dharavi where people are cramped in small houses is nearly impossible

Although he covers different areas every day, Shadab makes it a point to visit a contaminated area at least once a day to check if any new development has taken place. Speaking about Dharavi, which has emerged as one of the biggest contaminated zones in Mumbai, Shadab said, "I visit Dharavi to see how the labourers are doing and how the small scale industries are coping with the COVID-19 epidemic"

"Everyone is talking about social distancing but it is not possible in Dharavi. Most houses in the locality are 8X8 small houses with 8 to 10 people cramped inside. In order to click a picture, one has to stand at the door and shoot, social distancing in areas such as Dharavi is almost impossible. The lanes in Dharavi are so narrow that if people are coming from the other side it is impossible to walk past them without making physical contact," added Shadab.

Besides Dharavi, Shadab carries out his photo assignments in Bandra, Sion and Wadala.

What is your message to the general public?

We are out on the roads because we have a responsibility as essential service providers. I would request people to stay home as far as possible. Only by staying home will you be safe! Follow the guidelines laid down by the government and maintain social distancing.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

Why do movie stars matter so much to us? May be, because cinema amplifies and engages with not the timidities of rational logics, but the boldness of the senses. Its hyperkinetic tangle of conventions and innovations, speaks to our urges, desires, emotions and intellect, allows us to be all this and also several people at one time, fluid, unlike the rigid identities of law, society, political correctness. Movie stars communicate these libidinal energies of cinema through a bodily presence. Star and audience, mirror and remember each other, in an intimate, mysterious embrace.

The three stars who died recently, each represented a specific era in this ongoing relationship.

Nimmi died in March, at 88. A major star of the studio era, she acted in India's first technicolour film (Aan, 1952). Often the feisty village belle, the unbound girl in the garden, she made heavy-lidded eye-contact with audiences in songs that yearn for love. Born Nawab Banoo, she was one of the last star-heroines from the tawaif communities. Practitioners of the sensual courtesanal arts—dance, music, poetry—tawaifs were erased from performing arts via colonial laws and rising nationalism, both squeamish about eroticism and pleasure. They transitioned to films, as producers, directors, actors, contributing to Bombay cinema's defining aesthetic—stylised eroticism through song, heightened emotive ada-kari, androgynous appeal, glimpsed in figures like Nighar Sultana and a focus on pleasuring the audience. With each filmic embrace we surrender to, each dance move we mimic, each song we sing, these aesthetics become part of us: a queer form of memory, bodily, but ephemeral.

Rishi Kapoor, who died at 67 last week, carried forward the sensuality through his dance and romance persona. His bodily vivacity fluidly merged masculine and feminine, past pleasures like qawwali and more contemporary pop enjoyments, even as parallel cinema's realism and masculine-centered Bachchan films began dominating. His beauty was delicate—androgynous pleasures—and he often paired with women whose attractiveness was more robust. Love was freedom, frolic, khullam khulla, yet luxuriously intimate, hum tum ek kamre mein.

Maintaining traditional cinema pleasures, he also replaced their stylised nature with a modern, casually stylish manner, pre-figuring later realist commercial film, into which he flowed with energetic ease, bridging two cinematic worlds.

Irrfan, who just passed away at 53, was an iconic figure in the post-globalisation emotional realist cinema with its cross-over films, less interested in symbolic storytelling, making room for more everyday characters. Some of this cinema believes in what I call aspirational realism, which considers older conventions of emotional and ornamental excess—like songs—as lesser. But, in fact, quite apart from his acting skills, what made Irrfan a star was the sexual intensity
of his presence—carrying forward that desi quality of emotional and sensual excess, something larger than life, yet intimate, to connect directly with the audience.

This is why I believe he was most compelling in films where he had a romantic track—Maqbool, Life In A Metro, Piku—and underserved by anaemic works like Lunchbox.

Critical culture sometimes favours a real estate mentality: location, yaniki cinema category, determines value and meaning. So it is, that too little has been said of Irrfan's cinematic, libidinal intensity, not enough about Rishi Kapoor's virtuosity. And barely anything about Nimmi. The artistes themselves defied categorisations.

Through cinema they straddled the cusp of worlds always changing, for better and worse simultaneously, just like us, helping us to flow with the flux.

Paromita Vohra is an award-winning Mumbai-based filmmaker, writer and curator working with fiction and non-fiction. Reach her at aromita.vohra@mid-day.com

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

Representational picture

Capitalism in today's day and age has deceived us into thinking that we are defined by our material possessions. We attach our self-esteem to the kind of cars we drive, the neighbourhood we live in, the grandeur of our houses (even if it doesn't necessarily feel like home), the labels on our clothes and so on.

Although there's not much one can do usually in case they cannot afford a car or a house they like, they can always resort to cheap, knock-off labels to make themselves feel better. There's an entire industry, like a parallel universe, dedicated to producing cheap duplicates of the hottest fashion brands in the world. Despite countless raids, airport interceptions, lawsuits by luxury brands and coalitions dedicated to impede the production distribution of these illegal products, like the International Anti-Counterfeit Coalition (IACC), business is booming!

For decades hordes of people have been flocking to places like Fashion Street in Mumbai and Canal Street in New York City to buy their favourite brand/designer's latest fashion, at a fraction of the cost. Counterfeit products have even moved online with the International Trademark Association claiming that $460 billion worth of counterfeit goods were bought and sold last year, with most of the sales happening online, according to Fashionista. "The online part is growing exponentially," said IACC President Bob Barchiesi to Fashionista.

"Folks will be shopping on marketplaces and think they're buying a secondhand, expensive handbag and it's a fake," explains Barchiesi. "There's so many different distribution channels now online that are readily available for consumers, one, if they're looking to buy fakes, and, two, if they think they're getting a bargain and instead they're getting a fake."

Fake products manufacturers have upped their game significantly as the fake ones have become extremely hard to differentiate from the real ones, especially since an outbreak of 'super-fakes' or 'Triple-A' fakes in the fashion world about five years ago, and they fetch almost as much as the real thing.

"One can sell a counterfeit for a lot more money if the buyer thinks it is a genuine piece at a slight discount," said The RealReal Chief Authenticator Graham Wetzbarger adding that "these bad guys are investing more into making the bag only so they can increase their margin by selling the pieces to folks who don't know better. The con is no longer, 'how cheap can I make a knock-off?' but, rather, 'how much do I have to spend to get someone to pay top dollar?'"

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

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

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel on Friday cautioned against the temptation to shoehorn too many Formula One races into a revised calendar, describing the move as "not realistic". The 22-event F1 season has been decimated by the Coronavirus with nine races either cancelled or postponed. The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 is also in doubt as is the Belgian Grand Prix, set for August 30.

F1 chiefs have floated the idea of making up for lost time by staging races on successive weekends or even having two races on the same weekend.

Staff burnout issue

However, Ferrari star Vettel fears such a move could lead to burnout for team staff. "We drivers are a little privileged," Vettel told reporters by teleconference from his home in Switzerland. "Of course, the races are tiring but there have to be limits for the staff. They must rest. "We must also see if it is easy to reschedule races, if the circuits are not already taken. Many questions remain. I think the schedule will be busier, but 10 consecutive weekends is not realistic."

Vettel suggested that he would favour staging races without fans if it allowed a quick resumption as long as it did not become a common feature. Other sports have already toyed with the idea of staging events behind closed doors. For example, the US PGA Tour on Thursday announced plans to resume in June, with the first four tournaments being closed to spectators.

"It's complicated," admitted Vettel. "On the one hand, there is the health of the sport, on the other, that of the people who work in the paddock and especially the fans. "There are several options. No one likes to run in front of empty stands, but we will have to see if it will not allow us to resume much sooner. The first races will probably be a little different, but not too much, I hope, because we want to run in front of the fans."

Vettel insists that for him even a 10-race season is just as valuable as a 22-race campaign. However, he admits that the damage to the sport caused by the pandemic could be fatal for the smaller teams on the grid.

'Small teams in danger'

Without racing, the massive TV and sponsorship revenues have dried up. Half of the teams have already started furloughing staff. Teams have agreed to lower the spending cap from $175 million to $150m. "Some small teams are in danger and, as a family, F1 has to take care of its own."

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

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

US pop singer Jennifer Lopez, 50, and her baseball star partner Alex Rodriguez, 44, have begun planning for their wedding scheduled to take place soon after the Coronavirus-caused lockdown ends. Jennifer and Alex, who got engaged in March last year, had planned to tie the knot in mid-2020, but were forced to postpone it due to the pandemic. Now, Alex has revealed that they are in talks with their representatives to plan for the special day.

"We had a meeting on Zoom with our core [group of people], kind of just going over what the next 12 months look like and we have three or four different variations of how that can look," Alex said on US TV show Entertainment Tonight. According to the retired baseball star, the online meeting saw them discuss their wedding plans besides work projects and international tours scheduled for next year.

"It's such a fluid world. Usually when you underwrite a year, scheduling or financially, you never think it's going to just stop like this. So we're having to think on our feet and proactively," added Alex, who is in self-isolation at home with JLo and their kids, Natasha, 15, Ella 12 and twins Emme and Max, 12.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pakistani actor Saba Qamar, who starred opposite Irrfan Khan in 2017's "Hindi Medium", said she is at loss of words with the untimely demise of her co-star. The 53-year-old actor lost his battle with a rare form of cancer and died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

He was buried at the Versova graveyard in the afternoon. Saba said she does hope things were better between India and Pakistan as she wants to meet Irrfan's wife Sutapa and their two sons Babil and Ayaan. "I'm numb today. I still cannot accept the loss of a brilliant co-actor Irrfan. I really am at a loss for words. It's very heart wrenching for me to say rest in peace Irrfan. "I really hope things were better between our countries and I could go see his family but my heartfelt condolences to his family," Saba told PTI.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. I still can’t absorb the news. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of Hindi Medium. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. It is indeed a huge loss to the cinema world. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. You left a huge irreplaceable void in Cinema Irfan. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah give them strength to bear this loss. RIP Raj 💔 Yours Only, Meeta. 🌸

A post shared by 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐐𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 (@sabaqamarzaman) onApr 29, 2020 at 2:07am PDT

She said Irrfan's death is a huge loss to world cinema. "We lost a gem today. It's a huge loss to the cinema world and I hope we become able to bear that," she said. "Hindi Medium"', directed by Saket Chaudhary, marked Saba's debut in Bollywood. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of a nouveau riche in the 2017 comedy drama. The actor had also paid tribute to Irrfan on Twitter. "Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of 'Hindi Medium'. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. I'm at a loss for words. RIP Raj Yours Only, Meeta #IrrfanKhan" she had posted.

Meanwhile, many other actors from Pakistan have also condoled Irrfan's sudden demise. Pakistani actor Imran? Abbas, who was seen in a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil:, said art has no boundaries and he can feel the pain of his sudden demise. "Rest in peace the legend Irfan Khan!! You will surely be missed forever¿Since art has no boundaries, we can feel the pain and are equally grieved by your sudden demise...May Allah bless the departed soul. Undoubtedly, we all belong to Allah all mighty and have to return to HIM," he tweeted. Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar, who has acted in quite a few Bollywood films such as "Tere Bin Laden", "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" and "Dear Zindagi", posted, "RIP #IrrfanKhan. You were inspirational and unparalleled." Pakistani actor Sajal Ali wrote, "Shocked and sad. What a brilliant actor he was! Rest In Peace #IrrfanKhan."

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

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

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

Digital marketing and artists management are the most fast-growing nooks of the industry which lead towards the success of one. Kunal Dron is one of the leading digital marketers with considerable accomplishments. In his industry Kunal is known as "Kunal Dron".

These days the trend of Punjabi songs and movies is getting elevated as it is highly appreciated by each and every one. But the significant faces behind the vogue of such popular rising sensation from Punjab are unsung. They are the reason behind the talent of Punjab getting opportunities in the Bollywood industry.

Thus Kunal Dron is going to Produce Punjabi projects by bringing the versatile talent of Punjab on the mainstream media which will prove to be an opportunity for several. As these Punjabi talents are already having a huge fan following on their social media accounts but by launching them in B-town they will be then admired more by many.

Thus, his plan to bring and promote more brown and Punjabi artists to the mainstream media and when it comes to social media then he wants them to flourish with a terrific fan following that will open up more doors of opportunities for them. With his digital realm tactics and years of experience in dealing and managing artists, he has come a long way. We wish him all the best for his future.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mid-day online journalists interact with the frontline workers in a new series 'Real heroes of coronavirus'. Media photographers, reporters, railway staff and medical workers tell their stories of grit, determination and every-day challenges in times of the pandemic.

Mail Express Guard Vishal Kalage has been working with Central Railway's Miraj division in Sangli, Maharashtra for 11 years. After the Railways decided to stall passengers train services, Kalage, who studied micro-biology, decided to use the lockdown period by making masks and face shields at home with the help of his wife and mother and contribute in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Vishal Kalage distributes face masks to doctors, police staff and common people free of cost

We spoke to Vishal Kalage about his noble work and what it feels like to contribute to the society in the fight against coronavirus.

Here's an excerpt from the interview.

What inspired you to take up the task of making face masks?

When the lockdown was imposed, I went to buy medicines for my mother, who is an heart patient and I inquired about the cost of a disposable face mask. I was surprised when the shopkeeper told me that the face mask would cost Rs 30 and had to be thrown away after six hours of use. That is when I decided that I should make face masks.

When I pitched the idea to my wife (Rohini) and mother (Menakshi), they immediately agreed to the plan. My wife has done a course in fashion designing, she made few sample masks before we zeroed in on the final product.

Speaking about the shortage of face mask in the market due to the sudden demand, which emerged after the outbreak of the coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, Vishal said, "Honestly, there were no sanitisers at that time; hand wash was also not available and many medical shops were selling available stock at a higher price. At the same time, due to panic buying many front line workers including doctors and police staff did not have masks. Seeing the crisis that had emerged due to the shotage in supply of masks, I decided to make face masks at home and help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic."

What challenges did you face while making face masks at home?

Due to the nationwide lockdown, the fabric required to make masks were not available in the market. After searching four to five orthopedic medical shops, I finally got the required fabric from which I could make face masks at home. I purchased 10 (2x6) bedsheets at Rs 360 per bedsheet for making the masks. Five bed-sheets were used to make the lace while the other five bed sheets were used to stitch the main bracket of the face mask (three tier/plating of the face mask).

Vishal Kalage's wife sitches face mask at home (on left) and she posing with the final mask which was made at home (on right)

When did you start making the face masks?

On Day 2 of the initial 21-day nationwide lockdown, we started making face masks at home. In the beginning, we were able to stitch 160 face masks on a daily basis. Now we stitch 200 mask everyday. To date, we have stitched over 4,500 face masks. The face masks have been distributed free of cost to the railway staff, police staff and even hospitals among others.

How did you manage the production, did you hire people or the family managed it?

Initially, we hired two women from the garment industry, who had lost their livelihood due to the lockdown. The lace work was done by them, one would do the cutting while the other woman would work on the laces. The rest of the work required for making the masks was looked after by my wife, mother and myself.

Although the women worked for a few days, Vishal said he paid them adequate sum to sustain during the crisis.

Can you take us through the process of making face mask at home?

The cloth pieces are cut from the bed sheets as per the required size, dipped into dettol for nearly two hours and left out under the sun to dry. Once the pieces are completely dry, we start the process of stitching the mask. After the stitching, the face masks are ironed at 350 degree celsius for three minutes on both sides.

Explaining why ironing the face masks was important, Kalage said, "Being a microbiology student, I realised that the face masks will have to be bacteria free and clean, which is why we decided to press it under 350 degree celsius. This way we created a sterilisation process at home only."

To date, Vishal Kalage and his family have made 4500 masks and 150 face shield which has been distributed free of cost

After the masks are ready, Vishal's daughter Nakshaytra and son Nakshayraj help him in packaging by making a bundle of 50 face masks each. The kids then arrange these bundles in a bag which Vishal Kalage distributes to the doctors, police staff and the public at free of cost.

Besides face masks, Vishal also makes face shields at home. Using lamination sheets which his school going children use, Vishal with his wife's help made face shields at home. "We use lamination sheets and teflon sheets to make simple yet protective face shieds at home," he said.

How did the idea of making face shields come up?

While buying bedsheets for the face masks, I was shocked to learn that face shields made up of a plastic layer with a fibre like headband were sold for Rs 550 in medical shops.

I came back home with the pictures of the shield and referring the pictures I made my own face shield. The final product I made at home cost me Rs 80. Moreover, the shields are reusable, scratch proof and water proof and it can protect the doctors or the police staff directly from the saliva or the droplets of the COVID-19 patients.

Vishal Kalage has been working as a mail express guard at Miraj with Central Railway's Pune division since the last 11 years

How did you manage the expenses?

My wife and my mother helped me a lot and supported me. In the beginning, we used our little savings to make masks and face shields at home. But as the good word spread, our friends and family came together and contributed and soon I had Rs 14,500. This amount was used to make more face masks and face shields at home. The Railways also helped us by providing 10 linen blankets free of cost.

What precautions do you undertake to stay protected against COVID-19?

Whenever I come back home after distributing masks or have been out for personal work, I ensure to take bath. Before entering the house, I sanitise my bike and my shoes as I have small children and elderly mother, who is a heart patient. I take all these measure to make sure that no one should get contaminated and my family is safe and protected against COVID-19. I would request people to follow the hygiene instructions given by the government, stay home and be safe."

Vishal made the face shield at home at a nominal cost of Rs 80 

How do you feel now that you are able to contribute for a noble cause during such a crisis?

The feeling of helping people and the country during the coronavirus crisis cannot be expressed in words. All I know is that at night, I sleep with deep satisfaction and happiness.

Rs 80
The cost of face shield which Vishal Kalage made at home

4,500
The number of face masks the Kalage family stitched and distributed free of cost

150
The number of face shield he made at home

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

Socialist and labour unions celebrate this day by organising programs to improve wages and working conditions of the workforce. With a Lockdown imposed by the governments of the various nations, this year, we celebrate those on the frontlines of this major epidemic and appreciate the work done by them. So aid to our battle against the virus by staying at home and doing your bit and while you do that, here are moments from these amazing shows that make us appreciate these workers even more:

Amy catching a criminal in a wedding dress (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

There is one thing certain about the Nine-Nine squad and that is their passion to solve the crime and catch the criminals no matter what. Whether they are sleep deprived, facing a personal crisis or in this case, shopping for their wedding dress during their break, nothing will stop them from doing their duty. In season 5, when Amy is out shopping for her wedding dress with Rosa, a criminal is fleeing a crime right around the shop. Amy makes a dive and caught the culprit while still in the Wedding dress. Pretty Badass if you ask us! Watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 exclusively on Comedy Central on Saturdays at 7 pm.

When the Cloud 9 employees are stuck in the store during a Blizzard (Superstore)

Matching the circumstances of the recent pandemic when people began hoarding home supplies, St. Louis has a massive blizzard barreling towards it. The residents wish to stock up on their supplies to avoid getting trapped in their homes without any food and rush to Cloud 9 which is forced to stay open by the corporate. Trapping the employees and a few customers in, they have to spend the night in the superstore are the blizzard rages on outside. Watch the essential workers on Comedy Central, 11 am onwards, on 1st May to celebrate Labor Day!

Special Episode on New Amsterdam for Covid-19

The crew of New Amsterdam came up with a special episode showcasing a pandemic and introducing a new character who is also a trauma expert. Keeping in mind that the episode might hit too close for those on the front lines, the crew decided to edit the episode and only hint at the pandemic. However, there is no denying the appreciative work done by the health experts and the hospital staff amidst the chaos. Watch all the episodes of this medical drama only on Colors Infinity to celebrate Labour Day Weekend (1st – 3rd May) from 9 am onwards.

When the doctors come together to treat the patients during a Blizzard (Grey's Anatomy)

In a remarkable episode, Meredith and Carina question DeLuca's uncharacteristic behaviour when he volunteers to perform a life-threatening task during a blizzard. While the others focus on the Blizzard, Bailey tries to help Joey with his future and Richard tries training a new intern at the hospital. We must appreciate everything the doctors do for us and go through during such tough times. Catch all the episode of Grey's Anatomy on Disney+ Hotstar.

When an old Women's life is at Risk (Chicago Fire)

We often do not give enough credit to the Fire Department but the teams always put extra effort into saving everyone's life. In this particular episode, Cruz and Severide suspect foul play when a fire started by an elderly woman turns deadly. Kidd, Foster and Brett create a women's-only lounge. The Fire Department is truly one of the bravest of the lot and ensures they save lives even if it puts them in danger. Watch the thrilling show only on Colors Infinity.

So, don't forget to tune in to these shows this Labor Day Weekend and stay safe inside your homes as we appreciate everyone on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Real Sociedad said Saturday they were cutting players' wages by up to 20 percent in an attempt to stabilise the club's budget during the coronavirus crisis. "An agreement has been reached with the first team for the reduction of their wages by 20% in case the league does not resume this season, and by 5% in case the season can start again," said a club statement. "This decision, taken with all of the parties concerned, helps us avoid traumatic measures for the rest of our employees and helps to balance the club's economic objectives in the face of a drop in income suffered after the suspension of competition."

Real Sociedad also announced a 20% refund on season tickets for its supporters. At the time of the La Liga suspension last month, Real Sociedad were in fourth place in the championship. They had also qualified for the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao in Seville on a date still to be decided. Real Madrid had already announced wage cuts, estimated by Spanish media to be 10% if the season resumes and 20% if the league is abandoned. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have cut salaries by 70%. Spain is one of the worst-hit nations by the virus which has already claimed more than 16,300 lives in the country. bur/dr/dep/clv/dj/mwt again," said a club statement.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

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

The Real Madrid superstar is one of the best players in the world and his talent is clear for all to see. But, these five facts about the Belgian aren’t as well-known.

Hazard was scoring goals before he was even born
Eden Hazard comes from a footballing family, with his younger brothers Thorgan, Kylian and Ethan all playing currently and with his father Thierry and mother Carine both playing football too when they were younger. Carine played in the Belgian women’s first division and stopped when she was three months pregnant with Eden, meaning that he was sort of a part of some of his mother’s final goals before he was born.

Zidane was Hazard's idol as he grew up
Zinedine Zidane is now Hazard’s boss and this must feel surreal every day the Belgian goes to work. As a kid, he grew up admiring Zizou and even possessed a France national team shirt with Zidane’s name and number on the back. Zidane has long been fond of Hazard too, expressing his love of the playmaker’s game long before he was signed by Real Madrid.

Hazard is the youngest Ligue 1 Player of the Year
The Ligue 1 Player of the Year prize is given out at the end of every season to the star of France’s top league and Eden Hazard won this award twice during his time with Lille, claiming it in back-to-back years for his displays in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons. He was just 20 years of age when he won the first one, making him the youngest ever player to claim this award.

Hazard is a New York Knicks fan
As well as his love for football, Hazard is also a big basketball fan. He enjoys the NBA and attends matches in North America when he can. The Belgian even has a team that he supports, having declared himself a New York Knicks fan.

San Diego 1904 FC is partly owned by Hazard
Hazard still has many years of playing at the top level ahead of him, but he has already stepped into the world of football club ownership, doing so with NISA side San Diego 1904 FC. He co-founded it in 2016 along with Demba Ba and other business partners.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

Former Slovak tennis star Daniela Hantuchova has launched her own podcast, The Real DNA, where she plans to have people who have inspired her, as guests on her show. After retiring in 2017, Daniela, 37, has been a tennis commentator for the past couple of years.

"The reason behind launching a podcast was that I love to communicate and learn from all the inspiring people I have in my life. I thought it would be nice to able to share their stories and their real DNA with our listeners. At the end of the day, one of the things I cherish the most in life is being able to sit down and have a cup of coffee with people I love, my family, friends, and people I admire, and listen to their stories and their experiences in life," she was quoted as saying by Tennis World USA.

"I believe the most inspiring people I've encountered in life share certain core values as humans that have helped get them where they are, whether in sports or somewhere else. I want my listeners to get to know these people and understand those core values," she added.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

It's painfully humiliating for a 12-year-old to stand before his class during an extempore speech and fumble over words. The derision that one might invite can cripple an adolescent's confidence. But, it can also teach the child to face his demons, participate again in the same competition the next year, and then go on to win the district finals for three straight years representing his institution, which, in Siddhant Sharma's case, was a boarding school in Kurseong.

Siddhant Sharma

Ten years after that incident, Sharma has emerged as this season's winner of The Stage, a reality show that promotes western musical talent in India. This, though, was his second shot at the title, after he was unable to get past the auditions last year. Failure, in other words, seems to have been the singer's constant companion, only for him to climb every mountain that crops up in his path. "I am actually a man made of failure, so it doesn't scare me," he tells us over the phone, having just landed in Mumbai from Kolkata. He adds, "Even in life, a lot of things that I have expected haven't happened. Not all of us grow up in the greatest of situations, but the worst thing a rocker can do is give up. [Rock music] is about fighting failures. So, if I can do it in life, music and competitions are nothing for me to handle."

Those are strong words for a 22-year-old to utter. But Sharma comes across as someone who has truly internalised the rock 'n' roll philosophy of facing adversity with a show-me-what-you've-got swagger. He gives us an example of what that means when he says, "I have a friend who would party all the time and only listen to electronic music. She would never attend live concerts. After a bad phase, she started listening to Pink Floyd, and now she is more of a rocker [in persona] than I am, with all her locks chopped off. I mean, there was a guy who cheated on her, and she's like, 'You think I am going to cry? No. I don't give a f*ck about you or your existence.' That's rock."

One of the biggest adversities that Sharma himself faced was when his parents separated over a decade ago, a fact he had revealed in one of the later episodes of the competition. Talking about that difficult phase, he says, "I'm not a guy who speaks a lot and I anyway didn't want to trouble my mother with all of that. So, I ended up keeping things inside me, which wasn't a good thing since I developed serious anger issues. But art has always helped me. I was a painter and then I got into music, and that just let me be who I am."

Who he is now, having won the show, involves signing a contract with MTV and being flown around the country for concerts. The limelight is well and truly on him and yet, he keeps emphasising how failure is the clay that moulds a person's character. "Do you consider the people who have not got the trophy to be losers?" he asks us, before answering, "No, they are not. You never know, tomorrow they might be working in much bigger places and doing way better stuff than I am. The thing is, you have to be satisfied with doing what you're doing and yet keep trying to be better than who you are. That's really all."

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, current affairs from Mumbai, local news, crime news and breaking headlines here

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go

In line with its efforts to help users identify original sources and authentic information on Twitter, the microblogging site plans to add new labels to the campaign accounts of political candidates, starting with those running in the 2018 US midterm general election.

The legitimate accounts of the candidates will be clearly identifiable with a small icon of a government building, Twitter said on Wednesday.

The label will appear on the Twitter Profile page of the candidate and alongside all tweets sent or retweeted by the account, Bridget Coyne, Senior Public Policy Manager at Twitter, said in a blog post.

Twitter is partnering with Ballotpedia, a non-profit, civic organisation that publishes nonpartisan information on federal, state and local politics to help identify the campaign Twitter accounts of candidates once they qualify for the general election ballot for an applicable office.

Labels will begin to appear after May 30 on the campaign Twitter accounts of candidates who have already qualified for the general election ballot for an applicable office, and provided Twitter with consent to apply the label, Twitter said.

Candidates running for state Governor or for the US Senate or US House of Representatives during the 2018 US midterm general election will qualify for the US election labels.

"This will continue on a rolling basis as states continue to hold primary elections and candidates officially qualify for the general election ballot," Coyne added.

"Providing the public with authentic, trustworthy information is crucial to the democratic process, and we are committed to furthering that goal through the tools we continue to build," Coyne said.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Australia's world number one pacer Pat Cummins finds India's middle-order mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara the toughest batsman to bowl at in Test cricket and called him a "pain in the back" for his team.

With his solid batting at number three, Pujara had played an influential role in India's historic triumph Down Under in 2018-19. Cummins held Pujara in high esteem when asked which batsman he found toughest to bowl to during a Question & Answer session that was arranged by the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA).

"There are a lot of them out there, unfortunately. But I am going to go with someone different, and he is (Cheteshwar) Pujara from India. He was a real pain in the back for us," Cummins said. The unassuming Pujara had helped India claim their maiden Test series victory in Australia last year by amassing a staggering 521 runs at an average of over 74 with three hundreds and a half-century. Cummins recalled the difficulty the Australian bowlers faced in dislodging Pujara.

"He (Pujara) was an absolute rock for them in that series. (He was) really hard to get out. Just ultra concentration all day, day after day. He is the hardest one in Test cricket so far, I think," Cummins added. Pujara was named the Man of the Series for his stellar showing, proving to be the player that made all the difference.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

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

Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor passed away today after he was admitted at the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.

Earlier today, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan took to social media site Twitter to confirm the news of the death of Rishi Kapoor. 

Indian captain Virat Kohli expressed his emotions on Twitter following th demise of veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor by calling his death 'unreal and unbelievable' loss. Rishi Kapoor passed away a day after Bollywood star Irrfan Khan's demise on April 29, 2020.

"This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace," Kohli tweeted.

This is unreal and unbelievable. Yesterday Irrfan Khan and today Rishi Kapoor ji. It's hard to accept this as a legend passes away today. My condolences to the family and may his soul rest in peace 😟💔

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) April 30, 2020

Opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

"It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his soul rest in peace," Dhawan tweeted.

It's shocking to hear about the sudden demise of #RishiKapoor ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. 🙏🏻 May his soul rest in peace 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/pAfOGhdzm0

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) April 30, 2020

In September 2019, Rishi Kapoor returned to Mumbai after he was residing in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment.

Rishi Kapoor was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

Inputs from ANI

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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

India's GST Council has put flesh on the bones of its plans to introduce a new goods and services tax regime for real-estate transactions.

IRB INFRA. share price has zoomed 7% and is presently trading at Rs 69.

Meanwhile, the BSE REALTY Index is at 1,333 (up 0.7%).

Among the top Gainers in the BSE REALTY Index today is IRB INFRA. (up 7.3%).

GODREJ PROPERTIES (down 0.4%) and SOBHA LIMITED (down 1.8%) are among the top losers today.

Over the last one year, IRB INFRA. has moved down from Rs 118 to Rs 69, registering a loss of Rs 48 (down 41.1%).

On the other hand, the BSE REALTY has moved down from 1,983 to 1,333, loss of 650 points (down 32.8%) during the last 12 months.

The top gainers among the BSE REALTY Index stocks during this same period were [param_historic_top3].

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,083 (up 2.0%).

The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are HUL (up 4.3%), BAJAJ FINANCE (up 3.3%) and TCS (up 3.0%). Other gainers include RELIANCE IND. (up 2.8%) and MARUTI SUZUKI (up 2.7%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are HDFC and BAJAJ FINANCE.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,377 (up 1.9%). The top gainers in the NSE Nifty include HINDALCO (up 4.5%), HUL (up 4.2%) and ZEE ENTERTAINMENT (up 3.7%). Other gainers include GAIL (up 3.6%) and BAJAJ FINANCE (up 3.4%) are among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,083, registering a loss of 6,194 points (down 16.18%).

IRB INFRA. Financial Update...

IRB INFRA. net profit down at Rs 2 billion for the quarter ended December 2019, compared to a loss of Rs 2 billion a year ago. Net Sales declined 2.6% to Rs 17.4 billion during the period as against Rs 17.9 billion in October-December 2018.

For the year ended March 2019, IRB INFRA. reported 7.2% increase in net profit to Rs 8.5 billion compared to net profit of Rs 7.9 billion during FY18.

Revenue of the company grew 17.8% to Rs 67 billion during FY19.

The current Price to earnings ratio of IRB INFRA., based on rolling 12 month earnings, stands at 3.1x.

This article (IRB INFRA. Surges by 7%; BSE REALTY Index Up 0.7%) is authored by Equitymaster.

Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

NCC share price has zoomed 5% and is presently trading at Rs 25.

Meanwhile, the BSE REALTY Index is at 1,345 (up 1.3%).

Among the top Gainers in the BSE REALTY Index today is NCC (up 5.4%).

Over the last one year, NCC has moved down from Rs 92 to Rs 25, registering a loss of Rs 68 (down 73.5%).

On the other hand, the BSE REALTY has moved down from 1,983 to 1,345, loss of 638 points (down 32.4%) during the last 12 months.

The top gainers among the BSE REALTY Index stocks during this same period were [param_historic_top3].

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.6%).

The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are INDUSIND BANK (up 3.5%), HUL (up 3.0%) and BAJAJ FINANCE (up 2.6%). Other gainers include RELIANCE IND. (up 2.3%) and AXIS BANK (up 2.3%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are RELIANCE IND. and INDUSIND BANK.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.6%). The top gainers in the NSE Nifty include DR. REDDYS LAB (up 4.3%), INDUSIND BANK (up 3.8%) and HUL (up 3.2%). Other gainers include INDIABULLS HOU. FIN. (up 3.0%) and HINDALCO (up 2.9%) are among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of 6,188 points (down 16.52%).

NCC Financial Update...

NCC net profit down at Rs 1 billion for the quarter ended December 2019, compared to a loss of Rs 2 billion a year ago. Net Sales declined 32.5% to Rs 22.8 billion during the period as against Rs 33.8 billion in October-December 2018.

For the year ended March 2019, NCC reported 153.1% increase in net profit to Rs 6.8 billion compared to net profit of Rs 2.7 billion during FY18.

Revenue of the company grew 53.7% to Rs 129 billion during FY19.

The current Price to earnings ratio of NCC, based on rolling 12 month earnings, stands at 3.4x.

This article (NCC Surges by 5%; BSE REALTY Index Up 1.3%) is authored by Equitymaster.

Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

ITD CEMENTATION INDIA share price has zoomed 11% and is presently trading at Rs 38.

Meanwhile, the BSE REALTY Index is at 1,345 (up 1.3%).

Among the top Gainers in the BSE REALTY Index today is ITD CEMENTATION INDIA (up 10.8%).

SOBHA LIMITED and OMAXE LTD are among the top losers today.

Over the last one year, ITD CEMENTATION INDIA has moved down from Rs 115 to Rs 38, registering a loss of Rs 78 (down 67.5%).

On the other hand, the BSE REALTY has moved down from 1,983 to 1,345, loss of 638 points (down 32.4%) during the last 12 months.

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.6%).

The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are RELIANCE IND. (up 4.0%), ICICI BANK (up 3.8%) and BHARTI AIRTEL (up 3.1%). Other gainers include HUL (up 2.7%) and KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK (up 2.7%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are SBI and INDUSIND BANK.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.5%). The top gainers in the NSE Nifty include RELIANCE IND. (up 4.1%), ICICI BANK (up 3.8%) and DR. REDDYS LAB (up 3.7%). Other gainers include BHARTI AIRTEL (up 3.3%) and HUL (up 2.7%) are among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of 6,188 points (down 16.56%).

BRIGADE ENTERPRISES share price has plunged 7% and is presently trading at Rs 112.

Meanwhile, the BSE REALTY Index is at 1,345 (up 0.7%).

Among the top losers in the BSE REALTY Index today is BRIGADE ENTERPRISES (down 6.8%).

INDIABULLS REAL EST (up 3.8%) and DLF (up 2.0%) are among the top gainers today.

Over the last one year, BRIGADE ENTERPRISES has moved down from Rs 153 to Rs 112, registering a loss of Rs 41 (down 26.8%)..

The BSE REALTY has moved down from 1,983 to 1,345, loss of 638 points (down 32.2%) during the last 12 months.

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 1.6%). The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are RELIANCE IND. (up 4.0%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are SBI and INDUSIND BANK.

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 1.3%). ZEE ENTERTAINMENT (up 5.7%) is among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of 6,188 points (down 16.54%).

BRIGADE ENTERPRISES Financial Update...

BRIGADE ENTERPRISES net profit down at Rs 405 million for the quarter ended December 2019, compared to a loss of Rs 594 million a year ago. Net Sales declined 19.7% to Rs 5.5 billion during the period as against Rs 6.9 billion in October-December 2018.

For the year ended March 2019, BRIGADE ENTERPRISES reported 96.0% increase in net profit to Rs 2.8 billion compared to net profit of Rs 1.4 billion during FY18.

Revenue of the company grew 56.7% to Rs 30 billion during FY19.

The current Price to earnings ratio of BRIGADE ENTERPRISES, based on rolling 12 month earnings, stands at 7.2x.

This article (BRIGADE ENTERPRISES Plunges by 7%; BSE REALTY Index Up 0.7%) is authored by Equitymaster.

Equitymaster is a leading 'independent' equity research initiative focused on providing well-researched and unbiased opinions on stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

PRESTIGE ESTATES share price has plunged 5% and is presently trading at Rs 169.

Meanwhile, the BSE REALTY Index is at 1,345 (down 0.8%).

Among the top losers in the BSE REALTY Index today is PRESTIGE ESTATES (down 5.4%).

GODREJ PROPERTIES (up 2.8%) and MAHINDRA LIFESPACE (up 1.8%) are among the top gainers today.

Over the last one year, PRESTIGE ESTATES has moved down from Rs 263 to Rs 169, registering a loss of Rs 94 (down 35.7%)..

The BSE REALTY has moved down from 1,983 to 1,345, loss of 638 points (down 32.2%) during the last 12 months.

What About the Benchmark Indices?

The BSE Sensex is at 32,089 (up 0.9%). The top gainers among the BSE Sensex stocks today are HUL (up 4.6%). The most traded stocks in the BSE Sensex are ICICI BANK and RELIANCE IND..

In the meantime, NSE Nifty is at 9,383 (up 0.7%). HUL (up 5.1%) is among the top gainers in NSE Nifty.

Over the last 12 months, the BSE Sensex has moved down from 38,277 to 32,089, registering a loss of 6,188 points (down 17.15%).

Canadian Finance Minister Bill Morneau has made tax non-compliance in the real-estate market a major focus of his 2019 Budget.

New Zealand has released a new consultation on proposals to further clarify the deductibility of holding costs (rates, interest, insurance, etc.) where land that is subject to tax on sale is used privately while it is held.

Highlights: Personalized therapeutic cancer vaccines are likely to be available soon A new type of deli

The Australian Taxation Office said that it has noticed a number of common errors being made in activity statements since the "goods and services tax at settlement" system was introduced for the real estate industry in July 2018.

Majority of the world population live in countries that are dependent on, at least partially, imported food. Globalization has revolutionized food production