Owing to the lockdown, old popular shows like Ramayan and Mahabharat are being retelecasted for the viewing of the younger generation. Ever since the show has gone on air, the cast from the show has been revealing interesting stories that went behind the scenes. Recently actor Sunil Lahri aka Lakshman revealed another interesting fact related to late actress Lalita Pawar who played the role of Manthara. 

Recently, during a virtual press conference, Sunil Lahri said that while they were shooting the scene where Lord Ram returns to Ayodhya, Lalita Pawar suffered injuries and still chose to shoot despite the pain. "Lalita Pawar ji once suffered an injury. During a sequence when Lord Ram returns to Ayodhya, the entire set was lit with diyas. Lalita ji being an enthusiastic actor did not realise and she walked over them, by mistake she stepped on the lanterns and both her feet got burnt. The spot dadas would carry her till the set from the room and she used to give her shot. In fact, she was asked to relax and rest, but she was such an excited actor that she would love to work. Nobody got to know that she was in pain, she showed no signs when she was on camera. She was so committed that despite the injuries she continued to shoot and hat's off to her. She was a great lady," said the actor.

Lalita Pawar has also been a part of over 100s of films including Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi where she is seen playing character actors. The actor passed away in 1998 after suffering from mouth cancer. 

ALSO READ: “Ramanand Sagar was born to make Ramayan,” says his son Prem Sagar

It's only now that Ibrahim Ali Khan's presence on Instagram has become more frequent than before. And thanks to him being a TikTok fan, we now know that he has quite an actor in him! Credit the genes! But does he have plans to pursue it professionally?

Sara Ali Khan, who recently indulged in a candid conversation with Bollywood Hungama, was asked if Ibrahim plans to get into films. "He has not even gone to college as yet. So I think acting is a while away. It's definitely something he is interested in, something he is passionate about. And he's gonna study film in LA. So, if he wants to do something he'll do it,"  she said.

In October last year, Sara and Ibrahim shot for their first magazine cover together, and the internet was all praises. Given that he already has a thing for the camera, looks like it is only a matter of time before we see him in films!

Apart from impressing people with her acting skills, Sara Ali Khan has also been acing her social media game. The actress who often uses rhyme schemes in her Instagram captions also entertains people with her 'Knock Knock Jokes'. Her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan is often seen accompanying her in these videos. In an exclusive chat with Bollywood Hungama, Sara Ali Khan spoke about these videos and how Ibrahim reacts to them.

Recently Sara Ali Khan posted a Tik Tok video where they are seen taking the challenge of ‘Who’s most likely to’. When asked about whose idea it was to make Tik Tok videos, Sara said, “I think Ibrahim was the first among all of us to get on to TikTok and he often tells me that 'Let's make a TikTok’. I asked him what to do because I am not good at this. The only thing I can do is Knock Knock Who's There, you don't find that very funny. He would be like ‘let's do this one’ and we just did it. As you can see, we did not know what the questions were going to be. We did not listen to the questions first and wanted it to be a surprise.

Talking about her popular Knock Knock jokes, Sara said, “I think Ibrahim needs to be told that. Because every time I go into his room in my nightie with my phone saying ‘knock knock’ and he is like ‘No Sara’ and I am like ‘Common please’. He always thinks I am not going to put it up because I am puffy, in my nightie, and choti (Ponytail). And I am like ‘Check Instagram’.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Sara had started shooting for Atrangi Re before the lockdown was imposed. Atrangi Re directed by Aanand L Rai also stars Akshay Kumar and Dhanush.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Sara Ali Khan opens up on brother Ibrahim Ali Khan’s Bollywood plans, says it’s only a dream right now

Subhash Ghai is one of the celebrated filmmakers of Bollywood. He has films like Taal, Karz, Ram Lakhan and Khalnayak to his credit and has worked with several A-list actors. However, the director has never worked with Amitabh Bachchan. The two had started working on a project but it was called off in its early stage. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Subhash Ghai revealed why they never completed the film.

Talking about why the film was stalled, Subhash Ghai said, “Both of us tried to make the film, but the situation was such that the film could not be made. Neither of us was at fault. Sometimes situations are such that you feel that films cannot be made and we stop in between. There were several factors. Even I was at fault as I was impatient back then. He is one of the finest actors of India and it is my bad luck that I could not work with him. He does the bad scenes also so well that it puts the writer to shame. I did not write as well as Amitabh Bachchan performed it. I am a great admirer of Amitabh Bachchan and we are family friends. It was not in our fate to work with each other.”

However, Subhash Ghai seems hopeful of working with the veteran actor in the future when the time is right and they get the right script. The incomplete film of Subhash Ghai and Amitabh Bachchan was titled Devaa. In 2013 there were reports of Subhash Ghai collaborating with Bachchan for the biopic of Sarabjit which was ultimately essayed by Randeep Hooda and directed by Omung Kumar.

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

Musk has been ranting about the stay-home order since the company's April 29 first-quarter earnings were released, calling the restrictions fascist and urging governments to stop taking people's freedom

The measures comprise 24-hour sanitisation of factory premises, providing face masks and PPEs to all workers, temperature check of all employees twice daily, no sharing of tools, and ensuring physical distancing by raising barriers on work floors as well as dining facilities, among others

Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr, a triple Olympic gold medallist, has been admitted to a city hospital in critical condition. The 96-year-old was taken to a private hospital from his residence in Sector 36 in Chandigarh, where he lives with his daughter Sushbir and maternal grandson Kabir. "Dadaji is in ICU right now at Fortis Hospital. He was admitted last evening with complaints of pneumonia. He is on ventilator but better than yesterday," grandson Kabir told PTI.

Dr Rajinder Kalra, doctor of 1975 World Cup winning side as well as family doctor:"Balbir had 104 degree fever on Thursday night. Initially, we tried to manage by giving him sponge baths at home but his conditions didn't improve we tried to shift him to PGI, Chandigarh. "But since PGI Chandigarh is a COVID hospital, so it was difficult to get him admitted in ICU. So we admitted him in Fortis, Mohali where he as been 3-4 times before."

"He is currently in ICU but better than yesterday. His COVID-19 test went for examination today and the results are expected tomorrow," Kalra said. In January last year, Balbir Sr was discharged from PGI after spending 108 days in the hospital, where he underwent treatment for bronchial pneumonia.

"It is an unparalleled achievement and credit to his grit that he could recover at the age of 95 from the scenario of bronchial pneumonia and near cardiac failure that he was initially admitted with," Prof. Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER had then said when the former India captain was discharged.

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Kajol and Ajay Devgn completed 21 years of marital bliss. The couple has always set some serious goals with their polar opposite mannerisms. Ajay's calm demeanour perfectly blends in with Kajol's outgoing personality. The power couple also engages in fun banter on social media.

This time, we are talking about Ajay's throwback picture with Kajol comparing their 22 years of marriage to the lockdown. The black-and-white picture is from one of their films together. Sharing the picture, he wrote, Feels like it's been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol (sic)".

 

 

 

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

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) onMay 8, 2020 at 6:19am PDT

Aren't they the cutest couple? Their playful social media banter surely has always given us couple goals!

Recently, Kajol took to Instagram and wondered what day of the week it was. The star captioned it, "When Sunday and Monday are just the same. Wayback Wednesday."

 

 

 

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When Sunday and Monday are just the same... #lockdownstories #WaybackWednesday

A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol) onMay 6, 2020 at 12:47am PDT

The duo has worked together in films like Gundaraj, Hulchul, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Dil Kya Kare, Raju Chacha, and U Me Aur Hum. The couple is blessed with two children, Yug and Nysa. The couple were last seen together in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. It has turned out to be the biggest hit of Devgn and Kajol's career, with staggering collections of over Rs. 275 crores.

Kajol was recently seen in the short film Devi, which received wide acclaim from the audience and critics alike. Devi also starred Neha Dhupia, Neena Kulkarni, Mukta Barve, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Yashaswini Dayama, Sandhya Mhatre and Rama Joshi. It can be viewed on YouTube.

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Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput tied the knot on July 7, 2015, in a private ceremony and since then their love has grown stronger. Mira is the daughter of Delhi-based businessman Vikramaditya Rajput and Bela Rajput. Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput became proud parents to baby girl Misha on August 26, 2016. Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput welcomed their second child, a baby boy on September 5, 2018, and the duo named their new-born Zain Kapoor.

Misha and Zain are one of the most adorable star kids of B-town. The cute little kiddos are the apple of everyone's eye. Just like other star babies, both the kids, particularly Misha has several fan clubs dedicated to her. Shahid and Mira often treat their fans with lovey-dovey pictures of their kids on Instagram.

During the coronavirus lockdown, Mira tried her hands at embroidery and even took some help from daughter Misha. Mira shared a picture of an embroidered heart and wrote, "Big love with my little love. With a hand drawn pattern and help on the turns, little hands made the heart with a lot of excitement and filled with a whole lot of love!" Take a look at the picture here:

The star wife keeps sharing snippets of her family quarantine time on her Instagram profile. She recently gave a shoutout to everyone for staying indoors. She wrote an elaborate open letter which read, "Love them. Hug them. Ask them how they feel and let them cry if they're not okay. Kiss them. Paint with them and let their clothes and the walls get dirty. Watch their favourite cartoon with them. Snuggle up with them. Give them extra ketchup if they ask for it that day. And when you’re tired after doing the dishes and cooking dinner and they say “Mumma can you play with me” remember this time isn’t forever. Little hands. Big hearts Love them."

 

 

 

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A post shared by Mira Rajput Kapoor (@mira.kapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 9:52am PDT

On the work front, Shahid Kapoor's last film, Kabir Singh, did excellently at the box office. The Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial was the story of a brilliant doctor who takes the self-destructive path when the love of his life is forced to marry another man. It earned over Rs 250 crore and became one of the highest grosser of 2019.

As of now, Shahid has signed the Hindi remake of the Telugu film Jersey, which is the story of a cricketer and how he battles the politics within the game and his inner demons. The film is all set to release on August 28, 2020.

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Jacqueline Fernandez has stumbled upon life-altering realisations amid the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The actress says she has realised that life is too short, and it is important to make the most of the time we have in our hands.

"Honestly, the biggest lesson has been that when it comes to humankind we are pretty irrelevant, which means that we are extremely blessed to be on this planet because the planet would go on with us or without us. So, we have to be grateful and give back. That's the realisation -- we take Earth for granted," Jacqueline said, while reflecting upon how the lockdown has been a learning period for her.

"(Another lesson is that) life is short. We need to be doing things that we enjoy doing and love. We should be spending time with the people we love because you are here one day and gone the next. We really have to make the most out of life. It is such a lesson. These are the two main things I have realised during this period," added the actress, who is spending her lockdown with superstar Salman Khan and others at his farmhouse in Panvel.

Amid the shutdown, she is making the most of her time by enjoying moments like horse-riding, basking in the sun and reading a book -- evident in her recent Instagram posts.

On the work front, she was recently seen in "Mrs. Serial Killer", which released on Netflix on May 1. "Mrs. Serial Killer" is directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by his filmmaker wife Farah Khan. The thriller is about a wife, whose husband has been framed and imprisoned for serial murders. She needs to perform a murder exactly like the serial killer, to prove that her husband is innocent.

The film hinges on the question -- how far would you go for love.

Asked how far she would go for the people she loves, Jacqueline said: "I always think that when it comes to people you love, you kind of throw logic out of the window. But I am someone who is all about making sure that you are doing the right thing.

"It has to be the right thing. I always try to put that into perspective. If I feel a right thing is being done, then I will probably go to whatever extent I need to. I would never harm anyone though for love. I would do anything for love except harm anyone," said the actress, who won Miss Sri Lanka beauty pageant in 2006.

She made her debut in the Indian film industry with 2009 film "Aladin" opposite actor Riteish Deshmukh. The film turned out to be a dud at the box office, but Jacqueline got noticed and went on to do films like "Housefull 2", "Murder 2", "Kick", "Brothers", "Dishoom" and "Judwaa 2". "Mrs. Serial Killer" also stars Manoj Bajpayee and Mohit Raina.

Recalling the experience of working on the thriller, Jacqueline said: "It was great. They were so patient, kind and very supportive. There was a beautiful sense of unity and teamwork, and you learn so much from working with such amazing actors. It was really a beautiful experience."

Now, she is looking forward to the release of the song "Tere bina" with Salman, which they have shot amid the lockdown in the farm premises itself.

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Actor Jake Gyllenhaal says he has become less interested in work and more interested in personal life, adding that he hopes to have kids in the future.

In an interview with British Vogue, the actor, who has been part of showbiz since the last two decades, shared that he is now ready to focus on his personal life, reports etonline.com.

"I'm interested in my life, even more so than my work. I've reached a point in my career where I feel hungry in a different way," said Gyllenhaal, adding: "I've seen how much of my life I've neglected as a result of being committed to that work and that idea."

"(I've) lightened up. Seeing life as something that is, you know, fleeting, and the world being as it is now. I've turned to my family, I've turned to my friends and I've turned to love. I'm a little less interested in the work, I would say, and more interested in that," said the 39-year-old star, known for starring in movies like "Donnie Darko", "Brokeback Mountain", "Nightcrawler" and "Spider-Man: Far From Home".

Gyllenhaal, who has been romantically linked to French model Jeanne Cadieu in the past few years, shared that he "definitely" sees kids in his future.

"Yes, of course I do. I definitely do," he said, adding: "The act of making love to make a child…the real thing is life. You get to the end of the show and that's what it's about. Children. Children and art."

He continued: "I'm not someone who has ever existed in a space where I've really known what's coming next. But you do have to be open to it. And there has been no other time in my life that I can safely say…. My mother and my sister are some of the most extraordinary people I know. Our vulnerability with each other, our ability to communicate about how tough times can be is what I'm most proud of in my family. For everything I hope to pass on, that's the most important."

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As the nation celebrates the indomitable spirit of motherhood on Sunday, Bollywood celebrities also dedicated heart-warming messages to their mom's on the occasion of Mother's Day."

Sara Ali Khan shared a heart-melting throwback picture where she is seen as an infant in the arms of her grandmother while her mother is looking at baby Sara in a moment of affection. The actor captioned the post as, "Meri Maa ki Maa. Thank you for creating Mommy. #HappyMothersDay."

 

 

 

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Meri Maa ki Maa 💁🏻‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ¤°ðŸ¤±ðŸ»ðŸ™‡ðŸ»‍♀ï¸Â Thank you for creating Mommy 💝🙏🏻👩‍👧‍👧🐣🐥🐤 #HappyMothersDay

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) onMay 9, 2020 at 11:45am PDT

Vicky Kaushal put out a childhood throwback picture on Instagram where the actor is seen caught in a moment of mischief as he jogs at the shore of a beach, while his mother is seen scolding him. Along with the picture Vicky wrote," Dodging them till date. Keep them coming Maa. Love you! 

 

 

 

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Dodging them till date. Keep them coming Maa. Love you! ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) onMay 9, 2020 at 5:40pm PDT

Ananya Panday shared an adorable video from her childhood days where she is seen sporting a while kurta-churidar with a red dotted dupatta. The video initiates with a question by a person behind the camera who asks, "Whom do you love the most in the world?"

 

 

 

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it’s clear where I get my crazy from 😜 happy Mama’s day to my Mama and all the beautiful mama’s out there ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Ananya 💛💫 (@ananyapanday) onMay 9, 2020 at 12:15pm PDT

To which baby Ananya innocently replies, "Mama."

And he asks, "And the second?"

She smilingly replies, "Nobody."

 

 

 

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The answer is still the same 😜 love u @bhavanapandey ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Ananya 💛💫 (@ananyapanday) onMay 9, 2020 at 12:16pm PDT

Along with the caption she wrote, "The answer is still the same. love u @bhavanapandey."

Recalling his childhood moments spent with her mom, Ishaan Khatter shared a couple of throwback pictures with his mom in an Instagram post.

 

 

 

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Mom for president ✌🏼

A post shared by Ishaan (@ishaankhatter) onMay 9, 2020 at 1:16pm PDT

The special post featured 3 pictures of which the first one shows baby Ishaan lying in bed while his mother is seen pecking a kiss on his little arms. The second one shows his mom in a glamorous monochromatic picture, and the third one shows baby Ishaan in his childhood days, where he is seen sitting in his mother's lap and passing a smile at the camera.Along with the post he wrote, "Mom for president."

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On the occasion of Mother's Day, veteran actor Hema Malini shared a priceless throwback pictures of herself with her mom and daughters, saying its a "day for us to recall with love and gratitude all that our mothers have done for us."

The 71-year-old actor took a walk down the memory lane when she shared a monochromatic picture featuring herself and her mom on Twitter. In the picture, the evergreen star is seen sporting traditional Bharatanatyam attire and is seen affectionately hugging her mother.

It is Mother’s Day! A day for us to recall with love & gratitude all that our mothers have done for us🙏Also a day for us to celebrate our status as mothers & grandmothers & look back proudly at the years passed in bringing our kids.This is a treasured file photo of me & my mom😘 pic.twitter.com/6kzw31pABk

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 10, 2020

Along with the picture she wrote," It is Mother's Day! A day for us to recall with love & gratitude all that our mothers have done for us. Also, a day for us to celebrate our status as mothers & grandmothers & look back proudly at the years passed in bringing our kids. This is a treasured file photo of me & my mom."

The 'Sholay' star also shared some 'glimpses from the past' where she showcased the three generations including herself, her mom and daughters Esha and Ayana Deol in a Twitter post.

Glimpses of the past pic.twitter.com/iKYOXwjnIT

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 10, 2020

The post included three pictures, the first one features Esha and Ahana in their childhood days with their mom Hema. While the second features the 'Baghban' star with her mom and the third one captures Hema's mom and the actor herself who is seen holding baby Esha by her arms.

Daughter Esha was quick to note the special post and commented, "Love u my mamma" (along with a heart and hugging emoticon).

Meanwhile, scores of Bollywood celebrities including Sara Ali Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Ishaan Khatter and others extended Mother's Day wishes to their moms by posting throwback pictures and videos on social media.

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Gauri Pradhan is proud of sister Geetanjali Pradhan who is a doctor and one of the frontline Coronavirus warriors. She also doffs her hat to all the medical professionals fighting the pandemic. Gauri's actor husband Hiten Tejwani has also lauded Geetanjali's accomplishments.

Taking to her Instagram account, Gauri even shared a post and hailed her baby sister's efforts in fighting the pandemic. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So proud of my baby sister!And so proud of everyone else who’s doing the same!! #drgeetanjalipradhan #fightagainstcorona #lockdown

A post shared by Gauri (@gpradhan) onMay 7, 2020 at 12:03pm PDT

Miss you, ma

Vikas Sethi is missing his mother Suraksha who is stuck in Ludhiana. She was visiting relatives when the lockdown was announced. As she is a heart patient, it is a cause of worry for him. It's his birthday on May 12, so her absence will be felt even more on his big day. Sethi is waiting for her to return. He will welcome her back home with a tub of her favourite ice cream. It's very unfortunate that there are so many TV and Bollywood actors that are not able to meet their mothers due to the nationwide lockdown.

We guess once the lockdown ends and life comes back to normal, the first thing on the cards for all these actors would be an emotional and a long-overdue reunion with their mothers and their entire family. We only wait for that day and hope it comes soon!

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In the fight against COVID-19, Uber has extended support by offering free rides to frontline BMC healthcare workers and non-COVID patients in Mumbai through its recently launched UberMedic service.

All UberMedic cars are fitted with a roof-to-floor plastic sheeting enclosing the driver. Additionally, all drivers are being trained in safety procedures and provided with personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, sanitisers and disinfectants to sanitise the cars between rides.

The agreement is part of Uber’s recent offer to provide free rides worth Rs 1 crore to the Maharashtra government. Prabhjeet Singh, Director, Operations and Head of Cities, Uber India & South Asia, said, “The BMC has been working tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID-19. We feel privileged to be supporting them in these challenging times and will help move what matters by leveraging our global experience, technology and network of drivers.”

Uber’s recently launched UberMedic service has been transporting frontline medical workers in 35+ hospitals across 23 Indian cities.

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It seems that there is rampant poaching of pangolins taking place during the lockdown in the Konkan belt, and their scales are being illegally sold in the local black market. During the raids, the forest department recovered two kilograms of pangolin scales and six nails. The pangolin is one of the most trafficked wild animals across the world as there is a huge international demand for its scales.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Vaibhav Borate, said, "Based on the tip-off received from our sources, our forest department team raided the house of Kalpesh Tukaram Balgude at Karanjali [Balgudewadi] village near Dapoli. During the search operation of the house, our team recovered one tortoise shell, one jungle hare, and 22 kg of pangolin scales and nails. We have taken the accused into custody and investigation is on."

As evidence related to wildlife trade have been found from the house of the accused, the forest department is exploring the possibility of him doing this regularly. The forest department team has registered an offence under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

According to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) website, "Major threats to pangolins in India are hunting and poaching for local consumptive use and international trade. Another reason for hunting pangolin is its meat. There is now greater evidence of its inclusion in illicit international trade, in particular its scales, from India through Myanmar to China and South-East Asian countries as the most likely, final destinations. Inadequate information on population and distribution further accentuates the threats arising from hunting and poaching."

The Indian Pangolin is found sporadically throughout the plains and lower slopes of hills from south of the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, except the north-eastern region. The Chinese Pangolin is found in India in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and the northern part of West Bengal.

Why Pangolins?

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world, for their scales [made of keratin], which are boiled off their bodies for use in traditional medicine. Their meat is a delicacy in Vietnam and China; and their blood, which is considered to be a healing tonic.

Pangolin could help find cure for COVID-19?

Soon after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, there were many media reports that claimed that the endangered pangolin was linked to the initial outbreak of the disease in China. However, this hasn't been proven yet. Now, a research conducted by the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, has revealed that certain genes sense when a virus enters the body, and trigger an immune response in most mammals. They found that pangolins, which have been called the 'missing link' between bats and humans, lack two of those virus-sensing genes. This means that not only are the endangered animals carriers, but they also seem to be immune to it, via an unknown mechanism. This evolutionary advantage and its understanding may give way to possible treatment options for COVID-19.

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Akash Kamble fell in love when he was a little boy. And once he set eyes on her languid, unending, lithe body, he was hooked.

His mother would take him along on the Mumbai local, from Bhayandar to Charni Road every day, so that her in-laws could babysit while she finished a day's work at her Fort office. Travelling in the train, watching it fly past through the window grill, had Kamble realise he loved trains deeply enough to work around them.

To acquire the weather beaten look of a diesel locomotive, Kamble uses candle light against the aluminium sheets

"I would observe them carefully during the commute and went on to make my first cardboard train model of a two-coach local when I was in Class VIII," says Kamble, 23, who is a mechanical engineer and holds the job of a Station Master with the Mumbai Monorail.

The rail model enthusiast thought the lockdown was the perfect opportunity to wrap up a few more models. He has, in the last five weeks, made 11 models of hi-class trains, from locomotives to local coaches.

"I first started with cardboard and foam-based train and engine models, but later moved to working with aluminium. My research involves reading about trains, their specifications and poring over their drawings. I make models of 1:35 scale, realistic and a perfect match [to the original]. The continuous involvement slowly leads to perfection," says Kamble, a resident of Ambernath, adding, "I have made a model of the most powerful green coloured WAG-9 electric locomotive and two coaches of the Garib Rath train. Besides this, one of my favourites is the diesel locomotive, a few coaches of the Mumbai local and a mail express."

He has also found the time to give finishing touches to earlier models, giving them a realistic feel. To acquire a weather beaten look of a diesel locomotive, he uses candle light against the aluminium sheets.

In 2019, Kamble joined what he calls his dream job. And, next on his agenda is to make a "replica of my employer". He has acquired drawings and technical specifications of the Mumbai Monorail and hopes to complete the project before the city chugs back to normal.

1:35
The ratio scale to which the mechanical engineer makes his models

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An elderly lady walked into my consultation room with two girlfriends, chewing gum. Her Gucci shades were stationed over her salt-and-pepper hair and she wore a black dress. Her wrists and ankles were crowded with beaded trinkets.

"Hi!" she said, greeting me with a firm handshake and a brief introduction as I jotted her name. "And your age?"

"Twenty-six!" she blurted, followed by a big smile because it made me look up and stare at her intently.

"Okay, just reverse that," she reconciled before I could say anything. "Any diabetes, blood pressure?" I proceeded, smiling through the usual questions, still wondering in my head her fancy for playing the fool with me about her age.

"Any heart issues?"

"I keep falling in love, doctor!" she said bluntly, as two ladies accompanying her rolled their eyes, gesticulating for her to behave. I shook my head at them, hinting that they let her comfortably continue.

Some patients like to bring on a keen familiarity early on in their meetings with physicians or surgeons. Some may be suffering from a grim diagnosis and might want to appear like they are perfectly fine with it. Others might come with the idea that "since this is someone whose knife I'm going to go under, we might as well be friends first'" For some, it might simply be their personality or disposition. As surgeons, we refrain from judging atypical behaviour unless it helps with the diagnosis.
"What brings you to me?"

"I have this shooting pain in my right jaw. It's like an electric shock that sometimes goes into my cheek as well. I can't brush, eat, swallow or chew," she continued, wincing as she opened her mouth to remove the gum she was chewing with difficulty, wrapping it tidily in a tissue paper. Thinking it was tooth pain, she had visited the dentist but had eventually been told to see a neurosurgeon. The medication she had been prescribed was no longer helping and she had been living with the pain for close to two years. "Sometimes, I feel like jumping off the Bandra-Worli Sea Link."

I told her friends to ensure that she didn't take that route on her commute for now.

She was pretty well-informed and knew enough about her condition, trigeminal neuralgia. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain presses on the trigeminal nerve that supplies sensation to the face. The pain can sometimes be so severe that it pushes patients towards contemplating suicide. Some women patients have told me that it's infinitely worse than the pain of labour without an epidural. Owing to the location of the pain, most patients visit a dentist first, and when a root canal doesn't help, they are referred to a neurologist.

"Having a drink at night makes the pain a little better," she confessed.

"In the good, old days, they used to inject alcohol directly into the nerve to numb it," I said. She thought I was joking but it's a fact.

The current options were to inject glycerol or ablate the root of the nerve with some radiofrequency current. The drawback —the pain would be replaced by semi-numbness since it's a destructive procedure. Or, we could use the Gamma Knife, where a single dose of focused radiation could do the trick. And finally, there was surgery—a little more invasive, but offering the best chance of cure and the least chance of recurrence. I explained that we'd make a small hole in the skull behind the ear and place a pad of Teflon between the vessel and the nerve so that direct contact between the two was eliminated.

After understanding her options, she opted for surgery. "You just want to go back to drinking without pain," I said in jest.

At surgery, under the magnificence of the microscope, we could see the offending vessel deeply grooving her nerve. When it was lifted gently after meticulously dissecting tiny strands connecting the two, I could see how pale and beat up the nerve looked. I teased the strands of the padding material Teflon and interposed them in the right place, transposing the vessel away to avoid any contact. As we were closing, I told my surgical assistant that this was one of the most gratifying neurosurgical procedures he would ever do. The charming lady woke up completely pain free, and over the next few days, we managed to get her off all painkillers.

Two days after discharge, she sent me this text message: "For the first time in several years, I could brush my teeth and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner without any pain. What's still better is that I could have the single malt, pain-free!"

"You are now permitted to use the Sea Link," I replied.

The writer is practicing neurosurgeon at Wockhardt Hospitals and Honorary Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals. You can reach him at mazdaturel@gmail.com

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Air India's first evacuation flight with 326 Indians from London landed at Mumbai Airport on Sunday. According to Indian high commission in the UK, the flight took off from London on Saturday on board 326 people. It landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. On Monday, India announced had that it will begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

The government said that Air India will operate 64 flights in the first week from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals.

On day three of the 'Vande Bharat Mission', flights carrying Indians from the Gulf countries, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Malaysia arrived in India.

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Mumbai Police on Sunday informed about the death of assistant sub-inspector (ASI) attached to the Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station and said he was battling coronavirus. "Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of ASI Sunil Dattatray Kalgutkar from Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station. ASI Kalgutkar had been battling Coronavirus. We pray for his soul to rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kalgutkar family," Mumbai police tweeted on Sunday.

Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of ASI Sunil Dattatray Kalgutkar from Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station. ASI Kalgutkar had been battling Coronavirus.

We pray for his soul to rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kalgutkar family.

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 9, 2020

The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra has risen to 20,228 with 1,165 new cases reported on Saturday, state Public Health Department said. According to the official media bulletin, 48 deaths were reported due to the infection from the state on Saturday.

The number of COVID-19 patients discharged after full recovery from the disease reached 3,800 with 330 patients discharged yesterday.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Sunday informed that few people were feared to be trapped under the debris after a wall of a house collapsed in Kandivali (West) area of Mumbai. According to NDRF, so far three people have been rescued.

"Four to five people possibly trapped after wall of a house collapsed in Kandivali (West) area of Mumbai. 3 people rescued till now," the NDRF said.

A rescue operation is underway at the mishap site.

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Five Air India pilots, who had undertaken cargo flights to China, have tested positive for coronavirus during the pre-flight COVID-19 test. Sources in the national carrier told ANI that all five pilots are currently asymptomatic and are based in Mumbai.

The pre-flight COVID-19 test is carried out 72 hours before the pilots are rostered for flight duties.

"All of them are asymptomatic and based in Mumbai. They had undertaken cargo flights to Guangzhou, China," sources said.

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