Rishi Kapoor passed away after battling leukemia for over two years, while the family is still coping with the loss, Neetu Kapoor has thanked the hospital authorities and Mukesh and Nita Ambani for their consistent support and love. Even though Riddhima couldn’t make it to her father’s funeral, she is currently in Mumbai to stay with her mother and brother in these trying times.

With an overload of throwback pictures and tributes, Rishi Kapoor will surely be missed by everyone in the industry along with his ardent fans. His charm and positive nature is still looked up to with Riddhima and Ranbir providing the much-needed support to Neetu Kapoor. A week after Rishi Kapoor’s demise, Riddhima Kapoor has shared a picture with Ranbir Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor citing that they have got her back.

Take a look at it.

Also Read: Neetu Kapoor thanks Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani for their consistent love and support

When India started seeing a spike in coronavirus cases in March, the theatres were the first to shut shop in the country and will probably be the last to open as well. This uncertainty over theatres functioning like before has led to several producers considering to release their films directly on OTT platforms skipping the theatrical release. OTT platforms are taking full advantage of this situation and are said to be offering large sums of money to filmmakers.

The boost in OTT platforms has several doubting the fate of theatrical businesses in the future. On Friday, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha who has made films like Article 15 and Thappad took to Twitter and said that nothing will change with the theatrical business and even compared it to the recent chaos outside liquor shops. "Nothing will change the theatrical business in India. NOTHING!!! Here the big blockbusters are not only about the film. It is an event. It is a community event. It won’t change. I hope you saw the liquor shop queues," he wrote.

Nothing will change the theatrical business in India. NOTHING!!! Here the big blockbusters are not only about the film. It is an event. It is a community event. It won’t change. I hope you saw the liquor shop queues.

— Anubhav Sinha (@anubhavsinha) May 8, 2020

Meanwhile, it is being reported that this year's Eid releases- Radhe and Laxmmi Bomb might be looking for a direct to OTT release. Makers of Akshay Kumar starrer Laxmmi Bomb are currently in talks to release the film in June on Hotstar. However, the makers are yet to make an official announcement regarding the same. On the other hand, the makers of Radhe-Your Most Wanted Bhai will take a decision after they complete post-production.

ALSO READ: Laxmmi Bomb to get a direct to OTT release on Disney+Hotstar in June

Jacqueline Fernandez’s latest cover for a leading magazine was flawless as ever but these inside images tell us, how we must reconnect with nature. What better inspiration than the actress, herself!

In the first one, we see Jacqueline playing a guitar and playing with a little goat. Jacqueline is seen wearing a beautiful dark ocean blue blazer with a bralette and a skirt. The magazine on their social media says, "Amidst news of the lockdown extension, we asked Jacqueline Fernandez to create images that would celebrate just some of the things that are bringing us joy right now—beautiful imagery, nature, and the hope of a better future. The actor is quarantined out on a Panvel farmhouse and is also currently promoting her new Netflix movie Mrs Serial Killer. She styled and did her own hair and makeup for this dreamy digital cover story. Watch this space to see more images created exclusively for Bazaar."

The second one is the one where we're searching for sunnier times. Jacqueline looks stunning in the beige skirt and a white single shouldered top with soft summery glowy dewy makeup. The magazine shares on their social media and says, "Dreaming of sunnier times and the great outdoors with cover star Jacqueline Fernandez".

 

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A post shared by Harper's Bazaar, India (@bazaarindia) on May 4, 2020 at 6:59am PDT

 

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A post shared by Harper's Bazaar, India (@bazaarindia) on May 4, 2020 at 7:08am PDT

 

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A post shared by Harper's Bazaar, India (@bazaarindia) on May 4, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

The last look of Jacqueline with wavy hair and the blazer with sunshine on her hair enhancing the looks. The last one is a perfect picture for how we are all feeling during the quarantine, the magazine writes, "Our April/May 2020 digital issue cover star Jacqueline Fernandez shared a glimpse of what life looks like for her right now in quarantine. The actor is grateful to be quarantined out on a Panvel farmhouse where she is, “reconnecting with nature”. She says she is, "doing everything that I can to help those in need from here and praying for strength and health to each one in this world during these tough times."

It’s amazing to see how we can totally relate to these images and mood as we are feeling it totally. Everyone is searching for hope, sunnier and happier times. Everyone is reconnecting with nature in their own way. Jacqueline is also one of those actress who wins hearts not just on magazine covers but also on-screen each time. Her recently released Mrs. Serial Killer has won hearts and the perfect portrayal of a dark character has just proved her versatility as an actress one more time.

Also Read: VIDEO: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Iulia Vantur send out bags of ration to the needy

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

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

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

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

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

A few weeks back, actor Abhishek Bachchan, on Instagram, shared a priceless throwback photo from his first ever stage performance as an actor alongside father Amitabh Bachchan, in 2004. His love for the stage, however, began when he was merely a child and would accompany his father for his live shows. He shared a video, giving us glimpses of one such show and also spoke about the fondest memories spread over the years.

"I have so many memories of being on the road with him, his co-stars and the immense Kalyanji and Anandji and their 40 piece orchestra helmed by a young and upcoming Viju Shah ( Kalyan ji's son and future Music Director of huge fame)," he wrote.

 

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#FlashbackFriday My 1st ever stage performance after becoming an actor. Got to share it with a pretty cool dude! This was for the "Help" telethon which was done to raise money to help all the victims of the devastating tsunami which occurred on December 26th 2004. This huge enterprise of getting the entire Hindi film industry together ( a Herculean task) was spearheaded by @duttsanjay . And although I was slated to make my debut stage performance in Amsterdam for the IIFA awards later in the year, I just couldn't say no to the cause and Sanju sir. Both dad and I performed to a mix/ medley of his song रंग बरसे and "one love" a track I had done as a cameo in my dear friend @suniel.shetty film Rakth. The show took place in early February 2005. Both dad and I were shooting for "Kajra re" with Aishwarya for Bunty aur Babli. I would shoot the song all day from 9am to 10pm and then drive to the concert venue and rehearse all night. I even spent my birthday shooting Kajra re ( but that is a different story, reserved for another Friday). At night, after the shoot I remember when I reached the venue for my rehearsal all the lights were off!!! Thinking that I had made a mistake and showed up to rehearse when there wasn't any.... Suddenly all the stage lights came on and all the dancers, Ganesh Hegde the choreographer, stage hands and technical staff surprised me! Then Sanju sir and @walia_bunty ( he was one of the organisers) rolled out a huge cake and a birthday present for me. They all sang and managed to embarrass me to bits! What fun. Good times!

A post shared by Abhishek Bachchan (@bachchan) on Apr 24, 2020 at 3:38am PDT

The actor went on to recall how the artists would gather in his parents' suite for a midnight dinner and how their return journey by flight would be nothing less than a mini concert mid-air! In the video, Big B can be seen calling Abhishek and sister Shweta to the stage as he introduces them to the audience.

"What times! As a child standing in the wings looking at the show in awe and wonderment. Not realising at that time the legends that I was blessed to witness perform live. Secretly imagining myself on that stage once I grew up," Abhishek added.

That's certainly where it all started!

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has worked with Rishi Kapoor in Agneepath and has experienced his charm first hand. She even visited him in New York when he was there for his treatment with his wife, Neetu Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor’s demise has been a great loss to the industry and Priyanka Chopra Jonas has written a beautiful piece remembering him and his great work for Time magazine.

In the piece, she said, “From his first leading role in 1973’s Bobby, he was the keeper of our hearts, ushering in a new era of romance in Hindi movies. His charisma was in his extraordinary smile, one that made his fans go weak in the knees. And when he danced, he made us all want to jump up and join him.”

“I had the privilege of working with him in Agneepath, in which he played a fierce, no-holds-barred character, someone to hate rather than love”.

Concluding her piece of work, she wrote, “To your beautiful family, Neetu Ma’am, Riddhima and Ranbir: the world grieves with you... I’m so grateful for having had the opportunity of knowing you personally as well—your candour, your laughter, your zest for life. That’s how I’ll always remember you.”

Also Read: After Rishi Kapoor’s demise, Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor have got Neetu Kapoor’s back

Actress Rakul Preet Singh took to Twitter to debunk false news being shared about her. It was reported that she was spotted buying alcohol in the market.

“What was @Rakulpreet buying during the #lockdown? She was buying alcohol?,” read a tweet by @KRKBoxOffice. In the video shared, Rakul was seen in casuals. She had a mask on her mouth and is seen carrying a few items in her hands. Replying to the tweet, Rakul wrote, "Oh wow ! I wasn’t aware that medical stores were selling alcohol.”

What was @Rakulpreet buying during the #lockdown? She was buying alchohol? pic.twitter.com/XmBVYVL8Gn

— KRKBOXOFFICE (@KRKBoxOffice) May 7, 2020

Following Rakul's response, several netizens came to her support and tweeted that she need not justify the video as buying alcohol is not wrong. Some also pointed out that it is an invasion of privacy by making a video and posting it online.

All liquor shops were shut down when the lockdown was first imposed on March 25. During the third phase of lockdown which started on May 4, the government allowed liquor shops to function. However, owing to the chaos outside liquor shops on day one of the lockdown 3.0, several state governments shut down liquor shops.

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

ALSO READ: Rakul Preet Singh talks about how her parents were more comfortable with the idea of her wearing a bikini

Neena Gupta treated her followers on Instagram with a fun video as the actress hit the five lakh mark on the social media platform. On Thursday, Neena Gupta took to Instagram to express her gratitude to all her fans who helped achieve five lakh followers.

Neena Gupta who is very active on Instagram shared a video where she is seen thanking her followers and fans. She is seen in a joyous mood as she cheerfully jumps around while addressing her followers. She said that it was because of her fans, their prayers and comments that helped her in hitting five lakh followers. Sharing the video, she wrote, "Thank you thank you."

 

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Thank you thank you

A post shared by Neena Gupta (@neena_gupta) on May 7, 2020 at 7:46am PDT

Neena Gupta constantly updates her fans about her life and expresses her thoughts on various topics through social media. From her fitness to beauty care to current topics, the actress shares her opinion on everything.

Neena Gupta started her second wave in cinema with her incredible performance in the film Badhaai Ho. She was seen in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Panga.

ALSO READ: After getting a head massage from husband Vivek Mehra, Neena Gupta returns the favour

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

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

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

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

Varun Dhawan and Natasha Dalal have been dating each other for years now and had even spent their New Years in Switzerland. The couple is usually spotted together on vacations and family functions while their fans have been rooting for them to tie the knot for quite some time. Varun Dhawan fans are aware of how he’s a UFC enthusiast and even had the opportunity to meet some of the fighters last year.

With Natasha Dalal turning a year older today, Varun Dhawan had the sweetest birthday wish for her. he posted a picture of them from one of their vacations along with a picture of Natasha and her pet as she celebrated the birthday under quarantine. The caption reads, “Happy birthday ???? nata. I choose you over the ufc ????”

Take a look at the pictures.

 

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Happy birthday ???? nata. I choose you over the ufc ????

A post shared by Varun Dhawan (@varundvn) on May 7, 2020 at 11:38pm PDT

On the work front, Varun Dhawan is currently awaiting the release of Coolie No. 1 where he will be seen sharing the screen space with Sara Ali Khan for the first time.

Also Read: Tiger Shroff flaunts his melodious voice with ‘Theher Ja’ and Varun Dhawan is floored

No matter how many years pass by, Madhuri Dixit will always be remembered as Bollywood's Dhak Dhak girl. Not everyone is as blessed with their moves as she is, and she remains a true dance icon for today's actors. And now we know, she had a thing for dance right from her childhood.

The actor took to Instagram to share a throwback photo from her school days, wherein she is seen performing on the stage with her sister. "This is one of my favourite memories that I have with my sister. We used to always take part in school competitions. Here's sharing a #MajorThrowback childhood memory with my favourite dance buddy. Let me know what is your favourite childhood memory! P.s. Can you tell us apart?," she wrote.

 

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This is one of my favourite memories that I have with my sister. We used to always take part in school competitions. Here's sharing a #MajorThrowback childhood memory with my favourite dance buddy❤️ Let me know what is your favourite childhood memory! P.s. Can you tell us apart?

A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on May 7, 2020 at 10:27pm PDT

The two them look almost identical in the photo, and it is indeed difficult to differentiate. Madhuri has two sisters namely Rupa Dixit and Bharati Dixit, but she did not mention who among them is a part of this photograph.

Workwise, the actor was last seen in Karan Johar's 2019 production Kalank.

The nation is under a lock-down, and like everyone else, Tiger Shroff is also trying to sail through this time by keeping himself occupied at home. But it looks like he simply can't get the Baaghi franchise off his mind.

About two weeks back, Baaghi completed four years, and the actor wrote a brief, emotional note on Instagram, sharing a BTS video with us. Today, he shared with us glimpses of his workshop for the film, in Bangkok where it was shot. The video has Tiger practicing for some intense action sequences and packing powerful kicks. "Workshop, on set rehearsal, and action! Busy streets of bangkok," he wrote. Watch the video below.

 

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Workshop, on set rehearsal, and action! Busy streets of bangkok❤️#baaghi1

A post shared by Tiger Shroff (@tigerjackieshroff) on May 6, 2020 at 2:52am PDT

Baaghi 3, the latest edition of the franchise, looked promising and fans were looking forward to all the action and entertainment. It released on 6 th March but only had a brief run at the theatres. Baaghi 3 is now streaming on an OTT platform.

Karisma Kapoor and Akshay Kumar have worked together in several films in the 90s. Among them are Sapoot, Suhaag, Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya and others. On Friday, Karisma Kapoor dug out an old picture with Akshay Kumar. However, the actress has no recollection of the moment in which it was clicked.

In the picture, Akshay and Karisma can be seen twinning in black and white outfits with their enthusiasm at peak. Sharing the picture, Karisma wrote, " have no recollection which film, when or where this picture was taken! But it has a great energy. Akshay Kumar, those were the days,"

 

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I have no recollection which film , when or where this pic was taken ! But it has a great energy ???? @akshaykumar those were the days ! #90s #flashbackfriday

A post shared by KK (@therealkarismakapoor) on May 8, 2020 at 12:46am PDT

In the 90s', Karisma Kapoor made a special appearance in Akshay Kumar's Yeh Dillagi while Akshay had a cameo in Yash Chopra's Dil Toh Pagal Hai, starring Karisma.

Lately, Karisma Kapoor has taken a fascination to share throwback pictures from her personal life as well as from the sets of her films from the 90s which often feature her co-stars. She also often plays "guessing games" with her Instafam, asking them to name the movies she shares throwback stills from.

ALSO READ: After the demise of Rishi Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor remembers him via a family photo

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Kal Penn who played Irrfan’s son in The Namesake can’t get over the loss. “Irrfan was such an incredible artist. What a loss. It was magical. He was so gracious and giving as an artist and a person.”

Not many know about Irrfan’s wicked sense of humour. Says Kal, “He could be so funny! He had a wonderful sense of humor and I remember his approach to the craft being particularly warm.”

Kal recalls Irrfan as an actor sheared of vanity. “He was friendly. Friendly and down to earth. There was never any attitude with Irrfan, he was so comfortable in his own skin and so fully and truly embodied his character when the cameras were rolling.”

But what according to Kal really made Irrfan special was the way he embraced silences. “I've never worked with an artist who communicates so beautifully without needing to speak. When we would shoot scenes for The Namesake, so often, Irrfan would play beat after story beat with intimacy and in silence that made me immediately at ease and in the moment.”

Kal Penn learnt a lot from watching Irrfan not only while they worked together but also when they didn’t work together. “I learned a lot from working with Irrfan but also from watching him work across different mediums, different languages, and different continents. I will always admire his work more broadly, and to have had that kind of range is so remarkable.”

Kal will remember Irran as an actor who at once no one and everyone. “He was such a commensurate artist whose performances are simultaneously intimate and reflect the humanity in each of us.”

Also Read: 5 Years Of Piku: Deepika Padukone bids farewell to Irrfan Khan with an unseen picture

Arti Singh was one of the most popular contestants of Bigg Boss 13. The actress who is comedian Krushna Abhishek's sister had a rather interesting journey while inside the house and even made it to the top 5.

Arti's marriage was one of the most discussed topics on the show. She had expressed her desire to get married by the end of the year. The viewers started pairing her with some of the co-contestants and her sister-in-law Kashmera Shah also suggested that she explore her friendship with fellow contestant Sidharth Shukla.

Talking to a daily, Arti Singh said that she is searching for the right man. She said that she would prefer a love marriage but is open to an arranged match as well.

Arti said that she wishes to meet someone during the lockdown because they will then get ample time to chat with each other, even if they cannot physically meet.

ALSO READ: Arti Singh shares a jaw-dropping before and after picture of her physical transformation

For all of you who do not know, Sara Ali Khan happened to be a great student throughout her school and college days. An alumna of Columbia University, she originally wanted to go to Oxford University to pursue her higher studies, and had a difficult time coping when she did not crack through!

In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, the actor opened up on being disheartened after the university rejected her candidature. She also recalled how she called mother Amrita Singh and nearly threw a fit. "Mom had gone out with Ibrahim, and suddenly she gets a call from me, howling. And when I mean howling, I don't mean crying in a lady-like fashion. I mean screaming, and crying loudly. She was like, 'what happened? what's going on?' I could not stop crying," she said, adding how her mother got really worried and kept asking her what went wrong. After calming herself down and breathing a little, she informed her mom that she was rejected by Oxford University.

For those uninitiated, Sara's grandfather Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was quite a scholar who studied Arabic and French at Oxford's Balliol College. Sara's aunt Soha Ali Khan went to the same college to study modern history.

Love for Oxford certainly runs in the family!

Ahead of Mother's day, Kajol spoke to a daily about motherhood and the bond she shares with her kids. Kajol got married to actor Ajay Devgn in 1999 and the two went on to become parents to two beautiful kids- Nysa and Yug.

When she conceived Nysa, Kajol had only one thought and that was to ace this test of motherhood. However, she soon realized that it is no cakewalk and it took her six months to realize that she can't do it alone. Kajol said that her children make her want to be a better and fun person.

Kajol also revealed that her children have not watched too many of her films. She said that it is because she hasn't made many and according to the kids, Kajol cries too much and makes them cry too.

While talking about her bond with her mother Tanuja, Kajol said that the relationship they share is the best and that they never discuss work. She said that her mother gave a lot of advice but never listened to it until she landed in a problem.

ALSO READ: From working with Shah Rukh Khan to Ajay Devgn not cooking for her, Kajol makes some interesting revelations during her chat session

Time is an illusion, breakfast time doubly so. In future, human workers might not be alone in experiencing frenetic mornings thanks to EU-funded researchers who have equipped robots with human-like time perception capabilities – and tested them in the kitchen.

The fashion industry has been linked to pollution, waste, and modern slavery. In light of this, an EU-funded project led a series of successful experiments designed to spark radical, sustainable change while, at the same time, uniting Europe's textile and clothing businesses.

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish thanked fans for their support on Sunday after leaving hospital following a positive test for the coronavirus. Dalglish, 69, found he had the virus after being admitted to hospital on Wednesday for treatment for a separate infection which required intravenous antibiotics. He was discharged on Saturday night. "Thank you for all of your well wishes over the last few days," said Dalglish in a Liverpool statement issued Sunday. "I'm delighted to be back home with the family after receiving brilliant care from the NHS (Britain's National Health Service), which we appreciate now more than ever. "Marina (Dalglish's wife) and I would like to express our immense gratitude to the medical staff who cared for me and who continue to treat countless others throughout the country during an incredibly challenging period."

Dalglish confirmed the couple would be in "full lockdown for the recommended amount of time in order to protect the lives of others". There are fears that the warm weather across Britain over the Easter weekend will see the public flout government guidelines on social distancing instead of only going out to maintain health and purchase essential supplies. But a concerned Dalglish said: "I know the sun is shining for many of you, but I urge you to stay home and follow the government guidelines to the letter." Earlier the Scotland great, in an interview with the Sunday Post, praised the "absolutely brilliant" hospital staff, adding: "People may think my name got me the best of care but every patient in the NHS gets the best of care." On Friday, Dalglish's family said he had tested positive for COVID-19 despite having previously displayed no symptoms of the illness.

'Humbling messages'
Saturday saw two of Dalglish's children take to Twitter to thank the public for their support. Paul Dalglish, also a former player, said: "Truly humbling messages from supporters of all teams," with Dalglish's daughter, Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates, saying: "Thank you so much for your lovely messages and I'm really sorry I can't reply to them all." Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker said on Twitter: "Love from Becker family to Sir Kenny Dalglish!!" Ian Rush formed a prolific partnership with Dalglish during their playing days at Liverpool and the Welshman took to Twitter to give his old team-mate his best wishes.

"Wishing a speedy recovery to the best...Sir Kenny Dalglish. Get well soon," he wrote. Dalglish won the Scottish league title with Celtic as a player on four occasions before signing for Liverpool in 1977. At Anfield, he captured eight English league titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and three European Cups as a player and in two managerial spells. In his Liverpool playing career, Dalglish scored 172 goals in 515 games. As well as his role in Liverpool's golden era in the 1970s and 1980s, Dalglish received plaudits for supporting victims' families after 96 fans died in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster. He also coached Blackburn to the 1995 Premier League title. Almost 10,000 people in Britain have so far died as a result of the coronavirus.

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If it is CK Vineeth responding to the COVID-19 helpline in Kerala, his Indian teammate Subhashish Bose has taken it upon himself to feed the homeless and jobless in his home town Subhasgram in South 24 parganas. Amid the nationwide lockdown, a long queue could be seen every morning at Subhasgram comprising of local rickshaw pullers, daily wage earners or small time hawkers who come to collect their daily ration. Bose, a member of the 'Blue Tigers' would be at the other end, happily distributing packets containing rice, pulses, potatoes, onions and other staple food items. This is his way of paying back to the society. "The rickshaw pullers who have so many times offered me free rides to-and-fro to local matches, that local vendor and shopkeeper who had gifted me so many free packets of food after heart-warming performances -- I felt I needed to pay them back," the India left-back told PTI of his daily regime since Friday.

"It was such a satisfaction to hand over some food items to lot many known faces whom I have known in my locality over my upbringing." India had imposed a nationwide lockdown since March 24 to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the worst-hit were people from the lower strata of the society whose life revolve around their daily wages. One fine morning, the 24-year-old felt restless and was awakened by the Swami Vivekananda's soul-stirring words 'Arise, Awake, And Stop Not Till the Goal is Reached!' "It kept on reverberating between my ears. My conscience did not allow me to shy away -- rather it kept on pushing me to give it back to the society where I have grown up."

"Somewhere down the line, however, I felt restless. It's understandable that even as we need to Stay Home Stay Safe, there have been so many brave hearts who have cared less for their lives, and are out to serve the country in this troubled time -- the doctors, nurses, cleaners, police, journalists, etc. It's not only the frontline workers, who are put their lives on line but citizens need to do their bit, reckons Bose. "But are they enough? Can we all just sit back on our cosy rooms, and expect the privilege of others keeping us safe? Don't we need more volunteers? And eventually, I had to move out -- not for fun, not to have a roam, but try to lend a helping hand," he said. He is thankfu to GOd that he has made a decent living as a footballer playing in the cash-ruch Indian Super League and for the Indian team. "God is kind, that today I am able to help them. Thank you, Lord for providing me with the strength. All of that was done by maintaining social distancing, and proper protection.

"All of them whom I handed over packets wanted to hug me but couldn't because of the social distancing. "Some of them had tears in their eyes. Their hugs can wait as we need nrmalcy to return. Till then stay home, and stay safe," he added. The Mumbai City FC defender was looking forward to the Indian camp when the pandemic halted all sporting activities. "A longer camp for the national team was planned and we were forward to it. But under current circumstances all sporting action around the world has been postponed." Asked whether he's missing the game, he replied: "Human lives are of utmost importance, and like everyone around us, I look forward for normalcy to return soon." The defender however regrets that he's not able to go out for runs so he's making the best use of the time at his private gym. "I cannot go out for my runs. So I am trying to keep myself as much fit as possible indoors. I try to sweat out at least two hours a day in my personal gym so that I stay in proper shape when the season resumes. "There is also monitoring from the medical staff, and we need to strict to the regimes provided," he concluded.

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Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been using some of his spare time in lockdown to teach British kids how to speak Spanish.

The Argentina international has been signed up by the BBC as part of its home-schooling initiative while educational establishments are closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Aguero is teaching kids how to count in Spanish. His lessons became available on a day kids in Britain would have usually returned to school after the Easter holidays.

Aguero says it's a tough time for children at the moment, and also for parents trying to keep them focused on their education from home. Aguero hasn't played a competitive match since March 8 because soccer is shut down in England and across most of the world during the outbreak.

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The financial squeeze put on Premier League clubs by the coronavirus crisis could be felt across the continent in the coming months as the well to fund massive transfer fees runs dry. For each of the past four summers, Premier League clubs have flexed their financial muscle to splurge over £1 billion ($1.3 billion) on transfers. That has helped spread the wealth of television contracts worth billions across Europe and crucially down the divisions to cash-strapped clubs in England. Now even the world's richest league is facing economic meltdown. Premier League matches have been suspended indefinitely with no return expected before mid-June at the earliest. Broadcasters could be due a rebate worth a reported £762 million if the season is not completed and, even when the games do recommence, they are likely to be behind closed doors, quashing income from gate receipts.

Moreover, a number of major sponsors such as airlines and gambling companies have been just as badly hit by the COVID-19 shutdown, which is expected to lead to a curb on commercial revenue. Rather than the usual arms race for talent, Premier League clubs are fretting about just meeting their wage bills for the next few months. "Many clubs could be threatened by insolvency and transfer plans came to a standstill for most clubs because of the many uncertainties," said Matthias Seidel, founder of Transfermarkt, a website specialising in transfer values. According to Transfermarkt, 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) has already been wiped off the value of Premier League squads. "There's no doubt the actual value of players right now has gone down in all squads," said Brighton owner Tony Bloom. "How much less, I have no idea. It depends on how the next few months play out."

'Vultures and predators'
Such uncertainty has led for calls to do away with transfers entirely to avoid the unseemly sight of clubs, who have asked staff to take pay cuts and in some cases relied on government money, spending money on new players. "If you're trying to get 30 percent pay cuts from existing players, you may have to put a transfer embargo in place," former Manchester United captain Gary Neville told Sky Sports. However, embargoes may only accelerate fears that clubs lower down the pyramid will not survive the crisis. Proceeds from transfer sales are commonly used in the lower leagues to cover running costs and will be needed even more without the regular income of gate receipts to rely on. "I think there will be significant transfer fee deflation," football finance expert Kieran Maguire told AFP. "There will be a significant number of clubs that when some form of transfer market returns, they will be close to going out of business and therefore will accept fire sale prices. "The vultures and predators will pick off good players for very modest fees."

The fear for those reliant on transfer fees, though, is that the damage has already been done. Given the vast sums involved, transfer fees are very commonly paid over the course of a player's contract. Based on accounts published to the end of the 2018/19 season, Premier League clubs owed £1.6 billion in outstanding transfer payments, £900 million of which was to foreign clubs. Maguire warns of the domino effect whereby if one club fails to meet its transfer debt, it could spark a series of defaulted payments on other deals or even worse force clubs into insolvency. "The concern is that financial problems in one league could spread throughout the industry just like the pandemic," he said. Bundesliga chief executive Christian Seifert told the New York Times earlier this month that the transfer market will "collapse" and that "some leagues will understand that money is nothing that is coming automatically every month from heaven." That may have been a slight on the Premier League's overindulgence on transfer fees. But as the biggest spender, the economic earthquake felt by English football will ripple across Europe for some time to come.

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Italian football legend Francesco Totti has revealed that he nearly ended his marriage with TV presenter Ilary Blasi when she decided to bring home a sphinx cat, a hairless breed.

FIFA World Cup winner Francesco, who married Blasi in 2005, two years after they began dating, told former teammate Christian Vieri in an Instagram Live chat: "I was furious with my wife…she bought a hairless cat and called it Donna Paola. At night, the cat insists on sleeping in our bed, next to our legs. She's a very affectionate cat but almost caused us to break up."

Ilary got the cat home against Francesco's wishes. "She wanted a cat at all cost. I was adamant we shouldn't. One day, she brought it home because ultimately she makes all the decisions in this family," he added. The couple did not talk to each other thereafter before Francesco started liking the feline. "We didn't speak for days, but in the end, I fell in love with the cat too," said Francesco, who retired from football in 2017 after spending 15 years at Italian club Roma, where he scored 307 goals from 785 matches.

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Former England footballer Peter Crouch has plans to enter the Crufts, an international dog show held in UK, and walk away with the trophy. Peter and his model wife Abbey Clancy, who have a new Labrador named Sonny, were denied entry this March. And the football star is determined to win the coveted title with his pet dog in 2021.

In the latest episode of That Peter Crouch Podcast, Peter said: "We couldn't get into Crufts last time so we're trying to train this bad boy up."

Meanwhile, Abbey revealed: "He likes getting in the cage with the dog. The dog cage is the biggest one we could get on Amazon. And it does fit Peter and all four children and the dog. He's trying to train him for little biccies. He's a good trainer. He doesn't like to fail at anything. So after the whole Crufts episode, he said, 'I'm gonna train a dog then I'm gonna enter it into Crufts'."

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Consider yourself a big La Liga fan? Check out this list of expressions that no true La Liga lover should be unfamiliar with.

1. “Croqueta”
A ‘croqueta’ is a way of quickly shifting the ball between a player’s feet, especially when tempting a defender into making a challenge by first slowing down and then sprinting away. The signature move of former Barcelona captain and nine-time LaLiga winner Andres Iniesta, the word literally means ‘croquette,’ that famous staple of Spanish tapa bars and granny’s cooking.

2. “Sombrero”
In Spanish Sombrero is a hat, but in Spanish football it is where a player lifts the ball over his opponent’s head and controls it as it drops to the floor, leaving his rival confused and out of the play. A famous example would be Neymar’s goal for Barcelona against Villarreal in LaLiga in 2016, which was nominated for that year’s FIFA Puskas award.

3. “Chilena”
When a player pushes himself into the air with one foot, then acrobatically volleys it with the other, often lifting his boot well over head height. Similar to a ‘bicycle kick’ in English. Although a ‘Chilena’ literally refers to someone from Chile, its most famous exponent was Mexico international Hugo Sanchez. Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have more recently scored screamers like this.

4. “Colgarse del larguero”
Literally meaning ‘hang from the goalposts,’ the expression is used when a team brings all their players back to defend inside their own penalty area. Similar to the English phrase ‘Park the bus,’ the tactic is often used by a team defending a narrow lead or facing a much more powerful opponent and used to criticise them by managers whose team cannot find a way through.

5. “Hacer la cama”
A team thought to not be making 100% effort in games can be said to be ‘making the bed’ for their coach, which means trying – consciously or not – to get their boss fired!

6. “Zamorana”
The patented signature move of legendary 1920s and 30s Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora was to fake catch a ball, then double his arm, flex his elbow and propel the ball far up the pitch with surprising power. Besides clearing danger from his own box, the ‘Zamorana’ often helped start counter-attacks and had a highly demoralising effect on shocked opposition strikers, too.

7. “Tirarse en la piscina”
To ‘throw yourself into the swimming pool’ is a nicely poetic Spanish way of saying a player dived, or threw himself to the ground without any contact from a defender, to deceive the referee into whistling for a foul. Sometimes also described as ‘simulación’ which is closer to the English ‘simulation.’

8. “Tener flor”
A player, or more often a coach, who ‘has a flower’ is thought to have good fortune, similar to being 'charmed’ in English. The expression is also often used by defeated opposition fans or pundits as a way to avoid praising tactical or technical excellence in an opposition team.

9. “Rabona”
When a player plants one foot in front of the ball, and then sweeps his other leg around behind to spectacularly strike the ball, you have a ‘Rabona.’ One-time Barcelona winger Ricardo Quaresma is an expert, while former Villarreal midfielder Pablo Fornals scored a superb rabona against Huesca in 2019.

10. “Pase de la Muerte”
The ‘pass of death’ has a specific meaning in Spanish football. It refers to a through ball which breaks an offside trap to leave a teammate clear in front of goal. Quite a few of Barça captain Lionel Messi’s 12 LaLiga assists this season have met this description. Deadly, and very hard to defend against.

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The head of the English Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has raised the possibility of playing shorter matches to lighten the load on players if the season can restart. English clubs remain committed to completing the campaign despite severe concerns over player welfare. Players could be tested up to three times a week and be forced to stay quarantined in hotels away from their families for a number of weeks to help limit the risk of them becoming infected with coronavirus. With 92 matches in the Premier League season still to be played, players could have little preparatory time to work on their fitness in group training before being rushed back into playing twice a week.

FIFA have proposed increasing the number of substitutes allowed per side from three to five to also lessen the risk of fatigue and injuries for players on their return. "Safety has to be paramount," PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor told the BBC. "We don't know the future. What we do know is what propositions have been put, what ideas have been put, the possibility of having more substitutes, games possibly not being the full 45 minutes each way.

"There's talks of neutral stadiums. There's been lots of things being put forward. "Try and wait and see what the proposals are, and then have the courtesy to let the managers and coaches and players also assimilate all those and come to a considered view." The Premier League's "Project Restart" has been met with some resistance over plans for all remaining games to take place at up to 10 neutral venues.

The remaining matches would need to be played behind closed doors, but there are fears fans could congregate around stadiums. Some top-flight clubs have argued that under those circumstances there should be no relegation as the sporting integrity of the competition is compromised. However, chairman of the English Football League (EFL) Rick Parry said denying promotion to three Championship clubs would end up in legal battles.

"The lawyers are going to get wealthy if that happens," Parry told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee on Tuesday. "There would be a degree of outrage from a number of clubs in our Championship, and it would be a breach of the tripartite agreement. "The safe answer is that it would get very messy. Our expectation is there would be three clubs promoted from the Championship."

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A video of Hertha Berlin forward Salomon Kalou shaking hands with his team-mates "shocked" key German politicians, who are set to decide Wednesday whether the Bundesliga can resume next month. "The video has done the German league (DFL) and professional football a disservice," Anja Stahmann, chairwoman of Germany's regional sports ministers, told radio station RBB on Wednesday. "I have heard from colleagues that they are shocked and shaken.

"We were struck by great doubts when we watched the video," admitted the sports senator for the state of Bremen. "I got the impression that good rules were being written down on paper, but that they were not actually being lived out." The Bundesliga is set to be given the green light by the government on Wednesday to resume later this month behind closed doors and with strict hygiene measures in place.

Germany's regional sports ministers have already approved the Bundesliga's plans to resume, but Stahmann said Ivory Coast international Kalou's video left a bad impression. "Some people think the Bundesliga has lost its grip in times of a pandemic," Stahmann added. On Monday, the former Chelsea forward was suspended by Hertha after posting a video to Facebook showing him greeting team-mates and club employees with handshakes, flaunting hygiene guidelines laid out by the league. Kalou apologised for disregarding the social distancing rules, saying: "it was a big mistake".

The 34-year-old also said he could understand how his video, shot in the dressng room, caused shockwaves as the league was seeking permission to return to action. Kalou has scored 48 goals in 151 Bundesliga games for Hertha, but is out of contract at the end of the season and could have played his last game for the club. "It was respectless and I want to apologise for that sincerely," he added.

"But I am about more than those five bad minutes that people see of me in the dressing room." However, Kalou's video drew criticism from the top of the German government. Health minister Jens Spahn said it was "right" that Hertha suspended Kalou and there were "consequences after the video".

Bavaria's premier minister Markus Soeder said the league has developed an "excellent" hygiene concept but "there are individual players, as we have read, who are behaving very, very poorly".

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The Fast And Furious franchise started way back in 2001. Since then we have seen the franchise evolve from racing to something that includes, heists, spying and of course fast cars. Now two years after the last release in the series THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS hit screens in 2017, we see a spin off feature film in the form of FAST &amp; FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS &amp; SHAW. But will this new action flick woo the Fast and Furious audience or will it like so many other actioners be all glitz and no content is what we analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1004788 size-full" title="Movie Review Fast &amp; Furious Presents Hobbs &amp; Shaw" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Movie-Review-Fast-Furious-Presents-Hobbs-Shaw.jpg" alt="Movie Review Fast &amp; Furious Presents Hobbs &amp; Shaw" width="720" height="450" /> Starting off, FAST &amp; FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS &amp; SHAW is centred around the titular Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), characters introduced in the main series. The film begins with a crew of MI6 agents attempting to retrieve a virus, Snowflake, which can be programmed to decimate millions of people, from terrorist organization Eteon. Brixton Lore (Idris Elba), an Eteon operative with advanced cybernetic implants, arrives and kills all agents except for their leader, Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby), who injects Snowflake into herself as a dormant carrier and escapes. Brixton frames Hattie as a traitor who killed her team and stole Snowflake, forcing her to go on the run. Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw are both informed of the missing virus and are assigned to work together reluctantly to track it down. From here on begins a cat and mouse game to save Hattie and the world while keeping the deadly ‘Snowflake’ out of the wrong hands. Much like the previous FAST &amp; FURIOUS films, this spin off too is an action entertainer that promises edge of the seat stunts, fast cars, and big explosions. While there were initial questions raised whether a spin off on a series like F&amp;F would work and hold the audience’s interest, FAST &amp; FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS &amp; SHAW proves that such films if made well, not only keep the audience in their seats but also provides for a fun filled thrilling watch. Director David Leitch, who has in the past proved his mettle with JOHN WICK (2014), ATOMIC BLONDE (2017) and the more recent release DEADPOOL 2 (2018), has done it again. Thanks to a background as a stuntman with professional martial arts training, Leitch is able to execute and shoot some rather difficult action sequences with precision. Keeping in mind the background of the franchise, Leitch has capitalized on characteristic traits of Hobbs and Shaw to develop seamless fight sequences that are well co-ordinated. As for the story of the film, like most action flicks, this one too features a wafer thin plot. However, it isn’t the plot that is the film’s mainstay; instead it is the eye popping relentless action that is interjected with well-placed humour to break the monotony. Coming to the performances, Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs does what he does best, which is smashing things. Assisting him on this endeavour is Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw who takes the more refined approach as compared to Hobbs’ brute force technique to eliminate targets with finesse. Vanessa Kirby as Hattie Shaw does a commendable job and manages to hold her own despite the fact that the film is centred on the characters of Hobbs and Shaw. However it is Idris Elba as Brixton Lore who steals the limelight. A cybernetic enhanced superhuman hybrid, Brixton is capable of feats that push the boundary. Despite having such power, Elba’s restrain is clearly evident, thus preventing the film from becoming too over the top. The dialogues, though not much are good in places with well time punch lines that deliver. As for the action, well it is a spin off from the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise, so expect tons of it. Though unlike the previous films in the series, this one features fewer high end cars, skimpily clad women and debauchery, but rest assured David Leitch has done well with the action. Adrenaline pumping, edge of the cliff (quite literally) gasoline fuelled explosions that are sure to satiate your hunger for destruction. On the whole, FAST &amp; FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS &amp; SHAW lives up to the FAST &amp; FURIOUS tag, with insane stunts, high octane action, well timed humour and an entertaining rollercoaster ride that keeps you in your seat. At the box office, the film that releases in four languages, English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu is expected to open well and will see an increase in footfalls over evening and night shows. With little competition at the box office, FAST &amp; FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS &amp; SHAW looks set to dominate the weekend.

Sooraj Pancholi had a dream debut in HERO [2015], a film produced by Salman Khan. The film underperformed at the box office but the hype of the film was such that it opened at Rs. 6.85 crore, which was the highest then for a film featuring debutants. Sooraj then, shockingly, disappeared and four years later, he’s finally back with SATELLITE SHANKAR. So does SATELLITE SHANKAR emerge as a great entertainer and meet the expectations raised by the trailer? Or does it fail to entice? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1038693 size-full" title="Movie Review: Satellite Shankar" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Movie-Review-Satellite-Shankar1.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Satellite Shankar" width="720" height="450" /> SATELLITE SHANKAR is about the extraordinary journey of a soldier that brings a nation together. Shankar (Sooraj Pancholi) is a rifleman posted near the LOC in Jammu and Kashmir. He is very popular in his regiment because of his jovial nature. He carries with him an idol of Lord Shankar. He pretends that it’s a satellite that can help him connect to anyone in the world. With this little trick, he keeps the officers motivated, despite them not getting leaves. In a firing by the Pakistani forces, Shankar gets hurt. He’s admitted in the hospital and though the injury is not serious, he is asked to rest for eight days. Shankar requests his commanding officer, Cheema (Sanjay Gurbaxani) that he’ll like to go to his hometown, Pollachi, in Tamil Nadu to meet his mother and get her cataract treated. Cheema agrees on the condition that Shankar reaches the base 8 days later at 8 am. Shankar promises to be back on the stipulated day and time by giving a ‘Sainik shapath’. Shankar’s colleagues request him to hand over gifts and other items to his family members while he’s on his way to his hometown. Shankar then begins his three-day-long journey on the train from Jammu. As soon as he commences the trip, an old couple in his bogie are asked to leave as they have boarded the wrong station. While helping them find the right train at the next station, Kathua, Shankar ends up missing his own train. He along with Meera Bakshi (Palomi Ghosh), a vlogger, then take a taxi to Pathankot, where their respective trains was to halt. Again, Shankar is not able to make it on time in his train while helping Meera. However, the family member of an army colleague Subedar Jeetu Singh (Pradeep Singh) picks up Shankar’s luggage from his train when it halts at a station in Punjab. Shankar reaches Jeetu Singh’s residence in Bagha and uses his ‘satellite’ to spread happiness and solve their problem. Shankar then heads to Agra to finally catch his train to Pollachi. Yet again, Shankar gives it a miss as he gets busy in saving people who were in a bus that had met with an accident. Interestingly, even Meera is there in the bus and Shankar gets captured in her video. He overnight becomes a hero of the nation. Meera takes it upon herself to find Shankar and she sets off to find him. Her followers cross the million mark and they too get involved in this journey to ensure that Shankar not only reaches his hometown soon but also that he’s able to adhere to his ‘Sainik Shapath’ and report back to base 8 days later at 8 am. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Vishal Vijay Kumar and Irfan Kamal's story is utopian but has potential and can be best described as ‘Munna Bhai meets Bajrangi Bhaijaan’! Vishal Vijay Kumar and Irfan Kamal's screenplay however don’t do justice to the plot in hand. A few scenes stand out individually but as part of the film, they seem a bit convenient and unconvincing. Vishal Vijay Kumar and Irfan Kamal's dialogues however are appropriate. But a few dialogues are in Punjabi, Tamil and Bengali and are difficult to comprehend. There should have been subtitles for these lines. Irfan Kamal's direction is weak and a bit unpolished. He had a great subject in hand but first he messed it up at the screenplay stage. Then, with his execution, he spoilt it even more. The first 15-20 minutes seem very silly and one might wonder what exactly is happening in the film. The concept of the ‘satellite’ gets clear only after 30-35 minutes in the Punjab village scene. The film boasts of very filmy and convenient plot points and it needed an expert direction so that viewers can digest it. In the absence of it, it’ll be difficult for them to really get engaged with the film. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1038694" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Movie-Review-Satellite-Shankar2.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> SATELLITE SHANKAR’s beginning portions might seem bizarre. The concept of the ‘satellite’ might not be easy to comprehend. Even the scene of Shankar getting injured in the cross-border firing is not well helmed, although the idea is interesting. The film gets a bit interesting as Shankar gets in the train and he ends up missing it. However, he misses his train three times and that becomes too much. What stands out in the first half is the scene in the Punjab village and the bus accident sequence. Post-interval, the film has some fine moments but again, the direction and script play spoilsport. Still, the film remains somewhat engaging. However, the climax is when the film really falls down. The stone pelting part looks completely forced and mars the rhythm and even tone of the film. Sooraj Pancholi gives a very fine performance and he’s sure to amaze you with his sheer hard work. There’s this earnestness in the way he has played the part and it’s completely in sync with his character. Also, he is quite entertaining and watch out for the scene where he imitates Prime Minister Narendra Modi! Megha Akash (Pramila) is lovely and lends able support. Her scene at Salem railway station is memorable. But sadly, her track is not well handled and it lacks conviction. Palomi Ghosh has a brilliant screen presence and leaves a tremendous mark. Upendra Limaye (Inspector Chavan) is dependable. Pradeep Singh, Anurag Mishra (Anwar Hussain), Anil K Reji (Sridhar), Asif Basra (Taxi Driver), Subrat Dutta (TC) and Sanjay Gurbaxani are fine. Music is nothing special. <em>'Pyaar Ka Satellite'</em> is like a theme track and is the only song that works. <em>'Aari Aari'</em> is foot tapping but comes at a time when viewers are dazed about the film’s concept. <em>'Tere Sang'</em> is forgettable while <em>'Jai He'</em> has a patriotic feel and hence stands out. Sandeep Shirodkar's background score is appropriate. Jitan Harmeet Singh's cinematography is excellent. The film has been shot in real locations to bring the authenticity and the various locales are well captured. Abbas Ali Moghul's action is dated. Tariq Umar Khan's production design is as per the requirement of the film. Same goes for Dipika Lal and Anirudh Singh's costumes. White Apple's VFX is decent. Chandan Arora's editing is sany complaints. On the whole, SATELLITE SHANKAR is a well-intentioned flick but poor script and direction play spoilsport. At the box office, it’ll have a tough time because of lack of awareness.

Back in 2013, Disney began the FROZEN saga that told the story of two sisters Elsa and Anna. While Elsa had the power to control ice, Anna was given an unfaltering spirit. Since then, the two sisters have become superheroes of a different kind for kids across the world. Now a few years on, Disney is releasing the second part in the franchise with FROZEN 2 hitting screens. But will the new film live up to its predecessor, will the story of the new film offer something new or will FROZEN 2 like so many other sequels fall short, is what we analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1043275" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Movie-Review-Frozen-2-English-2.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> FROZEN 2 starts off with Elsa and Anna living a full life in Arendelle, the city has over time prospered and flourished. Sadly though, things are not meant to last as a haunting echoing voice calls to Elsa from far beyond. Being the only one able to hear the call, Elsa sets off on a journey to find the source of the calling, assisted by her sister Anna, and her friends Kristoff, Olaf and Sven. The five leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa's powers in order to save their kingdom. Will they manage to find the source of the voice Elsa hears, will Elsa’s powers be enough to save them and the city, or will they be overpowered by what they find in the enchanted forest is what the film is about. In the six years Disney took to develop FROZEN 2, the production house has put in the extra effort in not only developing an engaging story, but enabling the same with captivating visuals. With computer animation at its best, the film is a seamless visual treat that kids are sure to love. Given the immense fan following among kids that FROZEN developed, the sequel to the film plays to this audience. However, unlike the previous film, FROZEN 2 has a slightly darker and more complex story line, which may not be fully understood by the younger lot. However, despite this, there is more than enough to keep the tots happy. Speaking of music, which plays an integral part in the film, like the first film, FROZEN 2 certainly has what it takes when it comes to captivating lyrics and catchy tunes. Though the track <em>‘Into The Unknown’</em> was meant to be what <em>‘Let it Go’</em> was for the first film, it does fall a bit short. On the other hand, Kristoff’s rendition of <em>‘Lost In The Woods’</em> is one track that is sure to strike a chord with a wide section of the audience. Another, tune that is sure to stick is the haunting, yet exhilarating tone that calls from the deep to Elsa. Conveying both mystery and intrigue through sound, the tune will certainly be an ear worm that latches on. Coming to the animation, FROZEN 2 displays why Disney is the best at what they do. Seamless animatronics that follow the laws of physics, well finished textures and realistic movement go a long way in converting CGI into something realistic. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1043276" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Movie-Review-Frozen-2-English-1.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> Coming to the voice performances, each of the cast members have risen to the call with pitch perfect notes. Kristen Bell as Anna, Idina Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff, and Josh Gad as Olfa have each done spectacularly well. Unlike the previous film, FROZEN 2 sees Olaf’s character relegated to comedy and we have to say that this helps the film develop a connect with the audience. Here a special mention needs to be made for directors Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee who have done a stellar job in telling what could have been a rather complex and confusing story. On the whole, FROZEN 2 is certainly worth a watch. Though the film might fall a bit short of the previous one, it is in its own right beautiful, exhilarating and captivating. At the box office, FROZEN 2 that caters mainly to kids might face a slight task with competition from the Bollywood release PAGALPANTI. However, given the fan following the series has developed, expectations are that FROZEN 2 will emerge as a winner.

The franchise of STAR WARS has always enjoyed a massive cult like following worldwide. STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999), followed by STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002), STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005), STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977), STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983), STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) and STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (2017), with every new film, the expectation from the franchise has increased. The ninth and supposedly the last chapter has arrived and it brings a lot of nostalgia. STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is destined to have mixed reactions considering the flick is the conclusion to the story that began in the year 1977.  While the franchise enjoys a huge following, we analyze whether this conclusion to the 42-year saga is the most satisfying on or a controversial one. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1054446 size-full" title="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Star-Wars-The-Rise-of-Skywalker-Review-12.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" width="750" height="450" /> STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER begins with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who is now the Supreme Leader of the First Order is in search of the ancient threat called Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). On the other side, Resistance leader Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and their droid friends C3-P0 (Anthony Daniels), and BB-8 are on a quest which quickly turns into a stunning action showdown between the heroes and the villains while they jump from one planet to another with light speed skipping technique. Meanwhile, Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) is still in dilemma about her story, her parentage as she has a dark vision which showcases her mysterious connection to Kylo Ren. The two Jedi continue to connect with each other in different ways as they Resistance prepare to fight the Emperor Palpatine. Following the orders of Princess Leia (Carrier Fisher) and lessons of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the space heroes begin their final journey to win the biggest battle. STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER upped their game as the film boasts of mind-blowing and truly astounding cinematography that leaves the audience wanting for more. The visual effects are seamless which create magic on screen. From the beginning itself, the story leaves you hooked as the galactic world of STAR WARS begins with action packed scenes. The battles, the duals, the light speed jumps, everything seems seamless. Though the story is bit slow in some parts with lesser words and more emotions, it picks up in the second half with some interesting and crazy cameos. The stakes are high in this film and major focus is on Rey and Kylo Ren. However, though JJ Abrams does a marvelous job in directing this last film in the franchise, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER does not come across as something to write home about. In fact, for the most part the film looks like a series of montages that have been developed to fill certain check boxes that appeal to the audience and fan base strung together. Though the chemistry between Kylo Ren and Rey is worth watching, the predictability of the film’s story is a massive dampener. More often than not, the viewer is able to foretell the coming sequences, and if discerning will also more or less be able to gauge what the climax of the film will be. Despite this, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER does have its high points, but sadly they are few and far between. For a quintessential Star Wars fan who has followed the series, this film would be more of a walk down memory lane. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1054447 size-full" title="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Star-Wars-The-Rise-of-Skywalker-Review-2.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" width="750" height="450" /> Coming to the performances, every actor shines bright in the film but it is hands down Daisy Ridley’s show. This time around, she has matured while portraying Rey. Two instances stand out and both scenes are shared with Adam Driver. Adam Driver Kylo Ren gets his due in this film with powerful performance as Kylo Ren as he gets the audience emotionally involved in his storyline. Rey and Kylo Ren’s scenes are some of the most engaging scenes in the film with some complex lightsaber battles involved. Late Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) returns as the makers use the limited footage that was left of her as they pay tribute to the original girl of Star Wars. Her scenes are sensitively projected. Oscar Isaac as Resistance leader Poe Dameron along with John Boyega’s Finn along and BB-8, C-3PO and Chewbecca bring banter, humor and emotions to their scenes. Oscar and John’s bromance has hits hilarious moments as they continue to be the heroes who wear their hearts of their sleeves. Dominic Monaghan, new member of Resistance, hardly has any time to establish his character. Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine is astounding. Meanwhile, Kelly Marie Tran's character Rose Tico hardly gets any screen time besides a few moments during the final battle. We get introduced to Keri Russell as Zorri Bliss who is decent in her scenes. The certain cameos are nostalgia – filled which makes this end of the sage a memorable one. JJ Abrams direction is crisp and tight as he delivers some of the biggest questions that were left answered during STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) and STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (2017). JJ Abrams captures the essence of this galactic world as he brings out the best in every character especially Ren and Rey. John Williams background score is incredible. The story by JJ Abramas, Chris Terio, Colin Tervorrow, Derek Connolly is moving. JJ Abrams and Chris Terrior is impressive. On the whole, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER may not be for everyone but it gives a bittersweet yet endearing ending to saga which is a tribute to the legacy. The die-hard fans might enjoy some of the stunning intergalactic moments.

Cinegoers and trade experts were surprised when the trailer of the film SHIMLA MIRCHI dropped on the internet on December 26, 2019 without any intimation. The film, directed by SHOLAY director Ramesh Sippy is a long delayed romcom that is releasing five years after its making. Ramesh Sippy made the film in 2014 and it was meant to be a small and sweet romantic story set in Shimla. It is yet unclear as to why the film was delayed. However, the film which was made on a small budget is now set to release in theatres on January 3. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1058604" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Movie-Review-Shimla-Mirchi.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> Without giving any spoilers, the film is about Avi (Rajkummar Rao) who visits Shimla during his holiday and falls in love with Naina (Rakul Preet Singh). Avi takes up a job in the hills to act on his love for Naina. However, his only weakness is that he is never able to confess his feelings for the woman he loves. Avi, on the advice of his friend writes a love letter, which lands in the hand of Naina’s mother Rukmani (Hema Malini). Rukmani is a woman who is struggling from low self-esteem after her husband left her for another woman and comes to the conclusion that Avi is her secret admirer. Naina who is aware of the situation plays up to this to keep her mother sane. Talking about the film, there are no surprises when it comes to the script of SHIMLA MIRCHI. However, the script (Ramesh Sippy, Kausar Munir, Rishi Virmani and Vipul Binjola) is tight and comes straight to the point. What stands out the most, and lights up the film are the characters and dialogues in the otherwise tried and tested genre. The dialogues are good and play a huge part in keeping the audience engaged. The stark commentary on the love life of the lead actors is sure to generate some laughs. The film marks Ramesh Sippy's return to direction after a long time — while he returned to direction after 20 years, he will see his directorial venture release only after 25 years. Ramesh Sippy focuses completely on the central characters and does not care to indulge much into the external environment of these characters. Sippy has a great hold over the plot and at no point does he deviate from the central topic. Coming to the performances, at the time of filming, Rajkummar Rao was fairly new to the industry and has still managed to win our hearts with his performance. Those unaware of Rakul Preet Singh’s work down south will be in for a treat to watch Rakul as the beautiful small town girl who has a thousand responsibilities to attend to. However, her constant need to take charge over her mother's life under the garb of care might get to your nerves. She does come across over the top at times because of her energy but when she shares screen with the calm natured Rajkummar Rao, it balances out well. Hema Malini is at the top of her game and puts life into the film with her infectious and vibrant screen presence. Shakti Kapoor as Captain Uncle does a great job. Though not much is revealed about his character, he will be remembered for his situational poetry. The music by Meet Bros Anjjan sets the tone for a small town romance. The lyrics penned by Kumaar beautifully capture the mood of the film. This is also the last collaboration by Meet Bros Anjjan who are behind successful songs like ‘<em>Chittiyan Kalaiyyan’</em> and ‘<em>Baby Doll’</em>. The film is largely set in the backdrop of a house and a cafe. Cinematographer Jitan Harmeet Singh gives this romantic journey a dreamy affect by capturing the moods of the characters with close-ups. The editing (Vijay Venkataramanan) is very crisp except for the climax, where the audience could easily do with one less song. On the whole, SHIMLA MIRCHI makes for a decent small town romance with impressive performances. At the box office, the low buzz and lack of promotions will ensure that the movie will fizzle out eventually.

The horror genre has taken giant strides in the West and newer concepts have been experimented with to keep the interest going in the genre. Bollywood, however, has lagged behind. Most horror films still follow the template set by the game-changer RAAZ [2002]. But now, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is all set to present BHOOT: PART ONE – THE HAUNTED SHIP, and it promises to be a one-of-its-kind horror flick. Moreover, it stars Vicky Kaushal who has become extremely popular following the blockbuster success of his last film, URI: THE SURGICAL STRIKE [2019]. So does BHOOT: PART ONE – THE HAUNTED SHIP manage to scare the daylights of the viewers? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1076932" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/BHOOT-Review.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="450" /> BHOOT: PART ONE – THE HAUNTED SHIP is the story of a man facing a scary situation while fighting the horrors of his past. The year is 2012. Prithvi (Vicky Kaushal) is a widower who has lost his wife Sapna (Bhumi Pednekar) and daughter Megha in a freak accident. He is depressed and is avoiding medication. In the midst of all this, an abandoned ship named Sea Bird gets stranded at Mumbai’s Juhu Beach. Prithvi works for a shipping company that is asked to take this ship back to the sea at the earliest. On his first visit to the ship, strange things occur and it makes him feel that the ship is inhabited. However he passes it off as his hallucinations and side effect of his state of mind. The subsequent visits however makes him sure that all this is not a figment of his imagination. During the third visit, he spots a girl at the hull of the ship. He also comes across log books and some video tapes dating back to the year 2001. As he sees the tapes, he realises that the captain’s wife (Meher Vij) and daughter Meera were also present on the ship. Gradually, Prithvi realises that the girl he encountered on the ship is Meera. He goes again to the ship and this time he comes face to face with Meera. But this time, she’s in a ghostly avatar. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Bhanu Pratap Singh's story is decent and could have made for a gripping scarefest. Bhanu Pratap Singh's screenplay however is unimpressive overall. He gets the scare quotient right only in few scenes. Even in the main story, things are barely convincing. Bhanu Pratap Singh's dialogues are passable. Bhanu Pratap Singh's direction is nothing great. He makes good use of his knowledge in creating a scary atmosphere. A few scenes are well executed. But most of the scenes fail to impress. Trouble begins in the first 15 minutes itself when a random couple is shown venturing into the massive ship undetected and playing hide and seek. The ship is ten storeys tall and this information is given by the makers themselves just few minutes before this scene. But no explanation is given how the lovers manage to climb atop the deck which is at such a height. This scene actually gave a clear indication that logic and common sense are not going to be the strong points of this film. And sure enough, the absurdities continue in the second half, especially the climax. Many questions are left unanswered and it is sure to baffle viewers when they come out of theatres. BHOOT: PART ONE – THE HAUNTED SHIP begins on a fair note as Prithvi's past and glimpses of the happenings on the ship in 2001 is depicted. The first half doesn’t have much of a story as such but it keeps you intrigued as the scary atmosphere is well created. A few jump scares also serve the purpose. The interval comes at a great point. Post interval, there’s some movement in the story and you actually get to know where the film is headed. Still, a few unwanted scenes are there, like Prithvi imagining that he’s talking to his dead daughter at the bank of a river. On the positive side, the scene in the church is excellent and one expects the film to go on a high from here. Sadly the climax is riddled with clichés and flawed developments that kill the joy completely. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>BHOOT – Part One The Haunted Ship | Public Review | Vicky Kaushal | First Day First Show</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/bhoot-part-one-the-haunted-ship-public-review-vicky-kaushal-bhumi-pednekar-first-day-first-show/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Talking of performances, Vicky Kaushal is in good form. He looks very dashing and gets his act right, without going overboard in any scene. Bhumi Pednekar is decent in a cameo. Ashutosh Rana (Professor Joshi) is fine and gives one a déjà vu of his earlier performance in RAAZ. His character sadly gets a raw deal in the end. Akash Dhar (Riyaz) plays Prithvi's best friend and has an important role. He is decent but again, he doesn’t have much to do later. Meher Vij has a superb screen presence but her performance suffers on account of bad writing. Sanjay Gurbaxani (Agnihotri) is average. The actor playing Amar looks a bit creepy which works well. The actors playing Meera and Megha do very well. Akhil Sachdeva's music has no scope. <em>'Channa Ve'</em> is played in the opening credits. Ketan Sodha's background score is horrifying and works. Pushkar Singh's cinematography captures the mood very well. Aditya Kanwar's production design is top-notch. The abandoned ship especially is well designed. Natashcha Charak and Nikita Raheja Mohanty's costumes are realistic. Vikram Dahiya's action is filmy and takes away the authenticity. Redefine's VFX is first rate and adds to the horror factor. Bodhaditya Banerjee's editing is dragging and could have been crisper. Ideally, this film shouldn’t have been more than 90 minutes long. On the whole, BHOOT: PART ONE – THE HAUNTED SHIP suffers from a half-baked plot and a flawed narrative which leaves viewers confused. The end result is completely unconvincing, barring a few scenes that provide some chills. At the box office, it will be rejected by the audience. Disappointing!

Over the last three decades, Bollywood has come up with quite a few films on homosexuality like FIRE [1996], MY BROTHER NIKHIL [2005], EK LADKI KO DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA [2019], ALIGARH [2016], MARGARITA WITH A STRAW [2015] etc. Aanand L Rai and T-Series are now all set to bring SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN and unlike other gay-themed films, this one is light-hearted and looks quite commercial. Moreover, it stars Ayushmann Khurrana, who has become a brand in himself. So does SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN manage to entertain? Will it succeed in becoming the first legitimate LGBT-themed hit film of Bollywood? Or does it fail to succeed? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1077035" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Shubh-Mangal-Zyada-Saavdhan-1-26.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="450" /> SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN is the story of two men in love in Section 377 era. Aman Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar) is the son of Shankar Tripathi (Gajraj Rao) and Sunaina (Neena Gupta), who are based in Allahabad. Aman works in Delhi and unknown to his family, he's a gay and is living in with Kartik (Ayushmann Khurrana). Jitendra's cousin sister Goggle (Maanvi Gagroo) is getting married and Neena calls Aman to come back to attend her marriage. Aman at first refuses but then gives in. Kartik also joins him and they meet the entire Tripathi family in a marriage special train called Vivah Express. In the train, Aman and Kartik kiss when they assume that no one is looking. Sadly for them, Shankar sees them and he gets the shock of his life. He doesn't tell anyone about it out of shame. At Goggle's marriage, Aman, in front of everyone, kisses Kartik, thus astonishing the Tripathi family. Thanks to this development, Goggle's to be husband refuses to get married. In anger, Goggle runs away. Kartik is asked to leave and Shankar's brother and Goggle's father Chaman (Manurishi Chadha) drops him off to Allahabad station. At the railway station, Kartik bumps into Goggle and stops her from ending her life. She tells Kartik that he shouldn't run away and that he should fight for his love. This motivates Kartik and he decides to return to win over not just Jitendra but the entire Tripathi family. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Hitesh Kewalya's story is decent and had the potential to be a game-changer. Hitesh Kewalya's screenplay however is a big culprit. Under the pretext of making situations funny, he resorts to too many difficult-to-digest situations. This was prevalent in SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN as well but there, they kept a nice balance. Here, the balance is just not there. The first half is still decent. But in the second half, it all goes downhill. Hitesh Kewalya's dialogues are witty but some of them are just over the top. It won’t be wrong to say that even the one-liners, which are supposed to be funny, take away the realism from the film. Hitesh Kewalya's direction is weak. The film has lot of subplots but he doesn’t put it together well. A major chunk of the film is about rift within the family and during such times, the principle homosexuality angle takes a backseat. Also, he should have succeeded completely in two aspects – comedy and messaging. Sadly in both these areas, he doesn’t do justice. Even the black cauliflower angle that provided laughs initially proved to be the biggest downer of the film in the climax. It gave a bad déjà vu of the ‘kala bandar’ angle of DELHI-6 [2009]. On the positive side, he handles few scenes with élan and some scenes genuinely raise laughs. SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN’s starts off on a funny note and the subplot of black cauliflower appears hilarious. Devika's (Bhumi Pednekar) scene too adds to the fun. The scene where Shankar Tripathi catches the lovers kissing brings the house down. Scenes like Aman kissing Kartik in full public view and Aman talking to his parents about dopamine and other such stuff keep the interest going. Post interval however, the film drops. The scenes are supposed to be funny but don't make you laugh. Also it becomes too preachy and unconvincing. The makers try their best to make things interesting but it doesn't work. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan | Public Review | Ayushmann Khurrana | Jitendra Kumar | First Day First Show</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/shubh-mangal-zyada-saavdhan-public-review-ayushmann-khurrana-jitendra-kumar-first-day-first-show/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Ayushmann Khurrana shockingly is not in his usual form. He has always played the victim but here, he plays the instigator and an actor of his calibre should have hit the ball out of park. Shockingly, he goes overboard. The other bigger shocker is that his screen time is very limited. Believe it or not, Gajraj Rao has the maximum screen time followed by Jitendra and then comes Ayushmann! Gajraj Rao however is too good as always and performs as per the script. Jitendra Kumar fits the role to the T and few of his scenes in the first half are great. Neena Gupta is average. Manurishi Chadha and Sunita Rajwar (Champa) do justice to their respective parts. Pankhuri Awasthy (Kusum) is quite funny. Maanvi Gagroo raises few laughs. Neeraj Singh (Keshav) is decent. Bhumi Pednekar is passable while Gopal Dutt (Doctor in the train) is okay. Music is peppy and gels with the film. <em>'Pyaar Tenu Karda Gabru'</em> is the best followed by <em>'Arey Pyaar Kar Le'</em>, which is played in the end credits. <em>'Ooh La La'</em> comes at a great point while <em>'Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho'</em> is forgettable. The recreated version of <em>'Kya Karte The Saajna'</em> sounds great but is not utilised well. Karan Kulkarni's background score adds to the quirkiness of the film. Chirantan Das's cinematography is appropriate. Ravi Srivastava's production design is in sync with the film’s setting. Ankita Jha's costumes are realistic and special mention should go to Ayushmann’s look. Ninad Khanolkar's editing is sans complaints. On the whole, SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN is a decent attempt and makes an interesting comment on homophobia which exists in our country. At the box office, it has the chance to work with the urban audiences, especially the youth. However, it will be a challenge to bring in family audiences and the audiences from small towns and cities. The presence of Ayushmann Khurrana may give a boost to its collections.

India tennis ace Sania Mirza celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary along with husband and veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik on April 12, 2020. It was an auspicious day as it was also Easter

Sania Mirza took to social media site Instagram to share a few pictures with her husband Shoaib Malik from their big day back in 2010. She also wished him a "Happy Anniversary".

Sania Mirza also showed her fans a glimpse of her humorous side as she made a tongue-in-cheek statement in her post comparing the two contrasting photos by saying "Expectations vs reality". Sania Mirza wrote: Happy Anniversary @realshoaibmalik. A decade of being married looks like this!! Expectation vs reality. Swipe right for reality." Take a look at the post below. 

 

 

 

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Happy Anniversary @realshoaibmalik 😌ðŸ¤Â— A decade of being married looks like this!! Expectation vs reality 😅😂 Swipe right for reality âž¡ï¸Â

A post shared by Sania Mirza (@mirzasaniar) onApr 12, 2020 at 3:55am PDT

Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik tied the knot in April 2010 in Hyderabad in a grand manner. Sania Mirza gave birth to a baby boy named Izhaan in October 2018. After giving birth to her child in October 2018, Sania Mirza returned to the court in January 2020.

She clinched the women's doubles title at Hobart International, pairing up with Nadiia Kichenok, in her comeback competition.

Sania recently shared a photo of her son with a tennis racquet in hand, looking confused. "I am pretty sure he's thinking what the fuss is all about? #IzhaanMirzaMalik," Sania said in her Twitter post.

Sania last played at the Qatar Open in February. She has helped raise Rs 1.25 crore in one week which will help close to 1 lakh people in need during the 21-day lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Inputs from IANS

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Bollywood actress and Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta turned 42 years old on April 16, 2020. Lara Dutta's birthday celebrations, however, were not stopped due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Lara Dutta's husband Mahesh Bhupathi was the one to bring in her birthday and host what was called a 'virtual birthday party' at their home in Mumbai.

Mahesh Bhupathi also took to Instagram to share a couple of photos and a video of Lara Dutta's birthday celebrations along with their daughter Samaira. The couple also had their close friends on a video conference to wish Lara Dutta on her birthday. Mahesh Bhupathi described how the part went and also had a fun caption to go with it. Virtual birthday party done .. Happy Birthday, Lara. May God continue to bless you with this amazing husband and incredible kid for another few decades atleast. Yes, we ate well today." Here's Mahesh Bhupathi's post on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Virtual Birthday Party done .. Happy Birthday @larabhupathi . May God Continue to Bless you with this amazing husband and incredible kid for another few decades at least 😍😍 . Ps .. yes we ate well today . Thanks for the amazing cake @hakunamatatapatisserie

A post shared by Mahesh Bhupathi (@mbhupathi) onApr 16, 2020 at 6:50am PDT

Lara Dutta made her Bollywood debut in 2002 with the superhit film Andaz alongside Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, who also made her debut. Both actresses won the Filmfare award for Best Female Debut.

Lara Dutta has since appeared in a list of Bollywood hits such as Masti, No Entry, Housefull, Partner, Bhagam Bhaag and Don 2. She also ventured into production with the film Chalo Dilli in 2010.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Lara Dutta got engaged in September 2010 and tied the knot in February 2011. In January 2012, Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupathi welcomed their daughter Samaira into the world.

Russian tennis beauty Maria Sharapova turns 33 on Sunday, but the celebrations already began for the former World No. 1, a day earlier. On Saturday, she shared this picture of a cake with her four million Instagram followers and captioned it: "This little piece of cake goodness arrived at our doorstep this morning [happy early birthday to meeee] and didn't make it past noon."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova) onApr 17, 2020 at 5:18pm PDT

Originally known as a German tree cake, the Japanese got some skin in the game and crafted several versions of their own. It's one of my favourite morning coffee indulgences. Thank you, Yutaka!!"

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Australia's World No. 1 tennis ace Ashleigh Barty, 24, likes to see the positives in life even in the most negative situations.

The French Open champ, currently at home Down Under due to the Coronavirus-caused lockdown, says there is no point in stressing over the uncontrollables.

"Everyone is in a unique situation, depending on what country they're from and all the governing bodies making different decisions. It's not a time to worry or stress about because it's something out of our control. There's always a silver lining, there's always something we could be grateful for, to be happy about. For me, it's being able to spend time with my family," Ashleigh told the WTA Tour website.

Meanwhile, Ashleigh has kept in touch with some of her friends on the Tour. "I spoke to Kiki [Bertens] and Jule [Goerges] and Simona [Halep] and Petra [Kvitova]. It's just to check it they and their families are fine. Firstly, it's always about health and looking after yourself and your family, and then sports is a bonus. This is a time where we can really appreciate the little things."

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Russian tennis ace Maria Sharapova has allegedly flouted the strict Coronavirus-caused lockdown rules in the US, where over 55,000 have died due to the pandemic.

According to British tabloid, The Sun, Maria, 32, recently visited some friends around Los Angeles with boyfriend Alexander Gilkes, 41, whom she has been dating since 2018.

Maria was photographed on Friday, relaxing on a balcony alongside another couple at a Manhattan beach pad.

The quartet were in clear breach of the two-metre social distancing norm that has been laid down by the authorities in LA where there have been 850 COVID-19 deaths
till date.

A few days ago, Maria had announced on Instagram that she was heading to a friend's beach house. "Last night, we took a sunset road trip along PCH, picked up lobster brioche rolls from @broadstreetoysterco drive thru and made our way to a friend's beach house," the 2004 Wimbledon champion wrote.

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Tennis stars like Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Naomi Osaka, Kei Nishikori and others will participate in a virtual charity tennis tournament. IMG is the company coordinating the tournament titled "Stay at Home Slam" and it will be streamed on Sunday on Facebook Gaming and on the tennis Facebook page of IMG. Two-person teams will compete using the Mario Tennis Aces game on Nintendo Switch.

Competitors will play the video game from their homes across the country, and each will receive $25,000 donated to the charity of their choice, with the winner of the tournament receiving an additional $1 million in donation. "I am proud our IMG tennis clients came together so quickly to support a multitude of great causes," said Max Eisenbud, SVP of tennis clients at IMG as per the official website. "It is a testament to the people we work with across all our divisions that we were able to bring this to life in such a short amount of time."

"It's been incredible to see the creative ways athletes are using social media to support people during this difficult time," said Evan Shugerman, Facebook Athlete Partnerships Lead. "We're excited to be partnering with IMG to contribute to those efforts, which will bring some of the world's top athletes together on Facebook for an entertaining and impactful competition."

Legendary tennis player John McEnroe and popular YouTube personality iJustine (Justine Ezarik) will be commentating the matches.

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The tennis club where Novak Djokovic broke confinement rules in Spain has said it mistakenly allowed the top-ranked Serb to practice and apologized for the error. Djokovic published a video of him training on Monday in apparent violation of Spain's current rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. The video posted on Instagram showed Djokovic exchanging shots with another man at the club in the coastal city of Marbella, where the Serb has been staying for the past several weeks.

Djokovic filmed the video while hitting shots and wrote he was "so happy to play on clay .. well, just for a bit with my phone in the hands. Spain has eased some of the lockdown measures that had been in place since mid-March, allowing professional athletes to return to practice, but most training centers and sports facilities must remain closed until next week. We are sorry that our interpretation of the regulation could have been erroneous, and this could have inconvenienced Mr. Djokovic or any other citizen acting in good faith," the Puente Romano Marbella Tennis Club said in a statement.

The statement, which was relayed by Djokovic's management team, said the club received a request from the player to practice and gave him the go-ahead with the "understanding that from May 4 all professional sports players were authorized to train." The club said it therefore believed he was "permitted to train in our facilities." It said it later received a "clarification" from the Spanish tennis federation and "both parties have agreed that training should resume" only next week.

Rafael Nadal said he also went to train on a court this week, but he did it on private property because the rules weren't fully clear to him. Soccer players were among the exceptions who could start training inside sports facilities beginning this week.

Spain has been one of the countries most affected by the pandemic but it started loosening some of its restrictions on movement as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 started to go down recently. The nation went into a lockdown on March 14.

Djokovic recently said he was against taking a vaccine for the coronavirus if it became mandatory to travel once the pandemic subsides, though he later said he was open to changing his mind.

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Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova has revealed that fellow tennis star and World No.1 Novak Djokovic was once fanboying on her over dinner. During an Instagram Live chat with the Serbian ace, Sharapova, who called time on her illustrious career in February, said: "I remember we played this little exhibition. I was young, you were young, way before you had any Grand Slam titles. I don't know if you'd even won a tournament at that point," said Sharapova. This part of the chat was shared by ATP Tour on their official Twitter handle.

"We're not going to start hugging trees, right?"@MariaSharapova with the one-liners for @DjokerNole today. 🤣#tennisathome pic.twitter.com/bweyZMuJ2v

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 5, 2020

"You said that if you'd win (in a mixed doubles match), I would have to pay dinner. I was like, ‘Okay, whatever, who is this kid?'" Sharapova recalled. "You won and you were like, ‘We have dinner tonight. We're going to the Japanese place!' I was like, ‘Are you serious? You and me, going to dinner, tonight?' So we did. We ended up going to dinner and it was so funny because you pulled out I think it was an old Kodak camera and you asked the waiter to take a photo of us… and here we are," she further said.

"It's actually what happened. Maria is saying the truth," Djokovic said, laughing. "I think you were fanboying," Sharapova replied. Djokovic recently said that he was "mentally empty" and "confused" at the beginning of the ongoing freeze of the tennis calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The sport has been on a full stop for over a month due to the pandemic outbreak.

Novak Djokovic

Djkovic has enjoyed a revival in form after a slump in late 2017 and most of 2018. He was set to defend his Wimbledon title this year before the grass court Grand Slam was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

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Tennis ace Sania Mirza said that one needs to be more sensitive while coaching young female sportspersons. Speaking in the All India Tennis Association and the Sport Authority of Indias digital Coachs Education webinar on Wednesday, Sania said that coaches need to be sensitive of the hormonal changes that girls go through while working with them.

"My dad always tells me that to work with a woman tennis player is a lot trickier and a lot more mental because I do think that there are a lot of issues that girls go through, especially when they are adolescent," said Sania.

"There are so many changes that are happening, internally in your body and externally as well. You are trying to be the best tennis player that you can be while there are so many hormonal changes happening as well, and it happens throughout the life of a woman.

"You can be a little bit more sensitive to their needs and the way they are because a lot of the times they are just trying to discover who they are, while they are also trying to be a tennis player. It can be a pretty tough job."

33-year-old Sania made her comeback to tennis this year after giving birth to her first child. She won the Hobart International in January before playing an integral role in helping India seal a historic playoff spot in the Fed Cup.

"Just the way I have managed everything else, I could manage both tennis and motherhood. I am lucky enough to have enough help around me as well, that is a huge plus point for me. My mom and my sister have played a huge part in giving me as much help as possible," said Sania on being asked about how she is managing the twin-role of mother and professional tennis player.

"A lot of people questioned it even when I was trying to make that comeback, how did you find time to lose so much weight. There's so much that happens with your body after you give birth. You just have to, sort of, adapt, find a way to take out two hours from your day to work-out and try to find that balance. It's also good for your own sanity as well, to find time for yourself."

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It's like a scene out of Princess Diaries. I enter my suite at Burj Al Arab and let out an exclamation. The large, plush living room in hues of blue and gold looks out on the pristine Persian Gulf. "This is my room?," I manage to squeak. "Yes," my personal butler says. "If you follow me, the bedroom is above." Above? The winding stairs lead up to more luxury, in the form of a walk-in dressing area, a bathroom that has my own private jacuzzi, and a bedroom that's a shame to be enjoying alone.

After the butler leaves, asking me to call him for anything my heart may desire, I decide to soak my weary, it's-December-and-I-need-a-break bones into a hot jacuzzi, as I listen to music and play with the foam. Ok, I know I have moved from Princess Diaries to Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, but bear with me. And so, I prance into the bedroom, 20 minutes later, suitably loosened up, I plonk myself on the bed in my soft, white bathrobe. And that's when I see it — a ceiling mirror. And that's when I forget about being a princess or a pretty woman — I morph into a Kardashian as I take my first selfie of the trip. Don't blame me, it's a ceiling mirror after all.

Pics/ department of tourism and commerce marketing

As I post the picture on my Instagram with appropriate Kardashian references, I look around and admit sheepishly — it's easy to get used to luxury. It's rumoured that Dubai got its name from an Arabic proverb "Daba Dubai" which means "They came with a lot of money". Well, you have to come with a lot of money so you can really enjoy all that the city has to offer. Dubai has never shied from flaunting what its sheikh rulers have given it — gravity-defying skyscrapers (Burj Khalifa at 829.8 metres), high-fashion malls, ultra luxurious hotels and a glittering nightlife, among many other attractions. Though you may have looked at it all from far and shook your head in disdain at the unnecessary opulence of it all, once you are here, it seems just natural to enjoy it.

Thanks to the fact that I am staying at the Burj Al Arab, the only certified seven-star in the world, my short two-day trip to Dubai has started on a lavish note. After my bathing and preening routine, I am informed that I will be watching a production of La Perle (The Pearl) created by Franco Dragone (the Italian-Belgium director who was once creator at Cirque du Soleil) as the first resident show of Dubai. After a drive that acquaints me with the buildings I have only seen in pictures (the Burj Al Khalifa, the Dubai Frame among others), I find myself seated in front-row seats at the theatre, I really don't know what to expect. But the next 90 minutes are a mind-boggling treat. Performed at a theatre that uses state-of-the-art technology, and houses an aqua-stage and a 12-metre deep pool filled with 2.7 million litres of water, 65 world-class performers, dancers, circus acrobats from 23 countries, perform breath-taking and extraordinary stunts, ranging from acrobatics and contortion to flying and diving. At the end of it, believe it or not, I am tired of gasping. But the show is once again about how Dubai doesn't do anything half-heartedly. If you are going to get a resident show, make it big. The next morning, after having barely slept (the large, quiet room sadly doesn't come with a hot sheikh to keep you company, wink wink), I head down to have breakfast as I look out on the gulf. Arabic delicacies share space with European and American food at the expansive buffet, and it all looks delicious. If I wasn't a fan of mezze (made up of babaghanoush, hummus, muhammara and much more), I am a convert now. My relaxed meal sets me up for a day full of, let's see, yes, more relaxing.

As I sink into the massage table, I am once again forced to see myself as another pop culture icon. I transform myself into Carrie Bradshaw in a glittering, starry outfit, and high heels (bought at a mall visit in the morning), for my dinner at the Burj's Scape restaurant that serves Californian cuisine. I don't know if the delicious pizza I ate was Californian, but it was worth it. It's just fitting to end the day with another picture, this time in full Carrie style, with my hand on my hip and my glitter in all it's Instagram-filter glory. As I stand by a gold ceiling prepping my smile, our hotel guide observes, "that ceiling is made up of real gold", and I just smile, "I didn't expect anything lesser."

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The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is working on a tie-up between hospitality provider Airbnb and locals for offering home-stay to tourists visiting the Elephanta Caves island located in Mumbai Harbour. The policy aims to overcome the security concerns due to high security installations facing the island that does not allow construction of hotels and night stay.

Tourism Minister Jaykumar Rawal said the 29th two-day Elephanta Festival, beginning January 27, will be held on the island itself again. After the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the festival venue was shifted to the Gateway of India in south Mumbai. "Seventy years after Independence, the island is soon to get proper electricity connection depending upon the testing of the electricity meters," the minister said. Rawal said there are about 1,200 to 1,500 homes on the Elephanta island, also known as Gharapuri Island, located east of Mumbai.

The minister said no new constructions are allowed on the island due to high-security installations of ONGC and the Navy. The Caves are declared a heritage site by the UNESCO and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Rawal said the government in a tie-up with the Mumbai Port Trust and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) is planning a cable car over the sea for travelling to the island. The island is expected to get proper electricity connection within a week's time.

"The Elephanta festival will coincide with the culminating phase of the Mumbai Shopping Festival that will end on January 31," he said, adding that the Elephanta fest will comprise activities like treasure hunt at Elephanta, a sculpture and a painting contests with prize money. Besides this, the festival will have art, dance and music performances by Zia Nath, Sangeeta Trivedi, Sumeet Nagdev, Hans Raj Hans and others, Rawal said.

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Once a bed of colourful flora, the famous Kaas plateau in Maharashtra is now witnessing less blooms, worrying officials, tourists and nature lovers alike. The plateau, recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a heritage site in 2012, is home to around 350 flowering plants, including some rare and endemic species.

Kaas Plateau. File pic

With the flowering already going down, a couple of fire incidents last month in the area, causing a damage to the flora at the site in Satara district, has now set off alarm bells for the administration. The state government has thus decided to take up a slew of measures, like better guarding of the place and inviting researchers to study why this picturesque site in the Western Ghats is losing its blooms, which were a big tourist attraction.

According to forest officials, human negligence, possibly lit cigarettes, could have caused the twin fires that gutted a portion of the world famous plateau recently. "The forest department, along with a joint management committee of forest officials and local villagers-turned-volunteers, has now decided to take certain safety measures to avoid incidents which could endanger the flora of the Kaas plateau," the range forest officer, Sachin Dombale, said.

He said those guarding the plateau have now been provided hand-held pressure water sprayers. "The plateau does not have big trees or plants. It is actually a grassland, so even if the grass catches fire, it can be doused with the help of these sprayers," he said. Earlier, six people used to guard the entire plateau of around 1,800 hectares. After the fire incidents, now 12 people are manning it in the day and six at night, he said.

Now, the visitors are frisked at the entry gate of the tourist site and are not allowed to carry inside combustible items like cigarettes, matchbox or lighters, he said. Somnath Jadhav, the president of the joint committee, said they have also started putting up "firebreaks" along the roadsides. "For the firebreaks, we burn the vegetation and grass in five metres of area along the roadside, so even if someone throws a combustible object, there won't be a fire," he said.
However, due to unavailability of power supply in the forest area of the plateau, they have not been able to put up CCTVs for keeping a watch.

"But, we are now thinking of using solar panels to address the power issue, Jadhav said. He said the gram sabhas of five villages (the locals of which are part of the committee), have also decided to put forth their proposals to safeguard the plateau and conserve its biodiversity and flora. One of the committee members said the state government should provide funds for proper maintenance of the site.

"We have to depend on the fees collected from visitors during the season, which is only for two months (September and October), to pay for the maintenance and salaries of the people working to guard the place," he said. "We seek government's attention, cooperation and funds so that this plateau of flowers can be conserved," he said. Jadhav said for last three to four years, the growth of some species of flowering plants on the plateau is on a decline, thereby calling for a study to find out its reason and restore the beauty of the place.

"We are now planning to write to various universities in Maharashtra to send some researchers and students of botany to study the reason behind this," he said. "We are making all-out efforts to conserve the plateau, which is home to some rare, endemic and threatened species of flowering plants, as it would then also lead to an increase in the number tourists at the site," he added.

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If lazing around pristine white shorelines and engaging in fishing off the coast is your idea of the perfect weekend, sign up for a fishing trip organised by Grassroutes, that will be set in the scenic Adgaon beach along the Konkan coast.

Participants will learn traditional hand fishing and also the line-and-hook type of fishing

Shreya Thaker, from the rural tourism-centric tour group, says, "We aim to organise events that connect people with different communities and help them financially. So with the trip, Fishing for Fun, we are working with the Koli community to host fishing and hiking activities to keep you engaged while you also enjoy the traditional hospitality of homestays in this region, which includes Konkan cuisine prepared by locals." She states that participants will learn the technique of traditional hand fishing practised by locals while the line-and-hook type of fishing will be taught by Donna Sequeira, a facilitator from the organising company.

Participants will be taken on an early morning tour of the local fish market to spot varieties caught off the coast. "We are also planning to visit mango and cashew farms along with a hike to a hidden waterfall near the village," shares Thaker.

ON: February 17 and 18, 12 pm onwards
AT: Adgaon Beach, near Divegar. call 9820464838 for bookings
LOG ON TO: bit.ly/2nZetPx
COST: Rs 3,000 (adult) and Rs 1,800 (child) [inclusive of food, accommodation and fishing equipment; not inclusive of travel cost to reach location]

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Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep is a group of islands, 200–440 km off the southwest coast of India. These islands form the smallest union territory of the country. The Lakshadweep region has about 600 species of fish, 78 species of coral and over 100 species of other marine invertebrates. This is the perfect opportunity to explore the fascinating marine life underwater.

This year BNHS will be visiting the Tinnakara Island; The charming isolated Thinnakara Island is situated just opposite side of Bangaram island and share the same lagoon and are part of the Bangaram atoll. You need not worry if you do not know swimming; you can still enjoy the deep blue sea and move among the amazing corals, fishes, shells, shrimps and crabs. Most of the snorkeling will be in waist-deep coral lagoons.

Batch I: 3rd – 7th March, 2018
Batch II: 10th – 14th March, 2018
Batch Size: 15 participants only
Accommodation: Twin sharing in furnished Non Ac beach tents house on the Tinakara Island.
Camp fees: Rs. 47,500/- for members and Rs. 49,000/- for others (ex Aggati).
Cost Includes: Stay and food, Pick-up and drop from/to Aggati one snorkeling session per day on the island.
Cost excludes: Flight/rail tickets, all expenses of personal nature like laundry, tips beverages, camera fees, extra water activities, SCUBA, any cost not specified above.
Reporting: Participants to meet on Day One morning at Aggati Airport Lakshadweep 10.10 a.m. (as per the flight schedule) drop on last day at Aggati Airport at 10 a.m. (as per the flight schedule).

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