Shweta Tiwari, one of the most popular faces in the television industry is winning hearts with her portrayal as Guneet Sikka in Sony Entertainment Television's show, Mere Dad Ki Dulhan. She has always been intensely passionate about her work and has left no stone unturned to give it her all to all the roles she has played on screen.

Over the years, Shweta has had a huge fan following who have admired her work. She tries to entertain her fans in whatever she does. As actors are also staying put, she along with her family is whiling her time by reading books and learning new recipes. While she misses shooting for Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, she is enjoying her family time, too. Recently she gave her son Reyansh a haircut since the barbershops are shut, too.
She cut her baby boy Reyansh's hair and shared a few pictures from the recent haircut session on her Instagram account.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Always be yourself, unless you can be a Barber💇‍♂️ #nanhayatri #stayhome #haircut

A post shared by Shweta Tiwari (@shweta.tiwari) onApr 7, 2020 at 3:25am PDT

Talking about this, Shweta said, "Desperate times need desperate measures. I know that the barbershops will be shut for a while and it's only safe to stay indoors, but not depriving my son of a haircut is the least I can do. I love dressing him up and now that I gave him a haircut, he looks more cute than ever. Sure I miss shooting for Mere Dad Ki Dulhan and playing Guneer Sikka, but I am also enjoying a lot of family time."

Watch Shweta Tiwari as Guneet Sikka in Mere Dad Ki Dulhan, Monday to Friday at 10 PM only on Sony Entertainment Television.

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Marriages in Tinsel Town have faced ups and downs, some have survived the toughest and harshest of times, a lot have ended, unfortunately. The latest marriage that has ended is that of Chahatt Khanna's sister Simran Khanna and Bharat Dudani. Speaking to SpotBoyE, she confirmed the news, "Yes, Bharat and I have divorced."

She added, "No animosity between us." When asked about the custody of their child, the actress said, "Well, Bharat has Vineet's custody. But I meet Vineet frequently. As I said, Bharat and I went separate ways but hold no grudges."

This is indeed a sad and shocking piece of news for all her fans and they are surely likely to be heartbroken. Just like a lot of other couples that continued their amicable relationship post their separation, we hope the same happens with these two.

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Actress Smriti Khanna, who is 40-weeks pregnant, has penned an emotional birthday post for her husband, actor Gautam Gupta.

'Happy birthday to my most precious gem, the light of my world and my forever love. If I did anything right in my life it was when I gave my heart to you.

"Of all years this is the one we should celebrate the most. Sure it might not be the kind of birthday you would have wished for, spending it in quarantine, but it is one we will remember. One that we will not take for granted."

She added: "I'm so grateful that your love is mine and our lives are woven together and I feel incredibly blessed to be your wife.

Smriti also shared that she "can't wait to share parenthood" with Gautam now.

Have a look:

 

 

 

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Happy birthday to my most precious gem, the light of my world and my forever love. If I did anything right in my life it was when I gave my heart to you ❤ï¸Â Of all years this is the one we should celebrate the most. Sure it might not be the kind of birthday you would have wished for, spending it in quarantine, but it is one we will remember. One that we will not take for granted. I’m so grateful that your love is mine and our lives are woven together and I feel incredibly blessed to be your wife. I love doing life with you and can’t wait to share parenthood with you now. ILYSM baby ❤ï¸Â @mistergautam PS Sorry the birthday gift is a bit late but it’ll arrive anytime now 🍼

A post shared by Smriti Khanna (@smriti_khanna) onApr 12, 2020 at 10:39pm PDT

She also regretted not being able to deliver Gautam's birthday gift -- their baby birthday! "PS . Sorry the birthday gift is a bit late but it'll arrive anytime now," Smriti quipped.

The couple got married in 2017. They have worked together in the TV show Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi.

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Recently, there was news that model-VJ Anusha Dandekar and actor Karan Kundrra, one of television's hottest couples, had broken up. The report suggested that there was trouble in paradise and the couple had thus parted ways.

Now, however, a recent report in Pinkvilla suggests that while there is trouble, but the couple hasn't broken up. A source close to the development told the website that though 'there might be a little problem in the relationship, things haven't reached the point of a breakup as yet'.

Anusha and Karan have been living together for a long time now, and the pair has never shied away from being seen or clicked together. At the beginning of their relationship, however, Anusha had faced problems from trolls who would send her hate messages just because she was with Karan. 

In an old interview, Anusha had shared, "I am trolled a lot. Since the time I started dating Karan, my life has changed. It has been difficult for me. Every morning I read at least 50 hate comments saying, 'You aren't cultured or aren't good'."

Well, we sure hope Anusha Dandekar and Karan Kundrra find a way to resolve their issues and stick together!

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Actress Divyanka Tripathi has turned hairstylist to beat the lockdown blues, and ended up giving hubby, actor Vivek Dahiya, a whole new look. On Wednesday, Vivek took to Instagram and shared a picture in which Divyanka is seen giving him a hair cut and, according to Vivek's caption, something went wrong. He will share the final outcome of his haircut soon.

"Can you trust your wife with a haircut? Apparently, I did and wait to see what happened. Video rolling out soon..! Bolo toh tha kaan sambhal ke kaat na...#StayTuned! LifeUnderQuarantineSeries," Vivek wrote.

 

 

 

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Can you trust your wife with a haircut? Apparently, I did and wait to see what happened. Video rolling out soon..! Bola toh tha kaan sambhal ke kaat na...#StayTuned ! #LifeUnderQuarantineSeries

A post shared by Vivek Dahiya (@vivekdahiya) onApr 15, 2020 at 4:17am PDT

In a recent interview with IANS, vivek expressed his wish to work with Divyanka again.

"I know our fans are waiting for long to see Divyanka and I together on screen.... I also want to work with her again... It''s just that I am waiting for some right project to come our way. If the project is right and script looks interesting, we would definitely give a heads-up," Vivek said.

The couple first met on the sets of "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein" and after several months of dating, the two got married in 2016.

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Buniyaad is a gem of a serial that only continues to give. It was a show that tackled the horrors of the 1947 Indo-Pak partition and the aftermath that followed. How the love between the Hindus and Muslims turned into violence and hatred. Soni Razdan was one of the principal characters of the show and charmed everyone with her performance. She has recently recalled her show as it has come back on television and that too at the right time when there is a major dearth of content on the small screen.

For all those who haven't seen it, you all should discover this gem. Taking to her Instagram account, she shared a classic throwback picture where we got a glimpse of her character and she hurled herself into the realms of memories.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Loved playing Lochan in this iconic series on @ddnational in the 80's. BUNIYAAD is now screening again at 5 pm on weekdays. Do catch it ! Any missed episodes can be seen on @youtubeindia Happy watching ! #buniyaad

A post shared by Soni Razdan (@sonirazdan) onApr 13, 2020 at 10:02pm PDT

And speaking to Mumbai Mirror, she spoke about her fond memories of the show and how it's even more relevant in today's times. She said, "It's a huge feeling of nostalgia. Buniyaad is such a well-written story and was ahead of its time. At some point, it was like a film also. Ramesh Sippy, who was shooting it, made it very much cinematic. I have watched a couple of episodes. I am enjoying it."

She added, "It means even more in the light of communal sentiment that is thrown around today. In Buniyaad, you can see how much hate Hindu families living in Lahore faced, during the partition. How they felt they never needed to move anywhere, which is India today. It breaks my heart. The script of Buniyaad was very well researched about the people and their real-life accounts. I feel very sad when I see what politics has done to both these countries (India and Pakistan). People were living happily with each other and would have lived together even today if partition had not happened. It is so sad that politics has changed our landscape forever."

On a lighter note, she also recalled the time when she was pregnant and how the whole unit took care of her. "When I started shooting Buniyaad, I was not married. There was a whole part of Buniyaad that goes into a flashback. It was then that I got married (to filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt). I got pregnant towards the end of the show. They had turned my room into something special. I was not well at the beginning of my pregnancy. They would call me only when I was needed. They would ask me to go and lie down in my room. The production house also sent a car to pick me up every day. Earlier, I used to come by taxi as we didn't have a car then. They looked after me very well."

She went on, "One day, I was craving for idli sambar. I was craving to the point that I couldn't focus on anything else but idli. I happened to mention it and Mazhar Khan (Roshanlal, who played Razdan's brother-in-law) was around. He was so sweet and sent his driver to get idlis for me from somewhere down the road. I can never forget that I ate eight idlis that day. In my life, I had never eaten more than 2-3 idlis. Shaheen, my daughter, loves idlis. Maybe, that's why."

Soni Razdan hasn't lost her touch as an actor one bit. In recent times, she has been seen in films like Raazi and War and in both films, she added the emotional touch of a mother to a thrilling story.

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Actress Debina Bonnerjee has turned a year older today, and inspite of the lockdown she has managed to celebrate her birthday in a very unique and special way, also keeping in mind all the current necassary rules and regulations!

Practicing the social distancing norm, Debina with the help of husband Gurmeet, her parents and a bunch of close friends 'virtually' brought in her birthday last night. A gang of her close friends logged in together at the same time via a digital medium from their respective homes to sing, cut the cake and be digitally present to make her special day a memorable one!

Speaking about how she enjoyed her virtual birthday celebration this year, Debina shares,"This birthday has been unlike any other celebration in the past, hence it will always be a very memorable one for me! Since nobody can get out of their homes due to the lockdown, Gurmeet and my close gang of friends planned a very special birthday celebration for me which was so amazing! I had around 15 of my friends come online together at the same time, who sang happy birthday for me at 12am last night and made my cake cutting a very cherish worthy moment with their digital presence! It did a feel a little weird to not be going out as I do every year, but being a responsible citizen is in the need of the hour right now. Hence I am very happy to have responsibly celebrated my birthday this year, in a unique and creative way."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Monday evening, the hashtag #FraudArhaanKhan started trending on Twitter following claims by netizens that actor and "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Arhaan Khan has taken Rs 15 lakh from his former girlfriend Rashami Desai's account, and is allegedly threatening her. Arhaan withdrew the money when Rashami was still inside the "Bigg Boss" house, it has been claimed.

The accusations have mostly been levelled on Twitter by netizens who claim to Rashami's fans. They also shared screenshots of bank statements of monetary transactions from an account with the name Shivani Ajay Kumar Desai.

A user tweeted in Hindi claiming Arhaan Khan has taken Rs 15 Lakh from the actress' account in 15 days.

Another user alleged that Arhaan has even taken money for subscribing to a popular OTT platform.

A Fanclub of Rashami Desai tweeted: "We need justice for @TheRashamiDesai. She has earned money with lot of her hardwork and #FraudArhaanKhan misused her money. What a shame to society."

Calling Arhaan a "gold digger," Rashamians, as Rashami's fans like to call themselves claimed in a tweet: "This is a call to all fandoms - any and everyone who is sane enough to see the wrong in this situation- keep aside your Bigg boss grudges for once and please help us expose and shame a gold digger. #FraudArhaanKhan."

However, there has been no substantial basis to any such claim on the part of fans.

During her stay in the "Bigg Boss" house in the latest season, Rashami Desai was heartbroken after learning about Arhaan Khan's child and former wife. The two eventually parted ways. It seems a bigger shock is waiting for the "Naagin 4" actress if allegations made by her fans come true!

While this season of the reality show is already over long back, Rashami Desai continues to remain a favourite with her fans.

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On Monday, JD Majethia, chairman of the TV wing of the Indian Film and TV Producers' Council (IFTPC), stated that he intends to approach the government to seek permission to resume shoots of television shows with small crews from May 4. The move has sent the daily-wage workers of the television industry into a tizzy as they have been relentlessly calling the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to enquire whether they can report to work post-May 3.

BN Tiwari, president, FWICE, says, "[With his statement], JD Majethia has sent a wrong message to the daily wagers who now feel that producers are willing to work, but the FWICE is imposing unnecessary restrictions. That is not the case. Maharashtra is at high risk, and we are only concerned about our workers' safety. We have issued a letter to Majethia, asking him not to make such statements."

BN Tiwari

On March 15, various cine bodies had unanimously decided to suspend all shoots in the wake of the pandemic. "Similarly, the decision to resume work will have to be collectively taken by IFTDA, FWICE, Producers' Guild, and other associations," insists Tiwari.

Majethia was keen to propose the resumption of shoots as it would bring relief to the daily wagers. However, Tiwari points out that the associations are standing by those in need. "The industry — including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty and Yash Raj Films — has come together to help the workers. Even if the lockdown is lifted on May 3, we may not begin work until May 25. In case the stay-at-home orders are extended to June, we will continue to take care of our workers."

When mid-day reached out to Majethia, he agreed that the recommencement of shoots will be "a collective decision of the industry" with the approval of the government. "It is not as if we have already taken a call. We will start shooting only when it is safe for everyone, but we must start planning for it in advance."

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These days, since Bollywood celebrities are not shooting and only spending time at home and sharing their videos and pictures and also a lot of interviews, fans have been following them religiously. And good thing that all these Bollywood celebrities have numerous fan-clubs on social media that keep sharing their old and unseen videos and pictures too. One of them is Janhvi Kapoor.

A fan-club of the actor took to its Instagram account to share a classic Throwback Thursday video where she could be seen in an adorable interaction with Salman Khan on the sets of his game show Dus Ka Dum. And guess what, the contestants were none other than Boney Kapoor and Sridevi. The year was 2009 when Janhvi's parents graced the show for the promotions of Salman's film Wanted, which Boney Kapoor and Sridevi produced.

Salman asks Janhvi if marriages are made in heaven, and her reply will melt your heart. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So real, so pure! ♥ï¸Â @janhvikapoor @khushi05k 🥰 . . #boneykapoor #sridevikapoor #sridevi #janhvikapoor #khushikapoor #kapoors #bollywood #salmankhan

A post shared by Arjun Anshula Janhvi Khushi (@kapoooors) onApr 15, 2020 at 9:36am PDT

A decade later, Janhvi is a rising star and a promising actor. And given her line-up of films in the future, she could give her contemporaries a run for their money. This is what it looks like currently- Dostana 2, Gunjan Saxena, RoohiAfzana, and Takht. We are waiting for them!

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Actor Rajeev Khandelwal will make his theatre debut in the play "Court Martial". He says essaying a character on stage is supremely challenging and it provides the ultimate validation for any actor.

"I think essaying a character on stage for theatre is supremely challenging and provides the ultimate validation for any actor. I have always envied actors who can entertain audience on stage. It was as good as one of the things in my 'to do list'," Rajeev said.

Zee Theatre's teleplay "Court Martial" follows the unusual trial of a junior ranked army man convicted of murdering his senior officer. Rajeev plays the role of Bikash Roy, an extremely sharp defence lawyer who goes deep into the shocking truth behind the assault.

Talking about the play, the actor said: "'Court Martial' demanded an intensity that required me to work on myself and prep for the role. It is an intense and gripping play with a fabulously taut storytelling technique. This play is regarded as a classic in the world of theatre."

Written by Swadesh Deepak, the play also stars Govind Pandey, Bhagwan Tiwari, Saksham Dayma and Swapnil Kotiwar.

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Jhansi Ki Rani is one of the most successful television shows and continues to enjoy a massive fan-following. It was known for its canvas and great performances and all the actors became extremely popular post its success. Two of them are Shaheer Sheikh and Ashnoor Kaur. And Kaur celebrates her birthday today and turns a year younger.

And taking to his Instagram account, her former colleague and co-actor wished her in the most fabulous way possible. He wrote- "Happy birthday to this little one, who's all grown up now ... but the charm and innocence is still intact!" (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Happy birthday to this little one, who’s all grown up now ... but the charm and innocence is still intact! May you achieve all that you’ve dreamt of and keep inspiring others to tread the right path. #happybirthday @ashnoorkaur

A post shared by Shaheer Sheikh (@shaheernsheikh) onMay 3, 2020 at 4:40am PDT

And also have a look at how the actress is celebrating her birthday amid the pandemic, as she describes herself, a very different celebration:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A different experience this birthday in a lockdown... Somehow felt good... Celebrated with our Corona fighters, the people working for us, the watchmen(of my society) and the smile on their faces made up for all the restrictions! #lockdownbirthday #sweet16 #howicelebrated #BirthdayInALockdown

A post shared by Ashnoor Kaur (@ashnoorkaur) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:29am PDT

Hope we can see this Jodi on the small screen again!

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A few weeks ago, reports about Karan Kundra and Anushka Dandekar's break up began surfacing on social media and fans were worried. One of the most loved couples of Tinsel Town was suddenly no longer together? Well, the good news is they are very much together and their Instagram video is proof. They both shared the same video on their respective accounts to silence all the speculations.

It was a video that was all about virtual dating and was truly edited crisply and fantastically. Anusha wrote- "Ok so it's been over 6 weeks of lockdown. Karan and I are virtual dating! Obviously I worked out some amazing ways to keep the love alive! @bumble_india also has an amazing Video Chat feature so you guys can connect with your Bumble matches while staying home. Why don't you give these tips a go? Also don't forget to tell us how it went! Remember you can still find the love of your life or reunite with yours soon, this will help keep it special." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Ok so it’s been over 6 weeks of lockdown😅💔 soooo Karan and I are virtual dating! Obviously I worked out some amazing ways to keep the love alive! 💯 @bumble_india also has an amazing Video Chat feature so you guys can connect with your Bumble matches while staying home. Why don’t you give these tips a go? Also don’t forget to tell us how it went! 😘❤ Remember you can still find the love of your life or reunite with yours soon, this will help keep it special. 💛💛💛 @kkundrra @bumble_india

A post shared by Anusha Dandekar (@vjanusha) onMay 3, 2020 at 6:01am PDT

Now here's hoping all those people who were mourning their break-up cheer up and we hope they continue sharing such charming videos on social media to keep all of us happy!

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TV czarina Ekta Kapoor along with her friends Krystle D'Souza and Anita Hassanandani has shared a throwback video where the trio dances in a funny manner. Ekta took to Instagram and re-posted a video shared by Anita. The producer said she was coerced into joining by her two "mad" friends.

"Not on tik tok but got coerced into this cray video by two of my mad frns ! Since d lockdown is throwing out all old madness let it all be out there credit: @anitahassanandani... Girls just wanaaa have fun! #ThrowBack Merriii cuties @ektarkapoor@krystledsouza," she shared.

 

 

 

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Girls just wanaaa have fun! #ThrowBack Merriii cuties @ektarkapoor @krystledsouza

A post shared by Anita H Reddy (@anitahassanandani) onMay 3, 2020 at 4:49am PDT

Recently, Ekta shared a throwback picture from the days of "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", the show that made Smriti Irani a household name as the nation's favourite telly-bahu, Tulsi.

 

 

 

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Three of us ! Wat e throwback #tarunkatyal @smritiiraniofficial n moi! #thenandnow

A post shared by Erk❤️rek (@ektarkapoor) onApr 13, 2020 at 6:36am PDT

Anita built a fan following with shows like "Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii", "Kkavyanjali" and "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein" over the years. She was last seen in "Naagin 3". In Bollywood, she was paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor in the Ekta-produced film, "Kucch To Hai".

Krystle rose to prominence with her roles in "Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai", "Ek Nayi Pehchaan" and "Brahmarakshas".

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Telly actor Saumya Tandon is part of a campaign to distribute reusable masks and face shields to frontline workers on the streets. The Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai actor was spotted in Andheri distributing the kits to vegetable vendors and police personnel.

Main bhi artist

Aishwarya Sakhuja, who has taken up sketching during the lockdown, is enjoying the process. "I never thought I would be good at it, but I've surprised myself. I still have a long way to go but my friends have been loving my sketches," she adds.

Mamma mia

Jag Jaanani Maa Vaishno Devi actor Madirakshi Mundle is bonding with her mother during the lockdown. She has special plans for Mother's Day. "I plan to cook her favourite meal and refurbish an old saree to a suit with embroidery work on it."

The web game

Mere Sai actor Tushar Dalvi is set to make his digital debut on Netflix with Anurag Kashyap's Choked. He says, "Working with Anurag Kashyap is a dream come true. His films don't underplay issues."

Slambook: Parull Chaudhry

One superpower you wish to possess?
The power of illusions.

One thing you won't share?
My mom's laddoos.

Your guilty pleasure movie?
Dumb and Dumber (1994).

One thing you are guilty of?
Of unknowingly hurting my parents.

Your worst project?
Being part of an episode of supernatural show in which I played a 300-year-old witch. Wearing prosthetics was painful.

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The lockdown period brought filmmaker Nitesh Tiwari in front of the camera, and his nine-and-a-half-year old daughter Amaarisa got a chance to be a cinematographer on a scratch film for Kaun Banega Crorepati.

The new campaign has the show's host Amitabh Bachchan inviting KBC aspirants. It was shot from the confines of home, in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Tiwari remotely directed the registration promo.

But before Big B's final video, there was a scratch film too. Talking about it, Tiwari told IANS: "This the first time I have done something like this. I've never shot a film sitting so far away from my star but yeah it was an interesting experience for me."

"The thing is when we were writing this campaign, we knew the restrictions under which this film would be shot so we didn't get really ambitious with the execution. We kept it very simple."

Explaining the campaign's execution process, the "Dangal" director shared: "For the execution bit, I had various chats with Mr. Bachchan, and to make it easier for him because he was only going to shoot the film at his house, I made a scratch film featuring me. My daughter (worked) as the cinematographer. I edited that film and I sent it across to him so that he could get a good idea about how I was looking at the film. And then Mr Bachchan did the rest. In fact, he did more. He was kind enough to send optional takes also...in case, I needed to look at alternatives. After that we did the post-production work, everybody sitting at their own homes."

This year, the campaign is all about: "Har cheez ko break lag sakta hai, sapno ko nahi (everything can take a break, but not dreams).

"Whenever we get down to working on KBC campaigns, what we normally do is we tap into the mindset of the people of the country at that point of time and given the situation we all are in, we chose to explore the possibility of having a campaign which was based around the idea of we being in the situation and how you tie it up to KBC as a game show," he said.

"We all know KBC is not just a game show. It's a means for people's dreams to be fulfilled. That's when we got this idea."

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Erica Fernandes is one of the most popular and successful television celebrities we have. She rose to fame and massive success right from her debut in the show, Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi, and continues ruling the hearts of the viewers with her role and performance in Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2. And today she celebrates her birthday and turns a year younger.

Speaking about her plans, she comes with a rather surprising answer. She says, "There are no concrete plans for my birthday this year. So it's just going to be a very simple affair at home with my family. We are going to take the day as it comes, and not really plan anything elaborate. Though to ensure that my day be absolutely relaxed, I am going to be disconnecting myself from social media and the outside world to just be with myself and my family."

Talking about the massive popularity of television celebrities on social media, she says, "I think TV reaches every nook and corner of the country. So, our reach is more. Plus, you have to wait for your favourite Bollywood actor’s movies."

Then comes a very tricky question, to choose between Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi and Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2! This is what she quips, "Everyone is asking me this but there is no comparison. Both are dear to my heart. I feel Prerna has let me explore a little more. The character has more drama and fun." We hope she has a grand birthday celebration next year, though!

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Everyone seems to be cooking during the coronavirus lockdown. Hidden chefs seem to be awakened in almost all celebrities, and they've been giving us some major cooking goals. Recently, a video featuring TV's favourite couple, Vivek Dahiya and Divyanka Tripathi, has gone viral.

In the video, we can see that Vivek Dahiya has cooked some delicious-looking pasta, and it doesn't just look yummy, but it is yummy! And who better than wifey Divyanka to rate her husband's cooking skills? Take a look at the video below:

 

 

 

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@divyankatripathidahiya @vivekdahiya #divyanka #divyankafan #divyankadahiya #divyankatripathi #divyankatripathifans #divyankatripatidahiya #happybirthdt #divek #divekfanclub_ #vivek #vivekfanclub #vivekdahiya #vivekdahiyafanclub #divyankavivek

A post shared by Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya (@bans_life_div_viv) onMay 6, 2020 at 7:52pm PDT

Vivek Dahiya, pretending to be Italian, is funny, while Divyanka Tripathi is entertaining with her amusing expressions!

The couple has been on a cooking spree ever since the lockdown started. From Paneer Tikka to Kashmiri Pulao, Vivek and Divyanka have been whipping up a storm in their kitchen. 

Vivek and Divyanka first met on the sets of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and after several months of dating, the two got married in 2016. Speaking about working with Divyanka again, Vivek told IANS, "I know our fans are waiting for long to see Divyanka and me together on the screen... I also want to work with her again... It's just that I am waiting for some right project to come our way. If the project is right and the script looks interesting, we would definitely give a heads-up."

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A recent study conducted in the US revealed that although men think about sex nearly 24 times a day, women are not that far behind. The research showed that the average woman thinks about sex around 18 times a day.

Also, women think about getting naughty between the covers once every hour. The study was conducted by a team of researchers, during which, 283 college students aged between 18 and 25 were asked about various things, including food, sleep and sex over the course of the week.

The female mind during sex
Another study revealed that, a Hollywood hunk, ex-lovers, a blue film scene and even what to buy in a grocery store are some of the many things that women think of while having sex. They even think of men they secretly fantasise of.

Thinking their way to sexual climax?
Scientists have long been intrigued by the claims of some women who insist that they can 'think themselves to orgasm' even when they are completely alone, with no physical touch involved. And now, they have confirmed that for women, at least, it’s all in the mind.
- With inputs from agencies 

In June 2015, when two friends, Chetan Agarwal and Rohit Pansari decided to move from Delhi to Gurgaon, they struggled to cope with the odd jobs that were a part of the shifting process. "We had run out of leave from our day jobs, and the list of things to do was endless. Chores like arranging for an extra pair of keys or even getting paperwork and notaries done for the lease agreement took a toll. It's when we decided to start the Done Thing," informs 28-year-old Agarwal, who co-founded the company along with his friends Karan Saharan, Sonal Saraogi, Shivani Agarwal and Pansari. Based in Gurgaon, Done Thing is a cross-segment on-demand concierge solution.

Chetan Agarwal (third from the right) with the The Done Thing Team

Woo your valentine
On Valentine's Day, the apppromises to offer a personal assistant who will coordinate everything for you — from planning a surprise to executing it. "The ideas could include planning offbeat dinner dates or sending gifts to your partner in another city. Last year, someone wanted us to organise a red limousine, and after speaking to nearly 50 vendors, we managed to source one. We have also managed to find painted blue roses that are usually not available in India but were requested for by a client. We sourced them from a guy in Chandigarh," shares Agarwal. The Valentine's Day services range from arranging a helicopter to sending gifts with a personalised message for each day of the week, arranging a horse-pulled wagon to a dinner in a romantic setting.

You can even choose to send a photo-cake. If you decide to DIY, you could surprise your partner with breakfast in bed or a homemade dinner, and the team will help you get the ingredients and execute every element of surprise, without you having to step out.

A screenshot of the app

Get personal
When not planning for occasions, the company acts like a personal shopping partner that undertakes day-to-day tasks such as shopping, cheque deposits, bill payments, courier, booking film tickets, car repairs as well as aids you in hunting for services such as electricians and doctors, in the neighbourhood. It picks and delivers parcels to different locations.

"Earlier, you would need to log on to multiple portals for different services. We wanted to bring all of it under one roof. At the moment, in Mumbai, you can opt for our help service to get information on technicians and restaurants in your area. In Delhi, we offer a pick up and drop service even if you've left an important document or phone at home," says Agarwal, adding that post the announcement for demonetisation, the company also offered an assistant, who would stand in the ATM queue for you, in the capital.

If you choose to hire a wedding assistant through the app or portal, he/she will take care of delivery of invites or gifts, getting clothes ironed, shoes polished, picking up of bridal outfits from the tailor, trousseau packing and gift wrapping. You will end up shelling up anything between Rs 100 for an hour, Rs 350 for 4 hours, Rs 650 for 8 hours and Rs 1000 for 12 hours for the services.

Currently, the portal has a tie-up with over 5,000 vendors. By the year-end, the company has plans to offer its services across Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Chandigarh.

LOG ON TO: www.donething.com

Bored with dating apps? Try something different. You can speed date singles offline at an event organised this Saturday. All you need to do is be polite, not ask awkward questions and be at your best for eight minutes.

Organisers won't share details of a couple unless they like each other. At the event, the tables will be numbered. There will be a host conducting the session and everyone will have a scorecard to note down the table number and the candidate's first name. After eight minutes, a bell will ring when the person will move to the next table. One can note down a yes or a no in the scorecard, like a left or right swipe on Tinder.

Eight minutes isn't a lot of time but is good enough to assess if you want to meet the person again. Participants will receive an email a day later about mutual matches. The age limit is 22 to 36 years and girls have a one plus one offer on drinks.

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A recent study conducted by a popular dating website on over 5,000 smartphone users above the age of 18 has some interesting findings regarding their dating behaviour. According to the results, Android users are apparently judged 21 times more negatively by iPhone users for using a smartphone running an Android OS.

On the other hand, Android users are likely to judge an iPhone user 15 times more negatively.

The study found that one major reason for this is the possibility of an iPhone user belonging to a higher income strata than an Android user. 40 per cent more than the median Android users earn lesser money than an iPhone user per year, which would a deciding factor, when it comes to going on a date.

Additionally, the study found that 15 per cent of adults, who are currently dating would think twice before dating someone with a cracked smartphone screen. This is regardless of whether the person is a iPhone or Android user. Other aspects like bad grammar, bad fashion sense, crooked or discoloured teeth also played a role in their decision making.

The thought of Valentine’s Day gifts make all love birds scratch their heads. Flowers, chocolates, teddies, heart shaped pillows, what exactly to purchase for her. Years have passed and we all are grown up adults, but the idea of Valentine’s Day is still the same. Not to mention here that gifting flowers, teddies, heart shaped cushions and chocolates have become passe. Today’s generation is focused more on gifting branded perfumes, swanky handbags, movie tickets or gift cards from branded stores. If you are a 'tall young handsome' gentleman caught in a Valentine's -Day gift dilemma, then here is a list of some exclusive gifts that you plan buy for your lady love on this Valentine’s Day.

1. Take her for a shopping date: Girls are big time shopaholics and probably there is no day in a year when she will deny to go for shopping. You may hate walking from one end of teh shopping mall to another with her, but Valentine’s Day is a special eve after all.  Enlighten her love for shopping on Valentine’s Day. Gift her a gorgeous dress, a swanky handbag, a fruity scented perfume or a silver jewellery. If your lady love is brand conscious, then gift her a shopping voucher from her favourite brand or store. She would love to shop with that special gift.



2. Gift her a romantic spa session: Gift a romantic spa session: Girls at time are finicky about their crockery and kitchenware. However, Valentine’s Day is all about love so gifts like frying pans and hand blenders can be kept aside for some other occasions. Why not show some care and affection and gift her something romantic that she can least expect? A spa session voucher can do wonder to your gifting idea. Make her feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and pampered at a good spa outlet on this Valentine’s Day. The session can turn more romantic if you also join your lady love. Couple Spa brings lots of spark to a relationship!

3. Make her happy with an opera ticket: To go for an opera show, you do not need to take permission for leaves from their bosses.  So, if you are planning for a short trip to your favourite destination but are tied between office and work, then head for a romantic evening at an opera house. Enjoy the moments of togetherness and make the evening more special. She will surely enjoy watching the show with you



4. Do not give gifts that make her feel uncomfortable: You may be longing to see your beloved in a cocktail dress with a plunging neckline on V-Day. While she may accept the gift, do not expect her to wear it and go out with you on the same day. Unless she is comfortable to dress up for you, do not force her or make her feel awful for not wearing your 'special gift' on this romantic occasion. She might surprise you with the beautiful dress on some other occasions.

5. Bake a cake or her favourite dish: Almost every girl loves chocolates and are foodies by heart. However, instead of buying her chocolates or taking her to a restaurant, make her test your culinary skills. Bake a cake for her or surprise her by preparing her favourite dish. Do not be scared of the taste, because ‘everything is fair in love and war’.

(With inputs from agencies)

With few more days to go, lovebirds are already sinking in the thought of what to gift their valentines. Online shopping, running across gift shops, and scratching heads for ideas, Valentine’s Day is all about expressing love to the man and woman of your life. Teddies and red roses have turned out to be cliché Valentine’s Day gifts. The emergence of online shopping sites and personalized gift shops have taken Valentine’s Day gifting idea to a different level. This time gift something unusual, something unique and something your better half would have never imagined: Here are some ideas!

1. Bottle of beer to him and gin to her: Take a break from the romantic champagne or red wine and opt for an out-of-the world idea of purchasing a bottle of beer for your Mister and a bottle of gin for your Miss.

  

2. Satin lingerie to her and personalised boxers to him: Girls go ‘wowww’ over a pair of bright colour satin lingerie. Underpants or boxers are a boy’s favourite section in his wardrobe. Instead of gifting each other a regular pair of lingerie or boxer, try out a gifting a lacy hot looking satin one. Ladies, personalize the boxer with our cutest photo and a love message to turn your man wild.



3. Pack of maggi to each other: Both a foodie and a non-foodie is a fan of Maggie noodles. Plan your budget and gift each other some packs of maggi noodles along with extra tastemaker masala. Share the noodles from one plate to make the simple gift a romantic and precious one.

4. Imported lighter to him and bottle opener to her: Boys who smoke would love to get a classy imported lighter as a Valentine’s Day gift. A bottle opener on the other hand is an essential in the kitchen. So, this time rather than gifting a passé coffee mug or ashtray, gift a lighter and a bottle opener. 

5. Spa coupon to each other: Gift a couple spa voucher to your better half and enjoy a romantic rejuvenating evening together. Low lit light, herbal products and gentle massage will de-stress and reward you with the most romantic Valentine evening.

6. Wine glass holder to him and cup holder to her: While boys have a craze for setting up a super-duper fully equipped bar counter in their homes, girls look for the perfect trendy and durable cup holder for their kitchens. To fulfil each other’s wish, boys can buy their ladylove a cup holder and girls can surprise their prince charming with a durable wine glass holder.

7. Cocktail guide to him and recipe book to her: While your prince charming can surprise you with a homemade cocktail, you can bake a cake for him or cook his favourite dish. Buy each other a cocktail handbook and recipe booklet, and make a perfect drink and dine ambience at home.

8. Mouse pad to him and cosmetic organizer to her: Girls want to keep their cosmetic section updated at home. Boys, look out for a stylish mouse pad to make their gaming session more interesting and engaging. A mouse pad and cosmetic organizer may seem to be the most unusual Valentine’s gift, remember that it will fulfil both your purposes.

9. Woody scented perfume to him and fruity one to her: Boys are more inclined towards woody rugged or chocolate scented perfumes while girls favour soft fruity body mists. Know the choice and brand preference of your better half and surprise them with a nice perfume bottle.

10. Shaving kit to him and electric epilator to her: Shaving is a regular task for men so is waxing for women. Why to run to the salon every week and waste time when you gift your Valentine a shaking kit and an electric epilator?

New Delhi: Treat yourself with good make-up session before heading out for Valentine's Day celebration, says an expert.

Make-up artist Vikkie Anand says there are a few components that one should keep in mind before planning a Valentine look:

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>> Eye make-up: Go for charcoal eye make-up instead of the usual smokey eye. You can go for bold look by shimmering your eyes too.

>> Lip make-up: Crimson lip shade is another way to look bold at a V-Day party. It never goes out of style and helps to transform the regular look into a glamorous one.

>> Hair trend: Curls are great addition to any hairstyle. You don’t have to make your curls big, keep things natural looking with soft loose curls.

>> Skin tone: The important elements of instant skin treatment are cleansing-scrubbing-toning-moisturising. Face masks are very important for instant glow. Facial massage can further make yopur skin look radiant. Don't apply too much foundation and skip the face powder to avoid cakey look unless your skin is oily.
- With inputs from agencies 

New York: Believe it! Striking up a friendship with another couple in which you discuss personal details of your life may bring you closer to your own partner.

Researchers suggest picking a double-date activity that facilitates personal disclosure this Valentine's Day would be a good idea.

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Going on a double date may be more effective at re-igniting passion in your own relationship than the classic candle-lit dinner for two.

“Passionate love is one of the first dimensions of love to decrease in couples over time as the newness of a relationship begins to wane,” said Keith Welker, a doctoral student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

“Any setting where couples can talk, exchange information about each other and respond to each other in a validating, thoughtful manner could apply,” explained Welker.

Welker, with his adviser Rich Slatcher wanted to extend the research to investigate how self-disclosure between couples affects closeness and feelings of passionate love.

“We were expecting that the formation of a friendship between two couples in the lab would increase closeness and relationship satisfaction," said Welker.

However, they found the robustness of the effects on passionate love surprising in two studies with about 150 couples.

“The more that the other couple responds to your self-disclosures in a validating and caring way when on a double date, the more passionate you feel about your own relationship,” explained Welker.

One very practical application could be going out to dinner with another couple.

But opt for dinner at home as that would ensure more disclosure than a date at a restaurant!
- With inputs from agencies 

London: With cafes and fancy restaurants full of couples trying to squeeze in a date on Valentine's Day, celebrating at home might can turn out to be a very smart decision.

Helen Leigh-Jones, designer at furniture brand DFS, shares some tips on how to spruce up your place for an amazing romantic dinner, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

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>> Lighting is very important for an evening like this. Candles are perfect on Valentine's Day as they create the perfect soft, warm, romantic glow. Fairy lights are a lovely way of setting the mood as well.

>> Flowers are always welcome on Valentine's Day. It is important to choose fresh rose petals to scatter around your home or place a few small arrangements throughout the house.

>> Making a comfortable love seat will also help. Make sure you have a throw, a box of chocolates and some wine within arm's length so you don't have to move from each other's arms all evening.

>> Turn off all modern technologies like the phone and the television.

>> Change the place of dining. A rug on the living room floor will be nice for a romantic picnic.
- With inputs from agencies 

What should I wear? Should I apply make-up or stay normal? Should I wear heels or flats? Should I carry a sling bag or a clutch? So many questions like these crop up in a girl's mind when they dress up for their first date. Stop worrying about all these and think the other way round. You guys have spoke earlier, knew each other’s choices and preferences (to some extent, if not completely) and now decided to meet up. So be happy and just go about it.. But wait! There are some things which girls should 'not' always expect on their first date:

1. He will pay the restaurant bill: This might be true, but not always. Do not always expect the guy to pay the bill or even if he wishes to, do take an initiative from your end also. It might look a bit awkward, but try to split the cheque. You may never know, later on if this relation works out, he might make you laugh out loud regarding the incident.

2. He will drop you home: If he comes with his car on your first date, then you can expect. But what if he does not have a car and you know it before hand? You might have to return back home alone then. Be prepared!

3. He will meet over coffee: Is every first date over a coffee table or a cup of Latte? Why can’t it be in a popular Punjabi dhaba over a cup of ginger tea? Dear girls, don’t expect your first date to be in a classy chandelier lit coffee house over a dazzling glass of cold moccachino. At times be prepared to meet him at a dhaba under a moonlit sky too. Outdoor dining does wonders at times!

4. He will click a selfie with you: Come on girls! First date does not mean the final meet before marriage. It is only about getting introduced to each other face to face. Unless and until he is bold enough, he might hesitate to do the act. So you want to take the step? Well, that’s completely your choice and depends on the situation too.

5. He will compliment your gorgeous dress: This might happen over time but not always on the first date. You need to hold on your nerves ladies! Once the date works out, then over time your guy will overload you with compliments. Walk in casually and things might work out.

6. He will talk about your past relationship: Why do you want to spoil the first meet by talking about the bitter past? In case you guys are already aware of each other’s past, then postpone the discussion for future. The first date is all about a romantic evening, a warm welcome, a delectable dinner and a cool conversation ending with a sweet 'bye-bye' note.

7. He will only do the ice-breaking session: Your instinct may be to ask a bunch of questions to get him to open up, but it might feel like a college admission interview. Still, keep the conversations going, don’t worry about silences. You can keep any topic like what’s his favourite music, is he interested in long drives and did he bully friends in college, and such funny stuff.

The day must end on a good note. Do not rush out of the car if he drops you home. Before he starts, ask him if you guys can meet over Karaoke soon. If it's in his mind too, he'll surely lean in! Blush blush! Keep eye contact while talking to the man.

Get your heels on ladies and try to make you first date the most cherished day of your life! Follow the tricks and thank us later.. :)

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Women rule the dating game in India: A nationwide research undertaken by a dating app recently has revealed that a whopping 46 percent of women respondents said they are happy to take the lead in planning a date, while the corresponding number for men stood at 62 percent.

The research also suggests that even as gender roles are interchanging; more than 53 percent of the female respondents were willing to choose a fulfilling relationship over a career. Also, 48 percent women said they prefer brains over brawn, while 52 percent men prefer success over good looks. About 47 percent men and 48 percent women respondents said they are open to sharing their Facebook password with their partners.

India's youths seeking love online: Thanks to an increasing range of dating apps, majority of Indian youths are looking for love online, revealed a recent study conducted in Delhi. Experts say that the mammoth surge in the user base of these apps is being fuelled by youth's "changing narrative, thinking and preferences".

Did you watch the match yesterday? When it comes to first dates, individuals who meet each other through a match-making process in India discuss a lot of sports after the conversations on family, a survey has revealed.

The survey found that 21 percent Indian men talk about sports during their first date with a prospective match after family, which still dominates the conversation. As per the study, 14 percent of women love to talk about sports during their first meeting. The surveyors also found that for women, family still comes the first with 70 percent of them talking about it on their first meeting, only 44 percent men discuss the topic.

Indian men want women to pop the question: Traditionally, it's the guys who pop the question to take a relationship forward but an increasing number of Indian men now prefer if women make the first move, according to a recent survey conducted by a popular matrimonial website. 6,500 single Indian men in the age group of 25 to 36 across the country were studied as part of the survey.

As many as 71.7 percent respondents shared that they would like it if a woman proposed to them instead. As many as 63.8 percent of the men surveyed were of the opinion that the country's modern day women are confident enough to make the first move towards a relationship, while 36.2 percent of them said that it's hard for them to believe that a woman can make the first move because tradition has always seen men do so.

Illustration/Uday Mohite

I am looking for a sapiosexual guy." That's the line, which ran below the photograph of a gorgeous woman, on writer Jaidev Hemmady's Tinder page. Chancing upon it a few months ago, Hemmady had two options - either swipe left or right. He chose the latter. Why? "I had never heard the word before. It immediately aroused my curiosity," the 35-year-old recalls. Thinking of it now, Hemmady tells us it was probably his most foolish decision ever. "When we did begin to converse, I asked her what she meant by sapiosexual," he says. She said it was "fascination for intellectual men". "So, would she choose an average-looking man with the IQ of a rocket scientist?" To his surprise, the girl typed in a 'NO'. "He has to be both, handsome and smart," she insisted.

One possible reason for this artifice in vocabulary could be the nature of online dating. Here, as everywhere else, first impressions matter. Only last week, IllicitEncounters.com, UK's leading dating website for married people, released a survey after analysing four lakh profiles, where it threw a few words of caution when describing oneself on dating apps. While words like 'confident' and 'honest' earned a good score, 'shy' and 'happy' were major put-offs. With technical details playing a key role, relationship coaches are now being roped in to add finesse to people's dating profiles. When we enquired, most coaches claimed that 50 per cent of their clients were currently investing in online image building. The rules may differ for each, but if you want to be a smooth player in the swipe game, here's what you could do.

Ritesh Uttamchandani

Treat profile pic with kindness
Some time ago, freelance photographer Ritesh Uttamchandani was asked if he was interested in clicking profile shots for dating apps. "Some of the photos you see on these apps are horrendous, boring and repetitive," he rues. Uttamchandani, who joined a few dating apps out of sheer curiosity, says that because of the nature of his job, it wasn't hard for him to see through the sham behind the lens. According to him, there are four kinds of set images common to most profiles - the side profile, the exotic destination shot, the selfie and one that flashes a facial asset. Of the four, he advises avoiding the selfies. "Pout selfies are the worst."

If Uttamchandani is thinking aesthetics, London-based Dr Siva, who is a physician and relationship expert and runs drsivacoaching.com, says that the profile picture also reflects how serious you are about the dating game. "Larger women should not be ashamed of their body type. Men like women who are comfortable in their own skin," claims Dr Siva.

Mumbai-based Shiva, the head coach of Real Man Academy, which runs dating and seduction workshops, advises following the ABS rule. A implies having pictures that show you lead an 'active' lifestyle. B means portraying a 'bold' body language. (Example: no crossed legs). S is showing off your 'social' circle. "If there are women in your photograph, it's good, because it shows they are comfortable with you."

Nidhi Sharma

Be quirky with your bio
"Be original when describing oneself," says Nidhi Sharma (47), personal branding coach at Bon Impressions in Mumbai. "Never put up an inspirational quote in your bio. It would be stupid to believe that someone is going to date the person who scripted that quote," she says. Instead, she suggests writing something that reflects your attitude towards life. Elizabeth Sullivan, a dating coach, who runs Lovementor.com in London, advises using positive language to describe oneself. "Add some humour.

But, don't force it because people can see through it." Hemmady says, "I prefer women who don't shy away from talking about their food adventures."

Dr Siva

After you've been swiped right
According to Nidhi, a lot of men come across as being very forceful and persistent, once they've got a right-swipe from someone they have taken a liking to. "Begin with a 'hello, how are you?' even if that means sounding a tad bit formal. Let the rapport develop before getting personal," she suggests.

Also, when your 'prospective date' messages, do not respond immediately, says Shiva. "It shows you have lots of free time. At a subtle level it communicates that she/he is the only person who is texting you."

Being online all the time can also be a turn-off. "That shows you don't have much going on in your life. Especially on weekends, be completely offline. As the saying goes, fake it till you make it," Shiva says. Online dating is just a tiny window to your world. "It's a practising tool, until that door really opens," Sullivan says.

New York: Fathers tend to be more attentive and responsive to the needs of their toddler daughters than of their sons, finds a brain study that shows a toddler's gender influences the brain responses as well as the behaviour of fathers.

The findings showed that fathers of toddler daughters sang more often and spoke more openly about emotions, including sadness, whereas those with toddler sons engaged in more rough-and-tumble play.

"If the child cries out or asks for dad, fathers of daughters responded more than did fathers of sons," said lead researcher Jennifer Mascaro, Assistant Professor at Emory University.

Further, girls' fathers used more analytical language (words like all, below and much) which has been linked to future academic success, while with boys it was more achievement-related language (words such as proud, win and top).

This may be possibly because fathers are more accepting of girls' feelings than boys', the researchers said in the paper published in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience.

In addition, brain scans revealed that fathers of daughters had greater responses to their daughters' happy facial expressions in areas of the brain important for visual processing, reward, emotion regulation, and face processing than fathers of sons.

"The gender-biased paternal behaviour need not imply ill intentions on the part of fathers. These biases may be unconscious, or may actually reflect deliberate and altruistically motivated efforts to shape children's behaviour in line with social expectations of adult gender roles that fathers feel may benefit their children," added James Rilling anthropologist at Emory.

For the study, the team used data from 52 fathers of toddlers (30 girls, 22 boys), who agreed to clip a small handheld computer onto their belts and wear it for one weekday and one weekend day.

Celebrities supporting social causes is indeed commendable because amidst the current scenario, the world needs empathy, love, and financial support at the right time. Salman Khan has been financially supporting daily wage workers and providing ration to those impacted during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Commencing the financial aid, he was one of the first people who made sure that money was directly transferred into the bank account of 25,000 daily wagers who were in dire need. It did not stop there, he further transferred money into the account of additional 7000 daily wage workers of the film fraternity.

The actor also helped 90 vertically challenged wage workers associated with All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of FWICE.

The superstar also arranged for food supplies for thousands of people from varied corners of the state. A video of the same surfaced on the internet recently where truckloads of essentials were sent to the villagers around the farm.

Salman Khan has been carefully watching the situation and extending help in installments to ensure steady flow of income and essentials for the needy in different parts of the country.

Keeping in mind the current situation, he has released several videos where he has voiced his opinions and made a personal appeal to his massive fandom and people of the nation to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.

ALSO READ: Inside Salman Khan’s Panvel farmhouse with Jacqueline Fernandez and Iulia Vantur

With everything going digital amid lockdown due to Coronavirus outbreak, reality shows have found a new way to conduct auditions. Madhuri Dixit, Shashank Khaitan, and Tushar Kalia will return as judges for Dance Deewane 3.

For the show, the makers have begun virtual auditions. Madhuri Dixit kicked off her work by recording the promo for the show and asking the audience to participate by uploading their videos oh Viacom18's digital platform.

The final aspirants will be selected for the show once the film and TV bodies resume shoots. Arjun Bijlani will be returning as the show host. They'll kick off the new season after everything goes back to normal.

ALSO READ: Madhuri Dixit and Kajol reminisce about sharing screen space with late Rishi Kapoor

In a first of its kind international venture, youth icons Ananya Panday and international songwriter and guitarist from The Vamps band - James McVey - are all set to come together on the former’s ‘So Positive’ platform to raise awareness about social media bullying. The live session will be hosted on 8th May 2020 at 7 pm.

James McVey, the lead guitarist, and songwriter of the internationally renowned British band The Vamps, is known globally for spreading social media positivity. The coming together of the two, Panday and McVey, marks a collaboration that goes beyond the confines of language and geography to attain more awareness on the issue. The statistics are proof of how teenagers and children are the most affected in this digital era. The number of platforms accessible to the population across the world are increasing with every passing day. This collaboration would be extremely insightful in terms of shedding light on this issue and help individuals dealing with social media bullying.

Sharing his experience James McVey said, “During this difficult time we find ourselves using social media more than ever. When I was at the receiving end of bullying I felt isolated and alone. Regardless of where you live or your background, it’s important to remember that you are never alone. Millions of others are going through the same traumatic experience and I believe together we further the conversation and join the fight to end bullying. I’m looking forward to speaking with Ananya on ‘So Positive’ to learn more about her experiences.”

Ananya Panday shares, "Social media bullying is an evil that people face every day on the numerous platforms that they use in their daily lives. I’m glad that James McVey and I will be fighting this evil together in our own small way. The world is going through a difficult time, currently and it is even more important than ever to be kind to everyone around and spread positivity. So Positive has been creating awareness through different ways and our aim continues to be to negate the spread of social media bullying by spreading positivity all across. I’m really looking forward to this insightful exchange with James”.

So Positive is a cause taken up by Ananya which is backed with substantial data, research, and behavioural statistics. The initiative aims at creating and spreading awareness about social media bullying. Its prime focus is to make people aware of the fact that this issue exists and stays very prevalent in society. Also, the steps that can be taken by the recipients of this destructive criticism in order to deal with this.

ALSO READ: Ananya Panday says Vijay Deverakonda is humble and grounded despite being a huge star

Parineeti Chopra has stepped forward to do more during the coronavirus crisis that is raging in our country. The sensitive actress has decided to go on a virtual coffee date with people to raise funds that will feed 4000 family members of 1000 daily wage earners of our country!

Millions of poor labourers are struggling to access food and rations during the COVID lockdown, and are unable to keep themselves and their families safe. Parineeti has come on board to help raise funds for GiveIndia’s Mission: Ration Kit that aims at delivering food to those most affected by the crisis.

Pari’s campaign will see ration kits containing dal, rice, aata, salt, masala, tea, sugar, oil etc, to be able to sustain a family of 4 people. These kits will be distributed to families in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. The A.T.E. Chandra Foundation has also joined hands in this cause and will be adding 25% of the total donation value collected as a matching amount, thereby multiplying the impact!

Parineeti, who is doing this in association with Arjun Kapoor’s sister Anshula’s breakthrough charity initiative Fankind, says, “There are millions of unemployed daily wage earners who are struggling to make two ends meet today due to the coronavirus crisis in our country. During the COVID19 national lockdown, they are unable to earn and that is putting them at high risk! Fankind, GiveIndia and I have come together to try and help them and their families by providing them ration kits.”

One just needs to log on to fankind.org/Parineeti and donate to be eligible for this virtual date which will aid GiveIndia to reach out to the ones who need our immediate help. The contest will be open for donation for a week, starting 6th May.

Pari adds, “No one should go to sleep hungry, so let’s do our bit to make a difference and take care of our fellow brothers and sisters of India. This fund raiser is uniquely crafted for me to meet you virtually and have a cup of coffee! This is how I will be saying thank you to 5 lucky winners through a video chat. I am looking forward to chatting with you and getting to know more about you over a piping cup of coffee. Let's join hands and donate for those who are in need.”

Indian cinema lost two icons, one week ago. On April 29, actor Irrfan Khan passed away after his prolonged battle with neuroendocrine tumour. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 after two years of battle with leukemia. Tributes have been pouring in for the two actors who have made immense contribution to the cinema.

In the memory of two stars, Colors TV will be paying tribute to them with an event called Dard-e-Dil: A Tribute to the Legends. The virtual event will witness artists’ from films and TV who will celebrate the achievements of the actors and send in their pre-recorded videos. This will also be followed by some musical performances.

The line-up includes Maniesh Paul serving as the host of the event, comedian Bharti Singh, singers Sukhwinder Singh, Aditya Narayan, Abu Malik, and TV actors and former Bigg Boss contestants Hina Khan and Devoleena Bhattacharjee. Arjun Bijlani will be crooning ‘Om Shanti Om’ from Karz whereas Aditya Narayan is set to perform ‘Suit Suit Karda’ from Hindi Medium. Hina Khan has already recorded ‘Teri Umeed Tera Intezaar’ from Deewana.

The event is set to be aired this weekend!

ALSO READ: Irrfan Khan could have been part of Anand Gandhi’s pandemic movie Emergence

Singer Madonna and world leaders have raised over $8 billion for Covid-19 relief to help those impacted during this pandemic. Recently, she also revealed that she had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.

Taking to her Instagram on May 6 to clarify certain things, she wrote, "“I’m Grateful that I can be a part of supporting Research to Find the cure for Covid -19!! And just to clear things up for people who would rather believe sensationalist headlines than do their own research about the nature of this virus—I am not currently sick."

“When you test positive for anti-bodies it means you HAD the virus which I. clearly did as I was sick at the end of my tour in Paris over 7 weeks ago along with many other artists in my show but at the time We all thought we had a very bad flu. Thank God we are all healthy and well now. Hope that clears things up for the band wagon jumpers!! Knowledge is Power," Madonna added.

 

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Im Grateful that I can be a part of supporting Research to Find the cure for Covid -19!! ???????? And just to clear things up for people who would rather believe sensationalist headlines than do their own research about the nature of this virus— I am not currently sick. When you test positive for anti-bodies it means you HAD the virus which I. clearly did as I was sick at the end of my tour in Paris over 7 weeks ago along with many other artists in my show but at the time We all thought we had a very bad flu. Thank God we are all healthy and well now. Hope that clears things up for the band wagon jumpers!! Knowledge is Power! #covid19

A post shared by Madonna (@madonna) on May 6, 2020 at 10:18am PDT

Madonna has donated $1.1 million for the relief fund. She has also joined hands with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to find a drug that will prevent or treat COVID-19.

The daily wage earners have taken the hardest hit during this lockdown and have been struggling to get a proper meal on their table. While most of the industry has been trying their best to arrange food and other amenities for them, Vivek Oberoi announced that he has provided financial aid to over 5,000 families of daily wage earners. He joined hands with Rohit Gajbhiye to raise funds.

Releasing a statement regarding the same, he said, “We observed that migrant labourers have been stranded here since a while now. There are many of them who are not even able to cope up with acquiring daily essentials. “They are struggling to pay their rent, buy daily essentials, to feed their children. We have supported more than 5,000 families”

Fund were directly transferred to the families’ account to help them out in arranging their daily essentials under their Support Aid & Assist The Helpless – SAATH initiative.

After Jungle Cruise, actors Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are set to reunite for the movie adaptation of the 1990s comic, Ball and Chain. It will be written by Emily V Gordon.

"The project is being described as a superhero story meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith, where a couple struggling in their marriage are equipped with superpowers. However, their powers only work when they’re together," revealed The Hollywood Reporter.

Dwayne Johnson, Dany, and Hiram Garcia will produce under Seven Bucks banner along with Kevin Misher and Emily Blunt.

Meanwhile, their film Jungle Cruise has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The film has been moved to July 2021 release.

ALSO READ: Ryan Reynolds has a hilarious birthday message for Red Notice co-star Dwayne Johnson

Devoleena Bhattacharjee has been asked to home quarantine for 14 days as a cook from her building has tested positive for Coronavirus. The person tested positive also cooked at Devoleena’s place and now her building has been sealed. Residing in Goregaon East with her mother and brother, the building also housed a few other celebrities of the television industry.

Currently, Devoleena is all by herself during the lockdown as her family was in Assam when it was imposed and had no choice but to stay back. She has been asked to take the necessary precautionary measures as the entire building has been put under containment. The Bigg Boss 13 fame Devoleena Bhattacharjee gave her statement to a news portal where she revealed the details.

On the professional front, she has not announced her next project.

Also Read: Devoleena Bhattacharjee says Rashami Desai trusted a fraudster and is paying for it

Ashok Selvan and Ritika Singh's Tamil film Oh My Kadavule hit screens this year on Valentine's Day. The film won people's heart and got a good response from the audience.

Makers of the film are now planning to remake the film in Hindi and have already started working on it. Ashok Selvan, actor and producer of the film while talking to a news portal confirmed that they are planning to make a Hindi remake of their film and are currently in talks. He said that it is too early to reveal cast details.

Director Ashwath Marimuthu made his debut with Oh My Kadavule. He will be directing the Hindi version as well and will soon be making an official announcement in this regard.

Oh My Kadavule is a romantic fantasy comedy film. The film revolves around a young man who married his childhood friend. When life gets complicated he gets a golden ticket to rewrite his fate. The film also features Vani Bhojan and has Vijay Sethupathi as a special appearance.

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

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

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

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

31/01/2020

21/02/2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The penultimate day of 21-day lockdown saw the number of coronavirus cases in the country reach 9352 with 905 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The government's action plan to contain the spread of COVID-19 has stared yielding results in 25 districts across 15 states which have not reported any case in the last 14 days

Fifty one people died in the last 24 hours taking total toll 324. As many as 25 staff members of Mumbai's Bhatia hospital tested positive for coronavirus and number of cases in the city has reached 1549. The number of those who have died has reached 100 in the city. Maharashtra with 2,064 cases continues to be the worst affected followed by Delhi with 1,154 cases and Tamil Nadu with 1075 cases. The number of containment zones in Delhi has been increased to 47.

New cases have been reported from several states including Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Nagaland reported its first COVID-19 case following which several localities and a hospital in Dimapur hve been sealed. Uttarakhand Health Department said that no new positive COVID-19 case emerged in the state for the fifth day in a row.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10 am on Tuesday and is likely to talk about the further course of action to deal with the crisis posed by virus. Union ministers and senior officials returned to work in their offices on Monday and work was done by following social distancing norms.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said 2,06,212 COVID-19 tests were conducted till yesterday. "The pace at which we are conducting tests today, we have a stock with which we can conduct tests for the next six weeks easily," ICMR's head scientist Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar said at the daily media briefing on COVID-19 situation.

He said consignment of COVID-19 kits is expected to arrive from China on April 15 In Delhi, traders at Delhi's Azadpur Mandi have been told to follow the odd-even rule according to their shed numbers to maintain social distancing. There will be staggered time for sale of vegetables and fruits in the mandis.

In Mangaluru, a case has been registered against two minors at East Police station after they violated the lockdown norms. They will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. A 17-year old was caught trying to sneak his friend out of his apartment complex using a suitcase.

"A17-year-old resident of Orchid Apartment Balmatta invited his friend, a resident of Motisham Apartment, Pandeshwar to stay with him on April 11, " said PS Harsha, the Commissioner of Police, Mangaluru. The friend wanted to return back to his apartment in Pandeshwar the next day but due to strict security put in place, he got inside a large trolley suitcase.

Based on the suspicion, security personnel alerted the residents of the building and opened the suitcase from which they were shocked to find a boy stepping out.

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