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Shah Rukh Khan was about to jump from the balcony after KKR won IPL; reveals Suhana caught him

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he has never given Chak De! India type of lessons to his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team. KKR co-owner SRK was referring to his role in the film of Kabir Khan, coach of an underdog Indian wimen's hockey team that goes on to win the World Cup under his guidance.

Kabir Khan's "70-minute" pep talk to his team in the film before the final match has gone onto become a contemporary pop classic moment in Bollywood. However, as owner of his IPL team, Shah Rukh essays a very different role.

"I was just hanging there, waving my arms from my balcony. So, when we won it, it was a vindication of belief because a lot of people started telling me to sell the team which I never would. And I don't say that out of evil, I said it out of belief and confidence," Shah Rukh said while recalling the moments when his team won the IPL.

"Actually, the first match we won, I was going to jump from my balcony, but I think my kids, I think it was my daughter who caught me. I could have flown that night, but I settled at home. I have been a sportsman all my life at a very small level, so I have never really given them some ‘Chak De! India' kind of lectures I have never done that," he added.

Shah Rukh opened up on Star Sports show Cricket Connected. Gautam Gambhir, former captain of KKR, was also part of the episode.

Looking back at his memories about the team, Gambhir said: "He told me when I was at the auction that this is your make or break moment and he will not interfere. I just promised him one thing. I don't know when it's going to be, but by the time I leave, whether it's going to be after 3 years or 6, but by the time I leave this franchise, this franchise will be in a much better position. That's the promise I made to him."

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After Ajay Devgn, now Aamir Khan and Shahid Kapoor urge coronavirus survivors to donate blood

Aamir Khan has urged those who have recovered from the virus to donate blood. He shared a BMC poster, which read, "The patients have antibodies that protect against COVID-19. They can donate blood and their plasma can be used to save patients who are severely affected (sic)."

“Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies that protect against the virus. They can donate blood and their plasma can be used to save patients with severe COVID-19. Patients may be eligible to donate plasma 4 weeks after Complete recovery, but it they have had negative swab tests then they maybe able to donate even sooner,” the poster read.

Shahid Kapoor too argued the coronavirus recovered patients to donate blood by sharing the poster.

Before this, Ajay Devgn too had appealed recovered Covid-19 patients to donate their plasma. Taking to Twitter, Ajay had written, “If you’ve recovered from COVID19, you are a Corona warrior. We need an army of such warriors to overcome this invisible enemy. Your blood contains the bullets that can kill the virus. Please donate your blood, so others, especially the serious ones can recover. Sign up now.”

On the work front, Aamir will be next seen in Laal Singh Chaddha which is a remake of Forrest Gump (1994). He is paired opposite Kareena Kapoor Khan in the film. Laal Singh Chaddha marks the return of the pair after a decade. Before this, they were last seen together in 3 Idiots. The film is set to release in December 2020.

On the other hand, Shahid Kapoor will be next seen in Jersey, a remake of a Telugu film of the same name and tells the tale of a failed cricketer, who tries to make a comeback to the Indian cricket team to win a team jersey to fulfil his son's desire.

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Zoa Morani: When I was in the hospital, I couldn't show my parents and sister I was scared

The last few weeks haven't been easy for Zoa Morani and her family. They all were tested Coronavirus positive and it came as a shock to a lot of people and they were worried about their health. Zoa Morani and Shaza Morani were the first ones to be tested positive and then their father and film producer Karim Morani. Zoa and Shaza recovered a few days back while Karim was still tested positive. But now he too is back and doing well.

First, let's talk about Zoa's recent Instagram post where she shared a family picture and announced happily that they all are Coronavirus negative now. It was indeed a moment of celebration that they all successfully combated the virus. It was a long post straight from the heart.

Read it right here:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

#positiverecovery ☀ï¸Â Anddddd my father got home last night , treatment over and now our entire household is Covid-19 negative ! 😁 All of us home now , healthy and in good spirits !!!🌻 Whirlwind of an experience but so happy to be on the other side of it.. Each one of us had a different experience with it in terms of symptoms, so for any advice the best thing is to get in touch with a Doctor or hospital... My Father - no symptoms (9 days in hospital) Sister - head ache and fever (6 days in hospital) Me - fever , fatigue , cough , chest congestion , shortness of breath and head ache ( 7 days in hospital) They were mild , and manageable. To sum it up in short - a flu with a strange over all feeling .. The Doctors and medical staff were fearless , positive and extremely helpful and caring ... @my_bmc @mybmchealthdept were on point with following up with us at every step , from making sure we are getting the right treatment to getting our entire building and road sanitised ! To making sure the other residents in our building are safe ! And yes they are ☀ï¸Â 14 days of self isolation at home along with healthy eating , rest and vitamins has been advised.. So grateful for our Government for dealing with this Pandemic hands on ! Thank you Nanavati Hospital for taking care of my Father and Sister and sending them home fully cured 🌼 Thank you Kokilaben hospital ! Indebted forever ! Thank youuuu everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the concern and warm wishes 🥰 So grateful to be on the positive recovery side of this Pandemic . Sincere and deep prayers for the entire world and their families who got hit with the serious side of the illness ... 🤲🏽 #CovidRecovered #covid #ThankYouGod

A post shared by Zoa💫 (@zoamorani) onApr 17, 2020 at 10:34pm PDT

And now, talking to Mumbai Mirror about the same, Zoa poured her heart out on what the experience taught her and why she's now going to donate her blood. She said, "The most important thing that I have learned is how to be your own best friend. When I was in the hospital, I couldn't tell my parents and my sister I am scared. I had to be strong enough to be able to console myself. I have been very attached and dependent on people in the past, didn't have faith and confidence in myself."

And since the entire family, as stated above, is back home, how are they spending time? Zoa said, "We are all staying in the same house but maintaining distance from each other. We are not having dinner together or doing things together. The isolation period for me and my sister will get over. But it is still time for my father's isolation period to get over." She also revealed that she will be donating her blood this weekend.

"This weekend, we are going to be donating our blood. Apparently, after 14 days once you are tested negative, you can give your blood to other people because you have antibodies in your blood. It might help other people heal and recover." She also spoke about how she and her sister felt after they were tested COVID-19 positive. She stated, "My sister got a terrible headache and fever, I, on the other hand, had developed all these symptoms."

She added, "I was not able to breathe properly and I thought something was stuck in my chest. In the beginning, we all thought it was normal flu, my sister got a fever and the next day I got a fever. On the 8th day, it was pretty bad and we decided to get tested." It's heartening to know that the Morani family has finally recovered and we wish they continue to stay happy, hale, and hearty.

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Watch Video: Janhvi Kapoor bakes a carrot cake for sister Khushi; the latter's reaction is priceless

Now that Khushi Kapoor is back from the US to be with her family amid the coronavirus lockdown, it seems like elder sister Janhvi can't handle the joy of reuniting with her baby sister. Janhvi Kapoor frequently shares photos of herself with Khushi, and those pictures too were full of love and affection for her sibling.

Janhvi recently shared an Instagram story in which she is seen offering a carrot cake made by her for baby sister Khushi. The star kid was seen a little reluctant to eat the cake but after taking a bite, she says, "it is good". However, she gives up when the Dhadak 2 actress asks her to eat more.

Eager to watch the fun banter the Kapoor sister had? Watch this video:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

#JanhviKapoor bakes a carrot cake and #KhushiKapoor expression is 🙄🙄 #StayHomeStaySafe #india #manavmanglani

A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) onApr 21, 2020 at 10:21am PDT

Janhvi Kapoor frequently shared photos of herself with Khushi, and those pictures too were full of love and affection for her sibling. Janhvi recently shared an Instagram story that shows her cuddling up with Khushi on the sofa, who looks quite amused with the former's shenanigans.

Before this, she uploaded a video where she can be seen getting her hair done by Khushi. "Getting me all dressed up to go nowhere," she captioned the video.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Janhvi Kapoor will be next seen in Gunjan Saxena, where the actress is portraying a real-life person for the first time in her career. Based on Gunjan Saxena, who is one of the first female pilots to fly in combat, Janhvi plays an important role in rescuing injured soldiers during the Kargil War in 1999 and was awarded the gallantry Shaurya Vir Award for displaying courage during the war.

Directed by Sharan Sharma, the film also stars Vineet Kumar Singh, Angad Bedi and Manav Vij in pivotal roles. She will also be seen in Karan Johar's multi-starrer Takht alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Bednekar and Anil Kapoor, and Roohi Afza opposite Rajkummar Rao.

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Video Woes: Kartik Aaryan takes down his 'Roti' video after social media backlash!

Sometimes, things that are done out of humour and harmlessness turn out to be unexpected for Bollywood celebrities. The recent example is Kartik Aaryan, who took to his Instagram account to share a video where he could be seen eating a Roti cooked by his sister. What followed was Aaryan grabbing her ponytail and swinging her around. This didn't go down very well with the netizens.

He was slammed for the video by a lot of people and was also called out for being misogynistic. Even singer Sona Mohapatra slammed him and called it a publicity stunt. And now, seeing the scathing reactions, the actor has taken the video down. Few other videos of him and his sister are still on his Instagram account where they both can be seen having fun. And Sona took to her Twitter account again to appreciate the actor for pulling down the video.

Have a look at her tweet right here:

Also, he has been very active with his initiative called Koki Poochega, where he interacts with the survivors of the Coronavirus pandemic. On the work front, Aaryan will be seen in films like Dostana 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, and an action-drama with Om Raut in 3D!

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B-town buzz: Tanhaji to screen at a shelter home; Rohit Shetty helps city cops

Ajay Devgn is humbled that Nagpur cops chose Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior to screen at an open theatre at a shelter home for daily wage labourers. "If I, or my films, can help in any way, it makes me happy (sic)," the star tweeted. The police is screening movies "to decrease anxiety (sic)."

Helping the real Singhams

Rohit Shetty has extended a helping hand to city cops who are working round-the-clock to ensure people follow lockdown rules. The maker of cop dramas like Simmba (2018) and Singham (2011) has made available places to refresh themselves.

Yesterday, the news was shared by Mumbai police on their Twitter handle. "Rohit Shetty has facilitated eight hotels across the city for our on-duty COVID warriors to rest, shower and change with arrangements for breakfast and dinner. We thank him for this kind gesture and for helping us in keeping Mumbai safe (sic)."

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Kiara Advani does Bharatnatyam in a ballerina dress and the internet can't handle it!

One of the most bankable and pretty actresses currently, Kiara Advani was a cutie as a child. And it seems like the actress was always into Bollywood if this video is any indication. The Good Newwz actress shared a video from her childhood days on Instagram in which she can be seen doing Bharatnatyam to an English song in a cute ballerina dress! Sharing the video, Kiara wrote, "When mom thought I would join the Bolshoi ballet but I chose Bollywood instead #thewonderyears."

We simply can't get over how absolutely adorable Kiara Advani was as a child! The way she throws caution to the wind and dances her heart out is incredible and so innocent. And would you look at her pretty pink ballerina dress?! If this doesn't drive away your quarantine blues, we don't know what will.

Ace fashion designer Manish Malhotra commented on the video and its something you must have thought too when you watched it. He wrote, "Kiara the talent was there since childhood," Neha Dhupia wrote, "Adorable" while Arjun Kapoor commented, "That's a heady mix of class and mass."

What did you think of this video?

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Bhumi Pednekar: I believe all of us have the power to make the world a better place

Actor Bhumi Pednekar has been trying to propagate positive social messages through her movies as well as her nature protection initiative 'Climate Warrior.' The actor believes that every individual has the power to make a difference amid these testing times.

The 30-year-old actor shared that she always tries to make a positive difference via her movies. "I believe all of us have the power to make the world a better place in our own unique ways. I try and do that through my cinema and the way I lead my life," Bhumi said.

"I have mostly gravitated towards cinema that is meaningful and leaves a message. From 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' (against body shaming) to 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' (women's hygiene) to 'Saand Ki Aankh' (women empowerment), etc. I have deeply connected with these films. I would like my films to leave a positive message on society and thankfully my films have done so effectively in their own way," she explained.

The 'Bala' star said that she wants to walk the talk when it comes to leading a conscious way of life. She said, "I also want my actions to echo that I deeply care for society and my fellow citizens of the world. That's the reason why I started 'Climate Warrior'. It is a platform through which I want to tell people that we have to care for nature, we have to take care of it because our future, our existence depends on it."

The 'Saand Ki Aankh' actor who is also an active environment activist also pledges to work hard towards climate conservation as it is the need of the hour. She said, "Climate change and climate justice is something that I deeply care for and I intend to work really, really hard to spread the awareness of nature conservation in every way possible."

Talking about the alarming issue of climate change, Bhumi shared that she wants people to spread the word and work actively towards the cause. She said, "I want to collaborate with as many people as possible to spread the word that the time for us to act is now. We have already lost a lot of time and if we don't act now, all will be lost. We owe it to the world and our future generations and we have to take care of our gorgeous planet and preserve it."

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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




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Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter share a cohesive bond as co-stars, here's proof!

Ananya Panday has an exciting array of upcoming films namely Khaali Peeli alongside Ishaan Khatter, Shakun Batra's film alongside Siddhant Chaturvedi and Deepika Padukone and her recently announced film Fighter, which also marks her first film alongside Vijay Deverakonda.

The actress has an extensive following on social media with her consistent uploads and the endearing vibes she gives out to her followers.

The actress keeps on getting into a witty and friendly banter with co-star Ishaan Khatter on social media and here are some of the quips from the comment section of Ananya's and Ishaan's post:

"Ananya Panday: Changu Mangu
Ishaan Khatter: Ay chal na... hawa aande.. bhaalu "

"Ishaan Khatter: You copied the caption from me puppycat,
Ananya Panday: I have no idea what you are talking about."

When fans inquired about her experience on working with co-star Ishaan on her live feed Ananya said, "He is a lot of fun. I have enjoyed my time working with him, he is very talented and very cool. I have had a very good experience working with him, I think we are very similar people and we have a lot to talk about. I think the film that we are doing is very special to both of us so we bond over that alot."

Evidently, Ananya Panday shares a great chemistry Ishaan and we will get to witness it in their upcoming flick.

When Ananya was sharing her live feed on a social media site for the first time Ishaan Khatter was constantly commenting on the live feed for everything that she was saying. Their bond is really tight and it is entertaining and hilarious to see the actor and the actress cross-talk constantly on social media.

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Meet Harsh Gawali a fitness enthusiast and model who has set the internet ablaze already

Harsh Gawali is a 24-year-old guy from Pune who kickstarted his career as a freelance model back in 2015. Currently working as a senior marketing operation analyst at one of the leading Edtech companies in India, Harsh has effortlessly balanced his life to dedicate time for his modelling career as well.

In addition to his modelling assignments, Harsh is a huge fitness enthusiast and athlete. Harsh, being a public figure always had to look fresh and fit. From his eating habits to waking up early in the morning and running and doing a proper workout, Harsh has to struggle hard in order to maintain himself.

Harsh Gawali is a former 55 kgs wrestler too and has achieved milestones in climbing some of the hardest pinnacles of Maharashtra. In addition, Harsh is also a trained cadet of Maharashtra Civil force and has served the rescue team lead during flood crises in Sangli and Kolhapur, 8 months ago when he led a team and successfully rescued 200+ people in 6 hours.

Harsh is a profound model and with his intense looks and perfectly shaped physique he has been drooled by many girls and his, Instagram is proof of it. With a well-built physique and great interest in sports, adventures, and fitness, Harsh has been a total inspiration for all the youngsters out there.

Harsh is a fitness phenomenon and pro-level combat athlete, with extensive knowledge about fitness, healthy lifestyle, personality development, and much more.

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Ibrahim Ali Khan is using lockdown period to strengthen his bond with mother Amrita Singh and sister Sara

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's son Ibrahim is using the COVID-19 lockdown period to strengthen his bond with mother Amrita Singh and sister Sara Ali Khan. "I'm spending quarantine, strengthening my bond with my mother and sister as we take charge of the household chores," Ibrahim wrote on Instagram.

"I came across a video which is a simple reminder to support our extended families of our neighborhood, especially the elderly who are the most in need amid the COVID-19 crisis. It's time we strengthen bonds and #ShowWeCare by helping them with essentials and ensure their well-being," he added.

Recently, Ibrahim also joined celebrities including Virat Kolhi and Siddhant Chaturvedi to voice concern for senior citizens amid the ongoing health crisis.

Kolhi used social media to request his fans to step up during the difficult time and check if senior citizens living in their vicinity are in need of any essentials or any other support. Siddhant, famous for his role as 'MC Sher' in "Gully Boy", called senior citizens living in his building and checked on their well-being. He told his fans on social media how simple acts of care towards the most in need while practicing social distancing can go a long way in emerging out stronger as a nation.

Kohli, Siddhant and Ibrahim were urging people to extend care for the elderly in an initiative by P&G Vicks.

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Police complaint against Kangana Ranaut over her video supporting sister Rangoli Chandel

A police complaint has been filed against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for allegedly referring to people of a particular community as "terrorist" and coming out in support of her sister Rangoli Chandel, whose Twitter account recently got suspended for alleged hate speech.

The complaint has been filed by by Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, a resident of Mumbai. In a copy of the complaint lying with IANS, it has been mentioned: "It is pertinent to note that one sister calls for genocide killings, violence and the other sister not just support her for the same despite nationwide criticism and suspension of her Twitter account but also gives a label of terrorist to a sect..."

The complaint accused the actress and her sister-cum-manager Rangoli of "misusing their stardom, fanbase, fame, money, power and influence with an aim and intent to promote hatred, disbalance, fights in the country for their personal benefits and gains".

In a recently shared video on Instagram, Kangana Ranaut said if anyone can find a tweet where Rangoli says anything offensive, "then we both will publicly apologize".

The actress further mentioned: "My sister Rangoli Chandel had specifically mentioned that people who have attacked doctors and police personnel should be shot dead," adding that celebrities like "Farah Ali Khan ji and Reema Kagti ji made a false allegation" that Rangoli's comment was community-specific.

The actress had also stated in the video message that she and her sister did not believe that every person "attacking doctors and cops" belonged to any particular community.

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Police complaint against Kangana Ranaut over her video supporting sister Rangoli

A police complaint has been filed against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for allegedly referring to people of a particular community as "terrorist" and coming out in support of her sister Rangoli Chandel, whose Twitter account recently got suspended for alleged hate speech.

The complaint has been filed by Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh, a resident of Mumbai. In a copy of the complaint lying with IANS, it has been mentioned: "It is pertinent to note that one sister calls for genocide killings, violence and the other sister not just support her for the same despite nationwide criticism and suspension of her Twitter account but also gives a label of terrorist to a sect..."

The complaint accused the actress and her sister-cum-manager Rangoli of "misusing their stardom, fanbase, fame, money, power and influence with an aim and intent to promote hatred, disbalance, fights in the country for their personal benefits and gains".

In a recently shared video on Instagram, Kangana Ranaut said if anyone can find a tweet where Rangoli says anything offensive, "then we both will publicly apologize".

The actress further mentioned: "My sister Rangoli Chandel had specifically mentioned that people who have attacked doctors and police personnel should be shot dead," adding that celebrities like "Farah Ali Khan ji and Reema Kagti ji made a false allegation" that Rangoli's comment was community-specific.

The actress had also stated in the video message that she and her sister did not believe that every person "attacking doctors and cops" belonged to any particular community.

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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




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'The Shoes' by esteemed writer Roshan Bhondekar receives global fame!

Roshan Bhondekar's The Shoes in association with Envision Film Studio production wins big at the Global Film competition in San Diego (California), the USA for recognition for Liberation/ Social Justice/Protest and also got an official Selection in F5: FPP Financial Focus FilmFest, Florida - the United States for Audience Choice Award.

Roshan is a well-known author from a small village in Maharashtra, India who started off as a blogger has now gained global recognization for his huge body of work. His journey from a small town in India to Spain has been a total inspiration. Owing to his impeccable writing skills, The Shoes went ahead to win audiences' hearts and has bagged accolades internationally for its soul-touching storyline.

Shot completely in Spain, The Shoes is a story based on a child's right to have a dignified and secure life. The short film throws light on the global child education and poverty and going by the current coronavirus pandemic, it is essential to take the right measures to cope up with poverty and lack of child education, especially girl child education.

Roshan has also written books like The Frame: An Art of Optimism and Love - The Key to Optimism: Path Towards Happiness. He is best known as an International Author, Columnist, Speaker & Creative Director.

Back in 2017, Roshan was the Vice President of Hope India NGO. Also known for his prime responsibilities at the NGO were to drive the initiatives for skill development, women empowerment, human rights, and education at the national level.

Not only The Shoes but Roshan Bhondekar's Hausla Aur Raste, an Indian short film, too won prestigious awards during International film festivals, one during the Delhi Shorts International Film Festival as 'Special Festival Mention', in India and another one as 'Best 1st Time Filmmaker' Award during Mediterranean Film Festival Cannes.

It has always been a delight to witness Roshan's craft of work and the world is looking forward to seeing more such inspiring content in the coming years.

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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




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Saif Ali Khan's prefers 'sleep' over 'love' annoying a chattering Kareena Kapoor

Amid the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic, Bollywood celebrities have taken up the responsibility to appeal to everyone to stay safe, take precautions, stop panicking and refrain from spreading rumours. The quarantine time has also given celebrities a chance to spend maximum time with their families. Some of them are busy pursuing their hobbies. Speaking about Kareena Kapoor Khan, the actress is spending her time with her husband Saif Ali Khan and son Taimur Ali Khan and keeping us updated about their quarantine time through her Instagram pictures.

Continuing the trend, Kareena posted a picture with her family on her Instagram. In the first picture, the husband-wife duo is seen resting next to each other with their eyes closed while the second one features Kareena sitting next to Saif.

The actress gave a very witty caption to the picture. Sharing the photos, Kareena wrote, "Fall in love asleep... #Mess (sic)."

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Fall i̶n̶ ̶l̶o̶v̶e̶ asleep... #Mess 😝

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 24, 2020 at 1:37am PDT

Kareena has been on a photo-sharing spree on Instagram. Recently, she shared a picture of the father-son duo painting their balconies with lovely flowers while in lockdown. Saif had painted some yellow flowers while Tim did his own art.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

If there is a wall that's blocking your creativity... Try painting on it 🎨 #QuaranTimDiaries #InhousePicasso

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 18, 2020 at 6:27am PDT

A few days ago, she shared a photo of herself showing a pimple on her face. She wrote, "Meanwhile... I just sat there staring in wonder of what was being created. PS: The zit on my face didn't get the memo of no personal visits and social distancing... #HugeMess (sic)."

On Easter, she shared an adorable picture were the toddler could be seen with his nose and cheeks painted and hubby Saif Ali Khan right behind. The actress wrote- "My Easter bunnies for life. Happy Easter everyone." (sic)

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

My Easter bunnies for life ❤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Â Happy Easter everyone... #StayHome #StaySafe

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 11, 2020 at 11:31pm PDT

On the professional front, Kareena Kapoor Khan was recently seen in Irrfan Khan and Radhika Madan's Angrezi Medium. The film will be re-released amid the coronavirus outbreak and the resulting shutting down of cinema halls.

She will be next Laal Singh Chadha opposite Aamir Khan. The chemistry between the stars was loved by the audience in their film 3 Idiots, and now years later they are set to take over the screen with their crackling chemistry once again. The film is a remake of Tom Hanks-starrer Forrest Gump (1994) and is helmed by Secret Superstar (2017) director Advait Chandan. The movie is slated to hit the theatres on Christmas 2020.

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Watch Video: Karan Johar cries after his kids Yash and Roohi compares him to an 'elephant'

If you find yourself feeling bored and at a loss for what to do next while you're quarantined at home, you only have to head on to Karan Johar's Instagram page and check out videos of his twin babies. His kids, Roohi and Yash Johar are super adorable, and they keep entertaining themselves and everyone else with their shenanigans. From calling papa KJo's clothes 'girl clothes' to annoying mama Hiroo Johar, Yash and Roohi will surely bring a smile to your face.

Recently, Karan Johar shared another sweet video of his babies trying to play a game and it ended up on a hilarious note. In the video, he is seen asking his daughter, "Roohi, if you were an animal, what would you be?" "Peppa Pig," answers Roohi. When he asked the same question to Yash, he said, "Peppa Pa". When he came back to Roohi and asked which animal would he be? she answered "Elephant", with a broad smile.

Sharing the video, the director-producer wrote, "Well guess which animal I remind them of #lockdownwiththejohars #toodles #season 2 @officialpeppa (sic)". Watch the playful banter of Karan Johar and his kids Yash and Roohi:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onApr 24, 2020 at 5:53am PDT

Earlier the filmmaker had shared a video in which his kids were seen sitting on a sofa with a guitar in their hand and trying really hard to sing in their adorable voices.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Clearly singing is not in our genes! Apologies in advance ! #lockdownwiththejohars #toodles

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onApr 22, 2020 at 12:19am PDT

Before this, Yash and Roohi had hilariously mocked their filmmaker dad's designer kurta in a video shot in KJO's walk-in closet.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Now they think I am wearing my mothers clothes!!!! #lockdownwiththejohars #season2 #toodles #weareback

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onApr 20, 2020 at 3:57am PDT

If this video doesn't pull at your heartstrings, we don't know what will! Several of Karan Johar's fraternity friends and social media followers couldn't help but laugh out loud at his predicament.

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Raveena Tandon starts a campaign to stop attacks on the medical fraternity

Actress Raveena Tandon has come up with a social media campaign #JeetegaIndiaJeetengeHum to stop the spread of rumours amid the COVID-19 crisis, and also urge people not to attack the frontline workers.

Several healthcare workers in India have been attacked as they battle to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. So, Raveena has made a special video in which she is seen appealing people to understand the severe health crisis and also appreciate the crucial role of doctors amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

"I feel it's extremely important for all of us to do our bit by encouraging the real heroes, our doctors and nurses who are stepping out everyday and fighting this deadly coronavirus. They haven't met their families to keep us and our families safe and that's why through my campaign -- #JeetegaIndiaJeetengeHum -- I request everyone to give these medical forces their due respect and at the same time not spread false rumours. I'm hopeful we will all see the light sooner together," she said.

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Taimur Ali Khan makes a cameo in yet another one of Saif Ali Khan's interviews!

Taimur Ali Khan keeps giving us reasons to find his utterly cute. The toddler is the apple of his parents' eyes, and now that the lockdown has put the three together indoors for a long time, the kiddo seems to be making the most of it!

Recently, Tim made a cameo appearance in papa Saif Ali Khan's interview once again. The little one came in asking about some photo, confusing Saif as well!

Saif Ali Khan was in conversation with Rajeev Masand when this incident occurred. Speaking about the lockdown and how he and Kareena have been keeping Taimur occupied, Saif said, "Kareena tries to have an arts and crafts class with him in the afternoon, there's some online education going on in the morning, we play some sport like cricket or football in the corridor, we read to him at night... so we've managed to form a kind of a routine."

The Tanhaji actor also spoke about how he doesn't feel inclined towards joining social media, but his mum, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, wants to join Instagram! He shared, "I told her that she would have to share pictures (on Instagram). She said she needs to get to Pataudi and her roses and she could share that. So I said if she gets on Instagram, I might get on it as well."

Well, we sure would love to have both Sharmila Tagore and Saif Ali Khan on the 'gram!

On the work front, Saif was last seen in the historical drama Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, in which he played the character of Uday Bhan Singh opposite Ajay Devgn's Tanhaji Malusare.

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Not funny! Fans react to Amitabh Bachchan's 'bat entered my room' tweet

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan shared a "breaking news" that a bat entered his home Jalsa in Mumbai. Bachchan took to Twitter to share the "news of the hour" with his fans and followers." "Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury .. news of the hour .. BREAKING NEWS .. would you believe it .. A Bat, a (chamgadar) has come into my room .. in Jalsa .. on the 3rd floor .. in my Den..."

The thespian said that it was a tough job to take the bat out from the room. "Badi mushkil se use bahar nikala (It as tough to take it out)... Corona peecha chodh hi nahin raha (Corona is not leaving)."

However, the tweet did not go down well with many social media users.

A user wrote: "Sorry to hear this from a reputed personality. Bats are not harmful and there is no need to fear. Kindly understand that they did not spread the virus to human. The reason is still debated. By nature, most animals have got virus in their body. Pls read this."

Another commented: "Not in good taste sir. You have millions of followers. Still we don't have exact process of human virus spillover. Demonising bat is last thing we want. Things we know for sure; They are pollinators. They help in pest control. Please revisit it."

"This is story of every uncle now days after limits on WhatsApp forwards," said a user.

On the work front, Big B will next be seen in films like "Chehre", Gulabo Sitabo", Brahmastra" and "Jhund".

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Stay In-Tertained | Tahir Raj Bhasin: Stalker mirrors our current situation

I have watched everything that was pending on my must-watch list over the years," laughs Tahir Raj Bhasin, echoing the sentiment of many who have turned to digital entertainment to escape the lockdown ennui. A movie aficionado, the actor has been making the most of the stay-at-home period by acquainting himself with the works of the masters — from Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky to Oscar-winner Bong Joon-ho."

"My first recommendation would be Shoplifters on Netflix. It's a 2018 Japanese drama by Hirokazu Koreeda that traces the story of a dysfunctional family. It has a slow pace, but the lockdown is the perfect time to widen your horizon when it comes to movie consumption," says Bhasin. For those fascinated by crime thrillers like he is, the actor has a suggestion. "The 2002 HBO series, The Wire, was the first show that I had binged on. It was the first time that film budgets [were commissioned] for long-format storytelling on television, making it a path-breaking series. Being a fan of House of Cards, I revisited Borgen, the Danish political thriller that is said to be the inspiration for the American drama. I also relished the animation series, Love Death + Robots."


A still from Stalker

The movie that left an indelible impact on his mind was Tarkovsky's sci-fi offering, Stalker (1979). "It's available on YouTube. In Stalker, Tarkovsky is talking about an apocalyptic world where there are few human beings around and they have to stay away from each other. I was able to relate to it as it almost mirrors our current situation."

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Sunny Leone is a lucky mommy, calls her daughter Nisha so so pretty!

The greatest joy for any mother can be to spend her time with her child. And given the world is currently locked down due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we all are getting a great opportunity to spend time with our families. One of them is Sunny Leone. And she's extremely elated that she's spending time with her daughter Nisha.

Taking to her Instagram account, she uploaded a short but sweet video with added filters and called herself a lucky mommy and her daughter pretty. Have a look at it right here:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Nisha is so so pretty!! I'm a lucky mommy! With the sweetest heart!!!

A post shared by Sunny Leone (@sunnyleone) onApr 25, 2020 at 11:43am PDT

And in case you didn't know, she has also become an artist during this lockdown. Yes! She posted her latest piece of work that took about 40 days to complete. You all might be in awe after seeing this, have a look:

Sunny and her husband Daniel Weber have always been extremely protective about their children and are often spotted with them. And now, during the lockdown, are spending quality time with them at home.

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Blast From The Past: Hrithik Roshan gets overwhelmed after seeing his picture from the sets of Fiza

It seems Hrithik Roshan was always destined to be a Superstar. They call him the last Superstar of Hindi Cinema. And even before the release of his blockbuster debut, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, he was working on films like Mission Kashmir, Yaadein, and Fiza. Talking of this film that was made by film critic turned filmmaker Khalid Mohamed, it showed a very different side of the star and was just his second film.

Instead of tapping into his aura and smoldering persona, the filmmaker portrayed his human and vulnerable side, thus proving he not only has a solid screen presence but the ability to emote too. Sharing an unseen picture from the sets of the film, Mohamed showed all of us a very young Hrithik Roshan and the actor was truly overwhelmed seeing it.

First, take a look at the picture:

And this is what Roshan tweeted to him- "Wow . Overwhelmed looking at this . KNPH hadn’t released. Thanks for treating me so kindly on set." (sic) Have a look right here:

Fiza will be completing 2 decades this year and still remains of his most nuanced performances as an actor. And of course, Karisma Kapoor’s best till date!

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Antibacterial in toothpaste may combat severe lung disease: Study



Researchers have found that a common antibacterial substance found in toothpaste may combat life-threatening diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) when combined with a drug.

The study, published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, found that when triclosan -- a substance that reduces or prevents bacteria from growing -- is combined with an antibiotic called tobramycin, it kills the cells that protect the CF bacteria, known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by up to 99.9 per cent.

CF is a common genetic disease with one in every 2,500 to 3,500 people diagnosed with it at an early age. It results in a thick mucus in the lungs, which becomes a magnet for bacteria.

These bacteria are notoriously difficult to kill because they are protected by a slimy barrier known as a biofilm, which allows the disease to thrive even when treated with antibiotics, the researcher said.

"The problem that we're really tackling is finding ways to kill these biofilms," said lead author Chris Waters, Professor at the Michigan State University.

According to the researcher, there are many common biofilm-related infections that people get such as ear infections and swollen, painful gums caused by gingivitis.

But more serious, potentially fatal diseases join the ranks of CF including endocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, as well as infections from artificial hip and pacemaker implants, the researcher added.

For the study, the researchers grew 6,000 biofilms in petri dishes, added in tobramycin along with many different compounds, to see what worked better at killing the bacteria.

Twenty-five potential compounds were effective, but one stood out, the researcher said.

"It's well known that triclosan, when used by itself, isn't effective at killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. But when I saw it listed as a possible compound to use with tobramycin, I was intrigued. We found triclosan was the one that worked every time," said Alessandra Hunt from the Michigan State University.

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Man tries to drive bus from Mumbai to UP after failing to get a ticket


The bus met with an accident soon after the accused drove it out from the depot

Unable to get a rail ticket for his native place Uttar Pradesh, a mentally unstable man decided to drive a state transport (ST) bus to his destination on Tuesday morning. However, his attempt failed when he banged into a roadside tree, soon after driving the vehicle out of the depot in Palghar.

According to the Boisar police, accused Sabir Ali Mansori, who is a Palghar resident, works as a scrap dealer. Around 10 am on Tuesday, he went to the ST bus depot and found a Boisar-Palghar bus parked in one of the slots. He immediately got into it and started the vehicle. The moment he left the depot, the bus collided head on with a roadside tree.


Accused Sabir Ali Mansori. Pics/Hanif Patel

The bus driver Amolsingh Rajput mentioned in his complaint that after parking the bus, he had gone to the control room to inform the officials that he would take the vehicle out on its route. On hearing a lot of commotion outside, he rushed back to see that the bus had met with an accident.

Police sources said that soon after the incident, the people who had gathered at the spot, beat up Mansori and handed him over to the police. The Boisar cops have booked him under sections 379 and 511 of IPC. Speaking to mid-day, Prakash Birajdar, senior inspector, said, "Following his arrest, the accused was produced in court and later sent to police custody. Even he was in a state of shock after the incident. We have received his medical reports, which will be verified before the next course of action."

Also Read: Aadhaar Scheme Helps 31-Year-Old Mentally Ill Woman Reunite With Family

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Mumbai Food: Relish Chindian cuisine from Kolkata's new Chinatown at this eatery


Chef Cham Hun Chakap plates a portion of chilli chicken. Chilli chicken is one of the spicier dishes that can be traced back to Tangra. But the food of the Kolkata locality is often a lot sweeter than other Indo-Chinese dishes because that’s how the Bengalis prefered it. This can be evidenced in something like honey chilli potato.

Chef Cham Hun Chakap moves around the kitchen with the assurance of a well-set batsman completing a comfortable single down to deep midwicket. He is running the show behind the scenes at a restaurant in an upscale Powai hotel, which is hosting an event called Tangra Festival. The dish that the chef is whipping up for us is chilli chicken, possibly the most ubiquitous item in the culinary spectrum of Indo-Chinese dishes. And he tells us that it was invented in Tangra, the new Chinatown in Kolkata, considered by many to be the Mecca of this particular cuisine.

Tangra does indeed occupy a unique spot in the country’s food-scape. It all goes back to about 100 years ago, when the British — along with Kolkata’s older Chinese community in Tirreti Bazaar — established the area, setting up leather factories there to manufacture boots and other goods for soldiers at the battlefront during World War I. Business picked up further during World War II. But then, the British packed their bags in 1947. So, the Chinese community took over the tanning operations. Their life ambled comfortably along, only to be turned upside down by the Indo-China war of 1962, when many indigenous Chinese people immigrated to safer havens like Canada, Australia and Taiwan. And suddenly, the community in Kolkata found its numbers to have considerably dwindled.

Food to the rescue
What’s worse is that the ones who were left behind, and who had picked up the mantle of the leather business from their predecessors, found themselves on the wrong side of the law after the state government deemed the tanning industry to be an environmental hazard in the mid-’90s. A large number of factories thus faced closure, with some being shifted to the nearby neighbourhood of Bantala. Many of the owners faced overnight financial ruin. So, to get out of the soup they found themselves in, they turned their attention to another business that had been gaining momentum in the area over the ’70s and ’80s — restaurants serving “Chinese” dishes.

“Initially, these restaurants were serving the authentic cuisine of the Chinese mainland. But that did not suit the palate of Kolkata’s Bengalis, who found it to be too bland. So the restaurants were running in losses in the beginning, till their owners decided to alter the recipes, adding Indian herbs and flavours,” chef Cham says, adding that this formed the genesis of what we call Chindian cuisine.


Illustration/Ravi Jadhav

These dishes, of course, bore as much resemblance to true-blue Chinese food as idli-sambar does to tandoori chicken. Instead of being stir-fried, for instance, most of the preparations were gravy-based. The spice quotient was also so much higher than a Shanghai local would put his chopsticks down to fan his mouth after one bite. Plus, while something like a Peking duck is roasted over a length of time, Tangra food was geared to suit the purposes of the quick-service restaurants there. This automatically also meant that the meat — including the fish items — was almost invariably diced into pieces, instead of being served whole, like some of the dishes in mainland China.

Pan-Indian acceptance
Be that as it may, the cuisine gradually started spreading to other parts of the country. Nelson Wang, a Tangra local who opened SoBo’s China Garden in 1984, is widely credited with having invented chicken Manchurian, a dish which if you say is Chinese, you might also say that the giant panda is India’s national animal. Punjabis also caught on to the trend, developing a brand of Sino-Ludhianvi dishes. And with time, Indo-Chinese food became a mainstay of restaurants in various cities, including Mumbai, where lunch home menus reserve equal space for “Chinese” dishes as they do for stuff like chana masala and aloo matar.

The credit for this goes to the original restaurateurs of Tangra who Indianised their indigenous dishes. But things are no longer hunky-dory in the Kolkata neighbourhood, says Dominic Lee, a fourth-generation Tangra local. “Many of the smaller restaurants are finding it difficult to sustain themselves, with only the bigger eateries, which have space for parking, constantly managing to upgrade themselves because they have the requisite capital,” he tells us, adding that the recent controversy around dubious meat being supposedly sold in the city’s restaurants has led to a further dip in fortunes.

Nonetheless, he continues, the legacy of the cuisine has left a permanent imprint on the history of India’s food. Take chilli chicken, something so popular that it’s travelled all the way from the humble Kolkata locality to the swish Powai hotel where chef Cham is making us his version of it. But when he is done in a matter of mere minutes, he recognises the look of doubt on our face after we have had a taste. “I have to make a blander variety because most of our customers are from the West, and they wouldn’t be able to handle something too spicy,” he explains, revealing how Indo-Chinese cuisine of the Tangra variety is a preserve of only our own countrymen.

Looking for it anywhere else in the world would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, for all practical purposes.

Awesome sauce
A huge contribution that Tangra has had is popularising the concept of chilli sauce. “You will find it in all the kathi roll shops dotted around Kolkata. But before we added it to our food to suit Indian taste buds, people had no clue about it,” says Lee.
Till May 27, 7 pm
To 11.30 pm
AT Emperor's Court, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, near Chinmayanand Ashram, Powai.
Call 8291165421

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'I am not the mastermind, Mira road call centre scam kingpins are roaming free'

Sagar Thakkar, the mastermind of the Mira Road call centre scam, always knew how to make money, but never learnt how to hold on to it. "The real masterminds are free. I got caught because I showed off my wealth," said the 26-year-old who appeared on the police's radar after he bought a Rs 2.5-crore Audi owned by Virat Kohli.

"Buying a second-hand Audi R8 was not a big deal for me. I didn't even know it was Virat's car," said Shaggy."I had planned to return the car within a few days, but by then I had been arrested."

Started young
"I was only 15 when I started working, due to a financial crisis at home. I used to sell Chinese hard disks and flash drives at cheap rates. I had a dealer in China from whom I would buy my stock. Initially, no one would buy from me because I was so young, so I started selling the gadgets really cheap. Within a couple of years, I was sending shipments as far as Canada."

It was this business acumen that impressed the original ringleaders of the IRS racket, who eventually hired Shaggy to work at one of their bogus call centres when he was about 18. He would eventually go on to operate such call centres in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, raking in several crores from the scam. But that was not always the plan. "I was a bright child. I wanted to complete my education and become a pilot. I wanted to earn some quick money, so I could save up for the course. But as money poured in, I began to enjoy the comforts it brought," he recalled.

His parents did not approve either. "I would study in the afternoon and then work at the call centre at night. My parents didn't like me working at night. My father would say, 'What is the need for you to work; we can survive with less money.' Initially, he didn't even know about the fraud; all he knew was that I was working at a call centre. But I did so well that I became the head of the team immediately, and started earning lots of money. It was at that point that my attitude changed," said Shaggy.

Jail time
"Obviously, I regret it now. My love for money took me down the wrong path. I have lost the prime of my life in being chased by the law," said the conman, adding, "Jail was a nightmare. The food, sleeping area and overall atmosphere was horrible. I thought I would get bail soon, but got frustrated when that did not happen."
Cut off from crime, he turned to education once again. "I wanted to learn coding, but the jail didn't have the resources for it. I read books on economics and finance, and also learnt Marathi. I can speak the language quite well now," he said.

If only...
He remains bitter about getting caught, but didn't seem to show any remorse for the crimes he had committed. "I am not the mastermind of the scam. The real masterminds are free and happy. I don't want to disclose their names, but they have been operating since 2001. I got trapped because I showed off," he said, adding, "If I had not been arrested, I would have spread this business, or started a new one that would have spread beyond India by now."

Now, he is left with a fraction of the crores he once had. "I spent so much money, I didn't even save anything," said Shaggy. Shaggy has now set his sight on the future. "I will work hard again to repair mine and my family's reputation. A driven person like me will never sit and spill tears, but will always work hard to make the future better than my past."

Rs 25000
Amount found in Shaggy's accounts after arrest

Rs 2.5cr
Value of the Audi sports car he bought

Also Read: The big Mira Road call centre scam: What we know so far





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Mumbai Crime: Man's parents, sister and brother-in-law plot his murder

A 24-year-old man's parents hatched a plan to kill him after they were physically abused by him on more than one occasion. On Saturday, Waliv Police arrested the parents, sister and her husband of the deceased person. Upon enquiry, the accused told the police that the deceased person would physically and verbally harass them often.

As per the police investigations, the deceased, Rohit Chaudhary, who was a driver, was found lying dead in a pit in Bhoiwada, Bhyander. Initially, the identity of the man was unknown. His mother later filed a missing complaint. After probing the matter, the police found injury marks on the face and neck of the individual and later managed to identify him. The police then registered a murder case.

After checking mobile records, it was revealed to the cops that the last call to the deceased was made by his sister. Upon suspicion, cops then questioned the family and found out that Rohit would beat and abuse them.

During questioning, the family confessed to the crime. They stated that they recently visited their native place in Uttar Pradesh and hired two men to kill Rohit for an amount of Rs 2 and a half lakh. An advance amount of Rs 1 lakh was transferred in the bank of the contract killers.

The police have arrested the father Lalchand, mother Sunita, sister Shruti and her husband Anup. Police are currently on the hunt for the contract killers in Uttar Pradesh.

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Navy helps evacuate stranded commuters from Nalasopara rly station

The Navy was deployed to evacuate train commuters stranded at the Nallasopara station in Mumbai due to flooding of railway tracks between Nallasopara and Vasai Road stations, officials said on Wednesday.

Following a request from the Western Railway, the Western Naval Command deployed high-chassis vehicles that could traverse the flooded areas and reach the stranded commuters, a Defence spokesperson said this morning. Mumbai has been experiencing heavy rains for the past 48 hours resulting in water-logging in several areas which has severely hit road and rail transport also.

The Western Naval Command has been maintaining rescue teams and emergency equipment to provide assistance to Mumbaikars in emergent situations, the spokesperson said.

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This is our home, IIT came yesterday, say tribals facing eviction

October may not have arrived in the city, but the heat that marks the month preceding the faux winter most certainly has. Admittedly, the temperature at Peru Baug is at least a couple of degrees lesser than elsewhere in the city at 3 pm. Still, it's an arduous task to sit down 20 young children, most with little interest in being here, and teaching them the basics of arithmetic and Devnagri script (reading and writing) for two hours a day, six days a week.

Yet, for 43-year-old Jyoti Dode it's more of a mission. Even with the odds stacked against her. After all, for a teacher in a campus that produces some of the world's, best minds - with state-of -the-art teaching and research facilities - the only tools at her disposal are a few paper cutouts where a 'Ka' in Devnagri helps the student identify that it denotes a Kangaroo (an animal that s/he would be very unlikely to know or possibly identify). But, for Dode, who often has to drag the kids to the small space outside her home - the village is in shambles - an education may help them stand up against the institution bent on robbing them of their land.

"We have lived here since the British period and, because we are not educated enough, we had no idea when the government handed the land over to IIT Bombay," she says, adding, "We hope that our children can change that."


Maali Rano Urade with the day's catch of dandavat fish which she cooks with bamboo shoot picked from the forest Pics/Arita Sarkar

Against the might of IIT
The IIT campus in Powai is spread over an area of 550 acres. On the northern fringe, closer to Vihar lake and near the National Institute of Industrial Engineering lies Peru Baug, which 260 adivasi families - some of whom are from the Warli tribe and some of whom are Malhar Kolis - call home. The families claim that they have lived here for at least four generations, while IIT was established here only in 1958.

For decades the two have had a symbiotic relationship. The adivasi men would have odd jobs on the campus, their children have access to the on-campus Kendriya Vidyalaya (which they don't attend regularly enough) and the tribals continue to live as before.


Prakash Bhoir, Adivasi from Kelti Pada, Aarey Colony

A few years ago, however, trouble started brewing. In 2012, the adivasis staged a "morcha" after conversations with the institute regarding installation of two water connections didn't yield results, says Dode, the representative of the village committee. Having grown up in Saki Naka and married into Peru Baug, Dode having studied till Std IX, is one of the few residents here to have received even primary education. She adds, that the water connection came in 2015.

Earlier this month, there were reports that the IIT management has now asked the adivasis to move out of the campus entirely, and the MMRDA has been tasked with acquiring accommodation for them at Qureshi Nagar in Kurla.


Prabhu, a resident of Peru Baug shows off his catch for the day. Most of the tribe's men are employed on the IIT campus and earn around Rs 8,000 a day. In the evening, they catch fish, which sustains their livelihood. Pics/Arita Sarkar

Dode puts the IIT move down to the 2012 protests. It was only after that, she says, that IIT officials started talks about moving them out. "Initially, they asked us to leave our village and offered accommodation in Kanjur Marg. Some of us agreed since it would still be close to the campus. The men in our village could still keep their housekeeping jobs and the women could still come to fish in the lake. But then they changed their mind and said that we would have to go to Kurla instead, which is too far for us," she says.

And even while they live on campus, some residents say, having IIT for a neighbour isn't easy. Maali Rano Urade, 70, says, "Earlier we could grow a lot of vegetables, which was enough for us to eat and then sell in the market. But, over the years, IIT officials have forced us to reduce the amount of vegetables we grow. They have made our lives difficult." Not just that, she adds that they are not allowed to repair houses or cover their huts with plastic sheets during the monsoon months. She alleges that IIT officials and guards visit their village every day to ensure that they haven't made any extensions.

The world ends at IIT
Kanjur Marg would have been a compromise, but Kurla is almost like another country to the residents of Peru Baug, some of whom have barely stepped outside of the boundaries that define the IIT campus.

Laadki Barap, 70, is one of them. In the last 10 years, she says, her life has been confined to her home and the Vihar lake, where she fishes. "My life involves going to the lake to fish and tending to chores at home. I haven't gone out of the village in a very long time and I have no idea what the area outside looks like. If they send us to Kurla, many of us won't be able to figure our way around the city," she adds.

But, life inside Per Baug is both busy and self-sustained. Urade's day for instance begins at the crack of dawn. By 7 am when we met her, she was already seated on the shore of the lake throwing her fish line into the water. Her catch usually comprises small fish called 'dandavat'. On a lucky day, she will catch rohu, or even black pomfret. When she has enough for a meal for herself and her family, which is usually by afternoon, she returns home to cook it with tender bamboo shoots picked from the forest area around the lake.


The women from Peru Baug seen with amla that they collected from trees in the forest. The tribals grow some of the vegetables they eat in small patches of land near their homes. Wild vegetables are grown only during the monsoon months.

The homes here don't have gas cylinders. They cook their food on wood which is found neatly stacked in sheds outside their huts. "Since the wood gets wet during the rains, we collect enough wood to last the three months of monsoon. Once the rain stops, we go out to look for more wood," Urade adds.

The tribals grow some of the vegetables they eat in small patches of land near their homes. Wild vegetables which are not available in the market are grown only during the monsoon months. "For the rest of the year we collect the tender shoots of bamboo plant, flowers of the Kurdu plant or leaves of Takla plant and make a vegetable out of it. This way we can save money," says 28-year-old Depenti Urade, who we meet while she is tending to the vegetable patch near her house. She adds that during the monsoon months, they are able to sell the vegetables they grow when they have more than they can consume. The women sell bananas, amla and colocasia leaves used to make aaloo vadi, a popular Maharashtrian dish, in the market to make some extra money.


"For the rest of the year we collect the tender shoots of bamboo plant, flowers of the Kurdu plant or leaves of Takla plant and make a vegetable out of it. This way we can save money," says 28-year-old Depenti Urade

The village's men are not around. They spend the day at work as housekeeping staff at the student hostels on campus and then go fishing in the evening. Some of the women work there too, even though the pay isn't great. "We work in the canteen where we cook, serve and clean dishes. We work eight-hour shifts and the contractor pays us around Rs 8,000 every month. But since we don't have to purchase food, we can manage for now," says 45-year-old Sevanti Urade, Depenti's mother-in-law, who hails from another adivasi pada in Aarey colony.

Tribals, not slumdwellers
The community here feels it's the lack of education that's doing them in. They say they had allowed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority officials to conduct a survey in their village only because they were promised an alternate accommodation nearby. "We were here long before IIT even existed. But the government is kicking us out of our land just because we aren't educated enough to understand our rights. If we can't grow our vegetables and catch fish, how will we survive in a tiny flat in Kurla?" asks Dode, adding that they even suggested that they be moved to another part of the IIT campus, instead of being ousted out of premises altogether. But, that was not considered.


Firewood used by villagers to cook food

The residents accompanied by members of Shramik Mukti Sangathna, an NGO advocating rights of tribal communities had approached Rajendra Gavit, an MP of BJP from the Palghar Lok Sabha constituency last month. During a visit conducted two weeks ago, Gavit had reassured them that he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and IIT administration last week. Despite several calls and messages, Gavit could not be reached for a comment.

Tribals from other parts of the city advise the Peru Baug residents not to budge from their current space, especially under SRA laws. Prakash Bhoir, a resident of Kelti Pada in Aarey Colony feels that that government's solution of shifting adivasis to SRA flats is short-sighted. "Why should the SRA rehabilitate us? We're not slum residents who have a village to go back to. We belong here and this is the only home we know. We have been paying taxes for the land we grow our crops on and we have papers to prove it. Then why should we just accept a small flat?" he asks. He argues that it's not the SRA, rather the tribal department that ought to conduct surveys on their land. "People don't want to move out because it's not just about the house. It's about land, our animals and the trees that we have taken care of for several generations," he adds.


Prakash Bhoir, a resident of Kelti Pada in Aarey Colony

Those who have been advocating tribal rights feel the government has long tried to silence the voice of the tribal community across the country and they are yet to come across a case where tribals were rehabilitated in an appropriate manner. Adivasis everywhere, they say, are deliberately being harassed by various government agencies by not allowing them to set up electricity connections or not granting permission to construct toilets.


Graphic/Uday Mohite

Cassandra Nazareth, a social worker, who has been working with adivasis living in 12 padas in Aarey Colony says the government was disconnecting them from the earth they worship by shifting them to SRA flats. "How will they grow their vegetables in a 225 sq ft tenement? What the government needs to do is engage with the adivasis and come up with a solution from within the community," she adds.
- with inputs from Pallavi Smart

The fight for land
IIT Bombay officials stated that the adivasis are being moved to make way for the Research Park that is currently under construction. Based on their website, the research centre aims to bring IIT Bombay and the industry together and promote research and development collaborations. When asked about the tribals being displaced from their land, KP Unnithan, the superintendent engineer of IIT Bombay administration had only one response for all questions. "The land belongs to IIT Bombay," he says repeatedly.

The adivasis however don't have tribal certificates and thus, are unable to prove that they have lived on the land for the past several decades. It was only a few years ago, with the help of Shramik Muki Sangathna and political involvement that they were able to get their Aadhaar cards and election IDs.

What the authorities say
'The accommodation will be in Kurla, but the SRA is yet to handover the tenements to us. We are currently unaware of the number of adivasis who will be resettled'
Dilip Kavatkar, joint project director of MMRDA.

Once tribal homes, now slums
Nitin Kubal, who has been a field officer with TISS in the M-East Ward Project for the past three years stated that the survey conducted by Pune-based Tribal Research Institute in 2003, which was published two years later is the only comprehensive data available on the number of tribal settlements in Mumbai. "Based on the survey, there were 222 adivasi padas in Mumbai of which 159 converted into slums and only 63 are still isolated padas, which are located largely in western suburbs. No other recent surveys have been conducted," he said.

Also Read - Section 377: IIT-Bombay Students Celebrate Supreme Court's Judgement

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Watch video: Urmila Matondkar plays cricket with youngsters in Charkop

Bollywood actress and Congress candidate from Mumbai North Urmila Matondkar on Sunday played cricket with the youngsters of Sahyadri Nagar, Charkop in Kandivli. She tweeted a video of her playing cricket and wrote, "Since there is no time to watch the IPL anymore...in a league of my own with the youngsters of Sahyadri Nagar, Charkop Kandivali (W) #AapliMumbaichiMulagi." (sic)

Also Read: Elections 2019: Urmila Matondkar races for Lok Sabha polls with rally in Kandivli. See photos

Clad in simple salwar kameez, Matondkar tried her hand at cricket among cheering crowd. Watch video here...

Urmila Matondkar has declared assets worth around Rs 68.28 crore and a clean legal record. As per her affidavit filed with the Election Commission, Matondkar's income was Rs 1.27 crore in 2013-14, which more than doubled to Rs 2.85 crore in 2017-18. Her movable and immovable assets are totally worth Rs 40,93,46,474 and Rs 27,34,81,000, respectively.

Her husband M.A. Mir owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 32,35,752.53 and Rs 30,00,000, respectively, totally around RS 62.35 lakh. Besides, Matondkar has declared an outstanding loan of Rs 32 lakh. Her assets include bank deposits, cash in hand, vehicles, and investments in land and properties.

Also Read: Watch video: Urmila Matondkar enjoys vada pav during election campaign in Mumbai

Urmila Matondkar was born in a small rural hospital in her (maternal) native region of Sindhudurg, to Shrikant and Sunita. Her father Shrikant is a retired officer of the erstwhile Grindlays Bank and her mother Sunita is a retired state government employee.

She was educated at the prestigious century-old King George High Shool, Dadar, which is now renamed as Raje Shivaji Vidyalaya, and then joined the Ruparel College, but couldn't complete her graduation as she got a big break in Bollywood.

With a successful film career behind her, Urmila married a Kashmiri businessman, M.A. Mir and regularly visits her inlaws in the Valley. While her sister is a former actresss-turned-lawyer Mamata A. Bhalekar who lives in Mumbai, her eldest brother, the Pune-based Kedar Matondkar is a retired Indian Air Force officer who saw action during the Kargil War of 1999.

"She loves social issues, reading, and has read all major literary works, especially the pennings of Sane Guruji who has influenced her deeply. Urmila is always dediated and committed in any venture she undertakes, whether acting or social work or politics," her proud father Shrikant said

Mumbai's six Lok Sabha constituencies go to polls in the fourth phase on April 29.

Also Read: Elections 2019: Urmila Matondkar, Priya Dutt, Sanjay Nirupam woo youth

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This SoBo eatery caters to your taste for middle-east cuisine

Our cab pulls up outside Bayroute in Cuffe Parade and through the heavy door, we are transported into a tavern with large cloth lamps that resemble hot air balloons, glass-blown light fixtures, beige sandstone walls and mirrors that make us stop and stare. Natural light floods the space through the windows adorned with heavy curtain drapes. We point our cell phone camera in every direction wondering how similar it is to a set from Aladdin.

The restaurant, which serves Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and Greece, is dished out by chef Ajay Thakur. Before we order drinks, we call for hummus. A city food consultant we have with us for company suggests that the iconic dish is the true test of good Middle Eastern fare. So, we pick the baharatli hummus (Rs 475).


Turkish Express

The chick pea mash comes with a shot ofspicy Tunisian chilli pepper that is flaming orange in colour. The pine nuts and olive oil drizzle, too, is a well-rounded upliftment. Next, we try the quwarmah Kuwaiti (Rs 595), a Turkish pide or flatbread folded like a long boat that comes with well-marinated ingredients and is donned with caramel golden fried onions, fresh pomegranate rubies and herbs. This we pair with drink like an Egyptian (Rs 375) and Turkish express (Rs 450). The first beverage has the sweetness of ganna and a punch of dark rum along with the tangy-sweet twist of lime juice and honey. The latter, which is supposed to have a whiskey base, tastes like coffee and cream instead. So, we send it back and are told that they forgot the booze. When we try it again it's a truly indulgent drink spiked with a well-smoked whiskey.

The mains had its own share of hits and misses. We tried Koshari (Rs 645), the national dish of Egypt made with pasta, lentils and rice, in Dubai at a street festival a few years ago. That version was local with the vendor having picked up the recipe from his mother. The one at our table tastes of tomato gravy and pasta. It's a let down.


Arni arakil 

Arni arnaki (Rs 1,395), our non-veg pick, is a portion of za'atar-butter-braised lamb shanks served with roasted veggies, caramelised onion and a pine nut pilaf. Here, the winner is the pomegranate grape jus: a thick, molasses-like juice that perfectly balances the fall-of-the-bone meat.

For dessert, we pick the mint chocolate and Greek yogurt popsicles (Rs 525). As we bite and lick the sweet treat, we're convinced the restaurant, which also has an outlet in Powai, is a go-to spot for the right dose of
Middle Eastern.

TIME 12 pm to 1.30 am
AT Bayroute, Minoo Manor Building, 7, Captain Prakash Pethe Marg, Badhwar Park, Cuffe Parade.
CALL 8291156403

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Bayroute didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals





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Mumbai Food: Pizza, burgers named after movies, TV shows at this cafe

We're instantly intrigued by the images of coloured burgers topped with motifs from superhero fiction, posted by a new café in Kemps Corner whose opening we spotted while on an errand. We share the image with a friend, an avid comics fan, who aptly responds, "What the hell is that?" And that's the sort of bait it takes to convince someone from Central Mumbai to come to town.


The badges around the menu

We make a trip to the newly opened Pop Culture Cafe (PCC) on a Saturday afternoon. On entering the space we feel it is a true reflection of the city's real estate crunch. With keychains and baubles put up for sale, there are four high stools — good luck if you're vertically challenged like us — and a ledge that can accommodate about three people. If you plan on bringing a big group of friends and if you love them all, invite only one and let them breathe.

The menu includes pasta, pizza, burgers, shakes and waffles — all vegetarian and named after popular movies and TV shows.


Keychains available for sale

So, we pick the Hulk smaash pasta (Rs 250), the Hogwartz pizza (Rs 350), and a watermelon cooler (Rs 170). While we try to make conversation, the soundtrack of The Dark Knight by Hans Zimmer plays in the background. And even though we are fans, the vibe is a bit too weird. While we grumble about how there is no room for a quiet bite, let alone privacy, the food is literally handed over to us from the counter a few inches behind our backs.


Hulk smaash pasta

The cooler tastes more like a party punch with no trace of watermelon. One glance at the four-cheese pizza is enough to tell you it's unappetising; one bite, and you are convinced it is. You can only taste the mozarella and cheddar, and you'll be able to find a similar and tasteful variant at local food chains for a two-digit amount. Our last hope is the pasta. While we click a picture of the dish blended in pesto sauce with mozzarella sprinkles, the staff places a piggy bank shaped like the clenched fist of the Hulk next to it (resembling our fists at the moment). Our friend has the first go, and we nervously watch him drop his spoon in disappointment. It's bland, as is the presentation. He's kind to sum up the experience as average, but we sure as hell want our money back.


Watermelon cooler

Even though the place might appeal to the die-hard fan, it doesn't do justice to its price point. And it is also situated in a building that houses a popular coffee chain, a brewery and a Neapolitan restaurant. If you happen to get lost in the narrow alleyways in search of PCC and land up at any one of these, you can thank your stars.


Coloured burgers 

AT Pop Culture Cafe, Kwality House, Kemps Corner.
TIME 12 pm to 11 pm
CALL 8452928428

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Pop Culture Cafe didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals





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Sheena Bora murder case accused Peter Mukerjea hospitalised

Former media baron Peter Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was admitted to the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai after he complained of chest pain, officials said on Sunday. Mukerjea, who was lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Central Mumbai, had been complaining of chest pain for the last few days, a police official said.

On Saturday evening, he again suffered from severe pain in the chest following which the prison medical staff checked him and rushed him to the J J Hospital, he said. "Mukerjea was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening for chest pain. The patient's condition is stable and he is undergoing treatment," J J Hospital's medical superintendent Dr. Sanjay Surase said.

The CBI told a special court here earlier this month that Mukerjea is the "silent killer" of Sheena Bora, the daughter of his wife and former media executive Indrani Mukerjea from a previous relationship.

The April 2012 murder of Sheena Bora (24) came to light in August 2015 when Indrani Mukerjea's driver Shyamvar Rai spilled the beans after being arrested in another case. Indrani Mukerjea, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna, Rai and Peter Mukerjea were subsequently arrested in the case. Rai later became an approver and was pardoned. The CBI has claimed a financial dispute led to the killing of Sheena Bora.

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64-year-old woman sustains injuries after roof collapses in Dadar chawl

A 64-year-old woman sustained serious injuries on Monday morning when a part of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) roof collapsed in BDD chawl number 18-A in Dadar's Naigaon area. The victim identified as Chanchala Londe and her family were asleep when a huge part of the roof fell on her at around 4.30 am in the night.


Pic courtesy/ Suraj Ojha

Londe's son Vijay Londe told mid-day," This is not the first incident when something collapsed from the building. Several incidents have occurred before in other buildings this, however, this has happened for the first time in our home. My son was in the same room and immediately alerted other family members residing in other flats. We then rushed my mother to KEM hospital."

When asked the victim about the incident, she stated that a huge block of cement fell on her head and she was shocked to hear the loud noise followed by blood trickling down from her scalp. The doctors from KEM suggested for an X-ray and after a few medical check-ups, Londe was allowed to go home with 12 stitches. After the incident, PWD sent a few men at around 9:30 am to repair the RCC roof.

"I do not know when the redevelopment will start. We did not oppose to government plans but we do have certain demands and expectations from the government. Since they have been ignoring these demands, our redevelopment has been delayed and this is how such incidents take place at BDD colonies," Londe added.

Also Read: CST foot overbridge collapse: Victims yet to receive any official letter of compensation

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Cambodia's mysterious architecture in Mumbai

Think of Cambodia, and the first thing that comes to mind are the famed ruins of Angkor Wat — it's even emblazoned on the national flag. But for French architect Olivier Cunin, it was a different temple that sparked his over-two-decade-old love affair with Khmer architecture.

Unlike the Angkor Wat, which has been widely studied and written about, there's a lot more mystery surrounding Cunin's favourite: the Bayon temple site. "Angkor Wat, whose architectural design is considered to be of the 'classical style', is very symmetrical and easy to understand. The design of Bayon seems chaotic and mysterious, as there are more structures linked to each other with several galleries and pavilions to create a complex space. There is no clearly stated path to access the Bayon temple, as in the case of Angkor Wat," said Cunin, who is in Mumbai to conduct a lecture series on ancient Khmer monuments and iconography.


Ravana relief from the temple of Banteay Srei

Among the more intriguing temple icons are the "face towers" at Bayon, which remain an enigma in architectural and archaeological circles. These are 59 towers in the temple complex with massive faces carved into them. "Researchers still argue fiercely about the deity represented on the face tower. Even if the question of identity is not yet resolved, the 59 face towers of the Bayon function both as icon and architecture. By incorporating this unique feature, the Bayon itself became an icon," sa­id Cunin, whose research aims to both solve the puzzle of these temples and also preserve the heritage with the help of digital reconstruction.


Olivier Cunin and Swati Chemburkar

"To understand a temple, we first need to know its original design, and digital reconstruction is a very useful tool. It's not always possible to restore every temple physically but even if we could construct it virtually, it would be a huge help in our understanding of the Khmer monuments," he explains.

It's also interesting to note the Indian link with Khmer temples — some of which are Buddhist while others are dedicated to Hindu gods Vishnu and Shiva — despite the thousands of miles between the two countries. Cunin's colleague Swati Chemburkar, who directs a course on Southeast Asian art and architecture at Jnanapravaha, Fort, said,

"There was no India or Cambodia in the period we discuss. People crossing the Bay of Bengal in either dire­c­tion a 1,000 years ago would have found enough li­n­guistic and cultural connect­i­ons between the regions of India and Cambodia to considered all to be the members of a large and varied but coherent community. The Khmer in­scriptions mention the marriages of Indian Brahmins to Khmer princesses."

So what temples should visitors not miss during their visit? "The Bayon for its sheer complexity," he says, while also recommending Ta Prohm (being restored by the Archaeological Survey of India) and another favourite, Banteay Srei, which replicates Mount Kailasa, Shiva's heavenly abode.

AT Jnanapravaha, Talwatkar Marg, Fort
TILL April 12, 6 pm to 8 pm
COST Rs 3,000 per head

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Bombay Veterinary Hospital organises a blood donation camp for dogs

A blood donation camp organised at the government-run Bombay Veterinary College on Thursday, saw seven dog parents lining up to get their pets to donate blood. As the hospital does not have a blood bank yet, the plasma and blood cells were extracted from the donated blood to be preserved for treatment of sick dogs in emergency situations, doctors said.

When 23-year-old Anita Mehra had rushed an injured dog to the Bombay Veterinary College around a month ago, the canine was bleeding profusely owing to a road accident. Doctors said that he had suffered from internal bleeding and needed a blood transfusion. Now named Tony, the stray has recovered completely and is awaiting adoption.

Tony is just one of many such dogs falling prey to road accidents every year, losing litres of blood. This how the idea for a blood donation camp for dogs came to the hospital authorities.

More than 100 stray dogs have individually donated blood here in the past four years. This blood has not only been used for dogs who are victims of accidents but also for the ones suffering from blood-related disorders. On a daily basis, the animal hospital receives five to ten cases where blood transfusion is required for injured or sick dogs.

A donation camp was, however, organised for the very first time by the hospital. While around 20 dogs were registered for the donation, around 15 of them turned up. Seven of these were found suitable for donation.

Fit for donation
The donor pet needs to be on an empty stomach at the time of donation, weigh not less than 20 kg and be in the age group 1-9 years. Dogs can donate a bag of blood (350 ml) once in three months. "Seven such units were collected on Thursday. As we cannot store whole blood, we have extracted the plasma and blood cells which can be separately stored for a year. Whole blood, on the other hand, lasts only six months," said Dr J C Khanna, director of the hospital.

Universal donors ideal
After donation, the blood is separated into further components that help in the treatment of dogs suffering from liver diseases, anaemia, internal bleeding, etc. As per the Canine Health Foundation, dogs, much like humans, have types of blood classified into groups. Dogs have over a dozen different blood groups, six of which are fairly common.

Both humans and dogs can be classified as universal donors based on their type or group. Roughly 40 per cent of dogs belong to the universal donor group. Blood from dogs belonging to the universal donor group is compatible with any recipient's blood. Dogs, too, can suffer adverse reactions to transfused blood that is of a different type than theirs, the hospital stated.

Criteria for a donor dog
* Weigh more than 20 kg
* Be in the 1-9 years age group
* Must be on an empty stomach
* Must not have donated blood in the past three months

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Khar eatery to host a pre-launch party for Avengers fans

The Endgame is near, and we are talking quite literally here about the latest instalment in the Avengers series of superhero movies, which releases on April 26. After this week's brouhaha over Game of Thrones Season 8, it's the next big visual experience that has sent fans in a tizzy. And a pub in Khar is now hosting a pre-launch party of sorts for them, with various activities and F&B offers themed around the film.

"We have collaborated with digital community Things2doinMumbai, and brought ticket sponsors on board for the event. In terms of the activities, there are Avenger- related games and trivia, winners for which will get free tickets and discounted ones when the movie releases. We also have an array of themed cocktails in store," says Pragnesh Rai, owner of SamBar, which will host the evening, adding that there are a number of discounts on the existing menu, too, with drinks starting at Rs 39.

The cocktails include a beer-based one called black wid'wow; iron anna, which has whisky; tha end, which is vodka-based; and a super-potent Long Island iced tea that's aptly named hammered by Thor.

As for the games, these include Ant Man, where a player will be given three soda bottles and raisins. The aim is to drop these raisins from eye level into all three bottles, without bending down. Then there's Black Widow. For this, one person will hold a hula-hoop and another will have a fake spider placed on his head. The latter has to go through the hoop in the shortest possible time, without dropping the spider. All in all, it sounds like an event perfectly suited for fans of the Avengers. And even if you aren't one, you can still gain from the cheap booze, meaning it's a win-win.

ON April 18, 6.30 pm
AT SamBar Pub & Kitchen, Vora Building, 3rd Road, Khar West
Log on to insider.in
FREE

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Mumbai: Man dies after falling into open drain in Kurla

A man died after he fell into an uncovered drain near Kurla signal at Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai. The incident took place last night. The identity of the man is yet to be ascertained.

The locals in the area said that they had been facing problems because of the open drain since past few days.

One of the locals told ANI, "There are several uncovered manholes in the area. We had been complaining about this for a year."

The body has been shifted to the hospital for autopsy and probe has been initiated.

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Mumbai: Chartered plane crashes in Ghatkopar; five killed

At least five persons including a pedestrian were killed when a small chartered plane crashed in the thickly populated suburb of Ghatkopar in north-east Mumbai, officials said.

Eyewitnesses said the plane was seen hurtling down and crashed with a deafening roar before bursting into flames around 1.15 p.m. There were four people on board.

Rescue officials who rushed to the site said five bodies had been recovered from the crashed plane's wreckage. Out of five dead in chartered plane crash at under construction building in Ghatkopar charred bodies of 1 pilot, 1 female and 3 male have been recovered from the site. Some workers or pedestrians are also said to be dead, state BMC disaster cell.

A passerby in the vicinity of the crash was burnt fatally when some burning fuel from the aircraft fell on him, said an eyewitness who was among the first to reach the spot.

As per preliminary information, the aircraft was on a test flight and had taken off from the Juhu Airport minutes before it crashed.

The cause of the crash is not known. It occurred in an under construction building premises, averting what could have been a major disaster.

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With inputs from agencies





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Ghatkopar plane crash: Aircraft was on first test flight after repairs

The eight-seater charter King C90 was on its first airworthiness test profile when it suddenly developed a major technical snag and crashed at an under-construction building in Ghatkopar West on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft was owned by the UP government and after it was involved in an accident some time ago, it was bought by UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, a three-year-old company, which rents out aircraft to ferry patients from all over the country, an insider told mid-day. The company had got the King C90 repaired by Indamer Aviation Private Ltd and, on Thursday, it was being taken on its first test flight.

"Around 1.08 pm, the ATC towers at Mumbai and Juhu both lost contact with the pilot and suddenly an SOS alert was sent out by the Air Traffic Control. Finally, it was learnt that the plane had crashed," said Juhu Aerodrome Director Ashok Kumar Verma. Verma said the aircraft took off from the Juhu runway a little after 12.20 pm as per ATC Juhu records. Pilot, Captain Pradeep Rajput, and co-pilot, Maria Zuberi (who had joined UY Aviation barely a month ago), were in constant touch with the Juhu ATC and later with the Mumbai main ATC as it passed through their radar. The charter was barely a mile from Juhu aerodrome, on its way back after completing the test flight, when it crashed. When asked if the aircraft was on a wrong flying line, as usually passenger flights pass through the airway used by the charter, Verma replied in the negative, stating that there was no air space violation and that the charter was on its own scheduled air space."

The investigating team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will be recording the statements of the ATC officers who were in dialogue with the pilots of the charter, which will be compared with the black box that has been recovered. Speaking to mid-day soon after landing in Mumbai from Delhi on Thursday evening, Captain Vinod MRSK, a former air force pilot, who is the Chief of Flight Safety at UY Aviation (Pvt) Ltd, clarified that the charter was still with Indamer Aviation Private Ltd (an aviation repair and maintenance organisation), and two of their engineers Manish Pandey and Surbhi, along with Rajput and Zuberi were to conduct the airworthiness test profile and had obtained necessary permissions from DGCA.

"The air profile testing was crucial as only then could UY Aviation have approached DGCA to complete other formalities to officially take the charter into its inventory. The charter was flying on a Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP) for testing. At present UY Aviation has four charters, two in Mumbai and two in Delhi, and this eight-seater King C90, would have made it to its inventory in Mumbai," the insider said. Captain Vinod said, "I am here to assist Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team under DGCA to understand the circumstances under which the accident happened. It is learnt that the crew was insured."

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Pilot's presence of mind saves hundreds

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16 Bhandup schoolkids vomit their way to hospital after mid-day meal

The civic body just can't seem to get its mid-day meals right. It turned out to be a poisonous Thursday at Bhandup's Sahyadri Vidyamandir, after 16 students and a teacher landed in hospital with complaints of stomach ache and vomiting on eating the dal rice served in the school yesterday. While all are stable now, it has once again raised serious concerns over the meal scheme.

The trigger
Though Sumit Dongarkar's mum packs a tiffin for him every day, he looks forward to the brunch served in school, and Thursday was no different, said his mother Sonali, as he loves dal rice.

The 13-year-old and his friends ate the meal with relish during the recess at 9.50 am, but shortly after, trouble started. At first, a Std VII student began vomiting, but soon, more complained of stomach ache and nausea. After other students began throwing up, the school authorities rushed 16 of them, and a teacher, Vidya Lad, who'd tasted the food as per protocol, to Mulund Agarwal Hospital. Sonali Dongarkar said, "Sumit is doing fine now and is under observation."

Who's responsible?
School authorities said that for the last one and a half year, around 700 students have been eating the meals prepared by Lingeshwar Mahila Bachat Gat. Parents told mid-day that VII-C is the first to receive the food every day, and while 16 from the class of 40 took ill, others remained unaffected. "Everybody is stable now. But this has shaken the kids and our trust. Who will take the responsibility for it?" asked Aruna Poojari, a parent.

Another, Aditi Naik, said, "My son, Krish, had a nasal tube attached for a while. He is okay now, but I am going to tell him not to have the meal again." Several parents complained of being kept in the dark about the incident. "The school finishes at 12.30 am. When I went to receive my daughter, she never came out. Then, a friend of hers told me what had happened. I felt dizzy on finding out, but I rushed to the hospital," said Lalita Shinde.

Hospital dean Dr Usha Mohprekar said, "All are stable now. We have moved them to the general ward for observation. Prima facie, it looks like food poisoning. An inquiry will be conducted."

Sampling the fare
Principal Narsingh Mane told mid-day, "The staff were prompt in giving required care to the sick children, all from one division. The food had come from Lingeshwar Mahila Bachat Gat, which has been providing it to us for a while now. So, we are not sure what went wrong. Samples of the food have been submitted to authorities for testing."

BMC education officer Mahesh Palkar said, "We have collected raw as well as cooked food samples from the kitchen of the organisation. The kitchen looked neat and tidy; nonetheless, experts will test the samples to end the inquiry conclusively. Until the investigation report is out, we have ordered the organisation to not supply food; its contract with the civic body will be subject to the probe report.

"The organisation provides mid-day meals to 25 other schools in the vicinity. So, while the investigation is on, all these schools will have to make alternative arrangements."

Also read: 25 students fall ill after consuming mid-day meal at Delhi school, hospitalised

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Mumbai Food: New eatery in Ghatkopar is a delight for vegetarians

Ghatkopar has some great food destinations for vegetarian patrons. So when Vedge XPRS, a new Quick-Service-Restaurant (QSR) opened its shutters at Ghatkopar's R-City Mall, we decided to check it out.

The Vedge XPRS offered a vast menu comprising the best of vegan food, including options for Jain guests.

Vedge XPRS serves some delicious quick bites ranging from soups, street food, pizzas, combos, shakes and much more

Humble beginnings…
We tucked ourselves into one corner of the food court and ordered some fries and signature nachos on the recommendation of manager Prathamesh. The Fully Loaded Nachos (Rs 265), their signature dish was crunchy with a generous amount of cheese topping, which made the dish a delight, especially for a nachos fan. The animal style fries (Rs 199) came next with five types of toppings - Peri Peri, Sriracha Mayo, Orange Garlic to name a few. Spoilt for choice, we opted for Jalapeño cheese. The potato fries were fried until lightly golden to make them crispy and topped with finely chopped Jalapenos.

Off coolers and pizzas
Next up, we tried our hands at Con Le Verdure Arrosto (Rs 285), a thin crust pizza. The piping hot 9-inch thin crust pizza was laden with loads of veggies and cheese. With every bite, the pizza just got crunchier and tastier. We surely recommend this one! The chilled coolers we ordered to compliment the pizzas arrived on our table. The Raw Mango (Rs 105) cooler was a soothing experience after our tryst with the fiery fries and nachos, while the Peach Ice Tea (Rs 185) was a refreshing twist. 


Choose from different combos on offer or opt for some authentic Indian street food, Chinese dumplings, and more to satiate one's hunger pangs

Dealing ‘In’ combos and pasta's
It was time for the main course and we opted for a Soup Noodle Combo (Rs 510) that consisted of Man chow soup and wok tossed noodles cooked in burnt chilli basil sauce. The generous portion good enough for two average eaters was served piping hot. We mopped up the dish quickly and went for a Penne Pasta (Rs 255) in a pink sauce. Along with the pink sauce twist, the outlet also offers two other funky options in pasta, cooked in white and red sauce.

We were put away by the colour of the dish and the taste of the pasta also did not meet up to our expectations. We would not recommend this variation of the Italian pasta.

Shaking with ‘Shakes’
We finished our meal on a 'sweet' note by going for their signature shake, the Chocolate Hazelnut (Rs 190) and an Oreo Cookies (Rs 185) shake from their ‘Shake It Up - Shakes’ section of the menu. 


You can even choose to have some chilled coolers and shakes as you shop till you drop at R City Mall in Ghatkopar (W)

Our view
The restaurant offers mouth-watering quick bites at affordable prices with a variety of choices ranging from soups, street food, pizzas, combos, shakes and other popular food items. If you are a foodie and love delicious vegetarian cuisines, then Vedge Xprs is a fabulous place to be.

Where: 3rd Floor, Food Court, R City Mall, LBS Marg, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai
Meal for two: Rs 600 to Rs 1,000
Alcohol served: No
Contact: 022 25175500

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Mumbai Food: This eatery in Mulund serves chicken bhel

The street food stalls in Mulund have been the fodder for several viral social media videos for their cheese-laden fast food innovations. Although a delight for those who don't pinch the calories, there are hardly any rasta-fare options for non-vegetarians in the leafy suburb. But a trip to Mulund East can solve your greasy grub craving. A whiff of chicken being slow-roasted on rotisserie, and a large crowd waiting on most days, will guide your nose to EFC Shawarma on 90-feet road.

Run by Jayesh Vaity, whom you'll often see shredding chicken with long knives on busy nights, EFC Shawarma is known for their 'lamba' shawarmas (they offer a smaller size too, in both, vegetarian and chicken options). Their vast menu has other options for a full meal such as mutton dum biryani, tandoori kebabs, grilled sandwiches and burgers.

Their most hat-ke section on the menu, however, is chicken bhel, which in a way, is like a deconstructed shawarma. Made with thinly sliced roasted chicken, mayo, veggies, schezwan sauce, cheese and fries, the bhel comes in varieties such as plain and classic special chicken (R80 and R90), and classic cheese schezwan special chicken (R120). The cheese and mayo-laden chicken makes for a meaty meal, which we often use at home, too to fix a sandwich with toasted baguettes. A big draw among the locals, be ready to wait for your treat on busy days.

ON: 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and 5 pm to 11.30 pm
AT: Shop no 5, Center Point, 90 Feet Road, Mulund East.
CALL: 9867850843

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26-year-old man booked for molesting sister-in-law in Thane

A 26-year-old man from Kalyan in Maharashtra's Thane district has been booked for allegedly molesting his sister-in-law, police said Monday.

The woman in her complaint stated that she was living in her mother-in-law's home as her husband was bedridden following a paralytic attack and was being nursed there, said an official.

At her mother-in-law's home, the accused made sexual advances towards her, the victim said in her complaint. "After the victim rejected his overtures, the accused assaulted her ailing husband. She was molested by the accused when she intervened.

Neighbours rushed in and saved the couple," he said. The woman filed a complaint with MFC police station in Kalyan Sunday evening following which the man was booked, he said, adding that no arrest has been made so far.

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School student dies on a water sliding ride at Suraj Water Park

In a tragic incident, a 14-year-old student from Navjivan school Nalasopara East allegedly died falling from water sliding ride tower in Suraj Water Park on Friday afternoon. According to the police of the deceased has been identified as Deepak Gupta, a resident was residing with his parents at Pragati Nagar area, Nalasopara East. He was studying in Class X at Navjivan school situated in Oswal Nagri area and had gone for schools picnic.

The incident happened when Gupta climbed on the water slide tower and suddenly fell down on the tower platform. He was unconscious. Gupta was taken to the hospital where the doctor declared him dead. No one from Suraj Water Park said anything but the incident was confirmed by night duty security guard who mid-day that the incident took place between 1 pm to 2 pm. He said that the boy used to suffer from epilepsy and he fainted while climbing on the sliding ride tower.

The boy's parents alleged that he did not want to go to the picnic but the school authority had made it mandatory for students to attend and also alleged that the school authorities had threatened to not issue examination hall tickets for students appearing for SSC students.

A social worker Prashant Bhosle says the school management is responsible for the death of the child. If the student did not want to go to the picnic, how could the school management force? The school authority is totally responsible for the death of Gupta and they should be punished.

Hundreds of peoples including the parents gathered outside the school but no official from the from came out. And accidental death case has been registered at Kasarvadavali police station and further investigation is on.

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Autorickshaw driver kills wife after doubting character; hangs self

A 40-year-old man allegedly killed his wife and later committed suicide by hanging himself in Thane on Thursday. Sunil Sangle, an auto driver, on Wednesday night strangled his wife Archana Sangle (35), to death at their home in Sri Nagar locality and later hanged himself on Thursday afternoon, said police inspector Sulabha Patil.

The couple often had fights over domestic issues and apparently the man also suspected his wife’s character, and this may have triggered the murder, police said. According to Hindustan Times, Sunil Sangle was an auto-rickshaw driver and his wife worked as a security guard at an IT park in the city. A probe is underway, the police added.

In a similar case, a 38-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing a man suspecting him of having an extra-marital affair with his wife in outer Delhi, police said Saturday. The accused identified as Anil Chaudhary, a resident of Nangloi, used to work in a shoe factory.

Other two men, Bakil (38) and Kamrul Huda (27) who allegedly robbed the victim after he was killed by the accused Chaudhary, were also arrested, police said. On Thursday, Nihal Vihar Police station was informed by Satya Bhama Hospital that a person has been brought dead in the hospital, Rajendra Singh Sagar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) said.

The victim was identified as Vikas Yadav by his relatives. He used to work as a labourer in a chemical factory. On interrogation, the accused Chaudhary revealed he suspected Yadav of having an illicit relationship with his wife since a year. So, he decided to eliminate Yadav and on Wednesday night, he fired at Yadav, the officer said. Yadav was carrying two mobile phones and Rs 15,000 which were missing from his possession, the officer added.

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Pulwama terror attacks: Protesters state 'Rail Roko' in Nalasopara

A group of protesters in Nalasopara blocked the railway tracks on Saturday morning to protest and rage out against the Pulwama terrorist attack in Kashmir that took lives of many CRPF soldiers.


Pic courtesy/mid-day Photo team


Pic courtesy/mid-day Photo team

The protesters went on to block the tracks at Nalasopara which obstructed the movement of plying trains in the area. Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) are in the process of evacuating the protesters from the tracks to ensure smooth commuting again. The protest has affected the train services on the Western line.


Pic courtesy/Vinod Kumar Menon


Pic courtesy/Vinod Kumar Menon


Pic courtesy/mid-day Photo team


Pic courtesy/mid-day Photo team

The protesters along with some office-goers gathered in large numbers and raised slogans against the terrorists. Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019 was one of the deadliest terror attacks on security forces in the valley in over a decade. Over 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were martyred in Awantipora area of Kashmir on Thursday. The incident took place when a convoy of 2,547 CRPF personnel were travelling in 78 vehicles from the transit camp in Jammu and headed to Srinagar. 

Also Read: Maharashtra ticket collector suspended for raising pro-Pakistan slogan

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Mumbai: Teens rescued by police after being lost in the jungle

A group of 22 people from Mumbai and Thane district went for a picnic at Tandulwadi Fort in Palghar district where they lost their way out of the jungle in the dark. They called up the police control for help and the local Safale police of Palghar district rushed to their rescue and escorted them out safely.

According to the Safale police sources, "A group of 22 people from Mumbai and Thane district visited Tandulwadi Fort situated in Safale Palghar district for a trek on Saturday where they decided to walk through the jungle around 7:30 pm but after sunset, they lost their way out of the jungle.

Fearing of being lost, they contacted the police control for help and senior inspector Sandeep Sanap from Safale police station despatched a team of officers to their rescue. Constable SU Solkhe, SB Bhavar, NL Dhongde reached the spot at around 9 pm and rescued the group. Their respective parents were contacted after which they were returned home safely," said Hemant Katkar PRO of Palghar district police.

Also Read: Six rescued, one missing as tugboat capsizes off Mumbai

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Thane: SSC question papers of two subjects leaked, case registered

Question papers of two subjects of the SSC (Class X) exam conducted by the Maharashtra State Board were found leaked at Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra on Wednesday, police said. A case was registered at Narpoli police station against an unidentified person in this connection. "As per the complaint filed by a state board official, examination of history and political science subjects was scheduled to take place on Wednesday," senior inspector M B Shinde of Narpoli police station said on Thursday.

"For the exam that was to start at 11 am, students were expected to be in the exam hall by 10.15 am. However, outside an exam centre at Kalher in Bhiwandi, the board official found some girl students checking their mobile phones inside an autorickshaw," he added. When the official checked their phones, he found the question papers of history and political science subjects. "The girls had received these question papers through a messaging application. When the actual question papers were tallied with those on the mobiles, they were found to be the same," Shinde added.

A case was registered under IPC section 406 (criminal breach of trust) and section 72 of the Information Technology Act, police said, adding that nobody has been arrested in this connection so far. According to police, question papers of algebra, geometry and science subjects were also allegedly leaked in Bhiwandi earlier. The state board's secondary school certificate (SSC) exam began on March 1. 

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Mumbai Food: Eatery in Kalina serves value for money fare

We believe that the most important lesson our generation has learnt is that basic is good; enough for fashion labels to have a sub-category of basic apparel and Instagram to source gifs and stickers that say "basic". This (should) transcend to food as well, because at the end of the day, nothing beats sasta and tikau. And so, Kalina's Chindian eatery, King Chilli, has risen above the glitzy culinary offerings of BKC that are high on the glam quotient but not easy on the pocket.

We have been ordering in from what is easily one of the neighbourhood's favourite haunts for months. But a week ago, we learnt that it has launched in a new avatar with a larger dining area not far from the space it started in five years ago. So, on a Sunday night, we finally step out to pay the place a visit.

At the corner of St Mary's Chowk, a brand new shade covers the space. Potted plants line the shack-like eatery and a tawdry magenta curtain, which we identify — having spotted hawkers selling it for '150 at the roadside Monday market — serves as the door. Inside, chairs and tables that evoke the memory of Nilkamal furniture makes for the seating space, along with three booths with slightly plusher sofas that offer some privacy but are rickety all the same.

We join a queue that comprises Catholic aunties in their Sunday frocks and roadside Romeos in their Gully-Boy-inspired garb waiting outside the restaurant. The crowd is substantial, but fast moving, so we get a table in five minutes.


Tom yum

Our partner, who is whining about a sore throat, calls for a tom yum soup (Rs 139) while we order the crackling spinach chicken (Rs 285) and kung pao potato (Rs 174) to begin with, and a chicken in chilly oyster sauce (Rs 295), veg pad Thai noodles (Rs 190) and chicken North East pot rice (Rs 249) for the mains.


Kung pao potato

We find how nothing about the tom yum soup being Thai cute: adrak replaces galangal, nimbu takes the place of kaffir lime and its identifiable piquant broth-y flavour has transformed into a chatpata and fiery soup with a strong kick of spice. The addition of finely chopped dhaniya is equally endearing. Tom yum or not, it works. The chicken appetiser is enjoyable in that the meat itself is juicy and hot. The crackling spinach that it comes with is nice, too, but perhaps could have been elevated with a stronger dose of garlic. We relish the kung pao potatoes and find the use of wedges quite cool: it adds a certain girth to the dish. The lightly toasted whole cashews lend a mild sweetness, marrying the dish with its inherent tanginess.


Chicken in oyster chilli sauce 

The pot rice has a smoky hotness that is likely to have come from the overuse of chilli powder. This dish leaves two out of the four people at the table gasping for breath. We are still undecided about the preparation and could only safely say that we did not hate it. The pad thai noodles are a slight let-down having been overcooked this time. However, the chicken in oyster chilly sauce, a staple for us from the eatery, helps liven up the noodles.

We eat quickly despite the shortcomings of the mains and that's where King Chilli actually passes the test. It's the kind of eatery that may have a few botch-ups, but will remain the go-to place (as is evident from the queue even as we leave the restaurant an hour and a half later) for Kalina's humble diners, including us. What we mean is, where else could we have afforded an end-of-the-month double date for a total cost of Rs 1,522 and take home doggy bags? Only a sasta and tikau place, right?

TIME 11.30 am to 3.30 pm; 7 pm to 11.30 pm
AT King Chilli, near St 
Mary's Chowk, Kalina, Santacruz East.
CALL 9833487217

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King Chilli didn't know we were there. The Guide reviews anonymously and pays for meals