The Maharashtra government may extend the lockdown in the coronavirus-hit urban areas of the state after May 3, an official said on Sunday. The state government is closely monitoring the situation in areas outside the cities of Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Amravati, a senior state official said. "It is the cities where most of the COVID-19 cases are concentrated. If the state has to relax its current stringent lockdown measures, it would be in rural and least affected
areas of the state. However, we are looking at the scenario as rural and urban areas are connected," he said.

Despite minimum COVID-19 cases in rural areas of Pune district, the industries there have not resumed because most of their workforce live in cities, he said. We need to work out some plans for every city or district-wise to get things moving. The administration needs more time to come up with solutions, hence it is highly unlikely to lift the lockdown restrictions May 3 onwards in all parts of the state, the official said.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope had on Saturday said the number of COVID-19 cases in the state is not coming down. "The state is yet to reach a stage where the number of coronavirus cases would stabilise. Till then, we cannot take the risk of allowing people to gather at public places in large numbers, Tope said.

The minister, however, said the state government would take a collective decision on what to do once the nationwide lockdown ends on May 3.

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A prolonged lockdown may possibly push millions of Indians into the "margins of subsistence", former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao said on Sunday while expecting a 'V' curved recovery once the COVID-19 crisis ends and the turnaround in India to be faster than some economies.

He was participating in a webinar on 'History repeats but differently – Lessons for the post Corona World', organised by the Manthan Foundation, in which former deputy governor of RBI, Usha Thorat took part.

"Because most analysts believe that this year India will actually have negative growth or growth will contract. We must remember that even ahead of the crisis two months ago our growth slowed. Now it has completely stopped. Last year growth was five per cent. Just imagine, five per cent growth last year and we are going to negative or zero growth this year, a decline of five per cent growth," he said. "It is true that India is going to perform in this crisis better than most other countries. But that is no consolation.... Because we are a very poor country and if the crisis persists and if the lockdown is not lifted soon enough, it is quite possible that millions of people will be pushed into the margins of subsistence, he said when asked about his views on the present situation.

Subbarao said that as predicted by analysts, India will have a V shaped recovery which is far better than most of the other countries. "And why do we expect a 'V' shaped recovery? Because unlike in a cyclone or in an earthquake, this is not a natural disaster constraint. No capital has been destroyed. Factories are standing. Our shops are still standing. Our people are ready to work as soon as the lockdown is lifted. So it is quite possible the recovery will be V shaped and while we have a V shaped recovery, I think India has a better chance than most of the countries," he opined.

According to him, India's recovery was faster than many other countries after the 2008 global financial crisis. On IMF's prediction that India may grow at 1.9 per cent during the current year against about five per cent in the last fiscal, Subbarao said many analysts feel that the
prediction is outdated and the growth in GDP may slip into negative. Agencies

826
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India

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Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' address, has given a direction to the Indian citizens for fighting the battle against Coronavirus.

"PM Modi in his 'Mann ki Baat' has said that the battle against Coronavirus has to be won within one month. He had said that by the time Eid comes we will defeat Coronavirus," Javadekar said.

He further said, "Modi had also said that society has shown humanity by ensuring that no one goes hungry during the lockdown." "In today's address, the PM gave a proper direction that is necessary to fight the battle against Coronavirus," he added.

Modi while addressing the nation during his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' had said that India's fight against the Coronavirus is "people-driven" and is being fought by the masses and the administration together.

He also informed that the government has come up with a digital platform to link volunteers of social organisations, representatives of civil society and local administration.

Tamil Nadu under major lockdown

The complete lockdown in the major urban centres of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai and Coimbatore, came into force on Sunday with groceries and vegetable shops also shutting down as civic bodies intensified disinfection work in their respective regions. While police patrol vehicles and flying squads of civic bodies alone could be seen in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Tirupur, people in some localities in north Chennai loitered around.

Standalone shops open up in Delhi

The Delhi government has allowed the standalone shops in the national capital based on the Union Home Ministry's order but the markets and complexes will remain shut, Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal said. He also said that no other relaxation will be given to the city till May 3 — lockdown deadline. "Last Sunday we decided to continue the lockdown without any relaxation. We are giving one relaxation today. The Centre on Friday announced to open some shops and we are implementing it."

Shops sell PPE for as cheap as Rs 198

As they fight the deadly Coronavirus pandemic 24/7, frontline healthcare workers are facing a severe crunch of personal protection equipment (PPE) suits or hazmat suits. Suddenly, several retail shops have cropped up across the country, offering such specialised medical suits at cheap prices. Shops in Tirupur — also called the knitwear city of India — in Tamil Nadu are offering such suits for as low as R198 and R225, take minimum order for 50 suits with courier charges extra.

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As India battles COVID-19, the corona cases on Monday soared to 28,380 with 1,463 new cases and 60 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, as per the data shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday evening. The total coronavirus cases in India are inclusive of 6,361 cured and discharged patients, one migrated and 886 deaths. At present, there are 21,132 active COVID-19 cases in the country.

Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, here on Monday said that 16 districts in the country, which earlier had cases, have not reported any fresh case for the last 28 days. The three new districts, which got added to this list are -- Gondia in Maharashtra, Devangere in Karnataka and Lakhisarai in Bihar. Apart from that, 85 districts in States and Union Territories have not reported any new cases in the last 14 days, he said.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has advised the State governments to go for the RT-PCR test, which "detects the virus early and is the best strategy to identify and isolate the individual." The advisory with the subject line -- 'Advisory on Rapid Antibody Blood Tests Regarding' -- states: "ICMR advocates that RT-PCR throat/nasal swab test is the best use for diagnosis of COVID-19. RT-PCR test detects the virus early and is the best strategy to identify and isolate the individual."

"Several states have procured rapid antibody test kits and on their demand, the ICMR has also provided these kits with clear instructions that they are to be used only for surveillance purpose. Some States have raised issues regarding their performance during the testing exercise that they have undertaken." The States have also been advised by the ICMR to stop using these kits procured from the two companies -- Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics -- and return them to be sent back to the suppliers.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday also asserted that not a single rupee was lost on rapid antibody test procurement. "After the receipt of some supplies, the ICMR has again conducted quality checks on these kits in field conditions. Based on the scientific assessment of their performance, the order in question (Wondfo) along with the order in respect of another make found under-performing have been cancelled.

It needs to be stressed that ICMR has not made any payment whatsoever in respect of these supplies. Because of the due process followed (not going for procurement with 100 per cent advance amount), the Government of India does not stand to lose a single rupee," said a press release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Lockdown has yielded positive results as the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past one and a half months, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday while interacting with Chief Ministers via video conference on the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

"Lockdown has yielded positive results as the country has managed to save thousands of lives in the past one and a half months. India's population is comparable to that of the combined population of several countries. The situation in many countries, including India, was almost similar at the start of March. He, however, he warned that the danger of the virus is far from over and constant vigilance is of paramount importance.

During the video conference, various Chief Ministers put forth their views and suggestions to contain the coronavirus and mitigate the resultant woes. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy sought an economic package, saying that majority of the Chief Ministers wanted the continuation of the lockdown after May 3 due to the rise in coronavirus cases in the country.

"Most of the Chief Ministers told the Prime Minister that the lockdown should continue and that some economic activity should be started slowly," he said. "These Chief Ministers were of the view that the way in which cases are increasing, there should be a cautious approach and the Prime Minister should take a call on the basis of their observation. Even most of the BJP-ruled states' CMs said that lockdown should be continued and economic activities should be started slowly," said Narayanasamy.

In a significant move, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde on Monday said that the apex court has given proper directions to the Centre to provide food, shelter, psychological counselling and other basic necessities to the needy people during the lockdown.

"We have given proper directions to the Central government to provide food, shelter, psychological counselling and other basic necessities to the needy people during this COVID-19 lockdown," CJI Bobde told reporters here. He said that the judiciary is doing whatever it can at this time of crisis.

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Restrictions enforced in West Bengal to fight Covid-19 will continue till May 21 with curbs on normal life varying in intensity based on the extent of spread of the viral infection in a particular area, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

"We want the restrictions to continue till May 21. We have to be careful till that time," Banerjee told media persons at the state secretariat Nabanna.

The Chief Minister, however, clarified that she was not announcing any extension on lockdown, as that decision will be taken by the central government. "I am talking of restrictions, which is different from the lockdown," she added.

Banerjee said while the restrictions would be strictly implemented in every red zone (areas with a large number of corona positive cases), the impact will be less severe in orange zones (areas with a limited number of cases in the past and with no surge in positive cases recently, where restricted activities would be allowed).

Districts with no coronavirus positive cases are included in green zones.

"If an area which is now an orange zone, shows an increase in the prevalence of the disease and enters the red zone, the restrictions will be made stiffer, and vice versa. There will be more relaxations given in the green zones, but the areas will be placed under stiffer restrictions if more positive cases are detected putting them under orange or red zone categories," she said.

The Chief Minister announced the formation of a cabinet committee on COVID management, chaired by Finance and Industries Minister Amit Mitra. Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, and Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya will be part of the committee. Mitra and Chatterjee will work from home.

The Chief Secretary, the Health Secretary, and the Home Secretary will be among the committee members. Banerjee said her government was discussing on resuming more activities in rural areas that come under the green zone.

She announced that home delivery companies, which were so long allowed to ferry only essential goods, would now be permitted to reach non-essential items also.

"We have to think of giving relaxations that won't harm the people," she said. She said though relaxations have been given on 100 days' job guarantee scheme, the problem was in getting labourers.

The Chief Minister appealed to the centre to ensure international borders were closed, and not allow domestic and international flights, and train services till the situation normalises. Inter-state bus services or travel also should not be allowed, except for emergencies.

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New Delhi: The Health Ministry on Tuesday said currently plasma therapy is at the experimental stage and there is no evidence yet to support that it can be used as a treatment for COVID-19.
Addressing a press briefing, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said currently there are no approved therapies for COVID-19 and there is not enough evidence to claim that plasma therapy can be used for the treatment of the disease.

"ICMR has launched a national-level study to study the efficacy of plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID 19," he said.

"Till ICMR concludes its study and a robust scientific proof is available, plasma therapy should be used only for research or trial purpose. If plasma therapy is not used in a proper manner under proper guidelines, then it can also cause life-threatening complications," said Agarwal.

The official said that the doubling rate of coronavirus cases now stands at 10.2 days.
He further said that in the last 24 hours, 1,543 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported, taking the total cases to 29,435.

"6,868 COVID-19 patients, which is 23.3 per cent of total cases, have recovered so far," he added.

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Central teams, which were tasked to check preparedness of districts with a high load of Coronavirus cases, found that infection prevention control practices were not properly followed in several hospitals raising concerns over safety of healthcare workers, official sources said.

Six high-level multi-disciplinary teams were constituted by the Union health ministry to assist and review state health departments for proper implementation of cluster containment plans for large outbreaks and check hospital preparedness for COVID-19. Teams comprising experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), AIIMS and ICMR among others visited states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, which have high case load districts. They visited the stated between second and third week of April.

"They have observed that infection prevention control practices were not being followed properly during sample collection and treatment of confirmed cases raising concerns over the possibility of healthcare workers getting infected and leading to further transmission," the sources said. They have recommended that such infection prevention control guidelines should be strictly followed in hospitals. Several healthcare workers have been infected by COVID-19 across the country. Asked about the number of infected healthcare personnel, an official said no such centralised data has been maintained.

No April, May pay for Spicejet staff

SpiceJet told its pilots that they will not be paid salaries for April and May, and said those who have been operating cargo flights will get paid for "block hours flown". SpiceJet's flight operations chief, Gurcharan Arora told pilots through an email that "as of today, 16 per cent of our aircraft and 20 per cent of our pilots are flying".

Jamaatis asked to donate plasma

Tablighi Jamaat members, who got cured of COVID-19, have been asked by their organisation to donate their plasma for treatment of other COVID-19-infected patients, a move that the outfit thinks will help it shed its "villain" tag. "Maulana Saad, in an open letter on April 21 has appealed them to donate their plasma to help others. The message has reached all the members," Maulana Anees Ahmad Nadvi, the manager of Tablighi Jamaat's Lucknow branch, told PTI on Wednesday.

Punjab extends lockdown; 10 held in Kolkata

. The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to issue an ordinance empowering it to deduct salaries of its employees to mobilise funds to fight COVID-19 in the state.

. The spread of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu is "largely under control" due to the implementation of various government guidelines, but the contagion is "easily" spreading in this city due to its large population, cm, K Palaniswami said.

. Nine new cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed in Karnataka, taking the total number of infections in the state to 532, the health department said.

. Ten persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting policemen enforcing lockdown in the Coronavirus red zone of Howrah district last evening. According to a senior official of the Howrah police commissionerate, a total of 10 persons have been arrested and three cases under different sections of the IPC and other penal laws have been lodged against the accused.

. Punjab CM, Captain Amarinder Singh has announced to extend the curfew for two more weeks to check the spread of Coronavirus in the state.

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Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan on Thursday said that unemployment numbers are really worrying and India needs to be "cleverer" about lifting the lockdown. Rajan's remarks came during his interaction with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, via video conference, on the economic crisis due to ongoing lockdown which is scheduled to end on May 3. "The numbers are really worrying. If you look at CMIE, virtually another 100 million more people have been put out of work as a result of COVID. 50 million through unemployment and 60 million through leaving the labour force," he said while responding to Rahul's query that India has a high level of unemployment, that is now going to be massive.

"I think it says, we need to open up in a measured way but as fast as possible so that people start having jobs. We don't have the capacity to support people across the spectrum for too long. Being a relatively poor country, people start out with significantly lower reserves," he said. "But we have to be cleverer about opening up. Perhaps do mass testing. Take a mass sample, say 1000 samples and check in mass, if there is any sign of the virus in those mass samples. If you do find it, then go deeper into the sample and check who it might be. This way it would reduce the burden on our test infrastructure and can allow us to try and vet much more. We have to be cleverer since we simply cannot wait till we have that kind of testing," the economist said.

Rajan said that it is all too easy to cover a lockdown forever, but obviously that is unsustainable for the economy. On the opening of the economy, he said: "It has to be sequencing. First, places where you can maintain distancing. It is not just distancing in the workplaces, but also distancing to and fro, from the workplace."

"So, a lot of work needs to be done both on creating the structures, as well as ensuring that the workplace is relatively safe. As well as ensuring that if there are accidents, if there are fresh cases, how do we isolate quickly without having to go to a second or a third lockdown? Those will be devastating if we have to go there," he added.

When asked about finances of the agricultural sector and the workers, migrant workers, Rajan said that the government should to find ways of getting both money as well as food through PDS to as many of these people.

"This is where the efforts we have made in Direct benefits transfer (DBT) need to be realised at this point. All the ways we transfer to relatively poor people, we need to take a call on that. We have different ways of accessing - through widow pensions, MGNREGA Rolls. And we need to say that look these are people who don't have a job, who don't have a livelihood and for the next 3-4 months while the uncertainty is on, we are going to support them," he said.

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A five-year-old tiger that had attacked and injured five persons over the weekend, died 15 minutes after it was tranquilised at the Jari village on Sunday evening in the Pilibhit Tiger reserve (PTR).

The forest officials claimed that the big cat died of wounds, some wildlife activists suspect that it died due to overdose of tranquilizers.

The tiger had strayed out of the range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) and attacked three people in Jari village under Gajraula police circle on Friday morning.

It had also attacked a team of forest force personnel that had come to drive it back to the reserve.

The presence of the tiger had brought agricultural activities to a virtual standstill at Jari village.

A team of forest personnel that was camping in the village, had been closely monitoring the tiger's movement by installing camera traps in the area.

A team of veterinary officers, headed by doctor S.K. Rathore, also arrived in the village on Sunday in order to tranquilize the tiger and later release into the wild.

The tiger was spotted and tranquiliser darts were fired on it. But the big cat died within 15 minutes after it was tranquilised.

Deputy director of PTR Naveen Khandelwal said the tiger collapsed during the period it was under medical observation.

"The tiger had three wounds in its trachea, as a result of which it died," he said.

Kaushlendra Singh, a wildlife activist in Lucknow, however, said that the tiger's death was due to an overdose of tranquiliser.

Referring to information of forest staff present at the spot during the operation, Singh claimed that the tiger was hit with four darts. one after another.

Chief conservator of Bareilly zone, Lalit Verma, had told reporters that the veterinary team used only two darts in the operation.

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The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India mounted to 46,711, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. In an evening update, the Health Ministry said of the total cases, 31,967 are active cases, and 1,583 have succumbed to the disease. However 13,160 people have recovered so far.

Total number of #COVID19 positive cases in India rises to 46,711 including 31,967 active cases, 1,583 deaths, 13,160 cured/discharged and 1 migrated: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/xbeWihMr6H

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2020

The total number of deaths suddenly saw a spike in West Bengal. The Ministry said the total toll reported from West Bengal was 133. It was 61 on Monday. Earlier at a presser, Joint Health Secretary Lav Aagarwal had said that states should report on time about the number of cases and fatalities in order to ensure better management of cases.

Maharashtra continued to top the chart with a total 14,541 cases followed by Gujarat with 5,804 cases and Delhi with 4,898 cases. Other states which saw a surge in cases are Madhya Pradesh (3,046), Tamil Nadu (3,550), Rajasthan (3,061), Rajasthan (3,061) and Uttar Pradesh (2,859). States which reported over a thousand cases are Andhra Pradesh (1,717), Punjab (1,233), Telangana (1,085) and West Bengal (1,259).

States which saw a significant number of cases are Bihar (529), Haryana (517), Jammu and Kashmir (726), Karnataka (659), Kerala (500), Odisha (170), Chandigarh (102) and Jharkhand (115).

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Reliance Industries' Chairman Mukesh Ambani has been ranked 17th in the latest world billionaires list by Forbes with a net worth of $44.3 billion – once again leading the tally from India's perspective.

Mukesh Ambani chairs and runs $88 billion (revenue) oil and gas giant Reliance Industries, among India's most valuable companies. Reliance Jio has signed on more than 340 million customers by offering free domestic voice calls, dirt-cheap data services, and virtually free smartphones, said the report.

The next Indian on the 34th annual list -- veteran Mumbai investor Radhakishan Damani who is touted as India's retail king after the March 2017 IPO of his supermarket chain DMart – is at a distant 65th position with a net worth of $16.6 billion.

Damani got into retailing in 2002 with one store in suburban Mumbai and has been unstoppable since. His property portfolio includes the 156-room Radisson Blu Resort in Alibag and a popular beach-front getaway close to Mumbai, according to the report.

At 114th position, HCL Technologies Founder Shiv Nadar is worth $12.4 billion. One of India's leading philanthropists, Nadar has donated $662 million to his Shiv Nadar Foundation.

While Hinduja brothers are at 116th position with $12.2 billion net worth. Srichand and Gopichand live in London and Prakash resides in Monaco while the youngest sibling Ashok oversees their Indian interests from Mumbai. At 138th position, Uday Kotak is worth $10.7 billion. His Kotak Mahindra Bank is now among India's top four banks in the private sector, boosted by its 2014 acquisition of ING Bank's Indian operations.

In January this year, the bank reached an agreement with the Reserve Bank of India over the issue of reducing Kotak's stake in the bank to 26 per cent. Telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal is at 154th position with $9.5 billion net worth. Bharti Airtel today is among India's largest mobile phone operators with more than 418 million customers.

Others in the latest list are Cyrus Poonawalla who is founder of Serum Institute of India (at 161th position with $9.2 billion net worth), Gautam Adani at 162th position with $9.2 billion net worth and steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal with $8.9 billion net worth at 170th spot, among others.

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To avoid crowding and minimise footfall at liquor stores, the West Bengal State Beverages Corporation (WBSBCL) has launched an eRetail portal for online booking and home delivery.

According to the website of the WBSBCL, any person, who is older or of 21 years of age, can register as a buyer on the portal for getting home delivery of liquor. "For ensuring social distancing and minimising footfall at retail outlets, WBSBCL has launched eRetail for online booking and home delivery of liquor," notification on the website read.

The interested persons can fill in their details, full name, mobile number, address, email, among others to register as a buyer and get liquor delivered at their doorsteps. Prior to this, the Chhattisgarh and Punjab governments too had allowed home delivery of liquor in their respective states with certain conditions.

Liquor stores around the country have been allowed to reopen by the Centre during phase three of the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Long queues, with people flouting social distancing norms, were seen on liquor stores around the country as enthusiasts lined up to get their hands on their favourite drink.

With people at these outlets failing to follow social distancing norms, apprehensions were expressed regarding the spread of COVID-19.

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Singer-songwriter Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Baldwin celebrated Easter together as they continued with social distancing in Canada amid the coronavirus pandemic. The 26-year-old pop star and Baldwin posted sweet photos on their respective Instagram Stories to document their Easter celebrations, complete with a feast of food on Sunday.

The 23-year-old model shared adorable candid moments from their holiday celebrations with a collage of selfies featuring plenty of smiles, kisses and silly facial expressions. "Love u, babe," Bieber captioned his own Instagram post.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hailey Baldwin Bieber (@haileybieber) onApr 12, 2020 at 3:42pm PDT

The duo also cuddled by the lake near their home as they listened to music and enjoyed the view together. The pair knows how to celebrate a holiday. In honour of Valentine's Day, the newlyweds enjoyed an intimate candlelit dinner inside their California home which they had covered in roses and other romantic decorations.

The 'Baby' singer captioned a photo of his wife on February 14, "My forever valentine." He also shared a video on his Instagram story showing that he laid rose petals along the path leading to their dining room table -- which the singer also decorated with a bouquet and chocolates.

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Actress Cameron Diaz feels parenthood is the best thing that has ever happened to her. In an interaction with Who What Wear CEO Katherine Power, Cameron, who welcomed daughter Raddix with husband Benji Madden, spoke about how her life has changed after becoming a mother, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I love being a mother. It's the best, best, best part of my life. "I'm so grateful and so happy and it's the best thing ever and I'm so lucky to do it with Benj and we're having the best time. I'm thrilled. I can't believe it," the actress said. Cameron also shared how she is dealing with life under quarantine.

"I've kinda been living a quarantine life anyhow because I have a three-month-old, three-and-a-half-month. So my life has been completely quiet and still for the last few months. But I was able to have my friends over all the time. And now I just don't see anybody. But it's nice, and I love a bubble and being in the womb of my home with my husband and cooking.But at the same time it's crazy that you can't go out to the world right now," she said.

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Singer Rihanna's father Ronald Fenty tested positive for coronavirus in his home country of Barbados but has now beat COVID-19 thanks to the superstar's help.

According to Page Six, Rihanna's father recently shared with The Sun, "My daughter Robyn was checking in on me every day. I thought I was going to die to be honest. I have to say, I love you so much, Robyn. She did so much for me. I appreciate everything she has done."

The 32-year-old songstress sent a ventilator to his Caribbean home and gave him "more than enough" to battle the illness that left him feeling weak and frightened for his life.

"I got a fever up inside of my nose. I had a fever across my lips. It was just a lot of fever," Fenty revealed. "I feared the worst. I thought I was going to die, honestly."

The Fenty Beauty founder's father was quarantined for two weeks after at the Paragon Isolation Center, after which he was declared virus-free. He is now resting in his St. James home.

Fenty asked of the public to stay at home and said, "I want everybody to stay home. This is a serious situation. More serious than people realize. Please stay home."

The 'Work' songstress is also using her time and money to help those globally affected by COVID-19, and she has donated 5 million USD to the cause via her Clara Lionel Foundation. She and Jay-Z also teamed up to donate 1 million USD each to those affected in Los Angeles and New York.

Twitter boss Jack Dorsey is also collaborating with Rihanna to help domestic abuse survivors who may have been displaced during the coronavirus pandemic.

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While Superheroes have always been a favourite amongst the audience, new age female superheroes have earned much praise from viewers in recent times creating a humongous fan base. Be it Captain Marvel, The Wasp, Wonder Woman, Black Widow, or Batwoman, each of these crusaders flaunt a glorious suit bringing out imminent traits of their characters.

Gathering momentum on Indian television to become one of the highest-rated shows on TV, the premiere season of Batwoman has become a fan favourite. Speaking about wearing the majestic Batsuit for the first time, Ruby Rose said, "I still remember putting it on for the first time with Colleen, who is magnificent at what she does, and it's just a magical feeling. It's not like when you dress up for Halloween and sort of put something on. This thing has been like, within an inch of its life, it just fits me like a glove."

Further speaking about filming while wearing the Batwoman attire, Ruby Rose mentions, "Every single part of it has been designed for my body. So, I feel it moves with me, and I move with it, and it feels like a second skin for the most part, and, yes, it's an incredible feeling. You feel the transformation, unlike any costume I've ever put on in any role in my life. It's just very difficult to pee in, that's all."

With the responsibility that comes with portraying a phenomenon like Batwoman on the silver screen, Ruby Rose excels in breathing life into the character of this superhero. The story of Batwoman continues to unfold with its premiere season currently being aired in India, exclusively on Colors Infinity.

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Boston Legal actress Lake Bell's five-year-old daughter has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

Bell and her husband Scott Campbell, discovered the news a few months ago but the actress has just come to terms with the diagnosis, reports aceshowbiz.com.

She wrote on Instagram: "My daughter has epilepsy. It's taken me a few months to gather the courage to post about it because I do not want to endorse it's existence."

"I also didn't know why I should share it. Why tell a bunch of strangers? however in a time where we are so isolated I crave community. We all do. We want to be reminded we are not alone in any reality.

"And above all, I am grateful... Grateful to have a partner in @scottcampbell who, with his research and smarts, is giving these seizures a worthy adversary. Scott and I, along with the care of the incomparable @childrensla, will conquer them."

She added "For Nova... so she doesn't have to cry in fear after she gets sucked into one. They are like invaders, that come on without invitation nor warning. We will fight for Nova. For her future. For tomorrow. For today."

Bell said it's the beginning of a "long journey and I want/need to remember that I am not alone. And if you are dealing with a loved one with epilepsy, I get it... You are not alone."

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"Fifty Shades of Grey" star Jamie Dornan says he aims to do a variety of cinema and does not want to restrict himself to a particular genre. In an interview with Variety, the 37-year-old actor said he wants to keep challenging himself as he goes ahead.

"I think I have a stronger sense of what's not right for me. And one thing with this job is to challenge myself and one thing is to keep a very large element of variety. I just wouldn't and I'm not trying to discredit anyone who's in this world but I just couldn't be an actor who does action film after action film or, indeed, who does comedy after comedy," Dornan.

The actor, who found global fame with "Fifty Shades" film series, said for him, acting is an opportunity to play different characters. He, however, maintained that he is not averse to an action film.

"I'm not closed off to being in an action movie. I just don't want to do four a year. If one comes along and speaks to me, then yes, sure. And I think I've been lucky in everything post-'Fifty Shades'. "There's a lot in the market of the USD 5 to USD 15 million budget movie. And I personally believe that's where the best scripts are. I've done things like 'Anthropoid' or 'A Private War' and some of these movies, I'm really proud of. I'm just lucky they came my way because of the box office success of 'Fifty Shades'," Dornan added.

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Taylor Swift won millions of hearts with her performance of hope at the virtual concert One World: Together At Home where she performed Soon You'll Be Better.

According to E! Online, the Grammy winner musician didn't use words but the lyrics of her song and her music to do the talking while she expressed gratitude towards the frontline workers during the show.

The singer was seen spreading a ray of hope as she sang, "Soon you'll be better, cause you have to."

Over 70 artists and celebrities from across the globe had joined the WHO's initiative of the online concert to thank and celebrate the healthcare workers fighting the pandemic.

Some of the artists that were a part of the show are Elton John, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Celine Dion, and the Rolling Stone.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the virtual concert raised over USD 127 million for the relief efforts of COVID-19.

The show was hosted by the most popular hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Stephen Colbert.

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Hollywood veteran Russell Crowe took a trip down the memory lane on Saturday and shared a throwback picture from the sets of his film -- A Beautiful Mind.

The 56-year-old shared the picture of the year, 2001, on Instagram. The actor is seen sitting along with actor Jennifer Connelly, also his co-star in 2001 released American biographical drama film. The duo have shared screen space in multiple films.

 

 

 

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Love this gal. Been married to her twice. Awesome actress. I think we bring out the best in each other. This from the set of A Beautiful Mind. Somewhere in New Jersey, 2001.

A post shared by Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) onApr 17, 2020 at 11:08pm PDT

Addressing the 49-year-old star, Crowe tweeted: "Love this gal. Been married to her twice. Awesome actress. I think we bring out the best in each other. This from the set of A Beautiful Mind. Somewhere in New Jersey, 2001."

Directed by Ron Howard, the movie is about an antisocial but genius mathematician, John Nash who agrees to do some secret work in cryptography following which his life becomes a total nightmare. But his love for numbers is quite evident in the film.

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Warner Bros Studios' The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the DC superhero and directed by Matt Reeves, will now release in October, 2021. The film's production was put on halt in mid-March due to coronavirus outbreak and the studio has now announced that movie, which was earlier scheduled to hit the theatres on June 25, 2021, will now bow out on October 1, 2021.

According to Deadline, the studio has also rescheduled superhero movies 'The Flash' and 'Shazam2'. While 'The Flash' will open on June 2, 2022, instead of July 1, 'Shazam 2', earlier set to release on April 1, 2022, will now come out on November 4, 2022. Also, 'The Sopranos' feature prequel 'The Many Saints of Newark', originally dated for September 25 of this year, has now been shifted to March 12 next year.

Baz Luhrmann's untitled Elvis Presley movie, starring Tom Hanks, will now hit the theatres on November 5, 2021, a month after the originally planned release. As per the studio's new release calendar, Will Smith drama 'King Richard' will now bow out on November 19, 2021 instead of November 25 this year. Last month, Warner Bros Studios postponed the release of its much-awaited superhero movie 'Wonder Woman 1984' from June 5 to August 14.

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Tom Hardys much-anticipated "Venom" sequel has been delayed by eight months amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The second instalment in the action-fantasy series, directed by Andy Serkis, was slated to release on October 2, 2020.

The sequel, officially titled "Venom: Let There Be Carnage", will instead launch eight months later on June 25, 2021, reports variety.com.

In 2018, "Venom" introduced Hardy as Eddie Brock and Venom. It follows the popular Marvel anti-hero as he transforms from a go-getter journalist to the powerful alien symbiote. The film put the conflict of good versus bad in the centrestage.

Serkis is directing Sony's follow-up to "Venom", which sees Hardy again assume the alien symbiote. The first film became a surprise box office hit, earning $855 million globally. Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Reid Scott and Naomie Harris will also appear in the sequel.

By postponing "Venom" until next year, Sony has reshuffled nearly every movie scheduled to release in 2020. The studio already pushed back many of its major films, including "Morbius" (from July 31, 2020, to March 19, 2021), "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" (from July 10, 2020, to March 5, 2021) and Tom Holland's "Uncharted" (from March 5, 2021, to Oct. 8, 2021).

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Actor Halle Berry has revealed that former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan once saved her life when they were filming "Die Another Day". Berry portrayed Jinx opposite Brosnan in the 2002 movie, which had marked his last outing as the suave British spy.

Talking to Jimmy Fallon on his "Tonight" show, Berry, 53, said during a scene, she started choking but Brosnan quickly came to her aid. "I was supposed to be all sexy, trying to seduce him with a fig, and then I end up choking on it and he had to get up and do the Heimlich," she said.

"That was so not sexy... James Bond knows how to Heimlich! He was there for me, he will always be one of my favourite people in the whole world," she added. The Heimlich manoeuvre is a first aid procedure used to treat upper airway obstructions by foreign objects. During the procedure, a sudden strong pressure is applied on a person's abdomen, between the navel and the ribcage. On the work front, Berry will be next seen in "Bruised" which also marks her directorial debut.

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Spider-Man" actor Tom Holland says his time during the COVID-19 lockdown has been "a little bit productive". Holland, who is in London, opened about how he is being productive when he appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" through video-chat, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

When Kimmel asked how Holland is getting along with his family amid lockdown, the actor joked that there has been a lot of "getting drunk", adding that actor Ryan Reynolds recently sent him a case of "spider-gin".

He then went on to say that he is lucky to be "doing fine" and living in a place that has a nice outdoor space.

Holland then shared that he has been "a little bit productive" and has been writing a screenplay with his brother Harry -- which they have already sent out to producers. He joked that sending the script to people has been nerve-wrecking because they might find out that he's "stupid" or "can't spell anything".

Talking about the disruption to his projects, Holland said that he was in Berlin filming "Unchartered" when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, the film will be rescheduled. He will also be shooting the next "Spider-Man" installment in the near future, but he is unsure when.

Amid the ongoing health crisis, Holland is working with The Brothers Trust, a charity set up by his family to raise funds for various causes.

He is also keeping up with his co-stars, and recently Facetimed "Ironman" star Robert Downey Jr.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" is aired in India on Star World.

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Popstar Beyonce Knowles has pledged $6 million to fund mental health support during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Beyonce's BeyGOOD has partnered with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's #startsmall to provide USD 6 million to fund the mental health and personal wellness services, reports variety.com.

The 38-year-old singer shared the update on her website. "Beyonce's BeyGOOD recognises the immense mental and personal health burdens being placed on essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic," read the organisation's official statement, adding: "In our major cities, African-Americans comprise a disproportionate number of workers in these indispensable occupations, and they will need mental health support and personal wellness care, including testing and medical services, food supplies and food deliveries, both during and after the crisis."

The mental health initiative includes a key national partnership with UCLA. BeyGOOD has also partnered with the National Alliance in Mental Illness, which provides local support in Houston, New York, New Orleans and Detroit. BeyGOOD is also supporting United Memorial Center, Bread of Life, Matthew 25 and other organisations to help provide basic necessities, including food, water, cleaning supplies, medicines and face masks.

Earlier this month, Beyonce highlighted the deadly impact of the coronavirus pandemic on African American communities during her stint inA "One World: Together at Home" virtual concert, saying the virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in the US.

The 38-year-old singer highlighted the plight of African-American community, saying: "Black Americans belong to these parts of the workforce that don't have the luxury of working from home. And African-American communities at large have been severely affected. Those with pre-existing conditions are at higher risk."

"This virus is killing black people at an alarmingly high rate in America," added the Grammy Award-winning artist.

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It seems like American actor Ben Affleck has become a real smoke show. According to Page Six, the 'The Way Back' star took yet another stroll with girlfriend Ana de Armas in Los Angeles on Thursday (local time) but didn't let his face mask get in the way of stopping for a cigarette break. Photos show the 47-year-old actor keeping the mask over his nose as he puffs away, seemingly defeating the purpose of the mask.

The couple, who met on the set of their forthcoming movie, 'Deep Water,' were seen last week taking de Armas' dog for a walk.

During that walk, they opted to go mask-free but the 31-year-old actress did show off her 2,600 USD Gucci tracksuit.

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It seems like English actor and businesswoman Elizabeth Hurley is taking some time to soak up the nice weather amid self-isolation. The 54-year-old British model took to Instagram on Friday to share a photo of herself. She was seen rocking a hot pink bikini top featuring gold chain detailing from her swimsuit line paired with denim shorts while she stood outside, raising her arms in the air.

 

 

 

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Spring has sprung #stayhome 😘

A post shared by Elizabeth Hurley (@elizabethhurley1) onApr 24, 2020 at 12:11pm PDT

Hurley captioned the picture as, "Spring has sprung #stayhome," reminding her social media followers to continue to social distance amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

She has been quarantined in her Herefordshire country home alongside eight other family members, including her 18-year-old son Damian and widowed mother Angela.

Earlier this month, the star opened up about what it was like living with her relatives, comparing it to a '70s series 'The Waltons". It followed a family in rural Virginia during the Great Depression.

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Popular K-Pop band BLACKPINK member Lisa has been accused of plagiarising choreography of a black choreographer named Cierra Nichols.

Lisa posted a video of her performing a dance style to the number "Mushroom Chocolate" before Nichols accused her of stealing her choreography, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In the K-pop star's video, Lisa could be seen performing while lying on the floor, she later got back up and continued her routine, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In Cierra's video, which was uploaded a month before Lisa's, she mostly danced laying on the floor.

When Cierra got to know about Lisa's choreography, she took to Instagram to call her out saying: "In today's episode of 'Let's Steal from Black People' a Korean singer gets 7.8 million views in a day using most of your choreography. Love that for us."

Cierra then took to Twitter and wrote: "Convinced people can't read. I know to credit someone if I clearly pulled from it. I seen the inspiration the girl looks great."

"It's okay, though doesn't look s**t like when I did it anyway."

Cierra even responded to a social media user who watched her video after looking at Lisa's: "Because of Lisa and her choreographer using my moves."

In another post, she insisted: "It's not about the drama girl I could care less but it's clear where the beginning got its inspiration. It's clear there not doing anything like mine. That's why I'm fine."

Lisa has not replied to the accusations yet.

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Singer Katy Perry, who is expecting a baby with fiance Orlando Bloom, says she misses drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy. The 35-year-old star made the comment while filming a Facebook Live video, reports dailymail.co.uk.

She told fans: "I'm not complaining, but I can't drink because I'm pregnant. Some of you already have a cocktail getting ready or you have your favourite IPA. Or your favourite rye whiskey or your favourite white wine or rosé or whatever your favourite drink is. I mean, honestly, just Bud Light with a little lime, I'm very excited for the future when that can happen. Which will be years, probably."

During the chat, she also admitted she probably wasn't going to be able to have a baby shower due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I know not everyone does a babymoon or a baby shower. But I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to do any of that," she said.

She continued: "I'm just taking it one day at a time. But I'll be grateful. I mean, I'm grateful now, but there's a lot going on."

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Work from home is not ending any time sooner, and nor is boredom! Online meetings, Skype calls, turning your bedroom into a conference room, everything has been done now. As the lockdown extends, we are here to share some good shows which highlight workplace fun. While some are still running successfully to tickle our funny bone, and a few are long forgotten. So, let's take a look at them right away!

The Office:

 

 

 

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A post shared by The Office (@theofficeus) onOct 29, 2014 at 6:09am PDT

How can anyone miss out on this one? Dark humour, mockery on people who work together, same place, same people, for numerous years, The Office was not only loved and appreciated by many that time but is still considered as one of the classics. Steve Carell's over-the-top behaviour, John Krasinski's witty responses, everything in The Office is outright hilarious. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Grey's Anatomy:

This medical drama is extremely relatable? Courtesy, the doctors are always in the hospital. Working nonstop for god-only-knows how many hours. Do they get some sleep? Yes, in-between, on the stretcher! People who are workaholics will surely relate to the world Meredith Grey and her 'people' belongs too. 

Ugly Betty:

For all the Indians, this one might be a familiar show but with a different name. Do you remember Mona Singh's 'Jassie Jaisi Koi Nahi?' Yes, it was a remake of the popular American show, Ugly Betty. Do we need to say anymore?

Silicon Valley:

 

 

 

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A post shared by Silicon Valley (@siliconhbo) onNov 12, 2019 at 7:39am PST

Available on Disney+ Hotstar, Silicon Valley shares the story of a few geeks, living in Silicon Valley and cracking a big deal out in their startup. The entire journey to make it big in the world filled with some great brains and massive competitors, Silicon Valley has to share its struggles in the world of successful people.

Superstore:

Have you ever imagined the life of the store-runners? Exactly! It's not easy. They have to handle the crowd, look after the supplies, arrange, rearrange and reorganize everything in every single aisle. It is difficult! Yes! And that is what Superstore is all about.

Fun, isn't it? The workplace is fun!

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"The Transporter" franchise director Louis Leterrier might direct the sequel of Will Smith's "Bright". Streaming giant Netflix is in talks with Leterrier, also known for "Now You See Me", "Clash Of The Titans" and "Unleashed", to lend his touch to the fantasy actioner "Bright 2", in which Smith along with Joel Edgerton will be reprising their roles, reports variety.com.

The report also claimed that Netflix is "planning to begin shooting the sequel once it's able to start production" after the coronavirus pandemic. The script for "Bright 2" is written by David Ayer and Evan Spiliotopoulos, with a rewrite by TS Nowlin. Ayer directed the first part, which released in 2017.

"Bright" was an action-thriller that takes place in an alternate present-day south Los Angeles. For "Bright", Ayer picked up a story with modern day sensibilities set in the present day, but added mythological characters to give a fantastical touch to the story while addressing real issues.

Despite getting mixed response, "Bright" became one of Netflix's most streamed films thanks to its star cast. The streaming platform in 2018 announced plans to make a sequel but Ayer, best known for directing the 2014 war drama "Fury", opted out of helming "Bright 2".

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The Pune police arrested a man for beating his sister's former lover to death in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday for opposing her marriage with another man. Police said that the man got into a fight with his sister's former boyfriend and hit him with a metal pipe, thereby killing him instantly.

According to Hindustan Times, the assailant, identified as Santosh Chaudhury allegedly had a tiff with his sister's former lover, Yuvak Waghmare (22). Waghmare had opposed the girl's marriage to another man. The girl's brother Chaudhury was furious with Waghmare as he had learned that her sister ended her relationship with him after she got know that he is already married.

Senior police inspector Vivek Lawand of Dighi police station said, "The girl parted with Waghmare after realising that he is married and also has a daughter." However, Waghmare still wanted to marry the girl and hence he planned to have a talk with her brother Santosh Chaudhury in connection with his sister's wedding to another man.

Waghmare on Tuesday approached Chaudhury while he was at his paan shop outside Hotel Ajinkya in Magazine chowk. Both had heated argument over the impending wedding of Chaudhury's sister and got into a fight. Chaudhury, in a fit of rage, bludgeoned Waghmare’s head with a metal pipe that killed him instantly. The body was later taken to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital for post-mortem.

As per the police, the deceased Waghmare was working for a consultancy and was deployed in the operations department of a mall in Vimanagar, whereas Chaudhury, who is in his twenties, hails from Bihar and runs a paan shop in Dighi.

Chaudhury has been was arrested on Tuesday by officials of the Dighi police station and a case has been registered against him under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

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"'Yaar, main ja raha hun. Please khayal rakhna' (I am leaving, please take care of my family), was what he told me in our last conversation, before he resumed duty at Jammu," said Sudhir Tayde, about Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan Sanjay Rajput.

Sanjay was one of the 40 CRPF personnel who were slain in Pulwama on Thursday, when a car laden with explosives rammed their bus in a terror attack. He was also one of two jawans from Buldhana district, Maharashtra on it. The other was Nitin Shivaji Rathod. The duo, like others on the bus, was resuming duty after a holiday.

'Son will join defence forces'
Nitin Shivaji Rathod, 36, was a resident of Chorpangra village in Buldhana district. Nitin is survived by his parents, his wife Vandana, 28, and two children, Jeewan, 8, and Jivika, 5. He had joined the CRPF when he was 23.

Vandana recalled, "Just a week back we were together having meals and enjoying with everyone. I will dedicate my son to the defence forces too, as it was my husband's dream."

Sanjay Rajput

Villagers want revenge
The mood was sombre in Chorpangra village. No one has cooked since Thursday night when they got the news. All the villagers were at Nitin's house. Many people displayed their anger and said the government must take strong action against Pakistan.

Everyone remembered Nitin. Baburao Sawadkar, a teacher from Vasant Primary and Secondary Ashram School, who taught Nitin said, "Since his school days he was patriotic. He was good in studies and always participated in cultural programmes. He would always play an Army soldier in them. He would sing patriotic songs in these programmes and knew many of them by heart."

Nitin's childhood friend, Raju Rathod, said he was a hard-worker. They had studied together till they graduated. "Since age 13, he wanted to join the defence forces. During college he was often adjudged the best sports person. He was an excellent cricket and kabaddi player. He was also a good wrestler. In college days, he also worked as a labourer to pay for his education."

Extended service by five years
Sanjay Rajput, 49, the other jawan who was slain, was a resident of Malkapur in Buldhana district. He had recently shifted to Nagpur for his children's education. Sanjay had served the CRPF for 23 years and had extended his service by five years and was transferred to Jammu. He is survived by his wife Sushma, and two sons, Jay, 12, and Shubham, 11.

His brother recalled him as a brave person and said, "We had talked to him on Wednesday. He told us that due to snow, the roads were blocked and so they had to camp in another area. We have not informed our mother about his death, because this will be the second shock this year, as our elder brother died seven months back in a road accident." He too said once Sanjay's children each are 18 years old, he would want them to join the defence forces.

Prayers in mosques in memory of jawans
A condolence meeting was held and prayers were offered in memory of the CRPF jawans in many mosques in Pune city on Friday. Maulana Farukh Sahab of Noor-e-Hira masjid said, "The act is heinous and no religion talks about such inhuman acts. This act is against humanity and we condemn it."

Some youths from Pune, including local politician Amit Bagul and his friends, have written a letter in their blood, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to avenge the deaths of the CRPF personnel.

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A toddler, who was playing marbles with a friend on Sunday evening and who had put his hand into a hole that a marble had slipped into, died some hours later when doctors discovered he had been bitten by a snake.

Although he was bleeding from the hand when he went home, it was only when he started vomiting some six hours later that his parents rushed him to a hospital, where he died later. They were shocked to hear that he had been bitten by a snake.

The police have identified the child as Krishna Naik-Rathod, 4. The Pimpri police station has registered the case of accidental death and are probing the case. Senior inspector Ranganathan Under of Pimpri police station said, "Krishna was playing marbles with his friend on Sunday evening near an under-construction area.

As a marble fell into one of the many holes in the ground there, he put his hand in, attempting to bring it out. He suddenly felt something was not right and when he pulled out his hand, it was bleeding from a small wound. He came running to his parents. However, as the parents did not know exactly how he had sustained the wound, they applied some medicine and he rushed back out to play."

He added, "He started vomiting and was rushed to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial hospital, where he was declared dead while undergoing treatment." Krishna's father Apurva said, "We cannot believe this has happened to us."

Also Read: Heavily drunk man survives after biting and killing poisonous snake in Madhya Pradesh

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested two superintendents posted at the Goods and Service Tax (GST) office for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe.

Those arrested have been identified as Vivek Dekate and Sanjeev Kumar. A complaint was registered against two under Section 7 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The two accused were produced before the Special CBI Judge, who remanded them to three-day CBI custody.

The officers were caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from the complainant. The amount has been recovered from their possession.

The complainant alleged that the accused demanded Rs 3 lakh in order to settle the service tax liability for the financial year 2016-17. Further probe is on.

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Author Nayantara Sahgal on Tuesday said the message from those in power was clear -- either agree with them or suffer the consequences. Sahgal, who was conferred with the first Bhai Vaidya Smruti Gaurav Puraskar here, could not attend the award ceremony in person but a pre-recorded video speech was played at the event. The award was received by noted author Kiran Nagarkar on behalf of Sahgal. "We are living in an India that has no connection with our modern political past.

Secularism is under attack. Equal rights and equal citizenship are in tatters, and Indians have been divided into Hindus and others," Sahgal said in the video clip. "The truth is that this divide is not between Hindus and others. It is between a militant creed called Hindutva and those whom it calls others, and it is a negation of all that Hinduism represents," she added. Sahgal asserted that many Hindus were opposed to this communal ideology and its political agenda of vengeance and violence against fellow Indians whom it termed as outsiders. She said its objective was the setting up of a "Hindu Rashtra" in place of our secular democracy, in which the State would have no role in religion.

"Those whom Hindutva calls others are now classed as outsiders and the Muslims among them are being treated as enemies of the state," Sahgal said. She added that a questioning mind, scientific outlook, rational approach, creative imagination and freedom of expression had no place in today's "backward-looking New India", which was ignoring the fact that the nation was a democracy. "In a democracy, citizens are not arrested and jailed on false charges of sedition and on invented conspiracy theories. Citizens who are guilty of no crime are not publicly tortured and lynched because they are Muslims. Mob attacks on mainly Muslims do not take place. Christian churches do not get vandalised by mobs.

Christianity is now under fire," she claimed. Sahgal added that in a democracy, citizens were not shot dead by gun-toting motorcyclists, as had happened to five eminent rationalists and free thinkers who were killed for rejecting superstition in favour of reason and for their independent views. Above all, she said in a democracy, criminals were arrested and convicted for their crimes. "The reverse is happening here. Criminals roam free, protected and even congratulated by the ruling power," she said in the recorded speech. "The message from those in power is clear. Either agree with us or suffer the consequences. All this is, of course, a direct attack on our Constitution which guarantees life, liberty and equality to all Indians," she stressed.

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The motto of the Bhosale family from Pune's Rasta Peth area can be described as `the family that votes together, stays together'. Continuing a tradition, 27 members of the family voted in the Lok Sabha election Tuesday.

While the eldest among them was 95-year-old Parvatibai Bhosale, the youngest was her 26-year-old grandson Niranjan. The family lives in a 'waada', a specimen of old-style architecture for which Pune was once famous. They walked to the nearby polling centre in a procession Tuesday morning.

"We are six brothers, and ours is a joint family. In every election we step out together and exercise our franchise," said 60-year-old Jaysingh Bhosale, himself a former corporator. For the last few days, they were also creating awareness about importance of voting in their neighbourhood, he said.

"The eldest voter in our family is our mother, who is 95 years old. Despite being wheelchair-bound, she makes sure that she casts vote in every election," he said. Parvatibai told PTI that she would be happy if people were inspired by her family and went out and voted. The BJP's Girish Bapat, a state minister, is pitted against Congress' Mohan Joshi in Pune.

An average 46.28 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm in 14 seats of Maharashtra where polling for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections was underway on Tuesday, an official said. Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside several booths.

The Kolhapur Lok Sabha constituency recorded 54.27 per cent voting till 3 pm, followed by Hatkanangale, where there was 52.27 per cent polling, according to the state election office.

The voting figures in other constituencies are as follows: Jalgaon-42.62 per cent, Raver-46.04 per cent, Jalna-49.4 per cent, Aurangabad-47.36 per cent, Raigad-47.97 per cent, Pune-36.29 per cent, Baramati-45.35 per cent, Ahmednagar-45.65 per cent, Madha-44.13 per cent, Sangli- 46.64 per cent, Satara-44.77 per cent and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg- 47.18 per cent.

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Over 100 policemen, who were attacked by an angry mob when they had gone to a minority dominated area in the city to quarantine some people, have tested negative for coronavirus, a top police official said on Tuesday.

Of the 126 miscreants arrested, five had tested positive creating a scare not only in Padarayanapura, but also among the police personnel who apprehended them and the staff at the Ramanagara district jail, where they were initially lodged. Sharing the information on Twitter, Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said, "Led by our Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, over 100 of us policemen who had ventured into Padrayanapura underwent the Covid 19 Test and to much relief came Negative. Blessings of Bangaloreans."

On April 19, a police team had gone to Padarayanapura locality with some health officials to quarantine 43 people, who were the primary and secondary contacts of a COVID-19 patient, and were thrashed by a violent crowd. Five cases were registered in this connection and 126 were arrested.

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A class 12 student allegedly committed suicide in Gurugram's upscale residential condominium in DLF phase 5 area on Tuesday night The deceased, a resident of DLF Carlton Estate, jumped from the balcony of his flat on 11th floor of the building at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday. The local police is investigating his alleged involvement in Bois Locker Room Instagram account.

"We have seized his mobile phone and sent to forensic lab for analysis. We have also involved cyber crime cell to investigate his social media accounts and nature of chatting he does, to understand his character and possible reason of taking extreme step," said Deepak Kumar, SHO of sector 53 police station.

The police official ruled out any foul play during preliminary investigation. The deceased has not left any suicide note. Further action will be taken only after detailed reports of his mobile analysis is received. As of now, legal proceedings under CrPC 174 have been initiated.

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Beautiful is about “Can a man take it , if his woman becomes more successful than him?” It’s not about professional jealousy like Abhimaan and Aashiqui 2 but it’s about Male pride It’s a conceptual sequel to Rangeela as in the rich girl accepted the poor guy in the climax of Rangeela ..But can the poor guy really live under the rich girl’s shadow swallowing his self respect ..That’s what Beautiful is about.  

Karan Johar's kids Yash and Roohi certainly have a fascination for their father's closet, and are hovering around that place most of the times. Quite understandable, given that Karan is a known fashion freak and has piles of interesting clothes in his closet.

And apart from that, he also has a tijori inside one of the cupboards! This was a discovery for us, and the credit goes to Yash who thought it to be a washing machine and opened the cupboard door for us! Karan can't stop laughing when Yash tells him it is a washing machine, and says that his tijori is empty, thanks to the present economic condition, and a washing machine would actually be much more useful. LOL! He shared the video on Instagram and wrote, "Well we are now back in the closet but this time with a twist".

 

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Well we are now back in the closet but this time with a twist #lockdownwiththejohars

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) on May 6, 2020 at 11:08pm PDT

The huge closet might attract them, but Yash and Roohi aren't always very delighted with their dad's choices. Just some days ago, they mistook one of his fancy Manish Malhotra kurtas as their grandmother Hiroo Johar's dress. Another time, they were seen picking Karan's frames and calling them stupid.

Stern critics in the house!

Bepannaah is one of the few Indian television serials that have left a mark on its audience. It has been a year and a half since the show went off-air and it still seems to be making rounds in the news. Starring Harshad Chopda, Jennifer Winget, Sehban Azim, Namita Dubey, Rajesh Khattar, Shehzad Shaikh, Anchal Goswami, Parineeta Borthakur and more, this show will always have a special place in its audience’s hearts. The star cast still shares a special bond with each other and make sure to get together whenever possible.

Rajesh Khattar, who played Harshwardhan Hooda on the show, has recently had a baby boy named Vanraj. Taking to his Instagram, Rajesh has revealed the first picture of baby Vanraj Khattar and the internet couldn’t stop gushing over the little cutie! He also shared pictures of Harshad Chopda and Shehzad Shaikh meeting Vanraj for the first time. The caption reads, “#throwback Reel one’s awed by Real One ♥️♥️ @harshad_chopda @shehzadss #vanrajkhattar”

Take a look at the pictures and they are going to leave you in awe of this trio, too!

 

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#throwback Reel one’s awed by Real One ♥️♥️ @harshad_chopda @shehzadss #vanrajkhattar

A post shared by Rajesh Khattar (@rajesh_khattar) on May 7, 2020 at 7:58am PDT

Also Read: HOT ALERT! Harshad Chopda’s SHIRTLESS picture will drive your midweek blues away!

A huge collaboration has dropped. Singers Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande have teamed up for their first-ever collaboration 'Stuck With U' which is for Covid-19 relief. After years of wait, the two singers have come together for a very special cause.

The lyrics goes, "So, lock the door and throw out the key / Can't fight this no more, It's just you and me / And there's nothin' I, nothin' I, I can do / I'm stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you."

“Grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic,” Ariana said on her Instagram.

 

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Stuck With U by me and @justinbieber. May 8. ???? grateful to announce that my friend and i have partnered with @1strcf and @sb_projects on this release. proceeds from the streams and sales of #stuckwithu will be donated to first responders children’s foundation to fund grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, police officers and firefighters serving at the front lines during the global pandemic ???? pre-save now and check back later today for more. ???????????? artwork by one of my favorite artists @lianafinck

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on May 1, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Justin Bieber said in a statement to Just Jared, “More than ever we are seeing the selfless, tireless and amazing work that doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers give to the world every day. It is our hope we can lend our voices to raise awareness and give much-needed support for them and their families. It’s my honor to come together with my friend Ariana and our SB Projects family to try and do some good.”

 

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2 babies all grown up finally collaborate! Excited for tonight @arianagrande

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on May 7, 2020 at 5:17pm PDT

Check it out:

ALSO READ: When BTS member Jungkook attended Ariana Grande’s concert during Sweetener tour, watch videos

Sanjay Mishra starrer Kaamyaab hit the screens on 6th March 2020. The film captured the journey of the character actors. Recently, The Alchemist author Paulo Coehlo praised the film and his performance.

Taking to Twitter, he said, “The producers thank you in the very 1st frame, @iamsrk. I am doing the same. 2 days ago a great Brazilian actor, Flavio Migliaccio, committed suicide, leaving a note on how the industry treats their artists. This movie, labeled as “comedy”, is in fact the tragedy of Art.”

Shah Rukh Khan was quick to respond to his tweet. As the presenter of the film, he said, “Saw the film when it was doing Festival rounds and it touched a chord with the whole team at @RedChilliesEnt Am so moved you appreciate. It’s a sad truth that character actors get forgotten. Look after yourself my friend and be safe & healthy.”

Sanjay Mishra recently spoke to a daily and said that when the emotions of a film connect, language is not the issue. He said that though neither he nor his mother have read Paulo’s books, he told her that he is a well-known author. She said to Sanjay that his father would be proud of him. He said that he received congratulatory messages from his father’s civil services colleagues too.

As Paulo mentioned how a Brazilian actor committed suicide, Sanjay revealed that many of his friends are currently jobless due to lockdown. He said that those who have jobs could lose it one day but some of them didn’t even have it to begin with. He further said this goes for the senior artistes who get written off irrespective of their contribution to the cinema. Sanjay Mishra said that an actor is also society’s responsibility.

The story revolves around how a character actor after his retirement is all set to make a record of 500 films and continue his hustle. Sanjay Mishra and Deepak Dobriyal starred n the film as Mishra had undergone a prosthetics transformation for every character shown on-screen.

Kaamyaab had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival followed by screenings at Festival du film d'Asie du Sud Paris, New York City South Asian Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, Shanghai International Film Festival, as well as the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

ALSO READ: Author Paulo Coelho appreciates Shah Rukh Khan for Kaamyaab; actor reveals why he produced it

Spanish drama Money Heist aka Le Casa De Papel on Netflix has quickly become of the most-watched shows on the streaming giant. From El Profesor to Tokio, fans absolutely love the characters. Bollywood Hungama recently shared the dream cast if Bollywood adapted it as a film.

During a recent interaction with Behindwoods, Money Heist director Alex Rodrigo was asked who would he select from the list of the Indian actors for the Indian version. Alex chose South superstar Thalapathy Vijay for the role of El Profesor whereas he said Shah Rukh Khan would be best suited for Berlin's role. He further said Ajith Kumar could play Bogota, Ranveer Singh as Denver. He wanted Mahesh Babu and Suriya to take on the roles Tamayo and Suarez. Thalapathy Vijay's fans trended 'Money Heist' in India on Thursday night on Twitter.

Created by Álex Pina, Money Heist aka Le Casa De Papel stars Álvaro Morte as The Professor, Itziar Ituño as Raquel, Úrsula Corberó as Tokyo, Miguel Herrán as Rio, Jaime Lorente Lopez as Denver, Alba Flores as Nairobi, Darko Peric as Helsinki, Esther Acebo as Monica, Hovik Keuchkerian, Rodrigo de la Serna, and Pedro Alonso as Berlin.

ALSO READ: From Shah Rukh Khan to Alia Bhatt, here’s the dream cast of Money Heist if remade in Bollywood

Kartik Aaryan’s last performance was with Sara Ali Khan in Love Aaj Kal and it was his best performance so far. He got to explore a lot of new aspects of himself as an actor when he played the characters of Veer and Raghu in the Imtiaz Ali’s directorial. The actor took to his Instagram to write a heartfelt note of gratitude to the director and thanked him for all his support so far.

He posted the picture with the caption, “When you first dream of being in films, you act in front of the mirror and nail it every time, and the world of movies seems magical. 
Then you get a movie. You see the camera and are unnerved. It’s bigger than the suitcase you brought to Mumbai. The bright lights seem to be scolding you for not landing on a one inch tape mark and wasting everyones time. The first few years become about trying not to look nervous. 
Then you get an Imtiaz Ali movie. The moment he narrates the story, you are pulled into a dream. I don’t even remember seeing the camera on his set, he‘d always be standing wherever I looked after cut. He was never at the monitor, he was by my side. The lights on Imtiaz Ali’s set help you find those tape marks.

I have never experienced the kind of love and appreciation I have got for my performance in Love Aaj Kal, and that too from some of my favourite filmmakers and people I most respect in the industry. How ironic that the making of this film felt most effortless! It would scare me to think of doing two characters in one movie. And here, I didn’t even realise how smoothly I was being transitioned between #Veer and #Raghu . For an actor, there is no better environment than being In front of that mirror. Imtiaz Ali takes you there. This is the reason why so many great actors’ greatest performances have been in Imtiaz Ali films. Imtiaz Ali director nahi hain, jadugar hain! Thank you sir for giving me the best performance of my career yet. ❤️ @imtiazaliofficial #LoveAajKal”

 

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A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) on May 7, 2020 at 10:48pm PDT

Kartik Aaryan will next be seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Dostana 2.

Also Read: Kartik Aaryan describes his quarantine routine as his sister takes a sweet revenge and slaps him during a video

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

On May 8, Amitabh Bachchan remembered two late actors - Irrfan Khan and Sridevi. He took to social media to share stills from Khuda Gawah and Piku as the films complete 28 years and 5 years respectively. Both Sridevi and Irrfan Khan have been two of the finest actors of the film industry and left the world a little too soon.

The Shahenshah actor took to Instagram and shared a collage of a still from both films. Sharing the picture, he wrote, “28 years of KHUDA GAWAH .. 5 years of PIKU .. today 8th May .. and in remembrance of the two that have left us.”

 

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28 years of KHUDA GAWAH .. 5 years of PIKU .. today 8th May .. and in remembrance of the two that have left us ????

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) on May 8, 2020 at 10:27am PDT

Amitabh Bachchan even took to his blog to share some memories of the films. “28 years of Khuda Gawah .. 5 years of Piku .. vivid as ever .. alive in memory .. lost in the remembrance of the two from there .. exceptional in presence and talent .. and leaving at such short presence .. But a third too from Khuda Gawah .. the director Mukul S Anand .. left too early .. the magic of his vision .. his eyes were magical camera lenses .. even after this large interval the frames he did were extraordinary .. Khuda Gawah .. the shooting in Afghanistan .. a book shall be required to describe that detail .. hopefully some day ..” he wrote talking about Khuda Gawah.

Remembering Piku in which he shared screen with Irrfan Khan and Deepika Padukone, he wrote, “.. and Piku .. each day spent in the delight of inventing, ad libbing .. making that which has not been written or described , but felt .. doing that which even during the early working days at Calcutta were never done .. cycling the streets ..”

ALSO READ:  Abhishek Bachchan shares fond memories of traveling with Amitabh Bachchan for live stage shows

If not for the lockdown, Sara Ali Khan and Varun Dhawan starrer Coolie No 1 would have been playing in the theatres right now. The film directed by David Dhawan is a remake of the 1995 film of the same name starring Govinda and Karisma Kapoor. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Sara Ali Khan spoke about her experience working with Varun Dhawan.

Three-film-old Sara Ali Khan worked with Varun Dhawan for the first time. While the trailer of their film has not been released yet, fans are already rooting for this pairing based on the pictures from the sets of Coolie No 1 and the camaraderie shared by the two on social media. Talking about her experience working with Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan said, “I think I had an absolute blast working with Varun. Firstly, I think he knows his job so, so well and he is fully focussed on that, which I think is important when you are on a film set. That side, I think he is very, very supportive as a co-actor. He is superbly friendly and he is a lot of fun. I think I had one of my best experiences so far working with him. He knows how to be professional and serious and we need to give work the importance it needs and deserves, but he is also, in general, a very fun and chill person. So, I think he is one of the only people who I have worked with and actually hang with as well. I really like that about him. He is definitely one of my favourites.”

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