Lady Gaga on Sunday kicked off the virtual concert One World: Together At Home online with her soulful Smile performance. According to Variety magazine, Smile is a classic majorly popularised by Jimmy Durante and Nat King Cole.

The musician had co-ordinated with the leaders from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other musicians to begin the show.

Lady Gaga started the show by asking viewers to put their wallets aside as the show wasn't a fundraiser and didn't ask for donations. The online concert was organised to express gratitude towards the frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Terming the special show as the 'love letter to the world,' the pop star shared pictures and videos of other performers as well.

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.

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

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

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

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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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The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle made her first TV appearance on Monday since stepping down as a senior member of the British Royal family alongside her husband Prince Harry. According to Us Weekly, Markle's appearance on 'Good Morning America' was pre-recorded. The clip was to promote 'Elephant' the Disneynature documentary the 38-year-old narrated for the Disney+ streaming service.

The 'Suits' actor said in the interview which was recorded in the summer of 2019, "I'm really grateful to have the opportunity of bringing the story of elephants to life."

"I've been very lucky to be able to have hands-on experience with elephants in their natural habitat. When you spend time connecting with them and the other wildlife, you really understand we have a role to play in their preservation and safety," she continued.

"I hope that when people see this film they realise how connected we all are, and if we had more of an awareness about the obstacles we're facing, I think we'd take care of each other, this planet and animals in a very different way," shared the Duchess of Sussex.

The 35-year-old couple Markle and Harry initially moved to Vancouver Island in Canada with their 11-month-old son Archie before relocating to her native Los Angeles.

The couple, back in January, announced they will take 'a step back' as senior members of the royal family and instead work independently, splitting their time between the United Kingdom and North America.

The Duke and the Duchess of Sussex said their decision came "after many months of reflection and internal discussions."

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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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Australian actor Chris Hemsworth shared the details on a very relatable first introduction. According to Fox News, the 36-year-old actor told People magazine about meeting actor Brad Pitt at the star's premiere for his 2019 film, 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood'.

As per the outlet, Hemsworth was a little starstruck by Pitt and that's when things got bit awkward. The 'Star Trek' actor shared: "He went to do a handshake and I went for the hug, he was fine with it," Hemsworth recalled, noting that he "didn't get attacked" by Pitt's "security team or anything."

Hemsworth said of the actor, "It was fantastic. He was as wonderful and pleasant as I'd hoped and imagined." In the Quentin Tarantino-directed film, Pitt co-starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and the film was sei in the final years of Hollywood's Golden age.

Although Hemsworth didn't appear in the movie, a lot of stars attended its Los Angeles premiere to be one of the first to view the movie, reported People magazine.

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Veteran actress Julie Andrews says she wants a third part of "The Princess Diaries" franchise to happen soon as she is "getting awfully old". It's been 16 years since the second film in "The Princess Diaries" film opened. The series also stars Anne Hathaway.

During her appearance on "The Talk", the 84-year-old actress opened up about the prospect of a third movie, reports dailymail.co.uk. "It's long been talked about but nothing sort of been on my desk or anything like that. I think I would (do it). I'm getting awfully old and crotchety," she said.

Andrews played Queen Clarisse Renaldi, the ruler of Genovia in "The Princess Diaries", with Hathaway playing her granddaughter, Princess Mia Thermopolis.

The first movie followed the Queen as she groomed the princess to rule the land of Genovia. The movie made on a $26 million budget was a surprise hit. In 2004, Andrews and Hathaway reunited for the sequel "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement", about Mia preparing for marriage and finding love.

Talking about the franchise, Andrews said: "'I'm not sure if it's the right timing, but I think to work with Annie (Hathaway) would be lovely again. And yeah, sure I would be up for it. I think we should wait if the script comes in just wait for that."

Filmmaker Garry Marshall, who passed away in 2016, directed both movies, with Gina Wendkos writing the first movie and Shonda Rhimes writing the sequel.

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"Jurassic Park" child star Joe Mazzello says he is not coming back to the franchise yet. Mazzello as a child essayed the role of Tim Murphy, grandson of the park founder John Hammond, in 1993's "Jurassic Park" and the 1997 sequel "The Lost World: Jurassic Park". Recently, actor Chris Pratt said that the original cast is slated to return for "Jurassic World 3".

According to a source, Mazzello hasn't yet been contacted by the studio to reprise his role in the film franchise, reports pagesix.com.

"I hope we get to find out someday (what happens to Tim)," Mazzello told fans during a YouTube Q&A recently after watching the movie on a live-stream together.

The 36-year-old then hinted that he wasn't reprising his character, saying: "I do think about it all the time because there's so much I think that you could like do with this character."

He said: "Like, he was like sort of the obvious heir to, like, John Hammond's fortune. He was the heir to Jurassic Park and, like, would this experience have turned him away from dinosaurs and make him hate dinosaurs?

"I do think it would be amazing to see what happened to Tim Murphy, you know as an adult, and I don't know … there's so much you can do with that character and yeah, you never know, but maybe one day we'll be able to find out," he added. "They got to make a lot more movies, that's what I'm saying, OK? A lot more films," he added.

According to the source, "millions of 'Jurassic Park' fans have been extremely upset" since Mazzello made the remarks.

"This character is iconic and part of so many of the fans' lives. Joe's comments alluded that there needed to be more movies in order for his character to possibly come back. It's not up to Joe, it's up to the studio and director if they want the entire original cast or not," added the source.

The film has "no set timetable to start production" amid the ongoing coronavirus shutdown. It has a tentative release date of June 11, 2021.

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Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has expressed her condolences on the demise of Indian actor Irrfan Khan, in a message shared with IANS.

"I had the privilege of working with Irrfan Khan on the set of A Mighty Heart. He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him. I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world," Jolie said in her message.

"A Mighty Heart", is a 2007 drama directed by Michael Winterbottom based on the 2003 memoir of the same name by Mariane Pearl. The film accounts the aftermath of the kidnapping of Marianne's journalist husband Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, and his subsequent beheading by the kidnappers.

Jolie played Marianne Pearl while Irrfan impressed Karachi police chief Zeeshan Kazmi, in a well-written role. Most of the Karachi sequences of the film were shot in Pune.

The critically-acclaimed film was screened out of competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, and is widely considered one of the earliest films to train the global spotlight on Irrfan Khan.

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Dame Judi Dench didn't like her look in Tom Hooper's recent film, "Cats", and says she was "battered and mangy".

Featuring Andrew Lloyd Weber's iconic music and team of dancers under the guidance of Tony-winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler, the film re-imagined the musical for a new generation. The film was criticised widely, and even labelled as the worst film of 2019 at the Razzies.

In an interview with British Vogue, Dench, who essayed the role of Old Deuteronomy in the film, opened up about her look, reports dailymail.co.uk.

"The cloak I was made to wear! Like five foxes f**king on my back," she said.

The film was shot on green screen, and Dench admitted that she wasn't aware of her look while shooting.

The Oscar-winning star was unhappy with the appearance in the film. She was hoping she would look elegant but instead felt that she resembled "a battered, mangy old cat. A great big orange bruiser".
"Cats" also stars James Corden, Taylor Swift, Idris Elba and Jennifer Hudson.

Opening up about her ideal role, Dench revealed that she wants to play someone "who everyone thinks is a kindly, saintly, beautified kind of person, and she's actually killing people".

After spending almost 60 years in the industry, Dench said she still has no plans to retire.

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The Panchgani police have booked a Mumbai based adventure firm for negligence after a 45-year-old South Korean national died when his glider crashed during an event near Panchgani in Satara district. The police identified the deceased as Sang Teak Oh, a professional paraglider.

Superintendent of Police, Satara, Pankaj Deshmukh said Oh's last rites will be performed in Wai as his family members have given their consent. Oh came to India on a tourist visa and landed in Wai on February 10.

Assistant Police Inspector Trupti Sonawane said, "On Tuesday evening, Oh took off from Rajpuri near Panchgani, but strayed off the course and descended into forest area. He was rescued by the team present at the event, but had been seriously injured by then."

She added, "He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital in Wai. We have registered a case against the event firm and arrested its event manager under IPC section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence). Oh's body was handed over to the Korean embassy after a postmortem."

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Soon after the Bollywood movie trailer on the biopic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was out, the opposition on Thursday strongly opposed claiming that it is violating moral Code of Conduct of election. The teaser trailer of the biopic was released on Thursday.

In Pune, once the trailer was out, the NCP warned the Pune theatre association to avoid showcasing the movie or bear consequences. The NCP was supported by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Speaking to mid-day, Balashaheb Patil, President Art and Culture president of Maharashtra State said, "We have warned the Theatre Association in Pune and on Friday we will be filing moral code of conduct violation by BJP. As this biopic that is an attempt to influence voters, we will report to the administration that the movie is a violation of the election code of conduct. If this movie is released, the theatres they will have to bear consequences and the film producers, distributors and administration will be responsible for it."

Actor Vivek Oberoi plays the lead role in the upcoming biopic on Narendra Modi. Besides Vivek, the film also stars Suresh Oberoi, Barkha Sengupta, Prashant Narayanan, Darshan Kumar, Boman Irani, Zarina Wahab, Manoj Joshi, Anjan Shrivastav, Karan Patel and Akshat R Saluja. The film is produced by Sandip Ssingh.

Also Read: PM Narendra Modi biopic violating Election Commission rules?

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In a shocking revelation in the Palghar mob-lynching case, nine out of 110 men arrested in the barbaric killings of three people at Kasa Taluka, are juveniles. Mid-day was the first to report that 110 men were taken into police custody in connection with the horrendous crime that surfaced on Thursday evening.

The Palghar police said nine out of 110 who are juveniles, have been sent to remand home in Bhiwandi.

“We have checked the Aadhaar cards of all those who were taken into custody in the mob lynching case. Nine out of 110 are juveniles and they have been sent to children remand home in Bhiwandi,” Palghar police Public Relations Officer (PRO) told mid-day.

The officer further added that the roles of these juveniles are being ascertained as the investigators are scanning the CCTV cameras of the spot where the trio including two priests and a cab driver were lynched by aggressive mob of nearly 450 men who belong to the tribal community of Kasa Taluka in Palghar district.

The combing operation to arrest accused absconding in Palghar mob lynching case is on full swing.

A woman officer who was fired upon while probing a Rs 200-crore bank fraud case some weeks ago has been appointed temporary in charge of Kasa police station in Palghar where three people were lynched by a mob late Thursday night.

The incident happened near Gadchinchale village on the Dhabadi-Khanvel road under Kasa police station limits. Three people from Kandivali in Mumbai, identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) and driver Nilesh Telgade (30), were pulled out of their car and beaten to death in the presence of a police team that had rushed to the site to save them. Officials said Palghar Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh appointed Assistant Inspector Siddhava Jaibhaye as Kasa police station incharge after the incumbent API and PSI were placed under suspension for Thursday's incident.

Jaibhaye's car took a bullet hit on March 7 at Virar Phata, some days after seven people were arrested for trying to steal Rs 200 crore by hacking the bank account of a corporate entity. Jaibhaye, attached to the Palghar Crime Branch at the time, was instrumental in foiling the hacking bid. Meanwhile, a new case had been registered in Khanvel in Silvassa against a mob which attacked a Talasari police team that was rushing to the lynching site as reinforcement, officials said.

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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

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

Kriti Kharbanda, needless to say, is one of the fittest actresses of Bollywood. She has always been a fitness enthusiast and tries different forms of workout to keep it interesting. Her recent Instagram post has left us all wondering if there’s anything that she cannot do with perfection. The video has really motivated us to think of new ways to start working out.

She posted the video with the caption, “Throwback to my favourite form of workout! Definitely regret not installing a pole at home. Adding this to my to-do list post the lockdown! What’s on your list !? What do u really miss doing!?”

Watch the video, right here.

 

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A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) on May 7, 2020 at 7:44am PDT

On the work front, Kriti Kharbanda will next be seen in Bulbul Marriage Hall with beau Pulkit Samrat, produced by Salman Khan.

Also Read: Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda to star in Salman Khan’s next production venture

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

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.”

Watch video here:

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.

A non-invasive system being developed by EU-funded researchers could make radiotherapy a safer and more-effective treatment for cancer patients by creating a visual dosage map of the tumour and the surrounding healthy tissue.

EU-funded researchers hope a greater understanding of interactions between pertussis bacteria and the immune system, together with a toolkit for testing new vaccines, will help prevent whooping cough disease and deaths in babies worldwide.

Treatment guidance for prostate cancer patients is not optimal because current clinical tests do not clearly differentiate between slow-growing and aggressive forms. An EU-funded project is addressing this by studying the underlying molecular mechanisms of the disease to enable personalised and effective treatment.

South African model Anna Modler has given clear indication that she is in lockdown with Chilean footballer Alexis Sanchez.

Rumours of Anna dating the footballer emerged after she shared a picture of her posing next to Alexis's Golden Retrievers, Atom and Humber last month.

Last week, she shared another picture on Instagram with the canines and wrote: "Thank you for stopping me from working out. I agree, it's definitely time to eat."

Commenting on the picture, one of her model friends, Morgan Shelly wrote in South African slang: "Lekker man. Nice to see you're hanging out with your family," to which, she replied: "Thank you Morgan."

Meanwhile, a follower commented: "Isn't love beautiful!! You made Alexis happy. Stay with him."

Another wrote: "Come on!! We all know you Alexis girlfriend. Post a photo with him already."

Interestingly, neither Alexis, 31, nor Anna, 22, follow each other on social media, but Anna does follow the Instagram account of the footballer's pets.

Alexis and Anna were first pictured together at a train station in Wilmslow, United Kingdom, last August before the former Arsenal star left Manchester United.

However, her identity was a mystery then.

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Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates have donated half of their bonus for qualifying for the Euro 2020 finals to help amateur football in the country that has been hit by the coronavirus shutdown. The Portuguese football federation said on Monday the money would go towards a fund that it hopes will reach 4.7 million euros ($5.1 million) to help amateur clubs survive the crisis.

The federation last week decided to end the already-suspended amateur season with immediate effect, declaring the season null and void without champions, promotion or relegation. No decision has been taken on resuming professional football but the president of the Portuguese league said in late March he was determined the season should be completed.

"It is fundamental that the championships end because it would allow some sort of normality to be restored and we could prepare for next season knowing who has qualified for international competitions, who the champions are and who is relegated," Pedro Proenca said. Portugal shocked host nation France to win Euro 2016 but Ronaldo and his teammates will have to wait another year to defend their title as Euro 2020 has been postponed by 12 months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini was discharged on Tuesday after spending more than three weeks in a Chinese hospital being treated for coronavirus. The 32-year-old midfielder, the only player known to have contracted the disease in the Chinese Super League (CSL), will now spend 14 days in quarantine for further observation, his club Shandong Luneng said.

The Belgium international said on March 22 that he had tested positive for the virus, having just returned to China, but assured fans that he was feeling fine. Fellaini posted videos of himself on Instagram exercising in his room while in hospital in the eastern city of Jinan. In an Instagram update on Tuesday, he wrote: "The time has come for me to thank from the bottom of my heart the medical staff of the hospital, their nursing staff as well as my club and its medical staff for taking such good care of me with so much kindness and for ensuring my comfort whilst there. "The hardest part is behind me! Let's keep fighting, it's important."

China, where the outbreak emerged in December, says it has curbed the illness at home but is now worried about a second wave of infections from overseas. Fellaini's positive test dealt a blow to the CSL's hopes of beginning the season any time soon, after its February 22 start date was indefinitely postponed. Fellaini, also formerly of Everton, joined Shandong from Manchester United in February last year for a reported 7.2 million euros.

He enjoyed a productive first season in China, scoring 12 goals in 34 matches and providing five assists.

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Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard is in lockdown in the UK due to the Coronavirus but that hasn't stopped him from keeping in touch with Playboy model, Laura Bragato (right). Italian Laura told British tabloid, The Daily Star that Jesse has been texting her while in self-isolation. "I spoke to Jesse yesterday, and he is staying home like the rest of us. He is safe. In Italy here we are all in lockdown, it's been one month and I hope everything is going to start again here. When it's over, I can't wait to travel. I want to spend my summer in Spain and London" Laura said on Tuesday.

Jesse Lingard

Laura became famous in 2018, when she claimed that her 'lucky' behind would help Italy beat England in the FIFA World Cup. The match ended 1-1 but her pre-match comments, hoping for Jesse to score, saw her earn lakhs of online fans instantly.

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Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba revealed while growing up he was an Arsenal fan. French international idolised Thierry Henry and wanted to follow the footsteps of the countryman.

"I will be honest. So, at the start, I was an Arsenal fan - obviously because of all the French players, you know. Me and my brother were but my other brother was a Manchester United fan," Pogba told United's official podcast.

"I couldn't say anything so I used to love Henry and, because of him, I was an Arsenal fan. Then I changed and went on to choose with my other brother. No Arsenal, I went with the other one, the United fan!" he added.

Pogba came through the youth ranks at Old Trafford while Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge but after only making a handful of appearances for the first team in 2011/12 he left for Juventus in the summer.

He re-joined United in 2016 from Juventus when Jose Mourinho was the manager as he saw it as an opportunity to finish what he had started.

Henry, who had left Arsenal for Barcelona by the time Pogba arrived in England, was not the only iconic Frenchman or all-time great that an energetic midfielder looked up to.

"I had Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, [Zinedine] Zidane, Thierry Henry, Djibril Cisse, Kaka," Pogba said.

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Kevin De Bruyne is recovering from an illness, but the Manchester City star says he is not sure if he had coronavirus. De Bruyne and his family felt ill for around two weeks, but the Belgian international did not find out whether or not it was the virus. "I am doing well, to be honest," De Bruyne told Sky Sports on Friday. "The first two weeks my family was sick so it was a little bit like up and down, but now they are all healthy.

"We don't know if we had it (coronavirus) or not but I think we're doing well now." With De Bruyne recovered, the midfielder is trying to keep as fit as he can while adhering to social distancing rules. The Premier League is suspended indefinitely because of the pandemic, but there remains a chance play will resume this season. "Well, the first two weeks was a little bit weird because I don't know what's going on," De Bruyne said.

"Then I managed to get a treadmill. I was swimming a little bit because I'm lucky to have a pool downstairs. "I was doing a couple of lengths but now mostly I'm doing a run and I would say every other day I would choose between swimming and doing some exercise, so I'm keeping fairly good for what we can on our own, I guess." Asked if City are sending through information and drills, he said: "They send us like a fairly big programme. "I think at the beginning of lockdown some of the gym physios went to the club and made videos of what we can do, different types of exercises.

"But there's a few things that I like to do, obviously it's more the running and the swimming exercise. "I do a little bit in-between but I'm not one for sitting like an hour or two hours in a gym. "I get bored of doing stuff on my own anyway so I prefer to do running, where I keep busy for myself and listen to some podcasts and all that stuff."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Former Liverpool mid-fielder Jamie Redknapp fears arch-rivals Manchester United are set to beat his former club for the signing of Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho. The 20-year-old Englishman is currently one of the most sought-after players in European football and Redknapp believes Sancho will end up in Premier League sooner than later with the Red Devils in pole position to snap the hot shot winger. "I think it is a matter of time with Jadon Sancho coming to the Premier League. We are talking about a genuine superstar. A player that can do incredible things with the ball. Played 70 odd games in the Bundesliga, scored 27 goals from a wide area which is very good," Redknapp told Sky Sports.

"We have missed out on the likes of the Neymars in the Premier League but he can come and really light it up. Personally I would call it. He will be a great signing for whoever he goes to. "I would like to see him at Liverpool, but I think he is going to end up at United though," he added. Since making the move to Bundesliga from Manchester City in 2017, Sancho's rise has been nothing but meteoric. In the last two seasons for Dortmund, Sancho has scored 20 goals and assisted 28 times for the German giants.

Speculations continue to surround Sancho regarding his big move to the Premier League with multiple top teams interested. Dortmund, meanwhile, have made it clear that it will take big bucks to prize Sancho away from the Signal Iduna Park.

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Argentine footballer Paulo Dybala has tested positive for Coronavirus for the fourth time recently. His pop-star girlfriend Oriana Sabatini has also contracted the virus.

However, the couple have continued to keep their spirits high despite the setback. The Argentine pair have been constantly posting pictures and videos on social media to keep themselves and their fans entertained.

In one such post, the Juventus star and Oriana are seen honing their PlayStation skills.
In another video, the Argentine football star is seen working out in his home gym and simultaneously joining in a TikTok dance routine with Oriana.

In yet another video, Paulo is playing the piano while Oriana is singing. Some of Paulo's football pals like Douglas Costa, Claudio Marchisio and Nicolas Tagliafico have been impressed with his musical ability and even commented on the video.

Paulo and Oriana, the niece of Argentine tennis legend Gabriela Sabatini, first met in 2017 but announced their relationship only after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

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Paris Saint-Germain were named as Ligue 1 champions on Thursday after France's football league declared the coronavirus-hit season over, leaving some other clubs disappointed and pondering legal action. PSG led the table by 12 points from Marseille when the season was suspended in mid-March because of the Covid-19 outbreak, which has killed over 24,000 people in France. The announcement by the LFP comes after Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Tuesday that "professional sports leagues, notably football, cannot restart" because of the pandemic.

"There is no ambiguity about this declaration. We needed to make a final decision about this season. We acknowledge that the 2019-20 season is over," said LFP president Nathalie Boy de la Tour, in a conference call with reporters. France becomes the biggest European league yet to end its season, just as its neighbours in England, Germany, Italy and Spain consider ways of resuming matches. Ruling out any possibility of copying the Netherlands, who voided their season without a champion, relegation or promotion, the LFP arranged a final table on the basis of average points per game.

Ten rounds of matches remained when the campaign was halted, although PSG and Strasbourg both had a game in hand. As a result, PSG are champions with an average of 2.52 points per game, with Andre Villas-Boas's Marseille second with an average of 2 points and qualifying for the Champions League.

Title dedicated to health workers

"We wish to dedicate this title to all health workers and other everyday heroes whose commitment and self-sacrifice throughout these long weeks deserve our admiration," said PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi. It is PSG's ninth French title, the seventh in eight seasons for the Qatar-owned club being awarded in unique circumstances and with many of their foreign players -- including Neymar -- having returned to their home countries with France under strict lockdown. "We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French government to stop the season.

Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone's priority," added Al-Khelaifi, whose club still hope to be able to continue their Champions League campaign having reached the quarter-finals before action stopped. Rennes finish third and also qualify for the Champions League, while fourth-placed Lille will play in the Europa League.

Lyon to appeal?

Toulouse and Amiens, the bottom two, are condemned to relegation, with Lorient, as champions, and Lens coming up from Ligue 2. The usual promotion and relegation play-offs, meanwhile, have been ditched. However, Toulouse have kept open the possibility that they might now take legal action. The identity of the other European representatives depends on whether the finals of the two domestic cups are ever played. Large gatherings remain banned in France until September. However, if the French government and UEFA accept, both finals could be staged in early August with European places still up for grabs.

The LFP then hopes to begin next season by August 23 "at the latest". PSG were due to play Lyon in the League Cup final and Saint-Etienne in the French Cup final. If the games are played, Lyon and Saint-Etienne could qualify for the Europa League by winning. Otherwise, Nice and Reims would qualify by virtue of finishing in fifth and sixth in the league. Lyon -- seventh in the table when the season was stopped -- would otherwise miss out on European qualification for the first time in over two decades. Ironically, they were still involved in this season's Champions League when it was suspended, leading Juventus 1-0 after the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas had previously stated his hope that the season could be played to a conclusion via play-offs in August and his club have now hinted at legal action. In a statement on Thursday, Lyon said they "reserve the possibility of trying to appeal against this decision and claiming damages and interest" and adding that "the losses for the club will come to several million euros". For all French clubs, the economic consequences of ending the season now could be dire. Resuming matches behind closed doors would have safeguarded TV income, but the loss for clubs in the top two divisions of remaining payments from broadcasters Canal Plus and beIN Sports is believed to be as high as 243 million euros ($266 million), plus 35 million euros for international rights.

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Manchester City's Argentine footballer Sergio Aguero has revealed that the secret to his goal-scoring prowess is a switch in diet from barbecued beef to chicken.

Sergio, who joined City from Atletico Madrid for £38million (R357 crore) in 2011, is their all-time high scorer with 254 goals from 368 games.

However, he struggled with weight issues until a few years back as his love for barbecued beef steaks lowered his blood pressure, leaving him feeling dizzy on the pitch.

"From 2013 to 2016, I could not adapt to food well. Then, I met an Italian doctor online and told him what I usually ate, which was a lot of meat. He said I should try chicken at least once a week. Initially, I was like 'uhhh' but then I adapted. He told me that if I'm very hungry, I should put rice and chicken together. Today, I'm a big fan of rice. Earlier, my weight was 81 or 81.3 kg. Now I am 79.5. In football, even if it's only half a kilo, you feel the difference. It's incredible," Sergio, 31, told Argentine TV channel, TyC Sports.

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Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, 35, could be expecting his fifth child going by an indication from his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez, 26, via social media.

On Monday, just before leaving for Turin, Italy from Madeira in Portugal where they spent nearly two months, Georgina hinted in a social media post that she was pregnant.

She Instagrammed this blurred picture (above) of herself chewing gum with the words 'baby girl' accompanied by a heart wrapped in a bow emoji.

Cristiano has four children, Cristiano Jr, nine, twins Eva and Mateo, two, born via a surrogate mother and Alana Martina, two, from Georgina. Cristiano and his family arrived in Italy, where he will now self-isolate for two weeks before resuming training with his club, Juventus.

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Portuguese footballer Bernardo Silva has reportedly found love during the ongoing Coronavirus-caused lockdown.

The Manchester City star, who split from his French model girlfriend Alicia Verrando two years ago, is said to be in a relationship with Portuguese model Ines Tomaz.

According to a report in the Portuguese media, Bernardo has been in lockdown near Lisbon in Portugal with Ines for over a month, but the couple are not keen to rush into things.

"They've not been together for very long and they want to take things slowly," a source told Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha.

It is learnt that Bernardo and Ines have been watching Netflix, playing the piano and even learning to cook together. Bernardo revealed last week that he was in quarantine with a group, including Ines, and had even posted a picture of the bunch on social media.

"Hey guys, it's been over a month that we're all locked down in our homes so I have decided to show you a little bit of what our quarantine looks like. This is the group of friends with whom I'm spending my quarantine," he wrote.

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Manchester City's Kyle Walker says he is being "harassed" after admitting he breached coronavirus lockdown rules to visit his sister and parents. The defender was forced to issue an apology last month after media reports that he had hosted a party at his home. But Walker has hit back at the latest stories, insisting that he is being targeted and that the ongoing controversy is affecting his family's health.

In a statement on his official Twitter feed, Walker wrote: "I have recently gone through one of the toughest periods of my life, which I take full responsibility for. "However, I now feel as though I am being harassed. "This is no longer solely affecting me, but affecting the health of my family and my young children too." Walker admitted contravening coronavirus regulations again by visiting Sheffield to see his sister and his parents -- for which he could be fined and cautioned by police.
"In relation to the events on Wednesday, I travelled to Sheffield to give my sister a birthday card and present, but also to speak to one of the few people I believe I can trust in my life," he said.

"She hugged me to remind me that she cares and that I am loved. What am I meant to do -- push her away? "I then travelled to my parents' house to pick up some home-cooked meals. Again, it's been an extremely tough couple of months for them." He criticised the media for invading the privacy of his family, saying he constantly felt he was being followed.

Aston Villa's Jack Grealish was forced to apologise in March after breaching lockdown rules, while Everton strongly criticised Moises Kean for hosting a party last month.

Walker said the response to his actions had been disproportionate, raising mental health concerns and saying his family had been "torn apart" by the continuing scrutiny.

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Dance films have been a rage in the West and in Bollywood, this genre got an establishment thanks to ABCD – ANY BODY CAN DANCE [2013]. Directed by Remo Dsouza, it starred unknown faces and yet fetched a decent opening and did good business at the box office. The series got a boost as the second part, ABCD – ANY BODY CAN DANCE – 2 [2015] starred Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor and was a Rs. 100 crore grosser and the first such film for both the actors. Now Varun, Shraddha and Remo join hands once again for STREET DANCER 3D, which is also in the same zone as the ABCD films. This time, they promise to take the dance and madness many notches higher. So does STREET DANCER 3D manage to fulfil the expectations? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse. <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1066172" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Movie-Review-Street-Dancer-3D.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Street Dancer 3D" width="720" height="450" /> STREET DANCER 3D is the story of two warring groups uniting for a larger cause with the backdrop of dance. Sahej (Varun Dhawan) is an Indian origin British resident based in London with his family. He and his brother Inder (Punit J Pathak) are a part of a dance group called Street Dancers. Inder had participated in a globally reputed dance performance called Ground Zero. Sadly, in the final act of his dance performance, he gets injured and breaks his knee. Two years later, Sahej travels to Punjab, India for a wedding. He returns with lot of money which he uses to buy a dance studio. He tells Inder that he got this money by performing back home. Sahej reunites the Street Dancers gang and they begin their street dance performances. In the same locality, another dance group resides called Rule Breakers. They are of Pakistani origin and comprise of Inayat (Shraddha Kapoor), Zayn (Salman Yusuff Khan) among others. Their dance is quite superior and both groups often get into tussles. Sahej realizes that Street Dancer group has to get their dance moves right. He takes the help of Nora (Nora Fatehi), a dancer in a British dance group called The Royals and also his girlfriend. She improves the dance of the group. Street Dancers and Rule Breakers often assemble at a restaurant run by Prabhu Anna (Prabhudheva) to watch the India vs Pakistan cricket match. One such time, they get into a fight and attack each other with food. They stop only when a cop (Murli Sharma) intervenes. While leaving from there, Inayat notices suspicious looking men entering from the back door of the restaurant. During her next visit, she again witnesses it and this time, she enters the same entrance and confronts Prabhu. At this, Prabhu reveals that these men are illegal immigrants from the Indian subcontinent and that he gives them leftover food. Not just that, he packs all the leftover dishes and distributes them to a colony housing illegal immigrants. Inayat is moved with this gesture. Meanwhile, the Ground Zero competition is announced again and the prize money is staggering. Inayat informs the Rule Breakers about the plight of the immigrants. They all decide that if they win Ground Zero, they’ll use the prize money to help these people return back to their country. Street Dancers too decide to participate in Ground Zero. Prabhu Anna advises both the groups to unite as that’ll help them win. What happens next forms the rest of the film. Remo Dsouza's story is not novel. A few developments are fine but predictable. However, Tushar Hiranandani's screenplay (additional screenplay by Jagdeep Sidhu) is quite entertaining and very simple. It’s easy to comprehend what’s going on despite so many characters and so much of dance happening. A few dramatic sequences especially are well scripted. Farhad Samji's dialogues (addtional dialogues by Jagdeep Sidhu) work well but one expects a lot from this talented writer especially some witty one-liners. Remo Dsouza's direction works for most parts. The dance sequences, obviously, are handled well. He excels especially in the confrontational sequences be it Mac (Francis Roughly) assaulting Poddy, Poddy-Sahej’s fallout, Sahej’s emotional moment with his brother Inder in the second half and Sahej’s speech in front of Inayat’s family. On the flipside, the film is a bit too long at 143 minutes. The first half, particularly, could have been shorter. Also, one wishes if some of the developments were backed by logic. It is bewildering why Amrinder (Aparshakti Khurana) and his friends blame Sahej for their bad experience in London. It was Amrinder and his pals who were behind Sahej in Punjab and they literally forced him to take them to London. So Sahej should not have felt responsible and guilty for their miserable condition. A similar illogical development can be seen in the climax. Thankfully, the film has many other plusses that compensate for these minuses. STREET DANCER 3D begins on a visually stunning note. The introduction piece is well shot and thought of and instantly sets the mood. The introduction of Inayat is quite fun while Nora’s entry will surely soar the temperatures in this cold weather. Nothing much then happens till a point. It’s only when Sahej narrates his Punjab experience to Poddy (Raghav Juyal) that the interest lifts again. The intermission comes at a fine juncture. Post-interval, the film drops again but a nice plot point is added here when Sahej breaks off from Street Dancers. This track works well. The immigration bit is touching but logically flawed and that affects some impact. But the film has lot more to impress. The semi-final sequence is sure to be greeted with claps and whistles. The climax has enough drama and entertainment to keep viewers hooked. The film ends on a touching note with a montage of the SWAT (Sikh Welfare &amp; Awareness Team) and their noble work in London. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Street Dancer 3D | Public Review | Varun Dhawan | Shraddha Kapoor | Nora Fatehi | First Day First Show</strong></span> <iframe id="jwiframe" class="playerFrame" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/videos/first-day-first-show/street-dancer-3d-public-review-varun-dhawan-shraddha-kapoor-nora-fatehi-first-day-first-show/?jwembed=1" width="800" height="340" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Talking of performances, Varun Dhawan as always is quite entertaining and has a terrific screen presence. And he looks dashing. Shockingly, in comparison to Shraddha Kapoor and Nora Fatehi, he pales when it comes to dance. Shraddha Kapoor looks like a million bucks and is a treat to watch. Her screen time is a bit limited however in the second half. Also, one wished to see some sort of romance between the two as that would have made their fans happy. Nora Fatehi has a very small role but it’s very crucial and it’s bigger than her part in BATLA HOUSE. She is smoking hot and her entry scene is the best out of all actors! Aparshakti Khurana is great and makes sure that he doesn’t go overboard. Prabhudheva is effortless. His dance part appears late but once it does, it takes the film to a high! Punit J Pathak is memorable. The rest of the actors playing the dancers like Salman Yusuff Khan, Raghav Juyal, Dharmesh Yelonde (D), Sushant Pujari (Shushi), Caroline Wilde (Alisha) etc do well. The rest of them are also quite good and dance well but don’t get registered much. Francis Roughly is fine in a sort of villainous role. Zarina Wahab (Amarinder’s mother), Murli Sharma and Manoj Pahwa (Chabda) are passable. Others are good. There are almost 10-11 songs in the film and most of them thankfully are well choreographed and make an impact. <em>'Muqabla'</em> is the best of the lot and single-screen cinemas especially will go in a frenzy! <em>'Mile Sur Mera Tumhara'</em> comes next best followed <em>by 'Bezubaan Kab Se', 'Pind'</em> and <em>'Garmi'. 'Gann Deva'</em> seemed forced while <em>'Suno Gaur Se Duniya Walo'</em> is missing in the film. <em>'Dua Karo' </em>is moving and is well shot. <em>'Illegal Weapon 2.0', 'Lagdi Lahore Di'</em> and <em>'Nachi Nachi'</em> are okay.  Sachin-Jigar's background score is a bit loud but is in sync with the film’s mood. Kruti Mahesh, Rahul Shetty and Tashan Muir's choreography is one of the highpoints. Each and every dance piece is novel and visual treat. Vijay Kumar Arora's cinematography (Punjab schedule shot by Tushar Kanti Ray) is sans complaints and the dance scenes especially are beautifully captured. Tanvi Leena Patil's production design is appealing. Costumes are quite sexy especially the ones worn by Varun (Aki Narula), Shraddha (Tanya Ghavri) and Nora Fatehi (Jerry Dsouza). Post House Studios' VFX has played a major role here. The slow motion and light effects especially enhance the impact. Even the 3D is a treat to the eyes. Manan Ajay Sagar's editing is good for most parts but could have been more tighter. On the whole, STREET DANCER 3D is a terrific combination of rich visuals, amazing choreography and strong emotions. At the box office, it will appeal to its target audience - the youth and is most likely to enter the 100 crore club.

Former Slovak tennis star Daniela Hantuchova has launched her own podcast, The Real DNA, where she plans to have people who have inspired her, as guests on her show. After retiring in 2017, Daniela, 37, has been a tennis commentator for the past couple of years.

"The reason behind launching a podcast was that I love to communicate and learn from all the inspiring people I have in my life. I thought it would be nice to able to share their stories and their real DNA with our listeners. At the end of the day, one of the things I cherish the most in life is being able to sit down and have a cup of coffee with people I love, my family, friends, and people I admire, and listen to their stories and their experiences in life," she was quoted as saying by Tennis World USA.

"I believe the most inspiring people I've encountered in life share certain core values as humans that have helped get them where they are, whether in sports or somewhere else. I want my listeners to get to know these people and understand those core values," she added.

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While tourists from across the world come to Goa to enjoy on its picturesque beaches, the locals have of late been holidaying in the state's hinterland to get respite from the summer heat and humidity. Several Goans have been rushing these days to the riverfronts in the rural talukas of Sanguem in South Goa district and Sattari in North Goa district, thus encouraging a new trend of 'agro-tourism' in the state.

There are at least 100 farms in Goa, which operate seasonally, mostly in summer, away from the beaches, a senior state tourism official said. "While foreign and domestic tourists enjoy on the beaches, the locals in the beach belt try to search for something else. The agro-tourism has, thus, come as a good alternative," Goa's tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said. The state government plans to provide all possible help to boost this hinterland tourism, he said.

"We aim to provide a diverse experience to the visitors. They should know all facets of Goa, right from beaches to our green hinterland," Ajgaonkar said. Prashant Desai, the son of former panchayat minister Venkatesh Desai, has turned a bushy patch at Advai village in Sattari into an agro-tourism destination. "The initial concept was to have modern farming with the cross plantation of banana, areca nut, coconut, papaya, lemon and other trees. But, a few of my well-wishers suggested that I should develop this place into a farm to attract tourists," he said. Now, the locals in large numbers throng the place, famous as the 'peacock farm'.

"My weekends since last four months have been full and now with the vacations on, we have advanced bookings even on weekdays," Desai said.
He claimed that about 90 per cent of the people coming to his farm were locals, while 10 per cent were visitors from other places, including Mumbai, who got to know about it through the social media. In the hinterland, one can also find inspirational stories of aspiring tourism entrepreneurs. Ramchandra Salgaoncar, who manages a papaya farm at Bhironda village in Sattari, left his cushy corporate job to venture into 'agro-tourism'. "I left my job in October last year and since then have been associated with this project of agro-tourism. It is a satisfying experience," Salgaoncar said. While Goa has the image of being a beach destination, several hotel owners from the coastal belt drive to Salgaoncar's farm to enjoy a quiet vacation during weekdays.

"The hoteliers are busy during weekends at their own resorts, so they can spare time to visit the farm only on weekdays," he said. The agro-tourism concept has been welcomed by professionals from various fields in the state and also young students, who prefer to skip weekends and get some discounts during weekdays to enjoy at these farms, Salgaoncar said. "The concept of tourism has changed. Now, people don't want to go to public places with their families. They want a private space where their families can safely enjoy. That is where small farms like ours flourish," he said. The Tanshikar farm in Sanguem taluka has been among the first few 'agro-tourism' ventures. Chinmay Tanshikar, who turned his ancestral farm into a tourist attraction, claimed that the number of visitors to his place has been increasing every year. "The word of mouth publicity works better than any other media campaign," he said.

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Changing lifestyle habits, increasing work pressure and stress levels have left modern-day individuals with no time to pay heed to their health and one disease that seems to be emerging because of irregular lifestyle is breast cancer. So make sure you are keeping a check on habits that can lead to this disease. Meher Patel, Director at DIVA, Centre for Breast Care (partner with cosmetic brand AVON's #PayAttention campaign that raises awareness on breast cancer), says:

1. Lack of physical activity: Don't be proud of being laid back. One of the main reasons is that excess weight causes the body to produce and circulate more estrogen and insulin, hormones that can stimulate cancer growth. It is crucial to keep your body fit at every stage of life continuously using all body parts to sweat out intoxicants that one consumes in this polluted, fast-paced world.

2. Alcohol and smoking: The downside of relaxing in this modern world. The more glasses of drinks you down on the weekend, or packets of cigarettes you puff up, the more you are at risk of breast cancer. Also, for the night owls, it is advisable to find the right balance since irregular patterns of work, long hours and late nights are more likely found to be struck by cancer in the later years of life.

3. Long night-shifts at work: After conducting a survey with 300 women-some of whom worked at night, some of whom didn't the survey found that those who had worked nights for 30 or more years were twice as likely to have developed the disease.

Renuka Prasad- Joint Secy (Hon.) at Indian Cancer Society too has problems to share that can lead to this disease.

4. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and contraceptive pills: Medical improvisations you don't need! Avoid using the viral popular HRT or contraception tablets to abnormally treat menopausal symptoms and unwanted pregnancy.

5. Overweight: Start eating healthy and avoid eating out. Putting on weight in adulthood (after the age of 18) with those extra munchies and burgers, or being overweight after menopause can also lead to breast cancer.

6. Other causes: A few other causes that women tend to overlook is the excess use of deodorants and perfumes, underwired bras, bumping or bruising of breasts, breast implants and abortions that can also be potential threats to breast cancer.

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What's common between rapper Sofia Ashraf, filmmaker Fathima Nizaruddin and Urdu-Kashmiri poet Mohammad Muneem Nazir? Besides a form of expression, they use their art as a tool of resistance. Next week, they will come together at Godrej India Culture Lab for Performing Protest, an evening that explores how art works with hunger strikes and marches to help create change. "The idea is to highlight alter-narratives [alternative narratives]. Young India is protesting in a number of ways — through candle-light marches, online petitions and flash mobs. Art is also one of them," says Lab head Parmesh Shahani.

A still from Nuclear Hallucinations

Fathima Nizaruddin

Ashraf will share more on the causes she supports through her music — the viral hit Kodaikanal Won't, protested against the mercury poisoning due to Unilever's thermometer plant, and Dow Vs Bhopal: A Toxic Rap Battle, appealed to the White House to help bring Dow Chemicals to bring justice for the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. "Today, the culture of dissent is looked down upon and those practising it are shown in a bad light, as the powers that be clamp down with terms like anti-national. So, it's important to stress on art's role in dissent," says Ashraf, who will also showcase the tongue-in-cheek music videos she creates under the series, Sista From the South.

Sofia Ashraf. Pic courtesy/Pretika Menon

Mohammad Muneem Nazir

Delhi-based Nizaruddin, currently pursuing practice-based PhD from London's University of Westminster, will showcase Nuclear Hallucinations. The 54-minute film on the anti-nuclear struggle against the Kudankulam Atomic Power Project in Tamil Nadu, highlights cases of sedition and war against the state that have been filed against the protestors. "Cases are even filed against grandmothers running coffee shops. The film questions the totalitarian nature of pro-nuclear assertions in the form of a satirical documentary. Instead of conducting interviews, I asked the villagers to wear masks and stage impersonations," shares the director, who will also present a performance before the screening.

Parmesh Shahani

Nazir will perform Urdu poetry that reflects the turmoils in the Valley. "My music appeals to people to be compassionate," he says. The trio will come together for a panel discussion about their work process.

ON: October 27, 5 pm
AT: Godrej One, Vikhroli East.
RSVP: indiaculturelab@godrejinds.com

New York: Maintaining strong social networks with positive, warm and trusting friendships in old age might be key to slowing down age-related decline in memory and brain functioning, researchers say.

Representational picture

The findings showed that superagers -- who are 80 years and older -- who have the cognitive ability at least as good as people in their 50s or 60s can have more satisfying, high-quality relationships compared to their cognitively average, same-age peers.

"This study supports the theory that maintaining strong social networks seems to be linked to slower cognitive decline," said Emily Rogalski, Associate Professor at the Northwestern University in the US.

"The study is particularly exciting as a step toward understanding what factors underlie the preservation of cognitive ability in advanced age, particularly those that may be modifiable," added Amanda Cook, doctoral student at the varsity.

Previous studies have shown psychological well-being in older age to be associated with reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia.

"It's not as simple as saying if you have a strong social network, you'll never get Alzheimer's disease," Rogalski said.

"But if there is a list of healthy choices one can make, such as eating a certain diet and not smoking, maintaining strong social networks may be an important one on that list," Rogalski noted.

For the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, the participants answered a 42-item questionnaire called the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale, which is a widely used to measure of psychological well-being.

The scale examines six aspects of psychological well-being: autonomy, positive relations with others, environmental mastery, personal growth, purpose in life and self-acceptance.

Superagers scored a median overall score of 40 in positive relations with others while the control group scored 36 -- a significant difference, Rogalski said.

When we reach a swish Bandra restaurant at the exact hour scheduled for lunch with Natalie Di Luccio and Mikey McCleary, we find Natalie already seated there. Mikey, though, hasn't arrived yet, and this leads to inevitable jokes about 'Indian Standard Time'. But to be fair to the New Zealander, he reaches only a few minutes later and immediately hits it off with Natalie, whom he knows from before. But the two haven't met in a while, their individual projects having kept them too busy to find the time. Mikey, 48, is a composer who dabbles in Bollywood projects such as Shaitan (2011) and most recently Ribbon, which released last month. Natalie, a 28-year-old Italian-Canadian, has made a mark in Bollywood too, as a playback singer in films like English Vinglish and Chennai Express. A Hindi video in collaboration with Raghu Ram is also just around the corner. She's recovered from an appendicitis operation only a few days ago, she tells us, and explores the menu with Mikey before they settle down for an engaging conversation.

Mikey McCleary and Natalie Di Luccio at a restaurant in Bandra West. Pics/Shadab Khan

Shunashir to Natalie: How did your relationship with India begin?
Natalie: Well, I remember I was in the library in McGill (a Canadian university where she studied) around 2009 and I had all my songs on Myspace at the time. I don't know if you remember Myspace?
Shunashir: I do remember it.
Mikey: Yeah, I do too.
Natalie: So this is then, okay? And I got a message on Myspace from someone from India, who said, "Hi, we'd like you to come to India and record on this fusion album on the chakras." But the whole thing didn't make sense to me at the time. So, I said, "Thanks; yeah, maybe one day." But I didn't know who that album was by. Long story short, they messaged me again and said, "Can you do some recording for us from Canada?" and I said, "Okay." Two months later, I get back home from school in Quebec and there's a CD in the mail; it's Sonu Nigam's Maha Ganesha album, which is what I sung for!
Mikey: Wow.

Shunashir: Yeah, wow. And how was it for you, Mikey?
Mikey: My relationship with India actually began because I was born here, in Chennai. My parents were missionaries in the country, in Andhra Pradesh. But anyway, let's fast forward. I moved to New Zealand when I was five years old, did my schooling there, got into music, moved to London and got a studio there. And one day, somebody knocks on the door of the studio, some Indian fellow, and says, "Hi, I'm your new brother-in-law." And this guy is Lucky Ali.
Natalie: Oh my gosh!
Mikey: Yeah, but he hadn't released anything then, so he wasn't known as a singer. He had come to do some sort of recording in Watford and said, "Can I come in and maybe, we can do some music together?" So, I said, "Okay, come back over the weekend," and that's how we recorded a couple of songs, Oh Sanam and Sunoh.
Shunashir: ...Which kind of changed the Indi-pop game at that point of time, at least in terms of videos.
Mikey: Right. And the Oh Sanam video was shot in Cairo, at the pyramids. And the woman who was dressed in the purdah, with everyone in India wondering who this person with blue eyes in Lucky Ali's big hit song is — that's my sister!
Natalie: That's so funny, and really cool.

(The food — poached pear and blue cheese salad, grand chicken Caesar salad, meatballs in creamy sauce and pizza American — arrives)
Mikey: Have you noticed how so many Mumbai menus suddenly have watermelon and feta salad?
Natalie: I think it's a Greek combination and you're right, it's everywhere now. But the pizza in Italy (which is where part of her family is from) is totally different from the one we get in Mumbai. They have less ingredients and the main thing is always the tomato sauce. You can tell the restaurant by its tomato sauce.

Shunashir: Have you not taken to Indian food?
Natalie: No, no. It's not that. But I am fonder of North Indian food because I find that it's a little sweeter in general, all your butter chickens and navratan kormas. And I think North Indian food is pretty much what you mean by Indian food elsewhere in the world, right?
Mikey: Well, do you know what the national dish in the UK is?

Shunashir: It used to be chicken tikka masala, but I'm not so sure about now.
Mikey: I think it still is. By "national dish" they mean the most commonly ordered dish in restaurants.
Natalie: I don't know why it is, but when I'm at home here, I don't like having cooked food as much. Maybe it's the weather?
Mikey: Yeah, it could be. You'll also see that countries that are hotter actually have more chilli in their food. That's because it's counter-intuitive. Chilli kind of cools you down, and brings the heat out.
Natalie: It's so funny how that works.

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In 1996, when lyricist Nitin Raikwar dropped by on the set of Aamir Khan's Ghulam, on the recommendation of actor and filmmaker Neeraj Vora, it was to craft gimmicky dialogues for Khan's next film, Sarfarosh. "They wanted me to write funny shayaris for one of the characters in the film," he says. The shoot was at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai, and due to a technical snag, the crew had plenty of time to kill. "I noticed that Aamir was relatively free at that point, so I went up to him and requested that he give one of the songs I had written a listen. He heard it, and immediately called director Vikram Bhatt. They both thought the song was unusual but nice," recalls Raikwar. That song was Aati Kya Khandala, eventually sung by Khan himself, becoming a number that would make it to every Bambaiyya Hindi song list after.

Nitin Raikwar, sought to capture the mood of Goa. Pic/Satej Shinde

Raikwar went on to continue to use the slang in some of his memorable songs including Apun Bola Tu Meri Laila from Josh (2000), Excuse Me Kya Re from Style (2001) and the iconic Khallas from Ram Gopal Varma's Company (2002). Raikwar has also worked on children's films, and penned lyrics for Chota Chetan (1998), Jajantaram Mamantaram (2003) and others like Pyar Tune Kya Kiya (2001), Aankhein (2002) and Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon (2003). "I think what worked for me at that point was the novelty factor. People dig variety. For instance, we may love our vada pav, but when the burger made an entry in early 2000, we started queuing up for it. It's the same with songs," he says. These days, Raikwar is working on his debut album for which he has collaborated with Shrikant Ahire, one of Maharashtra's foremost shadow dancers. He plans to release a single from it next month. The song is called Khan Sahab Apne Ladke Ko Sambhal. "I thought I'd write in a manner that people identify with. I can't write in a flowery and larger-than-life way. It's not me."

Apun Bola from Josh, which was written by Nitin Raikwar

Writing in tapori language was a skill that Raikwar developed after he moved to Mumbai from Pune in 1987. By then, he had already tried his hand at singing in orchestras, something his father wanted him to do since he was a successful show organiser. "But I didn't see myself singing in orchestras all my life. I was aware of the risk and struggle involved in Bollywood, but I was adamant to make it," he says. With little money to spend, Raikwar's story reads like that of so many others who move to Mumbai from smaller towns to try their luck. "When a man is struggling, he spends time with people who are like him. So I would sit at chai tapris and talk to rickshawallas, drivers and daily wage labourers. Because I'm talkative and an extrovert by nature, I could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. That's how I picked up the slang," he says. Even when he didn't have projects, Raikwar would write and seek feedback from his friends, some of whom were already working in the film industry as supporting actors. And it's through their assistance that he finally met Anil Kapoor on the sets of Ladla. "I consider that the turning point in my life.

Anil Kapoor felt I had potential and introduced me to directors and filmmakers," he says. Raikwar's first song was Teri Tirchi Nazar Main Hai Jaadoo for Anil Kapoor-starrer Loafer in 1996. But it was Aati Kya Khandala that earned him fame like no other. In fact, it helped him bag a Shah Rukh Khan film soon after. "I remember writing Apun Bola in 15 minutes after I heard the script. I wanted it to reflect Goan culture so I included words like kokum curry. You'll also find words like 'hoinga' and 'karenga', just the way a Catholic aunty would say them," he says.

In 2014, Raikwar had to put all work on the backburner for two years due to an illness. It began with bouts of headache, and he was later diagnosed with subdural hematoma of the brain. "The clots had to be removed through surgery. For a long time, I couldn't work because of the illness. I'm fine now, and hope to get back to what I do best," he says.

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Turns out, autism is not linked to consuming fish in pregnancy.

Scientists at the University of Bristol looked at the assumption that mercury exposure during pregnancy is a major cause of autism using evidence from nearly 4500 women who took part in the Children of the 90s study.

Using analysis of blood samples, reported fish consumption and information on autism and autistic traits from one of the largest longitudinal studies to date, researchers found no links between levels of mercury in the mothers and autism or autistic traits in their children. The only adverse effect of mercury found was poor social cognition if mothers ate no fish at all, especially for girls.

Lead author Jean Golding commented, "Our findings further endorse the safety of eating fish during pregnancy. Importantly we've found no evidence at all to support claims that mercury is involved in the development of autism or autistic traits.

"This adds to a body of work that endorses the eating of fish during pregnancy for a good nutritional start to life with at least two fish meals a week."

Dr Caroline Taylor said, "All species of fish contain traces of mercury, which can harm brain development, but we've found that the health benefits of fish, probably from nutrients such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and iodine, outweigh the risks from mercury.¿

"The advice on eating fish when pregnant is complicated and overwhelming. There is now a body of evidence to support a simpler and clearer approach that maximises the health benefits of fish.¿

The study appears in the journal Molecular Autism.

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Gestational diabetes -- high blood sugar condition during pregnancy -- may cause early-stage kidney damage that can later lead to chronic kidney diseases among women, reported a study.

The study showed that women with gestational diabetes were more likely to have a high glomerular filtration rate (GFR) -- an estimate of how much blood per minute passes through the glomeruli, the tiny filters within kidneys that extract waste from the blood.

Women with gestational diabetes had more than triple the risk of an elevated GFR, which may precede the early kidney damage that accompanies pre-diabetes -- a condition with higher blood sugar levels but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

"Our findings suggest that women who have had gestational diabetes may benefit from periodic checkups to detect early-stage kidney damage and receive subsequent treatment," said Cuilin Zhang from National Institutes of Health's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in Maryland, US.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, included data from 601 Danish women having gestational diabetes and 613 non-diabetic women.

The results showed that women who had gestational diabetes and later developed diabetes were approximately nine times more likely to have an elevated GFR later in life, compared to women who did not have gestational diabetes.

They were also likely to have an elevated urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR), which is an indicator of kidney disease.

The study could not prove that gestational diabetes causes kidney damage, and the authors noted that more research is needed to confirm their findings.

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Representational Image

Bariatric surgery, a weight loss operation, is associated with a 61 percent decrease in the risk of developing malignant skin cancer, according to a study.

Melanoma is a deadly form of skin cancer, most closely associated with excessive sun exposure. Obesity is an established risk factor for cancer and some studies indicate that intentional weight loss sometimes reduces the risk.

However, evidence for a link between obesity, weight loss and malignant melanoma is limited.

The new findings showed that bariatric surgery led to a 42 percent reduced risk of skin cancer in general compared to controls given usual obesity care.

The study "supports the idea that obesity is a melanoma risk factor and indicates that weight loss in individuals with obesity can reduce the risk of bariatric surgery that has increased steadily in many countries over several decades", said lead author Magdalena Taube from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

The results were presented at the 2018 European Congress on Obesity in Vienna, Austria.

The protective effect of bariatric surgery on skin cancer was observed in a group of 2,007 obese participants who were then followed for a median of 18 years.

These were compared with a control group consisting of 2,040 individuals who matched with the participants who underwent surgery on sex, age, anthropometric measurements, cardiovascular risk factors, psychosocial variables and personality traits.

To analyse malignant melanoma incidence, statistical tests were used to compare time to first melanoma cancer diagnosis between the surgery and control groups.

In additional analyses, risk ratios between the surgery and control groups were compared.

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Ojas Adhiya, Nandini Shankar and Abhishek Borkar are poised to strike a chord with young urban listeners in Mumbai

For most youngsters, unfamiliar with Hindustani classical music, 'serious', 'formal' and 'boring' are popular adjectives used to define the genre. For as long as we can remember, Hindustani classical, that has given the world several legends, has been performed in sprawling auditoriums — there's not just discipline in the music, but in the attire and in environment as a whole. How would it be then, to see classical being performed in casuals? Turns out, that's not an outrageous thought anymore. First Edition Arts, a Mumbai-based performing arts company is poised to topple status quo with the sole aim of gathering more young, urban listeners. Under a musical series called Come Together, three young Hindustani classical musicians, will slip into casuals and perform for an audience gathered at Cafe Zoe. Starting June 10, this will be a regular series, one in every quarter. While the setting is all-new, the music won't take the fusion route. The first series will feature Abhishek Borkar on the sarod, Nandini Shankar on the violin and Ojas Adhiya on the tabla. The trio will present an instrumental concert in both solo and duet sets.

Catch them young
"When younger musicians try to strike a rapport with young listeners they take the fusion route. We are saying, you don't have to. This music is so exciting on its own, that the young can be hooked," says Devina Dutt, director, First Edition Arts. Six months ago, they had organised something similar at antiSOCIAL at Khar as an experiment, and they were sold out. "We weren't sure of what to expect. But it was a success." That gave them the impetus to take the idea on a larger scale. "The first two sets will be the sarod and tabla. In the third set, Abhishek will invite Nandini to jam with them on stage. The concert will span a little over an hour — not the standard two-and-a-half-hour performance. Young people haven't even heard classical music and they have discarded it. All we are trying to do, is give them a sense of how exciting and rigorous it is. But, in a short dose," Dutt says.

Abhishek Borkar

The protocols will be relaxed too. The bar will be open before and after the concert, and for 20 minutes during the interval. Food and drink services will be terminated during the performance, but, once served, guests can continue with their meal at their tables. "There was no sense in locating it in a space like this and sticking to the rigidity. But, at the same time the character of the music does require attention, it's not the kind that you can hear in the background," she adds.

Break the rules
Ever since the posters of the concert went out, a lot of Shankar's friends and followers on social media have shown interest. The posters, with their vibrant colours and friendly fonts, could well be mistaken for one for a standup gig. "Any new genre is an acquired taste. Over the last couple of years, I have noticed an increase in my young audience. Young listeners are always looking for something new and because most of them have not heard classical music, it is novel to them. If they are exposed to it, they will enjoy it," says the eighth generation violinist. The set-up, she believes, needs to change because "it is important that it appeals to you at first go. That's why the colourful posters. We need to speak the language they understand," adds the 25-year-old. After the concert, the audience can interact with the artists as well. "The milieu becomes more relatable, it's like hanging out with friends. That becomes easier when the age groups are similar. We want to connect on a personal level. In fact, that's the bit I am really looking forward to," adds Shankar.

Nandini Shankar

Tabla ace Adhiya would love to do a Q & A with the audience as well. "That way we can reach out to them and explain what classical music is all about. If they know a few things, they can enjoy it more. And it will all be done in an informal manner," says the 30-year-old who made it to the Limca Book of World Records as the youngest tabla player at the age of 4. Borkar points out that traditionally, Hindustani classical has always been somewhat "intimidating".

"It can appear too proper, rigid and posh, with its sherwanis and bandhgalas. Sometimes I feel even the artists themselves enjoy this air of exclusivity that further distances them from the audience," says the 25-year-old sarod player, adding that he was thrilled about the prospect of performing in casuals. "That's what I wear when I practice or record in a studio. So, why not at a concert? We are even thinking of getting some people to sit on stage if possible," he adds.

Distraction not a concern
The trio believes that the music will be enough to keep people from getting distracted. "It's a new thing for them too, to experience this kind of music in the given setup. And if someone is quietly eating and drinking at their table, that should not bother me. In the olden days, there would be baithaks in people's homes, where classical concerts would be performed. It's the same concept," Adhiya says. Spontaneity will be the key on D-day; the artists will reach the venue, gauge the crowd and accordingly choose the raagas. Borkar says, "I love getting people interested in an instrument they have not seen or heard before. The idea is that if they don't come to our concerts, why don't we go where they hang out? And just because it's unusual that doesn't mean it's wrong."

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