L-R, Radio City's RJ Salil, RJ Archana, Singer Shankar Mahadevan, Mushtaq, Dadarao Bhilorey at Radio City's Kar Mumbaikar initiative at Vashi Toll Naka

Radio City's RJ Salil and RJ Archana filling the potholes in Vashi for the Kar Mumbaikar initiative

Radio City's RJ Salil and RJ Archana along with Singer Shankar Mahadevan filling potholes at Vashi for the Kar Mumbaikar initiative by Radio City

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Pune city famous for its climate, pensions city which got transform to an IT hub has finally got its reward. Pune has always been counted in the list of the cleanest cities of India. On Monday it was really a proud moment for the Punekars because the Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri has launched 'The Ease of Living' report on Monday around 3:50 pm.

Out of 4,000 cities and towns in India, where about 300 cities have a population over 1,00,000 and seven cities have a population of more than 3 million, only 3 cities of Maharashtra – Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai – are the most livable places in the country which means from Maharashtra four cities were into top ten. Pune has been ranked first in the Ease of Living Index with Navi Mumbai coming in second, Greater Mumbai ranked at three and Delhi languishing at 65. 

The report evaluated 111 cities on a 100-point scale across 78 indicators under four primary parameters which was divided- Institutional, Social, Economic and Physical. Although, cities like Howrah, New Town Kolkata, and Durgapur did not take Part in it. While Delhi is really ranked low that is 65th rank. And, Rampur in UP is ranked the lowest. To the utmost surprise, Chhattisgarh has made it to the top 10 in the list and Indore which gives a tough competition to Pune is ranked 8th.

The 'Ease of Living' index is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to assess the most livable cities all over India and rank them on a 100 point scale. Apart from presenting the overall national ranking of 111 cities, the report will present the ranking of the cities across pillars, category, and geographical zone and population classifications. The city of Pune is expected to maintain this rank. And, helps to set a benchmark. It is expected to give a tough competition to all the other cities out there. Known for its cultural capital of Maharashtra state as well as the Oxford of east.

Chennai has been ranked 14 and New Delhi languishes at 65 while Kolkata refused to participate in the survey. While the citizens have been claiming that the city is reeling under lack of open space, ironically Mumbai has been ranked number one among 111 cities in the category of public open spaces. The state's richest civic body, BMC had to collate the data from several institutions, and submit to the central government. While the transportation and security were sent across by the state government, the majority of the data was compiled by the civic body that defined how livable the city is.

Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, said, "We have topped the list of megacities, which had over 4 million population. There were seven mega cities in this. And wherever we have lacked we will try and improve on those aspects and accordingly try and score better next time."

The rankings of the cities all over Maharashtra are as follows:
Pune is 1st, Navi Mumbai is 2nd, Greater Mumbai is 3rd, Thane is 16th, Virar is 20th, Nasik 21st, Solapur 22nd, Nagpur 31st, Kalyan 50th, Chinchwad 69th, Aurangabad 97th.

With inputs from PTI

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We spotted a new eatery in the busy commercial hub of Sector 17, Vashi, and the signboard got our attention immediately — Nothing But Chicken, it boldly announced, Now Open. Mental note to self — must check this place out. Soon enough, we find ourselves at the new eatery one afternoon. With just four high chairs, the place is more a take-away, but we choose to have our working lunch at Nothing But Chicken (NBC).

The décor is cheery and functional with doodles of smiling hens giving us company. We also note signage about the restaurant being Halal & ISO 22000 compliant, and most importantly for us, that the meat is fresh, not frozen.

Chicken seekh kabab

Chicken all the way
At the entrance, NBC sports a huge refrigerated display that has raw, pre-cut and in some cases, pre-marinated chicken portions. You can choose from a variety of sausages — jalapeno and cheese, cocktail, classic salami to name a few — or you could buy pre-marinated chicken, grill it yourself and enjoy it in the comfort of your home. Options include chimichuri, peri-peri, Greek yogurt and pepper, cheesy garlic breast among others.

The second display counter has all the ready-to-eat goodies — you can choose from a variety of sandwiches and salads or simply opt for a pilaf or chicken vada pow, desi burger, chicken seekh pow or chicken kheema pow. We order the chicken vada pow (`65), grilled chicken wrap (`105), two pieces of galouti seekh kabab (`34), three pieces of classic seekh kabab (`48), tandoori tangdi (`102) and chicken mayo roll (`105). We realise much later that they billed us for a classic salad (`82), which we were not served. When we point it out to the staff the following day, they are polite and refund the amount and the applicable taxes, too.

Chicken vada pow

Back to our chicken encounter. The order is served one item at a time, heated in front of us in a microwave oven. The presentation is fuss-free and practical. The wrap, kababs and tandoori tangdi are so hot, they are steaming right to the very last bite.

Vada pav vs burger
We are informed that the lone difference between a chicken vada pow and a desi burger is the flavour and spices of the patty.

Tandoori tangdi

The former comes served with a chicken patty in a brown bread pav with cheese dip and schezwan sauce. It is tasty, but since the dish is named after the popular Mumbai snack, we would have preferred the traditional chutneys to go with it. That, we feel, could have been the differentiating element between the desi burger and the chicken vada pow. The patty is mildly spiced and despite being reheated, hasn’t become tough. This, in fact, is true for everything we order.

The tandoori tangdi is well marinated with the classic smoky taste, cooked just right so it is tender. The chicken mayo roll is too bland and sour for our taste. The galouti seekh kabab and the classic seekh kabab taste different, in a good way — the chicken in both offerings is tender and flavourful.

The interiors

The grilled chicken wrap is a whole wheat roti with a masala chicken filling. It has the right balance of spice and is quite filling. By now, we need something to quench our thirst; NBC stocks regular soft drinks and we wash down our meal with a couple of fresh fruit juices on offer. With its reasonably priced, no-frills menu, NBC is ideal for a quick, VFM meal, or to help you cut down your chicken preparation time at home. With courteous staff, they seem to have their act in order. However, given their location, they are likely to face stiff competition from their F&B neighbours.

Time 9 am to 11.30 pm
At Sector 17, Shiv Center, Next to Arneja Corner, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
Call 8828812200

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On Sunday afternoon, a foot overbridge near the Vashi Police Naka collapsed while a part of it was being removed with a crane. Apart from the driver of the crane, who suffered minor injuries, no one has been affected by the incident. However, the incident led to traffic congestion on the road towards Mumbai coming from Navi Mumbai. 

Following the collapse, the Mumbai Traffic Police immediately took to Twitter to inform commuters to take alternative routes. Though cops claimed that the traffic situation normalised on Sunday night, most vehicles on Monday morning took the alternate route via Airoli to avoid getting stuck in traffic.

Watch the video here...

Locals and traffic officials have alleged the Public Works Department (PWD) didn't inform anyone from the Navi Mumbai traffic police or the Vashi police about the dismantling work on Sunday, and that the crane used for it was of a low capacity.

The incident occurred when PWD engineers were dismantling the bridge. When the team was removing a part with the help of a crane, the device couldn't handle the pressure of the bridge, and thus ended up collapsing on the road. Traffic and disaster officials said the crane being used was of a poor capacity.

PWD should have instead brought in two cranes having a good capacity. mid-day reached out to local PWD officer Kishor Patil, but he remained unavailable for comment. PWD built this bridge two years ago. However, locals said that just six months later, it got damaged after a trailer crashed into it. Nobody was using it after that, but PWD decided to demolish it only this month after one-and-a-half years had passed.

Traffic officials said that prior to the collapse, traffic had already been diverted to the other side of the road, so no one was injured in the incident. PWD officials allegedly failed to inform all officials concerned with the area as well as citizens about the demolition, which is why it took longer to manage the situation.

Many users on social networking site Twitter shared videos of the same on their accounts expressing their frustration and anger over the situation. Here's a look at a few.

As of 6.15am in the morning, the entry into #Mumbai still blocked at Mankhurd. Potential traffic mayhem like yesterday. Took 4 hours to cross Vashi flyover yesterday. @MumbaiPolice not answering phones/WhatsApp. Go via Airoli to enter Mumbai.

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

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Crane clearing work still in progress at mankhurd octroi post.#Trafficupdate @MumbaiPolice huge traffic pile on. Took 1 hr to cross #vashibridge pic.twitter.com/OslI3YdcHV

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

@MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice I tried calling/sending WhatsApp messages to 8454999999 to know the status of the Mankhurd incident yesterday (got stuck for 4 hours after that). No one picked up/replied. Is the number correct?

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

#TrafficUpdate #mumbai heavy vehicles stopped right before #vashitoll. Collapsed crane clearing still underway, near mankhurd octroi post. Huge traffic pile on pic.twitter.com/ZKS4jmDuj2

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

Also Read: 4 dead in Pune after hoarding falls on vehicles at Mangalwar Peth

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Against the board...
Information being hidden
I am a resident of Seawoods Estates Phase 1 complex. I want to express my gratitude for highlighting the difficulties faced by residents in accessing the accounts of the society and ensuring transparency. We have been struggling for over three months now to get some answers from the board members of Seawoods Estates Limited on how so much money in the sinking fund was depleted, and for details of contracts with various vendors. But every single enquiry was blocked using some excuse or the other, such as Company Law provisions for secrecy. I myself have received a written reply from SEL in this regard.

The mistake CIDCO made in incorporating a housing complex as a Limited Company is now haunting the residents. Unlike a CHS, the management is able to treat residents as minority shareholders with no rights in the running of the company or access to any information about accounts.

Your earlier reports have helped us save the water body behind Delhi Public School from encroachment and also prevent cruelty against stray dogs in our complex. We need continued support from socially conscious journalists and law enforcement and regulatory authorities to save us from our plight.
Vinod Sankar

False case by BOD
I am willing to answer any queries on the false case filed on me by directors using CEM as complainant for not toeing their line. This is the modus operandi: target one individual and hold him up as an example so than the rest can shut up or else. Similarly, last year individual families in this housing complex were thoroughly harassed over a disagreement with the same directors. Some of them will testify. I also have written proof, a sheaf of papers.
Mrs Kavita Shah

Board is outright corrupt
Compliments to you for the fair coverage of the activities by the board of directors at SEL. The board is outright corrupt and is being controlled by handlers like RK Puglia, Alok Agrawal and a few others who have made SEL a milch cow while treating the fellow residents as either goondas or stupid. They have made SEL a project company, neglecting the day-to-day maintenance and upkeep of the complex. Thank you for your help, it will go a long way in ridding the SEL of the corrupt BOD.
Shashank Jan

Why hide information?
Many thanks for your article on mid-day, which brings awareness among residents of NRI Complex Phase I. The article will be an eye-opener for the board and may compel them to think about their actions and about the need for transparency. The residents are asking one simple thing: sharing of information on expenditure. As all members are shareholders, they should get it as this is our money, too. The directors should not take the escape route just because SEL is a company and they are not obliged to share the desired information.
GD Behera

Autocratic board!
All that has been stated in the paper is true and I fully endorse all statements informed by Mr Butala. There is much correspondence which remains un-replied to, totally autocratic behaviour by the board of directors and chairman, non-transparent approach and high-handedness in every action. When 99% of the complex is run as a CHS, why is this run as a company? Also, there is no headway from the BOD on this as they find it convenient to hide facts under the company banner and the company has tried every stunt to hide information from residents. The plethora of events speaks about the adverse working process of company against its own residents.

The management was trying to force upon residents BIOGAS and DG SETS projects that were not required owing to various health and environmental reasons. The residents' consensus was not taken. The management has managed to crush people's voices since the voting process was under a cloud and manipulated. Even though the proxy against the resolutions handed over to the BOD were more than what they had by sizable numbers, they managed to reject the proxies collected by us without stating reasons and showing up what went wrong. There is a complete goof-up since the BOD was desperate to pass the accounts for FY17-18 in the EGM as there was personal liability on the directors.

During the AGM all the major resolutions were dissented by the residents so how come the same accounts were passed at the EGM, which is huge proof of their manipulation. We want the whole process audited and checked by a third party, but the company wants a non-transparent approach. The present directors, previous directors and a few handlers have teamed up and formed shell companies that appear to be siphoning funds. There are personal interests involved and hence even after all the major resolutions were dissented by residents, the directors have not resigned. This is not a profit-making company and if the services and work is not liked by residents, which you think are honorary, it is best to resign or else prove your position. Both remain not done by the board of directors and they continue their oppressive behaviour.
Capt. Bipin Gupta

In defence of the board...
Fight of power
The woman who is at the forefront in this case against the management didn't bother to arrest the heavy leakage from her flat to the flat below for the last two years, which led to heavy damage to the structure of building no. 25 in the complex. It's a fight of convenience and power in the complex. If so many issues of swindling of money and corruption exist, why is there not even a single complaint to any of the agencies?
N K Sharma

What's the big deal?
I am a resident of Seawoods Estates for the last 10 years. This is the first time I am hearing of an 'NRI Residents Welfare Association'. I have checked with my friends and have drawn a blank. There has been no notification by our management regarding same, and to my knowledge all formation of committees and associations is always communicated through official channels using mail and notice boards. I checked with the NRI phase 2 residents, too.

They, too, have not heard of any such association. Regarding the Rs 23.5-crore repairs agenda for the AGM, it was kept in abeyance and the management had issued a circular that the matter will be taken up after a residents' committee decided on the matter. That the committee is still working is proof that the residents are aware of the problem regarding the repairs needed in the buildings and are working hard to formalise the method of repairs. The copies of building-wise audit reports were given to residents and they have come back with verification and additional photographs of areas where more repairs are needed.

'Review of Accounts of Last 8 years' was on the agenda at our EGM on Nov 9, 2018. It was not accepted by the residents through voting. Your article also mentions that SEL has an income of R 9 to 10 crore every year. This is not an income but the contribution of members given as M&R charges for the complex. We have 1,500 plus flats, hence this huge figure, so what's the big deal?
Ritu Mittal

Contradictions in report
I was shocked to see the cover page report with completely baseless headlines and misinformation attempted to impact the value of over 1,500 accommodations in our prestigious premium complex NRI Complex Phase 1 also known as Seawoods Estates.

I would request you to check the self contradictions in the article. As you mention, the police confirmed no untoward incident at the AGM. So, what's this story on bouncers? That the AGM went off smoothly because of police presence is an obvious answer to the intent of the sponsors of your article. Is there any harm in legally getting police presence to improve attendance, generate confidence in fearless participation, while you will see from police records the background and antecedents of the people involved in the disruption plan?

You mention the statement supposedly by Hafeez Contractor on the state of the building, the mega size of the enviable complex, in your report, but highlight estimated cost of repair out of proportion! There have been past incidents. AGMs have rejected budgets and/or accounts due to some misinformation or misrepresentation of a few.

Boards earlier, too, have come back with clarification or changes to get the same approved and/or adopted the next time around, post information sharing. Whilst the perpetrators of negativity and defiance have once again succeeded in a backdoor entry by pressure, whether political, media misuse, muscle or lung power to come to power without democratic elections.
Raj Pugalia

Not the true picture
I was shocked to see the false news in your newspaper. The points as given below will help understand the true picture. NRI Complex is one of the best-managed complexes at undoubtedly the lowest per square feet M&R charges - just Rs 2.5 per square foot against Rs 5-10 per square foot being charged by other complexes. For residents here, this is most clean, hygienic and secure place to live in, with the best standard of living.

Despite low M&R charges, the facilities as compared to other complexes are much better and there has been unprecedented development in the last two years to further improve the standard of living of residents and to meet regulatory compliances as per details below. These works had been pending in the complex for the last 5 to 7 years.

1. Club was almost non-functional two years back, but is now brimming with activity with pool renovation, new gym, yoga/meeting Room, community hall, restaurant, renovated squash and tennis courts, etc.
2. Fire Fighting System: We never had a fire system for emergencies as the original system was dysfunctional for 10+ years. The complete system was commissioned in the last 2 years and now we have the NMMC Fire Office certificate.
3. Lift Upgrades: Lifts at the complex were 20 years old and needed emergency upgrades. This was done last year and the proof is power savings of 22% in FY 18
4. Improvement in housekeeping, security and gardening The majority view is that this is the best complex.
Harish Motwani

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To aid the construction of the Navi Mumbai airport, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) had successfully shifted eight villages from the area that will be affected by the project, but forgot to make arrangements for the pets and animals in the village. The NGO, Hands That Heal, has now come forward to give shelter and food to these animals, who had been abandoned by the authorities. They are now relocating all the animals to their shelter in Panvel.

The villages that have been shifted include Chinchpada, Kolhi, Kopar, Ulwe, Varche Ulwe, Pargaon-Dungi, Targhar, Kombadbhuje and Waghivli Vada. From these areas, villagers are to be resettled in Wadghar, Wahal and Kunde Wahal areas. Aishwarya Chaudhary, founder of the NGO, said, "I didn't know about this situation but recently, I came across a post on Facebook mentioning the plight of the animals and birds in this area. My team of 12 has been working for the past four days. Many animals were found dehydrated, starving and homeless."

"We have collected 20 dogs, 13 cats, and three cows. As many trees have been cut down as well; birds have also been displaced. Our shelter is too small to house everyone, and I urge CIDCO and other NGOs to come forward to help this cause," added Chauhan. CIDCO PRO, Priya Ratambe said, "Our health department is finding a solution for the situation and will find an alternative soon."

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The efforts of a persistent police officer and the victim's brother saved the life of a 36-year-old taxi driver, Madan Paswan, who had suffered a paralysis attack and was lying helpless in his taxi on the highway in Navi Mumbai.

The incident happened on the morning of March 23, around 10 am, when Paswan's younger brother Ishwar received a call from the former's wife from his hometown in Koderma district of Jharkhand. "Soon after getting the paralysis attack, he [Paswan] called his wife in Koderma, but fumbled during the conversation and then disconnected the phone. His wife got worried and called me," Ishwar said.

Ishwar said he then called Paswan who accepted his call but did not say anything on the phone. Worried, Ishwar called his friends and relatives who started searching for Paswan in the city. Paswan lives in Shastri Nagar, Vile Parle East, so Ishwar rushed to the Vile Parle police station and informed sub-inspector Sachin Chavan about the situation. Chavan, too, called Paswan, but no one spoke at the other end.

Also Read: Mumbai: Off-duty female PSI, DCP save accident victims from bleeding to death

Ishwar (left) gathered his friends and family to search for his brother Madan; the senior officers are considering a reward for PSI Sachin Chavan (right) for saving Madan Paswan's life

"There was definitely something amiss," Chavan said, adding that he immediately sought help from the office of the zonal deputy commissioner of police to track his location via his phone. Meanwhile, Chavan told Ishwar to visit the Sion police station as Paswan takes the taxi on rent from there. As he couldn't get any information here, he went back to Vile Parle police station around 11.30 am and then left to join his friends and family in searching for Paswan. Chavan, who was coordinating with Ishwar on the phone, gave him Paswan's exact location -- Sanpada in Navi Mumbai.

They rushed to the location around 3 pm and found Paswan "lying inside the taxi almost unconscious. We shook his hands and legs but he was unable to speak. We rushed him to JJ Hospital," said Ishwar. "Paswan had got a paralysis attack when he was driving his taxi on the highway. Many motorists passed his taxi but no one bothered to check why it was parked on a busy highway," Chavan said.

Also Read: Mumbai: One rescued, two stuck after falling inside septic tank in Chembur

Paswan had met with an accident in 2004 in Ghaziabad. He had suffered serious head injuries in the accident. The family suspects the paralysis attack was a result of this injury as Paswan had complained of acute headaches recently. Paswan left for Koderma after being discharged from JJ Hospital. He is currently not in a condition to speak, his family members said. Meanwhile, senior police officers are considering to reward Chavan for his prompt action that saved Paswan's life.

Also Read: Labourer's son, cabbie's daughter picked for QPR training

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The Way of the Cross, a re-enactment of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is a visual reminder of his agony, pain, suffering, and death on the Cross. On the eve of Good Friday, over 300 parishioners of Sacred Heart Church gathered to witness and participate in the Stations of the Cross. Retracing the steps of Christ, more than 300 Catholics and bystanders walked the streets of Vashi singing hymns of praise and prayers.

The Friday's mass commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary in Jerusalem, nearly 2,000 years ago. The next major event will take place on Sunday morning when the 'Passion Week' ends with the Easter Sunday festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here's how the parishioners conducted the station of the cross in Mumbai:

Jesus laying in his mother's lap

The enactment of the station of the cross depicts Jesus in pain and agony

Parishioners walk along with the station of the cross as they recite hymns and prayers

On Good Friday, thousands and lakhs of Christians will be out in large numbers and overflow the local churches as they participated in the Good Friday mass.

Today, in Kerala, local churches were overflowing as thousands of Christians participated in the Good Friday mass. Of the around 3.4 crore population of Kerala, Christians number 61.41 lakhs, composed of 29.94 lakhs males and 31.47 lakhs females. The chief priest, who conducts the day's mass, along with a large number of the laity re-enact Jesus' journey with the worshippers moving to each station singing hymns as the story of the betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Christ is narrated by the priest.

The most important ritual in this mass is the drinking of 'choruka' - a decoction made of bitter gourd juice and vinegar - by all the devotees. When the Good Friday mass reaches its last lap, the priest pours out a spoon of 'choruka' into the mouth of each and every person attending the mass.

At the end of the Good Friday mass in Kerala, those attending are served 'kanji' - the steaming hot gruel made of rice along with mango pickle and a serving of pulses. To know the full story read here.

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Technology avoids obstacles by sensing air flow disruptions

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Bahrain dreams coming true with Sousa

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T - Demte pursuing European challenge and Ethiopian dream

Debuting in today's times is the best thing to happen for any aspiring actor. The opportunities at the disposal are far greater and richer than they were back in the days. Heroes could not be villains, villains could not be comedians, and comedians could only dream of becoming heroes. Today, an actor can pull off everything and display his versatility. Tahir Raj Bhasin is one of them!

In 2014, he made his debut with Pradeep Sarkar's Mardaani, a riveting crime thriller about human trafficking. There was an urgent breathlessness about the way the narrative unfolded and something compelling about the performances. Rani Mukerji can always be relied upon to deliver a rocking act, what caught the audiences was the character of Bhasin. He was a college student and completely unapologetic about his heinous crimes. He was cool, calm, and yet very chilling. Also, if we may add, very charming!

Bhasin's wasn't the kind of villain that we have grown up watching. He could be anyone from the crowd, carefully shielding his hideous reality from everyone. And in one scene, he even weeps at the loss of a loved one. His approach towards his character was commendable and so was his effortlessness in creating what is one of the most impressive antagonists in recent times.

A few years later, in 2019 to be precise, we were rooting for the same guy we despised in Mardaani. He was Derek this time, in Nitesh Tiwari's Chhichhore, a loser who chances upon a golden opportunity to win! His entry shot is possibly the most heroic moment in the film, juxtaposed by his entry as an aging, balding man who visits a close friend. Derek is driven by hope and despair, and Bhasin never made this character unreal or unlikable. He was one of us, and we wanted to be like him!

Bhasin has a solid screen persona that it's impossible not to root for him or at least enjoy what he's doing on the screen. His next is Kabir Khan's 83, where he plays the role of the legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. It's an ensemble but we are sure even this time, he'll deliver a knock-out performance!

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Kartik Aaryan has a knack to take social media by storm with his remarkable videos and post and even his hit series. After seeking help from the netizens to help him to decide whether he must remove his facial fuzz or grow a quarantine beard, the actor now leaves us in splits with a fun video with his sister Dr. Kritika.

Kartik Aaryan has posted an adorable video where he's showing his displeasure as he comps into a roti made by her sister. The perfectionist that the actor is believes in not taking this lightly and decides to teach his sister a lesson, obviously all in a joke. Kritika who's seen with a rolling-pin in her hand is animatedly flung around by Aaryan and almost thrown out of the balcony. Aaryan ends the video looking nonchalant with the harsh (and obviously funny) treatment and the rolling pin in his hand.

The actor has captioned the video wittily saying, 'no compromises on quality!' Now that's one funny video that made our not-so-happening-Sunday, brighter and better. These siblings are always seen pulling each other's leg and always indulging in tomfoolery like any normal siblings do. We love this actor and his amazing sense of humour.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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No Compromise on Quality😇 #KokiToki

A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) onApr 19, 2020 at 4:34am PDT

Kartik Aaryan has been doing every bit to fight the pandemic and educate the masses. His internet-breaking show Koki Poochega has been trending on all platforms ever since its inception. Moreover the actor's heroic act to pledge Rs 1 crore to the PM Cares Relief Funds, is truly commendable. Kartik Aaryan's wit and his nobles' causes are truly making him a true-blue hero in every sense in these tough times. Hats off to the youth icon!

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Reminiscing her childhood days, actor Shraddha Kapoor on Monday shared an extremely adorable throwback picture showcasing her bunny teeth. The 33-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a picture before she got her braces done. In the adorable picture, the 'Saaho' star is seen as a kid looking at an object that she is holding in her hand while flashing a beautiful smile showing her bunny teeth.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

à¤Âœà¤¬ मà¥Â‡à¤°à¥Â‡ à¤Â–रà¤Â—à¥Â‹à¤¶ à¤Âœà¥Âˆà¤¸à¥Â‡ दाà¤Â‚त थà¥Â‡à¥¤ðŸ°ðŸ¦·ðŸ¤Â“ #BeforeBraces

A post shared by Shraddha (@shraddhakapoor) onApr 20, 2020 at 4:51am PDT

The 'Half-Girlfriend' actor captioned it saying: "Jab Mere Khargosh jese daant the" (when I had bunny teeth). The sweet post received more than 7 lakh views and garnered likes by celebrity followers including Vikrant Massey.

Earlier, the 'Ek Villain' star donated to an NGO to help them feed stray animals during the lockdown due to coronavirus spread. The NGO, People For Animals India, took to Twitter to thank Kapoor for her donation. "@ShraddhaKapoor We thank you for your generous donation to the voiceless! PAWSITIVE HEARTS is an initiative launched by PFA in order to overcome the problem of starvation during the lockdown," the NGO tweeted.

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Filmmaker Karan Johar's little munchkins Yash and Roohi on Monday hilariously mocked their filmmaker dad's designer kurta in a video shot in KJO's walk-in closet. The 47-year-old filmmaker took to Instagram and shared a video that features KJO's adorable toddlers Yash and Roohi holding Karan's kurta while their father asks them, "Excuse me, what are you'll holding?"

The 3-year-olds adorably confuse it to be their grandmother's and say, "Mumma."

After which Karan broke into laughter and replied, "This is not Mumma's kurta. This is dada's kurta. Dada's friend Manish Malhotra has made it for me. Do you think this is Mumma's kurta? No, please don't say that."

Karan then hysterically tells his kids "This is a man's kurta, and then points out at 'MAN' imprinted on a bag. The 'My Name is Khan' director captioned the video as, "Now they think I am wearing my mother's clothes!!!! #lockdownwiththejohars #season2 #toodles #weareback"

 

 

 

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

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

Celebrity followers were quick to comment on the post that garnered more than 3 lakh views on the photo-sharing platform. Farah Khan commented quipping, "To be fair.. so do I sometimes."

While Manish Malhotra left smiling, thumbs up and heart emojis at the post. Lately, Karan has been sharing updates of his quarantine time with kids Yash and Roohi and mom Hiroo Johar. Earlier, the 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' director shared a video where Yash and Roohi don't approve of the filmmaker's dancing skills.

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They say nothing succeeds like success, and singer Neha Kakkar could be the best example of that. Right from Cocktail that came out in 2012 to Simmba in 2018 to a lot of other films, she has become a singing sensation and is loved by her fans immensely and dearly.

However, this success has been anything but easy and a cakewalk. Not only for her but even for brother Tony Kakkar, times weren't fruitful. In a live chat with Zoom, she spilt the beans on what she and her brother did to pay their school fees. She revealed that they used to dance at jagrans and perform there so they could use that money to pay for their school fees. Neha also revealed that she began working at an early age to help her family amid their financial crisis.

Today, both the siblings are immensely successful and doing extremely well for themselves. On the work front, Tony recently unveiled his single, Chand Ka Tukda and evening shared this news with his fans on Instagram along with the link of the song. In case you missed it, have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Full Video Youtube Link in Bio. #tonykakkar #ChandKaTukda

A post shared by Tony Kakkar (@tonykakkar) onApr 19, 2020 at 12:36am PDT

As far as Neha Kakkar is concerned, let's see which Bollywood films she lends her voice to next!

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Ayushmann Khurrana and his filmmaker wife Tahira Kashyap Khurrana have prepped for their daughter Varushka's sixth birthday in the loveliest way possible. 

Since it's a quarantine birthday for little Varushka, the star parents created the birthday decor from scratch, as nothing was available in the market. In fact, this creative time turned out to be quite a bonding moment for the family of four. 

Right from creating streamers from newspapers, painting paper fans, to making a cute birthday banner for Varushka, the family did everything together. Ayushmann Khurrana also decided to entertain them by playing the guitar and piano to bring in the birthday cheer.

 

 

 

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This is a unique lockdown birthday for our 6 year old! We @ayushmannk tried our best to make it special! Sharing the joy with you ❤️ #daughter #daughtersarespecial #lockdownbirthday #recycle

A post shared by tahirakashyapkhurrana (@tahirakashyap) onApr 20, 2020 at 11:07pm PDT

Isn't that adorable?

Tahira Kashyap revealed, "We have been doing birthday preparations for the past 10 days. Since there weren't any balloons or streamers available in the market we started making some homemade decorations. There was so much joy in recycling newspapers and painting paper sheets. While I'm making six small cakes, Ayushmann is helping me organise a treasure hunt for the kids, and he is also keeping us entertained with his music. It's going to be the four of us enjoying and playing games. I've also curated a special video which has birthday wishes from her classmates and our relatives. It's going to be a special one."

Varushka turns six today and we are sure she's having an amazing birthday!

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Fact that Aparshakti Khurana has emerged as one of the ultimate social media buzz makers amidst the lockdown. After initiating digital antakshari, he started interactive Instagram Lives, brand collaborations, musical series called #InstaMusic and even featured in a special Lockdown Anthem video alongside various YouTubers.

With so much on, it won't be wrong to call Khurana the most entertaining and engaging celeb on social media currently. Taking his creativity to another level this time around, Aparshakti has shared his first-ever audio short film - Hisaab Barabar on Instagram which he wanted to present back from his Radio days.

The plot revolves around a girl called Suhani and her schoolmate Rinku, revealing how after disliking each other all these years during school, they end up falling in love with each other. Hisaab Barabar is already winning hearts, thanks to its beautiful storyline and Aparshakti's brilliance at storytelling. He does not just leave you smiling but makes you believe and see these two characters when you're just hearing about them. Well, that truly is the real art of narrating stories on audio.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aparshakti Khurana (@aparshakti_khurana) onApr 18, 2020 at 3:30am PDT

The multi-talented star shared Hisaab Barabar on his handle saying, "For those who don’t know, I was working at a radio station 5 years ago and was working on a pilot of my new audio show but destiny had other plans and Dangal happened (which I am grateful of till date), because of which I had to leave the pilot midway. The idea of this audio show was so close to my heart that it continued to linger in my mind for the last 5 years. One of the segments was to be called YEH DILLI HAI MERE YAAR, where in I would have released one audio short film every Friday. Coming up is a story called Hisaab Barabar which is written and voiced by me. Just FYI, I might not have patience and energy to write and voice more stories but I shall try only if you like this one [sic]."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

pic.twitter.com/sbXPpLiGBA

— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) April 20, 2020

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

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

pic.twitter.com/yGkN1m3jmv

— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) April 20, 2020

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

If you’ve recovered from COVID19, you are a Corona warrior. We need an army of such warriors to overcome this invisible enemy. Your blood contains the bullets that can kill the virus. Please donate your blood, so others, especially the serious ones can recover. Sign up now🙏

— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 19, 2020

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

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

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We love Bollywood throwback photos. They're fun, nostalgic and they give us a priceless glimpse back in history. Sonam Kapoor is the master of throwback pictures and moments. Her social media accounts are a treat for all the Bollywood buffs, especially people who are their fans and admirers.

Continuing the trend, Sonam posted a throwback picture of herself on her Instagram account. In the picture, the Neerja actress seems to channelize her inner Anarkali striking a perfect 'Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya' look. Dressed in a red lehenga with golden dupatta, glass bangles and a big nosering, Sonam looks ethereal dressed exactly like Madhubala. Sharing the picture, she wrote, "Pyaar kiya to darna kya (sic)", with a heart emoji. Take a look:

 

 

 

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Pyaar kiya to darna kya ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) onApr 20, 2020 at 11:16pm PDT

Recently, she had shared a throwback picture of her 2018 wedding celebration. Sharing the picture, she wrote that she is missing her girl gang during the lockdown.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Miss my girlies

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) onApr 17, 2020 at 12:11am PDT

Sonam is currently spending her quarantine time in New Delhi with her husband Anand Ahuja and his family. She has been making full use of her free time by sharing adorable pictures of her quarantine time. The actress has been cooking and baking delicious cakes for her family. Recently, the actress shared a glimpse of the chocolate walnut cake she made on Instagram. Reacting to Sonam's post, her mother-in-law replied, "Amazing cakes beta. How to manage weight gain. Everybody is Loving them so much (sic)."

 

 

 

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Made chocolate walnut cake today. I had run out of chocolate and @fortunegourmetindia sent me some amazing quality chocolate. Thanks so much @missdevi for organising. Love you

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) onApr 10, 2020 at 5:43am PDT

Before this, Sonam had shared a monochrome picture of herself with husband Anand Ahuja and penned a poetic note saying "every little thing gonna be alright". The 34-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared how she started her morning as she witnessed the rising sun and singing birds with her husband Anand. In the picture accompanying the post, The Zoya Factor star is seen planting a kiss on her hubby's forehead as she expressed her love.

 

 

 

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Rise up this mornin' Smiled with the risin' sun Three little birds Pitch by my doorstep Singin' sweet songs Of melodies pure and true Saying', (this is my message to you) Singing' don't worry 'bout a thing 'Cause every little thing gonna be alright Singing' don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing 'Cause every little thing gonna be alright ðŸÂÂÂÂÂÂŽ¶ #everydayphenomenal #sleepyhungrybaby

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) onMar 31, 2020 at 3:51am PDT

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Actor Juhi Chawla on Tuesday shared a tutorial to make masks at home and encouraged people to leave the surgical and N95 masks for the healthcare professionals who need it the most during coronavirus outbreak.

The 52-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared a video where she said, "Friends, I hope you all are safe, healthy and happy in your homes. If you happen to leave your house for essential work then you should wear a mask while leaving, this is a rule now."

Make your own mask! Go creative, maybe write a message or try your hand at painting...let us aim to leave the surgical & N95 masks for our healthcare professionals who need it the most 😇👍Don't forget 💪 Leave the house only when it's necessary 😷👮#ApnaDeshApnaMask @ApnaMask pic.twitter.com/4LGh6Ns4Rl

— Juhi Chawla (@iam_juhi) April 21, 2020

The 'Yes Boss' star continued, "Our Prime Minister has also said to create masks at home and wear them while leaving your house. This is because we should save the surgical and N95 masks for doctors, nurses and other health officials, and because they need them the most."

Chawla said that "we should make the masks at our homes. You can easily make a mask by using a saree, handkerchief, or dupatta. She then demonstrated creating a protective mask using a piece of cloth. She folded the square cloth in a triangle and then wrapped in rounds to make a mask"

Juhi then showed the viewers by wearing the home-made mask, and said, "Apna Desh Apna Mask."

The 'Gulaab Gang' star captioned the post as, "Make your own mask! Go creative, maybe write a message or try your hand at painting...let us aim to leave the surgical & N95 masks for our healthcare professionals who need it the most. Don't forget. Leave the house only when it's necessary #ApnaDeshApnaMask @ApnaMask"

Earlier, demonstrated how people can convert their T-shirts into a mask at home to be safe from COVID-19.

The total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country is 18,601, including 14,759 active cases. So far, 3,251 patients have been cured and discharged while 590 deaths have been recorded, as per data provided by the Ministry of Health.

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Kartik Aaryan's social media post never misses chuckling the internet away, especially during the times of quarantine, as he shares funny videos on social media, many a time featuring his sister Kritika Tiwari. However, his last video attracted much criticism, so much so that the actor had to delete the post.

Shot at the comfort of their homes, Kartik Aaryan enacts the character of a guy who is seen punishing his sister Kritika Tiwari for making bad roti (a type of Indian bread). Unhappy with the rotis given to him, Aaryan in the "funny" video catches her by her pleated hair, spins her around and flings her from the terrace. He captioned the video: "No compromise on quality."

The video did not go out well with the netizens. The skit enacted by Kartik and Kritika was described as domestic violence by many. Filmmaker Onir took to Twitter to write, "Idiotic .. someone should tell him since he is too dumb to understand that a lot of responsible Film industry members have put out a message against domestic violence and this is NOT FUNNY. But then who are we taking to ... [sic]"

He further added, "He is very popular. like his long speech from the film. But unfortunately, misogyny is very often camouflaged as "entertainment" or " real love" [sic]"

Sona Mohapatra, "I have begun to believe that thus is a new PR strategy for many. Put out misogynistic content or even hire a multiple #MeToo accused & then wait for the feminists to speak up & protest & thus amplify? Free ka publicity. Case in point Kabir Singh, Indian Idol & maybe this too? [sic]"

This guy has become a youth idol by consistently ðŸÂŒŸing in misogynistic films &is happy 2extend it to his disgusting #lockdown video. DV in India is skyrocketing many women stuck 24/7 with their https://t.co/EF3ixCUdY6 this out #India.He influences many more millions than Tangoli https://t.co/g6dyLFvnEf

— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) April 21, 2020

Check out the video that Kartik posted:

Earlier, Kartik Aaryan, throughout the lockdown period, made distinctive efforts through social media, be it through his monologue or rapping, to raise awareness among the people about coronavirus and the importance to stay at home.

The effort made by the actor in his 'Pyaar Ka Punchnama' inspired monologue, grabbed the attention of many, including that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After getting praise and a retweet for his first monologue video by PM Modi, the actor has promised to "keep reminding everyone" about the importance of self-isolation during the coronavirus outbreak.

But, Kartik, this one definitely wasn't entertaining!

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It's not the first time that a celebrity's married life has come under the microscope. Recently, there were rumours that Sunidhi Chauhan's marriage with music director husband Hitesh Sonik was falling apart. It was rumoured that they were living separately, and have kept their separation under wraps.

While Sunidhi Chauhan responded with 'no comments' when asked about this, in a chat with Bombay Times, Hitesh Sonik reacted to these rumours, albeit not in the way one would think. When told that his wife had decided not to say anything, he took a dig at the news and responded in a humorous way, saying, "Maybe she doesn't want to comment on it because she finds the news too outrageous to even think about it," adding that all was well in his paradise.

He further told the publication, "We are living under the same roof. I am too busy cleaning the house to even read the news. We have divided the household chores in this lockdown period. Well, maybe she isn't happy with my cleaning, which is why such a story has surfaced!"

Seems like it was what it was - just rumours!

Sunidhi Chauhan and Hitesh Sonik had been friends before they got married, right since the time the singer won the singing reality show Meri Awaz Suno. After dating for over two years, the couple got married in 2012 in an intimate ceremony in Goa and held a reception in Mumbai. Sunidhi and Hitesh are proud parents to a baby boy, Tegh, who was born in 2018.

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On Earth Day, Richa Chadha made a video encapsulating a few things we can all practice to make a difference to nature. The video was simple and easy to understand for her fans of all ages. Admittedly, she's vegan because of the damage caused to the environment by large scale meat production. Here's hoping everyone can take a cue and learn to make basic changes to their lifestyles, so that the benefits of nature we're enjoying during this lockdown, can extend even when everyone gets back to work.

Richa's minute-long video explains simple tips and tricks to help save earth. It's not always about the larger things, small changes and differences can start at home. Her tips are easy to follow varying from making a small space to grow own basic produce like herbs at home or using recycled bottles of water instead of plastic or even avoid running tap water during brushing or segregating ones home waste or using kitchen scraps as compost for plants.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Richa Chadha (@therichachadha) onApr 21, 2020 at 11:06pm PDT

Richa says on her social media, "Made a video today for earth day. These things are simple enough even for a 6-year-old but sometimes we tend to forget even the basics that can help contribute. While everyone is busy sharing videos and images of peacocks on roads, dolphins in the sea, clear blue skies. We shouldn't forget that nature is healing and we must not get back to our old ways when the lockdown is relaxed".

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Gully Boy-fame Vijay Verma says there are two Indian actors -- Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff -- influenced him to become the actor that he is today. Asked to recall a profound moment that made him think of taking acting seriously, Vijay told IANS: "For me, it was Sanjay Dutt in 'Vaastav'. That was one of those films, and his character was one of such that made me say, 'actor banna hai'. That performance impacted me so much! His character Raghu in the film was a man with a story of zero-to-hero. A man who became a gangster who roams around with pachaas-tola around his neck! Oh man! That was a performance! I think 'Vastaav' was the 'Agneepath' of my growing-up days!"

Did he share the story with Dutt when they met? "No, I haven't because I met him socially, a couple of times. I met him at Mr Bachchan's place but at those moments I was comfortable just being around him and getting a big hug! For sharing my story, we need to sit down and chat. That is yet to happen," replied the actor, who recently appeared in the ZEE5 original film Bamfaad.

This year, Vijay has had three more releases -- Ghost Stories", "She" along with "Baaghi 3". Vijay said that he is also a huge fan of "Baaghi 3" star Tiger Shroff's father, veteran actor Jackie Shroff.

"I am a fanboy of Jaggu dada. He epitomised that galli culture of Mumbai. In my growing days I admired him so much that when 'Gully Boy' was offered to me, I felt like Moeen (his character in the film) is a tribute to Jaggu dada! I love him," Vijay smiled.

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Film director Karan Johar on Wednesday posted yet another video of his twins entertaining him in the most adorable manner during the lockdown. In the latest video, Johar is seen flaunting the singing skills of his little munchkins - Roohi and Yash.

The twins are seen sitting on a sofa with a guitar in their hand and trying really hard to sing in their adorable voices but are only able to hum "La La La La La," in chorus. The video begins with Karan introducing the two little musicians saying, "We have two very talented musicians in the house, ladies, and gentlemen give it up for Roohi and Yash."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

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

As the two began with their 'singing,' Karan takes a minute and then briefly interrupts them asking, "Excuse me! Can you please sing something more melodious?" Accepting that singing is something that the Johar family is not good at, the 47-year-old director wrote in the caption, "Clearly singing is not in our genes! Apologies in advance! #lockdownwiththejohars #toodles."

The 'Student of the Year' director has been spending time with his children and has been posting such video ever since the lockdown was imposed across the country.

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Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha on Wednesday paid homage to legendary late filmmaker BR Chopra on the occasion of his birth anniversary. The 74-year-old actor took to Twitter to pay tributes to the late creator of iconic TV series 'Mahabharat.'

"Homages, tributes & prayers for the great filmmaker, par excellence legend in the true sense, producer, director, late & great, pioneer, #BRChopra on his birth anniversary," Sinha tweeted. The 'Naseeb' actor also remembered some of the classic films that the legendary filmmaker has given to the Indian cinema industry.

Sharing an emotional video, on the last day of the shoot of Mahabharata, with his late & great son#RaviChopra who had co directed the serial. Profound regards to his family. Birth anniversary 🕉💐 pic.twitter.com/x2cjTCXBCM

— Shatrughan Sinha (@ShatruganSinha) April 22, 2020

"He has left behind an enormous legacy of several hit films & immortal gems for us to cherish for a lifetime Naya Daur, Ek hi Raasta, Waqt, the first song less, film Kanoon, Ittefaq, to name a few His films mostly dealt with concepts well ahead of the times," he tweeted.

"He worked with mostly all the leading artists of his time. He was a rarest of rare human being & was equally successful with his most watched & popular tv serial the epic 'Mahabharat', written by the famous intellectual, writer, late & great #Dr.RahiMasoomRaza," the tweet further read.

BR Chopra was an iconic figure in the Indian cinema industry and was also a recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Some of his most successful movies include 'Naya Daur,' 'Humraaz,' and 'Sadhna.'

He is best known for his iconic TV series 'Mahabharat'.

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Alia Bhatt's Gangubai Kathiawadi, a biopic on the fierce madam of the Kamathipura brothels, is among the many Bollywood projects that had to call time on their shoots due to the lockdown. In keeping with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's style of filmmaking, an elaborate set — depicting Kamathipura of the 1960s — had been constructed at Film City. With the set standing unused over the past five weeks, word is that Bhansali has instructed the production team to arrange for its demolition.

The set at Film City

A source says, "In March, Bhansali had cleared the payment for the set maintenance. Even when the shutdown was announced, the team had assumed it would delay the schedule only by a month or so. However, with the situation in Mumbai looking grim, it is unlikely that the shoots will resume soon. After a round of number-crunching, it was seen that recreating the set would probably be a cheaper alternative than keeping it standing in these uncertain circumstances, as the latter entails the daily rent that has to be paid to Film City. So, the team has decided to have the set razed to the ground." When quizzed if shooting in real locations is a possibility, the source added, "The final call will be taken post the lockdown."

mid-day reached out to Bhansali Productions, which did not respond till press time.

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Radhika Madan was heartbroken when Angrezi Medium — a film that she had dedicated the past four months to — ran in theatres for only a day, before the shutdown of cinemas came into effect from March 14. But good things come to those who wait. The Irrfan-starrer was recently released on Disney+Hotstar and has been winning viewers' hearts.

"I feel the movie is getting its due finally," says the actor, relieved that their labour of love has reached the audience. Though producer Dinesh Vijan initially toyed with the idea of releasing the comedy again after the situation returns to normalcy, the makers did a rethink. "We understood that the pandemic and its repercussions were far bigger than our individual interests. As a team, we reflected that we had made the film because we wanted to share the story and make people smile. So, it didn't make sense to delay the digital release. We did not want to wait and re-release the movie because there [is a backlog of] too many films."

Madan believes that viewers are able to identify with the father-daughter story more strongly today because the current scenario has made them value their relationships more than ever before. "People have written to me about the scenes they liked in the film. It was adorable to see fathers and daughters watching the film together and bonding over it. People are re-evaluating their priorities because of the lockdown. Now that I am away from my parents, I value them so much more, and the film highlights that emotion."

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

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

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

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar do not shy away from the media or the public glare to profess their love for each other. Their Instagram account is all about pictures filled with Public Display of Affection (PDA), and their cryptic captions leave their fans scratching heads to decode it.

Recently, Shibani shared a video on Instagram of herself, cooking pasta while Farhan films her. As Shibani cooks pasta with mushrooms, spring onions and cream sauce, Farhan is seen gives us a live-commentary. Shibani captioned the post: "How can anyone be this bad in the kitchen? Making pasta with mushrooms, spring onions and cream sauce! I've made this a thousand times and it still isn't that good! Thank you to my wonderful kitchen assistants and cameraman (sic)."

 

 

 

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making pasta with mushrooms spring onions and cream sauce! I’ve made this a thousand times and it still isn’t that good! thank you to my wonderful kitchen assistants and cameraman!

A post shared by Shibani Dandekar (@shibanidandekar) onApr 22, 2020 at 2:08am PDT

The alleged couple has been enjoying their quarantine time together. They regularly give us insights about the fun they have through their videos and pictures. Recently, Shibani shared a picture where she can be seen chilling with her "mystery man". "On lockdown with this mystery man #quarantine (sic)", she captioned the post.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Shibani Dandekar (@shibanidandekar) onApr 18, 2020 at 4:14am PDT

Farhan too shared a video of Shibani enjoying with his dog Tyson. Shibani is trying to scare Tyson by constantly making noises but to no avail. And as soon as Tyson does the same, she gets scared and shocked and bursts out laughing out of fear and panic.

 

 

 

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Every action has an equal and opposite reaction 😂😂😂 #tystagram @shibanidandekar

A post shared by Farhan Akhtar (@faroutakhtar) onApr 8, 2020 at 5:51am PDT

The Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara actor started dating Dandekar almost a year-and-a-half ago. Later, they started sharing each other's photos on their social media accounts. Farhan was earlier married to Adhuna Bhabani, with whom he has two daughters - Shakya and Akira. Shibani Dandekar is a model-turned-VJ and has participated in reality shows such as Khatron Ke Khiladi and Jhalak Dikhla Ja.

On the work front, Farhan was last seen in Shonali Bose's The Sky Is Pink, co-starring Priyanka Chopra, Zaira Wasim, and Rohit Saraf. The film opened to a positive response from critics but underperformed at the box office. He will next star in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Toofan, a boxing drama releasing on October 2, 2020.

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

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

Have a look at her tweet right here:

I think it’s fabulous & worth cheering that @TheAaryanKartik took note & brought down his problematic video. I appreciate his response & I do hope to see him in films that are more responsible in their gender messaging too. Love & regards to you Aaryan. May we all grow & evolve.

— ShutUpSona (@sonamohapatra) April 22, 2020

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

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Manoj Bajpayee is celebrating his 51st birthday today with his family, and there cannot be a greater feeling for any actor to spend time with his loved ones and that too on such a special occasion. But how will he be bringing on the special day? Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, he spilled the beans on the same.

He said, "I am in the hills with my family. There can be no better setting." However, since nobody can step out due to the lockdown, Bajpayee even spoke about this and said, "The only problem is that we're not allowed to go out of the compound here, and as all the houses are far apart from each other, there is hardly any human contact." His wife Shabana and his parents are in Delhi right now and he also talked about his concern.

He said, "We are constantly in touch with them and have asked friends to check on both our parents." The actor has been working in Hindi Cinema for the last 25 years and given some unforgettable performances in films like Satya, Kaun, Shool, Gangs of Wasseypur, Aligarh, and more recently, The Family Man. He's now gearing up for Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari and Mrs. Serial Killer!

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

Helping the real Singhams

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

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

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Telly actor Kavita Kaushik's tweet in support of Hrithik Roshan and Adhyayan Suman has created a storm on social media.

Best remembered for her portrayal of Chandramukhi Chautala in FIR, Kaushik spoke her mind when she wrote, "I have gushing emotions of love, respect, empathy and more for Hrithik Roshan. Also, a huge apology is owed to Shekhar Suman and Adhyayan Suman. They are a sweet family and the hate they got from an eager-to-judge, feeding-on-lies-smeared popcorn audiences is so heartbreaking (sic)."

Also, a huge apology is owed to @shekharsuman7 and @AdhyayanSsuman , they are a sweet family and the hate they got from an eager to judge, feeding on lies smeared popcorn audiences is so damn heartbreaking🙏 everyone was so cruel to them at that time cos of the 'woman card' https://t.co/kRZ8kycwJ2

— Kavita (@Iamkavitak) April 19, 2020

Kaushik's tweet came in reply to a user who wrote, "Two sisters are united in thinking India is their grandfather's property. Rangoli wants 2024 elections to be cancelled. Kangana wants a ban on Twitter (sic)."

Adhyayan responded and wrote, "Sometimes it is better to leave things to destiny. Thank you for your kind words, Kavita (sic)." Rangoli's Twitter account has been suspended but she will surely have something to tell Kaushik. We are waiting.

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A childhood picture of Janhvi Kapoor, posted by mother Sridevi in 2016, has been doing the rounds of the Internet. Fans of the late superstar are finding it special as it is from the family album. As a bald toddler, dressed up in South Indian attire, Janhvi looks cute as a button.

Janhvi Kapoor is often seen sharing her childhood pictures from the family album. In this one, Janhvi is seen wearing a pretty white coloured ethnic wear and loads of gold jewellery. Isn't she looking adorable? 

Speaking about the actress' professional journey, Janhvi Kapoor will be next seen in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Roohi Afzana, Takht and Dostana 2. As the lockdown process is still on, Janhvi Kapoor has self-quarantined with sister Khushi Kapoor and papa Boney Kapoor. Khushi, who studies in New York, returned from the city as soon as the COVID-19 broke on the internet.

In an interview, Janhvi Kapoor shared how her Bollywood debut changed her life, "I think I lacked confidence and my language was an issue. I think I was a little stiff in places. I think that one thing I had working for me is that I tried to bring a lot of honesty and sensitivity to it. I think the emotionality of it was in the right place."

She added, "Maybe it was all heart but it lacked a lot of technical understanding and a lot of finesse. I lacked technical understanding and maybe my skill set wasn't as polished. It's weird saying this about myself but I think I felt honest onscreen."

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If you liked Ajay Devgn's 2018 mystery thriller Raid, then you will love this bit of news! It's being reported that Devgn's film will soon get a sequel, as the actor and producer Bhushan Kumar are already said to be working on it. Plus, according to a report, Raid will be turned into a multi-film franchise. Excited yet?

A source close to the development informed Mumbai Mirror, "The franchise seeks to bring into the public eye heroes who work closely with intelligence agencies to track white-collar crimes. To this day, nobody knows the identity of the officer on whom Ajay's Amay was modelled. Raid 2 will also be a tribute to men who don’t wear the uniform."

Bhushan Kumar, who produced the first film, told the publication, "It will be a huge multi-film franchise and Ajay Ji and I, along with Kumar Mangat ji, are looking to take Raid forward. The script of Part 2 is being developed. Since the original was a much-loved film, the sequel is a huge responsibility. After the super success of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, there's a lot of pressure on this collaboration to live up to the expectation. We have always aimed at creating high concept films."

Raid, directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, starred Ajay Devgn an IRS officer, Amay Patnaik. While Devgn and Bhushan Kumar are already collaborating on Bhuj: The Pride Of India, news of them reuniting for the Raid series is much welcome for fans of the film!

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