Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor is not keeping well and has been admitted to a city hospital here, his elder brother Randhir Kapoor said. The 67-year-old actor was taken to H N Reliance hospital by his family on Wednesday morning.

"He is in the hospital. He is suffering from cancer and he has some breathing problem, so he has been admitted to the hospital. He is stable now," Randhir told PTI. The actor returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for cancer in the US for almost a year. In February, Kapoor was hospitalised twice due to his health issues. He was first admitted to a hospital in Delhi where he was attending a family function.

At the time, Kapoor had said that he was suffering from an "infection". After his return to Mumbai, he was again admitted to a hospital with viral fever. He was discharged soon after. Kapoor, who has been quite active on social media, hasn't posted anything on his Twitter account since April 2. The actor recently announced his next project, a remake of Hollywood film "The Intern", also featuring Deepika Padukone.

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Though Irrfan and I did not share screen space, we featured together in two films, Akash Deep's Ghaath (2000), and Suparn Verma's Acid Factory (2009).

In the second, we were together in only one fleeting scene. We knew each other because our roots [lay in] theatre. I knew him from the time we began our careers, and we followed each other's journey in films. I looked at him with tremendous regard. We went through the same [experiences] at the same time: We struggled together, and as outsiders, fought for the same thing: to earn our place in different types of films.

We faced both rejection and acceptance from the audience, and the industry.

It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that Irrfan is no more. His contribution to the industry and the world of acting will live on. He still had a lot more [to offer], so his passing away is difficult for a colleague and contemporary [to come to terms with].

As told to Shaheen Parkar

Priyadarshan: He wanted to do a comedy when he came back

Irrfan was a dear friend. We worked together in Billoo, and often spent the evenings together. He would talk about his struggles and [being apprehensive about] carving his place as an actor, in movies, because of his looks. He'd say he was advised to stick to theatre because he didn't have the qualities of a hero, but [would remind himself] that 'somebody needs [to see] somebody like me [as a hero]'.

He had told people that if he came back [following his treatment in London], they should keep scripts [ready] for him. But when he returned, he told me he [was easily] tired, and couldn't work for more than five hours. I spoke to him four months ago, and he said that though the treatment had made him weak, he [had been] cured. He wanted to do a comedy and told me to call him with a script.

As told to Upala KBR

Mithila Palkar: He taught me to focus on nuances

My fondest memory of Irrfan sir was him referring to me as Binaca Geetmala, because I'd always sing on the sets of Karwaan. If he liked something that I was humming, he would request [me to sing] it.

I haven't been to acting school. But merely [being in his] presence was like attending one. My lesson from observing him was to focus on the small details in a scene, and understanding nuances. We lost a gem and I don't think this void can be filled.

As told to Sonia Lulla

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Actor Deepak Dobriyal, who worked with Irrfan Khan in "Angrezi Medium" earlier this year, recalls the late actor was like an elder brother. "From making me understand the craft of acting to teaching me how to give genuine expressions on screen, he taught me and helped me a lot, like a big brother. His death is a personal loss," Deepak told IANS.

Irrfan died on Wednesday at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital where he was admitted the day before with colon infection. He even had battled neuroendocrine tumour for several months. Remembering his late co-star, Deepak recalled how Irrfan happily continued shooting "Angrezi Medium" while undergoing treatment for cancer.

"Despite being in pain, he duly fulfilled his professional commitments. He was not in pink of his health, so I always tried my best to make him smile during our shooting. I used to joke with him and he never felt bad. He always treated me like his chhota bhai. It's hard to digest the news of his demise. We had even planned to work on 'Urdu Medium' or 'Chinese Medium'. Now it's dream which will never become true," Deepak grieved

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Beyond The Clouds (2017) actor Malavika Mohanan was trolled by Master co-star Vijay's fans. They spewed venom after she questioned a sexist cartoon depicting the cast of the upcoming Tamil action-thriller in lockdown. It showed her cooking while the male actors were playing board games, listening to music and chilling.

The fan-made caricature also featured director Lokesh Kanagaraj and designer Gopi Prasanna. Mohanan wrote, "The task of a woman even in a hypothetical 'movie house' is to cook. When will gender roles die? Sigh (sic)." The barrage of hate tweets forced Mohanan to delete the post. Later, one fan shared the same cartoon, in which she is seen reading a book. "I love this version (sic)," she wrote.

Malavika Mohanan, on the professional front, is now prepping for her next — Anand Annamalai's multi-lingual Hero starring Arjun Reddy (2017) star Vijay Deverakonda. The actress was last seen in Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds.

"Majidi sir has a very clear vision for all his characters. All his characters are real people going through real issues. It started with my losing weight before I started filming to physically look like an inmate," Malavika had said in a statement.

Beyond The Clouds narrates a heart-warming tale of a brother and sister, and how they find happiness in separation and turbulent times. The film celebrates the triumph and adoration of life against a Mumbai backdrop. Produced by Zee Studios and Namah Pictures, the film is set to release worldwide on April 20, 2018.

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Pakistani actor Saba Qamar, who starred opposite Irrfan Khan in 2017's "Hindi Medium", said she is at loss of words with the untimely demise of her co-star. The 53-year-old actor lost his battle with a rare form of cancer and died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

He was buried at the Versova graveyard in the afternoon. Saba said she does hope things were better between India and Pakistan as she wants to meet Irrfan's wife Sutapa and their two sons Babil and Ayaan. "I'm numb today. I still cannot accept the loss of a brilliant co-actor Irrfan. I really am at a loss for words. It's very heart wrenching for me to say rest in peace Irrfan. "I really hope things were better between our countries and I could go see his family but my heartfelt condolences to his family," Saba told PTI.

 

 

 

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Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. I still can’t absorb the news. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of Hindi Medium. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. It is indeed a huge loss to the cinema world. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. You left a huge irreplaceable void in Cinema Irfan. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah give them strength to bear this loss. RIP Raj 💔 Yours Only, Meeta. 🌸

A post shared by 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐐𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 (@sabaqamarzaman) onApr 29, 2020 at 2:07am PDT

She said Irrfan's death is a huge loss to world cinema. "We lost a gem today. It's a huge loss to the cinema world and I hope we become able to bear that," she said. "Hindi Medium"', directed by Saket Chaudhary, marked Saba's debut in Bollywood. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of a nouveau riche in the 2017 comedy drama. The actor had also paid tribute to Irrfan on Twitter. "Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of 'Hindi Medium'. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. I'm at a loss for words. RIP Raj Yours Only, Meeta #IrrfanKhan" she had posted.

Meanwhile, many other actors from Pakistan have also condoled Irrfan's sudden demise. Pakistani actor Imran? Abbas, who was seen in a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil:, said art has no boundaries and he can feel the pain of his sudden demise. "Rest in peace the legend Irfan Khan!! You will surely be missed forever¿Since art has no boundaries, we can feel the pain and are equally grieved by your sudden demise...May Allah bless the departed soul. Undoubtedly, we all belong to Allah all mighty and have to return to HIM," he tweeted. Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar, who has acted in quite a few Bollywood films such as "Tere Bin Laden", "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" and "Dear Zindagi", posted, "RIP #IrrfanKhan. You were inspirational and unparalleled." Pakistani actor Sajal Ali wrote, "Shocked and sad. What a brilliant actor he was! Rest In Peace #IrrfanKhan."

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Irrfan Khan, who was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine tumour for the last two months, passed away at the age of 53 on April 29, 2020. The talented actor was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital for a colon infection, and on Wednesday he breathed his last.

Irrfan in an interview on the chat show Son of Abish opened up about his 1993-release Karamati Coat. "I was very happy because one just wants to work in cinema. Everyone kept appreciating me in television but I wanted to become a cinema actor. No one was offering me roles, even though everyone was appreciating me. But I got this part. So I was very happy and I thought that this is my big break," the actor was quoted by Hindustan Times.

The Piku actor had even designed his own outfit for the film. "For this, I got so excited that I made my own costume, chose the colours and everything. And the film had a walking shot; out of the three minutes, one and a half minutes was just the walking shot," he said.

Irrfan then went on to give stellar performances in films such as Haasil, Maqbool, Paan Singh Tomar, The Lunchbox, Piku and Hindi Medium. His international projects include Slumdog Millionaire, The Namesake, The Amazing Spider-Man, Jurassic World and Life of Pi. His last release Angrezi Medium too gathered critical acclaim.

It's not just Bollywood, but Irrfan Khan also took over the West with his talent and impeccable acting. In his almost three-decade career, the actor established himself as one of the most dependable performers in the Indian film industry as well as in Hollywood.

You'll be truly missed, Irrfan!

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Rishi Kapoor, the romantic star of many a Bollywood film who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2018, died in a Mumbai hospital on Thursday, his brother Randhir Kapoor said. He was 67. Rishi, a third-generation actor of the famous Kapoor dynasty, is survived by his wife Neetu Kapoor, actor son Ranbir and daughter Ridhima. "He is no more. He has passed away," Randhir told PTI. Rishi was taken to the H N Reliance hospital by his family on Wednesday. His death comes a day after his "D-Day" co-star Irrfan Khan passed away, also of cancer. Three months ago, the disease claimed his sister Ritu Nanda.

"Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukaemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last. 'He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him,' the family said in a statement. Rishi returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for his cancer in the US for almost a year.

In February, he was hospitalised twice. He was first admitted to a hospital in Delhi where he was attending a family function. At the time, he had said he was suffering from an "infection". After his return to Mumbai, he was again admitted to a hospital with viral fever. He was discharged soon after. Rishi made his first screen appearance as a child artiste in his father Raj Kapoor's film 'Shri 420', where he appeared in the song 'Pyaar hua ekraar hua'.

This was followed by "Mera Naam Joker". But it was in 1973, with the blockbuster 'Bobby', again directed by his father, that he made his debut as a romantic hero. He continued to be a favourite romantic hero for almost three decades. His notable films as a romantic hero are "Laila Majnu", "Rafoo Chakkar", "Karz", "Chandni", "Heena" and "Saagar". He was, however, more proud of his second innings as an actor, which he found more satisfying. His notable films as a character artiste are "Do Dooni Chaar" with wife Neetu, "Agnipath" and "Kapoor & Sons".

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Actor Rishi Kapoor died young, at 67. If he'd passed on few decades later, he would've still died young. And I don't mean that cliché about being 'young at heart' and all. I mean, literally, young in the head—where it counts.

Think he was between 25 to 30 years old; tops. This infused into his natural persona that casual aliveness of late youth—he's the guy you could chill at the corner-bar with, all through a party, as I did, couple of times. Feel blessed.

It also made him impulsive, tad impatient, moody, on occasion; unreasonable, even. Not an easy man to know and walk around, without care. Also he was therefore (mentally) a decade younger to me, and so there arose the minor/moral dilemma over what to call him! He didn't like Mr Kapoor ("Waddyathink, am an uncle or what?"). Rishiji wouldn't cut it. He preferred Rishi. I carried on with Mr Kapoor.

In the hierarchy of naam-karan (naming ceremony) in Indian popular culture, the apex of the pyramid belongs to the person the public bestows upon a common nickname, short-form, or epithet. It's not so much a mark of honour as it denotes the level of familiarity the public feels with a public figure!

This cuts across professions. It is most common in films—whether that be Shahenshah or Big B for Amitabh Bachchan; or Baadshah, King Of Romance, King Khan or SRK for Shah Rukh Khan. Tells you something about their image too.

Rishi went by the short, cute sobriquet, Chintu, at best, Chintuji—eternally that boy, at any rate India's first 'chocolate hero', who debuted as the National Award winning child-star of Raj Kapoor's magnum opus, Mera Naam Joker (MNJ; 1970). In fact, if you observed him closely, when he spoke with that impish smile—he still had a sweetly chubby face—it was quite easy to transpose him into the little Raju, besotted by his teacher Mary (Simi Garewal), from MNJ.

Thereafter he held a list of firsts for Bollywood that may not occur to you instantly, if I don't bring them to mind here. For one, up until Rishi's debut as the lead actor in Bobby (1973), he told me, Bollywood's heroes and heroines used to be men and women—holding books and going to college in their 30s and 40s! It's true. Rishi was 21; his leading lady, Dimple Kapadia, after whose character the film is titled, was 16.

While Bobby gave birth to a super-hit romantic pair, Dimple got married, and quit movies altogether. This posed a peculiar problem for Rishi. He was left to swim around a leading ladies' pool—Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, etc—that was considerably older, and therefore unfit to be cast as his conventional, romantic leads. There was Neetu Singh, absolutely his perfect onscreen better-half— later his off-screen wife. "But then, how many films could I do with her? So it had to be Neetu, or a new girl," he said.

Don't know if such an entry is allowed into the Guinness book, Rishi held the glorious record of introducing 23 female leads as his on-screen partner in the movies. And even that number he wasn't sure about. Besides that he wished to add even Alia Bhatt (Student Of The Year; 2012), Taapsee Pannu (Chashme Buddoor; 2013), into the list, since they had debuted in Bollywood with him, although he wasn't the lead in those movies.

Did he even remember all those 23 heroines he worked with; was he in touch with any of them? "Don't know where's Kajal Kiran (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen; 1977), Shoma Anand (Barood; 1976), Bhavana Bhatt (Naya Daur; 1978)…" Gah! Would've been a great idea to click Rishi seated in the centre as the good old Casanova surrounded by his debuting leading ladies — an eclectic array, almost stacked up like sardines — to celebrate 50 years of his debut, which falls on September 28, 2020.

Bobby (1973)

A mart is really how the movie business/trade has traditionally perceived itself — setting a price for what sells, and a sell-by-date for what doesn't. This is as true for stars as the image or genres associated with them. In that sense Rishi, although he liked to call himself the "right person at the wrong time", had an absolutely uninterrupted 25-year run at the movies — between 1973 and 1998 (averaging around five to six films a year) — which for its time is also a record of sorts: "Shelf life for a hero then was 20 years; 10 years for heroines."

He said the reason to quit films was also his. He had just got bored of the proverbial dancing around trees. Nothing exciting seemed to exist in the horizon. And so one fine day, he rounded up the four to five producers he owed advances to, and simply returned them their money.

This is when Rishi was 46. Shammi Kapoor, Rishi's uncle, and the seminal singing-dancing star of the generation he took over from, had retired at 37. Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi's older contemporary, left films (to return only much later) at 40. Of course none of these age restrictions/rules for retirement matter anymore. Shah Rukh Khan, 54, has currently taken a break to recalibrate his leading man's career.

Note: I mention Shahenshah, and Badshah or King Of Romance, again! This is because in the pantheon of Bollywood stars, Rishi saw himself sandwiched between the two: "I should've entered films in the '90s," he said. The year of Rishi's debut, 1973, is also when Prakash Mehra's Zanjeer proclaimed Amitabh Bachchan as the 'angry young man'— simultaneously killing that flowery phase of Rajesh Khanna romances; and gently pricking at the bud the romantic Rishi Kapoor from coming into full-potential, glorious bloom.

At the box office, Rishi, in many ways, would've been Rajesh Khanna's natural successor. In terms of a female fan-following, he sort of already was — with hordes of women, by his own account, taking their clothes off, so he could autograph their bras! And special 'Bobby buses', matched with theatre timings, plying between Punjab, Faridabad and (what was then) Gurgaon, so people from far-off towns could catch his first film.

Except the phase that followed, especially in the '80s, was full of, as he put it, "B and C centre maar-peet; Lahu Ke Khoon [both mean blood] kind of films, and some skin-show. The ambience, mahaul, was only for action." Rishi, on the other hand, had been secure enough in his masculinity to go drag with Rafoo Chakkar (1975). One such "totally wahiyaat (crappy)" film, he told me about, was called Hawalaat (1987), where he starred alongside the 'action types', Mithun Chakraborty and Shatrughan Sinha. He was of course the "guitar and dafli playing type." When it came to promoting the film, the producer asked him "to pose with a chaku (knife)" for the poster, to draw in audiences!

It is in this backdrop that one has to register the fact that Subhash Ghai's cracker musical Karz (1980) had tanked at the box-office. Ghai recently sold its remake rights for Rs. 3 crore, which is a sum he'd not even come close to with the original. Likewise, Rishi's Tina Munim, Poonam Dhillon, Rakhee Gulzar co-starrer, Yeh Vaada Raha (1982), based on Danielle Steele's novel The Promise, showed no promise either. Neither did Zehreela Insaan (1974). Nor was Ramesh Sippy (1985) quite the Sholay!

The above is merely a short Spotify playlist I'm making for you, so after you're through with the Hum Kisise Kum Naheen medley, you check out the opening riffs of Karz's Ek Hasina Thi, the title track of Yeh Vaada Raha, and the finest RD Burman number, O Hansini, from Zehreela Insaan, or O' Maria from Saagar. These soundtracks have been around us all along. Post Rajesh Khanna, RD arguably equalled Rishi, on screen. RD is very much alive. So will Rishi. Music is the medium through which Hindi movies survive public memory.

Also, only a proper desi film aesthete would be able to tell how Rishi was uniquely gifted at lip-syncing, to perfectly own a song, before the camera. It's called song-acting—a talent that has no use in any another film culture. The first time Rishi was asked to perform a track (Main shayar toh nahin, from Bobby), he recalled, his father, Raj Kapoor, allowed him no choreographer. The logic being the choreographer would give him steps that other stars had already performed to. He would automatically be compared to them!

Even as an actor, it can be argued, Rishi looked and behaved like no one else—of his time, or from the generations before. Let alone other Kapoors. None of whom seemed like shadows of each other — carving niches of their own — while being raised under the banyan tree of Prithviraj, a full-time theatre and later film-studio actor, who began a four-generational legacy that Rishi was a proud and aware progeny of.

Contrary to popular perception — mainly because so many get to take a shot at stardom in the first place — most superstar-kids don't make it in the movies. Comparisons do them in. What separated Rishi from his father Raj, for one, was the lack of being — a word he used himself — the "stylised" actor.

By which you mean certain tics, manners, or andaaz, as it were, that instantly marked out say Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, and others. Rishi didn't have that. And this is what made his return to "character-driven" or more realistic films, at a larger stage, easily possible. Which wasn't the case with most others before him. It's the lightheartedness of his films that rendered him an underrated actor—hardly ever taken seriously by the critical establishment; something that bothered him much. He told me comedian Johnny Lever had a bone to pick with him. Rishi was the only star who'd been around for so long, that Lever couldn't find a way to mimic on stage! Fair point.

In 2017, I had the honour to host Rishi's first (and as yet only) retrospective of films at the Jagran Film Festival. From a filmography of over 150, we had to pick five. This was impossible. Going back and forth with his suggestions, we kept widening the quota. Until we reached a point that we could no longer accommodate more than eight films. And yet, how could MNJ be left out? We decided to play eight and half films in all—the half comprising Rishi's section from the three-part MNJ!

To be fair, an artiste/entertainer's self-perception should be at the core of his fan-base. And for this moment, don't care what Rishi Kapoor gems you've found — let's make it about the jeweller foremost. According to him, besides Karz and Bobby, Rishi's greatest works were—Habib Faisal's Do Dooni Char (2010), Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog (1982), Karan Malhotra's Agneepath (2012), Shakun Batra's Kapoor & Sons (2016), Manmohan Desai's Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), and Yash Chopra's Chandni (1989).

Notice his latent bias towards more recent releases. You can gauge the phase he was enjoying the most — placing his acting chops on display. It doesn't seem as if fate had mortally attacked a man who's young or old — just someone with such vitality and zest for life, that he was looking to soar. That's what hurts far more. Rishi had battled leukemia for two years.

The reason for his return to films, he told me, was a lovers' tiff of sorts that he'd had with his filmmaker buddy Rakesh Roshan, who'd pricked his ego with some loose talk about his career (or the lack of it). The expectedly emotional Rishi reasoned that he had retired from stardom, yes, but not from acting. He decided to stage a comeback — also to prove a point to Roshan, who, along with Jeetendra, Prem Chopra, and his Campion schoolmate, director Rahul Rawail, were known to be his close friends.

Basically the Rishi Kapoor I observed from a private quarter was no different from the Rishi Kapoor one experiences from a distance, in public. Meaning, what you saw is what you got. No overt agendas as such. This often cofounded political coteries on social media, with a lot of his tweets driving traffic to the Right, and then swerving conveniently to the Left-Liberal, as they say!

Guess if you've lived your adult life entirely in the public eye, you'll either always fake it, or just stop caring beyond a point. Of course he also had a socially well-connected, mature, adult side to him, with an eye on the lay of the land. But for the most part, it seemed, Rishi kept it real.

With personal disclaimers, he had no qualms admitting to the world he'd frickin' bought the Filmfare Award, for Bobby! He wrote it in his book, and explained further at an interview with me before a live audience. What're you gonna shame him for?

As a Bollywood star, he didn't think twice before drunk-dialing me past midnight, referring to how I had obliquely compared his son Ranbir's performance in Rockstar (2011) to Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan — "Abey, beta toh mera hai!" True.

He could get childishly excited even about wearing a delegate-badge at a film festival, given that he said, surprisingly (for me), he'd never been formally invited to one before. But then again, despite his first and only retrospective being held across 16 cities over three months, he could bail out a day before the all-important closing ceremony, for a conversation before a packed house.

Because? He had an issue with an absolutely random cartoon published in Mid-day, about the fire at RK Studio. No, you couldn't console him. Just couldn't. That was Rishi. His friends say the same. Everyone loved him just the way he was though. Good luck God. And thank you, Mr Kapoor.

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It is hard to believe that I will not see him again, in person. The worst part is that I couldn't be there with him and his family for the final rites. I met him in the latter part of 2019. He was jovial. I remember looking at him and thinking that the worst phase of his life is behind him. There wasn't an iota of [weakness] in his eyes. One couldn't, from his body language, gauge that he was enduring any pain or difficulty. The unfortunate turn of events was unexpected.

More than being his co-star, I was a fan. I loved Rishi and Neetu, as a couple, and wouldn't miss a single film of the duo. For me, the turning point [in my career] came when I signed a movie with him. Rishi was the one who recommended my name to Nasir Hussain, and that's how I landed up in Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai.
 
The first shot that we did together was for the song Poocho na yaar kya hua. I remember it vividly. I had to do a dance sequence and then hug him. I was shivering because I was a fan.

We shot [Hoga tumse pyara kaun] on a train, and it was a surreal experience. It was hot, and we were trying to look our best, and do the best that we could. Unfortunately, my scarf caught fire, and, like a true hero, Rishi ran towards me and rescued me. 

He was a foodie. I'd get prawns and fish curry to the sets and we would eat together. More than him, we loved his Punjabi lunch that Neetu would send. Neetu would send healthy food, but she never knew that he'd, in fact, be eating his co-stars' meals.

He is going to be missed. My heart goes out to Ranbir and Ridhima. 

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My first directorial venture Andaz [1971] was with Shammi Kapoor. A decade later, I made Shaan [1981] with Shashi Kapoor. Babita was introduced by my father [GP Sippy] opposite Rajesh Khanna in Raaz [1967]. I made Saagar [1985] with Rishi Kapoor, so my association with the Kapoors goes back a long way.

My daughter, Sheena, was married to Shashi Kapoor's son, Kunal. We are related as well. How much closer can we get?

I was in touch with Rishi but not as much as I should have been. I remember catching a play at the Royal Opera House with his brother Randhir Kapoor. After the show, we sat down to chat and Randhir called Rishi who was at that time seeking treatment in the US. Rishi was sounding fine and kept a positive front. We were happy to know that all was going well until this sudden turn of events. I was shocked to hear of his demise. We had heard that he had been hospitalised. The awful part is that because of COVID-19 and social distancing, we could not go to pay our last respects. I feel miserable about it.

Ramesh Sippy

I thought of making Saagar after Dimple Kapadia expressed her desire to make a comeback after marriage and motherhood. I sat with Javed Akhtar saab and discussed the script and spoke to Rishi.

We decided to make it a love triangle and got Kamal Haasan on board. It was a lovely experience working with the three talented actors. Unfortunately, it wasn't a success when it released, but over time it lingered on and developed a cult following. Its songs are still a big draw.

One didn't need to direct Rishi. He was such a consummate actor. Once the scenes were narrated to him, he understood it perfectly. He just needed to be ready and come on the set and perform the scene. I didn't have to say much to him about what to do and what not to do. We will miss presence but he will always be with us through his movies.

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I have lost count of the number of films I did with Rishi Kapoor, especially in the early '80s. There were movies like Biwi-O-Biwi (1981), Tawaif (1985), Sitamgar (1985), Zamana (1985), Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986), Dosti Dushmani (1986) and many more.

I was a newbie then, but he was willing to work with fresh faces. At that time, he was the only star who had no qualms about teaming up with novices. I would tell him that he deserved to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for collaborating with the maximum number of new heroines. He could rattle off names [of all those he worked with], and would often wonder where some of them disappeared.

He was a natural and spontaneous actor, one who would laugh and fool around with the unit off camera, but instantly [transform] into the character when [we] rolled.

You could see the passion in his eyes as he enacted scenes.

Like all Kapoors, he too loved his food. The most distinct memory I have is going to RK Studios and [enjoying] the lavish spread and hospitality of the Kapoors.

I was in touch with him even when he was in the US for treatment. If I messaged him late at night, he would wonder why I was awake at that unearthly hour. Former minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away last year, was also seeking the same treatment at the same hospital in New York. As I also knew him, Rishi would often tell me that he would invite Jaitley to his home for a meal.

When he came back, we caught up with each other. He was not pretentious. He would not hide that he loved his drink. His wife Neetu would ensure that he had healthy meals, but, as soon as she would leave the room, he would quickly take a bite of [the food he was forbidden from eating]. He was childlike.

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Late actor Irrfan Khan's wife Sutapa Sikdar took to social media to pen a healtfelt message for the actor, who passed away on Wednesday. She updated her Facebook display picture with an adorable picture of herself hugging Irrfan and captioned: "I have not lost I have gained in every which way...."

Reacting to the post, several users paid condolences to her and her sons, Babil and Ayan. "You are strong. Love," a user commented. Another user wrote: "Super salute to you."

Sutapa and Irrfan met each other during their college days at National School of Drama, Delhi where they fell in love with each other and later tied the knot in 1995.

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Riteish Deshmukh and Karan Johar have no inhibitions showing off their grey hair. KJo is unable to get his tresses coloured at a salon due to the lockdown. His kids, Roohi and Yash, call him 'buddha'. Deshmukh, too, sported his salt and pepper look on Insta and quipped, "Main celebrity hoon (sic)." Will the B-Town female brigade flaunt their grey locks?

 

 

 

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Ek Joke Saanga Na

A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:36am PDT

On the professional front, Karan Johar will be next seen as a producer in Sooryavanshi and Brahmastra. Speaking of Riteish Deshmukh, the actor was last seen in Baaghi 3, along starring Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor and Ankita Lokhande.

Amidst the global outbreak of the Coronavirus, the entertainment industry has taken a hit. Several movies including the upcoming James Bond movie are being pushed back from their intended release dates and movies like Baaghi 3 saw a huge impact on their box office collections.

All the projects are currently on halt after the outbreak. People are waiting with bated breath for this lockdown to end and get back to business.

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It's still hard to swallow the fact that two of Hindi Cinema's giants, Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, are no longer amongst us. Their selfless and tireless contribution to Hindi Cinema can never be forgotten. Irrfan Khan passed away on April 29 at 11:11 am at the Kokilaben hospital due to complications arising out of Colon infection, and left behind some incredible performances and characters. For a moment, the entire fraternity was left numb. Almost all the major Bollywood celebrities paid condolences to his legacy.

And on April 30, we lost another genius, Rishi Kapoor. He was honest and always humorous, full of life, and zeal. Entertaining the audiences for over five decades, Cinema was his life and his passion. It was another major setback for the Hindi film industry and the entire Bollywood was shocked again. Battling leukaemia for the last two years, he passed away at 8:45 am IST in hospital. Tributes began pouring soon on social media.

But these tributes weren't limited to Bollywood, but even Southern legends paid homage. One of them is Mahesh Babu, who even worked with Irrfan Khan in the 2006 action-drama, Sainikudu. Talking of Irrfan first, this is what Mahesh Babu wrote- "Deeply saddened by the news of #IrrfanKhan's untimely demise. A brilliant actor gone too soon. He will be truly missed... My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. RIP." (sic)

Have a look right here:

Deeply saddened by the news of #IrrfanKhan's untimely demise. A brilliant actor gone too soon. He will be truly missed... My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. RIP 🙏🏻

— Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh) April 29, 2020

And this is what he had to say about Rishi Kapoor's demise- "Heartbreaking to hear about #RishiKapoor sir. Yet another irreplaceable loss in our world of cinema... A complete entertainer and an incredibly talented actor... A true legend. My deepest condolences and strength to Ranbir and his family. May his soul rest in peace." (sic)

Have a look:

Heartbreaking to hear about #RishiKapoor sir. Yet another irreplaceable loss in our world of cinema... A complete entertainer and an incredibly talented actor... A true legend. My deepest condolences and strength to Ranbir and his family. May his soul rest in peace. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

— Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh) April 30, 2020

With the demise of two powerhouses of performers, Bollywood will never be the same!

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Last week Jassie Gill released his song Ehna Chauni Aa, which was the first song to be shot on an iPhone. The song instantly became a hit overnight. It not only created the right kind of the noise, but was also loved by none other than Armaan Malik who took to Twitter to express his love for the song.

In the midst of quarantine where people are looking out for new entertainment, Jassie Gill is back with yet another peppy number titled Johnny Waker. Jassie this time is supporting his friend Simmie by not only singing the song, but also featuring in it. The new song is a peppy party number which will have one and all groove to its tunes.

Talking about the same, Jassie says, "Simmie is a friend and is a great artist. When he came to me with the song, I really liked it and I am glad I am a part of the song. Luckily we shot the song before quarantine and it is shot beautifully."

Simmie added, "Jassie is a great guy, he is an amazing human being. I am very happy he said yes to be a part of the song."

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Bollywood legend Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30, 2020, after battling cancer for two years. The actor was admitted in a hospital in Mumbai where he breathed his last at the age of 67. But before this, Rishi Kapoor had been seeking treatment at a hospital in New York for almost a year in 2019. This is when several of Rishi Kapoor's friends from the industry visited him in NYC. But one celebrity who never visited him in the hospital was Amitabh Bachchan, and the superstar has revealed the reason in his latest blog post.

Amitabh Bachchan, in a post titled 'In Memorium', wrote, "Joie de vivre... the exuberant enjoyment of life, was a gene he inherited from his father... the Legend, the Ultimate Showman the Iconic Raj Kapoor... I never visited him in Hospital... I never wanted to see the distress on his smiling cherubic face... But I am certain... when he went, he must have gone with a gentle smile…"

Big B also shared the post on his Twitter account:

T 3517 - in Memoriam ..https://t.co/du9e3GHhof

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 30, 2020

Reminiscing about how he met Rishi Kapoor, Big B wrote, "I had seen him at his home Deonar Cottage, Chembur, a young energetic, bubbly, mischief in his eyes Chintu, on those rare moments when I was privileged to have been invited to an evening at Raj ji's house..."

Amitabh Bachchan worked with Kapoor in a number of films including Amar Akbar Anthony, Coolie, Naseeb, and more recently 102 Not Out. Their chemistry was infallible, and audiences loved watching the pair on-screen together.

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While competition in Bollywood has always been cutthroat, there have been a few exceptions, who with their A-game have managed to rule the roost in the entertainment world. And ever since actress Radhika Madan stepped on board in Bollywood there has truly been no looking back for her. In fact, in very little time the actress has garnered immense popularity, thanks to her amazing performances. Now while Radhika continues her victory march, we bring you 3 reasons why she is Bollywood’s next blue-eyed girl.

1) She made it without a godfather in the industry

Radhika is amongst those few who ventured into the movies on their own terms. Yes, the Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota actress stepped into the industry with a guiding force or a godfather and yet has managed to do so well for herself. And while she also fought her detractors all alone, her earnest approach and efforts are what brought her all the name and fame.

2) She has played 3 unique roles

Very few get opportunities like Radhika did, right from her debut the actress has only landed in roles which made her standout. While all her roles in Pataakha, Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and Angrezi Medium have been quite different, they have also been quite complex, but Radhika has pulled them off quite effortless. With all her roles she has truly proven that she is a versatile actress we all need to watch out for.

3) She has been a director’s favourite

With amazing performances to her credit, the Angrezi Medium actress has been making her way to every director’s wishlist. While so far she has been working with the best of filmmakers, namely, Vasan Bala, Vishal Bhardwaj and Homi Adajania, we are sure that Radhika is going to be working with a lot more movie mavericks in the future.

While Radhika is rising to greater heights with every film, the actress is going to charm us next with her performance in Shiddat.

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The buzz around Amazon Prime Videos’ upcoming series- Paatal Lok has been on a high ever since the announcement was made. Amazon Prime Video today released a gripping first look motion poster of critically acclaimed actor their upcoming Amazon Original Series - Paatal Lok’s character, Hathiram to be played by.

A knight with many shades of grey manoeuvring through a seemingly corrupt system of justice. Catch the critically acclaimed actor Jaideep Ahlawat as Hathiram Chaudhary on his journey to seek truth, in Amazon Original Series Paatal Lok, releasing on May 15, 2020.

Sharing the interesting poster of Jaideep Ahlawat's character Hathiram Chaudhary from Paatal Lok, Amazon Prime Video shared the poster with an interesting caption which says, "jurm aur sachai ki khoj mein kya hathiram ko #PaatalLok ke andhere se guzarna hoga?".

 

 

 

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jurm aur sachai ki khoj mein kya hathiram ko #PaatalLok ke andhere se guzarna hoga? trailer: may 5, 11:34 am

A post shared by amazon prime video IN (@primevideoin) onApr 30, 2020 at 11:26pm PDT

The makers earlier released the teaser and it received immense appreciation from all across. The teaser provided a glimpse into a terrifying world - packed with blood curling scenes and takes us into the dark and sinister bylanes of human immorality. Produced by Clean Slate Films, the trailer of the Amazon Original series is set to release on May 5th, 2020.

Divided along class lines, literally and figuratively, the teaser showcases a gritty, society intertwined in a heinous web of lies, crime and violence.

The highly anticipated Amazon Original Series, by Creator Sudip Sharma (writer for Udta Punjab, NH10), Paatal Lok is all set to walk viewers through the virtual gates of purgatory. The official trailer for the highly anticipated series drops this week, on May 5th, 2020 at 11:34 am.

Paatal Lok will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Video catalogue, including Indian produced Amazon Original series.

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Bollywood stars may have rallied behind daily-wage workers during the lockdown, but Pravin Rana, a vertically-challenged artiste, admits he had little hope of them coming to his aid. After all, for far too long, his community has been relegated to the fringes of the industry. However, he was in for a surprise — earlier this week, Salman Khan extended financial support to members of the All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE).

"Nobody cares much for us, but Salman bhai stood by us during these trying times. We were surprised when we learnt that Rs 3,000 had been deposited into our accounts on Tuesday. No other actor has come forward to help us," says Rana, who worked alongside the superstar in Bharat (2019). "During the shoot too, he asked us to reach out to him when in need," he adds.

Shameem Ahmed, a member of AISAA who also featured as one of the circus artistes in Bharat, adds that Khan has promised help in the coming months. "We don't get work on a daily basis. We are grateful to FWICE and Salman Khan for helping us with ration and financial help amid the lockdown. We have been told he will make a deposit next month, too."

BN Tiwari, president, FWICE, informs that about 90 vertically challenged actors come under the purview of the association. "Almost 45 of them have received Salman's donation, the rest will get it in a few days," he says.

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If Bollywood has suffered a severe blow due to the lockdown, smaller regional films have met harsher fate. Filmmaker Subhash Ghai laments that his Marathi production, Vijeta, was among the worst affected by the theatre shutdown that came into effect from March 14. "We had a premiere for the film on March 12, a day before its release. But on March 13, the theatre shutdown was announced, and we had to pull the film down. It was unfortunate that it enjoyed only a day of theatrical run," rues the producer.

The two rounds of lockdown extension have made matters worse as the losses are piling up with every passing day. Even as he refuses to put a number to the damages, Ghai admits, "I can't deny that the [lockdown] has affected us financially. It was a major setback for us, but we will fight this out together. We are waiting for the cinemas to re-open; we will release the film again."

Not one to be bogged down by the current scenario, the director is instead channelling his energy into developing his next. "I am writing a futuristic film that is set in 2024. Making such a movie is challenging because it is entirely based on one's imagination. We intend to roll by the year-end."

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After Race 3 (2018), Jacqueline Fernandez had been missing from the scene, barring sporadic appearances in music videos with Badshah and Bigg Boss contestant Asim Riaz. So where has she been all this while? "For now, I am at a farm far away," she laughs, alluding to spending the lockdown at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse. "On a serious note, I went through a period where I needed to reinvent myself."

A still from Mrs Serial Killer

The actor considers Mrs Serial Killer, the crime thriller that dropped on Netflix yesterday, her first step in "rebooting myself." "I have always done mainstream films, and was tired of playing chirpy and superficial characters. I was keen to attempt something dark and complex. So when Shirish [Kunder, director] said that Manoj [Bajpayee] would be my co-star in Mrs Serial Killer, I jumped at the idea." Fernandez admits she was a bundle of nerves on the first day of shoot. "I was excited as well as petrified about working with Manoj. Going by his films, I felt he would be a strict actor. But we had a great time on the set. I had to unlearn several things while working with him."

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It's still hard to swallow the fact that two of Hindi Cinema's giants, Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, are no longer amongst us. Irrfan Khan passed away on April 29 at 11:11 am at the Kokilaben hospital due to complications arising out of Colon infection. And on April 30, we lost Rishi Kapoor. Battling leukaemia for the last two years, he passed away at 8:45 am IST in hospital. Tributes began pouring soon on social media.

Director Nikkhil Advani who brought both the acting giants on-screen in D-day recalled fond memories of the duo. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, the D-day director said, "We were shooting in the desert and while Irrfan and a lot of teams bunked out in tents, Chintuji would drive two hours back to the hotel. He was averse to early morning shoots but there was this sunrise shot we had to shoot with him and he was refusing to comply, saying, 'I'm an actor, not a doodhwala'. It took Irrfan bribing Rishi with 'chicken jungli and alcohol' for him to stay in the desert. It was a near-impossible feat in Kutch, but he delivered on his promise and I got my shot".

Advani also shared a funny moment while shooting with Rishi and Irrfan. "Today, a scene from my 2013 film, D-Day, flashes through my mind. Irrfan (Khan) looking at Chintuji, and laughing, amazed that they had finally managed to capture this much-wanted terrorist, despite their plans have failed. "I remember Irrfan urging me to let the camera continue to roll and what emerged was this moment of delicious irony."

D-day, released in 2013, remains the only film in which Rishi and Irrfan had shared screen space. Rishi Kapoor played the role of D-company leader, while Irrfan portrayed the character of a RAW agent.

Earlier, the Kal Ho Na Ho director had mourned the loss of his co-star by sharing a small still from the film along with a heartfelt message. 

No one treated me with the respect an actor gives a director more than you did, that too being who you were. You were my friend sir. I’m sitting, remembering and just chuckling, laughing. Waiting for your booming voice to say “boy... make me one more drink!” #RishiKapoor #RIP

— Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) April 30, 2020

At least one thing is for sure. There will be jashan in the heavens tonight. #RIPLegend #RishiKapoor #IrfanKhan pic.twitter.com/V4qXyWjeqp

— Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) April 30, 2020

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Singer Dhvani Bhanushali says her upcoming song "Jeetenge hum" is dedicated to the frontline workers who are battling the COVID-19pandemic. "#JeetengeHum is just a small effort in keeping you all entertained and to keep your spirits high. Hope you all like it. Stay tuned for the song tomorrow," she tweeted on Friday with her video.

In a separate tweet, she also mentioned the song has become really close to her heart. "I have been working on this song for some time now and it has become really close to my heart. #JeetengeHum releasing tomorrow. Stay tuned," she wrote.

 

 

 

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So here's the special surprise that I was talking about. I have been working on this song for some time now and it has become really close to my heart. #JeetengeHum releasing tomorrow. Stay tuned! @tseries.official @BhushanKumar @manojmuntashir @dj.lijo @djchetas #TriggerHappyVR

A post shared by Dhvani Bhanushali (@dhvanibhanushali22) onApr 30, 2020 at 11:32pm PDT

Earlier, the "Vaaste" singer had donated Rs 50,000 to the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, for daily wage workers whose income has stopped due to the lockdown of the entertainment industry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas has joined hands with Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg to protect vulnerable children across the world from the coronavirus. Priyanka Chopra took to social media to express her concern over the effect of Coronavirus on vulnerable children.

She tweeted: "It's heartbreaking to see the effect of Covid-19 on vulnerable children across the world. They now have to cope with food shortages, strained healthcare systems, violence & lost education. We need to protect them.. the onus is on us."

Join me in supporting this much needed campaign by @UNICEF & @GretaThunberg
Donate here: https://t.co/d1BYjjRvqg

(2/2)

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 30, 2020

Priyanka and her American pop singer husband Nick Jonas contributed to several charities to lend support to the ongoing battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Priyanka took to Twitter to announce that the couple has donated to organisations like the PM-CARES Fund, Unicef, Feeding America and Goonj among many others.

She also pledged to donate USD100,000 to women doing their bit in health crisis.

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Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary on Thursday with friends and family — virtually. Bips took to Instagram stories, where she shared a string of photographs and videos, talking to family and friends over video call.

She wrote, "Virtual celebration. First of its kind. Sometimes it's important to lift your spirits (sic)."

Bipasha Basu's Insta stories showed her and husband Karan Singh Grover chatting with close friend actor Ayaz Khan, and virtually feeding him what looks like cake! 

Looks like Ayaz Khan, too, played along!

Bips also shared a lovely video on her wedding anniversary and wrote, "Today is our 4th Wedding Anniversary. Time really flies... so make the best of each and every second... make beautiful memories and only hold onto the good things and feelings and let the rest go."

 

 

 

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There is no emotion that is bigger than love . No other emotion has the tremendous power of Love ❤️ I am blessed to be with someone everyday of my life ,who I love so deeply... each day together we look for small joys which fills us with so much gratitude for our life 🙏 Focussing on love , positivity, faith, belief ,magic and gratitude - that’s our motto❤️ Celebrate love each day ... count your blessings each day... thank life and live it fully each day❤️ Today is our 4th Wedding Anniversary🙏 Time really flies... so make the best of each and every second... make beautiful memories and only hold onto the good things and feelings and let the rest go. Thank you all ,for your wishes and love. Sending virtual hugs and big love to all❤️ Spread love 🙏 #Monkeyversary #monkeylove #stayhome

A post shared by bipashabasusinghgrover (@bipashabasu) onApr 29, 2020 at 6:20pm PDT

Karan Singh Grover and Bipasha Basu met on the sets of the erotic-thriller Alone in 2015 where they played the lead roles. The couple tied the knot on April 30, 2016, in Mumbai. 

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Siddhant Chaturvedi is an actor, who apart from his acting, is also known to be an adept writer. He uses simple words to convey meaningful messages and impactful messages which is what makes his poetry so relatable. He usually shares his poetry on his social media in the captions of his pictorial posts.

The actor shared an intriguing teaser video titled 'Dhup' on his social media. The teaser had an engrossing animation and calming music which provides a beautiful perception about sunlight in it. The full verse of Dhup will be out now!

 

 

 

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Dhoop - In search of hope.â Â€â Â€â Â€â Â€â Â€| 𝐒 | #MyNotes brought to life. Visuals by @patranimacchi

A post shared by Siddhant Chaturvedi (@siddhantchaturvedi) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:09am PDT

The actor shared the teaser on his social media for his fans. Siddhant Chaturvedi's talents really know no bonds and his word really shine brightly in this teaser! Siddhant made his debut in 2019 as Mc Sher in Gully Boy and has been on a roll ever since.

On the work front, Siddhant will next be seen in Bunty Aur Babli 2 followed by Shakun Batra’s next.

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Irrfan Khan's son Babil has posted a video of the late actor indulging in pani puri after a shoot. "When you're on diet for so long and then the shoot ends and you can have pani puri," Babil captioned the video posted on Instagram.

Irrfan breathed his last early on Wednesday at the age of 54. He was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection earlier this week. The actor is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons Babil and Ayan.

Following his death, Babil took to Instagram to express gratitude towards everyone for sending their condolences. "I'm deeply grateful for all the condolences you beautiful friends are pouring in for me. Although, I hope you understand that right now I'm no being able to reply because my vocabulary is dizzy," he wrote.

 

 

 

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When you’re on diet for so long and then the shoot ends and you can have pani puri.

A post shared by Babil Khan (@babil.i.k) onMay 1, 2020 at 6:42am PDT

"I will get back to each one of you but just not right now. Thank you so much! I love you," he added.

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Amazon Prime Video's recent announcement of its upcoming original series titled Paatal Lok has been quite exciting for many. The makers had previously released a teaser followed by a motion poster of another character, Hathiram Chaudhary played by Jaideep Ahlawat. Keeping up the excitement with the unveils, the character poster of another striking character- Vishal Tyagi aka Hathoda Tyagi is finally out and it’s really intriguing.

 

 

 

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miliye #PaatalLok ke sabse bhayanak prani se, naam hai hathoda tyagi.⁣ ⁣ trailer: may 5, 11:34 am

A post shared by amazon prime video IN (@primevideoin) onMay 1, 2020 at 11:06pm PDT

Vishal Tyagi popularly known as Hathoda Tyagi is volatile, ruthless and a serial killer. The character is played by yet another critically acclaimed actor Abhishek Banerjee. The performance is all set to redefine wickedness and give you goosebumps and fill you in with terror. Watch him on May 15, 2020 unleash his terror.

Paatal lok is by the creator Sudip Sharma (the writer for Udta Punjab, NH10). Get all set to walk through virtual gates of purgatory. The offical trailer of the show will be released on 5th May, 11:34am.

Paatal Lok will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the stack of the Prime Video Catalogue including the Indian produced Amazon Original Series.

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Jacqueline Fernandez, who is spending her quarantine time with Salman Khan at his farmhouse in Panvel, recently shared a picture of the superstar from his workout session on her Instagram profile. A shirtless Salman looks all bulked up in the picture as he sweats out at his gym.

Sharing the picture on her Instagram account, the Kick actress wrote, "Gifted or just very hard-working?? I feel he's grateful for everyday and respects the position the Almighty has given him @beingsalmankhan to all the Salman Khan fans, there’s a lot more to come, stay tuned, stay safe! #lockdown #pyaarkarona (sic)".

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jac’kill’ine Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) onMay 1, 2020 at 5:43am PDT

Recently, Salman posted a photograph on Instagram where Jacqueline can be sneakily seen clicking his picture as he was busy with his workout. "Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own," Salman wrote with the image.

 

 

 

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Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

In a recent interview, Jacqueline talked about her days of quarantine and how she has been spending time at the place. She said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually."

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Last seen in Welcome to New York (2018), Lara Dutta Bhupathi is back on the scene with the web series, Hundred, which marks her digital debut. "It just fell into place. I wasn't actively looking for anything. I thought it would be interesting to be part of the web culture."

The offer landed in her lap rather suddenly. "Though I have known Ruchi [director Narain] for years, we never spoke about working together. I always wanted to be directed by a woman. I like her work, so, I thought I'd give it a shot when she made the offer." At odds with the roles she has played in Bollywood till date, her character in Hundred was age-appropriate. Dutta's Soumya Shukla is a cop, a part she has never played before. "The experience was educational. I needed to get the body language and nuances on point. I even met a couple of women DCPs to get a better insight."

Digging deep into her character, Dutta says she hasn't explored a role that is as layered as this one. "[She is] ambitious, unapologetic and frustrated, and also faces issues in her marital life. There were so many aspects to her persona that intrigued me." What also drew her to the show was co-star Rinku Rajguru, best remembered for Sairaat (2016). "We are generations apart. I thought we would make for an interesting combo. We come from different worlds."

Shooting for the Hotstar web series in different locations of Mumbai was an eye-opener.

"Despite living in Mumbai for 25 years, I didn't realise how much more there is to the city. I got to see the gritty underbelly as we shot in real locations." Despite hubby, tennis champ Mahesh Bhupathi, being her sounding board, she refers to daughter Saira as her biggest critic. "She is excited to see me on screen, but also keeps critiquing."

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Rahul Bose has been in association with Akshara Centre, an NGO that works towards women empowerment, to develop a campaign against domestic violence for over a decade. The actor believes the video—titled #LockdownOnDomesticViolence and featuring a string of celebrities, including Karan Johar, Sachin Tendulkar, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma—was the need of the hour as cases of domestic violence have witnessed a spike amid the lockdown.

"The video had to be in three languages—Marathi, because the majority of our state understands the language, and Hindi, for the migrant population in the state. The English campaign has been noticed by people the world over," says Bose.

The state government has launched several numbers, including the uniform state helpline number 100, where women can register their complaints. One can probably determine the endeavour's success by studying if there has been a drop in the cases reported since the video released. However, he disagrees, "We have to consider the other possibility that domestic violence is continuing, and yet, women can't report it."

Ever since the release of Kabir Singh in 2019, and consequently, Thappad earlier this year, there has been a larger discussion about representation of casual violence on screen. The actor, however, believes movies have minimal effect on social behaviour. "There's little co-relation between the two factors. Films don't need to carry a positive message, but they shouldn't carry a negative one, that does disservice. A ground-up campaign, in which the same message is passed on consistently, film on film, year on year, can change behaviour more than a movie can." To make his case, he cites how the state of California launched a multi-media campaign against tobacco consumption, leading to a 12 per cent drop in sales after 20 years. "So, looking at the misogyny and status of women in India, we need a ground campaign over decades to attain gender justice. Then the Delhi gangrape happened, there was a significant push forward, but we need to be at it for decades."

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In 2016, Bollywood got a stellar performer in the form of Zaira Wasim, thanks to Nitesh Tiwari's Dangal. And with Secret Superstar and The Sky Is Pink, she proved to be a force to reckon with at a tender age. But she quit acting as she felt it was a hindrance to her religion. Despite mixed reactions, she stood by her decision and people respected her for that. However, despite quitting Bollywood, Zaira manages to grab attention through her social media posts.

Recently, she posted a statement on her social media account on how trolls can affect people and traumatise them for the rest of their lives. She also asked people for empathy.  "We remain so unaware of the power of our words, an utter them without giving them an ounce of thought, little it is that we realise that our actions, words and stupid jokes impact people and influence their beliefs about their own esteem and integrity. Imagine somebody out there genuinely believes he's a loser just because of you, because of a joke, a meme, a comment you made just to look cool or funny in-front of your followers, but not everyone's born with a thick skin, not everyone can withstand the harsh criticism," she wrote.

She also reacted to how negative comments, trolls, memes and jokes can severely impact the mental well being and self-esteem of a person.  "Imagine somebody out there genuinely believes he's a loser just because of you, because of a joke, a meme, a comment you made just to look cool or funny in-front of your followers, but not everyone's born with a thick skin, not everyone can withstand the harsh criticism," she said.

The Secret Superstar actress added, "Some are more vulnerable that others and become easily overwhelmed and disappointed in themselves, your words could be a reason for someone's heart to shatter, for someone to cry all night long. It can damage and traumatise someone beyond where language can reach and could scar someone for the rest of their lives. We refuse to even countenance the idea that some just have to struggle much more to reach minimum expectations."

Read her full statement here:

 

 

 

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A post shared by Zaira Wasim (@zairawasim_) onMay 1, 2020 at 4:20pm PDT

Earlier too, the actress had put out a statement and asked us not to praise her since all these appreciations are dangerous for her Iman. 

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The leaked video of Rishi Kapoor in the ICU has enraged Bollywood. Industry folk consider it a violation of privacy and have demanded a probe. Singer and minister Baabul Supriyo reportedly said,  "Hospitals should have a zero tolerance policy for such acts and the person concerned may well be sacked for good."

Reacting to such forwarded video clip, several celebrities including Arjun Kapoor, Karan Wahi and Mini Mathur called out the hospital for staff negligence. Without mentioning the particular leaked video, Arjun wrote: "The choice is not to post something is sometimes as important as to be the first to post something. Images have a lot of power lest we forget.

"Sometimes humanity and empathy must prevail over being first to embrace use of sly voyeuristic material presented to you."

Actor Karan Wahi admitted that he too saw the video and decided to delete it immediately, rather than share it among others as he found it disturbing. Karan said: "There's a forward that a ward boy or someone from the hospital has shot of Rishi Kapoor in his hospital just before he passed. I saw it. And think it's a gross violation of his privacy. If you receive it, delete it rather than forward it further."

He added: "Actors are also human beings. Please do not forward or post them just to be the first one. Have some respect."

Actress-anchor Mini Mathur urged people to "stop the insensitivity". She tweeted: "Just came across a disgusting, completely invasive video of Rishi sir on WhatsApp in hospital actually titled "last video of RK" obviously shot by a hospital staff member. I know humanity is at sea at the moment but can we PLEASE STOP THIS INSENSITIVITY and not be party to this?"

Mini also tagged Mumbai Police to take strict actions against the offender. "If you see a video like this on any group can you please insist that it's taken down??? Can we stop this vicarious celeb goggling even when they are indisposed and unaware? It should be a legal offence @MumbaiPolice and met with the strictest action," Mini added.

The management at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, where Rishi Kapoor breathed his last, issued a statement on Friday saying they would investigate the leak and circulation of videos featuring the actors mortal.

A Facebook post on the hospital's official page reads: "A message from Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital's management. #RespectForLife.

"It has come to our attention that a video of one of our patients is surfacing on digital media platforms. At Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, patient confidentiality and privacy is of utmost importance to us and we strongly condemn such actions. The hospital management is investigating the incident and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators."

Several netizens have questioned the morality of hospital staff, assuming they shot the videos since there is no question of outsiders amid the lockdown.

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Given his past few outings, it would be tempting to bracket Vijay Varma as the brooding, serious actor. But Varma is ready to throw a curveball with his next — the actor will be seen tapping into his comic side with Anand Gandhi's yet-untitled sci-fi series. "Experimenting with comedy was a sheer pleasure. It is a sci-fi film that gives an insight into what our future holds. It is probably the most fascinating script I have read in a long time," explains the actor, who caught everyone's eye with his performance in Gully Boy (2019).

The crew had shot a major portion of the six-part series before the lockdown was announced. Besides giving him an opportunity to explore comedy, the Disney+Hotstar venture has helped him tick an important item off his bucket list. "I had been wanting to work with Radhika [Apte] for a long time. It was a sheer delight to collaborate with such a spontaneous actor."

Radhika Apte

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After urging people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge, megastar Salman Khan is doing his bit by contributing largely to the people in need with ration supply, and helping the people who are suffering due to coronavirus induced lockdown.

The 'Bharat' star took to Instagram and shared a video that features him and Iulia Vantur, Jacqueline Fernandez among others loading the bags filled with ration on the truck. The 'Sultan' actor captioned the video as, "Thanks for the contribution... thank you all@jacquelinef143 @vanturiulia @rahulnarainkanal @imkamaalkhan @niketan_m @waluschaa @abhiraj88."

 

 

 

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@jacquelinef143 @vanturiulia @rahulnarainkanal @imkamaalkhan @niketan_m @waluschaa @abhiraj88

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:50am PDT

The 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor is staying at his Panvel farmhouse with his nephew Nirvaan Khan and other family members ever since the lockdown was announced.

Khan, who has been active on social media has been educating his fans through his social media handles.

On Tuesday, the 'Sultan' star urged people to take up the 'Anna Daan' challenge and donate to the underprivileged ones who are worst affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Khan took to Twitter and posted a picture of his two close friends preparing to distribute ration packets to the needy ones.

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

Social media has really helped people to gain a great fan following through their talent and amazing work. The rise of fashion blogger in India has given many amazing performers a platform to perform on movie scenes and songs. One such person whose popularity rose in no time is Mohammed Azharuddin MAU.Azhar.

With his good looks, charm, style and super cool personality, MAU.Azhar earned a lot of admirers on social media. Azhar enjoys celebrity status on social media and he is eyeing to make his debut on the silver screen.

Mohammed Azharuddin MAU.Azhar, who has been reportedly approached for a film, is currently working on his body. Azhar started acting on social media and came into limelight due to his charming personality

Azhar is also one of the most popular and most followed Instagram Influencer.

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Actor Neetu Kapoor on Monday shared a post expressing gratitude to the medical staff for their efforts at the hospital where legendary actor Rishi Kapoor passed away.

The 61-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared two monochromatic pictures along with the post. The first featured the late star smiling, while the second one is an adorable picture that showed Neetu and Rishi sharing a smile. Along with the post she penned the message thanking the hospital and the staff who treated the late star like their family. She wrote, "As a family, we have a deep sense of loss.." (sic)

Have a look at the post right here: 

 

 

 

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As a family we have a deep sense of loss.. when we sit together and look back at the past few months what we also feel is immense gratitude - gratitude towards the doctors at HN reliance hospital! The whole team of doctors, brothers and nurses headed by Dr Tarang Gianchandani treated my husband like he was their own - they advised us like we were their own.. and for all that and more I thank them from the bottom of my heart..🙏 @rfhospital

A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:40pm PDT

She added, "...when we sit together and look back at the past few months what we also feel is immense gratitude - gratitude towards the doctors at HN reliance hospital! The whole team of doctors, brothers and nurses headed by Dr Tarang Gianchandani treated my husband like he was their own - they advised us like we were their own.. and for all that and more I thank them from the bottom of my heart.. @rfhospital"

The gratitude post received more than 10 k likes within an hour of being posted. Celebrity followers including Manish Malhotra and Richa Chadha left heart emojis on the post.

Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, Apirl 30, after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia, his family said in a statement. In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment.

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Karan Wahi turned to his rapper buddies for help to play a DJ in the web series, Hundred. His quirky character, Mad-E, arrives from Haryana to make it big in Mumbai's music industry. He also doubles up as a police informer. Wahi did a lot of prep to figure out his character's body language on the Hotstar show. Rapper Raftaar also helped him. "I sat down with Raftaar paaji and took several inputs as I was working with him on a reality show at that time," says Wahi. "But the stuff he wrote was way too good for a DJ rapper like Mad-E," he points out."

It seems actors today are finding different and unique ways to get into the skin of their characters and will not leave any stone unturned to do justice to their roles. The web-series has been getting a good response from the viewers so far and that has surely elated Karan.

Taking to his Instagram account, he shared a video from the same and in case you haven't seen it yet, it will help you know the character and its crux. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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Thankyou I’ll remember u for LIFE...🤗🤗🤗🤗 Talking the talk to walking the walk. Meet me, @karanwahi ➡️ Manohar Dahiya a.k.a. Rapper Mad-E, in Hotstar specials presents #Hundred! All episodes streaming now only @DisneyplusHSVIP . . . #HotstarSpecialsHundred #DoKhilaadiProblemBhaari #ManoharDahiya #Mad-E @ruchinarain @itstahershabbir @ashutoshunlimited

A post shared by Karan Wahi 💜 (@karanwahi) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:31am PDT

Watch Hundred if you haven't so far, the actor may impress you with his performance!

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Bollywood actress and former beauty queen Urvashi Rautela seems too inspired by Kareena Kapoor Khan's Poo act in "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...", going by her new post.

Urvashi took to Instagram and shared a video where she sways with music. She is dressed in a white blazer and blue shirt, and she completes her look with bold red lips and hair tied in a neat ponytail.

 

 

 

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How dare you ? “Tumhara koi haq nai banta ki tum itni khoobsurat lago” Not fair : Poo Kkkg 🤪😜🍭 #channellingmyinnerpoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #love #UrvashiRautela #Savage #fun

A post shared by URVASHI RAUTELA 🇮🇳Actor🇮🇳 (@urvashirautela) onMay 4, 2020 at 12:06am PDT

Alongside the picture, she wrote the famous dialogue mouthed by Kareena as Poo in the film: "How dare you ? 'Tumhara koi haq nai banta ki tum itni khoobsurat lago' (you have no rights to look so beautiful) Not fair : Poo Kkkg... #channellingmyinnerpoo."

Urvashi, recently shared that she misses her mathematics classes.

On the work front, "Beat pe thumka", a peppy wedding number featuring Urvashi has just been released. The song is from her upcoming comedy flick "Virgin Bhanupriya".

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His female fans have missed seeing him on television ever since he announced his sabbatical last year. Now, Nakuul Mehta is back for a date with his admirers, albeit on the web. The actor's latest offering, BAE Control, explores the idea of having the perfect relationship by controlling a partner's emotions through an app. As he wins praise for his act in the sci-fi comedy, Mehta discusses transitioning from TV to digital entertainment.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

A blend of sci-fi and rom-com, the show is a far cry from what you've headlined in the past.
I have spent over seven years in television. So, over the past one year of my sabbatical, I have been trying to explore different mediums. I have been a fan of the work Dice Media has been doing, be it Little Things or What the Folks. Their audience is starkly different from the one I cater to on television. When they narrated the idea about controling another person's emotions through an app, it sounded crazy. But who knows, in the future, this may be the order of the day!

The series seems similar to an episode of Black Mirror. Agree?
The series shows how technology will change the way humans interact in the future. In fact, if one compares [the behavioural patterns] of our parents, our generation and Gen-Z, it is evident how human interaction has changed and not necessarily for the better. People interact not only face-to-face, but also over the dark web. So, [controlling one's partner] could be the future. To me, it all seemed like a Black Mirror episode, but this one has elements of comedy.

Given a choice, would you consider controlling your partner's emotions with an app?
No, relationships are based on trust and have no place for [manipulation]. However, I am old-school in matters of the heart and have never even used a dating app. So, I may not be the right audience for this. On a bad day, when you don't know how to deal with your spouse, you might be tempted.

If this were to happen in the near future, what would be the flipside?
That we would lose touch with each other as human beings. It's ironic that this show has released at a time when we are all under lockdown and craving human interaction. It is making us yearn for our families and friends. If not for this lesson, we would have headed down a road where we were looking for the perfect relationship and finding the perfect app to control the imperfections.

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Mandira Bedi, Shilpa Shetty, Malaika Arora, Katrina Kaif and Jacqueline Fernandez! These actresses have left the entire world drooling over their age-defying fit bodies. Courtesy: intense workout, and of course, a strict diet. Though these divas have their cheat days, still, one has to put in a lot of dedication and hard work to be as fit as these ladies.

Mandira Bedi:

 

 

 

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#day259 #quarantineworkout #365daysofexercise #365daychallenge #nobhay #getfitwithmandy #mandirabedi #selflove #fitindiamovement #happyfornoreason and MANNNNN do I need a haircut!! 🙈

A post shared by Mandira Bedi (@mandirabedi) onApr 26, 2020 at 10:20pm PDT

Often seen sharing how her life changed after pregnancy, and how she took her health and fitness seriously to get back in shape, Mandira Bedi stands as a big inspiration for many women. And why not? Her workout videos are age-defying, and we can't even get halfway flexible like her!

Shilpa Shetty Kundra:

 

 

 

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I had shared a little exercise-fun with Viaan a few days ago, and I was asked for the entire workout video. Well, I don’t have the entire workout captured, but sharing what I found from my archives. I truly believe that the family that eats, prays and works out together... stays together! Oftentimes when @rajkundra9 and I workout in the mornings, we get Viaan to join us too. We do understand that if it's not fun for him, he's not going to enjoy the process. So, while we roped in some abs workout for ourselves, we got him to hop, slide, and jump around. Our workout helps us build & strengthen the abdominal muscles, while it also helps improve the mind-body coordination and enhances speed & endurance capacity. Viaan, on the other hand, was just happy to be jumping around and using up some of that pent up energy. A morning well-spent, this was! I hope you all are staying home and staying fit too! . @thevinodchanna . . . . #SwasthRahoMastRaho #GetFit2020 #MondayMotivation #FitIndia #FitIndiaMovement #homefitness #homeworkouts #fitness #COVID19

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onApr 19, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

This Bollywood actress has left no stone unturned when it comes to fitness. Often seen performing yoga at multiple events, and also promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swasth Raho Mast Raho' initiative, Shilpa Shetty is yet another diva who swears by fitness. We would suggest taking up Shilpa Shetty's fitness challenge if you, too, want to get fit. It's simple, scroll through her Instagram and try out the yoga poses, but strictly under someone's supervision.

Malaika Arora:

 

 

 

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Here’s a little motivation for you guys to call up your workout buddy or trainer and do an online session with them! Me and @j.patsss did a full body yoga workout, you can follow our movements to keep yourself fit and active! While we stay in, let’s also stay #CommittedToFitness and #WorkOUTfromHome #StayFitStayHealthy #PermissionToPause @reebokindia @divayoga

A post shared by Malaika Arora (@malaikaaroraofficial) onApr 18, 2020 at 11:20pm PDT

This diva has ditched the term 'age' and it is working wonders on her body! Malaika Arora has also confessed how she took up yoga after 40, and her body has reversed its ageing process ever since she started leading a healthy life. Is she 45 or 35, we really can't say!

Katrina Kaif:

 

 

 

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#WorkoutFromHome #Part2 Since we are all practicing #SocialDistancing @yasminkarachiwala and I worked out at our homes and put the workouts together for you to do at yours. Stay home stay safe 😊 ⁣ ⁣⁣ ♦ï¸Â #Warmup⁣⁣ 1.Squat with feet hip width apart - 2 sets x 25 reps⁣⁣ 2.Squat with feet wide parallel- 2 sets x 25 reps ⁣⁣ 3.Squat with feet wide turnout- 2 sets x 25 reps ⁣⁣ 4.Squat with feet together- 2 sets x 25 reps⁣ ⁣⁣ ♦ï¸Â #Workout:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 1.Forward and Backward Lunge - 2 sets x 15 reps ⁣⁣ 2.In Hover, Hip Dips - 3 sets x 20 reps 3.Curtsy Lunge to Side Kick - 3 sets x 15 reps ⁣⁣ 4.Suicide Push- 3 sets x 15 reps ⁣⁣ 5.Landis or Single Leg Squat - 3 sets x 15 reps ⁣⁣ 6.Squat Jacks - 3 sets x 25 reps ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ @reebokindia #CommittedToFitness ⁣⁣ 🎥 by @isakaif 🌟

A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) onMar 24, 2020 at 2:19am PDT

If you have seen Koffee With Karan, where she shared the 'koffee kouch' with Varun Dhawan, Katrina Kaif nailed the segment where she had to lift something and guess the weight. From where does such confidence arise? Of course, her intense workout has given her immense knowledge and judgement about everything fitness.

Jacqueline Fernandez:

 

 

 

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Time keeps on ticking!!

A post shared by Jac’kill’ine Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) onApr 17, 2020 at 9:54pm PDT

Jacqueline Fernandez, who is currently at Salman Khan's farmhouse in Panvel during the lockdown, has been sharing some good workout posts on Instagram. The actress recently wooed the audience with her out-of-the-box performance in Mrs Serial Killer.

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The casting couch is a dark and depressing reality of the Hindi film industry that has time and again exposed the grime tucked beneath the glamour. Some of the most successful actors and actresses have gone through this horrific process and exposed this brutal truth. The latest one to do the same is someone who's currently going through the best phase of his career - Ayushmann Khurrana.

Talking to Pinkvilla about facing the casting couch during the initial days of his struggles in Bollywood, he made some shocking revelations. He said, "A casting director had told me, 'I'll give you the lead role if you showed me your tool.' I told him I'm straight and I politely refused his offer." He also shed some light on how the process of auditions began to change as years passed by and how it was accompanied by rejections.

He stated, "Initially, there used to be auditions where they would take your solo test. Then suddenly, the number started increasing and there would be 50 people in the same room. When I protested, they asked me to leave. So I have faced rejections. Also, I'm well equipped to handle failure now because of the failures I saw at the very beginning of my career. Had I never witnessed the lows, I don't think I would be able to handle it if it came now."

Today, the actor, who's become a bonafide movie star, has eight consecutive hits in a row and will be now seen in three films very soon, which include Gulabo Sitabo with Amitabh Bachchan, an untitled crime thriller directed by Anubhav Sinha, and a comedy with Alaya F directed by Anurag Kashyap's sister Anubhuti Kashyap.

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Even as Lockdown 3.0 has been implemented, it is clear that the Govt is keen to get the economy back on track. Jackky Bhagnani commits to a completely sanitized film set to ensure the safety and health of its cast and crew whenever film shoot is allowed by the Govt after the lockdown is completely over.

Veteran producer Vashu Bhagnani believes that the new normal is here to stay and the sooner the fraternity readies itself for change, the better. "The film industry has come to a halt, whether in India or outside. Yes, parts of the world are showing signs of recovery from the virus and while India has done remarkably well to flatten the curve and keep fatalities low, we must now get ready to be back on the set. As and when the lockdown is lifted, we want to be in a position to resume work immediately. But this resumption will be as per health guidelines stipulated by the Govt. We don't want to take any chances."

Some of the ground rules Jackky Bhagnani is mulling include using larger tents with portable ACs for shooting, limiting people on the sets, sanitizing all common areas, making masks and gloves compulsory for all staff, continuously disinfecting equipment, medical assistance on the sets at all times among other things.

Jackky Bhagnani says that it is imperative that stringent measures are put in place. "If there is one thing the lockdown has taught us it is to value human life and our health. Nothing comes before that. Every person on the set will be looked after and given the same attention. We are also mulling closed door studios for those of our films that will go on the floors immediately. While it is available abroad, we need to see if the same can be replicated in India."

Deepshikha Deshmukh adds, "It is only natural that we take care of the team who are our family and ensure their safety while on the sets. I am quite sure we are not alone in realizing the first big lesson from this lockdown - health comes first. Every parameter will be double-checked before the cameras start rolling."

Pooja Entertainment has a slew of movies on its roster. From Coolie No 1 starring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan which is complete and ready for release; it is also going to go on the floors with Bell Bottom with Akshay Kumar. There are many other projects that the production house is waiting to announce. With so much in store for the production house, prompting a set of guidelines in the current pandemic is not only vital but also judicious. Echoing the words of the Prime Minister, the founder of the ace production house, Vashu Bhagnani says, 'Jaan hai toh Jahan Hai' - perhaps indicating the thought process behind the charter.

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Richa Chadha admits it is hard to shake off the images of migrant workers walking along national highways, with little access to food or water, in their bid to reach home.

The actor, who has consistently highlighted the plight of the daily-wage workers amid the lockdown, has now teamed up with Gandhi Peace Foundation to do her bit for the community. Chadha has contributed to the Delhi-based non-profit organisation to ensure that the workers, who have reached their hometowns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, don't have to sleep on an empty stomach.

"Besides lack of financial resources, people in villages are running short of essential supplies like pulses, cereals and greens. A large segment of labourers makes a living by working on other people's farms. Now that all work has been halted, they have no means of buying groceries. This is why I decided to team up with the Gandhi Peace Foundation, which has an outreach programme. The most vulnerable need our support at this time," says Chadha.

Since its inception in 1958, the NGO has been working towards the upliftment of the underprivileged. While she has worked with them over the years, Chadha says she sought the organisation's help last month to provide essentials to a migrant worker's family that was stuck in Mumbai. "The family was living in the red zone and had no ration for a week. When I informed the NGO about them, it delivered food to them in a matter of hours."

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Among the most promising shows on Amazon Prime's slate this year is Nikkhil Advani's Mumbai Diaries 26/11. The eight-part series, starring Konkona Sensharma and Mohit Raina, offers a fictionalised account of the terror attack that took place at the Cama Hospital, among other venues, on November 26, 2008. Though the show was earlier titled Bombay Hospital, Advani says it was a unanimous decision to rechristen it. "There is a hospital in south Bombay called Bombay Hospital. Our show is not only about what happened at the [Cama] hospital that night; it also deals with the overarching theme of humanity. We had to come up with a title that sums up the theme," reasons the director.

With the release of Dev Patel-starrer Hotel Mumbai last year, the recreation of stories as sensitive as the 26/11 terror attacks has been widely debated. Is it judicious to tap into those memories? "We Mumbaikars still discuss where we were on that [fateful] night. I hope we have treated the story with sensitivity. The show plays out in a hospital, and little has been said about the hospital staff in our stories of 26/11. I wanted to celebrate the brave doctors who had saved the day."

The drama, which went on floors last August, was wrapped up only days before the lockdown was announced across the country. Counting himself among the fortunate few whose projects remain unaffected, the director is working with his post-production team remotely to meet the deadline.

"Luckily, the show was shot in sync sound, so we don't have the problem of dubbing. Given the subject, it is likely to release around November 26. People talk about how editing from home is a challenge, but it isn't. My editor puts the edited content on Vimeo for the post-production supervisor and me to see. We are constantly on Zoom calls, telling each other what works, and what doesn't," he shares, adding that his 2013 offering, D-Day, too was edited remotely.

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On a regular day, Rakul Preet Singh's Instagram posts could well double-up as tutorials for the average Joe to make the most of the ongoing period of isolation. But when she isn't using her furniture as workout props, busting diet myths, and indulging in play with her family members, Singh recedes to her couch to become more like us — indolent consumers of web shows.

"I have been binge-watching shows that have been recommended by friends. I saw one called Watchmen, which was [beautifully] written and unpredictable. It was Arjun [Kapoor] who had suggested it," says the actor, also adding that the Apple TV series, Loudest Voice, is another noteworthy addition here.

"It is not an over-the-top drama. It has been created interestingly and is based on the manner in which the #MeToo campaign kick-started. I also loved The Morning Show, and another gripping Netflix drama called Caliphate."

American superhero drama series Watchmen (left) continues the 1987 DC Comics series by the same name; Loudest Voice (right) attempts to trace the origins of the #MeToo campaign 

A career as a South Indian film actor implies Singh is also spoilt for choice when it comes to shows in regional languages. "There's a Malayalam film called Charlie starring Dulquer [Salmaan] that I'd recommend. Finally, Super Deluxe is another brilliant offering," she concludes.

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Filmmaker-producer Farah Khan has been spending a lot of time at home with her husband and three kids - Anya, Diva and Czar - thanks to the coronavirus lockdown. In a recent video that has gone viral on the internet, we can see Farah's kids interviewing her, and it's quite fun!

Farah shared the video on Instagram and wrote, "Tables have turned. My lovely kids are interviewing me! And looks like they are quite embarrassed by answers. Here's a snippet of our #BachFUNMoment and all our masti!"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onMay 4, 2020 at 6:34am PDT

Farah Khan's children ask her about things like if she likes rap songs, to which she says that she likes the song 'Rail Gadi, Rail Gadi'. They also ask her if she liked puppies when she was growing up, and what is the answer to 37 multiplied by 12.

Several of Farah's fans found the video very cute and funny. One Instagram user commented, "soo cute god bless u all" while another said, "Love you Farah... don't tell anyone but you're my favourite" and yet another Insta user wrote, "This is a wonderful way to keep your children entertained. Being a teacher, I know how hard it is to teach online and be with my own kids trying to help them understand school work but nothing beats making time with your own kids and just doing something out of the ordinary..."

Well, seems like Farah Khan sure has got her kids' attention!

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In a devastating piece of news, Rishi Kapoor left us for heavenly adobe on Thursday, 30 April at 8:45 am after a two-year battle with leukaemia. His last rites were performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai, near the H.N Reliance hospital where he was admitted. The late actor is survived by his wife Neetu Kapoor, son Ranbir Kapoor and daughter Riddhima Kapoor.

Riddhima, who lives in Delhi, could not make it to the funeral in Mumbai. She has been pouring her heart out by regularly sharing pictures of the late actor and mourning his loss. Recently, Riddhima shared a heartbreaking picture of Rishi with his late mother Krishna Raj. In the picture, Rishi is seen holding his mother's hand as if asking her for a dance. Sharing the picture, she wrote, "Reunited with his most favourite person (sic)".

Along with it, she also shared a throwback picture of Rishi with Neetu Kapoor during their wedding celebrations. In the black-and-white picture, Rishi is seen in a suit, while Neetu has donned a heavy sari with bridal jewellery.

Riddhima had to attend her father's final rites via video call as she was denied permission to fly due to lockdown. She had to travel by road in a car after securing a movement pass. Riddhima took to her Instagram and poured her heart out through multiple Instagram stories.

Riddhima shared a couple of photos on her Instagram story, which will bring tears to your eyes. In the pictures, we can see Rishi, Neetu and Riddhima in their happier times. "I miss you already. Come back na papa". "Wish I could be there to say goodbye to you papa," she wrote.

On Monday, Ranbir Kapoor and Neetu attended his prayer meet. Riddhima also arrived with her daughter Samara Sahni to be with her family. Later, Ranbir, Neetu, accompanied by Alia Bhatt and Ayan Mukerji, visited the Banganga Tank to immerse the late actor's ashes.

Rishi Kapoor had been battling cancer since 2018 and had spent a year in New York seeking treatment for the same. He breathed his last at age 67. The actor left behind millions of memories for all his fans and Cinema lovers that can never be forgotten. With a career of over five decades and tons of blockbusters and classics, we shall make sure he's always alive and among us!

You will be missed Chintuji!!

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Priyanka Chopra's cousin, Meera Chopra, recently tweeted about her father, Sudesh Chopra, being robbed at knifepoint. The Section 375 actress took to Twitter and tagged CM Arvind Kejriwal and the Delhi Police in her tweet.

Meera Chopra wrote, "@DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi"

@DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

She then shared the FIR number in a follow-up tweet. Later, Meera thanked DCP North Delhi for the prompt response and quick action. She wrote, "Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. It's never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice."

Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. Its never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice https://t.co/KFmH0vTtFo

— meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

Meera Chopra made her acting debut with the Tamil film Anbe Aaruyire in 2005. She was seen in Hindi films like Gang of Ghosts, 1920 London and Section 375.

Bollywood debut in 2014 with the film Gang of Ghosts. She was later seen in films like 1920 London, Nastik, and Section 375.

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Actress Tisca Chopra worked with the late Irrfan Khan in the critically acclaimed film "Qissa" besides in TV projects. She says Irrfan pushed her in the right direction during her initial days of struggle.

"As I was struggling in the nineties and feeling disheartened, I would say that I wanted to quit acting because there was nothing that I could get from here, especially substantial work that I was looking forward to. I remember Tishu (Tigmanshu Dhulia) and Irrfan were there, and Irrfan promptly said, 'dekh lo, kaise har maan rahi hai, acting chhod dena hai? Theek hai, chhod de, lekin yaad rakh, apne tarike se aage badhne ke liye, himmat chahiye hoti hai… guts chahiye,guts!'" Tisca recalled, speaking to IANS.

According to the actress, Irrfan gave DVDs of films like "Bullets Over Broadway" and "Once Upon A Time In America" and it was like a task for her to watch and understand these films.

Subsequently, Irrfan produced a segment of the TV show, "Star Bestsellers", titled "Hum Saath Saath Hain Kya?" that was written by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and directed by Dhulia. He cast Tisca in the segment.

"He gave me the right kind of challenges for an actor to stay at my battle. Along with him, Tigmanshu and few more people gave me the scope to overall challenge the scene of entertainment. He was surely instrumental in my career," shared Tisca.

Irrfan passed away on April 29 in Mumbai, at the age of 53, due to colon infection. While the sudden demise of the actor left the film industry shocked and sadden, Tisca said: "Now that few days have gone by, emotionally I am in a better stage. I am talking and thinking why so many people reacted to Irrfan's demise as a personal loss. I think, even if you do not know him personally, through his acting, he showed us expressions that we usually reserve for our family, friends and intimate people."

She added: "As an actor he had the courage to show us that vulnerability. So even as an audience when you watch his film, through his performance you experience the story along with those characters. You, as an audience did not look at Irrfan, you looked with him at the world of that story. That is why it is intimate. That is why Irrfan belonged to his audience. That is why his demise is very personal to the audience. Of course, we are his close people! It is devastating for us."

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