In the latest episode of ESPNcricinfo's Videocast, host Sanjay Manjarekar chats up with Michael Hussey, former international Australian Cricketer and one of the finest finishers cricket has ever produced about his career, his art of finishing, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and more.

A reliable finisher, Hussey usually came to bat at a time when his team either needed to accelerate the run rate rapidly or manage an early crisis. Talking about his mantra on how he handled such enormous pressure, Hussey says, "You can either succumb to it, lose your focus, or narrow your focus. I saw pressure as an opportunity to do something special. To take the pressure off, I would think of how it will feel to win at the end of the game, celebrate and be able to get a goodnight's sleep. And that's what got me going."

Hussey played at a time when Australia boasted of one of the most robust middle order, and he gives credit to his teammates as well, "The guy at the other end needs to help too. I was lucky to have a middle-order that helped me with the chase. I loved batting with Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke and others. They're all fantastic players in their own right and did lend a helping hand in tricky situations". "I was lucky to have a set, rigid pre-ball routine for every single delivery that I faced, which helped me switch on and off in between deliveries," Hussey adds further.

To understand Hussey's approach better, Sanjay Manjarekar uses one of Javed Miandad's theory, "If Javed needed 11 or 12 runs an over, he would try to get at least 8 runs an over because there will invariably be wide or no-balls to compensate for the remaining runs", and asks Hussey if he followed the same mantra. "I tried not to let it reach 12 or 13 runs an over. And I learnt this from MS Dhoni. He is incredible. He believes that he who panics last wins the game. So Dhoni would keep his cool, and keep it longer because the pressure is on the bowler as well. So, Javed rightly says, chances of a wide or a no-ball are higher. And if you can keep your cool longer than the opposition, you can come out on top", responds Hussey.

Hussey believes that the greatest players of the game have a few common traits like, 'They don't hang on to a defeat for too long. If they lose, they move on quickly. They don't let a loss or a win hamper their thinking. They are always consistent, and level headed whether it's MS Dhoni or Ricky Ponting".

Talking about Dhoni’s finishing ability, Sanjay recalls one of India’s game against Sri Lanka in West Indies. Dhoni was on strike, India needed 17 runs in the last two overs and Sri Lanka put their best bowler to bowl the penultimate over. “Dhoni just got 3 runs in that over leaving 14 to get from the last over which was to be bowled by a weaker bowler. That’s seemingly impossible, but then how does Dhoni manage to do this”, asks Sanjay. Hussey, who is full of praises for former Indian captain, claims, "Dhoni is the greatest finisher of all time that the cricketing world has ever produced." He adds, "Dhoni can keep his cool and make the opposition captain blink first. Dhoni also has unbelievable power. He knows that when he needs to clear the ropes he can do it. He has that kind of self-belief. Honestly, I didn't have that kind of belief in myself."

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is Sanjay's favorite IPL team, and he wants to know what makes them so consistent. Hussey lets out the secret, "Supportive owners who let the Coach Flemming and Captain Dhoni decide how to run the team, excellent chemistry between the coach and the captain, Dhoni’s leadership and lastly the foresight of the owners, Flemming and Dhoni to pick the best players, particularly the good Indian players and then stick with them for as long as possible." This has built an excellent continuity in the team. And once you have continuity, you build relationships and trust that otherwise takes time to grow."

Responding to Sanjay's question on CSK's future after Dhoni moves on, Hussey says, "That's a 60 million dollar question, and I am equally intrigued. I believe the owners would like to keep Dhoni involved in some way or the other. However, whenever the change of guard happens, CSK might want to start all over again, build a brand new team, and use their existing philosophy as they enter the next decade of IPL. It is definitely going to be more challenging in current times."

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With the nationwide lockdown extended to May 3, the Indian Premier League (IPL) remains in suspension. The T20 extravaganza was first postponed to April 15 by the BCCI.

Except one franchisee, all other seven are sweating over the losses they are going to suffer if the IPL does not take place this year. Chennai Super Kings are unperturbed as they are the only franchisee to have taken insurance cover first up. "We bought the insurance in the first week of March," a team official told mid-day on Tuesday.

It is learnt that CSK's insurance cover is worth approximately Rs 65 to Rs 70 crore. The three-time IPL champions will be able to make a claim to the insurance company only if the IPL is called off this year.

When asked whether the Coronavirus pandemic is covered in the insurance, the official said: "Our legal department is looking into it. We are in touch with the insurance company as well. We will be able to conclude things only when the BCCI takes a decision on the IPL. Pandemic is a new thing for everyone." CSK were lucky to finalise the insurance deal before the pandemic struck. The other franchises who mid-day spoke to, said they were still in talks with the insurance companies when the IPL was postponed.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is still exploring options of holding the cash-rich league this year.

'International' Premier League?

Though the Coronavirus pandemic has put the world's cricketing schedule in limbo and with concerns raised over the scheduled T20 World Cup in Australia this October, the BCCI is preparing all sorts of possible scenarios to hold the IPL. "Shelving the tournament will be a worst-case scenario," a BCCI source told mid-day on Tuesday.

A few possibilities have emerged. The first is the July-August window, where Team India are not scheduled to play any cricket. The BCCI is well-aware that rain could play spoilsport if the IPL is to be held in India during this period. To negate the weather threat, the BCCI is ready to move the IPL abroad if needed. "The IPL has happened on foreign land in the past (2009 and the first half of the 2014 edition), so why can't it be done this time too? Everyone wants the IPL to happen, there is no doubt about it," said the source.

"All that we require is just four venues to conduct matches. Whether to have a curtailed or a full-fledged IPL is a decision that will be taken when we cross that bridge," the source added.

However, taking the IPL overseas will not be an easy decision considering the travel restrictions that the Indian government may put in place. A franchise official, though, wasn't pleased with the proposed plan of playing abroad to beat the rains. "Monsoons will not affect the entire country. South India can definitely be explored. It would be crazy to play abroad especially when saving costs would be a major challenge for all teams," the franchisee official said. Thankfully for franchises, no sponsor has backed out so far.

Sept-Oct window

The window between September and October is also being explored by the BCCI if the Asia Cup is postponed. And if the T20 World Cup is postponed, then another window for the IPL opens up. "There is absolutely no harm in having the IPL if the T20 World Cup does not take place," the source said.

Franchises too are pinning their hopes on the T20 World Cup getting postponed. "That's the perfect window to conduct it. With Australia locked down for six months [till September] for foreign travellers, the T20 World Cup is surely in doubt," a franchisee official said.

The BCCI is also open to conducting the IPL after the T20 World Cup.

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The BCCI on Tuesday told IPL franchises that the event stands "postponed indefinitely" after the lockdown to combat the COVID-19 pandemic was extended till May 3, leaving no scope for the league to take place during its designated window. While the development hasn't been officially announced as yet but it is learnt that the BCCI has reached out to all the stakeholders, including the eight franchises and the broadcasters, to convey that the event stands "postponed and not cancelled".

"Yes, the BCCI has intimated us that IPL has been postponed for the time being but they are hopeful of finding a window later this year as and when things normalise," a veteran franchise official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. It is understood that BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah were waiting for the government directive and once the lockdown was extended till May 3 on Tuesday, they saw no possibility of holding the IPL during its traditional April-May window. Ganguly had repeatedly made it clear that the game cannot be a priority given the crisis that the country is facing. India currently has over 10,000 positive cases with over 350 recorded deaths, making it virtually impossible for the government to lift any of the restrictions put in place last month.

The IPL was supposed to be held from March 29 to May 24. However, on March 13, the BCCI announced that the league would be postponed till April 15 due to the restrictions placed on the entry of foreigners, which ruled out any international participation. The only window for an IPL in the current year would be between September and November, provided Cricket Australia and the ICC agree to reschedule the T20 World Cup. The six-month travel restrictions in Australia end on September 30 if the situation becomes normal and the World Cup is scheduled in October-November. The other option is having a curtailed IPL in six weeks between September and early October as it's highly unlikely that the Asia Cup will happen. England are also unlikely to travel for their white-ball series in India.

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Indian shuttlers Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy have finally got some time to pause and reflect due to the COVID-19 pandemic and they are making the most of it by creating a database to analyse their past performances while waiting for another shot at Olympic qualification. The coronavirus outbreak has left over 1.2 lakh people dead and infected nearly 2 million globally, and brought all sports activities, including badminton, to a halt after countries imposed lockdowns. Ashwini and Sikki are doubles specialists and endured an underwhelming season last year. The time at hand has given them a chace to analyse the past performances.

"We don't have any one to sit and do analysis for us, so now that we have time, I'm doing some analysis of our performance. I am jotting down points, about areas where I can improve. I started with my matches and then other players on tour," Ashwini, who represented India at the London and Rio Olympic Games, told PTI. "You can always watch and analyse and understand the patterns but it is different when you see things on paper. It is more concrete. So trying to set up a complete database. My brother will help me out. He made an app for me in the past." Ashwini and Sikki fell at the first hurdle 13 times in 20 tournaments last year, and exited from the second round thrice.

Ashwini also picked up a calf injury during the Syed Modi International but the duo was still confident of qualifying by performing well in the remaining Olympic qualifiers. But with Badminton World Federation (BWF) cancelling all tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic, their fate remains uncertain. "The problem is we don't know the new BWF rules regarding the qualification. There is one year left now, you can't take a two year old performance to select for Olympics, it has to be present performance, so we have to wait," said Sikki. "In badminton, there is a ranking cut off, so how will they accommodate the cancelled qualifiers, how will they count the ranking points, everything is too messed up now," she added. Sikki and Ashwini had reached the finals at Hyderabad Open Super 100 and Maldives International Challenge, last year.

The Indian pair is ranked 28th and will need to be inside top 16 on April 29, 2021 -- the new Olympic cut off date. Ashwini said: "Me and Sikki were confident of doing well in the 4-5 tournaments left but now no one knows what would be the criteria of Olympic qualification and BWF can't really say anything with things changing every moment." They are using the coronavirus-forced break to learn cooking, besides doing some wall practice and exercises for physical fitness. Talking about the effects of the lockdown on mental health, Sikki said: "We have been travelling a lot all these years and now for a month, we are at home, it is fine. But what if it is for 2-3 months, then it will get tough to stay away from the game.

"So it is important to stay motivated for once the lockdown is lifted because you will in a comfortable zone in the break and then all of a sudden you will need to push yourself." Ashwini added: "...now that Olympics have been postponed, nothing is certain and it is tough, you have to be really strong." The economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak has hit sports hard and Ashwini said badminton too will be affected. "It will hit in terms of sponsors, in terms of tournaments being conducted because countries need sponsors to host events, and after this, I'm not sure what the economic status of many countries would be. "The way things are, it is will be tough to host tournaments, it will not be easy for countries to have tournaments with many big companies shut and struggling to survive," she signed off.

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One of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League, people have often questioned what sets Chennai Super Kings apart and opener Murali Vijay feels the legends in the unit over the years have made it one of the best dressing rooms in the world.

"CSK is a very very special team. The kind of players, who came aboard right from the first auction, you name it, they are legends of world cricket," Vijay was quoted as saying by the CSK website.

"It was a great honour for us youngsters to step into the dressing room and rub shoulders with some of the legends. You get to learn a lot of things by watching them and being around them," he said.

While Vijay became a Test specialist later in his career, he started off as an explosive batsman and feels that the format suited him when the IPL started back in 2008.

"Twenty20 was a new format in 2008/09, and I guess my game was suited for white ball cricket when I started. I kind of enjoyed it when the opportunity came to me. I was ready up and going," he said.

Vijay said that the bonhomie in the team made it a joy to perform and get applauded by the legends in the unit.

"The team atmosphere was such that you want to contribute because everyone plays with such energy and intensity. The competition was very high," he pointed.

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Former Chennai Super Kings bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji on Sunday recalled team's matches that are close to his heart. CSK's official Twitter handle posted a video in which Balaji recalled the team's memorable moments in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The former pacer started with a game against Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2010 saying that MS Dhoni's expressions at the end of the game are 'always going to be remembered by all CSK'ians'.

"Of course the 2010 game at Dharamshala against Kings XI Punjab. The situation was like we had to win that game to qualify. MS Dhoni's knock and his expressions, hitting the helmet which is always going to be remembered for all the CSK'ians," Balaji said in the video.

In that match, batting first, Kings XI Punjab had put up a massive target of 193 runs for CSK at Dharamshala. The match came to a point where Dhoni-led side needed 16 runs off the last over and the skipper chased the target in the first four balls of the over.

Dhoni had struck a boundary off the first delivery and took a double on the second ball. On the next two deliveries, he smashed consecutive sixes to take CSK over the line. Besides this, Balaji mentioned IPL 2018 edition when CSK made a return to the league after serving a two-year ban.

"Apart from that I would like to pick the 2018 year as CSK was coming back after two years and I joined the team as support staff and I got to witness the first game against Mumbai Indians, arch-rival. The match was completely going out of our hands but Bravo's innings and Kedar's brilliant finish (handed us a victory), that is very close to my heart," he said.

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India cricketer Dinesh Karthik has said that he was caught off-guard when he was asked to bat at No. 5 in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. During the chase, after India lost early wickets, Karthik revealed he was asked to go out ahead of MS Dhoni and that came as a surprise for him. “It came as a bit of a surprise [walking in to bat at five] because they had made it very clear that I would be batting at No. 7,” Karthik told Cricbuzz. “We had to send a rearguard action just to stem the flow of wickets. I was told to pad up and it all happened in a daze, in a hurry.”

“I was just sitting in my shorts and I had to go up, get ready. Literally, I was late to get in, I wasn’t expecting a wicket to fall. KL Rahul got out and I had to put on my pads. “Throughout the tournament it was pretty clear that I was going to bat below Dhoni at No. 7. I had done that really well in the past. In Australia we’d finished games, in New Zealand we’d finished games. I had not batted at number five for a couple of years or more.

“Here I got the opportunity, I went and did the job that was asked of me for the team, which was to arrest wickets. “I went in in the third over and I don’t know when I got out, and it doesn’t matter, but I just stopped the wickets falling till [Trent] Boult’s spell was over. He was the main wrecker-in-chief and unluckily when it was time for me to move on, I got out to a brilliant catch by James Neesham,” he added.

After an unusual top-order collapse, India made a match of the semi-final courtesy of Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni. Just when it seemed India had pulled off a miracle, Jadeja was dismissed by Boult for 77 and Dhoni was run out for 50. India fell short by 18 runs.

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Michael Vaughan has revealed that many former England players were jealous of Kevin Pietersen after the latter bagged a huge contract with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In 2009, Royal Challengers Bangalore had bought Pietersen for $1,550,000, which made him the highest-paid IPL player along with Andrew Flintoff at that time.

"I think there was a lot of jealousy," Vaughan said in an interview with foxsports.com.au. "And the players will completely deny it now but I think there was at the time when Kevin was on a massive contract.

"There were all sorts of whispers and rumours of cliques in the team. There was a little band of a few; Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, (James) Anderson, (Stuart) Broad and Matt Prior. The whispers were they were on one side and Kevin was kind of standing on his own on the other side," the former England captain said.

The 45-year-old further said that while Pietersen was off the view that playing in the IPL would further the development of the one-day team, England players felt he was going after money.

"It wasn't anything other than that Kev (Kevinn Pietersen) around that time wanted to go to the IPL. That's how it all started to blow up and that's when those factions came into play," said Vaughan.

"He was saying to the team he wanted to play because it would further the development of the one-day team and all the one-day players would get the chance to play there and improve their game. They deemed that he just wanted to go for the money. He was on a big contract while not many of the other players were even getting sniffed at.

"It was very much Kevin against the team in terms of that one," he added.

During the course of the interview, Vaughan also said that Pietersen should have never played for England again after the infamous Text-gate scandal in 2012.

Pietersen, who was born and brought up in South Africa, was accused of sending texts to South African during a Test series between the two teams against his captain Andrew Strauss and a few of his team-mates.

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The love and loyalty of the fans will never let him leave Royal Challengers Bangalore till the time he is playing IPL, skipper Virat Kohli said on Friday. RCB have reached the IPL final thrice but have not gone on to win the trophy. During a live session on Instagram with former South African captain and RCB teammate AB de Villiers, Kohli said winning the tournament remains the goal but he would not leave the team irrespective of the results. "It has been such an amazing journey. It is always going to be our dream, winning the IPL together. There is no scenario where I could think of leaving the team ever.

"You can feel emotional about the season not going well but till the time I am playing IPL, I am never leaving this team. The fans, their loyalty has been amazing," said the India skipper. Responding to Kohli's feelings towards RCB, De Villiers too acknowledged the support of fans over the past nine years. Kohli, on the other hand, has been with RCB since 2008.

"Same for me. I never want to leave RCB but to do that I got to keep scoring runs. I am not the captain you see," said the South African in jest. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the "indefinite" suspension of the 13th IPL, which was supposed to start last month but Kohli said he is still hopeful of the cash-rich event happening at some stage. "We have no clarity at this moment but I am optimistic that at some stage we will have something," he said.

Both Kohli and de Villiers also recalled their early days in international cricket and their growth as cricketers and friends. Kohli said at times, the youngsters coming in have too much regard for the "system" and he wants to see them break the norm. "I want to see youngsters coming in scoring 500-600 runs. I want people to break the norm. Sometimes I feel people have too much regard for the system in sport. When you break the shackles, you do something special."

Kohli also acknowledged contribution of Mark Boucher, Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher early on in his international career. "Gary always gave me positive feedback. Boucher told me in 2008 to improve my game against the short ball. He had the vision. Then Fletcher, he had a keen eye for the game. So many people who have contributed (to my growth)," said Kohli.

De Villiers picked the 119 at Wankhede in the 2015 series decider as his best knock against India. Kohli picked the 119 he scored in Johannesburg Test in 2013. "I was always really motivated to win the series after 2-2 . I was incredibly motivated to do something special," de Villiers said. They also picked their combined South Africa and India ODI team. It included Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, M S Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dale Steyn, Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada.

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Star India batsman KL Rahul said the heartbreaking World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand, after a near-perfect show in the group stages, "continues to haunt" him and his teammates. In a chat show 'The Mind Behind', Rahul said if he was given a chance to change the result of any one match in the past, it would be the 2019 World Cup semi-final at Manchester.

"Most of us haven't got over that loss, it still haunts us. I can't imagine what the senior players must have felt but you know, in a World Cup, it just becomes even harder knowing that we played so well in the entire tournament. I still wake up to that nightmare sometimes," he said. India were perhaps the most dominant side in the group stage of the tournament, winning each of their matches except the one against hosts England.

The Virat Kohli-led side were the favourite going into the semi-final against eventual runner-up New Zealand but lost the contest by 18 runs. Just like other Indian cricketers, Rahul too is currently enjoying a rare break from the game because of the COVID-19 pandemic-forced lockdown.

"Let me talk about myself. I've just been sitting and doing some homework. I've been watching some videos from the past and taking notes of the things I was doing right and where I could improve," he signed off.

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India spinner Kuldeep Yadav says he was "lacking in the basics" last season owing to playing one too many games, leading to an IPL that could have been better than how it turned out. He said he didn't plan enough last time and having learned his lesson, the chinaman bowler was "100 percent sure of success" in IPL 2020 whose fate hangs in balance because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I was fully prepared for this IPL 2020 and I had planned a lot. I was 100 percent sure that this IPL would be a success," Kuldeep was quoted as saying in Kolkata Knight Riders website. Asked about last season, Kuldeep spoke about why he struggled to get going.

"When I came into IPL, I didn't give myself enough time to train. The biggest learning from 2019 was that I did not plan for the season. "There was a lot of cricket in 2019, especially international cricket. I joined the team just three days before the IPL started. So the planning wasn't good. The involvement wasn't good either. And that is very important," he said. "I don't think the last IPL was all that bad for me. I bowled very well. But a leg-spinner's success is based on the number of wickets he picks. I didn't manage to pick many wickets, but my economy was good." The lack of wickets dented his confidence, the spinner said. "When you don't pick wickets your confidence drops a bit. Then there was a game where I went for a lot of runs. So my confidence level dropped," Kuldeep admitted.

"I was lacking in the basics. Playing a lot of cricket affects your basics. "If you are in regular touch with your coach then your basics won't be affected." He heaped praise on former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir and bowling consultant Wasim Akram, saying they had a "big influence" on his career in his early years at the Knight Riders. "Gauti bhai (Gambhir) had a huge influence on me from the start of my stint at KKR. He always spoke to me a lot. Not only during the time he was at KKR, but even after that, over these last two years," Kuldeep said.

"He always kept me motivated. When you get that kind of confidence from your captain, it becomes a huge plus point for any player. It helps you remain confident, and that translates into good performances." The chinaman bowler said former Pakistan captain Akram helped him more with the mental aspect of the game. "Wasim sir used to like me a lot too. He didn't speak much about bowling, but he prepared me a lot in terms of mentally taking on the game. "He prepared me to take on different situations in different ways, and taught me how to react when batsmen put you under pressure," said Kuldeep. "When he was at KKR, I used to sit with him and pick his brain a lot. I used to sit next to him in the dugout during matches and ask questions about real-time situations."

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Royal Challengers Bangalore teammates AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli have put up equipment -- that were used during their historic partnership against Gujarat Lions in 2016 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) -- on auction in order to raise funds for the fight against coronavirus pandemic.

de Villiers on Monday took to social media to upload images of the signed equipment and announced all the proceeds will go to both the countries in their respective fights against the ongoing crisis.

The duo struck the highest-ever partnership in the history of the tournament when they put together 229 runs against Gujarat in 2016 IPL. Both the players slammed respective centuries during the course of the historic partnership.

"Cricket has given me many incredible memories -- and among the most precious stands the partnership with Virat Kohli, playing for RCB against Gujarat Lions in 2016," de Villiers wrote on his Instagram account.

"Everything clicked on what was an unforgettable night in the IPL. The capacity crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium were going crazy and we both scored centuries in a partnership of 229 off 96 balls. More importantly, RCB won the match by 144 runs.

"Now we find ourselves in a global crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic and Virat and I would like to help the people in need, people struggling to put food on the table.

"So we are putting some items from that special day in 2016 and creating one unique auction item. All money raised will be donated to charities supporting people most affected by the crisis, split 50/50 between charities working in South Africa and India," he added.

Kohli also used the repost option to share de Villiers' post onto his Instagram account for his followers to see and take part in the auction as well.

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Suresh Raina has heaped praise on Rishabh Pant and said that the wicket-keeper is as dominant as Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag. Raina was doing an Instagram Live session with spinner Yuzvendra Chahal during which he praised Pant.

"He is a top cricketer, when he plays well, you become happy and he reminds of Yuvraj and Sehwag, he is as dominant as them, when he plays the flick, it reminds you of Dravid as well," Raina told Chahal during the Instagram Live session.

Raina also said that Virat Kohli's energy is a game-changer while he is leading the team in the shorter formats. "Virat is a solid captain, he has a lot of energy, he can control things, when you are playing shorter formats, you need a lot of energy and passion," he added.

Pant was last seen in action during India's two-match Test series against New Zealand earlier this year. In the series, Pant managed to score 60 runs. The wicket-keeper batsman has often been criticised for not putting a price on his wicket.

Earlier this year, he was replaced by KL Rahul as the wicket-keeper in the shorter formats. Pant would have been in action for the Delhi Capitals if the Indian Premier League (IPL) had commenced from March 29. However, the tournament has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Kolkata Knight Riders and West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell said that he gets the "most goosebumps" while playing cricket when he is playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Russell would have been in the thick of the 2020 season of the IPL at this time had it not been for the coronavirus pandemic forcing the postponement of the T20 league.

"Let me confess something. IPL is where I get the most goosebumps when I am playing cricket. I get that in the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) as well, but when it comes to playing in the IPL, especially at Eden Gardens, there is no comparison to that crowd," Russell said in an interview published on KKR's official website www.kkr.in.

"When I walk out before facing a ball, I have goosebumps all over me because of the welcome that I get. That's pure love, and yes it puts pressure on me. But it's a good kind of pressure.

"When Kolkata needs 12 or 13 runs per over, with only 5 overs to go -- I love those moments, and the crowd really allows me to do what I need to do. I get a feeling they are telling me: 'Listen, we have got your back, so just go out and do your business.

"If everyone was sad, and there was no noise, no entrance, that would maybe make me feel the pressure more. But I know even if I fail two games straight, when I come out to bat for the third game, it is the same deafening reaction I will get from the crowd. It's always a welcoming thing."

The 32-year-old Jamaican said that whenever his time with KKR ends, he would like to have an emotional farewell at the Eden Gardens.

"Just like players in big (football) leagues like English Premier League, or the Basketball guys (at NBA) retiring from the sport say 'okay, this is my last game' and they wave goodbye to the crowd -- I imagine I would love to be at KKR until that moment in my career," said Russell.

"I'd say, �Listen, Shah Rukh (KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan), all the KKR staff, everyone. This will be my last IPL and the last home game playing in Kolkata.' It would be such an emotional moment.

"I sometimes watch videos and I see footballers crying and I'm wondering if I would actually cry, but that's the special thing about playing at a club for so long and getting so attached," he said.

Russell also said that he hopes that KKR can win a third title this season. "You know someday you're going to go out. I've been at KKR for 6 seasons now and I enjoy every bit -- getting the MVP award and all is good, but I want more. I really need that cup as well, and I am really hoping that we can have the IPL this year, so we can become the Champions," he said.

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West Indies star all-rounder Andre Russell recently spoke about missing the IPL 2020 on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected. Russell said, "It's not a situation that anyone would want to be in. It is affecting the whole world, and it is affecting me, preventing me from hitting those sixes and do what I do best. I would have been in India right now enjoying the atmosphere and all the good vibes there, but we have to stay as safe as we can at the moment."

Andre Russell talked about the thrill he experiences while playing IPL in India. Russell said, "Let me confess something, IPL is where I get the most goosebumps. I get that in the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) as well, but when it comes to playing in the IPL, especially at Eden Gardens, there is no comparison to that crowd. When I walk out before facing a ball, the welcome I get is love, and yes it puts pressure on me. But it's a good kind of pressure."

Andre Russell made his debut in IPL in 2012 when he played for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). In 2014, Russell was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders and has never looked back. He has been a key batsman in the KKR line-up winning the highest strike rate in the tournament in 2019 at 205.

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The flower tattoo on the woman's right forearm is the only identifier

Deja vu seems to have struck the Rabale MIDC police. Close to a year after they found the headless body of a murdered woman who could be identified only because of a tattoo, another such case has come to light, this time of a woman, whose body was found highly decomposed, with the only mark of recognition being a flower tattoo on her right forearm.

The highly decomposed body was found on April 9

The police found the body on April 9, after being alerted by the control room about a foul smell emanating from a sewer carrying industrial waste close to Airoli railway station. When a team visited the spot, they saw the highly decomposed body of a woman with maggots all over it. Her face was beyond recognition. A closer examination helped cops lay hands on their only clue - the tattoo.

The woman was wearing this kurta

Dumped or hacked
Speaking to mid-day, inspector P Jadhav of Rabale police station said, "We saw the upper body on a dry surface, while her legs were submerged in the sewer water. The deceased was removed from the water and upon examination, the tattoo was found on the forearm. A dupatta was also found around her neck. Prima-facie, we suspect the deceased might have been known to the assailant and that the body could have either been dumped or the accused may have hacked the woman to death."

Armed with only the flower tattoo on the right forearm of the deceased, and a picture of the chudidar and decomposed body, policemen have fanned across Mumbai, Thane and neighbouring areas looking for some clue from the missing persons register, whose description could match with that of the remains.

Limited clues
A parallel investigation is being done by the local crime branch, who also visited the spot. Tushar Doshi, deputy commissioner of police (crime) said, "We have limited clues in hand. We could not find any tailor's name on the greenish yellow Punjabi kurta that the deceased was wearing. We could not find anything concrete from the spot, as there was a lot of muck and waste in and around the area where the body was found; it was already in a decomposed state."

The local police have already started showing the tattoo to tattoo artists in and around the area. Cops are also checking if a bar dancer or woman employee from the MIDC industrial area have gone missing in the last few days. Meanwhile, the autopsy has thrown up details about the way the woman was killed. The remains were sent to the NMMC hospital's Vashi post mortem centre. During the course of the procedure, autopsy surgeon Dr Bhushan Jain confirmed the woman was strangulated to death and had also suffered a head injury. Dr Jain said, "The incident might have happened around three to five days ago, as the upper body and face had been eaten up by maggots. The body was in a highly decomposed state. The death was due to strangulation and head injury."

Ante mortem injuries
A source at the police station said prima-facie it seems that the deceased might have been between 30-35 years old, the injuries on the body were ante mortem (before death) injuries and a dupatta, possibly worn by the woman, was used to strangulate her. Since the body was partly submerged in water, early signs of decomposition were visible on the lower remains, whereas the upper remains were highly decomposed. Rabale police have registered a case of murder and destruction of evidence against unknown assailant(s).

Also Read: Navi Mumbai headless torso case: Horrific details of the brutal murder

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Navy and private firm divers search for Bidre's remains in Bhayander Khadi. Pic/Hanif Patel

Day 1 of the search for assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre's mortal remains with the help of the hi-tech magnetometer was unsuccessful. Navy divers with the help of their private counterparts carried out a five-hour long search with the machine, but found only a gunny bag, which, the police said, was filled with sand. The search operation will continue on Wednesday.

"Search operation began around 12 noon; five Navy divers and two private ones scoured specific locations in Vasai Creek with the magnetometer, but didn't find anything significant," said a police source.

After searching for five hours, experts then carried out a scanning of the creek for a couple of hours. They zeroed in on nine possible locations, of which two had given out strong signals of having metal underwater. "Day 1 hasn't given anything significant. Search will be continued on Wednesday," said DCP (crime) Tushar Doshi.

The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch is probing the murder of Bidre, allegedly killed by inspector Abhay Kurundkar on April 11, 2016. According to co-accused Mahesh Phalnikar, the main accused had dismembered her body and put the parts in a metal trunk, dumping it in Vasai Creek. Investigators are searching for that trunk.

Also Read: Ashwini Bidre Murder Case: Trunk Filled With Body Parts To Be Traced With Iranian Magnetometer

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Go crazy with paints
Give yourself a unique weekend and enjoy a party with lots of colours! Paint away all the week's troubles and discover the hidden artist in you. Gorge on food, sip on a drink while you’re at it. Who knows? Maybe it’ll pave the way for the next masterpiece on your wall.
ON May 26, 12 pm onwards
At Tea Villa Cafe, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
CALL 8080850000
LOG ON TO insider.in cost Rs 1,500

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A part of the ceiling in Vashi's Raguleela Mall which is one of the prime centres of attraction collapsed on Tuesday afternoon. There was no report of any casualty or injury. The mall is flocked by thousands of people every day for shopping during the weekends and festivities.

Horrible pictures from #Raghuleela Mall #Vashi. Hope Noone is hurt@mid_day pic.twitter.com/1dEQkOdrO3

— Anuraag Kamble (@AnuragANK) July 24, 2018

"Panic gripped when a part of the ceiling fell down at around 12:25 pm. Security officials have asked people who were inside Raghuleela Mall to stay inside their shops," an eyewitness told as reported in Latestly.

Entire POP of Raghuleela Mall, Vashi fell down few minutes back pic.twitter.com/DQxJqJuNhK

— mumbaikars (@Anish67929937) July 24, 2018

It is not clear whether the collapse has anything to do with heavy rains in the city. Further details were awaited.

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The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a 21-year-old man there during the Maratha quota stir last week. During the violence that erupted in Kopar Khairane area of Navi Mumbai during the Maratha reservation agitation on July 25, Rohan Todkar was assaulted by a mob. He later succumbed to his injuries in the state-run JJ Hospital at Byculla in Mumbai on July 27.

An official said that a murder case had been registered at Kopar Khairane police station against unidentified persons. "The case has been handed over to the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch. Investigations into the incident are underway. No arrests have been made so far," Tushar Doshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) told PTI.

Todkar's cousin sister, Shital Shinde, speaking to PTI yesterday, had said that Todkar had ventured out, along with his friends, on July 25 and then got caught in the violence. The youth's last rites were carried out in his native Khonavali village in Patan tehsil in Satara district after authorities assured his family that the culprits would be arrested and compensation would be provided.

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from PTI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With inputs from PTI

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Abhay Kurundkar, the prime accused in the murder of assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre-Gore, had called cops attached to the Thane (Rural) commissionerate and left an "anonymous tip-off" to search for the body of a policewoman, who had "jumped" from the Bhayander bridge. Cops along with three local fishermen and eight to 10 unknown people carried out the search in Vasai creek for nearly five days with no luck.

And this, allegedly, is what Kurundkar wanted — it was a test of sorts by him to check if he had managed to make the body disappear and if it would remain untraced. This has come to light after the recent recording of statements of cops and fishermen by the Navi Mumbai police, who are investigating the April 2016 murder, for which senior inspector Kurundkar and three others have been arrested.

Ashwini Bidre-Gore

More questions
Interestingly, none of the cops from Thane (Rural) has been investigated or questioned why they didn't make a diary entry for such a massive search operation, or why they didn't investigate the 'unknown' officer from Thane police who gave the tip-off.

On the other hand, Michael Valetin Malya, his brother Jacob, and one more fisherman at Vasai told cops that they received a call from Kurundkar, seeking help to search for a body.

"This clearly indicates a few things — the seven cops attached to Thane (Rural) police knew that a police officer has given the tip-off; they carried out a search but didn't think it necessary to inform their superiors; also, the officer who received the call didn't bother to inquire who the caller was, all of which is strange," said an officer privy to investigation details, adding, "It appears cops deliberately hid the caller's identity."

'Dereliction of duty'
The Navi Mumbai police have taken down statements of more than 70 people in the case, including the Thane (Rural) cops. Bidre-Gore's family recently met the newly-appointed Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar and put forward various complaints regarding loopholes in the investigation left by then investigating and supervising officers.

"This is a dereliction of duty... none of them [the cops who carried out the search] has been inquired or questioned about the act," said Raju Gore, husband of the deceased.

"Also, no investigation has been done to find out who were the eight to 10 people who posed as relatives and went with the fishermen for the search. We want the investigation to make note of it and go in this direction, so that these officers can be made accused too."

Also read: Ashwini Bidre murder case: Fellow cop and lover identified as killer

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

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

Watch the video here...

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

<

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

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

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

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

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

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

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

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On the basis of the specific input, the NCB Mumbai unit seized 2.9 kg white crystalline powder suspected to be ephedrine, from a courier hub in Navi Mumbai on March 2, 2019. The two parcels which contained ephedrine concealed in them were booked by a lady who was arrested on last Saturday in connection with a seizure of 280 gm of amphetamine.

The said consignments were destined for New Zealand and Zambia. Further investigations are under process to identify the source of the seized drugs.

Ephedrine is a controlled substance in India which has legitimate industrial usage, however, it can also be used in the illicit drug market for the manufacturing an illicit drug.

Dealing in drugs may attract punishment of rigorous imprisonment up to 20 years and a financial penalty of up to Rs. 2 lakhs and even can even lead, to being awarded a death penalty.

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Hey, Navi Mumbaikars and especially foodies we call for #NOCOOKINGWEEKEND on March 16-17, 2019. The Bhukkad Flea along with Amigo Entertainment presents a fund-raising event for an NGO Earthangels Welfare Foundation – Navi Mumbai Food Truck Festival 2nd Edition at Tandel Grounds, Sector 26, Seawoods, Navi Mumbai.

It's the biggest and most awaited event in the city wherein we bring to your city’s best food cuisine, flea stalls and much more fun activities. Food trucks, food stalls, shopping stalls, and a dedicated kids zone will be up for everyone to enjoy and have fun at the festival. Activities like pani puri eating competition, grape stomping, dance competition, and many performances will make your weekend worth remembering for a lifetime.

Mascot Meet and Greet, 100+ food dishes and exclusive products for women will keep ur stomach full, enjoyable, and happy at the end of the day. We promise to make you groove, dance and sing along as we will be having best of Navi Mumbaikars performing for all our wonderful audience.

Save the date and be here with your friends and family as it'll be the best food experience of the city as this is the 2nd edition and we know you don't want to miss it!

Event Name: Navi Mumbai Food Truck Festival 2nd Edition
Date: March 16-17, 2019
Time: 11am to 10pm
Venue: Tandel Ground, Seawoods, Navi Mumbai
Visitors: Rs 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Government continues to greenlight projects despite reduced oversight

Daouda keeping goal intact and ambitions alive

Last week, mid-day reported that Manoj Desai, owner of Gaiety-Galaxy, had to take a bank loan to provide salaries to his employees amid the lockdown (How will the show go on?, April 16). Four days since, Akshay Kumar has come forward to ensure that Mumbai's much loved cinema does not suffer a harsh fate as the theatre shutdown runs into its second month. "Three days ago, I got a call from Akshayji. He offered to provide financial assistance if the scenario continues. It was kind of him to offer help, but we should find a way to sustain ourselves. We have managed to collect enough funds to pay the salaries for this month, but the theatre shutdown will have long-term ramifications. Our focus is to ensure we don't trim staff or resort to pay cuts," says Desai.

Two weeks into the shutdown, Desai and business partner Arun Nair had decided to increase the ticket prices once the cinemas re-opened. However, with the lockdown being extended to May 3, Desai is aware that making up for the losses of 45 days is a pipe dream. "I will head to Gaiety and Maratha Mandir today to finalise our plan of action for May. We are reworking our plans to ensure that we don't have to seek support from the industry folk."

Manoj Desai

No aid from YRF?

Desai is also the owner of Maratha Mandir that screened Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) for 25 years, thus making the Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol starrer the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema. He laments that Yash Raj Films, the studio behind the love story, has not offered a helping hand. "We have been running the film for so long. I can't go begging to them; they should have spared a thought," he said in an interview to mid-day last week.

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

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

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

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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No Compromise on Quality😇 #KokiToki

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

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

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From theatre to television, cinema to digital platforms, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah is constantly proving his relevance as a performing artist. Although there is nothing to prove as far as his skill as an actor goes, he says that he wakes up every day to the new sun with the belief that he has "something to give" to the audience.

"I think it is the suspicion that I still have function left to fulfil, I am not done yet as an actor. I still have something to give (to the audience) and I am lucky that people still want to watch me. I am lucky, and also the fact that I love my work, I love acting. There is something about performing. I can't explain the excitement, and I haven't got over it. I think I am obsessed with acting. I think when I wake up tomorrow morning if I am unable to perform, I probably will commit suicide. What is there in life without it?" the 70-year-old actor told IANS.

Shah is one of the most revered faces of parallel cinema and has also tasted commercial success. Over the years, he has worked with the biggest of filmmakers across genres, and he says he has always been supportive of debutant filmmakers.

"When I interact with newcomer I have the example of people like Habib Tanvir, Girish Karnad, Om Puri, Shyam Benegal, Satyadev Dubey. When I was a youngster, they were ideals for me. When one struggles, encouragement is needed, and these people always guided us. Perhaps it is because of them, even in our darkest days, we stayed hopeful and continued our struggle to become the actor we are. So when I work with new actors and film directors, I try and encourage the story that is worth telling," he said.

Asked if the politics of an on-screen characters matters to him when he agrees to do a film, Shah said: " It is not always the character but what the intention behind telling the story is that matters the most."

Citing an example, the actor elaborates: " If the film ‘Khuda Kay Liye' were about glorifying the Taliban I would have not come on board to be part of the story. Coming from a very orthodox Muslim family, as a child I was told that Islam is the greatest religion and all non-Muslims are 'kaafirs'. But those thoughts used to disturb me as a growing adult. I was like, ‘but my friend KC Singh is such a nice fellow, it was not his decision to born a Hindu, so why would he go to hell?' We do not choose our parents and the religion we are born into'. Why should music be banned? All those questions were addressed in ‘Khuda Kay Liye'. So, as an actor, I had to agree with the ideology that the story was showing, not necessarily the character that I was portraying."

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Gurinder Chadha's aunt passed away on Sunday due to Coronavirus complications. The UK-based filmmaker shared the news on social media. "She was my buaji, dad's sister. She survived the Partition and, sadly for us, no one could be with her in person in her final moments. But two nurses in the Surrey hospital held her hand, FaceTimed her children who chanted Sikh prayers. God bless the #NHS heroes who made my dear aunt's passing humane (sic)," wrote the Beecham House (2019) director.

"Today we said goodbye to my dearest bhuaji /aunt from #covid19 complications. She was my dad's little sister," Gurinder wrote alongside a family picture.

 

 

 

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Today we said goodbye to my dearest bhuaji /aunt from #covi̇d19 complications. She was my dads little sister She is the aunt sitting down in these final pictures from #viceroyshouse and doted on me. She survived the Partiton of India and sadly for us, her family no one could be with her in person in her final moments 😢 BUT two nurses in the Surrey hospital held her hand, FaceTimed her children who all chanted Sikh prayers during which her soul departed. God bless the #nhsheroes who made my dear aunts passing humane. 🙏🙏🙏

A post shared by Gurinder Chadha, OBE (@gurinder.chadha) onApr 19, 2020 at 5:10am PDT

"God bless the #nhsheroes who made my dear aunts passing humane," she added.

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

Isn't that adorable?

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

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

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Bollywood actors Vicky Kaushal and Rajkummar Raos housing complex here has been partially sealed after an 11-year-old tested positive for COVID-19. The complex in Mumbai's Andheri area is home to Bollywood actors including Vicky, Rajkummar and Patralekhaa, and Chitrangda Singh.

The child is the daughter of a director who resides in the C-wing of the complex, prompting the BMC to partially seal the A and B wings and also sanitise the entire complex, reports timesofindia.com. The residents of the complex have reportedly been asked to follow strict quarantine rules and take extra precautionary measures to contain the spread of the infection.

Over the past weeks, reports have stated that several buildings of film and television actors, including actress Ankita Lokhande's, were also sealed after confirmed positive COVID-19 cases were found in the area. Bollywood personalities who have been hospitalised after testing COVID-19 positive so far are producer Karim Morani, his daughters Zoa and Shaza Morani, and singer Kanika Kapoor. All of them have been discharged after recovering.

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Amitabh Bachchan is missing the Sunday evening darshan with fans at Jalsa. For over three decades, Big B has kept his weekly date with fans, who wait for hours for a glimpse of him, outside his Juhu bungalow. 

The superstar took to his blog and expressed how much he missed interacting with his fans. "The Sunday does not mean the same as before. Waiting for the time to arrive, the security in place, that familiar sound of the step board being dragged into position, that familiar scream of the well wishers at the gate as each domestic entrant enters and leaves premises... of the knowing that 'he' comes," the actor wrote in his blog on Sunday.

Bachchan remembered the "ecstatic wild faces and mobiles recording the moment" of his arrival. "The ones on the buildings ahead, precariously positioned at vantage points. The cheer and laments, the letters of recommendations, the out of the country guests... Return wave at the opposite balcony as you walk in the front door and its done."

"A while more and the pages for the autograph, pictures writings etc, all done with the care with which they have remained so sincere and long, arrives. Their personal equation with the maestro intact they leave after this minuscule formality. The heart of the Ef (extended family) be of subtle grace and that done, they leave, as do I, inside the secure home and the gifts that arrive kept away to be stored and valued. But none of that for the day today. Just the thoughts and the reminders by the Ef on other platforms," he added.

The actor has been trying to spread some hope amid the ongoing health crisis triggered off by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, he recited a poem by his late father Harivansh Rai Bachchan to inspire people. "I reminisce my Father and his poem, which expresses hope and strength. The singing is exactly how Babu ji recited it at Kavi Sammelans, which I attended with him," Big B wrote.

 

 

 

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In these times of isolation I reminisce my Father and his poem , which expresses hope and strength. The singing is exactly how Babu ji recited and sang it at Kavi Sammelans, which I attended with him .. à¤Â‡न à¤ÂÂ…à¤Â•à¥Â‡लà¥Â€ à¤Â˜ड़ियà¥Â‹à¤Â‚ मà¥Â‡à¤Â‚, मà¥Âˆà¤Â‚ बाबà¥Â‚à¤ÂÂœà¥Â€ à¤Â”र à¤Â‰नà¤Â•à¥Â€ à¤Â•विता à¤Â•à¥Â‹ याद à¤Â•रता हà¥Â‚à¤Â, à¤ÂÂœà¥Â‹ à¤Â†शा भरà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆà¤Â‚, शà¤Â•à¥Âति समà¥Âपà¥Â‚रà¥Âण । à¤Â—ानà¥Â‡ à¤Â•à¥Â€ धà¥Âन बिलà¤Â•à¥Âल वà¥Âˆसà¥Â€ हà¥Âˆ à¤ÂÂœà¥Âˆसà¥Â‡ बाबà¥Â‚à¤ÂÂœà¥Â€ à¤Â•वि समà¥Âमà¥Â‡लनà¥Â‹à¤Â‚ मà¥Â‡à¤Â‚ à¤Â—ा à¤Â•à¥Â‡ सà¥Âनाया à¤Â•रतà¥Â‡ थà¥Â‡ । मà¥Âˆà¤Â‚ à¤Â‰नà¤Â•à¥Â‡ साथ हà¥Â‹ता था ।

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onApr 7, 2020 at 11:56pm PDT

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Not many can convert life's lemons to lemonades as seamlessly as Arjun Rampal can. Caught in Karjat where he was shooting when the lockdown was announced last month, the actor decided to extend his stay at his lavish home, instead of scurry back to Mumbai.

"I thought it would be better to operate from here instead of travel at this point. I have a house here, so it worked out well," says Rampal, who is accompanied by partner Gabriella Demetriades and their son, Arik.

That Karjat has, so far, remained largely unscathed by COVID-19 was another bonus. "We decided to stay back for my son's safety. While he is too young now, this will be a story to tell him when he grows older. Besides, Mumbai is just a few hours away, and hence, easily accessible in case of an emergency."

Spending two months in the lap of nature has converted him into "a farmer", of sorts, he jokes, adding that his family is making the most of the hiatus. "Since there are no cases here, we are secure. We have an open space and [are enjoying] being amid nature instead of confined to an apartment," says the actor, adding that he is also keeping tabs on his daughters Mahikaa and Myra, who are with ex-wife Mehr in Mumbai. "They are doing their work online, and I am constantly chatting with them."

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

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

 

 

 

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Pyaar kiya to darna kya ❤ï¸Â

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

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

 

 

 

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Miss my girlies

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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Taapsee Pannu is missing the usual bustle of a film set. Yesterday, she shared a throwback picture from a shoot and wrote, "This throwback is clearly out of missing the madness we thrive in as actors. The calm we find in the most crazy situations. Need to get back to the chaos soon. By the way, that's a rig being attached to my scooter to test my balancing skills. Both with the weight and emotions in the take (sic)."

 

 

 

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A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 20, 2020 at 11:14pm PDT

On the professional front, Taapsee Pannu was last seen in Anubhav Sinha's Thappad, along with Dia Mirza and Pavail Gulati. The actress is all set to rule the multiplexes with her multiple releases later this year and 2021 with her projects - Rashmi Rocket, Loop Lapeta, the Mithali Raj biopic, and Haseen Dillruba.

Speaking about her last release, Taapsee shared, "Deepika (Padukone) and Kangana (Ranaut)—whose women-centric films, Chhapaak and Panga, released this year—are big names. We never thought that Thappad would match or surpass their collections, more so since films on acid attack survivors and a mother reviving her career don't divide the audience. It is a huge validation for everyone involved."

Taapsee Pannu concluded, "It's scary when critics declare you are in top form after every film. Where do you go from there? The graph should always keep climbing because once you reach the top, you have nowhere to go except down. Praise can go to your head, though mine is firmly placed on my shoulders."

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

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

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

Seems like it was what it was - just rumours!

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

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In a sad piece of news, veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty's father Basantkumar Chakraborty has passed away at the age of 95 in Mumbai. What's more unfortunate is that the actor is currently stuck in Bengaluru due to the lockdown.

And since the lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic has been extended till May 3, it will be very difficult for the actor to come back to the city to perform his father's last rites. The actor's father was ill for a long time and passed away due to renal failure. May his soul Rest In Peace!

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Neighbours of yesteryear actor Anita Raaj and her husband Sunil Hingorani have alleged that the couple had been entertaining guests at their Pali Hill home on Monday despite the lockdown. High drama ensued at the posh Bandra address when cops landed at the actor's doorstep following the neighbours' complaint.

A source says, "Ever since the lockdown was announced, the society has barred entry for outsiders. So, the neighbours were surprised at the steady stream of visitors at her flat and expressed concern about the threat it posed to their health. On Monday, when it was noticed that they were entertaining guests, the local cops were informed."

The situation apparently took a turn for the worse after the cops left the premises. In a video that is in possession of mid-day, it can be seen that Raaj and her husband had a heated argument with the security guard in the lobby. "They wanted to know who had complained about them to the cops. At one point, they asked the guard if he had informed the neighbours about the visitors," adds the source.

When mid-day reached out to Raaj, she offered a different version of events. "Since my husband is a doctor, one of his friends had come home for a medical emergency. His wife came with him for assistance. My husband couldn't refuse him on humanitarian grounds. After checking the situation, the cops apologised for the false complaint that was lodged with them and left immediately."

The actor, best remembered for films like Prem Geet (1981) and Naukar Biwi Ka (1983), and currently seen on television in Chhoti Sardaarni, asserted that she would not compromise the safety of others. "I won't behave irrationally by hosting a party in the current scenario."

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