USA'S skiing legend Lindsey Vonn is finding new fun activities to keep herself and National Hockey League (NHL) star fiance PK Subban busy during this Coronavirus-caused lockdown. On Tuesday, Olympic gold medal-winner Lindsey, 35, posted this picture (above) on social media as she washed her SUV, wearing a bikini. "Took an adventure to the drive way [sic]. It was epic. #stayhome #takeabreakwithlandrover," Lindsey captioned her picture that went on to receive over 125,000-plus 'likes'. Lindsey also spelt out her routine during this quarantine period.

 

 

 

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Took an adventure to the drive way. It was epic. #stayhome #takeabreakwithlandrover

A post shared by L I N D S E Y • V O N N (@lindseyvonn) onMay 4, 2020 at 8:19am PDT

She begins her day by 8am, feeding her dogs before heading for a workout. "I usually go to the gym but since we're obviously in quarantine, the garage is my jam," she told American magazine US Weekly. Lindsey and Subban tidy up their house together and then engage with their fans via Instagram Live.

NHL star PK Subban

Often, there are work-related meetings for the now-retired champion skier, who is also a successful entrepreneur. "I am working on a few projects so as you can imagine, there is a lot phone calls, Zoom meetings and other business that needs to be done," she said.

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Former national-level kho-kho player and coach Ramesh Waralikar, 83, who served the game in different capacities over five decades, passed away at a city hospital on Thursday.

Prolonged illness

Waralikar, who had been unwell for the last couple of years, went on to become one of the finest kho-kho statisticians, given his vast knowledge of all the players and records associated with it.

Shrirang Inamdar, 65, the youngest kho-kho player to be honoured with the Arjuna Award at the age of 18, recalled his association with Waralikar during Maharashtra's victorious campaign in the national championship at Patiala in 1974. "I was leading Maharashtra for the first time and Waralikar sir was our team manager. His expertise and guidance helped us win that title. He was a genuine all-rounder. He served the game as a player, coach, selector, umpire, administrator, commentator and statistician. He was like Google. You could ask him anything and he would give you accurate details. Back then, without the internet, he manually kept every record of the game," Inamdar told mid-day from Pune.

A game of kho-kho being played at Dantewada village in Chhattisgarh. Pic for representational purpose only

India's women's kho-kho team captain Sarika Kale, who led the country to a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati, said Waralikar would readily share his kho-kho knowledge with everyone.

'Most helpful person'

"Though Waralikar sir was not associated with our team as a coach or manager or in any official capacity, whenever we would meet him, he would readily share tips with us. He had a unique style of explaining the nuances of the game. He analysed opposition teams well and always advised us on strategies," said Kale.

Fellow statistician Arun Deshpande doffed his hat to Waralikar. "He is the originator of kho-kho statistics in India. It's a challenge to maintain statistics of a sport that is not well documented but seeing his passion, we were inspired to continue collecting and preserving data associated with the game," said Deshpande, who has been working on kho-kho statistics with Waralikar since 1970.

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Tofu for Ganesha
This vegan, gluten- and sugar-free modak is bound to get the fitness freak interested. A blend of tofu, almond flour, coconut powder and soya milk, with a whiff of cardamom and saffron, makes this made-to-order eat delicious to the core.

Time: 12 pm to 1 am
At: Dishkiyaoon, ground floor, The Capital, Bandra Kurla Complex Road, Bandra East.
Call: 8291139404
Cost: '350 plus taxes for five modaks

With love from Manchuria
Enjoy the piping-hot and deep-fried Manchurian Modak that oozes with Chindian flavours or opt for other savoury varieties like Dahi Modak Chaat, Matar Samosa Modak and Hara Bhara Modak at a 10-day chaat festival.
Time: 12 pm to 10 pm at Dillie Heart, Nalanda Co-op housing Society, Evershine Nagar, Malad West
Call: 28800781
Cost: '99 (for a plate of five pieces)

Do the tutti frutti
If you love a dose of colourful tutti frutti, this mawa modak with a mix of the confectionary is what you need. They offer 20 variants, including Chocolate Chips, Gulkand, Roasted, and Mathura Modak.
At: Puranmal restaurants at Juhu, CSMT, Chandivali, Khopoli and Ghatkopar.
Call: 8080806749 (CSMT)
Log on to: puranmal.com
Cost: '121 for six modaks

Break it open
Try D:OH! Dak, a hollow chocolate modak filled with ice cream brownie and chocolate sauce, served with a side of hand-churned modak ice cream featuring jaggery, coconut and dry fruits.
Till: September 5 Time 9 am to 1 am
At: D:OH outlets in Kamala Mills, Lower Parel and Fun Republic Mall, Andheri West
Call: 62372830 (Lower Parel)
Cost: '299

For gooey goodness
Here's an artisanal version of your regular festive favourite - this modak has a filling of caramel and tender coconut, all encased in a shell of saffron mousse. And to help you maintain your vegetarian diet, it's egg-free!
Time: 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
At: Toshin, first floor, IVY Restaurant & Banquets, GM Road, Amar Mahal, Chembur West
Call: 67982298
Cost: '260 per piece

The anti-dairy bite
Sworn off dairy products and unable to enjoy mawa modaks? Order the decadent Chocolate Cranberry variety, which includes oats laced with cocoa and bits of tangy-sweet berries. It isn't just vegan but gluten- and sugar-free too.
Time: 9 am to 9 pm at Buddha Bowl, Hill Road, Bandra West
Call: 33126724
Cost: '360 (for a box of 11)

From Korea, with love

An Asian take on the classic cocktail, the Kimchi Mary features the Korean condiment and sticks of cucumber frozen into ice blocks.
Time 12 pm to 1 am
At Hello Guppy, Godrej-BKC, G-Block, BKC, Bandra (East).
Call 26534720
Cost Rs 300 plus taxes

Beloved bacon

Two of our loves — bacon and cocktails — come together in this Smoked Bacon Bloody Mary, which pairs perfectly with your slice of thin-crust pizza.
Time 11.30 am to 1 am
At Woodside Inn outlets in Andheri West and Colaba. CALL 26328963
Cost Rs 545 plus taxes

Peppered with pepperoni

Love your slices of pepperoni? The Mary Peppins, made with chicken pepperoni infused vodka, sweet chilli sauce and sea salt water is tailor-made for you.
Time 12 pm to 12 am
At Lemon Leaf, 4, Mandlik Road, Colaba.
Call 22020616
Cost Rs 450

Melon in the mix

A little sweet and little spicy, this Watermelon Bloody Mary sits pretty in a jar,
and sweet on your palate.
Time 9 am to 1 am
At Jamjar Diner outlets in Versova and Bandra West.
Call 26358880
Cost Rs 380 plus taxes

Recipe for a classic Bloody Mary
Ingredients
120ml tomato juice
60ml vodka
10ml lime juice
2–4 lime wedges
4–5 drops of Tobasco sauce
4 – 5 drops of Worcestershire sauce
3 – 4 ice cubes
Salt, to taste
Celery/green chilly for garnish

Method
Rim a roly ploy glass with a lime wedge and salt.
Add ice cubes, Tobasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, tomato juice and vodka.
Garnish with celery and/or green chillies.
Recipe courtesy Binny Dhadwal, bartender and consultant

Why so special?

Spanish festival La Tomatina is held annually in the eastern town of Buñol on the last Wednesday of August. The event, where people throw tonnes of tomatoes at each other, is the result of a public brawl that took place in 1945. The festival gained much popularity in India post the 2011 Hindi film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

I scream for beer-cream


This is the stuff beautiful dreams are made of. The Candied Hazelnut and Beer Ice Cream is made using the popular Indian brew, Bira, with fresh vanilla extract. We sure are ditching our diets for more scoops of this.
Time 12 pm to 3 pm, 7 pm to 12 am
At Arth, Pinnacle House, PD Hinduja Marg, 15th Road, Bandra West.
Call 9594060038
Cost Rs 300 plus taxes

For the child in you

Come summer, and munching on cookies and slurping popsicles was the norm for idling away vacations. Relive those days with these Craft Beer Popsicles served on a bed of cookie crumble. They are made from the in-house Ace beer, a French apple cider that has a mild apple champagne taste. This beer on a stick wins our vote.
Time 12 pm to 1 am
At The White Owl, One Indiabulls Center, Lower Parel.
Call 24210231
Cost Rs 195 plus taxes

Brownie points for this

Stout lovers shouldn’t give this a miss. Munchies is a gooey chocolate brownie made with stout and served with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Craving more? It comes drizzled with a decadent chocolate sauce made with stout.
Time 4 pm to 1 am (Monday to Friday) and 12 noon to 1 am (Saturday and Sunday)
At Brewbot, Morya Landmark 1, Andheri West.
Call 39698091
Cost Rs 385
Plus taxes

Shake it off

This milkshake is surely going to bring the boys to the yard. Beery Eyed is a milkshake made using beer, ice-cream and orange juice. They also serve wine milkshakes for
connoisseurs.
Time 10 am to 1 am
At All D:OH! outlets
Call 62360451 (Andheri)
Cost Rs 269

Crispy Eggplant Burger

If you're vegan, you can probably count on one hand the number of eateries in the city that cater to your needs while also serving delicious grub. Narrow down the search to just vegan burgers, and you arrive at another figure — nil. But, if you live around Bandra, you're in luck, thanks to a new delivery service called Vegan Burger Kitchen.

Asian-style Sweet Potato and Peanut Burger

The menu currently offers nine burgers, each different from the next, and all made using locally sourced, organic produce.

Being day one of operations, when we call, we're informed that the BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Burger and the Cauliflower and Red Lentil Burger aren't available. On sensing the disappointment in our voice, however, we are promised that it will be available soon enough.

Among the burgers we try, we find two favourites. The first is the Asian-style Sweet Potato and Peanut Burger (Rs 329), where the sweet potato patty pairs beautifully with the creamy soy milk-based Sriracha mayo and Asian slaw. The Crispy Eggplant Burger (Rs 299) is best eaten fresh. The fun lies in biting into the crunchy exterior of the patty — robed in a vegan Thousand Island dressing and pickles — to get to the mushy eggplant that sits inside.

Smoked Black Beans, Mushrooms and Beet Burger

We also enjoy the Smoked Black Beans, Mushrooms and Beet Burger (Rs 299). The patty gets its form and flavour predominantly from the black beans, so if you don't enjoy them, avoid this one. The Unmeat Burger (Rs 329), meanwhile, is an acquired taste. The texture of the wheat protein that makes up the patty is odd and unfamiliar, and the grainy flavour seeps through, despite a generous use of punchy condiments in the burger.

Bounty Pudding

In addition to the burgers, the menu also lists beverages like iced tea and cold brews, as well as two desserts. Pop the Vegan Chocolate Brownie (Rs 129) into the microwave oven for a few seconds before digging in, and you won't be disappointed. The Bounty Pudding (Rs 129) is a riff on the coconut-filled chocolate bar. Here, however, the desiccated coconut is replaced by coconut milk, giving you a chocolate dessert that feels like velvet on the tongue. We hear that the menu is going to be expanded to include more burgers, and meals. Until then, we're content to binge on another Crispy Eggplant Burger.

TIME: 12 pm to 11 am (closed Tuesdays) delivers to Bandra West, Khar West, Santacruz West
LOG ON TO: Vegan Burger Kitchen on Facebook
CALL: 879296027

 
Spaghetti

Andheri is a melting pot of refreshing flavours. The wide collection of local, regional and international cuisines make this bustling locality nothing less than a food paradise in Mumbai. Young crowd, cool vibe and an overall pleasant setting, Andheri is a perfect place to indulge in a food trail in the city. From seafood and nachos to waffles and unconventional ice creams, restaurants in Andheri offer a huge assortment of delectable and unique dishes from around the world. These 8 restaurants in Andheri prove what the locality is a haven and ultimate destination of solace for foodaholics. Take your pick:

1. Bombay to Barcelona Library Cafe: This cosy little cafe in Marol is an ideal destination to drop in for Spanish food. The menu comprises of Spanish specialities, fast food and local delicacies. One should definitely try their Bombon, Chicken sandwich, Spaghetti al Pesto and, Gooey Chocolate Brownie and Chicken Vada Pav. Health drinks like Cucumber and Spinach Juice and Beetroot and Carrot juice are also listed in the menu. Food is reasonably priced so you won’t get a hol the in pocket. Friendly staff, live music, outdoor seating and colourful decor make your dining experience a truly unforgettable one.
Where: 3 & 4, Golden Nest Cooperation Housing Society, Mapkhan Nagar, Marol Naka, Mumbai, Marol, Mumbai

Penne Makhani with Chicken Tikka

2. Ambrosia Cafe and Deli: Another quaint cafe tucked in one of the narrow lanes of the busy Andheri-Kurla road is Ambrosia Cafe and Delhi. The menu offers several options to choose from. The light bites are actually not light and are capable enough to fulfil your hunger pranks. Cheesy Chicken poppers, Crumb Fried wings, Penne Makhani with Chicken Tikka and Classic Waffle are the all time favourites here. Place your order and can even indulge in board games till the food comes to your table.
Where: Shop 2, Wellington Business Park 2, Opposite Skyline Icon, Andheri- Kurla Road, Marol, Mumbai

3. Hit and Run: With three outlets in Andheri, this small eatery emerged as a popular and an all-time favourite take away joint for Lebanese and Indian food lovers. This place probably delivers the best shawarma in Andheri (E) area. Apart from the shawarma variants, Hit and Run also offers lip-smacking Hummus with Pita Bread, Chicken Pahadi kebab, Chicken Hyderabadi kebab, Tandoori Chicken and Hummus Chicken salad. The Chinese food here is equally tantalizing. Chicken triple rice, Crispy chicken, and Schezwan rice are some specialities of Hit and Run that cannot be missed. The take away joint is easy and locate and fits the budget.
Where: Mahakali, Marol and Chakala

Shawarma

4. Icekraft: None can deny the fact that Oshiwara is a haven for our foodie folks. Amidst several Chinese, Indian and Continental restaurants, stands Icekraft, a tiny funky looking dessert parlour. Known for their live ice cream counters and unconventional flavours for the cool bites, Icekraft is worth a visit for dessert lovers. It is also the one-stop destination for waffles, pancakes and freak shakes. You can end your meal on a sweet note with Icekraft’s Charcoal Ice cream, Dark chocolate ice cream, Chocochip Waffles and Nutella Waffle. Also, customize your ice cream if you wish too. Also, the food joint comes out with festival special menus, so you need to keep an eye out.
Where: 5, Meera CHS, Opposite Windsor Grande Residences, Oshiwara, Andheri West

Charcoal ice cream

5. Bhojohori Manna: No food trail is complete without sampling regional speciality. Bhojohori Manna in Oshiwalivesive up to your expectation. Be it Luchi and Kosha Mangsho or Daab Chingri, Bhojohori Manna ensures that every dish carries with it the authentic flavour of Bengal. The restaurant made its way to Mumbai from Kolkata and has lived up to the expectations of Mumbaikars, especially fish lovers. You can fill up your stomach with Bengali dishes like Mishti pulao, Chicken Kabiraji Cutlet, Ilish paturi, Jhinge Aalo posto, Vetki macher paturi, and Parshe Shorshe.  
Where: 3 & 4, Reliable Business Centre, Near Om Heera Panna Mall, Oshiwara, Andheri West Oshiwara

Ilish Bhaja

6. Sammy Sosa: If you are in Oshiwara for pub hopping and need to chill over cool drinks and international food, then Sammy Sosa may come to your rescue. The all the day dining joint specializes in Mexican, Italian and Continental food. It has included salads and other healthy food variants in its menu to meet the hunger pranks of our health conscious folks. Pair your nachos, tacos and Chilli Cheese Fries with Vodka Sangria, Bira Lite or Brody Bourbon Beer New Sernyaa at this cool vibrant eatery. It is a perfect destination to drop in with friends and unwind over good food and classic drinks.

Where: Shop 18, Meera CHS, Near Mega Mall, Oshiwara Link Road, Oshiwara, Andheri West

Nachos

7. Vedge: We do like your veggie meals a lot! Veggie food too comes with a twist and Vedge justifies the fact to the core. The highlight of the eatery is the vegetarian version of Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and Asian cuisine. To be on the safe side, you can also pick a dish from their fully loaded Indian menu. Share a plateful of Wok Tossed Potatoes, Fully Loaded Nachos, Chilli Paneer bao and Dimsums with friends and family the next time you drop in to Vedge.
Where: Ground Floor, Fun Republic Mall, New Link Road, Veera Desai Area, Mumbai

Crab masala

8. Malwani Kalwan: No food trail in Mumbai is complete without tasting the coastal flavours. Think of some unusual seafood delicacies and Malwani Kalwan will have it ready on the palate. Drop in to this Andheri restaurant for a date with Crab soup, Bombil fry, Squid fry, Stuffed pomfret, Brain tawa fry and Gawth Chicken. The ambience is nothing outstanding, so only drop in for a seafood fix. The aroma and flavour of coastal meal will leave you finger licking.
Where: Om Cottage, Opposite Nana Nani Park, JP Road, 7 Bungalows, Andheri West

The next time you are in Andheri, you simply cannot miss out on these food outlets. Also, those residing in this ever bustling locality of Mumbai may put on extra kilos after savouring lip smacking global food from the joints. Never mind, many of these do offer healthy variants to strike a balance.

Happy munching!

While working on a cruise liner, Dipak Adhikary of BKC's The Good Wife, had the opportunity to travel to Spain and enjoy its cuisine. "I found that saffron, which has been synonymous with all things Indian, was extensively used in Spanish food," he says.

Years later, when he joined the BKC restaurant, Adhikary decided to experiment with saffron in European dishes. "It offers an intense flavour, colour and taste, and has qualities that blend beautifully with European cuisine," he says, moving on to list ways in which the ingredient can be used.

To prepare the saffron hollandaise sauce, a fragrant mix with a hint of sweetness, you need 125 gm clarified butter, two eggs, 2 ml white wine, 2 gm thyme and 2 gm fennel seeds. "First, add 1 gm saffron to 50ml lukewarm water to get the saffron water ready," he says, instructing us to extract the egg yolk, add the reduction and vigorously whisk the yolk with clarified butter. Once done, we are asked to place the bowl in a saucepan containing simmering water. "Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Then, slowly, drizzle the saffron water till you are content with the consistency." This simple recipe, he adds, is the perfect accompaniment to veggies.

Chef Dipak Adhikary makes grilled asparagus with saffron hollandaise sauce. Pic/Tanvi Phondekar

If savoury is more your style, he has a tangy alternative in the form of steamed rawas with saffron fennel sauce. The ingredients include 50 gm fish bones, 20 gm carrot, 10 gm celery and 180 gm rawas. Take a pan with water, place the fish in, add lemon juice, salt and pepper and let it cook. He says, "Strain the stock, add the butter saffron [same technique as the hollandaise], wait for it to thicken and the sauce is ready."

Under a canopy of yellow fairy lights that throw a reflection on the white pebbles as a musician doles out soft jazz tunes, the mood is set for brunch. Bartender Manish Solanki has created a line of beer cocktails, marrying clove and coriander notes with the orangy finish of Hoegaarden. We try the first one, a crispy wheat beer with lychee. One sip and we are sold. We stop only when we try another variation with chamomile tea. The final frontier is a beer sangria with a mix of passion fruit, elderflower and chopped fruits.

"The Mexicans love their chilled beer in the warm weather, but they also popularised the Michelada [made with beer, lime juice, and assorted sauces and peppers], inspired by the Bloody Mary. Indians, of course, have long consumed the German-inspired Shandy, mixing lemonade with beer," says Solanki.

A beer cocktail is a concoction that carries mixed notes of mixers, other alcohol and ingredients, with beer dominating the taste. Last month, Bandra's Olive Bar & Kitchen hosted a brunch in collaboration with Hoegaarden. To match steps with the beer cocktails, executive chef Rishim Sachdeva created a menu executing his favourite techniques of fermenting, curing, cooking at low temperatures, flash cooking, smoking, pickling, etc. "For the brunch, we incorporated orange, coriander and wheat in the menu.

For a fried chicken, we soaked the meat in a 2 per cent salt and orange brine; the dressing had fermented coriander stalks for acidity and bitterness to cut through the sweetness from beetroot crumbs. The orange-cured snapper dish was served with kombu and bunito dashi to bring out the umami. To this, we added coriander oil to enhance its flavour profile. And finally, we glazed the fish with sweet-sour orange butter," says Sachdeva, adding that his focus was on ensuring the food did not fall flat in front of the fizzy drink. According to Binny Dhadwal, founder of Drinq Barmen & Academy, beer cocktails haven't quite found a fan following yet.

"Consumption of any cocktail is a trend that's barely a few years old in India. It's most likely beer lovers who will be the first to head to a bar and order a beer cocktail,"
he says. To help you get ahead of the trend, we went drinking across bars to bring you the best beer cocktails to add to your bucket list.

Bourbon Beer Sour

The deep, pungent notes of bourbon meet the exotic kaffir lime leaf, topped with wheat beer. A road less
travelled, and distinctly different from any sour we have tried, this one should be savoured at leisure.
Cost: Rs 550
At: Dishkiyaoon, The Capital, Block BKC, Bandra Kurla Complex Road

Herbed Beer

This cocktail has the strong flavour of lager, with a light taste of apple. The ginger gives it a stronger effect and the cinnamon twist brings in some balance.
Cost: Rs 275
At: Lighthouse Cafe, Sunville Building, Love Grove Flyover, Siddharth Nagar, Worli

Thanda Garam

A bartender prepares Thanda Garam at Tamasha. Pic/Shadab Khan

Not for the weak-hearted, this one has vodka, tequila, mint leaves, triple sec and green apple. If you are looking for a night to forget, this one will see you through. While the alcohol packs in a punch, the mint and green apple make it a fruity experience we are likely to repeat.
Cost: Rs 695
At: Tamasha, ground floor, Victoria House, Lower Parel

Whiskey Sour

A bartender making Jacks Whiskey Sour at Agent Jack, Andheri. Pic/Satej Shinde

We take a stiff classic Whiskey Sour lover to try this one. Local Kingfisher beer joins the purist glass, and the first sip is orange, whiskey and the crispy, bubbly familiar comfort of beer. The drink is downed, and all we get is a nod. Don't go looking for a classic experience here. Enjoy this version when you are looking for variety.
Cost: Rs 420
At: Agent Jacks Bar, DE Mall, Veera Desai Road, Andheri (West)

Lager Passion

Ketan SS Gohel prepares the Lager Passion at Brewbot Eatery and Pub Brewery. Pic/Tanvi Phondekar

Golden yellow and cloudy haze, this cocktail has it all — vodka, passion fruit puree, peach schnapps, lime, salt and paprika in a Hefeweizen craft beer (Floating Head). What you get is a base taste of a wheat malt profile with banana, peach and accents of clove. The vodka cuts the bitterness from the beer, making it an aromatic drink that is easily palatable.
Cost: Rs 395
At: Brewbot Eatery and Pub Brewery, off New Link Road, Andheri (West)

Kaapi Stout and Gin Zen

When Navin Mittal, founder of Gateway Taproom. was in Prague, Czech Republic, three years ago — known for the highest per capita consumption of beer in the world, and as home to Pilsner — he tried a cocktail featuring a light and dark beer. "The malty sweet taste of dark combined with the crispy bitter of the light, offered the perfect balance. At Gateway, he offers a mean, frothy Kaapi Stout, spiked with the oatiness of Jim Beam bourbon. For those who want a lighter sip, the Gin Zen, which carries the natural taste of clove and banana, has a 30-ml shot of hard liquor.
Cost: Gin Zen Rs 480; Kaapi Stout Rs 540
At: Gateway Taproom, Godrej One, BKC

Take a break(fast)
We think this bar loves its guests because they even have a bunch of drinks called Hangover Cures. Vodka, whiskey or rum, whatever your poison, there's a cocktail for you, made with fresh ingredients such as passion fruit, tomato juice, citrus fruits and more, that will help you get going.

Cost Rs. 320 onwards
Time 9 am to 5 pm (only Sundays) at Monkey Bar, 14th and 33rd road junction, Bandra West.
Call 26005215

Fight beer with beer

Try this classic Michelada cocktail, which contains tomato juice for potassium, celery and salt for minerals and the bar's house beer which is low on carbonation. They also add their special taco sauce to make it tastier.

Cost Rs. 450 plus taxes
Time 4 pm to 1 am (Monday to Friday) and 12 pm to 1 am (Saturday and Sunday) at Brewbot, Morya Landmark 1, off New Link Road, Andheri West. Call 39698091

Need a coffee fix?

For several city slickers a cup of coffee equals to the start of the day. But for the morning after boozing, a simple cuppa is not enough. Try D:OH! Spronic, made with espresso and tonic water for a kick-start.

Cost Rs. 199 plus taxes
Time 10 am to 1 am
At All D:OH! outlets
Call 62360451 (Andheri)

Cold pressed wonder

Get the most of every ingredient to cure your hangover with this cold pressed juice made with watermelon, celery, beetroot and lime, aptly called Hangover Cure Juice.

Cost Rs. 190 plus taxes
Time 9 am to 1 am at Jamjar Diner in Versova and Bandra.
Call 26368880

For the smoothie junkie

The Gym Junkie smoothie seems to have it all to combat the morning after blues; toasted muesli to fill you up, bananas with complex carbs, to keep your energy levels high; honey to metabolise the alcohol and yoghurt to stabilise blood sugar, and fight nausea and hunger.

Cost Rs. 330 plus taxes
Time 12 pm to 10 pm at Café At The NCPA, gate no 2, Nariman Point. Call 67230110

Detox to the tea

If you can't do without your morning cuppa, try The Big Break Tea Blend by Tasse de Thé. It comprises organic white bai mudan, French lavender buds and lavender leaves that will detoxify your system.

Cost Rs. 1,025 for 50 grams (serves 48 cups)
log on to tdtworld.com

Truffle and Edamame Dumplings

This city is no stranger to modern Cantonese cuisine, thanks to international brands like Yauatcha and Hakkasan having landed at our doorstep several years ago. And the fact that they're going strong is proof that Mumbai's elite loves the grub.

Enter House of Mandarin, a soon-to-launch fine-dine that aims to quell our dumpling cravings. A project by Rachel Goenka, this is a far cry from the European fare and dainty baked goods we have been treated to from her brands, The Sassy Spoon and The Sassy Teaspoon.

We visit one afternoon to scope out the new restaurant, standing at the same spot in Bandra where an outpost of The Sassy Spoon used to be. The interiors have been transformed — dark wooden accents, lamps, and Chinese murals adorn the elegantly designed space. We settle down at a table and begin our eastward journey.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Raise your glass
The cocktails deserve special mention. Created by mixologist Pranav Mody, each is a subtle nod to the Orient without becoming a cliché. The Crouching Tiger (Rs 399), made with a lychee green tea-infused vodka with a dash of cranberry juice, is for those who like their drinks fruity but not cloyingly so. The signature cocktail, the vodka-based Mandarin (Rs 399), is fruit-forward and bursts with flavours of citrus and aromatic basil. The tall glass filled with this chilled drink momentarily transports us to a beach deck on a sunny island.

Our favourite, however, is the Mandarin Mocha (Rs 339), which has a whisky base and comes with a dose of espresso and vanilla, topped with orange zest. This is a drink we could count on for that much-needed shot of caffeine.

Mandarin Mocha

Duck tales
The menu isn't trying to impress anyone by being out-of-the-box or innovative. Instead, what you get is pure comfort food, dishes that are flavourful in their simplicity.

Being a Chinese restaurant, you can expect a wide selection of dim sum here. The Truffle and Edamame Dumplings (Rs 440), which have become a regular feature at Chinese fine-dines, are sheer perfection — the film-like wrapping breaks open to reveal an edamame filling that feels like velvet and has a lovely umame flavour owing to the truffle oil. The Crispy Prawn Cheung Fun (Rs 540), served steaming hot, also wins our vote. Two glossy, translucent rolls hold juicy prawns and a layer of crunchy tempura batter.

Crispy Prawn Cheung Fun

A drizzle of soy sauce gives the dish a flavourful punch.

If you're visiting with the intention of shelling out the big bucks, don't skip the Aromatic Crispy Duck (Rs 1,150 for quarter, Rs 2,150 for half). Deep fried duck thighs are shredded and served with pancakes, a rich plum sauce and batons of cucumber and scallion. There is a method to eating this dish — place a light-as-air pancake on your plate, spread a dollop of plum sauce, place a spoonful or two of the shredded meat on it, throw in some greens, roll it up and tuck in.

Steamed Whole Pomfret with Ginger and Scallion

Pots of delight
Among the mains, you can't miss the soy-drenched Steamed Whole Pomfret with Ginger and Scallion (Rs 2,200). The seasoning on this dish is on the milder side, so if you're looking for something with a punch, this is not it. You can, instead, opt for the Sweet and Sour Chicken or the Sanpei Chicken Claypot (Rs 540 each), and pair either with a portion of the Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice with Taro (Rs 390).

The interiors are peppered with Chinese murals. Pics/Bipin Kokate

We can never have too much of the fare from the Far East, and if you're anything like us, you know where to look if dumplings are on your mind.

Sweetish House Mafia, known for its decadent desserts, cookies and cookie shakes, has now introduced a new cookie that will bring a smile to the faces of mums-to-be. The latest offering is targeted at expectant and nursing mums alike. The cookies are packed with nutrients that provide the energy required during pregnancy. They also fulfil sweet cravings that are common when carrying. The cookies also are a good option as a healthy mid-day munch for anyone counting calories.

Loaded with flax, oats, brewers' yeast and other yummy nutritional ingredients, these cookies offer a wealth of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. While flax provides Omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for brain development, oats are a rich source of fibre, iron, healthy vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Brewers' yeast is a great source of Vitamin B and amino acids, a natural ingredient used to help stimulate and increase the production of breast milk. With a dash of chocolate crumbs, the sweet package sounds like a sure hit for the mommie brigade.

Neha Arya Sethi, co-founder, Sweetish House Mafia, says, "Mums are some of our most regular patrons. While we'll be delighted to continue giving them our indulgent desserts, we realise that a big part of baby care comes from a mother's diet. Our Mommy's Cookies give mums and fitness enthusiasts flavours and wholesome components."

LOG ON TO: sweetishhousemafia.com

Garima Arora at Masque. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

"I haven't slept in two days," says Garima Arora, armed with a takeaway coffee cup, when we meet her at Mahalaxmi fine-dine, Masque. She has arrived just an hour ago from Bangkok, where she runs her six-month-old restaurant, Gaa. But her caramel-hued eyes light up as soon as we start chatting about her first pop-up in the city, in collaboration with chef Prateek Sadhu.

"We'll do a version of the bhutta, use ingredients like seabuckthorn from Ladakh and chocolates from Pondicherry. Prateek and I share the philosophy of celebrating local produce," says the 30-year-old. Arora seems to have imbibed the philosophy during her three-year stint at René Redzepi's Noma in Copenhagen, voted the best in the world. Born in Hyderabad and raised in Mumbai, Arora studied journalism at Jai Hind College before heading to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her illustrious CV includes stints with Gordon Ramsay's Verre in Dubai and at Gaggan Anand's eponymous restaurant in Bangkok before she ventured out. Edited excerpts from the interview:

Keema Pao with homemade butter

How did the shift from journalism to food happen?
My father is an avid cook. He would make dishes like risotto and hummus, which were unheard of in the early '90s. So, I had a keen interest in food but I wanted to plan something in it after winning a Pulitzer [laughs]. Then, on a trip to Singapore, I tried hotpot and decided to start cooking.

What were the learning lessons, working at the world's best kitchens?
At Gordon's, I learnt humility. Noma changed me as a person. I saw the chefs create magic out of limited produce and realised that the food is always bigger than the chef. I also learnt that fermentation can be used as a means of cooking, something I practise till date.

Fish Khanom La

Did these stints prepare you to work with Gaggan Anand?
Oh, Gaggan's was way more chilled out. He is also a confident chef; his Indian food is spot on. I think a lot, and believe that every step in the cooking process needs to have a reason. Gaggan is more carefree. From him, I learnt that cooking with a free hand isn't a bad thing.

Then, was it a challenge to carve your own niche with Gaa?
Yes, it still is. Many guests compare us with Noma but what I serve is my personal interpretation. Our idea is to introduce diners to flavours they've never tried before. For instance, at the border of Laos and Thailand, I came across eggfruit for the first time, and I was filled with childlike happiness. It tastes like avocado, with the texture resembling an egg yolk. At our restaurant, we use it on flatbread and as a soft serve. We also do a savoury version of Khanom La, a southern Thai dessert. The way it's made is a dying technique.

Crayfish, Eggfruit and Pomelo

Have you introduced any recipes from back home at your restaurant?
Homemade white butter that my grandmother would make. She would let the cream ferment naturally and then churn it. Guests wonder if it's cheese.

What's your take on Mumbai's culinary scene?
Chefs need to add a lot more thought to the food they are serving. For instance, many restaurants try to modernise Indian food; I wouldn't dare do that. Given the historical references, we should look at Indian food more intelligently.

Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo topped the timesheets by a dominant margin ahead of teammate Max Verstappen, as Red Bull marked themselves out as contenders for victory on the opening day of Singapore Grand Prix practice.

Ricciardo put in a dazzling one minute 40.852 second lap under the floodlights, setting a new record around the Marina Bay street circuit after having already lowered the earlier benchmark with the fastest time in the opening session.

His effort was a massive 0.556 seconds quicker than Verstappen's best. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton meanwhile, chasing a hat-trick of wins this weekend, was third fastest after having been fourth in the opening session.

His title rival Sebastian Vettel, second in the evening, was inconspicuous at night with only the 11th fastest time.

Singapore's tight twists are expected to play to Ferrari and Red Bull's strengths and Vettel briefly lit up the timing screens. Valtteri Bottas, who agreed a one-year contract extension with Mercedes, ended the day fourth-fastest.

Sebastian Vettel after claiming pole position in Singapore on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel pulled out a scorching lap in the dying stages of Saturday’s qualifying session to seize pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver lapped the floodlit Marina Bay street circuit in one minute, 39.491 seconds, the fastest ever set around the 5-kilometer long track, in a dazzling display of speed.

Max Verstappen went second fastest and will start alongside Vettel on the front-row with his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo third.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, Vettel’s title rival, was only fifth ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas.

The Briton, seeing a hat-trick of wins this weekend, seized the championship lead with victory at the last race in Monza.

But starting on the third row, with the Red Bulls and Kimi Raikkonen’s fourth-placed Ferrari between him and Vettel, Hamilton could well have to drive a race of damage limitation that could cost him his slim three-point advantage.

“I’m still full of adrenaline so maybe whatever I say doesn’t make any sense,” a breathless Vettel, who let out a loud whoop of joy over the team-radio, said immediately after qualifying.

“The car was tricky but it came alive and it was getting better and better as the night progressed, so really happy that we got it done.”

Saturday’s pole was the 49th of Vettel’s career and an unprecedented fourth at Singapore.

It could prove to be an especially crucial one with seven of the last nine races in the city-state won by the pole-sitter.

But the German, who also has an unprecedented four wins at the twisty track, initially did not seem to have the pace to seize the top-spot.

Red Bull had topped the timesheets in every session over the weekend.

With Verstappen even topping the opening two parts of qualifying, the former champions had looked on course to score their first front row lockout since the United States Grand Prix in 2013.

But Vettel put it all on the line when it really mattered, vaulting to the top of the timesheets during the final 12-minute pole-position shootout.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Renault ahead of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, who put both McLaren’s in the top-ten a day after the Woking-based squad agreed to swap Honda power for Renault.

Carlos Sainz, set to move to the works Renault team next year, rounded out the top ten for Toro Rosso.

Force India’s Sergio Perez was 12th with teammate Esteban Ocon 14th.

Sparks fly off Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari (right) after he collides with teammate Sebastian Vettel's vehicle (left) in the Singapore Grand Prix yesterday. Raikkonen was eliminated immediately while Vettel retired later due to a damaged car. Pics/AFP

Sebastian Vettel pulled out a scorching lap in the dying stages of Saturday's qualifying session to seize pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Ferrari driver lapped the floodlit Marina Bay street circuit in one minute, 39.491 seconds, the fastest ever set around the 5-kilometer long track, in a dazzling display of speed.

Max Verstappen went second fastest and will start alongside Vettel on the front-row with his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo third.

A victorious Lewis Hamilton jumps off his Mercedes

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton, Vettel's title rival, was only fifth ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas.

The Briton, seeing a hat-trick of wins this weekend, seized the championship lead with victory at the last race in Monza.

But starting on the third row, with the Red Bulls and Kimi Raikkonen's fourth-placed Ferrari between him and Vettel, Hamilton could well have to drive a race of damage limitation that could cost him his slim three-point advantage.

"I'm still full of adrenaline so maybe whatever I say doesn't make any sense," a breathless Vettel, who let out a loud whoop of joy over the team-radio, said immediately after qualifying.

"The car was tricky but it came alive and it was getting better and better as the night progressed, so really happy that we got it done."

Saturday's pole was the 49th of Vettel's career and an unprecedented fourth at Singapore.

It could prove to be an especially crucial one with seven of the last nine races in the city-state won by the pole-sitter.

But the German, who also has an unprecedented four wins at the twisty track, initially did not seem to have the pace to seize the top-spot.

Red Bull had topped the timesheets in every session over the weekend.

With Verstappen even topping the opening two parts of qualifying, the former champions had looked on course to score their first front row lockout since the United States Grand Prix in 2013.

But Vettel put it all on the line when it really mattered, vaulting to the top of the timesheets during the final 12-minute pole-position shootout.

Nico Hulkenberg was seventh for Renault ahead of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, who put both McLaren's in the top-ten a day after the Woking-based squad agreed to swap Honda power for Renault.

Carlos Sainz, set to move to the works Renault team next year, rounded out the top ten for Toro Rosso.

Force India's Sergio Perez was 12th with teammate Esteban Ocon 14th.

Mexico City: Sebastian Vettel insisted he has no fear of Lewis Hamilton who on Sunday equalled his mark of four world drivers titles.

The German finished fourth for Ferrari in the Mexican Grand Prix after an opening lap collision with Hamilton, who finished ninth for Mercedes.

Sebastian Vettel

Dutchman Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull. "I am disappointed, obviously," said Vettel. "But all this is not that important. It is more important for me to say well done to Lewis, who has deserved the title and done such a superb job all year."

Wearing dark glasses, the deflated Vettel hugged Hamilton and congratulated him personally in the post-race interviews pen. "Yes, all congratulations to him. It's his day today. He deserved it."

Asked how he rated Hamilton in the pantheon of champion drivers, Vettel said: "Well, he's up there with four titles so he deserves it, if you can count!"

He added: "But I don't fear him. I like racing against him and I just wish I could have done more of it this year, but overall they [Mercedes] were the better bunch."

British Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and German Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel praised late Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio as both racers eye matching Fangio's five Formula One titles.

Hamilton secured his fourth title weeks before the end of the 2017 championship while Vettel won the last of his four consecutive crowns in 2013.

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton

"Certainly, we will never match him in how successful he had been in such a short time and so little races. Obviously, back then it was different. Racing was different," Vettel told Efe on Thursday ahead of the season-ending race this weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Fangio, who died in 1995, won his maiden world title in 1951 and took four straight crowns between 1954 and 1957.

"To have achieved what he did achieve in that time, where a lot of things needed to come together, the cars were not as reliable and all of that, still he managed to be that successful, I think he's probably the best we've ever had in terms of putting it together, in terms of skill, in terms of how brave they were at the time," Vettel said.

Hamilton echoed Vettel's opinion of Fangio.

"I agree with Sebastian. Naturally, he's just a leading icon in motorsport. To have achieved what he achieved in the time, when danger was really at its worst. I think he's the driver that I think everyone admires most, perhaps being that it was in the most dangerous period of time in motorsport," Hamilton said.

"I think he should be celebrated more for his success. It's not really mentioned a huge amount. Often you hear about Ayrton and Prost, but I feel he's the godfather of the sport in terms of the drivers," he added.

Hamilton said he expected fierce competition from Vettel during the 2018 Formula One season.

"No one is perfect. Even I have things to work on. I expect Sebastian to raise the bar again next year. Ferrari had a great season," the British racer said.

Sergio Perez yesterday acknowledged that Force India faces a critical financial situation that has forced him to consider his future in Formula One. The popular Mexican driver said the Silverstone-based outfit remains one of his favoured options, but he feels he must consider other offers and hopes to clarify his thinking during Formula One's upcoming European summer break.

"At this moment, the situation is critical. There's no secret that financial problems have held the team back quite a bit. If you look at the results, we are fifth in the constructors' championship and you cannot imagine the financial issues that we've had so far.

It just shows the potential this team has. Definitely, I would like to see what happens in the coming weeks and months with the team, because I believe it is a great team," he said. "Now, during the summer break, I will have a good idea what's happening, and then I will take a decision," he added.

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Fernando Alonso, 37, who announced that he will retire from Formula One at the end of the season, could get married to Italian supermodel Linda Morselli, 29, soon.

According to reports in Socialite program, one of the reasons that could have made Alonso take the decision to leave F1 is that he wants to lead a happy married life and start a family with his girlfriend of two years.

Linda Morselli. Pic/Getty Images

While announcing his retirement, Alonso, had said in a statement: "After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it's time for me to make a change and move on. I'm having one of the happiest times ever in my life but I need to go on exploring new adventures."

Recently, Morselli posted this picture on social media kissing Alonso and captioned it: "Love you." If Alonso gets married, it will be his second wedding. He was married to singer Raquel del Rosario till 2011.

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As India remains under lockdown to contain coronavirus, Bollywood celebrities including actor Deepika Padukone are relying on group video calls to catch up with their near and dear ones.

The Bollywood's dimple queen on Monday set rather perfect friendship goals while practising social distancing as she spent some quality time with her childhood friends Divya Narayan and Sneha Ramchander on a group video call.

 

 

 

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❤ï¸Â #forever @divya_narayan4 @sneha_ramachander

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:10am PDT

The 34-year-old actor, who is quite active on social media, shared on Instagram a three-window jolly screenshot of the video interaction session between the childhood buddies. In the image, all three childhood friends are seen beaming with joy while speaking to each other over the video call.

Keeping the caption of the picture simple yet striking, Deepika inserted a heart emoji along with a hashtag that said "forever" marking her strong bond with her two friends. Earlier this month, superstar Kareena Kapoor Khan was also seen speaking to her best friends several times during the lockdown.

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Nobody knows when the lockdown will end and when life will come back to normal. But for those who have access, they are spending their quarantine by watching web-series, films, and reruns of classic television shows. So on one hand, we have Ramayan and Mahabharat, on the other spectrum lies something called Four More Shots Please, Season 2!

This show is what we call the ultimate triumph of a woman's liberation. Their tendency to do all the possible shenanigans and be unabashed and unapologetic about it is what has made this web-series so catchy and contagious. And one of the leads, Sayani Gupta, a fine actor to the hoot, recently in an interview with Radio City's RJ Harshil, she talked about the show's popularly, how she has been spending time at home, and a lot of other entertaining stuff.

As expected, the first question was about the number of interviews she has given about the show amid this lockdown. She sounds perplexed and says, "I have really lost track, so many, it's insane you know. I give at least 1 or 2 interviews every day. But I have now started my own live videos that is a series of my interactions with some of my friends from the industry, it's called Shy-Me-Not. I've had four sessions so far."

The next question is about her journey from FTII (The Film and Television Institute of India) to films and she takes a deep breath since the answer is going to be really long. She says, "I am from Kolkata and went to Delhi for college and did theatre. I wanted to go to the National School of Drama but decided against it because my seniors, M.K Raina and Habib Tanvir, told me how it was going through a turmoil in terms of syllabus and management. But going to FTII was one of the best decisions of my life, I spent three-and-a-half years over there. It's because of the institute that I'm sitting for this interview today."

She added, "I knew nobody would spot me at a cafe and cast me for a film, and I knew this process would take time but I actually got my first film in the first month of being in Bombay, Second Marriage Dot Com. The director had seen my short film that was made during my education at the FTII. I don't like the world struggle, I feel the journey has been very interesting. I also did a travel show that was once in a lifetime experience, I also assisted Manav Kaul on a film that's going to come out soon."

She also spoke about her character Khanum from Shonali Bose's Margarita With A Straw and said, "To get such a character is a once in a lifetime opportunity, for both Kalki and me. Such films aren't made too often. It was a very performance-heavy part, she was blind and an activist. There was so much to do, and of course, she was homosexual. There was so much scope for performance. I'm happy people took me seriously."

We have seen Gupta in a lot of films over the last few years like Fan, Jolly LLB 2, Jagga Jasoos, and Article 15, so how has she been balancing between this medium and the OTT platform! This is what she has to say, "In these last three years, I have been shooting every day and I've actually done two shifts, three shifts. I have done Inside Edge 1 & 2, Four More Shots 1 & 2, a British series called The Good Karma Hospital that's out now, but I've also done nine films," and she flashes her smile! Talking about her character Rohini from Inside Edge, she says, "I don't know anything about cricket, I have seen the sport with my parents. My father was working for All India Radio and his office was right next to the Eden Garden. But I was never aware of the technicalities of cricket and neither was I interested."

She continued, "Karan Anshuman told me about this even before Excel was producing it. After a few months, the creative producer of Excel called me and said they have a fabulous role, come and meet us. When I read the part, I asked them if they were sure they wanted me to play this, but I guess all of them were confident about me as an actor for some reason and I'm really grateful to them." And then it was time to talk about her character Damini Rizvi Roy from Four More Shots Please, and her initial reaction on reading it.

"I hate the word bold and the context in which you are using it is wrong because even according to the dictionary, it's the boldness of mind. People really misinterpret things by using the term bold. Four More Shots was a very important show when I read it for the first time, and I felt it was amazing that a group of women was trying to make a show which actually was about women. It was trying to normalise everything about the life of a woman. I think it's one of those very important shows, and it's crucial to have such a show in the mainstream narrative, and even the criticism that comes and mostly from men about our sex and smoking, you can understand how regressive, repressed and patriarchal our society is even now."

She added, "When men do all these things and we all have seen it, nobody bats an eyelid, and everyone is like,'Oh my god! Friendship'! The moment it's about women that have chosen to live a particular life and are normal with it, like I am, people tend to have issues. There are lots of topics that are being handled with a lot of sensitivity and depth in the second season. You have workplace gender bias, you have body shaming, you have LGBT rights, you have a homosexual wedding, freedom of expression, freedom of speech. It has everything a woman faces in the urban space or rural space. We are getting long letters and messages, it's crazy."

She continued, "It's moving people because it is making a difference to them." In between, she answers a fan who asks if a woman having sex with multiple men is empowerment for her. She says, "No, it's not, and nobody is saying drinking and smoking is empowerment. But people do go out and drink and smoking is not even shown in the entire season two. Women who go out and drink and choose to have sex with whom they want to, and have control over their sexuality, should be not looked at as a taboo. It's normal, we all do it!"

"Also, you have to realise it's about celebrating yourself and women for their rights, it's about subverting these constant pressures of women. The problem is that women are always shown as these crazy stereotypes, either she's virginal and the hero is trying to woo her and have sex with her, the hero is marrying her, or a vamp who's breaking the hero and heroine's home. Nowhere are women, in most of the mainstream narratives, shown as themselves. What is the problem with having sex with multiple partners? So many people do."

She seems to be raising the right points and makes a very important observation. "Sex was always shown as something done to women and never a choice that women are making. If I want to be intimate with someone or be in a romantic liaison with someone, it's my choice. That needs to be respected and celebrated. Having said that, our intention is never to encourage smoking and drinking or go out and partying, that's not the point. But if there are people who do it, there shouldn't be a taboo about it, even in India. You see Sex in the City, you see Girls, you see Friends, any Hollywood series or show or film and it's fine, but the moment you see Indian girls doing it, you're like, 'OMG'!

"Everyone does it so what's the problem in showing it or representing it authentically! It's a show made by women, it was the need of the hour to represent women authentically," she added. Well, this was truly straight from the heart, and in case you are yet to discover Four More Shots Please, watch it and decide whether you agree with Sayani Gupta or not! But one thing people will agree with is that she's truly a fine actor!

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When author turned filmmaker Ram Kamal Mukherjee decided to make the big switch he knew that it wouldn't be a cakewalk.Now with his second Hindi film Season's Greetings he emerges as a confident story teller, who can intrigue audience with simple and thought provoking narrative. In an exclusive chat with Midday he talks about his films and beyond...

Probably you are amongst few film journalist from Bollywood who have successfully switched from print to movie making. Was is a pre planned transition?

It might sound like a 'cakewalk' but unfortunately it was not. I had to go through the grind. After my tenure as Editor in chief of a film magazine. I co-produced a finite series Bin Kuch Kahe for Zee TV with director Rajshree Ojha. It was a learning experience for me. During that time, I realized that I would like to make films. But never in my dream I had imagined that I will become a director. In fact it was Esha Deol who literally forced me to become a director with Cakewalk. She said, "It's your vision, and you are doing everything that a director does. I think you will be a good filmmaker!" Esha stood by me and my production house like the Rock of Gibraltar.

You have been a senior journalist, with almost 20 years experience. Did any of your industry friends help you? Or did you approach them?

No. I didn't approach anyone. I wanted to make a film on my own terms and condition. I knew that once I achieve in making a decent movie, industry will support and stand by me. Cakewalk broke all possible records. It became India's first short film to be premiered in a satellite television Cineplex with Colors, the first look was launched in London by Hema Malini, the music rights was acquired by Zee Music, the film was acquired by Viacom18, I was invited at the BBC studios in London for live chat show, it got selected at 21 film festivals and won at 17 film festivals. It also become India's first short film to be premiered at Inox Insignia one of the biggest theatre chains in India. The film was promoted in 6 major metro cities in India and Dubai. We treated it like a feature film, and I give credit to my team and my friends from media and film industry.

Your second film Season's Greetings seems to have created a much bigger news. With United Nation Free and Equal and legends like Amitabh Bachchan endorsing the film it seems to be one of the much awaited movie of this year on OTT?

I am thankful to Mr Bachchan for being so gracious, he spoke so beautifully about the film in his video message. My film is a tribute to the legendary filmmaker Riruparno Ghosh, and I am grateful that Lillette Dubey maam and Celina Jaitly Haag who agreed to be a part of this venture. It was Celina who connected me with the United Nations Free and Equal, and I had to organize special screening for them in Geneva. It took almost two months to bring them on board as our social cause partner. This wouldn't have been possible without our friend and well wisher Charles Radcliffe. Zee5 had initially decided to release it on March but now due to Corona pandemic we had to reschedule everything. But I am glad that we released on April 15, and the film has become the most watched short film on Zee5. The film got selected at seven prestigious international festivals including Cardiff International Film Festival. It won Best Director Jury award at Rajasthan International Film Festival this year. I am eagerly waiting to show the film to all. This film also marks the debut of young and talented actor Azhar Khan. The film deals with LGBTQIA issue in a very subtle manner. The film has been selected at the prestigious Kashish Film Festival 2020 in Mumbai, Asia's largest LGBTQIA Film Festival. I am glad the film is getting appreciated by all, my film celebrates love beyond gender.

Director Ram Kamal Mukherjee with lead cast Celina Jaitley and Lillette Dubey in Season's Greetings

How does it feel when your film gets thunderous applause from media and film fraternity?

I feel blessed. When veterans like Khalid Mohamad, Shoma Chatterji, Nandita Puri, Ananth Mahadevan, Taran Adarsh, Rajeev Masand and Suman Ghosh writes about your film, its a reassurance. But I would like to thank my team for making this possible. My producers Aritra Das and Shailendra Kumar, my associate producers Mohammad Jameel and my wife Sarbani Mukherjee. You might dream big, but you need a producer who will stand by your vision. And of course Celina Jaitly who worked like a team member all the way from Austria in the middle of lockdown crisis. She would manage her household responsibilities and maintain all her work commitment. She interacted with all leading media over Instagram and Skype, she gave telephonic and email interviews. She actively pushed the film on social media. Lillette Dubey maam though she is not on any social media platform, she would record her bytes for channels and send. Her daughter Ira Dubey would record her interview on phone and we would give those bytes to electronic and web media. Azhar Khan supported us from Pune, while Shree Ghatak in Kolkata went all out to spread the word. My singers Sayani Palit and Jaan Kumar Sanu did radio chats and facebook live performance of the song. It was very tough to promote a 47 minute film in the middle of lockdown. But we all need to keep reinventing ourselves.

In a span of two years you have managed to direct almost five films. That's a decent number...

After Season's Greetings, I wanted to make a short length Bengali film. That's when the idea of Rickshwala came to my mind. I am launching Avinash Dwivedi in as the protagonist in the film. It was a tough project for me. We had to do workshops and shoot in the bylanes of North Kolkata in summers. Avinash gave his blood and sweat for this film. Rickshawla already won Best Actor and Best Director at 13th Ayodhya International Film Festival this year. Then we made Broken Frame, which is based on my fiction Long Island Iced Tea. Yet again I was fortunate enough to work with extremely professional and talented actors like Rohit Bose Roy and Ritabhari Chakraborty. The film deals with martial issue and infidelity. After that, I made Shubho Bijoya with Gurmeet Choudhury and Debina Bonnerjee, which is a romantic film loosely based on O Henry's classic A Gift of Magi. Now I am working on my first full length feature film Binodini Dasi, a biopic on Bengal's famous theatre actress. My first attempt to make a period drama.

Ram Kamal Mukherjee and Esha Deol receiving Society Iconic Award for Cakewalk from Ramesh Sippy, Kiran Sippy and Krishika Lulla

Do you feel that any of your skills as a journalist comes handy when you are donning the hat of a director?

Yes it does! My writing skill helps me in fine tuning my screenplay and dialogues, my editing experience helps me in keeping the scenes precise and save the cost of extra shifts and shoots. My photoshoot experiences helps me in visualizing a character, their costume, hair and makeup. And my nose for news, helps me in creating content that people would like to see on screen. I guess we all use our past experience to enhance our future endeavors.

You have penned five books and directed five movies in a span of three years. You are extremely active on social media, you also conduct special classes for film students and talk shows with celebrities. How do you balance every act?

Huh! Now that you have spelled it, I am feeling breathless. But frankly speaking, I have learnt multitasking from Hemaji (Malini) She inspires me a lot. I think if we can focus on our work then we can distribute our time evenly. Now that we are locked down for almost 40 days, I will be finishing the draft of my Bengali film, work on the story board and first look. I am also working on two non fiction with leading publishers, so my research and drafting is on. I am also working on my Hindi feature film, which will hit the floor by 2021. I don't like to waste time. Even when I am not doing something, I am watching a film or a series. The hunger should never die. And now with lockdown and quarantine, we all have learnt how to multitask, because when you are pushed to the edge then you either learn to fly or you die.

Why do you call Season's Greetings a homage to director Rituparno Ghosh? And how is it different from any other tribute?

Well, this is a different kind of homage to any director. Mostly when we pay tribute, we tend to either make a biopic or remake classics. But I thought of giving him a tribute through multiple ways. Suchitra Bhattacharya was Ritu da's favorite author, veteran Tagore vocalist Suchitra Mitra acted in his film Dahan, so I decided to name Lillette ji's character Suchitra. Celina's character Romita was Rituparna Sengupta's name in Dahan, which was a popular novel written by Suchitra Bhattacharya. The house where they stay is called Utsab, which was yet another film by Ritu. The househelp is Chapala inspired from his film Aarekti Premer Galpo (he acted), where he played a transgender filmmaker and enacted life of theatre actor Chapal Bhadhuri. Transgender actor Shree Ghatak plays the role of Chapala in my film.

There is a sequence between Lillette and Celina where they talk about fragrance of a particular perfume, which is inspired from Aparna Sen and Debasree Roy's kitchen scene from Unishe April. Lavish display of food and characters talking over dinner table has been Rituparno's favourite narrative style, which is a part of preclimax sequence.

Tagore music and Maithili language is yet another aspect which Rituparno had often used in his films. Infact there is a portrait of Tagore used in the film from Balmiki Pratibha, which was prominently used as a metaphor in his film Ashukh. Then references like Banalata pishi is from Bariwali, Abhirupa is again Rituparno's character name from Chitrangada.

Rabindranath Tagore's song Gahana Kusum Kunj Majhe, was used in his film Abhohoman, which has been recreated in the film by singers Jaan Kumar Sanu and Sarbani Mukherjee.

In a scene we see Suchitra is reading Devdutt Patnaik's novel Shikhandi. That's again referring to Rituparno's film Chitrangada, a character from Mahabharata. In fact we have also shown the exterior of Rituparno's house Tasher Ghar in Kolkata which only very few people will relate. There are shots of Ardhanarishwar, that depicts the presence of bisexuality since vedic age.

The entire character graph of boy child Chapal undergoing sex change and becoming Chapala also talks about his films like Memories of March and Chitrangada. But none of it is underlined, everything is subtle. You need to be a Rituparno fan to appreciate or understand. The scene where Romita talks about unexpected rains and letters from her mother is a fleeting reference to his film Tithli.

And of course the climax that would jolt you as an audience, and will remind you of Rituparno in a much prominent way.

In fact the first day and first shot of the movie between Celina and Azhar was shot in Grand Hyatt Presidential suite. After the shot the manager came to meet me. He said, "It's irony that Rituparno had shot Sob Charitro Kalpanik scene with Bipasha Basu and Prosenjit in the same room!" We knew that Rituda is blessing us from the word 'action'!

This film marks return of Celina Jaitly after motherhood, why did you opt for her since she was away and settled in Dubai?

I wouldn't have taken effort if she would habe settled in Mars or Moon, but to not consider an artist for geographical reason in an archaic thought. I knew that she would be my perfect Romita, for three reasons, she never got an opportunity to play a role like this. She shared a very close bonding with her parents whom she lost recently, and she has been associated with LGBTQIA movement for last two decades. I remember Celina broke down before shoot. She went to severe depression and I guess this film was her fulcrum to spring out of the situation. Ritu da once mentioned, every artist comes with their own qualities, as a director you need to utilize that aspect and mould them into your narrative.

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In a bid to get a feel of the normal life, Sonakshi Sinha went to the parking lot of her Juhu home and sat in her favourite set of wheels for a while. The actor took to Insta, shared a selfie and wrote, "Sat in my parked car just to remember what it feels like (sic)." Sona did not forget her glares and designer bag to complete the going-out look.

 

 

 

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Quarantine day 34: sat in my (parked) car today just to remember what it feels like 🤪 #sundayselfie

A post shared by Sonakshi Sinha (@aslisona) onApr 26, 2020 at 2:51am PDT

The actress has been active on social media since the lockdown period, and she has shared a lot of messages with her fans through an important medium. Shotgun Junior never shies away from speaking her mind. She is hoping for the coronavirus crisis to end soon and says she would like to dive into the sea once all this is over.

On the professional front, Sonakshi Sinha was last seen in Dabangg 3, opposite Salman Khan. Saiee Manjrekar was also a part of this comedy film. Now, the actress will be next seen in Bhuj: The Pride of India.

"Bhuj: The Pride of India" stars Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharad Kelkar, Ammy Virk and Pranitha Subhash. The film is directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya.

In the film, Ajay will be seen playing Indian Air Force pilot Vijay Karnik, while Sonakshi will essay the character of Sunderben Jetha Madharparya, who is a social worker and a farmer women, who convinced 299 other women from Madhapur to help build a runway during the India-Pakistan war of 1971.

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Actress Lara Dutta says that irrespective of their profession, all women have faced sexism at some point or the other. The actress plays a police officer in the new comedy-action web series "Hundred".

The former Miss Universe had a question-answer session with fans on Twitter where one of them asked: "It was great to see the series portray the difficulties in the life of women. Was that something that attracted you toward the series?"

Lara replied saying: "As women we all have faced sexism in our life at some point or the other, regardless of which field we belong to. So yes this thought was an imp part of the narrative but not the only thing that motivated me to do this series". She also opened up about her quarantine time.

"Can't complain! It's been good. Family is healthy and we've been able to spend a lot of time with each other. I've been studying, cooking and doing fun indoor activities with my daughter," she said.

She also revealed her fitness regime. "My routine varies according to my schedules and lifestyle. I've always worked out. Pilates, strength training and yoga have been constant favourites. I'm vegetarian mainly and eat a balanced diet and I meditate," said Lara.

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REJCTX is a teen-drama thriller and a coming of age story that revolves around the lives of seven Indian students studying in The Jefferson World School. These privileged kids are thrust into the exclusive world of the rich, right where they belong. But eventually, they find themselves at the disposal of their own insecurities. REJCTX is an expression of that restlessness by a bunch of misfits and rebels.

Goldie Behl, Producer and Director, REJCTX 1 & 2 said, "It was certainly a challenge as it was exciting to cast all new faces, but the kids performed extremely well in the first season and then they have outdone themselves in the second season of the show as well. Everyone has built a great bond while working on the sets and it almost feels like family to be working with them. The second season of REJCTX is really good and we are hoping everyone loves it as much and more than the first season."

Have a look at the recap of Season 1 right here:

MISFIT NO.1: Aarav Sharma

The lead, Masi Wali who played the character of Aarav Sharma, a rich brat, was seen obsessing over one of his teachers and things take a turn for the worst when he goes missing.

MISFIT NO.2: Kiara Tiwary

Anisha Victor plays the role of 'Kiara Tiwary' whose biggest fight is with her inner saboteur telling her she is either not pretty enough or lacks the confidence to be on the top. But in season 2, we will see a new avatar of Kiara pushing that inner voice and taking the new year at school by storm.

MISFIT NO.3: Maddy

Ayush Khurana essays the role of 'Maddy', who is hiding his identity and living with a humiliating secret. The question is, will he be able to accept himself?

MISFIT NO.4: Sehmat Ali

Saadhika Syal plays the character of 'Sehmat Ali', who wants to be known as more than just a girl in a hijab. She is the most rebellious amongst the lot and was also seen exploring her sexuality with Misha. But will she unfold that scarf to reveal her true identity?

MISFIT NO.5: Parnomitra Rai

Ridhi Khakhar who plays 'Parnomitra Rai' comes across as a typical teenager who has built a wall around her and if anyone tries to cross that, Ridhi can be their biggest nightmare. But in Season 2, we could get to see her softer side. She also falls in love with one of her classmates. Can you guess who?

MISFIT NO.6: Misha Patel

She is bubbly, chirpy and extremely innocent. But her innocence is her biggest weakness when she faces the kids of Jefferson World School. Pooja Shetty playing 'Misha Patel' could just be the highlight of Season 2. Wait for it!

MISFIT NO.7: Harry Sandhu

Prabhneet Singh plays a flamboyant character of 'Harry Sandhu' who is witty and humorous but is always called a 'failure' because of his low confidence and is often mocked by his classmates. Will that change in Season 2? There's only one way to find out!

Season 2 will see a whole new side to these characters with the addition of Tanvi Shinde ('Yesha') who will be the new entry to this group of talented kids.

While the first had Sumeet Vyas and Kubbra Sait, season two will have Esha Gupta who is making her digital debut, where she plays the character of Police Officer Rene.

Sumeet Vyas (Farhan Hussain) will play the role of the Vice President of the school just like season one. The makers of the show released the teaser of season 2 recently, which gives us a glimpse of the 'privileged rich kids of the Jefferson World School' from Esha's viewpoint.

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Disha totally began the year 2020 with a bang and played a free spirited avatar in her latest Malang, looking drop dead gorgeous and the hotness quotient was just on another level. The actress even stole all the limelight and this fresh new avatar was something everyone was rooting for. The character was so relatable that one could connect to it. Disha built an incredible connection with her viewers, setting the bar high with her hotness and oomph.

The duo of Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani was the hot talk of the town and Malang emerged as a widely successful film. Malang truly was a treat to the eyes and we saw Disha in the hottest avatar ever. With her recent throwback picture on her social media, Disha has already raised the temperature of the season with her hotness and one can never have enough. Disha captioned her picture as, "#malang".

 

 

 

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#malang❤ï¸Â

A post shared by disha patani (paatni) (@dishapatani) onApr 27, 2020 at 10:38pm PDT

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Actor Rahul Bose will reveal his secret lockdown wellness hacks on Being Yoga, India's first Virtual Wellness Festival.

At a time when the world is amidst a lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, personalities from different walks of life are coming together to conduct a virtual yoga wellness festival.

"I am really looking forward to sharing my secret lockdown wellness hacks with you. Do join Being Yoga on May 3 to raise funds for COVID-1919," said Rahul. The wellness festival will be held on May 2 and 3.

From doctors to spiritual gurus, yoga practitioners, the festival will see the participation of names who will talk about the importance of wellness, philosophy and relevance in our lives during these challenging times.

Actor Ashish Vidyarthi, tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi and more will be joining in and speaking about the importance of yoga.

"I'm used to a rigorous fitness and work routine and staying motivated during lockdown hasn't been easy. Find out how I've been keeping fit and how I've made the lockdown into a very productive time," said Mahesh.

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Last week, mid-day reported that Akshay Kumar is considering releasing Laxmmi Bomb directly on Disney+Hotstar. Now, many medium-budget movies seem to be following suit. Sources indicate that T-Series is in the final stages of sealing a multi-release deal with Netflix. A source reveals, "The studio has eight to 10 films that are close to the finish line. While the head honchos were in talks with Netflix, Amazon Prime and other OTT platforms for a direct-to-web release, their conversation with Netflix has advanced considerably. Nagraj Manjule's Jhund and Anurag Basu's Ludo, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao and Fatima Sana Shaikh, are among the movies in discussion."

Since the studio is a joint producer on some of the projects, it will require consent of the other parties too. "For instance, they have co-produced Kiara Advani-starrer Indoo Ki Jawani with Nikkhil Advani. So, both parties must be willing to do away with a theatrical release, and must agree on the money. Currently, the team is choosing films that it thinks have a better prospect digitally and seeking approvals from co-producers," adds the source.

Bhushan Kumar

mid-day reached out to the production house, which did not respond till press time.

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Bollywood's Dhak Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit Nene on Tuesday announced a two-day-long online live dance festival starting from April 29 to mark the World Dance Day.

The dancing diva took to Instagram to announce the virtual dance festival by her dance academy - 'Dance With Madhuri' - and also urged her fans and dance fanatics to register to take part in the festival.

 

 

 

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2 days of fun & learning with LIVE interactions, dance classes & more only at the first edition of #DWMDanceFestival. Get ready to #GrooveInYourRoom with @dancewithmadhuri! (Link in bio)

A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) onApr 28, 2020 at 7:56am PDT

"With the World Dance Day right around the corner, I am coming to groove in your room on the 29th and 30th of April with the first edition of the DWM dance festival," the 52-year-old actor said.

"We will be offering two days fun and learning with some of the best dancers, choreographers, and industry experts on our website and Instagram page. All this from the comfort of your home," she added.

The virtual dance festival will have some of the greatest dance maestros of India including senior choreographer Saroj Khan, film director Farah Khan and legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj. The dance festival will stream live on all social media handles of the actor and her website 'Dance With Madhuri.'

World Dance Day is celebrated every year on April 29. As coronavirus induced lockdown remains in place, Dixit has organised the virtual dance festival to help people de-stress and develop dancing skills during the lockdown.

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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

Actor Taapsee Pannu on Tuesday reminisced the role portrayed by her of a successful businesswoman in her 2019 thriller flick 'Badla,' by sharing an intriguing picture. She also counted on the perks of being an actor and shared that, 'the fact we can live so many lives in one life is the charm of being an actor.'

 

 

 

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Another one from the location of Badla. Actually from Naina Sethi’s cabin. Trust only her to have such a poster in her professional cabin. But let me admit it was a fun change to play the not so nice character on screen. As an actor if one doesn’t get to experiment much it actually feels like a regular desk job which many of us actually gave up to have this edge of the seat career. Every job has its own charm n the fact we can live so many lives inone life is the charm of being an actor. 📷: @the_dahiya_boy #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 28, 2020 at 4:40am PDT

The 'Thappad' star took to Instagram and shared yet another picture from her archives, where she is seen getting into the skin of her character 'Naina Sethi.' The intriguing picture showcased the 32-year-old actor posing just like the poster behind her, as she closes her eyes to imitate it. The poster features a blonde girl with closed eyes, saying "No, Thank You."

Taking to the captions, the 'Naam Shabana' actor wrote, "Another one from the location of Badla. Actually from Naina Sethi's cabin. Trust only her to have such a poster in her professional cabin. But let me admit it was a fun change to play the not so nice character on screen."

The 'Naam Shabana actor added, "As an actor if one doesn't get to experiment much it actually feels like a regular desk job which many of us actually gave up to have this edge of the seat career. Every job has its own charm n the fact we can live so many lives in one life is the charm of being an actor.# Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost"

Taapsee has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown.

On Monday, the 'Manmaziyaan' star shared another throwback picture from her archives on Monday and reminisced the pre-shoot conversation in Glasgow with Sujoy Ghosh, the director of her 2019 thriller flick 'Badla.'

Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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Should we? Should we not? That's the question on the minds of several filmmakers who are contemplating releasing their offerings directly online as a cloud of uncertainty looms large over the re-opening of cinemas. However, Reliance Entertainment has decided to wait out the lockdown period instead of pursuing a direct-to-web release for their two big-ticket movies, Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh's 83.

While he understands that OTT platforms enjoy a wide reach, Shibasish Sarkar, group CEO, Reliance Entertainment, says, "Sooryavanshi and 83 have been made for the big-screen experience. We are hoping theatres will open [in the near future], and we will be able to release our films. For now, we are willing to wait for four to six months [before considering an alternate course of action]." He doesn't deny that holding off a film's release for so long poses a financial risk. "We are taking a risk in terms of our equity and return. But we believe in our films and want to see them on the big screen. Also, theatres are an important part of the entertainment eco-system."

A still from Sooryavanshi

Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi opines that while smaller films can be web-bound, big-budget projects should not bypass a theatrical run as they are integral to the survival of cinemas. "Even 10 films [of the calibre of] Shubh Mangal Zyaada Saavdhan can't boost the exhibition sector the way a Sooryavanshi can. We depend on such films to keep our balance sheet in the green. Watching an Akshay Kumar or a Rajinikanth film on a mobile phone hardly gives viewers the larger-than-life theatre experience," he reasons.

Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO, Reliance Entertainment

Grateful that the key players are not biting the OTT bait, Manoj Desai, executive director, Gaiety-Galaxy, says, "Almost 50 per cent of my losses will be recovered if Sooryavanshi is the first release after the lockdown is lifted. If such films consider [a direct-to-web release], I will have to down the shutters of my theatres."

South theatres angry

Down south, multiplex owners are already resisting direct-to-home releases. The Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners’ Association has threatened to ban films produced by or featuring Suriya when his home production announced it will release wife Jyothika's Pon Magal Vandhal directly online. Following this, the association released a video warning that they will not allot screens to Suriya’s films if the couple goes ahead with the decision.

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Not only Madhuri Dixit, but Anil Kapoor also created celluloid history with another legendary actress and that was none other than Sridevi. They did films that were not only made for commercial gains but posterity too. Their collaborations include Mr. India, Karma, Lamhe, Laadla, and Judaai. They also were a part of films like Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Mr. Bechara.

And now, taking to his Twitter Account, Kapoor shared a throwback photo with the legendary actress and it shall be a treat for all her fans. But the picture not only had the actress but veteran American photographer, Steve Mccurry too. He wrote- "Had no clue at the time that I was being shot by such a talented man! #SteveMccurry Thank you for capturing us and for bringing back memories with Sri ji...always a perfectionist." (sic)

Have a look right here:

Had no clue at the time that I was being shot by such a talented man! #SteveMccurry Thank you for capturing us and for bringing back memories with Sri ji...always a perfectionist pic.twitter.com/FepUkZ7RhB

— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) April 28, 2020

The late Sridevi was hailed as the first female Superstar of Indian Cinema and became a rage at a mere age of 18 with the blockbuster success of Himmatwala. There was no looking back then and she continued starring in one massive success after another. Her most memorable films, apart from the ones mentioned above, include Chaalbaaz, Chandni, Khuda Gawah, English Vinglish, and Mom, for which she won the National Award for the Best Actress.

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Breaking millions of hearts across the world, Irrfan Khan breathed his last at age 53. Irrfan Khan, who had been undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer passed away on Wednesday (April 29). The actor is survived by his wife, writer Sutapa Sikdar and two sons Babil and Ayan.

Irrfan had revealed on Twitter in 2018 that he was suffering from "a rare disease" and would share details when there was a conclusive diagnosis. He then took to his social media account to reveal that he had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour.

On Tuesday, the Angrezi Medium actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the intensive care unit (ICU), as reported by IANS. A statement by his spokesperson said, "Yes it is true that Irrfan Khan is admitted to ICU at Kokilaben in Mumbai because of a colon infection. We would keep everyone updated. He is under doctor's observation. His strength and courage have helped him battle and fight so far and we are sure with his tremendous willpower and prayers of all his well-wishers, he will recover soon."

Director Shoojit Sircar took to Twitter to share the sad new. He wrote:

My dear friend Irfaan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you.. we shall meet again.. condolences to Sutapa and Babil.. you too fought, Sutapa you gave everything possible in this fight. Peace and Om shanti. Irfaan Khan salute.

— Shoojit Sircar (@ShoojitSircar) April 29, 2020

An official statement regarding Irrfan's demise read, "'I trust, I have surrendered', these were the words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It's saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away..."

The statement further read, "Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heavenly abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, 'As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it (sic).'"

Irrfan Khan's last film Angrezi Medium released in March this year. The actor's most memorable works include Salaam Bombay!, Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others.

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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. Bollywood celebrities shared condolences on social media, mourning the untimely death of the actor.

Producer Dinesh Vijan also wrote, "We are thankful for experiencing Irrfan’s resilience and spirit. We're thankful for being allowed to witness his love and passion for everything around him. So yes, all I can say is thank you to him for letting us be a part of his journey. There is no one like Irrfan and I’m going to miss him very much. Rest in peace my friend. I know that he could spread his wings and soar only because he had his wife Sutupa as his rock. My heartfelt condolences to her and his sons. We are always there for them and I know that they know this."

Here's a series of tweets by the celebrities.

T 3516 - .. just getting news of the passing of Irfaan Khan .. this is a most disturbing and sad news .. 🙏
An incredible talent .. a gracious colleague .. a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema .. left us too soon .. creating a huge vacuum ..
Prayers and duas 🙏

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 29, 2020

My dear friend Irfaan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you.. we shall meet again.. condolences to Sutapa and Babil.. you too fought, Sutapa you gave everything possible in this fight. Peace and Om shanti. Irfaan Khan salute.

— Shoojit Sircar (@ShoojitSircar) April 29, 2020

Gone too soon..Still cant believe this news..Our most favourite actor passed away.. May your soul Rest In Peace 🙏 #IrrfanKhan pic.twitter.com/nu8AIDeHX5

— Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnaseth) April 29, 2020

A fantastic costar, an actor par excellence ,and a beautiful human being , you are irreplaceable #irrfankhan. ⁦@irrfank⁩ We lost you too soon! Unbelievable. Om Shanti 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/QdEBiSUegw

— Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) April 29, 2020

Very sad to hear about @irrfank
Was going to meet him after the lockdown.
A great artist like him will surely be missed.
My condolences and prayers for his family. May he rest in peace. #IrrfanKhan

— Johny Lever (@iamjohnylever) April 29, 2020

Really heart broken....😔😔😔. Still can’t believe this sad news...may Allah give you the best place in heaven..you will be an inspiration, always. 🙏🙏🙏
RIP #IrrfanKhan

— Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub (@Mdzeeshanayyub) April 29, 2020

Deepshikha Deshmukh who produced Irrfan Khan's Madaari shared," The industry has lost not just one of its finest actors but an incredible human being. Irrfan Sir was truly an intellectual and his love for cinema and storytelling was infectious. His sense of humour was unique and it was magical to watch him in front of the cameras. Rest in peace Irrfan Sir. We will miss you terribly."

Soha Ali Khan also shared an emotional post. Take a look.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Finding it hard to express my feelings. I was so fortunate to have shared screen space with him and it was such a privilege to see his talent from such close quarters and to learn from him. It is a huge loss for our industry and he will be missed. My deepest condolences to the family. May he rest in peace ❤️

A post shared by Soha (@sakpataudi) onApr 29, 2020 at 12:27am PDT

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.

He made his big-screen debut with the Academy Award-nominated 1988 film Salaam Bombay and 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.

You'll be truly missed, Irrfan!

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It's not every day that you find an actor and a human being as fine and brilliant as Irrfan Khan. The Angrezi Medium actor, who had been battling neuroendocrine tumour for the past two years, breathed his last on April 29, 2020. His death has left countless fans reeling and taking to social media to express their sorrow.

One Twitter user shared:

RIP #IrrfanKhan 😢

We love and will miss you so much.
Have a peaceful journey sir. 🤲 pic.twitter.com/W7CGfdXMZE

— Jays Roshan ♦ (@iamjaysroshan) April 29, 2020

Another fan tweeted, "He had no filmy background. He had no bollywood godfather. He didn't get overnight success. It was never an easy journey for him. You will be missed #IrrfanKhan."

He had no filmy background. He had no bollywood godfather. He didn't get overnight success.

It was never an easy journey for him. You will be missed #IrrfanKhan . pic.twitter.com/wazuP67xnc

— IRONY MAN (@karanku100) April 29, 2020

A fan wrote as how Irrfan Khan will always be remembered for his performances. He wrote, "Irfan Khan - an actor beyond compare! May he always be remembered for his beautiful performances and live in our hearts forever!"

Another fan shared a moment from Irrfan's movie, Life Of Pi, that had a poignant quote.

But what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.
💔💔💔#IrrfanKhan pic.twitter.com/ptviQqYCX4

— MAN IN BLUE (@sambit_45) April 29, 2020

Several other Twitter users remembered Irrfan Khan for the stellar actor he was. Here are some tweets in remembrance of the actor:

"He was the absolute highlight of Jurassic World for me... love you sir #IrrfanKhan"

"Gone too soon, bt love for you will nvr fade away from our hearts. One of the finest actor, India had even produced. Inspirational for everyone around the world. You made people believe Talent >>> Looks."

"The legend #IrrfanKhan was suffering and now he is resting peacefully. You'll be missed."

Irrfan Khan, whose last film was Angrezi Medium, was seen in memorable films like Salaam Bombay!, Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others.

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As Irrfan Khan leaves us with memories and also a lot of pain, Bollywood celebrities are taking to their Twitter accounts to express their thoughts on this irreparable loss. Priyanka Chopra, who worked with the actor in 7 Khoon Maaf and Gunday, has also tweeted about him.

She wrote - "The charisma you brought to everything you did was pure magic. Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues... You inspired so many of us. #IrrfanKhan you will truly be missed. Condolences to the family." (sic)

Have a look right here:

The charisma you brought to everything you did was pure magic. Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues.. You inspired so many of us. #IrrfanKhan you will truly be missed. Condolences to the family. pic.twitter.com/vjhd5aoFhc

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 29, 2020

Both 7 Khoon Maaf and Gunday were poles apart in their storytelling and performances, and displayed Irrfan Khan's talent and tenacity. If 7 Khoon Maaf was a thriller about a woman and her seven husbands, where Khan played the trickiest part, Gunday was an action potboiler that was bathed in the kind of masala people enjoyed watching in the 70s, with Irrfan playing one of his most delicious and heroic roles.

The actor will truly be missed by one and all!

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Back in 2018, Irrfan Khan was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine tumour and had to leave for his treatment. This piece of news truly shocked all his fans. He was traveling back and forth owning to his professional commitments and also did some films in these two years like Black Mail, Karwaan, and Angrezi Medium.

When the news of him being admitted to the Kokilaben hospital broke, fans became a lot more worried and prayed for his speedy recovery. He was admitted due to colon infection. And today, he breathed his last and passed away, leaving behind only and only memories.

Irrfan Khan's acting prowess was known to all, his fans, friends, family, and the film industry. Everyone has expressed their pain at the loss of such a towering personality, and now Salman Khan has also taken to his social media account to do the same.

Sharing a candid moment from the red carpet of an award ceremony, his words could surely leave you teary-eyed. He wrote, "Big loss to the film industry, his fans, all of us n specially his family. My heart goes out to his family. May God give them strength. Rest in peace brother u shall always be missed n be in all our hearts.." (sic)

Have a look right here:

Big loss to the film industry, his fans, all of us n specially his family. My heart goes out to his family. May God give them strength.
Rest in peace brother u shall always be missed n be in all our hearts.. pic.twitter.com/KFQ1RoC1H8

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 29, 2020

Salman Khan and Irrfan Khan never worked together, but it was impossible for anyone not to be aware of his craft and charming aura. 2020 is surely not turning out to be the year we all expected or wanted.

Nearly the entire Bollywood brigade took to their social media accounts and paid their condolences. One of the first few people to come out was Amitabh Bachchan, who shared screen space with him in the 2015 comedy, Piku. May his soul Rest In Peace!

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It's going to take a while before we can swallow the fact that Irrfan Khan is no more with us. He fought till his last breath and refused to give up. To be able to smile and spread happiness despite your own struggles is the very notion of any artist in the world, and Khan was one such gem that will always continue to shine.

He was admitted to the Kokilaben hospital last night due to colon infection and passed away today morning. Nearly all the Bollywood celebrities paid homage to the actor on their social media accounts by sharing messages and pictures. Shah Rukh Khan called him his friend, inspiration, and the greatest actor of their times.

However, Deepika Padukone, who shared screen space with him in Shoojit Sircar's Piku, shared a black picture that reflected the void that his unfortunate demise has left in Bollywood. She also shared a broken heart in the form of her caption.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

💔 #irrfankhan

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onApr 29, 2020 at 3:51am PDT

Irrfan Khan and Deepika Padukone were supposed to collaborate once again for a film that was to be directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, but due to the actor's illness, it was pushed indefinitely. May Irrfan's soul Rest In Peace!

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Everyone's firsts are always special and stay with them forever. For this actress as well, her debut film was a real life character which affected the lives of many and served as an inspiration, breaking a lot of stereotypes about women. Her character demanded alot from her and the actress had to choose either to give in her all or lose it all.

The actress chose to give in her all, playing a real life character is exciting until the tough part comes across. Being an outsider and a well known dancer of reality shows her character was of a wrestler. Hair being one of the finest jewel a woman has, the actress even chopped it off to breathe more life to her character. The film emerged as a glorious success and the actress was now popularly known as 'The Dangal Girl'.

We are talking about Sanya Malhotra. Being an outsider, the actress played a real life character and Dangal has become as one of the classics and the film always invokes a sense of motivation due to its storyline and dedication towards winning and always working hard and moving ahead in order to achieve your desired goals. A strong step in Bollywood and the actress didn't have a halt ever since.

Sanya being a lover of always doing something different, has always chosen quality scripts and characters that would connect to the audiences. Being an outsider the actress has built her fanbase from scratch. Some of the actresses’ films include Badhaai Ho, where the actress won hearts and looked extremely natural on-screen. Joining hand with more opportunities, the actress is having three major films in her plate.

Sanya will be seen playing tge role of Anupama Banerjee, and also the actress is going to show herself in varied age groups alongside Vidya Balan.

The next one being Pagglait followed by Ludo. The actress has blended well in the industry and made a place for herself. Sanya works on quality scripts and ensures to give a fine delivery of work that her viewers enjoy and always hunts for a new character which challenges her to become better.

The actress has built a strong connect with her audiences by always keeping them involved in her life through various BTS. Apart from being a great actress, Sanya is also a phenomenal dancer and often shares many of her moves on her social media. Sanya is truly a star one can root for.

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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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Actress Nimrat Kaur worked with Irrfan Khan in the much-feted film "The Lunchbox" that went on winning several award and accolades internationally. The news of his sudden demise came as shock to her.

"It is a personal loss for everyone at this point in time. For everyone who watched his movies or worked with him and met him personally, this is absolutely shocking. I think the face of Indian cinema will not be the same without Irrfan Khan. He was a one-man army. Every film and film stars are on one side and his films are on the other. My heart goes out to his family at this point in time, when we all are suffering under a specific situation. Losing a loved one is always painful but I think this (the COVID-19 lockdown) is worse. I cannot imagine I am talking about Irrfan in the past tense," Nimrat told IANS.

Nimrat worked with Irrfan in "The Lunchbox", the directorial debut of Ritesh Batra, which released in 2013. The film screened in several prestigious international festivals, and notably won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at the 66th Cannes Film Festival.

Sharing her memory of working with Irrfan in the film Nimrat said: "We did not have many scenes together but we got a chance to converse extensively during the premiere of the film at the Cannes Film Festival. I was quite overwhelmed by the response to the film, the way it was celebrated and what it became overnight! I remember I asked him, ‘how do you handle so much appreciation, adulation when a film meets a great success like this?' he smiled and told me, ‘sock up to good times and don't be shy of celebration. This is the gift that God has given us. The bad time is around the corner.'

"This moment does not come very often in life. So take it as a gift after all the struggle we have gone through.' He always said to embrace the good time because that's when we celebrate life," recalled Nimrat.

Irrfan had been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection on Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour a while back and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

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Former Miss World and actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of her co-star Irrfan Khan. Bachchan had shared the screen space with the late Padma Shri award winner in the action thriller 'Jazbaa.'

 

 

 

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✨May your Soul Rest in Peace my dear friend Irrfan... like we said.. We Keep it Real... Always...✨God Bless✨

A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:16am PDT

The 46-year-old actor took to Instagram and condoled Irrfan's demise through Instagram story.

"Heartbreaking news...so saddened to hear about the demise of my dear friend Irrfan...the brightest, most genuine, humble,kind, and eventually bravest soul.. May he Rest in Peace," she wrote in the story.

She also expressed solidarity with Irrfan's wife Sutapa and his sons Babil and Ayan.

"God Bless Much love and strength to Sutapa, Babil, Ayan and his loved ones at this very difficult time," she further wrote.

Aishwarya and Irrfan's chemistry in 'Jazbaa' was appreciated by audiences as well as critics at the time of the release of the film.

Irrfan Khan's last rites were performed at the Versova cemetery. The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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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

Bollywood superstar Katrina Kaif on Wednesday condoled the demise of her 'New York' co-star and critically acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan. Kaif took to Instagram to post a picture of the departed actor and recalled the time she spent with him during the shoot of the film.

 

 

 

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RIP 🙏... an irreplaceable loss ... a true genius ..... will be greatly missed .... can never forget our laughs during New York

A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) onApr 29, 2020 at 5:38am PDT

"RIP... an irreplaceable loss ... a true genius ..... will be greatly missed .... can never forget our laughs during New York," she wrote in the caption.

The two actors worked together in 2009's thriller flick 'New York.' The blockbuster hit was based on the terrorist attack on World Trade Center which took place in September 2011.

The film also featured actors John Abraham and Niel Nitin Mukesh.

Irrfan Khan's last rites were performed at the Versova cemetery earlier today.

The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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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

Khosla Ka Ghosla and Bheja Fry famed actor Vinay Pathak bid an emotional goodbye to actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away this morning due to cancer and colon infection-related complications.

"I am very numb right now. I don't know what to say, I am devastated. It's really heartbreaking. I can only imagine what his wife and kids must be going through. I can't talk much, I am sorry," said Vinay, when we contacted him for his reaction.

On the subject that Irrfan's demise is a big loss for the industry, he said: "All these are conversations. This is someone's personal tragedy because this news has shaken his family, his friends, and people like us who were very close to him. This we will debate after one month, on what the industry has lost. In my eyes, he was one of the most gifted and talented actors today," said Vinay.

Irrfan passed away in the wee-hours of Wednesday in Kokilaben Dhuribhai Ambani Hospital.

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The worldwide lockdown has forced us to stay at homes, stay indoors, and stay as far away from people as possible. Some are safe in their own homes and some are abroad with friends or alone. Jacqueline Fernandez, however, is locked down at a farmhouse and that farmhouse is at Panvel. Yes, we are talking about Salman Khan's very popular farmhouse where he celebrates his birthday every year.

How has the actress been spending time at that place and what exactly has the lockdown taught her? She has spilled the beans on all in her recent interview with Times of India. Speaking to the daily, 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." On the work front, she has films like Mrs. Serial Killer, Attack, and Kick 2. And this is what she has to say on getting back to work, "I am eagerly waiting to get back to shoots, get dressed and have fun… I am missing all that."

And Salman Khan took to his Instagram account to share a shirtless picture of himself that was slyly clicked by Jacqueline and don't miss the caption the actor has written:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

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

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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 passed away at the age of 67, Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news via Twitter. Amitabh Bachchan had tweeted: "He's GONE .. ! Rishi Kapoor .. gone .. just passed away .. I am destroyed ! [sic]" A tweet that Big B deleted later. The actor was admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am in hospital on Thursday. A source told mid-day that he had been admitted around three weeks ago and was in a critical condition for quite some time.

Amitabh Bachchan's tweet on Rishi Kapoor, which he later deleted

Kapoor, 67, was diagnosed with cancer back in 2018. Sources further stated that Rishi was suffering from complications of cancer treatment. Considering his serious condition, Kapoor was being kept in the ICU and was on the ventilator. When contacted, the hospital authorities were unable to comment.

Brother Randhir Kapoor also confirmed the news of Rishi's passing. "He is no more. He has passed away," Randhir told PTI. Randhir had earlier told PTI, "He is in the hospital. He is suffering from cancer and he has some breathing problem, so he has been admitted to the hospital."  Rishi Kapoor's last rites to be performed at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, following which the actor was in New York for nearly a year to undergo treatment. He returned to India in September 2019 after recovering. Ever since, he and his family has been cautious about his health and fitness. Neetu Kapoor and the entire family never lost hope and shared positive pictures on social media.

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".

The son of late legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor was born on September 4, 1952, in Chembur, Mumbai. The veteran actor had his big breakthrough in Bollywood with the 1973 film Bobby opposite Dimple Kapadia. He was the leading man in a number of popular films like Khel Khel Mein, Rafoo Chakkar, Do Premee and many more. In the latter part of his career, Rishi Kapoor went on to play a mixed bag of positive and negative characters in movies like Karz, Prem Rog, Chandni, Bol Radha Bol, Do Dooni Chaar, Agneepath and Kapoor & Sons.

May his soul rest in peace.

- With inputs from Arita Sarkar

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Rishi Kapoor passed away on Thursday morning, April 30, 2020. Sources said that he had been admitted at H.N Reliance Hospital around three weeks ago and was in a critical condition for quite some time. Kapoor, 67, was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer back in 2018 and was being treated in New York for about a year. Sources stated that Kapoor was suffering from complications of cancer treatment.

Neetu Kapoor and Rishi were in the US for the actor's treatment for almost a year. The duo returned to the bay in September 2019, and ever since then, he made frequent visits to the hospital.

On Tuesday, April 30, 2020, the actor breathed his last. Amitabh Bachchan, a dear friend of the veteran, shared the news and expressed shock on social media. Let's take a look at some tweets posted by the Bollywood celebrities.

Heartbroken ... Rest In Peace ... my dearest friend #RishiKapoor

— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) April 30, 2020

A genre of films has ended.
A school of acting gone. #RishiKapoor

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 30, 2020

Totally gutted. This is the unkindest April ever 😢😢 Rishi Kapoor ji à¥Â शाà¤Â‚ति 🙏🏼🙏🏼

— Renuka Shahane (@renukash) April 30, 2020

Been trying to write something n I can’t put my mind n hands in sync. More like the heart in between is just not able to comprehend this. That laugh, that sense of humour, the honesty and even the bully he was , will be missed. No one like you #RishiKapoor

— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) April 30, 2020

Rest In Peace Sir ... #RishiKapoor pic.twitter.com/S4RmJzg3gn

— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) April 30, 2020

Ekta Kapoor, whose father Jeetendra has been friends with the actor, posted on Instagram:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

They will never party again like this! Goodbye uncle and actor par excellence!!#riprishikapoor

A post shared by Erk❤ï¸Ârek (@ektarkapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:01pm PDT

Kuch samay pehle Rishi ji ne mujhe unki aur meri ye tasveer bheji thi.wo sab din,sab baatein yaad aarahi hain. Main shabdheen hogayi hun. pic.twitter.com/IpwCKMqUBq

— Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata) April 30, 2020

Jeetendra and wife Shobha Kapoor shared, "The magnitude of his loss and the void he leaves behind will be felt forever. We've lost one of our closest friends, our very dear brother and one of the finest human beings. It was an honour to be a part of his life. Our deepest condolences to Neetu, Riddhima, Ranbir and the entire Kapoor family."

Calling it a pandemic of sadness, producer Anand Pandit said, "Two days and two big shocks. It's a pandemic of sadness. Rishi ji was an extraordinary actor and an unforgettable human being. Larger than life and evergreen. I grew up watching his films and learnt more about life from the films during his second stint. Mulk,102 Not Out, Kapoor & Sons to name a few showed me and his fans how an actor can transform. We will miss you Rishi ji. We have lost a gem today."

Deepshikha Deshmukh shared, "News of Rishi Uncle's passing away is devastating. It seems unreal, untrue. It feels like somebody hit your heart with a cold rod. I will remember him for his beautiful movies, his larger than life persona and sharp wit. Farewell Rishi Uncle. You lived life king-size. My prayers with Ranbir, Neetu Aunty and Riddhima." 

She also tweeted about Rishi Kapoor's demise. This is what she wrote:

💔 cant even get myself to write a tweet #RIP Rishi uncle

— Deepshikha DDeshmukh (@honeybhagnani) April 30, 2020

Rishi Kapoor had 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1973 to 2000, but many aren't aware that 40 of them were box office flops and only 11 managed to be successful at the showbiz and make it through the audience's heart. They were Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Chandni, Heena and Bol Radha Bol, Yeh Vaada Raha. He had the lead hero roles in two-hero films only 13 times, in Khel Khel Mein, Kabhi Kabhi, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, Badalte Rishtey, Aap Ke Deewane, and Saagar, and then from 1989 with Ajooba, Chandni, Deewana, Damini - Lightning, Gurudev, Daraar and Karobaar.

In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen, starring Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles. In 2019, the actor appeared in The Body, also starring Emraan Hashmi which was released on 13 December 2019. Incidentally, it was his last released film before his death on April 30, 2020. Sharmaji Namkeen directed by Hitesh Bhatia, with Juhi Chawla, was under production at the time of his death. Rishi Kapoor was also going to be a part of the popular Hollywood remake "The Intern," also starring Deepika Padukone.

You'll be truly missed, Rishi Kapoor!

Veteran Actor Rishi Kapoor last rites to be performed at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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When an actor wins the National Award for his first film, you know he has it in him to hook the audiences with his performances. We are talking about Rishi Kapoor, arguably one of the greatest actors to grace the silver screen. He made his first celluloid appearance in 1970 with his father and filmmaker Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker, where he played his younger version, a boy who has fallen madly in love with an older woman. The naïveté helped and so did the raw innocence, the emotions felt real and so did the heartbreak.

Raj Kapoor's greatest validation was to see his son being awarded the prestigious National Award and making an impression right from his debut. It was 1973's Bobby that made him a sensation and a scintillating star. He was the new romantic hero on the block. When Amitabh Bachchan was enjoying his Angry Young Man persona, Kapoor gave Hindi Cinema the world of romance.

This continued for as many as 25 years. It was then time for him to take a sabbatical from films since he was too exhausted playing the same hero who was romancing his heroines on the mountains, wearing designer sweaters, and playing the guitar. It was only after the millennium that he began to get roles that were both unique and unconventional. It was now time to tap inside the actor who was till now a shining star.

The nation finally realised how Kapoor could be an actor of all seasons and the master of all genres. Let's talk about Do Dooni Chaar first, a delightfully warm film about a teacher and his slice-of-life drama. He aspires to buy a car for himself and his family and tries every trick in the book to fulfil this dream. For all those who have seen this little gem, they would know what it takes to be a part of a middle-class household and how expensive dreams can be. The crippling fear of unfulfilled dreams and desires can emotionally break you.

Another such emotionally-driven performance was in Zoya Akhtar's greatest film, Luck By Chance. He played filmmaker Romi Rolly, a happy-go-lucky narcissist who takes a lot of pride in making the career of his protege, Zafar Khan. He's hit by a reality check when he encounters the brutal reality of the glamour world and how it can be driven by callousness and selfishness. It was a memorable performance in a memorable film.

In 2012's Agneepath, he played Rauf Lala, and it was after ages that we saw him in the role of an antagonist. There was something very chilling about his cold-bloodedness. His unkempt aura and deep baritone added to his character's hideousness, and not to forget, his despicable demeanours. A year later in D-Day, he modelled his character on the Underworld Don, Dawood Ibrahim, and it was a charismatic and controlled performance, never once going overboard or out of control. The man knew his craft and characters and also the fact that it takes a lot more than a good story to charm the audience.

In 2016's Kapoor & Sons, he took up a tricky part, he played an 86-year old grandfather in a film about a dysfunctional family. He was the happiest character of this film. All the other characters had their own conflicts, chaos, and confusions. He was the only one perpetually smiling and spreading happiness. His was such an adorable performance that we could weep at his shenanigans at times. Who said only comedy can make you laugh and drama can make you cry?

It's still impossible to believe he's no longer with us to give us some more exemplary performances. He passed away peacefully today morning at 8:45 in hospital after a two-year battle with leukaemia. 

With all these films, Rishi Kapoor proved he was an actor who could pull off any role with effortlessness and enigma. Today, as he departs, he leaves behind some unforgettable characters, some blockbuster films, and legendary music. Rest In Peace!

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