Superstar Salman Khan on Saturday extended wishes to the people as the holy month of Ramzan commenced today. The 'Bharat' star took to Twitter and while he wished people on the auspicious occasion, he also advised them to stay at home and wrote: "Ramadan Mubarak to all... Stay home stay safe!" The 54-year-old actor also condemned the stone-pelting incidents that occurred with the health officials amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Earlier, Salman shared a video in which he put out a sharp message to the "jokers" who were flouting government-imposed guidelines and venturing out during the ongoing lockdown, putting at risk countless lives to the deadly coronavirus.

In a 10-minute hard-hitting video shared on Instagram he pointed out that doctors, nurses and policemen are putting in long hours to curb the spread of coronavirus and urged people to respect their work and stay inside.

He questioned in his video: "Doctors and nurses are working to save your lives and what do you do? You started pelting stones at them? Those who have been diagnosed with coronavirus, are running away from the hospitals. Where are you running? Towards life or death?"

The 'Dabangg 2' star appreciated the efforts by the frontline warriors and said: "The virus that started in China is over in China now, but because of a few jokers, the whole of India will sit at home for a long time."

The 'Tiger Zinda Hai' star said that he was aware of many people who wouldn't come out of their homes earlier but have started doing so since they've been asked to not go out. "You are putting everyone's lives at risk," the 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor said.

Salman concluded by urging the people to respect the work of the doctors, nurses, police personnel and those who work in banks, take care to ensure that the disease does not spread further and pray that it does not come to a situation where the military has to be called in to stop people from doing the wrong thing.

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Actor Randeep Hooda on Saturday shared a glimpse from his Hollywood debut in the upcoming Netflix film 'Extraction' with a safety slogan 'Don't step out' amid lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The 43-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a glimpse from the film where Hooda is seen in commando mode to save a boy while holding a gun in his hand. The 'Highway' actor is seen dressed in black commando dress while he runs for safeguarding a boy.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Only if this boy hadn’t stepped out! Don’t step out or.... . #Extraction #Lockdown @Netflix_in @netflix @netflixfilm @thesamhargrave @therussobrothers @agbofilms @chrishemsworth @rudhrakshjaiswal1

A post shared by Randeep Hooda (@randeephooda) onApr 25, 2020 at 2:27am PDT

The 'Sarabjit' star captioned the post as, "Only if this boy hadn't stepped out! Don't step out or... #Extraction #Lockdown."

Earlier this week, Hooda shared a video from the movie's shooting in India and announced its streaming date as April 24.'Extraction also stars Australian actor Chris Hemsworth and some of the parts have also been filmed in India. In the video, the production staff of 'Extraction,' along with Randeep and Hemsworth are seen talking about India and how different the feeling was to shoot in the country.

 

 

 

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India isn't just about heat, but a lot of warmth too.. here's a glimpse into shooting #Extraction in India Streaming on Netflix from 24th April @Netflix_in @netflix @thesamhargrave @therussobrothers @agbofilms @chrishemsworth @tsigel @ptnewall @leecleary1 @outthayr @danielstevens1 @artoflegitsu @rostacosta @rudhrakshjaiswal1 @dkharbour @golfarahani @priyanshupainyuli @battlecat_stunts_inc @dargan_fire @danlawsonjohnston @matteo__silvi @luca_vannella @tessjosephcasting @indochinaproductions @luca_vannella @tessjoseph19 #joewhelan #tomharrison

A post shared by Randeep Hooda (@randeephooda) onApr 20, 2020 at 11:40pm PDT

The Netflix film also marks the 'Kick' actor's Hollywood debut.

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Actor Taapsee Pannu who is on a photo-sharing spree these days on Saturday shared an exquisite throwback picture from her trip to Rome. Just like many others who are dreaming of vacations during the lockdown, the 'Pink' actor is also seen reminiscing about her vacation in her latest throwback post on social media.

 

 

 

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One of those trips I just decided to take very impulsively. Rome. Was in my list since long time. I love seeing places which should either have beach, crystal blue water n good restaurants or should have a lot of history to know n study about and have a lot of good restaurants. Basically good restaurants is the basic common key here. I loved using all the local apps to find me local transport n restaurants to dine in. Quaint cafes which make u pause. I think it will be some till I experience the thrill of travelling again. But until then, we can make a list of all places in the world we want to see coz life is too short and we all have witnessed that it’s quite possible that things won’t be the same tomorrow 🤷🏻‍♀ï¸Â #Throwback #Archives #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 24, 2020 at 9:57pm PDT

Alongside a picturesque picture shared on Instagram, the actor wrote: "One of those trips I just decided to take very impulsively. Rome. Was in my list since long time... "

Taking it to the captions, the 'Mulk' actor also pinpointed the key factors she seeks while travelling. "I love seeing places which should either have a beach, crystal blue water n good restaurants or should have a lot of history to know n study about and have a lot of good restaurants," the caption read.

"Basically good restaurants are the basic common key here," the 32-year-old wrote. She also mentioned her interest in using the "local apps" to find her "local transports and restaurants to dine in." "Quaint cafes which make u pause," she added.

Referring to the current lockdown and unpredictable situation the life has been thrown into in the wake of coronavirus crisis, Taapsee also added that one can "experience the thrill of traveling again.. until then, we can make a list of all places in the world we want to see coz life is too short and we all have witnessed that it's quite possible that things won't be the same tomorrow."

Lately, the 'Manmarziyaan' actor has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories amid the coronavirus lockdown.

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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Actress Bhumi Pednekar has been honing her green thumb during the COVID-19 lockdown. The actress has taken to social media to share the yield she has grown at home. The list includes feugreek (methi), mustard (sarson), amaranth (cholai), green chillies, brinjals and strawberries.

Sharing the photos of her homegrown crops on Instagram, the actress wrote: "After months of tender love & care, we present to you #PednekarKePed #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving."

 

 

 

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After months of tender love & care,we present to you #PednekarKePed 🌱 #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving

A post shared by Bhumi✨ (@bhumipednekar) onApr 25, 2020 at 2:56am PDT

Earlier this month, the actress had announced that she would utilise the lockdown time learning the science of hydroponics (soil-less) farming from her mother Sumitra Pednekar.

"My mom and I always wanted to have a hydroponics garden of our own where we grow our own vegetables and can have a fully sustainable lifestyle. We wanted to have a garden to table lifestyle at home and we are both happy with the progress," she had shared.

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Yesterday, on April 25, Vicky Kaushal took to social media to cheer a youngster who overcame the odds to battle the virus. He shared a video in which the girl (above) is seen being welcomed back home by residents and security personnel of a housing complex in Andheri. He wrote, "Like a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day, our little warrior comes back home. Welcome back champ (sic)." Kaushal stays in the same complex, which had been partially sealed by the BMC after the girl tested positive. Residents have been asked to take precautionary measures.

The video will surely make you applaud the girl and salute her spirts. Have a look at the video right here:

 

 

 

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Like a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day, our little warrior comes back Home! #WelcomeBackChamp 🌟💛

A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) onApr 24, 2020 at 9:38am PDT

The whole world has been suffering from the Coronavirus pandemic for more than a month now and we all are collectively waiting for it to get over as soon as it can. The lockdown has now been extended till May 3 and reports suggest that in Maharashtra, it is likely to be extended further. This is a tough time for all of us and we need to take safe and strict measures.

Thanks to actors like Kaushal that we are getting to know the spirits of all the survivors and how they have combated Coronavirus. There are a lot more stories like this that are waiting to be told. As far as the actor himself is concerned, he has been doing what pretty much everyone else is- Experimenting with haircuts, cooking food, cleaning the house, and uploading candid pictures and videos.

Once the lockdown is over, the actor will gear up for a lot of massive and mega-ambitious films like Takht, Ashwatthama, Sardar Udham Singh, and a film on the life of Sam Manekshaw.

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Every time there's a crisis in the country or in the world, it is bound to attract mixed responses and debatable opinions on social media. The Coronavirus pandemic or pandemonium, if we say so, is nothing different. The world began to get plagued to an extent that a worldwide lockdown had to be declared that's now likely to continue longer.

And during this lockdown, a majority of the Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities began sharing their videos and pictures on Instagram. Some shared their workout videos, some shared their new haircuts, and many of them showed us their culinary skills and candid shots of their gorgeousness. This was bound to be met with scathing criticism and subtle and sly digs. And now, a video has surfaced on social media where some people are taking that very dig on these influential people's privileges.

Seeing this video, filmmaker Karan Johar has realised how insensitive his videos may have been and how he feels the need to apologise profusely. Taking to his Twitter account, he wrote- "This hit me hard and I have realised many of my posts may have been insensitive to many...I apologise profusely and wish to add none of it was intentional and came from a place of sharing but clearly may have lacked emotional foresight ....am sorry!" (sic)

Have a look right here:

This hit me hard and I have realised many of my posts may have been insensitive to many...I apologise profusely and wish to add none of it was intentional and came from a place of sharing but clearly may have lacked emotional foresight ....am sorry!🙏❤ï¸Â https://t.co/MO3kHkDQdo

— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) April 25, 2020

Johar, for the last few weeks, has been sharing some funny videos of his children, Roohi and Yash, and their shenanigans. It seems he has sensed the fact that sharing these videos amid this crisis may not be the right thing right now since a lot of other people, the underprivileged, continue to suffer for livelihood amid this catastrophic crisis. Can we expect someone else to come forward and say sorry? Let's see!

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Kanika Kapoor has gone through a lot in the last few weeks. The singer traveled to the UK and was tested Coronavirus positive shortly after her return to India. Not once or twice, but she was tested Coronavirus positive as many as four times. Her family members were constantly with her and they even spoke about it.

However, nothing was heard from the singer. And little did she expect that her tests would also make her the talk of the town and people would even start making memes and opinions on social media. But now, it seems it was time for her to come out of the closet and reveal what kept her silent for so long. And she has! In a long Instagram post, she has finally spoken about her trip to London, her Coronavirus tests, and the long silence.

She wrote- "I know there are several versions of stories out there about me. Some of these seem to be fuelled even more because I have chosen to be silent till now. I stayed quiet not because I am wrong but in-fact being fully aware that there have been misunderstandings and wrong exchanges of information." (sic)

The post contains the minutest of details that will clear all the confusion people have had about her so far. Read it right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Stay Home Stay Safe 🙏🏼

A post shared by Kanika Kapoor (@kanik4kapoor) onApr 26, 2020 at 1:50am PDT

In the end, she also asked us to stay home and stay safe. Well, given she has clarified everything; hopefully she should not be the target of memes and trolls now!

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The makers of Kangana Ranaut's Thalaivi are resigned to the fact that the film, like many other Bollywood offerings, will be delayed. However, they have a more pressing problem on their hands — two elaborate sets that were built in Hyderabad and Chennai have been standing unused over the past six weeks, leading to losses. If the lockdown extends to June, the makers fear the sets may be destroyed in the rains.

"We need to wrap up the film before the rains hit. Since they are outdoor set-up, they will be ruined in the monsoon. Reconstructing the set will be an expensive affair," laments producer Shailesh R Singh.

J Jayalalithaa

The shoot of the biopic on J Jayalalithaa, the late chief minister of Tamil Nadu, was running like clockwork until March. With a 45-day shooting stint slated to kick off on March 10, the AL Vijay-led team had constructed a set of the Parliament House at the Ramakrishna Cine Studios in Hyderabad. After the shoot would be wrapped up by the third week of April, their next pit-stop was Chennai.

"We have recreated Mount Road at the AVM Studio in Chennai, and had planned a patchwork shoot there. Almost 40 per cent of the movie is left to be filmed," says producer Vishnu Vardhan Induri, adding that they pre-emptively cancelled the Hyderabad shoot in the wake of the pandemic.

Sources say that the makers, who are bearing the maintenance cost of the sets and the studio rent, have incurred losses of R5 crore so far due to the lockdown. While Singh is unwilling to put a number to the damages, he adds, "Our team's safety is our priority. We had paid [the studio] for March, but were unable to shoot for a single day in Hyderabad. It's uncertain when the lockdown will be lifted. Even if we get a 10-day window, we will finish shooting the outdoor portions."

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Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is elated as she's raised over 2,500 PPE kits for doctors and Rs 16 lakhs for those who are battling at the frontline to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 pandemic.

Vidya had also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar. She took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon where she shared the good news.

"I've woken up to good news this morning. We've reached 2500+ PPE kits and raised over 16 lakh in just a few hours. A big thank you to each of you who has donated and made this possible. A load of gratitude and bless you. This is truly the unity and spirit of India..." she said in the video.

Here it is:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I’m elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs.16 lakhs within few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target. The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven’t been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let’s #UniteForHumanity #StayHome #StaySafe

A post shared by Vidya Balan (@balanvidya) onApr 25, 2020 at 9:21pm PDT

Alongside the video, Vidya wrote: "Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I'm elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs 16 lakh within a few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target.” (sic)

"The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven't been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let's #UniteForHumanity #StayHome#StaySafe".

In an earlier post, the Mission Mangal star had informed that each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers.

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Sharing a video which he termed as 'a small step towards humanity', megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Sunday urged people to stay compassionate and inclusive in the testing times of coronavirus crisis.

Bachchan took to Twitter to share the initiative of spreading love and compassion across the country.

T 3513 - A small step towards #Humanity pic.twitter.com/dHu6ZE7aMd

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 26, 2020

The video message for which Bachchan has given his voice talks about different times when humans need a helping hand from several professionals and how during times of crisis people should not forget that humans are interdependent on each other. "A doctor held me in his arms when I came out of my mother's womb. A nurse bathed me with her gentle hands when I was a little baby. My teacher held my finger with her fingers when she taught me to write the first alphabet 'A.' My safety was in the hands of our driver when I went to school," Bachchan is heard saying in the video.

"When I ate, I always knew that it was prepared by the loving hands of our cook. We always needed those hands, we still need them, those safe hands, those protective arms, those guiding fingers," he further said.

He then correlated the message to the current scenario of the coronavirus crisis and said that social distancing should not distance people from humanity.

"Today, handwashing and social distancing have become paramount for our safety. So, hands folded I implore you, let us not wash our hands of humanity," the 'Sholay' actor said.

"Let us not suspicious of people around us, let us not shun people around us, let us not shame people around us. Let us be aware, let us be compassionate, let us be benevolent, let us be inclusive, let us be human," he added.

The 77-year-old actor has been associated with different campaigns and has also been raising awareness about coronavirus for a long time.

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Dubbing her as 'wanderlust', actor Kangana Ranaut's team on Sunday posted throwback pictures of her from her trip to Europe in 2008. The picture featured a younger Kangana in her early 20s travelling to various parts of Europe including famous Italy based amphitheatre - the Colosseum.

 

 

 

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Major #Throwback check: Wanderlust Kangana travelling all around Europe (in 2008!!) learning about art-history and wines. Sundays are for reminiscing about those carefree days, till we can travel again ...

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onApr 26, 2020 at 4:08am PDT

The 'Queen' actor is seen dressed in simple yet elegant outfits in the pictures from her two-month-long trip to Europe. "#Throwback to the good old travel days! Major throwback to 2008 when the 21-year-old art, history, and travel enthusiast #KanganaRanaut travelled to Italy for a 2 months long trip!" the team tweeted along with the pictures.

They also shared trivia on the 'Tanu Weds Manu' actor's travel diaries and said that Kangana used to take her camera to each of her trips. "Interesting Trivia: before the iPhone days, she used to take her camera along everywhere," the team tweeted.

Kangana began her acting career at a very young age with her debut film 'Gangster' for which she garnered a lot of appreciation.

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Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan's toddler Taimur Ali Khan is everyone's apple of the eye and is possibly one of the most popular and adorable munchkins on the block. Meet Ibrahim Ali Khan now, also Saif's son and who was no less. He shared his childhood picture recently and called himself Picasso Jr.

In the picture, we could see his hands covered in paint and one of his cheeks with the paint too. Just like how Kareena shared a similar picture of Taimur a few days ago, Ibrahim has shared how, and it's truly as adorable and amazing.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Picasso Jr

A post shared by Ibrahim Ali Khan (@iakpataudi) onApr 26, 2020 at 6:48am PDT

All the stars in Bollywood are trying to be as creative as possible to stay happy amid this lockdown and quarantine and Ibrahim seems to be one of them. His Instagram account is very entertaining and exciting. He keeps sharing photos and videos with his mother Amrita Singh and father Saif Ali Khan both.

In case you missed it, he shared another childhood photo with Amrita Singh on the occasion of Women's Day last month, have a look:

 

 

 

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Happy Women’s day to the best woman I’ll ever know 💘

A post shared by Ibrahim Ali Khan (@iakpataudi) onMar 8, 2020 at 11:07am PDT

And giving him very close and tough competition is his sister Sara Ali Khan, who has also begun sharing some throwback pictures and videos on her Instagram account. If these siblings had to compete in Instagram posts and cuteness, who do you think will win?

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Amid lockdown due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, Bollywood celebrities are seen doing their own chores at home. Dancer-actress Nora Fatehi seems to be now done as she says she wants the "dishes to leave me alone" in a hilarious post. 

Nora, who is lauded for her flawless dancing skills, took to her Instagram Stories, where she shared a video of herself talking to the pile of dishes kept in the sink. In the TikTok video, Nora seems to have a funny conversation with the dishes in the sink, she is heard saying: "What? You are always looking at me dude! Shut the .... up because I always catch you staring... I swear, ask anybody you are always staring at me."

She captioned the clip: The dishes are always waiting for me... These dishes need to leave me alone #quarantinelife."

 

 

 

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@norafatehi this is hilarious! The Dishes! 😂😂😂 Check out Nora’s TikTok for more videos - ItsNoriana 👍🏼❤️ . . #WeLoveNoraFatehi @norafatehifan.england #norafatehi #norafatehifans #garmi #nachinachi #BhujThePrideofIndia #noriana #norafatehifans #pepeta #EkTohKumZindagani #dilbar #arabicdilbar #kamariya #Naah #OSakiSaki #conochallenge #StreetDancer3D #beautiful #love #gorgeous #bae #stunning #dance #fashion #india #mumbai #morocco #actress #bollywood #norafatehifan_england

A post shared by Nora Fatehi Fan | Nora Follows (@norafatehifan.england) onApr 25, 2020 at 9:47am PDT

Recently, a video of Nora's enviable moves went viral, in which she pulled off a fusion of Afro, Urban and Dancehall styles of dancing.

Nora's most popular on-screen performances include "Manohari" ("Baahubali: The Beginning"), "Dilbar" ("Satyamev Jayate"), "O saki saki" ("Batla House") and "Ek toh kam zindagani" ("Marjaavaan"), besides her recent hit "Garmi" in "Street Dancer 3D". On the acting front, Nora will next be seen in the Ajay Devgn-starrer "Bhuj: The Pride Of India".

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Ayat Sharma, Arpita Khan Sharma and Aayush Sharma's baby girl, was born on Salman Khan's birthday, December 27, 2019. Ever since the tiny tot has arrived, the entire family can't keep calm but just be around her. She has been spreading joy and happiness in the 'khan-daan' and we can't help but just scroll through her pictures the entire day. Doesn't she look adorable? Let's take a look at some of her pictures shared by the family on social media.

Aayush Sharma, Arpita Khan Sharma and the entire Khan family is currently in Panvel. The family has been on their farmhouse ever since the lockdown was announced in the country. The family is having a jamming session and making loads of memories being together.

Aayush, in of the posts, wrote, "A child can teach an Adult 3 things - To he happy for no reason - To always be curious - To fight tirelessly for something Paulo Coelho [sic]"

Aayush Sharma has also been sharing messages with his social media fans. Posing with the little one and Ahil, the actor captioned, "Stay at home .. spend time with your family and create beautiful memories Make the most out of this quarantine & stay safe. #quarantine #familytime [sic]"

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aayush Sharma (@aaysharma) onMar 20, 2020 at 8:23am PDT

Arpita Khan Sharma, Ayat posed and extended festive wishes with their fans on Instagram. Take a look!

 

 

 

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Wishing you all a very Happy Holi

A post shared by Aayush Sharma (@aaysharma) onMar 10, 2020 at 10:35am PDT

But did you know what won a lot of heart? 'Mamu' Salman Khan playing with Ayat. "We love you Mamu @beingsalmankhan," shared Arpita.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Arpita Khan Sharma (@arpitakhansharma) onMar 7, 2020 at 3:06am PST

In an interview, Aayush Sharma shared why he wanted to name his daughter Ayat. "We wanted everyone to be named with A. When I was travelling to London, I met a guy named Ahil and I thought it's a very unique name and it turned out to mean the rightful prince in Persian and that was very fascinating. We believe in secular relationships so we wanted both our kids to have a Muslim first name and a Hindu surname."

 

 

 

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Welcome to our world Ayat.

A post shared by Arpita Khan Sharma (@arpitakhansharma) onDec 30, 2019 at 4:48am PST

Ayat Sharma really deserves warm hugs! Isn't she adorable?

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Sara Ali Khan knows how to keep her fans entertained and engrossed with her social media posts. And due to the lockdown, she has become a lot more active these days and is clearly having fun. Her latest post is possibly her cutest and also the best. What draws our attention is the winning caption!

Taking to her Instagram account, she shared a very old picture of herself where we could see her all dressed up, maybe for a dance performance in school and she was looking like a doll. We are not going to spoil the fun for you, have a look at the caption she has written to describe the picture.

Here it is:

 

 

 

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मेरे सपनों की रानी... hamesha main hi thi... 💭 🤔 👑 💫🌟💛

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) onApr 27, 2020 at 2:14am PDT

It's all sorted it seems! Kareena Kapoor Khan is sharing new pictures of her family, which also includes her munchkin Taimur Ali Khan, Sara and her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan are sharing some fantastic throwback pictures, and if all goes well, Saif Ali Khan may also make his Instagram debut soon. Excited?

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Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover tied the knot on April 30, 2016, in a grand ceremony that was attended by The Who's who of Tinsel Town. In a span of just three days, they will be celebrating four years of togetherness, and of course, will be doing something special. And given the woman has the tendency to remember dates more frequently, the wife has already begun her side of the preparation.

Taking to her Instagram account, Basu shared a video where she could be seen cooking Karan's favourite Besan Laddoos and by the time the video ends, you could be feeling hungry and especially if you have a sweet tooth. This is what we call true love, and in this couple's case, Monkey Love!

Have a look at the video right here:

 

 

 

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The Making of his favourite Besan Laddoo❤️

A post shared by bipashabasusinghgrover (@bipashabasu) onApr 26, 2020 at 10:54pm PDT

Grover and Basu are travel junkies and often travel abroad to the most gorgeous locations and even share their beautiful and bold pictures from the different corners of the world. They even acted together in the 2015 film Alone and will now reunite for another thriller called Aadat, which is directed by Bhushan Patel.

It has been a while since we saw the actress on the big screen and we hope she comes back soon! And we also hope the couple shares some pictures on the day of their anniversary!

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Known for his chiselled frame and fitness fetish, Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan wants to decimate the last cigarette on the planet. The subject came up on Twitter after a user asked him he had a cigarette in his hand while he was standing with his sons in the balcony of his home, in a recently-posted picture shared by the actor's fanclub.

"Does @iHrithik have a cigarette in his hand or am I seeing wrong? I hope you don't @iHrithik. It makes me very very very sorry," the user wrote.

The actor replied: "I am a non-smoker. :) and if I was Krrish, first thing I'd do after eradicating this virus would be to decimate every last cigarette from this planet.

Recently, Hrithik shared some 'lockdown tips' with fans. He suggests a daily dose of vitamin D to take care of mental health even as we continue to be confined at home. Hrithik Roshan has been spending the lockdown with his ex-wife Sussanne Khan, who has temporarily moved in with him, to take care of their two sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan.

Talking about mental health, Hrithik has recently started learning piano, which he feels is "great for activating both sides of the brain".

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It has been a while since we saw Esha Gupta on the celluloid, but she continues to scorch and scintillate with her no-holds-barred Instagram posts that can set your screens ablaze. She has always been unapologetic about her pictures and videos and believed in living life on her own terms.

And now, there's some good news, the beautiful lady has found love and that too all the way from Spain. She has taken to her Instagram account and written a post in Spanish that translates into- "I love you so much my love." The duo looks dapper in black and is twinning together and it seems they are truly made for each other.

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

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te amo mucho mi amor ♥️

A post shared by Esha Gupta🌎 (@egupta) onApr 27, 2020 at 1:02am PDT

And a few days back, speaking to Hindustan Times about him, she revealed how he has been coping up during this quarantine. She said, "My boyfriend, who is in Spain, has been in isolation and has been taking all kinds of precautions. He has been telling me about the virus and somehow I was mentally prepared for this lockdown to happen. I'm talking to him every day and video calling to keep a check on his health. Honestly, he's the one who is calming for the otherwise hyper person that I am. He has this relaxing effect on me."

Well, given she has now spilled the beans on her love, can we expect more such gorgeous pictures, please!

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Ever since 83 was announced, the movie has been everything anyone can talk about. Tracing India’s historic win at the 1983 cricket World Cup, the movie was one of the most awaited films of this year. Due to current situations with the global pandemic, the movie, which was supposed to hit the screens on 10th April 2020 had to be pushed for a later date.

Trade is abuzz with high expectations from the film and estimated that ‘83’ would have collected upwards of 300 crores during its theatrical run. Hence, OTT platforms are offering a calculated price to the makers basis the estimated box office earnings for a direct digital release of the film.

However, when we texted Kabir to check on the veracity of this news, he confirmed that yes they have been offered a whopping sum and added that, "83 is a film that has been envisioned and made to be experienced on the big screen and we are ready to wait for things to get normal and then release it in cinemas."

Ranveer Singh will see playing the character of former world cup winning captain Kapil Dev and Deepika Padukone portraying the character of Kapil Dev’s wife Romi Dev.

Reliance Entertainment and Phantom Films present 83, a Kabir Khan Films Production. The movie is produced by Deepika Padukone, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Induri, Sajid Nadiadwala, Phantom Films, Reliance Entertainment and 83 Film Ltd. 83 is directed by Kabir Khan. A Reliance Entertainment and PVR Pictures release is slated to release in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu.

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"In all these years, we had not remained shut for even a day," says Nitin Desai, who closed the doors of ND Studio last month in the wake of the pandemic. At the time, a lavish set had been constructed for The Battle of Bhima Koregaon, a period drama featuring Arjun Rampal, and the Raigad fort recreated for a Marathi film. Desai tells mid-day that he has decided to forgo the rent of the sets standing unused at the Karjat studio.

"I am not the only one suffering losses at this point, the entire world is. So how can I expect them to pay the rent when everything has come to a standstill? I will also appeal to other studios to follow the same practice," he says, adding that despite the adverse conditions, he is continuing to pay his staff.

File photo of Panipat set created at ND Studio

The studio was handling several projects when the shutdown was announced. "We had created a huge battlefield and three villages for Arjun Rampal's film, and a haveli [palace] for a yet-untitled web show. Construction of huge sets was underway for two shows of Zee and Star," he adds."

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In a bid to amuse his fans with a "joke," actor Riteish Deshmukh on Sunday shared a humourous video of himself on Instagram. The video begins with Deshmukh sitting and looking at the camera while the background features voices of people asking the actor to crack one joke in Marathi.

 

 

 

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Ek Joke Saanga Na

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

"Ek Joke saanga na (please tell one joke)," the voice in the background said.

To which the 41-year-old actor politely refuses and tells people that he is a "celebrity" which makes people chuckle and leaves Deshmukh shocked. "Mi celebrity aaye (I am a celebrity)," responded Deshmukh.

The 'Housefull' actor has been quite active on social media ever since the lockdown was imposed in the country. He keeps posting TikTok videos featuring himself and his wife Genelia Deshmukh.

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Sharing a doodle that said 'not all heroes wear capes,' actor Arjun Kapoor on Monday applauded the healthcare workers of the country who are fighting to combat COVID-19.

The 'Panipat' actor took to Twitter to share the doodle that featured a doctor, a nurse, and a medical staff taking care of an elderly person.

Bowing down to health workers today for their tremendous efforts to #FightCovid19! They work 24/7, through the year to deliver critical services like immunization across the country. Let’s stand #Together4Health and applaud their unwavering grit and determination! pic.twitter.com/9VkuE4kFYm

— arjunk26 (@arjunk26) April 27, 2020

The doodle was titled 'not all heroes wear capes' and an additional text on it read, 'Front-line health workers are working round the clock to keep us safe & healthy. True Heroes.'

Kapoor also urged others to stand up and applaud the healthcare workers for their unwavering determination.

"Bowing down to health workers today for their tremendous efforts to #FightCovid19! They work 24/7, through the year to deliver critical services like immunization across the country," he tweeted.

"Let's stand #Together4Health and applaud their unwavering grit and determination!" his tweet further read.

The '2 States' actor has been posting on social media to raise awareness about different issues related to the coronavirus ever since the crisis began in the country.

Kapoor has several times posted on social media asking people to not abandon their pets due to coronavirus and has also urged people to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.

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If your workplace is supporting its employees by reducing their job strain, it may boost in preventing new cases of common mental illness from occurring up to 14 per cent, a new study suggests.

The findings, published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, confirm that high job strain is associated with an increased risk of developing common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety amongst middle-aged workers.

Job strain is a term used to describe the combination of high work pace, intensity, and conflicting demands, coupled with low control or decision-making capacity.

"The results indicate that if we were able to eliminate job strain situations in the workplace, up to 14 per cent of cases of common mental illness could be avoided," said lead author Samuel Harvey, Associate Professor at the Black Dog Institute in Australia.

"These findings serve as a wake-up call for the role workplace initiatives should play in our efforts to curb the rising costs of mental disorders," Harvey added.

To determine levels of job strain, 6,870 participants completed questionnaires at age 45 testing for factors including decision authority, skill discretion and questions about job pace, intensity and conflicting demands.

The researchers also accounted for non-workplace factors including divorce, financial problems, housing instability, and other stressful life events like death or illness.

The models developed in this study controlled for individual workers' temperament and personality, their IQ, level of education, prior mental health problems and a range of other factors from across their early lives.

The final modelling suggested that those experiencing higher job demands, lower job control and higher job strain were at greater odds of developing mental illness by age 50, regardless of sex or occupational class.

"Workplaces can adopt a range of measures to reduce job strain, and finding ways to increase workers' perceived control of their work is often a good practical first step. This can be achieved through initiatives that involve workers in as many decisions as possible," Harvey, who is also affiliated with the University of New South Wales in Australia, noted.

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Turns out, the high-intensity workout program, CrossFit, can do a lot besides just keeping people fit and fine. According to a study conducted by The Physiological Society, a six-week CrossFit exercise programme can lead to improved control of blood sugar levels and decreased risk of heart disease in people with Type II diabetes.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. Type II diabetes is the most common form, which is where the body doesn't produce enough of the hormone that controls sugar levels, called insulin. People with Type II diabetes are at significantly higher risk of heart disease. A primary focus for managing diabetes is exercise, as it has been shown to improve the body's ability to control sugar levels by making the body more sensitive to the insulin produced.

However, adherence to exercise advice is particularly low amongst those with Type II diabetes, who are mostly overweight or obese, with lack of time being cited as one of the greatest barriers to regular exercise. This new research suggested that a high-intensity exercise programme such as CrossFit improves the ability of the body to control blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of insulin required.

Importantly, these improvements appear to be similar to the sort of change we would expect from more traditional exercise interventions, despite participants spending considerably less time exercising than health guidelines recommend. CrossFit, therefore, offered a time-effective exercise approach for people with Type II diabetes who struggle to maintain daily exercise.

CrossFit is a high-intensity training intervention incorporating both endurance and strength training. Sessions range from 8-20 minutes in duration and represent a far more time-effective form of exercise than traditional exercise interventions. CrossFit has been growing in popularity over the past decade, although until now it was not clear whether such forms of exercise would improve the ability of individuals with Type II diabetes to control their sugar levels.

For this research, thirteen overweight/obese patients with Type II diabetes were recruited to participate in a 6-week CrossFit exercise programme. Participants' blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity (an individual's ability to reduce high blood sugar levels effectively) were assessed both before and after the exercise programme, in addition to their blood chemistries and blood pressure, which were tested to predict heart disease risk.

The post-exercise intervention test results showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity and heart disease risk factors. Importantly, these improvements appeared to be similar to the sort of changes expected from more traditional exercise interventions, despite participants spending considerably less time exercising than such guidelines recommend. The study appears in the journal Experimental Physiology.

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Washington D.C.: While it is no secret that there are good calories as well as bad calories, turns out, in the bad category, there are variations too. According to the University of California, Davis, sugar-sweetened beverages play a unique role in chronic health problems. Calories from any food have the potential to increase the risk of obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases. The disease risk increases even when the beverages are consumed within diets that do not result in weight gain.

Twenty-two researchers explored whether all calories are equal with regards to effects on cardiometabolic disease and obesity. The study provided an extensive review of the current science on diets that can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes.

"What's new is that this is an impressive group of scientists with vast experience in nutrition and metabolism agreeing with the conclusion that sugar-sweetened beverages increase cardiometabolic risk factors compared to equal amounts of starch," said lead author Kimber Stanhope.

Another interesting point of consensus among researchers was the role of the sugar substitute aspartame.

The authors agreed that aspartame does not promote weight gain in adults. Stanhope said this might come as a surprise to most people.

"If you go on the internet and look up aspartame, the layperson would be convinced that aspartame is going to make them fat, but it's not," said Stanhope. "The long and short of it is that no human studies on noncaloric sweeteners show weight gain."

The authors also agreed that consumption of polyunsaturated (n-6) fats, such as those found in some vegetable oils, seeds and nuts, lowers disease risk when compared with equal amounts of saturated fats.

However, that conclusion comes with a caveat. Dairy foods such as cheese and yogurts, which can be high in saturated fats, have been associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk.

The paper reviewed the significant challenges involved in conducting and interpreting nutrition research.

"We have a long way to go to get precise answers on a lot of different nutrition issues," said Stanhope. "Nevertheless, we all agree that a healthy diet pattern consisting of minimally processed whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats promotes health compared with the refined and palatable typical Western diet pattern."

The study appears in the journal Obesity Reviews.

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Acupuncture may not boost chances of IVF success

Undergoing acupuncture treatment during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) might not increase a woman's chances of conceiving, finds a study. The study, however, showed that acupuncture is no better than placebo for improving IVF success.

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the body, has become a widely used treatment prior to and during IVF.

It showed no significant benefit from IVF when compared with a short course of acupuncture using dummy needles placed away from "true" acupuncture points.

"Our findings do not support acupuncture as an efficacious treatment compared to sham," lead investigator Caroline Smith, Professor at the Western Sydney University in Australia.

For the study, published in the journal JAMA, the team included over 800 Australian and New Zealand women to examine the effects of acupuncture administered prior to and following an embryo transfer (ET).

The participants were given either acupuncture or a sham acupuncture control (a non-insertive needle placed away from the true acupuncture points).

The results showed the rate of live birth was 18.3 per cent among participants who received acupuncture versus 17.8 per cent who received the sham acupuncture control, a non-significant difference.

While a short course of acupuncture may statistically be no better than sham at improving live birth and pregnancy outcomes, a psycho-social benefit from acupuncture was reported by women undergoing IVF, the researchers said.

"Some studies suggest reproductive outcomes maybe improved when acupuncture is compared with no treatment," Smith said.

"Feeling relaxed and reporting relief from stress and women feeling good about themselves is to be welcomed for women as they undergo an IVF cycle," explained co-author Michael Chapman, Professor at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.

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Are you experiencing depression, mood instability, and loneliness? Blame the disruption in your body's internal clock, researchers say.

Our 24-hour biological body clock governs the fundamental physiological and behavioural functions including from body temperature to eating habits in almost all organisms. Disruptions in that biological clock may arise from increased activity during rest periods and/or inactivity during the day. Disturbances to the body's internal clock or the circadian rhythms are also associated with lower happiness and health satisfaction, and worse cognitive function, according to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

"Our findings indicate an association between altered daily circadian rhythms and mood disorders and well-being," said study author Laura Lyall, from the University of Glasgow.

"The study reinforces the idea that mood disorders are associated with disturbed circadian rhythms, and we provide evidence that altered rest-activity rhythms are also linked to worse subjective well-being and cognitive ability," Lyall added.

The study included data from 91,105 participants aged between 37-73. The researchers objectively measured the rest and activity rhythm patterns which is known as relative amplitude.

The results showed that lower relative amplitude was linked with greater odds of reporting lifetime history of major depression or bipolar disorder.

It was also associated with greater mood instability, higher neuroticism scores, more subjective loneliness, lower happiness and health satisfaction, and slower reaction time.

However, the researcher said that the findings showed observational associations rather than cause and effect, and "cannot tell us whether mood disorders and reduced well-being cause disturbed rest-activity patterns, or whether disturbed circadian rhythmicity makes people vulnerable to mood disorders and poorer well-being," Lyall said.

She also noted that rest-activity rhythms differ between younger and older adults which may cause difference in the daily clock and mental health link based on their age.

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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 According to a recent study, the number of suicide attempts in youth has doubled since 2008.

The research looked at trends in emergency room and inpatient encounters for suicide ideation and attempts in children ages 5-17 years at U.S. children's hospitals from 2008 to 2015.

During the study period, researchers at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center identified 115,856 encounters for suicide ideation and attempts in emergency departments at 31 children's hospitals. Nearly two-thirds of those encounters were girls. While increases were seen across all age groups, they were highest among teens ages 15-17, followed by ages 12-14.

Just over half of the encounters were children ages 15-17; another 37 percent were children ages 12-14; and 12.8 percent were children ages 5-11. Seasonal variation was also seen consistently across the period, with October accounting for nearly twice as many encounters as reported in July.

Using data from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), the researchers used billing codes to identify emergency department encounters, observation stays and inpatient hospitalizations tied to suicide ideation and attempts. In addition to looking at overall suicide ideation and attempt rates in school-age children and adolescents, the researchers analyzed the data month-by-month and found seasonal trends in the encounters. Peaks for encounters among the groups were highest in the fall and spring, and lowest in the summer.

"To our knowledge, this is one of only a few studies to report higher rates of hospitalization for suicide during the academic school year," said study lead author Greg Plemmons.

Rates were lowest in summer, a season which has historically seen the highest numbers in adults, suggesting that youth may face increased stress and mental health challenges when school is in session.

"The growing impact of mental health issues in pediatrics on hospitals and clinics can longer be ignored," said Plemmons.

The study has been published in the journal Pediatrics

Melatonin is a hormone known to promote sleep. But, have you ever wondered how melatonin helps to promote sleep? Researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have discovered how melatonin suppresses the neurons in the brain that keeps you awake and alert. The findings of the study, which is published in the Journal of Pineal Research, could lead to new therapies for those who suffer from insomnia.

"We as a society are losing sleep because we are working too hard, and it's causing a variety of health concerns," said Mahesh Thakkar, lead author of the study. "We often don't even think about sleep or consider it important. However, there is nothing more important than sleep. We need to focus on therapies that can help you have quality sleep, not just sleep."

Using a mouse model, Thakkar's research found that melatonin infused in the brain at dark -- when the mice are awake and active -- increased sleep and reduced wakefulness by suppressing specific neurons that stimulate the brain to wake up.

Thakkar also discovered that blocking melatonin receptors in the brain at bedtime significantly increased wakefulness. The experiments singled out one receptor, MT1, as the mechanism via which melatonin acts to inhibit the specific orexin neurons that wake you up. This discovery could help lead to medications that target only the MT1 receptor instead of multiple receptors, which could lead to fewer side effects for those who take sleep-promoting drugs.

"Melatonin has been used as a sleep drug for many years, but people didn't know how it worked," Thakkar said. "Our research suggests that if you target the melatonin MT1 receptor, you will get the most sleep with minimal side effects."

(Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from PTI)

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Among couples being treated for infertility, depression in the male partner was linked to lower pregnancy chances, according to a study.

The study showed that couples in which the male partner had major depression were 60 per cent less likely to conceive and give birth than those in which the male partner did not have major depression.

On the other hand, depression in the female partner was not found to influence the rate of birth.

In addition, intake of a class of antidepressants known as non-selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (non-SSRIs) was also linked to a higher risk of early pregnancy loss among females being treated for infertility, the study appearing in the journal Fertility and Sterility, noted.

However, SSRIs, another class of antidepressants, were not linked to pregnancy loss. Neither depression in the female partner nor the use of any other class of antidepressant were linked to lower pregnancy rates.

"Our study provides infertility patients and their physicians with new information to consider when making treatment decisions," said Esther Eisenberg, at National Institutes of Health's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in Maryland, US.

Citing previous studies, the authors noted that 41 per cent of women seeking fertility treatments have symptoms of depression.

Another study of men seeking in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments reported that nearly 50 per cent experienced depression.

For the study, the team analysed data for 1,650 women and 1,608 men to evaluate the potential influence of depression in couples seeking non-IVF treatments.

Among the women, 5.96 per cent were rated as having active major depression, compared to 2.28 per cent of the men.

Women using non-SSRIs were roughly 3.5 times as likely to have a first-trimester pregnancy loss, compared to those not using antidepressants.

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Researchers have found that long term chronic isolation cause the build-up of a chemical in the brain, that increases stress, aggression and fear.

The mice isolated for two weeks showed behavioural changes like, increased aggressiveness towards unfamiliar mice, persistent fear, and hypersensitivity to threatening stimuli.

When encountering a threatening stimulus, mice that have been socially isolated remain frozen in place long after the threat has passed, whereas normal mice stop freezing soon after the threat is removed, the research said.

Although the study was done in mice, it has potential implications for understanding how chronic stress affects humans and has potential applications for treating mental health disorders, said lead author Moriel Zelikowsky, postdoctoral scholar at the California Institute of Technology in the US.

Previous studies have determined that social isolation for two weeks in mice resulted in the upregulation of the signalling molecule neuropeptide, tachykinin 2 (Tac2)/neurokinin B (NkB) -- a short protein molecule.

In the new study, published in the journal Cell, the team found that chronic isolation leads to an increase in Tac2 gene expression and the production of a neuropeptide called neurokinin B (NkB) throughout the brain.

But, administration of a drug that chemically blocks NkB-specific receptors enabled the stressed mice to behave normally, eliminating the negative effects of social isolation.

On the other hand, artificially increasing Tac2 levels and activating the corresponding neurons in normal, animals led them to behave like isolated and stressed, the research showed.

Suppressing the Tac2 gene in certain different brain parts, increased fear behaviours, or aggression accordingly, implying that it must increase in different brain regions to produce the various effects of social isolation, the researchers said.

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Washington D.C.: Intermittent fasting diets could increase diabetes risk, suggests a study. These findings suggest that fasting-based diets may be associated with long-term health risks and careful consideration should be made before starting such weight loss programmes.

In order to investigate whether an intermittent fasting diet could also generate damaging free radicals, Ana Bonassa and colleagues, from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, examined the effects of fasting every other day on the body weight, free radical levels and insulin function of normal, adult rats, over a 3-month period.

Although the rats' body weight and food intake decreased as expected over the study period, the amount of fat tissue in their abdomen actually increased. Furthermore, the cells of the pancreas that release insulin showed damage, with the presence of increased levels of free radicals and markers of insulin resistance were also detected.

Ana Bonassa commented, "This is the first study to show that, despite weight loss, intermittent fasting diets may actually damage the pancreas and affect insulin function in normal healthy individuals, which could lead to diabetes and serious health issues."

Ana cautioned, "We should consider that overweight or obese people who opt for intermittent fasting diets may already have insulin resistance, so although this diet may lead to early, rapid weight loss, in the long-term there could be potentially serious damaging effects to their health, such as the development of type-2 diabetes."

The findings were presented at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018.

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Want to stay young for long? If so, start exercising four to five times a day as it may help keep your heart stay healthy and slow down ageing, according to researchers. Research showed that different sizes of arteries are affected differently by varying amounts of exercise.

While exercising for about two to three days a week for about 30 minutes may be sufficient to minimise stiffening of middle-sized arteries, exercising for about four to five days a week is required to keep the larger central arteries youthful.

The study would help "develop exercise programmes to keep the heart youthful and even turn back time on older hearts and blood vessels", said one of the study authors, Benjamin Levine from the University of Texas.

With age, arteries -- which transport blood in and out of the heart -- become prone to stiffening, increasing the risk of heart diseases.

For the study, published in The Journal of Physiology, the team examined 102 people over 60 years old, with a consistent lifelong exercise history.

The participants were divided into four groups depending on their exercise history -- Sedentary: less than 2 exercise sessions per week; Casual Exercisers: 2-3 exercise sessions per week; Committed Exercisers: 4-5 exercise sessions per week and Masters Athletes: 6-7 exercise sessions per week.

A lifelong history of casual exercise (two-three times a week) resulted in more youthful middle-sized arteries, which supply oxygenated blood to the head and neck.

However, committed exercisers (4-5 times per week) also had more youthful large central arteries, which provide blood to the chest and abdomen, in addition to healthier middle-sized ones.

Larger arteries need more frequent exercise to slow down ageing, the researchers said.

The findings will help see "if we can reverse the ageing of a heart and blood vessels by using the right amount of exercise at the right time", Levine explained.

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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

Summer brings along with the struggle to find the right thirst quencher, or rather the healthy thirst quenchers. You should not opt for aerated drinks for aerated drinks to quench your thirst, because drinking aerated drinks can add unnecessary body weight. Instead, try lassi, coconut water, and sugarcane juice, suggest experts. Culinary researcher Akanksha Dean lists some healthy thirst quenchers to opt for in this scorching summer:

1. Coconut water: This is the most natural drink after regular water that helps you keep yourself hydrated during summers. It is naturally refreshing and boasts of a sweet nutty taste. Coconut water is the clear liquid that is extracted from a young green coconut, usually a harvest between 5-7 months. It rehydrates the body as it comprises of processed carbohydrates in the form of electrolytes and sugar, which in turn help balance the water levels in the body.

2. Lemonade: Possibly the most popular beverage in the world, it helps energise your body as well as kill your thirst. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C and helps in improving digestion. The good part about this beverage is that it helps in cleansing your body and reduces the risk of experiencing heartburn or bloating.

3. Lassi: The beverage is traditionally served in earthen clay pots, referred to as 'matkas', which aid in providing the instant coolness that is associated with the drink. This smoothie-like drink is made from yoghurt and boasts of a creamy texture. It is sweet in flavour, but can also be enjoyed in a savoury form. It is an excellent digestive and helps in energising the body as well.

4. Sugarcane juice: This is the perfect drink to beat the heat during the summer months. Sugarcane juice also serves as an energy drink. A glass of cold sugarcane juice can help rebuild the depleting energy levels in your body. It is rich in antioxidants, acts as a diuretic and helps keep your liver strong.

Dietician Jasleen Kaur, also the Founder of Just Diet, said: "It is loaded with abundant carbohydrates, proteins and minerals that our body needs. It is rich in antioxidants so it is great for dehydration. It has a surprising number of health benefits."

She lists four major benefits of sugarcane juice:

1. Immunity booster: Sugarcane juice is one of the best sources of instant energy. It is full of essential antioxidants that help our immune system. It reduces infections in the stomach, liver and respiratory zone. It fights against a number of diseases like cancer. It can help you to boost energy levels.

2. Rich in antioxidants: Sugarcane juice helps in cleansing the harmful toxins and other bad components from our body. It helps in boosting the metabolism of the body. It contains natural sugar which helps us to manage our weight.

3. Helps in proper digestion: Sugarcane juice acts as a good digestive tonic. It is very useful in treating the problem of constipation. It also helps maintain the acid base balance in our body.

4. Removes mouth odour: If you have a problem of bad breath or mouth odour, you should consider sugarcane juice as a home remedy. It contains calcium that helps build our strength including bones and teeth.

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One among every 10 parents blame "contaminated" meals from restaurants as the leading cause behind food-borne illnesses in their children, a survey has revealed.

While just one third of parents said their children got sick from spoiled or contaminated food eaten at home, a whopping 68 per cent named restaurants as the most common source, according to the "National Poll on Children's Health" led by C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

The poll also reported that only 25 per cent of people check health inspection ratings before dining out.

"Contaminated food can make both kids and adults sick. For young children, whose immune systems are not fully developed, this kind of illness can present a greater risk of serious complications," said Gary L. Freed from University of Michigan.

He explained that virus Hepatitis A is being increasingly passed on through unwashed hands, causing food contamination and, thus, recommends vaccination for one-year-old children.

Other places where eating made children sick included school (21 per cent), friend's house (14 per cent) or at a potluck (11 per cent), the report stated.

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), about one in every 10 people around the world falls ill due to food-borne disease each year. Of those 600 million people, almost 420,000 die as a result.

Food-borne illnesses are most often caused by toxins, parasites, viruses and bacteria -- such as salmonella and E. coli. It can occur when germs, either certain bacteria or viruses, contaminate food or drinks, according to the report.

Once contaminated food enters the body, some germs release toxins that can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and sometimes fever or muscle aches.

"Simple precautions, like checking restaurant inspections and following food safety rules when cooking and storing food, can help keep your family safe," Freed said.

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Several wedding guests, including children, fell ill after lunch

Gajar ka halwa made for a bitter end to a wedding in Kelwa on Sunday, after 175 guests fell violently ill. All those admitted to hospital for food poisoning were discharged the same night after treatment. Ironically, the food had been supplied by none other than the father of the bride, who is a local caterer.

A sample of the wedding buffet has been sent to the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) to find the cause behind the mass food poisoning. Action will be taken based on the FDA’s report, said the police.

More than 700 people had attended the wedding, which featured a vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian menu. Around 1 pm, some people started feeling giddy, and complained of stomach ache. Many also started vomiting after lunch. Around 175 people were taken to Safale Primary Health Centre. "There was  chaos, as nobody understood what was happening. The entire health centre was filled with patients," said a cop from Kelwa police station.

"The situation eventually settled down after a couple of hours, when the patients started feeling better," he added.

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Representational Image

A 28-year-old labourer died after he fell off the 20th floor of an under-construction building in suburban Malad, police said on Tuesday. The incident occurred when Abu Tahir was doing a plastering work on the 20th floor of the high-rise in a Malwani area, said a police official.

Tahir was rushed to a hospital by locals where doctors declared him brought dead. A case was registered under section 304 (A) (causing death due to negligence) against two persons for not ensuring the safety of the labourer, he said, adding that further investigation is on.

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The bus met with an accident soon after the accused drove it out from the depot

Unable to get a rail ticket for his native place Uttar Pradesh, a mentally unstable man decided to drive a state transport (ST) bus to his destination on Tuesday morning. However, his attempt failed when he banged into a roadside tree, soon after driving the vehicle out of the depot in Palghar.

According to the Boisar police, accused Sabir Ali Mansori, who is a Palghar resident, works as a scrap dealer. Around 10 am on Tuesday, he went to the ST bus depot and found a Boisar-Palghar bus parked in one of the slots. He immediately got into it and started the vehicle. The moment he left the depot, the bus collided head on with a roadside tree.

Accused Sabir Ali Mansori. Pics/Hanif Patel

The bus driver Amolsingh Rajput mentioned in his complaint that after parking the bus, he had gone to the control room to inform the officials that he would take the vehicle out on its route. On hearing a lot of commotion outside, he rushed back to see that the bus had met with an accident.

Police sources said that soon after the incident, the people who had gathered at the spot, beat up Mansori and handed him over to the police. The Boisar cops have booked him under sections 379 and 511 of IPC. Speaking to mid-day, Prakash Birajdar, senior inspector, said, "Following his arrest, the accused was produced in court and later sent to police custody. Even he was in a state of shock after the incident. We have received his medical reports, which will be verified before the next course of action."

Also Read: Aadhaar Scheme Helps 31-Year-Old Mentally Ill Woman Reunite With Family

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Cadbury Junction

The picturesque canopies and gentle streams of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) attract not just birds, butterflies and bees, but shutterbugs and couples as well.

Our neighbourhood national park in Borivli has emerged as one of the go to destinations for pre-wedding photoshoots, says Ahmed Anwar, Director and Chief Conservator of Forest (CFO), SGNP. He says, "I can clearly see the increase in the pre-wedding as well as maternity photoshoot in SGNP since last year. What I can gather from this is that youngsters love to picture their memories with greenery." Call it a trend or a tradition, but the pre-wedding photoshoot, replete with wardrobe changes and high-end photo-editing, is part of modern wedding arrangements.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park and inset (Darshan Ambre)

While couples often venture out of the city to local or exotic destinations — say, a vineyard in Nashik or Koh Samui — SGNP's green acres or Ballard Estate are preferred, too. This is especially true for those couples who want to spend about Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 a day— a starting range for pre-wedding photoshoots, making them selective about the destination for their shoots. Other locations that are sought out, say photographers and couples, are the stairs of Asiatic Library in Fort, Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai, Utsav Chowk in Kharghar and forts, such as those in Sion, Worli and Vasai.

Vasai Fort and inset (Tejas Chachad)

Sanket Sawant, a wedding photographer from Thane says, "Couples come ready with ideas about the locations. Their first
choice, very often, turns out to be SGNP. Other places they like to head to are Upvan and Cadbury Bridge in Thane." Couples can getthe permission at SGNP after they pay fixed amount of R3,300. Photography is allowed in a 5 km area that is
accessible for visitors. Security concerns restrict people from venturing further into the core forested areas. Early monsoon and post monsoon, up until winter, is the best time to shoot at SGNP, say photographers.

However, instead of the wilderness offered by SGNP, should couples choose to opt for sunset-lit beaches, there is a problem,
say photographers. Professional photography is not allowed on Juhu Beach and Girgaum Chowpatty specifically for prewedding
shoots. If one wants to shoot there, permission from the civic body has to be taken, which takes time. Therefore, many photographers don’t choose these locations. Vasai Fort, a structure erected in the year 1184, has remained an attraction
for decades, not just for Bollywood, but also couples seeking to replicate a Bollywood moment. What's more attractive, unlike SGNP, is that there is no fees to shoot inside the fort. However, the bigger hurdle is dealing with crowds and local residents that gather around the posing couple.

Photographers say that rather than head there on weekends, make use of the busy weekdays, when the fort is empty. Sagar Mahadik, who has been working as a wedding photographer for the last four years, says, “Many people demand locations with a lot of greenery and seclusion, which SGNP offers. For that matter, Ballard Eastate roads are very much empty on weekends. If a couple is ready to go out of Mumbai, then the ShivTemple atAmbernath, Palava City in Dombivli are also secluded favourites.”

Ambre says that even if SGNP gets crowded during the wedding season, the good news is that photographers cooperate
with each other.

Santosh Kumar Shah

Virar resident and former film distributor Santosh Kumar Shah, 48, has lived through what can only be described as a tragic Bollywood plot, thanks to a landlord and policeman from hell.

Trouble began in January 2013, when he decided to move from Andheri to Virar. Shah had been a distributor for films such as Mahasangram (1990) and Insaaf (1997). He got a 1BHK apartment on a rent of Rs 2,700 and Rs 15,000 deposit, owned by one Ravikant Patil in Virar East.

No amenities
Shah was assured of every possible amenity in the house. But when he moved in, he found out that there was neither electricity nor any water supply. Shah said he complained to Patil about this and was assured it would be sorted out in a few days, but that never happened. He realised Patil had cheated others in the same flat, so he registered a complaint at the Virar police station. Patil was served a notice under Section 149 of the CrPC.

Soon after, Shah alleges Patil verbally threatened and abused him, asking him to withdraw the complaint and vacate the house. Patil then came to the flat with a woman and builder Bhushan Patil. Shah called the cops and went to the police station, when he saw Patil and the builder there. Shah said he was slapped by PSI Asif Baig. Shah's case was transferred to API DF Patil, following a robbery attempt in his flat.

PSI denies allegations
Baig denied all the charges. In fact, he said he would receive complaints against Shah from other society members, as he never paid his utility bills on time, resulting in the disconnection of his electricity and water. He would also call senior officers now and then for every problem.

Meanwhile, Shah alleged that in June 2014, he was assaulted by the accused and some more people. He called the cops, but nobody turned up. Shah attempted to meet Thane SP Rajesh Pradhan, but fainted before he could do so. The SP ordered his team to take Shah to the hospital and file an FIR against the accused.

Framed and locked up
When Shah came back to the police station to register the plaint, the cops ended up arresting him under charges of molestation and the POCSO Act. He ended up spending 20 months in prison for a crime he didn't commit. A court acquitted him and he was released on January 13, 2016. All cases against him were dropped in June 2017.

Shah then went back to the flat to collect his belongings but found nothing there. To his surprise, another tenant was residing there. His car was also missing.

Currently, Shah has no job and little money. He eats food at religious shrines and sleeps at railway stations. Last month, he approached current Thane SP Manjunath Shinde, who has asked Virar police to look into the matter. Palghar district PRO said, "We have received an application from Shah and ordered Virar police to investigate."

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Glass containers in which Arora has collected soil from different parts of Aarey. PICS/ABIGAIL D’Souza 

A conversation with artist Vikram Arora throws up a vital piece of insight into the issue of deforestation at Aarey Colony. Arora, along with four artists from Hong Kong and a Serbian national based in Mumbai, is spending a few days living with locals in the city’s jeopardised green cover, and he tells us, “The tribals here have a family that doesn’t include only the people they live with. It includes the trees they planted, the animals and birds that depend on those trees, the leopards around them and so on. So everything is inter-dependent, and the fallout [of deforestation] is ecological in nature, because the birds don’t have those trees any more. And the leopards will confront humans because their habitat has been taken away.”

This is the issue that forms the backbone of a project called Forest Tales: Mysteries Hidden in Concrete. It involves the six people creating individual works of art based on their experience of living in the heart of Aarey Colony, immersing themselves in the local culture by tilling the soil that nurtures the food that their hosts cook for them.

Chim Chi Ho tilling soil

Arora tells us that one of his projects, for instance, requires him to collect 33 types of soil from different parts of Aarey, symbolic of the 33 hectares of land in the area that is lost to the demands of construction work for the disputed Metro project. “I will put these bits of soil into 33 different containers on which I will draw Warli art, a traditional tribal style. The idea is to archive the memory of the soil in case that land is also taken away in the future. I will present the different glass containers as an installation to show how, if we proceed without long-term planning, we will end up building a fragile future for ourselves,” he says.

The other project he has embarked on is called Cut Me a Slice of That. For it, he will bake a pie inspired by savelya, a local sweet dish made with coconut and jaggery, which his host taught him to make. He will then serve that pie cut into different pieces when the various works of art are showcased to the public at an event later this week. “It’s meant to reflect the sentiment of how the land grab is taking place, piece by piece. For example, every time there is an emergency in the city, the NSG commandos are given a space in Aarey. A veterinary college is also given space here if they want it. Now the Metro wants its chunk too for the car shed. So, they keep taking this land away piece by piece, through rampant deforestation,” he explains.

(From left) Michael Leung, Vikram Arora, Gum Cheng, Yip Kai Chun and Chim Chi Ho, the artists living in Aarey. Katarina Rasic is not in the photo

Arora adds, however, that not everyone in the local community is against displacement. A few padas (settlement clusters), he says, are happy because they think they will get a house in a tower, though they eventually might never get to reach this carrot being dangled before them. “They are driven by economic sensibilities, thinking they will be moving into high society when, and if, they get those houses. But the whole idea is not only about them shifting base. Instead, it’s about the trees that are being cut to facilitate that process,” he says, pointing out how unless this urbanisation challenge is managed in a sensitive manner, ecological concerns are bound to be sacrificed at the altar of rampant concretisation.

Vikram Arora

ON May 20 AT Keltipada, Adivasi Pada, Unit no 18, Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon East.
LOG ON TO artoxygen.org

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A day after the plane crash at Ghatkopar, family members have now begun laying all five victims to rest, after identifying them with the help of their personal effects and teeth. On the other hand, their doubts and questions are yet to be put to rest, so they have now raised demands for a proper investigation of the mishap. Co-pilot Marya Zuberi was buried at the Shia Kabristan in Govandi's Rafi Nagar on Friday evening, while aircraft maintenance engineer Surabhi Gupta will be taken back to her native place for the last rites.

All five bodies were badly charred, so their DNA samples had been sent to the Kalina forensic laboratory for identification. However, the victims' kin did not want to wait too long, so they decided to go ahead with the last rites. Captain Pradip Rajput was identified by his bracelet, Gupta by her earrings, and Zuberi with the help of her engagement ring. Junior flight technician Manish Pandey's face was partially recognisable. Dr Hemlata Pandey, forensic odontologist from KEM hospital, reconfirmed the identity with the help of photographs where their teeth are visible. "In such cases, when everything turns to ashes, teeth remain intact," said Dr Pandey.

Prabhat and daughter Charvi. Pics/Suresh Karkera

'We want answers'
As Marya's husband and male family members lowered her body into the ground, her daughter Charvi as she wept outside the cemetery. Upon returning to their residence at Mira Road, her husband Prabhat Kathuriya told mid-day, "We are going to file an FIR." In a press statement titled 'Who Killed Marya?', Prabhat, a lawyer, said: "She left the house assuring me that she would return soon, as the weather conditions were clearly not right for a test flight of a small plane. She was sure that the commission to undertake such a flight would not be given."

We know that the aircraft was well beyond its prime. We know it was more than 20 years old. We know it had already had an accident in 2009 and that the UP government chose to sell it rather than spend on its repairs. Considering all the above stated facts we, the family of Marya Zuberi, want answers. We want to know who exactly was at fault and who will bear the responsibility?"

He told this paper, "I am startled that the police haven't enquired about the crew's cell phones. A colleague told me that when she tried Marya's number at 2.30 pm (after the crash), it was ringing, but there was no response. That could reveal something." First pilot in family The family will remember Marya as a trailblazer. She was the first among them to become a pilot, after battling the stigma and restrictions often imposed on women in conservative society. "She was our brave child," said uncle Gauhar Raza.

Also Read: Ghatkopar plane crash: Neighbours of Mira Road co-pilot unable to believe she is no more

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Local fishermen yesterday rescued three teenagers who had got stranded in the sea off Uttan while taking selfies. Sources said the three, residents of Bhayander, had gone for a picnic to Bhati Bandar village beach near Uttan last morning and got engrossed clicking selfies on the rocks.

They'd failed to pay attention to the high tide, and before any one of them realised, they were surrounded by water from all sides. Scared, they'd then started screaming for help.

Fishermen rescued the three teenagers who had got stranded near Uttan while taking selfies. Pics/Azim Tamboli

The fisherfolk from the village heard their cries and rushed to their aid, while a villager called up the fire brigade. By the time fire officials reached the spot, the fishermen had rescued the boys — Sachin Waghmare, 16, Vishal Minde, 19, and Sumit Fatpara, 18 — studying in Stds XI and XII.

Chief Fire Officer Prakash Borade from Mira-Bhayander fire station said, "We received the call and rushed to the spot around 11.30 am. But when we reached, we saw that the local fishermen had already helped the youngsters out. Later, we called their parents and handed them over."

Also Read: Travel: Go camping to tranquil Uttan in Bhayander

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Thane: Thousands of people, including grieving family members and friends, in Thane on Thursday received the mortal remains of Major Kaustubh P. Rane who was killed in a gun battle in Jammu and Kashmir. Rane was among the four Army personnel killed in a gunfight with terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in Bandipura district on Tuesday. His body reached his home in Mira Road town early on Thursday, an official said.

Late on Wednesday, the coffin, draped in the national Tricolour, arrived in Mumbai where it was solemnly received by Rane's grieving family members, Army and civilian officials. Early on Thursday, decked with flowers the coffin was brought to his hometown in a military truck for the last rites which will be performed with full military honours later in the day.

Thousands of emotional onlookers lined the roads on both sides or from building tops and terraces as they showered flowers on the coffin, raising slogans of "Major Kaustubh Rane, Amar Rahe" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", waving the Indian flag. Many women could be seen weeping.

Since Tuesday, the Mira Road township has been in mourning over the death of their hero, who lived over 25 years in Sheetal Nagar area, barely five km north of Mumbai. Rane, 29, is survived by his aged parents Prakash and Jyoti Rane, sister Kashyapi, wife Kanika and a two-and-half-year-old son Agastya.

His father had retired from a Tata Group company, while his mother is a former Assistant Headmistress of Utkarsh Mandir High School in Malad, Mumbai. The only son of his parents, Rane fulfilled his childhood dreams of joining the armed forces by completing his military training from Pune and was later commissioned as an officer from the elite Officers Training Academy, Chennai in 2011.

The Major had visited Mira Road town in April for a brief period before returning to the front. It was a proud moment for the family when Rane was decorated with the Sena Gallantry Medal by President Ram Nath Kovind on the 69th Republic Day celebrations this year.

Also read: Mumbai: Mira Road family mourns 29-year-old martyred Major

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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from IANS

Nalasopara has heaved a big sigh of relief after the arrest of suspected Sanatan Sanstha member Vaibhav Raut, who had allegedly terrorised his neighbourhood with his activities.

According to the police, Raut, who called himself a gau rakshak, has been involved in a series of attacks on butchers in the area every Bakri-eid. Raut allegedly tried to create communal tension, particularly in the neighbouring Sopara village, by harassing locals and carrying out illegal raids on mutton and beef shops.

Every year, the police would extern him from the area for short periods, by serving him notices under section 144 of the Mumbai Police Act; he, however, would stay put by bringing in political influence in the name of cow protection, said an officer, adding that even the police will breathe easy after his arrest.

Living in terror
Sopara village's Muslim community, especially the butchers, lived in fear and insecurity due to Raut's activities — even when beef hadn't been banned by the government, he would go around conducting 'raids' on meat shops and harassing the owners, said a local, Anis Qureshi. Speaking to mid-day, he added, "In 2014, Raut forcibly stopped my tempo in his area and assaulted the driver.

The driver called me and I went to the spot, but Raut and his colleague abused and assaulted me too, saying I was smuggling cow meat. They forcibly took me and my tempo to Nalasopara police station. I have never carried or supplied cow meat; after I showed all the relevant documents to the cops, they let me go and registered a case against Raut and his colleague.

"Large numbers of Muslims as well as gau rakshaks had gathered outside the police station that day... he had succeeded in creating communal tension; clashes could have erupted anytime. Huge police bandobast was then deployed in the area, for the first time in the history of Nalasopara."

Policespeak
"There are two cases of rioting and one of not following the district collector's order registered against Raut at Nalasopara police station. Since 2015, we have been serving him notices to leave the area during Bakri-eid to maintain law and order there," said Datta Totewar, SDPO, Nalasopara Division of Palghar district.

Also Read: Crime: Trio planning 'terror attack' held from Nalasopara, Pune

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After months of stiff resistance to the high-speed train, villagers in Palghar finally took the bullet for their community. In return for their land, the bullet train authorities have not only promised the residents of 73 hamlets handsome compensation, but will also give them long-pending basic facilities, such as hospitals, schools and water supply.

This is the first time the authorities are using such a tactic to acquire land for government projects. Since June, the villagers have rebuffed all attempts to persuade them to get on board with the project, despite promises of hefty compensation. But when the authorities decided to ask individual land owners what they wanted, most of them demanded basic facilities that would benefit the entire community, which they had long been deprived of.

Authorities built a medical centre and school in pre-fabricated pods

Basic needs met
The locals' needs were simple enough - hospitals, schools, water - and easy to address. The National High Speed Railway Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) used shipping containers and train coaches set up the first two requirements at a cost of just R5 lakh per container, and around R4 lakh per year for salaries. The team is also looking at providing schools. The existing school at Dahanu is being upgraded, and the NHSRCL will ensure that it is staffed.

At Virathan Khurd, a medical facility was built in one of these pre-fabricated pods. At Silte village, the dilapidated health centre is being upgraded and converted into a permanent hospital. Dahanu's civic body will supply doctors and nurses who will visit the villages twice a week.

"Another health centre will be set up in a container at Silte. We are also planning to deploy a mobile health unit once a week in every village with the help of the local  civic body," said Dhananjay Kumar, NHSRCL spokesperson.

On Saturday, Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani will visit the villages to inaugurate the facilities. As for the water supply, the authorities will explore the possibility of tapping groundwater. If it is not feasible, then alternative arrangements will be made, said sources.

Everyone wins
This novel approach to appeasing project-affected people (PAPs) was born out of equal parts necessity and empathy. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project requires a total of 350 hectares of land in Maharashtra alone, and the lion's share of this land is in Palghar (221 ha). Of the 104 affected villages in the state, 73 are in Palghar tehsil. The resistance from these villagers threatened to derail the project from its 2022 deadline.

"The village sarpanchs have now authorised only a select set of people whose land is actually affected, and only they and the representatives of the sarpanch's office can deal with the land issues. No outsiders are allowed to deal with the NHSRCL teams," said Kumar.

"During conversations with the villagers and the sarpanch, they showed us a new road and other developmental projects for which the authorities had taken land from them. They said that despite these new projects, their village's condition had not improved. They lamented that they did not even have a hospital, and they had to travel far for medical attention," said the official.

"Our teams held extended discussions with the locals and made a list of all their requirements. We prioritised their needs and fixed them one by one, after which the villagers realised that we were serious about their welfare," he added.

All this is in addition to the compensation to be given to the land owners. "We are giving compensation at five times the value of the land, and an additional 25 per cent of the value to those who have willingly consented to the land acquisition in Maharashtra and Gujarat," said Kumar.

Sarpanchspeak
Speaking to mid-day, Dilip Bhoir, sarpanch of Silte village, confirmed: "The bullet train officials have indeed been working for our welfare. We gave them a list of our needs, and accordingly, they are upgrading the medical units. We have strictly told them not to get in touch with anybody except the affected land owners. This way, there will be no political interference or unnecessary activism."

Also Read: NHRCL: Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train fares likely between Rs 250 and Rs 3000

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The 'late' patriarch 'showman' Raj Kapoor's guru-mantra, 'the show must go on' continues to inspire his three illustrious actor-director sons Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv Kapoor.

On Thursday, at the legendary R K Studios at Chembur, on Ganeshotsav following an elaborate Pujan, the sacred Ganesh aarti was performed by Randhir, Rajiv and 'nonagenarian' actor Vishwa Mehra (popularly called 'Mamaji' who was very close to Raj-saab and his family) late afternoon at 3.30 pm.

The Ganeshotsav at R K Studios assumed extra-sentimental significance this year, because the iconic studio-property has been put up for sale. If the realty deal goes through, this could possibly be their last obeisance within their hallowed studio premises, witness to glorious cinematic history. It was an emotionally overwhelming moment for the Kapoors and the large number of guest-devotees when 'Mamaji', 92, broke down while performing the aarti. Rajiv spontaneously assisted 'Mamaji'.

Rajiv and Randhir Kapoor with guests and staffers at the aarti

The loyalist said, "It was 63 years ago that the first Ganeshotsav was held at RK and I have been with Raj Kapoor-saab even prior to that. The golden era I spent with creative genius Raj-saab, all his buddies and his technical crew flashed in my mind, from the time we shot 'Awara' (1951) in RK studios. Suddenly, I realised that none of those senior talented masters are alive and I was perhaps the odd surviving man out."

Where's Rishi?
Conspicuous by his absence was charismatic Rishi Kapoor, a staunch Ganesh-bhakt. He has his own Ganapati idol at his Pali Hill home. Rishi said, "Unfortunately, owing to some prior commitment, I just could not make it. But the very next day [Friday morning] I went for Ganesh darshan at RK."

Tradition to continue
A sentimental Randhir said, "As long as the studios are there, the ceremony will exist, Whenever we shift to another location and office premises, the annual Ganeshotsav tradition will continue. We share a divine bonding with Lord Ganesha. We were compelled to sell the studios, as we were incurring huge losses. Especially after the devastating fire that broke out at RK, it was just not economically viable to reconstruct it. Film folk were also reluctant to travel all the way to Chembur," he finished.

Also Read: R.K. Studios Sale: Rishi Kapoor Reveals Why They Took The Decision

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In a shocking incident, the parents of a four-year-old girl have lodged a police complaint against a woman teacher from a Kandivli school on Monday for molesting their child during the school hours. The Kandivli police have booked the teacher under the stringent POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act. The police are probing the case and till now no arrests have been made. 

The minor child, who is in junior KG, complained to her parents after returning from school on Monday that the teacher had touched her inappropriately. When the parents of the minor girl approached the school, the management informed the parents that the school premises are entirely covered by cameras, except inside the washrooms. The police were summoned and the CCTV footage was shown to the parents as well as cops. "Nothing concrete has been found in the CCTV footage." the police officer said. 

"It is not clear as of now as to where the molestation occurred. We are quizzing school staffers and recording statements," said a police official as reported in Times of Internet. School authorities said that they were cooperating in the probe. "For the safety of children, we have hired only female staff for the pre-primary section," said a school representative.

In a similar incident, the Charkop Police arrested a transgender for allegedly molesting a minor girl. According to the police sources, the incident took place in Charkop, Kandivli (W). The accused transgender came to the victim’s house to offer blessings in exchange for cash and allegedly touched the girl inappropriately. 

The girl informed her mother about the incident who was in the kitchen at the time. The mother immediately approached the Charkop Police to register a formal complaint against the transgender. The Charkop police registered a complaint on the request of the mother and made the arrest within an hour by tracing the accused in the same locality.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: 26-Year-Old Man Who Molested Manipur Student On Suburban Train Arrested

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The Kandivli police have arrested the father of an 18-year-old girl after she allegedly accused him of constantly molesting and sexually harassing her for two years. In her written complaint,  the girl has alleged that her father has been molesting her since 2016. She also said that she mustered courage and filed a complaint against him after he tried to 'touch her inappropriately' on the eve of September 11.

"On Monday, she came to the police station accompanied by an older woman from her neighbourhood. She said that over the last two years, her father has made several inappropriate comments and actions. And that he would also often make lewd gestures in front of her and try to make her uncomfortable in various ways,” said an official from the Kandivali police as reported in Mumbai Mirror.

Since the girl was facing and dealing with the abuse for a long time, the Kandivli police have booked the father under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with the relevant
sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Post the arrest of her father on Monday evening, the girl’s mother lashed out at her, accusing her own daughter of falsely implicating her father, the police sources said.

"The mother believes that the daughter is doing this under the influence of someone. She thinks that with the father in prison, it will give her the necessary freedom to do what she wants and scare her parents from taking any disciplinary action against her” said an official elaborating on the mother’s statement. 

In another incident, the parents of a four-year-old girl lodged a police complaint against a woman teacher from a Kandivli school on Monday for molesting their child during the school hours. The Kandivli police have booked the teacher under the stringent POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act. The police are probing the case and till now no arrests have been made.

The minor child, who is in junior KG, complained to her parents after returning from school on Monday that the teacher had touched her inappropriately. When the parents of the minor girl approached the school, the management informed the parents that the school premises are entirely covered by cameras, except inside the washrooms. The police were summoned and the CCTV footage was shown to the parents as well as cops. "Nothing concrete has been found in the CCTV footage." the police officer said. 

Also Read: Watch Video: Woman Steals Mobile-Phone From Mulund Shop

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October may not have arrived in the city, but the heat that marks the month preceding the faux winter most certainly has. Admittedly, the temperature at Peru Baug is at least a couple of degrees lesser than elsewhere in the city at 3 pm. Still, it's an arduous task to sit down 20 young children, most with little interest in being here, and teaching them the basics of arithmetic and Devnagri script (reading and writing) for two hours a day, six days a week.

Yet, for 43-year-old Jyoti Dode it's more of a mission. Even with the odds stacked against her. After all, for a teacher in a campus that produces some of the world's, best minds - with state-of -the-art teaching and research facilities - the only tools at her disposal are a few paper cutouts where a 'Ka' in Devnagri helps the student identify that it denotes a Kangaroo (an animal that s/he would be very unlikely to know or possibly identify). But, for Dode, who often has to drag the kids to the small space outside her home - the village is in shambles - an education may help them stand up against the institution bent on robbing them of their land.

"We have lived here since the British period and, because we are not educated enough, we had no idea when the government handed the land over to IIT Bombay," she says, adding, "We hope that our children can change that."

Maali Rano Urade with the day's catch of dandavat fish which she cooks with bamboo shoot picked from the forest Pics/Arita Sarkar

Against the might of IIT
The IIT campus in Powai is spread over an area of 550 acres. On the northern fringe, closer to Vihar lake and near the National Institute of Industrial Engineering lies Peru Baug, which 260 adivasi families - some of whom are from the Warli tribe and some of whom are Malhar Kolis - call home. The families claim that they have lived here for at least four generations, while IIT was established here only in 1958.

For decades the two have had a symbiotic relationship. The adivasi men would have odd jobs on the campus, their children have access to the on-campus Kendriya Vidyalaya (which they don't attend regularly enough) and the tribals continue to live as before.

Prakash Bhoir, Adivasi from Kelti Pada, Aarey Colony

A few years ago, however, trouble started brewing. In 2012, the adivasis staged a "morcha" after conversations with the institute regarding installation of two water connections didn't yield results, says Dode, the representative of the village committee. Having grown up in Saki Naka and married into Peru Baug, Dode having studied till Std IX, is one of the few residents here to have received even primary education. She adds, that the water connection came in 2015.

Earlier this month, there were reports that the IIT management has now asked the adivasis to move out of the campus entirely, and the MMRDA has been tasked with acquiring accommodation for them at Qureshi Nagar in Kurla.

Prabhu, a resident of Peru Baug shows off his catch for the day. Most of the tribe's men are employed on the IIT campus and earn around Rs 8,000 a day. In the evening, they catch fish, which sustains their livelihood. Pics/Arita Sarkar

Dode puts the IIT move down to the 2012 protests. It was only after that, she says, that IIT officials started talks about moving them out. "Initially, they asked us to leave our village and offered accommodation in Kanjur Marg. Some of us agreed since it would still be close to the campus. The men in our village could still keep their housekeeping jobs and the women could still come to fish in the lake. But then they changed their mind and said that we would have to go to Kurla instead, which is too far for us," she says.

And even while they live on campus, some residents say, having IIT for a neighbour isn't easy. Maali Rano Urade, 70, says, "Earlier we could grow a lot of vegetables, which was enough for us to eat and then sell in the market. But, over the years, IIT officials have forced us to reduce the amount of vegetables we grow. They have made our lives difficult." Not just that, she adds that they are not allowed to repair houses or cover their huts with plastic sheets during the monsoon months. She alleges that IIT officials and guards visit their village every day to ensure that they haven't made any extensions.

The world ends at IIT
Kanjur Marg would have been a compromise, but Kurla is almost like another country to the residents of Peru Baug, some of whom have barely stepped outside of the boundaries that define the IIT campus.

Laadki Barap, 70, is one of them. In the last 10 years, she says, her life has been confined to her home and the Vihar lake, where she fishes. "My life involves going to the lake to fish and tending to chores at home. I haven't gone out of the village in a very long time and I have no idea what the area outside looks like. If they send us to Kurla, many of us won't be able to figure our way around the city," she adds.

But, life inside Per Baug is both busy and self-sustained. Urade's day for instance begins at the crack of dawn. By 7 am when we met her, she was already seated on the shore of the lake throwing her fish line into the water. Her catch usually comprises small fish called 'dandavat'. On a lucky day, she will catch rohu, or even black pomfret. When she has enough for a meal for herself and her family, which is usually by afternoon, she returns home to cook it with tender bamboo shoots picked from the forest area around the lake.

The women from Peru Baug seen with amla that they collected from trees in the forest. The tribals grow some of the vegetables they eat in small patches of land near their homes. Wild vegetables are grown only during the monsoon months.

The homes here don't have gas cylinders. They cook their food on wood which is found neatly stacked in sheds outside their huts. "Since the wood gets wet during the rains, we collect enough wood to last the three months of monsoon. Once the rain stops, we go out to look for more wood," Urade adds.

The tribals grow some of the vegetables they eat in small patches of land near their homes. Wild vegetables which are not available in the market are grown only during the monsoon months. "For the rest of the year we collect the tender shoots of bamboo plant, flowers of the Kurdu plant or leaves of Takla plant and make a vegetable out of it. This way we can save money," says 28-year-old Depenti Urade, who we meet while she is tending to the vegetable patch near her house. She adds that during the monsoon months, they are able to sell the vegetables they grow when they have more than they can consume. The women sell bananas, amla and colocasia leaves used to make aaloo vadi, a popular Maharashtrian dish, in the market to make some extra money.

"For the rest of the year we collect the tender shoots of bamboo plant, flowers of the Kurdu plant or leaves of Takla plant and make a vegetable out of it. This way we can save money," says 28-year-old Depenti Urade

The village's men are not around. They spend the day at work as housekeeping staff at the student hostels on campus and then go fishing in the evening. Some of the women work there too, even though the pay isn't great. "We work in the canteen where we cook, serve and clean dishes. We work eight-hour shifts and the contractor pays us around Rs 8,000 every month. But since we don't have to purchase food, we can manage for now," says 45-year-old Sevanti Urade, Depenti's mother-in-law, who hails from another adivasi pada in Aarey colony.

Tribals, not slumdwellers
The community here feels it's the lack of education that's doing them in. They say they had allowed the Slum Rehabilitation Authority officials to conduct a survey in their village only because they were promised an alternate accommodation nearby. "We were here long before IIT even existed. But the government is kicking us out of our land just because we aren't educated enough to understand our rights. If we can't grow our vegetables and catch fish, how will we survive in a tiny flat in Kurla?" asks Dode, adding that they even suggested that they be moved to another part of the IIT campus, instead of being ousted out of premises altogether. But, that was not considered.

Firewood used by villagers to cook food

The residents accompanied by members of Shramik Mukti Sangathna, an NGO advocating rights of tribal communities had approached Rajendra Gavit, an MP of BJP from the Palghar Lok Sabha constituency last month. During a visit conducted two weeks ago, Gavit had reassured them that he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and IIT administration last week. Despite several calls and messages, Gavit could not be reached for a comment.

Tribals from other parts of the city advise the Peru Baug residents not to budge from their current space, especially under SRA laws. Prakash Bhoir, a resident of Kelti Pada in Aarey Colony feels that that government's solution of shifting adivasis to SRA flats is short-sighted. "Why should the SRA rehabilitate us? We're not slum residents who have a village to go back to. We belong here and this is the only home we know. We have been paying taxes for the land we grow our crops on and we have papers to prove it. Then why should we just accept a small flat?" he asks. He argues that it's not the SRA, rather the tribal department that ought to conduct surveys on their land. "People don't want to move out because it's not just about the house. It's about land, our animals and the trees that we have taken care of for several generations," he adds.

Prakash Bhoir, a resident of Kelti Pada in Aarey Colony

Those who have been advocating tribal rights feel the government has long tried to silence the voice of the tribal community across the country and they are yet to come across a case where tribals were rehabilitated in an appropriate manner. Adivasis everywhere, they say, are deliberately being harassed by various government agencies by not allowing them to set up electricity connections or not granting permission to construct toilets.

Graphic/Uday Mohite

Cassandra Nazareth, a social worker, who has been working with adivasis living in 12 padas in Aarey Colony says the government was disconnecting them from the earth they worship by shifting them to SRA flats. "How will they grow their vegetables in a 225 sq ft tenement? What the government needs to do is engage with the adivasis and come up with a solution from within the community," she adds.
- with inputs from Pallavi Smart

The fight for land
IIT Bombay officials stated that the adivasis are being moved to make way for the Research Park that is currently under construction. Based on their website, the research centre aims to bring IIT Bombay and the industry together and promote research and development collaborations. When asked about the tribals being displaced from their land, KP Unnithan, the superintendent engineer of IIT Bombay administration had only one response for all questions. "The land belongs to IIT Bombay," he says repeatedly.

The adivasis however don't have tribal certificates and thus, are unable to prove that they have lived on the land for the past several decades. It was only a few years ago, with the help of Shramik Muki Sangathna and political involvement that they were able to get their Aadhaar cards and election IDs.

What the authorities say
'The accommodation will be in Kurla, but the SRA is yet to handover the tenements to us. We are currently unaware of the number of adivasis who will be resettled'
Dilip Kavatkar, joint project director of MMRDA.

Once tribal homes, now slums
Nitin Kubal, who has been a field officer with TISS in the M-East Ward Project for the past three years stated that the survey conducted by Pune-based Tribal Research Institute in 2003, which was published two years later is the only comprehensive data available on the number of tribal settlements in Mumbai. "Based on the survey, there were 222 adivasi padas in Mumbai of which 159 converted into slums and only 63 are still isolated padas, which are located largely in western suburbs. No other recent surveys have been conducted," he said.

Also Read - Section 377: IIT-Bombay Students Celebrate Supreme Court's Judgement

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