Though most passengers are from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, there were repatriates of 18 other states and Union Territories also in the ship, which began its journey from Male to Kochi on Friday night

Saturday's development comes three years after India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam region in Sikkim sector

Former Australian National Rugby League (NRL) star Robbie Farah has revealed how a failed effort to clinch a date with Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard, fondly called Genie, was only a joke between drunk friends. In a recent interview to Fox League Live, Robbie, 36, said of the February incident: "I was in Miami and I was pi***d. I was with a bunch of mates and we thought it'd be funny if I sent her a message.

"The next day it blew up in the media. I had all these people having a go at me, some people thought it was rude or whatever. I was like it's a joke. If you can't take a joke, seriously…what world do we live in?"

Robbie had tagged Eugenie in two tweets, asking her for a date. His first tweet read: "@geniebouchard, surely you're having a drink with me in Miami!" Within a few minutes, he wrote: "@geniebouchard if I rub you do I get three wishes?" Genie did not reply to his tweets, but that didn't stop the media from reporting his verbal attempts. The tweets are since deleted.

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American supermodel Kendall Jenner is not dating basketball player Devin Booker although they are part of a group. According to a report in etonline.com, the NBA player, 23, and Kendall, 24, are "absolutely not dating" or "hooking up".

Rumours of their romance started doing the rounds last month, after they were pictured together going on a road trip. According to the source, the model and the Phoenix Suns player have known each other for some years and they are a part of the same group which has many NBA players, but she has not dated any of them.

Meanwhile, Kendall faced backlash on social media over her rumoured relationship with Devin. She has also been linked to basketball players Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin.

A user commented on Twitter, "NBA players passing around Kendall Jenner." Meanwhile, another wrote: "Maybe she's passing them around," to which she replied: "They act like I'm not in full control of where I throw this c***h."

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Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr, a triple Olympic gold medallist, has been admitted to a city hospital in critical condition. The 96-year-old was taken to a private hospital from his residence in Sector 36 in Chandigarh, where he lives with his daughter Sushbir and maternal grandson Kabir. "Dadaji is in ICU right now at Fortis Hospital. He was admitted last evening with complaints of pneumonia. He is on ventilator but better than yesterday," grandson Kabir told PTI.

Dr Rajinder Kalra, doctor of 1975 World Cup winning side as well as family doctor:"Balbir had 104 degree fever on Thursday night. Initially, we tried to manage by giving him sponge baths at home but his conditions didn't improve we tried to shift him to PGI, Chandigarh. "But since PGI Chandigarh is a COVID hospital, so it was difficult to get him admitted in ICU. So we admitted him in Fortis, Mohali where he as been 3-4 times before."

"He is currently in ICU but better than yesterday. His COVID-19 test went for examination today and the results are expected tomorrow," Kalra said. In January last year, Balbir Sr was discharged from PGI after spending 108 days in the hospital, where he underwent treatment for bronchial pneumonia.

"It is an unparalleled achievement and credit to his grit that he could recover at the age of 95 from the scenario of bronchial pneumonia and near cardiac failure that he was initially admitted with," Prof. Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER had then said when the former India captain was discharged.

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When not bingeing on the Israeli series Fauda, Randeep Hooda keeps busy with household chores during the lockdown. "Cooking, baking, and doing the dishes have suddenly become exotic activities," he grins, taking a dig at B-Town stars whose social media feeds are full of such posts.

The PR gimmicks hold little charm for the reticent actor who prefers to stay away from the media glare. That has been particularly difficult over the past fortnight since the Netflix film, Extraction, dropped online. Hooda won glowing reviews for his assassin act in the Chris Hemsworth- fronted action thriller.

"Being an action hero is every actor's dream. You grow up watching action flicks like Rambo. So, with the film, I fulfilled one of my desires of essaying a gun-toting assassin and indulging in hand-to-hand combat," says Hooda. Known for his penchant for grey characters, he hopes the Hollywood production makes the industry see him in "a new light".

This year saw Hooda back on the scene after a hiatus. With Extraction and Love Aaj Kal behind him, he is looking forward to Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai that marks his reunion with Salman Khan after Kick (2014) and Sultan (2016). "Given the current scenario, the film is unlikely to release on Eid. I have indulged in a lot of action in Radhe, too. I busted my knee cap during one of the scenes and had to be hospitalised."

After almost two decades in the industry, Hooda has learnt to take professional ups and downs in his stride. "Before Extraction came my way, I had no work for three years. But, I did not let the situation get the better of me." His dream project, Rajkumar Santoshi's Battle of Saragarhi, which was announced in 2016, did not take shape. He grew his hair and facial fuzz and remained in character for over two years, waiting for the film to roll. "When I realised it was not happening, I went to the gurudwara, apologised and then chopped off my hair."

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"I have been a total lockdown bum," says Swara Bhaskar who has taken up animal rescue during this time. "I have rescued three animals—a dog, a baby kite, and a kitten. While I handed over the kite to a wildlife rescue NGO, I adopted the dog and kitten, in addition to the three cats I already have. Taking care of them makes me feel like a single parent."

Like others in isolation, Bhaskar has also taken to OTT platforms to binge-watch random sit-coms and series. On the top of the film buff's list is Jafar Panahi's Offside. "If you are fond of world cinema, this Iranian film is something you shouldn't miss. Iran didn't allow women to enter the football stadiums, back in the day. So, a group of girls dress up as boys to watch a match. It's a lovely film," adds Bhaskar.

Stills from Offside and Searching for Sugar Man

Next on the list is Searching for Sugarman says the Veere Di Wedding actor. "The documentary is a beautiful depiction of a failed American musician, who was rumoured to be dead, and how two fans try to discover his whereabouts. There is a lovely twist in the end," adds the actor.

Bhaskar also suggests watching Netflix's After Life. She says, "Netflix has already released the second instalment of the series. The 1995, BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice into a six part series, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth is also a must-watch."

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Today's the day to celebrate our moms. In order to honour them on Mother's Day, we've picked out some of our favourite TV matriarchs. From Kevin's mother, Norma (from The Wonder Years) to the superhero mom of the Dunphy tribe, Claire, (from Modern Family) we celebrate mothers who have broken out of their homemaker roles, became the supermoms and excelled in their chosen career paths. Here's a list of TV moms who managed to pull down a paycheck while also packing their kids' lunches!

Norma Arnold, The Wonder Years

While an 80s sitcom mom, Norma, portrayed a mother in the 1960s and 70s. She showed us the transformation of a woman during the burgeoning women's movement. Norma had dropped out of college and gotten married. But she goes back to school, finishes her degree, and lands up as an executive with a software startup. Her inspiring evolution over the years showed us that no matter the decade or circumstance, women could be or do anything. Throughout the series, you see her yearning to break out of her homemaker role, which reflected the rise in feminism in the 1960s US. If you wish to take a trip down memory lane, watch this show currently airing in India on Star World.

Jessica Huang, Fresh Off the Boat

One of the smartest, strongest, and most protective TV moms, Jessica Huang, played by Constance Wu, is a character we have all grown to admire. Whether Jessica is chasing down teens who dine-and-dash at the family's restaurant or is standing up to the middle school principal, she is nothing like a stereotypical Asian woman, or even a typical sitcom mom. She is strong, bold, and unapologetic! Beneath her brash and ambitious exterior self, she is a kind, loving, and caring mother. You see her pursue her career when she takes a step back from helping her husband run his restaurant and goes on to chart her own success as a real estate agent. You can watch the show on Hotstar.

Rainbow Johnson, Black-Ish

The perfectly imperfect TV wife and working mom, Dr Rainbow Johnson on Black-ish is kind, funny, selfless, and usually nice. Played by Tracee Ellis Ross, Bow is an anesthesiologist who is unapologetic about having a career that she loves. Like most moms, she has bouts of feeling guilty about loving her job and being a mom, but she uses those moments as teachable lessons for her children about having ambition and purpose in life. Black-ish can be watched in India on Hotstar.

Joyce Byers, Stranger Things

Joyce Byers was one of the strongest characters throughout the first season of Stranger Things, going the extra mile again and again to find Will. Remember that this is the show set in the 80s. Given the time, Joyce, a single mother, works hard at a low-paying job to support her family. Working at a retail store, she gives her best to make ends meet. And though not a central character, Joyce is a badass mother, who works damn hard and loves her kids! The show is currently streaming on Netflix.

Claire Dunphy, Modern Family

Claire is uptight, bossy, and often frantic. A stay-at-home mother and wife until season five, Claire starts the juggle between work and kids when her father, Jay, hires her to work at his office. A perfectionist when it comes to dealing with her family, Claire is a mother who almost always knows what to do during stressful times, more than Phil. She gave up her career when she got pregnant with her first child, but later returned to work to head up her father's successful closet business. One of the funniest modern moms of this generation, Claire teaches us so much! The series culminated just recently, and can be watched in India on Star World.

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That Mother's Day has arrived amid the lockdown this year is only as inopportune as it is befitting. After all, few could have had a better first-hand account of the panache with which she maintains the physical and emotional well-being of the entire family, even when isolated with them for months, within the confines of four walls. Among the many artistes to pay tribute to mothers is Anushka Manchanda, who has released a single, Thanks maa, that streams on Resso.

"When the pandemic struck, a lot of us began to reflect on how vulnerable we feel. We look to our family and loved ones for support and the single most important person we tend to depend on are our mother. Whether they are away, or at home with us, they give us so much support and comfort. In times like this, it's even more important to let them know how grateful we are for them." Manchanda says that composer Charan Singh Pathania has captured the essence of what she wanted to say. "I wanted the song to be joyful while capturing the emotional bond we share with our mothers," says the singer.

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Ahead of Mother's Day on Sunday, actress Debina Bonnerjee has recalled her cherished moments spent with her mom, sharing how her mother used to fulfil her wishes and how she played an important role in her successful career. "She played an important part in developing and fuelling the seed of being an actress in me. I was always a very filmy kid and wanted to wear the classic outfits worn by the Bollywood actresses during that time. I remember I wanted to wear the halter neck outfit worn by Kajol in 'Baazigar' and my mother went out of her way to get the same material and even stitch it for me," she said.

"I think I have been fortunate to wear all the classic Bollywood outfits growing up. It is only because of my mother and her support that I could explore my passion of being an artist," she said. Debina also shared that she wants to take her mom to the Maldives after lockdown.

"She has been with me in Mumbai for the last 6 years now but with such a fast-paced and demanding work life, we couldn't spend quality time together. So, this phase when we are at home has been the perfect opportunity that made us all go back in time and rebuild the traditions that we had as a family. Once we are all out of this testing phase, I would love to take my mother to the Maldives," she added.

Debina is currently seen in Sony SAB's show "Aladdin: Naam Toh Suna Hoga".

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May 10 is Mother's Day and like many other Bollywood celebrities, Shilpa Shetty took out time to talk about what an "incredible example of strength, dignity, ethics and love" her mother has been for her as well as her sister Shamita. "I am so grateful to God for blessing me with 'this' mother in this life, who has loved and supported me unconditionally and selflessly. She has been an incredible example of strength, dignity, ethics and love to both Shamita and me and moulded us into the individuals we are today. The moral and spiritual values that she gave us throughout our formative years make for such a beautiful gift - one that can never be repaid," said Shilpa.

Shilpa used TikTok's in-app campaign #ThanksMaa to thank her mother. She created a video using TikTok's photo template to express love for her mom on this special occasion. It features beautiful photographs of the actress along with her mother.

She also thanked her mother-in-law, "who encourages me with pride in all my endeavours", adding: "None of this would have ever been possible without your love and blessings". Meanwhile, to make the day even more memorable, cricketers David Warner, Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan and actress Hansika Motwani will be going live on TikTok at 11 am on May 10.

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Producer Karim Morani's daughter Zoa Morani donated her blood for plasmatherapy trials for COVID-19 treatment at Mumbai's Nair hospital. Zoa, who has recently recovered from coronavirus along with her father Karim Morani and sister Shaza Morani, took to Instagram to inform everyone about her blood donation. She also mentioned that any person who has recovered from COVID-19, can take part in the cause.

"Donated my blood today for the #plasmatherapy trials at #nairhospital.. it was fascinating!!! Always a silver lining i suppose... the team there was so enthusiastic and careful. There was a general physician on standby just incase of emergency and the equipment brand new and safe!!! All #Covid19 recovered people can be a part of this trial, to help others covid patients recover! Thank you Dr Jayanti Shastri and Dr Ramesh Waghmare for taking such good care of me.. hope this works #covidrecovery #IndiaFightsCorona," shared Zoa on Instagram on Saturday evening.

 

 

 

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Donated my blood today for the #plasmatherapy trials at #nairhospital .. it was fascinating !!! Always a silver lining i suppose ... the team there was so enthusiastic and careful. There was a general physician on standby just incase of emergency and the equipment brand new and safe !!! All #Covid19 recovered people can be a part of this trial , to help others covid patients recover ! Thank you Dr Jayanti Shastri and Dr Ramesh Waghmare for taking such good care of me .. hope this works 🤲🏽🤲🏽🤲🏽🤲🏽🤲🏽🤲🏽 #covidrecovery #IndiaFightsCorona They even gave me a certificate and 500 rs , Wont lie , i felt super cool today ☺ï¸Â

A post shared by Zoa💫 (@zoamorani) onMay 9, 2020 at 6:22am PDT

Zoa shared photographs from the hospital clicked during and after her blood donation.

She also informed in her post that her blood donation has been acknowledged with a certificate and a Rs-500 remittance by the hospital and she feels "super cool" about it!

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Kajol and Ajay Devgn completed 21 years of marital bliss. The couple has always set some serious goals with their polar opposite mannerisms. Ajay's calm demeanour perfectly blends in with Kajol's outgoing personality. The power couple also engages in fun banter on social media.

This time, we are talking about Ajay's throwback picture with Kajol comparing their 22 years of marriage to the lockdown. The black-and-white picture is from one of their films together. Sharing the picture, he wrote, Feels like it's been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol (sic)".

 

 

 

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Feels like it’s been twenty two years since the lockdown began. #FridayFlashback @kajol

A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) onMay 8, 2020 at 6:19am PDT

Aren't they the cutest couple? Their playful social media banter surely has always given us couple goals!

Recently, Kajol took to Instagram and wondered what day of the week it was. The star captioned it, "When Sunday and Monday are just the same. Wayback Wednesday."

 

 

 

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When Sunday and Monday are just the same... #lockdownstories #WaybackWednesday

A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol) onMay 6, 2020 at 12:47am PDT

The duo has worked together in films like Gundaraj, Hulchul, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Dil Kya Kare, Raju Chacha, and U Me Aur Hum. The couple is blessed with two children, Yug and Nysa. The couple were last seen together in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. It has turned out to be the biggest hit of Devgn and Kajol's career, with staggering collections of over Rs. 275 crores.

Kajol was recently seen in the short film Devi, which received wide acclaim from the audience and critics alike. Devi also starred Neha Dhupia, Neena Kulkarni, Mukta Barve, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Yashaswini Dayama, Sandhya Mhatre and Rama Joshi. It can be viewed on YouTube.

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Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput tied the knot on July 7, 2015, in a private ceremony and since then their love has grown stronger. Mira is the daughter of Delhi-based businessman Vikramaditya Rajput and Bela Rajput. Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput became proud parents to baby girl Misha on August 26, 2016. Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput welcomed their second child, a baby boy on September 5, 2018, and the duo named their new-born Zain Kapoor.

Misha and Zain are one of the most adorable star kids of B-town. The cute little kiddos are the apple of everyone's eye. Just like other star babies, both the kids, particularly Misha has several fan clubs dedicated to her. Shahid and Mira often treat their fans with lovey-dovey pictures of their kids on Instagram.

During the coronavirus lockdown, Mira tried her hands at embroidery and even took some help from daughter Misha. Mira shared a picture of an embroidered heart and wrote, "Big love with my little love. With a hand drawn pattern and help on the turns, little hands made the heart with a lot of excitement and filled with a whole lot of love!" Take a look at the picture here:

The star wife keeps sharing snippets of her family quarantine time on her Instagram profile. She recently gave a shoutout to everyone for staying indoors. She wrote an elaborate open letter which read, "Love them. Hug them. Ask them how they feel and let them cry if they're not okay. Kiss them. Paint with them and let their clothes and the walls get dirty. Watch their favourite cartoon with them. Snuggle up with them. Give them extra ketchup if they ask for it that day. And when you’re tired after doing the dishes and cooking dinner and they say “Mumma can you play with me” remember this time isn’t forever. Little hands. Big hearts Love them."

 

 

 

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A post shared by Mira Rajput Kapoor (@mira.kapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 9:52am PDT

On the work front, Shahid Kapoor's last film, Kabir Singh, did excellently at the box office. The Sandeep Reddy Vanga directorial was the story of a brilliant doctor who takes the self-destructive path when the love of his life is forced to marry another man. It earned over Rs 250 crore and became one of the highest grosser of 2019.

As of now, Shahid has signed the Hindi remake of the Telugu film Jersey, which is the story of a cricketer and how he battles the politics within the game and his inner demons. The film is all set to release on August 28, 2020.

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas returned to her California residence after attending Ambanis Holi party back in early March. Later, she was also seen chilling with Natasha Poonawalla at their Pune residence. Ever since the lockdown started, the actress is spending some quality time with husband Nick Jonas at their California home. Let's take a look at her quarantine chronicles right away!

The pretty pretty princess:

Priyanka Chopra Jonas' niece, with whom she is often seen spending time with, turned muse for her! Well, the results were spectacular. The actress let her niece paint her face with all the makeup, and look at what she turns out to be, a 'pretty pretty princess.' Do you know what's the highlight? Her adorable technique to put makeup on Miss World Priyanka Chopra's face. Take a look.

 

 

 

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First Monday in May ⁣ This year’s theme: Pretty Pretty Princess ⁣ Glam and creative direction by: @sky.krishna 📸- @divya_jyoti

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onMay 4, 2020 at 5:31pm PDT

Cuddles:

Gino was a gift o Nick Jonas on his 27th birthday! The actress surprised him with the most adorable gift ever. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, after Diana diaries, also has an Instagram page entirely dedicated to Gino Jonas. Cute!

 

 

 

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I promise Gino loves my cuddles. @ginothegerman

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onMay 5, 2020 at 5:07pm PDT

No gym, no problem:

A lot of people are finding it difficult to keep in shape during the lockdown period. It's not just food that has been a distraction to many, but also a lazy couch, and extremely fun content on television, which is just making everyone difficult to get back to their daily routine. There, there! But, Priyanka Chopra has found a fun way to keep it fit. Check out the video right here.

 

 

 

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No gym, no problem. @sky.krishna @divya_jyoti

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onMay 2, 2020 at 12:05pm PDT

The saree feels:

It has been almost three months many people have been under the lockdown. Not kidding! Being at home can be fun at times, but this has become a tad more unbearable. Not getting ready and not stepping out of the house at all, is not fun anymore! To keep up with the tradition, desi girl also missed wearing a saree during the lockdown period. But, surprise surprise, she wore it at home too!

 

 

 

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Felt like wearing a saree. So I did...At home. Miss everyone. ❤ï¸Â @nickjonas

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onApr 25, 2020 at 9:45pm PDT

The virtual concert:

Priyanka Chopra also announced to be part of a virtual benefit concert - 'One World: Together At Home'. The special event took place on April 18. The actress had also pledged USD 100,000 in total to four incredible women who rose above the challenges to make a difference during the coronavirus crises.

 

 

 

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See you soon. ❤ï¸Â One World: #TogetherAtHome with @glblctzn will be broadcast on all major networks and digitally tonight around the world. Join us to support @WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund. Who’s watching with me??!

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onApr 18, 2020 at 4:59pm PDT

On the professional front, Priyanka Chopra was last seen in Shonali Bose's  The Sky Is Pink, opposite Farhan Akhtar. The film was Priyanka's comeback film in Bollywood after a hiatus of three years. It also had Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf in pivotal roles among others. The Sky Is Pink is based on the life of the motivational speaker, Aisha Chaudhary, and how she didn't allow her pulmonary fibrosis to deter her spirits.

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Dedicating a whole day to honour and celebrate the women who raised us is beyond special. Mothers are selfless, they are strong and can overcome any obstacle with all their might to protect their family. This Mother's day, television artists take the opportunity to wish all mothers, celebrate them, and immensely thank them for being the true warriors and protectors of their children.

Nimrit Kaur as Meher from Choti Sarrdaarni:

"I think the closest person to every child is their mother. Ever since I was little, my mum has been my world and my go-to person. She has always told me that she should be the first person that I should be able to share my feelings with; no wonder she is my best friend. It's her kindness, compassion, and empathy that has ensured that I remain grounded. It is her fiercely confident nature that inspired me to push myself and to dream big. It's her constant support that made me reach where I have, today. I don't think anybody has or ever love me the way she does. I don't think I know of anyone more selfless than her. And I believe I would turn out to be a fine woman, daughter, wife, mother, and a friend if I could be half as wonderful as she is. I dedicate this Mother's Day to her and I will make sure to do things together that make her happy."

Amruta Khavilkar of Khatron Khiladi Season 10:

"Mothers always love their children unconditionally. I have always been a Mama's girl. She is like a pillar of strength in my world. She has not only stood for me through thick and thin but has been there for me when I had completely lost hope. Her immense belief in me had lifted me up and made me a more confident person. I will always be grateful to her and will definitely plan something special for this Mother's Day."

Jigyasa Singh who plays Heer in Shakti- Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii:

"This mother's day will be different from every year. Every year, either I used to be busy at work or me and my mom used to go out for dinner and some shopping. But this time, we are home and we will celebrate it with our entire family. Ever since I have started working, I hardly got to spend quality time with my mother. Thanks to the lockdown this time, we got an opportunity to be together at home."

Puneett aka Arjun from Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story

"Mothers are God's most precious gift to us. They are the ones who gave us our gift of life. This Mother's Day, I want to specially thank my mother and all the mothers out there and appreciate them for being our truest supporters. They are the real super heros of our lives. I consider myself lucky that my mother is with me at the moment. I plan to cook something special for my mother and pamper her with movies, music, fun and everything that makes her happy. We are going to have a great time this Mother's Day together."

Namish Taneja as Vivek Vardhan Singh of Vidya:

“Even the thought of living without my mother makes me feel incomplete. I will always be grateful that I got the chance to spend the entire lockdown phase with her, since I do not get much time to spend with her because of my hectic schedule. She does so much for me that I wish I could do something special for her every day, and not just on Mother's Day. Luckily, this time I will be at home and I will make sure that I make this day as special as I can for her. I also plan to cook something very special for her.”

Anita Raj as Kulwant Kaur from Choti Sarrdaarni:

"As a mother, this day is very special to me. However, my kids make me feel like every day is Mother's Day. This year, they won't be able to do much because of the locked, but I think they have already planned something for me. They have requested me to keep myself available for some time on Sunday. Just like last year, I am expecting lots of fun with my kids."

Mugdha Chapekar, who plays the role of Prachi in Zee TV's Kumkum Bhagya

"My mother has been my constant support system. She’s a strong person and has always made sure I be brave and strong. Whatever you choose to do in life make sure you are good at it and I follow it even today. She is a working woman who happens to be a wonderful homemaker as well. In fact, I have inherited her cooking skills too, but still, she is the best! I love her optimism and never have I ever seen her spirit go low! 'Put that smile on and seize the day,' is what she believes as being raised by a woman like her is the best thing to happen to me. Whatever I am today I owe it to my mother."

Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi who plays the role of Kuldeep in Zee TV's Kyun Rishton Mein Katti Batti

"We all have various gods and faiths and we believe in the creator above. I have only heard and read about god and his ways, but the fact is that my mom is the first god I knew. When we were kids, we were always being told that when we grow up and become parents is when we will realise how they felt and what they went through. This couldn’t have been truer as becoming a parent has made me understand them better now. In fact, I believe that there is no one on earth who loves as selflessly as a mother and lucky are those who have her and get all her love. I lost my mother 7 years back and not a day goes by where I don’t think of her. I really wish I could turn back the clock and make up for all the lost time with her, apologise for all the troubles I gave her. To be honest, she was an excellent cook and I miss Maa ke haath ka khaana the most, nobody can come close and I can never have that pleasure anymore."

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Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Viaan have been spending some more quality time together after the lockdown. The mother-son duo has always been adorable and extremely attached to each other. They are often spotted either cooking, working out together, and going on brunches with the entire family. Ever since the social distancing has started, Shilpa has found various ways to keep her son Viaan occupied, as he can't go out to play. Let's take a look at their fun activities together, right away!

The 'SONDAY':

They are posing and flaunting their six-packs and how! Viaan Kundra is an ardent fan of John Cena and WWE. In fact, when he received the opportunity to get in touch with him, Viaan couldn't help but express his fandom in the cutest way possible! Sharing this picture, Shilpa Shetty Kundra updated her fans how much staying fit in extremely important for both mother and son. Well, that's what we call a Sunday well spent!

 

 

 

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Today, even my Monday is a “SONDAY“. Mommy + Son motivation = Monday motivation?! My competition is in house😅🧿💪😇 Have to work really hard, 😈🤷🏽‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ™ It’s never too late guys... Your time is NOW or NEVER. . . . . . #mondaymotivation #momandson #sonday #fitspiration #inspiration #fitness #health #gratitude #swasthrahomastraho #fitindia #GetFit2020

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onMar 22, 2020 at 10:55pm PDT

Crafting memories:

During the initial lockdown days, Shilpa and Viaan took up some crafting fun. They made multiple notes on heart-shaped sheets. Well, such memories are really worth everything. Be it quarantine or no, spending time with our kids is always beautiful.

 

 

 

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It’s a dichotomy of emotions. I am concerned about what’s happening around us while we are hoping and praying for the situation to get better across the world, I’m also valuing and spending extra time with Viaan every day. We spent this morning creating these little love notes for each other. I genuinely value these moments. We are crafting memories, are you? These are challenging times. You too can take up this #CraftingMemories challenge and make this time memorable for your kids! ~ Today, I’m grateful for this time that I can spend with my child and I pray that may all the children in pain and suffering be blessed with love . . . . . . . @indiacraftingmemories @fevicreate @momspresso #CraftingMemories #Gratitude #MomSonTime #20DaysOfGratefulness #Day6

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onMar 31, 2020 at 6:33am PDT

Fun Banter:

This video will leave you in splits! If you haven't watched this one, then you surely should. Though shot by Shilpa Shetty's mom, the video shared a fun banter between the actress and her son. Viaan is seen messaging mommy Shilpa, but do you know what he wants in return? A cake! Not kidding!

 

 

 

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Had no idea my mom was shooting this... but she managed to capture such a priceless moment. Watching this video made me realise it’s such a blessing to have kids and also have these important conversations with your child. Ha ha ha 😂🤣one who can be your friend tooðŸ¤Â—! Today, I’m grateful for a child who is respectful to all, is sensible & understanding even at such a tender age. I enjoy all the banter with him and knowing his conversations can easily lift all our spirits is a lovely feeling. 😇❤ï¸ÂðŸ§¿Also, saying a special prayer for all parents and children caught in these trying times. May we all come out of this stronger than before🙏🏻🧿❤ï¸Â . . . . . #20DaysOfGratefulness #Day10 #stayhome #staysafe #stayindoors #gratitude #IndiaFightsCorona

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onApr 3, 2020 at 10:32pm PDT

Planting veggies:

Shilpa Shetty Kundra has taught her son Viaan to respect mother nature. In fact, the duo has also created a small kitchen garden at their home, and it has grown out to be beautiful and bountiful. Shilpa and Viaan, after vegetable picking, they also cooked the same for the dinner.

 

 

 

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One of the greater joys of life is to see your efforts coming to fruition in this circle of life; whether it is about starting a new venture, seeing your child grow up or just the plants you nurture bearing vegetables and fruits for you to enjoy. Planted these seeds in pots a few months ago and was thrilled to see brinjals and chillies ready to be harvested 🍆🌶😍 As they say, what you sow, so you shall reap. Clean organic produce. Same with your thoughts actually, think clean and positive; and the fruits those thoughts manifest into will be beautiful. C’est la vie! Mother Nature never fails to amaze me. Today, I’m grateful for the fresh produce and for nature’s many blessings... Oh also, the Baingan Ka Bharta we had for lunch was delicious 😍 . . . . . #20DaysOfGratefulness #Day13 #stayhome #staysafe #stayindoors #gratitude #IndiaFightsCorona #MotherNature #throwback

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onApr 7, 2020 at 10:38pm PDT

Baking:

the actress made some yummy choco-chip cookies and shared a video on her Instagram. She also posted the recipe for her fans. The video is so inspiring, you'll surely bake something with your kids too. And why won't you? This is the most fun way to teach kids teamwork and household chores, without making it a boring task.

 

 

 

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The best way to spend time with your kids is to figure out what they like doing the most. Then go ahead & do it with them... build pillow forts, draw, paint, sing or dance! As for me, the one thing Viaan loves doing the most is baking, so here we go... presenting the chewy “Peanut Butter Choco-Oat Cookies”😁! It has no refined sugar, can be dairy-free if you skip the butter for oil, is gluten-free, & loaded with healthy goodness. It’s highly nutritious, is absolutely satiating, and can be gorged on at tea time by us too (I devoured this batch🤦🏽‍♀ï¸Â) If you’d like to make it at home, here’s all the info you’ll need: ~ INGREDIENTS: * 1/2cup natural (unsweetened) peanut butter * 1/2cup real maple syrup OR HONEY * 4 tbsp coconut oil (OR 4 tablespoons melted butter) * 1 tsp baking powder * 1/2 tsp fine-grain sea salt * 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor or blender * 5 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips * 1 tbsp vanilla extract * 2 tbsp coconut sugar * 4 tbsp roasted almonds (ground) * 1 egg (or 1 tbsp flaxseed powder soaked in 3 tbsp of water is the equivalent) [I added 2 tbsp of flaxseeds to make it more fibrous] * 2 tbsp of almond milk (to smoothen the texture) INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 160° Celsius with two racks in the middle. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (if you don’t have parchment paper, lightly grease the baking sheets). 2. Measure out the peanut butter and maple syrup. 3. Pour the peanut butter, coconut oil, & maple syrup mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter & whisk until the mixture is well blended. Use your whisk to beat in the egg, scraping down the side of the bowl once it’s incorporated, then whisk in the vanilla, & salt. Switch to a big spoon & stir in the ground oats, add the baking powder, flaxseed powder, coconut sugar, & chocolate chips until they are evenly combined. Drop the dough by the tablespoon or ice cream scooper (grease your fingers with some coconut oil so it doesn’t stick when you flatten them) onto your prepared baking sheets. 4. Bake the cookies for 12-15 mins total. Swap sides after 7 mins. Remove from the oven to cool. #TastyThursday #SwasthRahoMastRaho

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onMay 7, 2020 at 3:30am PDT

movie night:

The family also had fam-jam time on one of the days. Do you know what was the fun part? Homemade popcorn! 

 

 

 

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These two😍😍 + hot homemade popcorn 🍿 = a perfect movie night👨‍👩‍👦❤ï¸Â @rajkundra9 . . . . . #QuarantineLife #family #movienight #fridaynight #gratitude

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onApr 24, 2020 at 6:34am PDT

On the professional front, Shilpa Shetty Kundra will be next seen in Nikamma, which will also see Abhimanyu Dassani and Shirley Setia in pivotal roles among others. The film was supposed to release on June 5, 2020, but after the coronavirus outbreak, many releases have been delayed.

Speaking about her personal like, Shilpa tied the knot with Raj Kundra, with whom she was co-owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team Rajasthan Royals on 22 November 2009. Shilpa gave birth to a son, Viaan Raj Kundra, on 21 May 2012. The duo is extremely active and loved on TikTok.

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While people across the country have been spending a lot of time at home owing to the lockdown, superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday provided a unique platform for all the aspiring filmmakers to produce some 'fun, creative and... spooky' video. The 54-year-old actor shared a statement on Instagram, detailing about the opportunity for the filmmakers to channel their inner "filmmaking ghost to make a scary indoor film with an element of horror in it."

Taking it to the captions, the 'Don' actor wrote: "Since we've all got a bit of time on our hands in quarantine, thought I can get us all to work a bit... in a fun, creative and... spooky way!" In the post, titled with a hashtag 'SpookSRK,' the actor has listed down the rules to be followed while making the video and shared the email link to submit their work.

 

 

 

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Since we’ve all got a bit of time on our hands in quarantine, thought I can get us all to work a bit... in a fun, creative and... spooky way! #SpookSRK Read on for more details.

A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) onMay 9, 2020 at 5:21am PDT

The 'Dilwale' actor also announced that the selected "three winners" will get a chance to video call the star himself.

Wrapping the post on a lighter note, he added: "I will be sending in my film as well...P.S - Ghosts are welcome to send their entries too."

This comes a day after the first trailer launch of Shah Rukh's new Netflix horror series 'Betaal'.

SRK's Red Chillies Entertainment is producing the horror-thriller. The new series also stars Vineet Kumar, Aahana Kumra, Suchitra Pillai, Jitendra Joshi, Manjiri Pupala, and Syna Anand.

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Not just for his mother, Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal on Saturday has penned an adorable Mother's Day special post for his partner, too. The 47-year-old actor, in an Instagram post, shared his thoughts for his mother and his lady love -- Gabriella Demetriades.

"She is a new Mom and a very fine one too. Happy first Mother's Day, mamma, love you," wrote 'Om Shanti Om' actor as he shared a dashing picture of themselves.

 

 

 

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She is the most beautiful soul. She is my Mom. Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there. Thank you for just being you. #happymothersday❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Arjun (@rampal72) onMay 9, 2020 at 2:30am PDT

Meanwhile, taking to another post, the 'Roy' actor shared a throwback picture with his mom and wrote: "She is the most beautiful soul. She is my Mom." He wrapped up the post by extending his Mother's Day wishes to "all the mothers out there". "Thank you for just being you. #happymothersday," he concluded.

 

 

 

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She is a a new Mom and a very fine one too. Happy first Mother’s Day, mamma @gabriellademetriades love you 😍 ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Arjun (@rampal72) onMay 9, 2020 at 2:34am PDT

The actor is currently staying at home observing the lockdown guidelines, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier he along with his family have extended a helping hand in providing PPE kits to the hospitals, doctors, and nurses to help them in the fight against coronavirus. He also urged people to donate 1 uniform for these corona warriors to keep them safe and healthy.

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Actor Taapsee Pannu put out yet another throwback picture from her archives on Saturday, and shared her childhood experience, noting how the school does play an important part in shaping one's personality. The 32-year-old actor posted a photo on Instagram with her school principal in an auditorium with kids.

The Thappad actress told that she went to meet her school principal and was surprised to meet inquisitive kids.

 

 

 

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I was visiting Jaipur for an event and I remembered that my school (ex)vice principal is now Principal in a school of Jaipur. Couldn’t miss this opportunity to meet her. What was unexpected was that her entire school came to meet and kids were really sweet and inquisitive about a lot of things. School does play an important part in shaping up your personality and your teachers are the ‘karigars’ moulding the raw stones we all are. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been a nerdy kid or coz I’m grateful to my teachers for letting me shape up all aspects of my personality equally, that I keep going back to my childhood time n again. #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onMay 9, 2020 at 12:22am PDT

Pannu wrote, "I was visiting Jaipur for an event and I remembered that my school (ex)vice-principal is now Principal in a school of Jaipur. Couldn't miss this opportunity to meet her. What was unexpected was that her entire school came to meet and kids were really sweet and inquisitive about a lot of things."

While talking about the visitor experience, the 'Naam Shabana' star pointed out the important role played by teachers in shaping one's personality. The actor also revealed she's been a 'nerdy' in school, and she keeps going back to her school time and again. "School does play an important part in shaping up your personality and your teachers are the 'karigars' moulding the raw stones we all are. I don't know if it's because I've been a nerdy kid or coz I'm grateful to my teachers for letting me shape up all aspects of my personality equally, that I keep going back to my childhood time n again," she added.

The post on the photo-sharing platform garnered more than 1 lakh likes from fans and celebrity followers including Kajal Aggarwal.

Last week, the 'Manmarziyaan' actor shared her picture where she is seen caught in a moment while using a VR headset. In the post, she spoke of how technology can take us over.

Lately, the 'Thappad' star has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown. 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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As the nation celebrates Mother's Day today, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut on Saturday dedicated a beautiful poem for her mother, Asha Ranaut. The poem was shared by Kananga's official team on Instagram. The poem began with lines that read: "I'm your longing for life. When I first arose in your young heart...Your eyes gleamed with hope."

 

 

 

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#KanganaRanaut pens down this beautiful poem on the account of Mother's Day. Here, she dedicates some beautiful words as gift to her mother and all the mothers in the world. Happy Mother's Day. ♥ï¸Â . . . #mothersday #happymothersday

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onMay 9, 2020 at 7:53am PDT

The 33-year-old actor wrote about the "love and warmth" she saw nowhere else but only in her mother. "And then I went to my own heart, I found you, mother, I found you there....You arise in my heart...as a desire...as a longing for life...I'm your longing for life," the lines read.

In another post, the team shared a picture of the mother-daughter duo, beaming with smiles.

 

 

 

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They say a mother understands what a child does not say, today let's tell them out loud. Let's make #MothersDay extra special for our mothers by telling them what's in our hearts!! ♥️🤗🤰

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onMay 9, 2020 at 9:11am PDT

Born and brought up in Himachal Pradesh, the 'Panga' actor has been spending quality time with her family in Manali ever since the COVID-19 induced lockdown was imposed in the country.

Though she does not have a social media profile of her own, her team keeps her fans well posted about updates from her personal and professional life on social media.

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Actor, author, and mother Twinkle Khanna on Saturday gave a shout out to all the 'bad-ass mothers' and shared what mother actually wants for the Mother's Day. In a video message which she posted on Twitter, Mrs Funnybones is seen talking about what mothers actually want from their children instead of all the fancy mother's day greetings.

"I am going to tell you what mother's really want for Mother's Day or what at least I want for Mother's Day. I want to be free of all responsibilities for an entire day. I don't want anyone to ask me any questions," says Khanna in the video message.

What mothers really want for Mother's Day but can't tell their kids.
So what kind of mom are you — The bad mom, the badass mom or the badass mom with a good posterior? pic.twitter.com/x5q5OJ0I4V

— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) May 9, 2020

"Don't ask me where is your blue T-shirt, don't ask me what is 15+73, don't ask me what is going to happen to your 'A' level exams, don't ask me what's for lunch, don't ask me when you can go and meet your friend, don't ask me when the lockdown will lift," she added.

The actor turned author then spoke of how wishing to stay free of any responsibilities makes her feel that she is a 'bad mom' but deep down she also feels that she is a 'bad-ass' mom.

"Some of you watching this may think I am a terrible mom and sometimes I also wonder the same thing especially when my little one looks at me and calls me "Bad Mumma." But deep down I don't think I am a bad mom," the 46-year-old actor said.

"I think that I am a badass mom though I have a perfectly fine posterior. So here's wishing all you badass moms a happy mother's day and the ones with the good ass a happy mother's day to you as well," she added. Twinkle Khanna is a mother to two children -- a son and a daughter.

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Taking a trip down memory lane, superstar Kareena Kapoor Khan on Saturday posted a throwback picture from her Morocco trip and described it as her 'Saturday mood.' The 39-year-old actor hopped on to Instagram to post the picture from the trip that she went on with her star husband Saif Ali Khan back in 2009.

While Kareena is seen exuding elegance in a bodycon dress in the nude shade in the picture, Saif is wearing a light purple coloured shirt paired with white trousers. Accentuating the look further, Kareena paired up the dress with a waist belt and rectangular wayfarers. "Saturday Mood: Morocco '09," she wrote in the caption keeping it simple.

 

 

 

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Saturday Mood: Morocco '09 💯

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMay 9, 2020 at 1:53am PDT

The 'Jab We Met' actor has been reminiscing her previous trips by posting throwback pictures ever since coronavirus induced lockdown was imposed.

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Filmmaker Karan Johar shared yet another glimpse of 'Lockdown with the Johars' featuring his little munchkins giving a mind-blowing dance performance. He termed the video as 'Johar's got Talent'.

The 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' director put out a video on Instagram late on Saturday where the toddlers are seen having a fun time in Karan's walk-in closet as they 'dance like no one's watching'. In the video, Karan showcases the toddlers' dancing skills as they shake a leg, do rounds and jump while the caravan plays music.

 

 

 

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JGT! Johar’s got talent! #lockdownwiththejohars #dancelikenooneiswatching

A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) onMay 9, 2020 at 8:37am PDT

Karan who is in the back of camera comments, "Wow, what dancers! India's got talent."

After which Roohi is seen changing the song on the Caravan, and plays 'Choti Si Umar Mein' and starts dancing while doing rounds in the closet and also does pilates.

Karan appreciates the dancing and says, "Wow! Roohi What a classic performance we are giving. I love this versatile performance!"

The 47-year-old filmmaker then pans the camera to Yash who is seen applying lip balm. Karan asks him, "Meanwhile, Yash, what are you doing? Oh, are you getting ready for the performance? Oh, You're also ready (for the performance)?"

Yash is then seen rubbing extra lip balm off his lips and smiling. He then innocently offers it to his dadda and twin sis.

Karan concludes the video and says, "Okay, that's it from the dancers. Toodles."

The 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' director captioned the post as "Johar's got talent! #lockdownwiththejohars #dancelikenooneiswatching"

Celebrity followers flooded the post with comments and the video was viewed by over 8 lakh fans over the photo-sharing platform.

Vidya Balan adored the way Yash asked his sister for the lip balm and commented, "So cutely he asks her if she wants lip balm and the way she nodded ...."Anushka Sharma left a lovestruck, and a heart emoticon.

The 'Student of the Year' director is quite active on social media amid the coronavirus lockdown and has been updating his fans on his activities. On Friday, Karan shared a video featuring his little munchkins Yash and Roohi, where the kids adorably tell the filmmaker that his 'singing gives them a headache.'

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Baahubali sensation Prabhas's next is KK Radha Krishna Kumar's film, co-starring Pooja Hegde, Just before the lockdown was announced, the unit was shooting in Georgia for the love story. On Friday, May 8, Kumar shared snapshots from the set, which have gone viral on social media. Not content with the pictures, the South star's fans want the makers to announce the title and unveil the teaser.

Have a look at one of the posts right here that gave us a glimpse of the shooting experience of the crew:

10 degrees cold, pouring rain and corona virus threat. Nothing stops the spirit of crew. #Prabhas20 pic.twitter.com/8i5v0vSQeo

— Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) March 14, 2020

The film, as it is being reported, is tentatively titled Prabhas 20, since this biggie marks the 20th film of the actor. However, no confirmation about the same has been made yet. Taking to his Twitter account, he shared some pictures from the opening ceremony of the film.

Have a look right here:

Here is a glimpse of our darling from the opening ceremony of #prabhas20 #StayHomeStaySafe pic.twitter.com/uWfijGhulf

— Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) May 8, 2020

And here were some more of them:

And some more pic.twitter.com/6cP7UfDNjD

— Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) May 8, 2020

The shooting has been going for almost a year now and fans are desperately waiting for their Darling Prabhas, as he's fondly called, to announce the official title and also release the teaser quickly. Prabhas has been one of the biggest stars in the Telugu industry ever since he began his journey as an actor. In the North, he became a sensation after the historic and humongous success of Baahubali: The Beginning and Conclusion.

It's nothing but the testimony of his star-power that Saaho, despite mixed reviews from critics, smashed multiple box-office records and went on to become a major success. Now we all have to wait and watch how much hysteria this film generates at the ticket windows

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Jacqueline Fernandez has stumbled upon life-altering realisations amid the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The actress says she has realised that life is too short, and it is important to make the most of the time we have in our hands.

"Honestly, the biggest lesson has been that when it comes to humankind we are pretty irrelevant, which means that we are extremely blessed to be on this planet because the planet would go on with us or without us. So, we have to be grateful and give back. That's the realisation -- we take Earth for granted," Jacqueline said, while reflecting upon how the lockdown has been a learning period for her.

"(Another lesson is that) life is short. We need to be doing things that we enjoy doing and love. We should be spending time with the people we love because you are here one day and gone the next. We really have to make the most out of life. It is such a lesson. These are the two main things I have realised during this period," added the actress, who is spending her lockdown with superstar Salman Khan and others at his farmhouse in Panvel.

Amid the shutdown, she is making the most of her time by enjoying moments like horse-riding, basking in the sun and reading a book -- evident in her recent Instagram posts.

On the work front, she was recently seen in "Mrs. Serial Killer", which released on Netflix on May 1. "Mrs. Serial Killer" is directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by his filmmaker wife Farah Khan. The thriller is about a wife, whose husband has been framed and imprisoned for serial murders. She needs to perform a murder exactly like the serial killer, to prove that her husband is innocent.

The film hinges on the question -- how far would you go for love.

Asked how far she would go for the people she loves, Jacqueline said: "I always think that when it comes to people you love, you kind of throw logic out of the window. But I am someone who is all about making sure that you are doing the right thing.

"It has to be the right thing. I always try to put that into perspective. If I feel a right thing is being done, then I will probably go to whatever extent I need to. I would never harm anyone though for love. I would do anything for love except harm anyone," said the actress, who won Miss Sri Lanka beauty pageant in 2006.

She made her debut in the Indian film industry with 2009 film "Aladin" opposite actor Riteish Deshmukh. The film turned out to be a dud at the box office, but Jacqueline got noticed and went on to do films like "Housefull 2", "Murder 2", "Kick", "Brothers", "Dishoom" and "Judwaa 2". "Mrs. Serial Killer" also stars Manoj Bajpayee and Mohit Raina.

Recalling the experience of working on the thriller, Jacqueline said: "It was great. They were so patient, kind and very supportive. There was a beautiful sense of unity and teamwork, and you learn so much from working with such amazing actors. It was really a beautiful experience."

Now, she is looking forward to the release of the song "Tere bina" with Salman, which they have shot amid the lockdown in the farm premises itself.

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Actor Jake Gyllenhaal says he has become less interested in work and more interested in personal life, adding that he hopes to have kids in the future.

In an interview with British Vogue, the actor, who has been part of showbiz since the last two decades, shared that he is now ready to focus on his personal life, reports etonline.com.

"I'm interested in my life, even more so than my work. I've reached a point in my career where I feel hungry in a different way," said Gyllenhaal, adding: "I've seen how much of my life I've neglected as a result of being committed to that work and that idea."

"(I've) lightened up. Seeing life as something that is, you know, fleeting, and the world being as it is now. I've turned to my family, I've turned to my friends and I've turned to love. I'm a little less interested in the work, I would say, and more interested in that," said the 39-year-old star, known for starring in movies like "Donnie Darko", "Brokeback Mountain", "Nightcrawler" and "Spider-Man: Far From Home".

Gyllenhaal, who has been romantically linked to French model Jeanne Cadieu in the past few years, shared that he "definitely" sees kids in his future.

"Yes, of course I do. I definitely do," he said, adding: "The act of making love to make a child…the real thing is life. You get to the end of the show and that's what it's about. Children. Children and art."

He continued: "I'm not someone who has ever existed in a space where I've really known what's coming next. But you do have to be open to it. And there has been no other time in my life that I can safely say…. My mother and my sister are some of the most extraordinary people I know. Our vulnerability with each other, our ability to communicate about how tough times can be is what I'm most proud of in my family. For everything I hope to pass on, that's the most important."

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Actress Mackenzie Foy found a friend in her "The Nutcracker And The Four Realms" co-star Keira Knightley, and says she is a nice and down-to-earth person. "Keira is just amazing. I've really enjoyed working with her. She is such a nice, down to earth person. You can literally talk to her about anything and she would just listen and be a good friend," Foy said.

Asked about her favourite moment working with her, Foy said: "I don't know. We have spent a lot of time together but I think pretty much when we could just relax on the set and we could just sit and talk about nonsense. It was really fun just to get to know her."

"The Nutcracker And The Four Realms" is the retelling of ETA Hoffmann''s short story "The Nutcracker And The Mouse King" and Marius Petipa's and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker". It's a story of a young girl who gets a locked egg as a gift from her deceased mother, and narrates her magical journey to get the key for the egg.

"The Nutcracker And The Four Realms" will air in India on Star Movies on May 10.

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As the nation celebrates the indomitable spirit of motherhood on Sunday, Bollywood celebrities also dedicated heart-warming messages to their mom's on the occasion of Mother's Day."

Sara Ali Khan shared a heart-melting throwback picture where she is seen as an infant in the arms of her grandmother while her mother is looking at baby Sara in a moment of affection. The actor captioned the post as, "Meri Maa ki Maa. Thank you for creating Mommy. #HappyMothersDay."

 

 

 

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Meri Maa ki Maa 💁🏻‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ¤°ðŸ¤±ðŸ»ðŸ™‡ðŸ»‍♀ï¸Â Thank you for creating Mommy 💝🙏🏻👩‍👧‍👧🐣🐥🐤 #HappyMothersDay

A post shared by Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95) onMay 9, 2020 at 11:45am PDT

Vicky Kaushal put out a childhood throwback picture on Instagram where the actor is seen caught in a moment of mischief as he jogs at the shore of a beach, while his mother is seen scolding him. Along with the picture Vicky wrote," Dodging them till date. Keep them coming Maa. Love you! 

 

 

 

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Dodging them till date. Keep them coming Maa. Love you! ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) onMay 9, 2020 at 5:40pm PDT

Ananya Panday shared an adorable video from her childhood days where she is seen sporting a while kurta-churidar with a red dotted dupatta. The video initiates with a question by a person behind the camera who asks, "Whom do you love the most in the world?"

 

 

 

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it’s clear where I get my crazy from 😜 happy Mama’s day to my Mama and all the beautiful mama’s out there ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Ananya 💛💫 (@ananyapanday) onMay 9, 2020 at 12:15pm PDT

To which baby Ananya innocently replies, "Mama."

And he asks, "And the second?"

She smilingly replies, "Nobody."

 

 

 

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The answer is still the same 😜 love u @bhavanapandey ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Ananya 💛💫 (@ananyapanday) onMay 9, 2020 at 12:16pm PDT

Along with the caption she wrote, "The answer is still the same. love u @bhavanapandey."

Recalling his childhood moments spent with her mom, Ishaan Khatter shared a couple of throwback pictures with his mom in an Instagram post.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Mom for president ✌🏼

A post shared by Ishaan (@ishaankhatter) onMay 9, 2020 at 1:16pm PDT

The special post featured 3 pictures of which the first one shows baby Ishaan lying in bed while his mother is seen pecking a kiss on his little arms. The second one shows his mom in a glamorous monochromatic picture, and the third one shows baby Ishaan in his childhood days, where he is seen sitting in his mother's lap and passing a smile at the camera.Along with the post he wrote, "Mom for president."

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On the occasion of Mother's Day, veteran actor Hema Malini shared a priceless throwback pictures of herself with her mom and daughters, saying its a "day for us to recall with love and gratitude all that our mothers have done for us."

The 71-year-old actor took a walk down the memory lane when she shared a monochromatic picture featuring herself and her mom on Twitter. In the picture, the evergreen star is seen sporting traditional Bharatanatyam attire and is seen affectionately hugging her mother.

It is Mother’s Day! A day for us to recall with love & gratitude all that our mothers have done for us🙏Also a day for us to celebrate our status as mothers & grandmothers & look back proudly at the years passed in bringing our kids.This is a treasured file photo of me & my mom😘 pic.twitter.com/6kzw31pABk

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 10, 2020

Along with the picture she wrote," It is Mother's Day! A day for us to recall with love & gratitude all that our mothers have done for us. Also, a day for us to celebrate our status as mothers & grandmothers & look back proudly at the years passed in bringing our kids. This is a treasured file photo of me & my mom."

The 'Sholay' star also shared some 'glimpses from the past' where she showcased the three generations including herself, her mom and daughters Esha and Ayana Deol in a Twitter post.

Glimpses of the past pic.twitter.com/iKYOXwjnIT

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 10, 2020

The post included three pictures, the first one features Esha and Ahana in their childhood days with their mom Hema. While the second features the 'Baghban' star with her mom and the third one captures Hema's mom and the actor herself who is seen holding baby Esha by her arms.

Daughter Esha was quick to note the special post and commented, "Love u my mamma" (along with a heart and hugging emoticon).

Meanwhile, scores of Bollywood celebrities including Sara Ali Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Ishaan Khatter and others extended Mother's Day wishes to their moms by posting throwback pictures and videos on social media.

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Gauri Pradhan is proud of sister Geetanjali Pradhan who is a doctor and one of the frontline Coronavirus warriors. She also doffs her hat to all the medical professionals fighting the pandemic. Gauri's actor husband Hiten Tejwani has also lauded Geetanjali's accomplishments.

Taking to her Instagram account, Gauri even shared a post and hailed her baby sister's efforts in fighting the pandemic. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So proud of my baby sister!And so proud of everyone else who’s doing the same!! #drgeetanjalipradhan #fightagainstcorona #lockdown

A post shared by Gauri (@gpradhan) onMay 7, 2020 at 12:03pm PDT

Miss you, ma

Vikas Sethi is missing his mother Suraksha who is stuck in Ludhiana. She was visiting relatives when the lockdown was announced. As she is a heart patient, it is a cause of worry for him. It's his birthday on May 12, so her absence will be felt even more on his big day. Sethi is waiting for her to return. He will welcome her back home with a tub of her favourite ice cream. It's very unfortunate that there are so many TV and Bollywood actors that are not able to meet their mothers due to the nationwide lockdown.

We guess once the lockdown ends and life comes back to normal, the first thing on the cards for all these actors would be an emotional and a long-overdue reunion with their mothers and their entire family. We only wait for that day and hope it comes soon!

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Kriti Sanon has given a shoutout on social media to all the 'wonder women' who are balancing their roles as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, and employees. The actor has reminded them that 'me-time' is also necessary. "Let's indulge in the things that bring us joy," she stated on Insta. "Womanhood must be celebrated without compromise," she added. Later, sister Nupur took to social media and wrote that the Sanon women, including mother Geeta and pet dog Phoebe, 'are kind of dominating'. They certainly know how to get what they want. Some life lessons during the lockdown.

For all those who think women are not less than Superheroes, this video is a must-watch and much-needed. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

In the current scenario, with all of us cooped up at home - here is my shout out to all the wonder women out there. 🙋‍♀️ As we get through our responsibilities as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, employees - let's not compromise with some 'me time'. Let's indulge in the things that bring us joy! 🌸 @vivelbyitc and I take a stand for the philosophy of #AbSamjhautaNahin and believe that womanhood must be celebrated without compromise. Hope you do too!

A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) onMay 8, 2020 at 3:16am PDT

All the fans of Sanon will surely be happy and elated to see this video that finally puts the women in the spotlight and allows them to have their moment of glory. They truly are the unsung heroes that ought to be celebrated a lot more. Coming to Sanon again, she had a wonderful 2019 with the success of Luka Chuppi and Housefull 4.

And now, she's gearing up for another biggie, Bachchan Pandey with Akshay Kumar that's being helmed by Farhad Samji. It's slated to release on January 22, 2021!

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Russian tennis beauty Maria Sharapova shared her choice of a perfect playlist meant for a road trip, with her four million Instagram followers recently. To beat boredom caused by the lockdown, Maria zipped passed the beautiful locales of California with some of American Bruce Springsteen's greatest hits playing on her car stereo.

She shared a few pictures and a video of her trip on Instagram and wrote: "Road trip with Bruce Springsteen for the mood."

 

 

 

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Road trip 🧳 with Bruce Springsteen for the mood 🎼👌🏼

A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova) onMay 5, 2020 at 4:54pm PDT

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In the fight against COVID-19, Uber has extended support by offering free rides to frontline BMC healthcare workers and non-COVID patients in Mumbai through its recently launched UberMedic service.

All UberMedic cars are fitted with a roof-to-floor plastic sheeting enclosing the driver. Additionally, all drivers are being trained in safety procedures and provided with personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, sanitisers and disinfectants to sanitise the cars between rides.

The agreement is part of Uber’s recent offer to provide free rides worth Rs 1 crore to the Maharashtra government. Prabhjeet Singh, Director, Operations and Head of Cities, Uber India & South Asia, said, “The BMC has been working tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID-19. We feel privileged to be supporting them in these challenging times and will help move what matters by leveraging our global experience, technology and network of drivers.”

Uber’s recently launched UberMedic service has been transporting frontline medical workers in 35+ hospitals across 23 Indian cities.

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I just remembered my absolutely ouch! Irrfan moment, that makes me cringe each time I recall it. One of the relatively early big film programmes I curated was Made by Women, an international women's film festival, way back in 2004. We screened great films, mostly 35mm prints, directed by women filmmakers from all over the world. They ranged from Marziyeh Meshkiny's The Day I Became a Woman (Iran), Anne Fontaine's How I Killed My Father (France) to Ligy Pullappally's Sancharram (India) and Joan Gratz's Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase (animation, USA). We opened with Aparna Sen's beloved classic 36 Chowringhee Lane at the YB Chavan Centre (remember it?). Bishakha Datta, who heads Point of View, a non-profit that amplifies women's voices and had organised the event, was Festival Director.

Sen had flown in for the inauguration from Kolkata, ever elegant. Irfan Khan (the second 'r' hadn't rolled in yet) had very kindly agreed to be special guest at the inaugural. A huge crowd had turned up, and we let them in. My colleagues escorted Sen in, while I remained outside waiting for Irfan, who unfortunately had been held up in traffic, and arrived later than planned. When I escorted him in, the hall was pitch dark. I realised to my horror, that Sen had inaugurated the festival alone and, as the crowd had got restless, the screening had begun. Eeks! I apologised profusely to Irfan, and escorted him to the reserved VIP row, only to find that the enthu crowd had ripped the 'reserved' seat signs and occupied every seat in the house; many were even sitting in the aisles.

Crouching and whispering, I cravenly begged a series of people in the audience to give up their seat for Irfan, but they were engrossed in the film. Seeing I was in big trouble, Irfan graciously whispered, "Don't worry, Meenakshi, I'll sit on the carpet." "No, NO! Please give me a moment," I yelped. Finally, I managed to persuade someone to give up his seat for Irfan in the front row. Double eeks! From there, Irfan watched 36 Chowringhee Lane, at a 60 degree angle. Life-long, I could never live down the humiliation of being unable to treat Irfan as the star he truly was. But, Irfan was so incredibly decent about it—which made me feel even worse. He quietly vanished as the film ended, and when I phoned him to apologise, he gently brushed aside my apology and discussed what a marvellous film it was.

The episode taught me two things: if you show a great Indian film for the inaugural of an international film festival, the public will come, even if it is a 20-year-old film. Second, a great film can turn even a star into a fan. Yet, I can think of no other star who would behave with such extraordinary humility and grace, as Irfan did that evening. The festival was a great success in Mumbai, and did an all-India tour of eight cities in 2004. In fact, I curated another edition of Made by Women in 2005, with an all-India tour as well.

Adieu, Irrfan!

Meenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival, National Award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist. Reach her at meenakshi.shedde@mid-day.com

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US employers have cut a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April amid the COVID-19 pandemic, erasing a decade of job gains since the global financial crisis and pushing the unemployment rate to a record 14.7 per cent, which is the highest level since the Great Depression.

In April, the unemployment rate surged by 10.3 percentage points to 14.7 per cent, the largest over-the-month increase in the history of the series dating back to January 1948, the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) said in a report.

Since mid-March, numerous US states have rolled out "stay-at-home" policies and shut down non-essential businesses in a bid to slow the spread of the virus, leading companies to cut millions of jobs in weeks.

Employment in leisure and hospitality plummeted by 7.7 million, or 47 per cent, the report showed. The manufacturing sector shed 1.3 million workers, and employment in retail trade was down 2.1 million jobs.

The education and health sector lost 2.5 million jobs. Government employment also dropped by 9,80,000 in April, according to the bureau. Hispanics and African-Americans have been hit the hardest in the job crisis, said the BLS report. President Donald Trump said that with the reopening of the economy, lost jobs will come back.

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A two-week course of antiviral therapy that combines the power of three drugs has shown promise in treating hospitalised patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in a carefully undertaken phase 2 clinical trial.

The results of the trial, published in the journal The Lancet, involved 127 adults from six public hospitals in Hong Kong.

The drug combination tested in the trial included interferon beta-1b, which was developed to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), and lopinavir-ritonavir, which is normally used to treat HIV and ribavirin, an oral hepatitis C virus drug.

The findings of the phase two trial provided evidence that early treatment with triple antiviral therapy alongside standard care is safe and shortens duration of viral shedding (when the virus is detectable and potentially transmissible) compared to lopinavir-ritonavir alone—average seven days vs 12 days—in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

"Our trial demonstrates that early treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 with a triple combination of antiviral drugs may rapidly suppress the amount of virus in a patient's body, relieve symptoms, and reduce the risk to healthcare workers by reducing the duration and quantity of viral shedding," said professor Kwok-Yung Yuen from the University of Hong Kong who led the research.

No new cases in Hong Kong as restrictions ease

Hong Kong recorded no new COVID-19 case on Saturday, a day after the city eased restrictions. Saturday was also the 20th day in a row with no local infections. Health experts earlier suggested that Hong Kong could be considered to be free of local transmission if there were no such cases after 28 days.

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Ex-Matka king Ratan Khatri died on Saturday morning in Mumbai. According to sources, Khatri, 88, was ailing for a long time. In 1960s Khatri had joined Kalyan Bhagat to set up Matka in Mumbai.

Matka, a lottery or gambling with number is popularly called as Ankada Jugar. Matka was popular in Mumbai from pre-independence time that involved betting on the opening and closing rates of cotton transmitted from the New York Cotton Exchange. Matka was popular in all classes of Mumbai in 1960s. In 1962 Kalyanji Bhagat, started Worli Matka.

Ratan Khatri had joined Bhagat as a manager. In 1964 Khatri parted his way from Bhagat and formed his own 'Ratan Matka'. The Matka or drawing lots from chits in a pot became so famous that the turnover of the gambling touched Rs 1 crore daily.

According to sources, Khatri had not been keeping well for some time. He was living with his family in Navjeevan Society at Mumbai Central. Khatri passed away on Saturday morning.

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The Chaturmukha Vishnu is a very rare form of Vishnu once worshipped in Kashmir from the 8th and 9th century, when it was an important centre of Hinduism. The image shows Vishnu with four heads. Three clear faces are those of Vishnu, the Narasimha or the lion face, and the face of the Varaha avatar. The fourth face varies according to scriptures. Different scriptures describe the fourth head as either a demonic face, or the face of Kapila, or the face of Lakshmi, or even Hayagriva, the horse. In artwork, sometimes, the fourth head is absent and only the other three heads are shown.

This form of Vishnu has not four, but eight arms. Four arms hold the traditional conch shell, discus, mace and lotus flower. The other four hands hold a bow, an arrow, a sword and a shield. Sometimes, the image just has four arms. The gada (mace) is replaced with the gadanari or it is personified as a woman. The chakra is replaced by the chakrapurusha, a wheel embodied as a man.

In the post-Gupta period, we find importance given to Vishnu's weapons, symbolised in anthropomorphic forms. The gadanari is not very popular. In South Indian temples, we find many images of the Chakrapurusha, also known as Sudarshan. The vahana or the mount depicted is Garuda. He is sometimes accompanied by Lakshmi. There is no specific story associated with it. As Hinduism waned from Kashmir, this image died out and did not become popular.

In the Gupta period, imperial lines and dynasties associated themselves with Hinduism and Vishnu. Great value was given to the 'dominating and aggressive' forms of Narasimha and Varaha. Today, however, greater value is placed on the 'bhakti' forms of Ram and Krishna, whose stories are told in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Only in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, we find temples of Narasimha and Varaha.

There is no clear story about why Vishnu has four heads. In some places, Vishnu has only three, Brahma has four, and Shiva has five heads to show their relative power. The four heads may link to Vishnu being identified as Krishna, his brother, Balarama, his son, Pradyumna and his grandson, Aniruddha.

The only place, outside of Kashmir, where this image is found, is in Khajuraho, built in the tenth century. The Lakshman temple in Khajuraho has an image of Vishnu Vaikuntha. Here, he has three heads and four hands. The only legend associated with this image is that of the creation of a monster, with the head of a lion and a wild boar. He was told that when another creature who looked exactly like him appeared, he would be destroyed. This is why Vishnu took this form to destroy it.

Today, nobody worships this Vaikuntha form of Vishnu.

In many ways, the image connects royalty to the boar and the lion, symbols of aggression and domination. The hidden face represents the aspect of kingship that will always remain hidden from the public.

Devdutt Pattanaik writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com

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Another 626 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain, bringing the total Coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 31,241, environment secretary George Eustice said. The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

Earlier in the day, the National Health Service (NHS), England, said a six-week-old baby has become one of the latest to die after testing positive for the novel Coronavirus. Chairing the Downing Street daily press briefing, Eustice unveiled a £16-million fund to help support charities which feed some of the country's most vulnerable people hit by the pandemic.

"It is absolutely vital they have the resources they need and this funding will help the most vulnerable in our society get the food they need at this enormously challenging time," he said. The funding is part of the 750-million-pound pot announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak for charities across Britain during the Coronavirus outbreak. As to the exit strategy of lockdown measures, the secretary told reporters that there is not going to be "dramatic overnight change" in the country's lockdown measures.

16m pounds
Fund unveiled to help support charities

Russia reports 10,817 cases in 24 hours

The overall number of Coronavirus cases in Russia increased to 1,98,676 on Saturday after the emergence of 10,817 new infections in the last 24 hour, health authorities said. According to the country's anti-Coronavirus crisis centre, the death toll currently stood at 1,827, while 31,916 people have recovered from the illness so far.

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Two days after gas leakage from LG Polymers claimed 12 lives and affected hundreds of others, people of Venkatapuram village staged a protest on Saturday with three dead bodies at the chemical plant, demanding justice.

Tension prevailed at the plant as the villagers staged a sit-in at the plant's gate when Director General of Police Gautam Sawang was visiting the site. Some protesters barged into the plant premises. The police had a tough time clearing them and providing safe passage to the top official.

Sawang said that the gas leakage has been plugged and the situation is under control. Sawang said that more technical teams from Delhi will be reaching the site to have further assess the situation and decide the way forward. "The situation is absolutely under control. All the reactions and leakages have been plugged. There is no matter of concern anymore," he said.

Meanwhile, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rope in national and international experts for health assessment of the people affected by the leakage of gas.

He wrote a letter that the long-lasting impact on the health of those undergoing treatment is of serious concern. It is suspected that the toxins emitted may cause permanent damage to the victims, said Naidu.

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The city might miss seeing Lord Ganesh in his full glory this year, as work on the gigantic idols, which usually adorn the biggest and richest pandals during Ganesh Chaturthi, has taken a big hit due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the resulting lockdown. Sculptors, who usually start work in May for the annual festival that will be celebrated on August 22 this year, have been forced to put all orders on hold, as raw materials aren't available, and most of the artisans are stuck in their hometowns. The government too, hasn't given permission to begin work. With the lockdown extended till May 17, the sculptors say that mandals might have to settle for scaled-down versions of the idol.

Mumbai has over 10,000 sarvajanik Ganesh mandals. To ensure that the idols are delivered on time, sculptors start work three months in advance, first making the pattern, a rough model, which is then corrected with welding at the workshops. Another 20 days are invested in painting the idol, and giving it the final touches. Mandals usually accept delivery of the idols 10 days before the festival begins.

A Ganesh idol-making workshop at Chinchpokli, where work otherwise begins in May, is currently shut due to the lockdown

With the way the situation has panned out till now, work is unlikely to begin before July. This will leave sculptors with just about a month to complete work. Reshma Khatu, daughter of late sculptor Vijay Khatu, says, "Currently, we have put all the orders and planning on hold and are awaiting the government's decision. The crisis doesn't seem to be nearing an end. We do not want to put our workers at risk. Even if one person is detected COVID-19 positive, work will go for a toss and the entire workshop will be sealed."

The other problem is that at least 70 per cent of the workers employed, hail from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They work in Maharashtra during May to October. Vijay Kumar Soni, hails from Patna, but is currently stuck in Konkan, where he and his employer Rajan Zaad, have been working on rough designs. "We came here in March, and hence could begin work. Some of the dyes are ready, and we hope to get started on the idols when we return to Mumbai. But, I am not sure if the other workers from Patna will be able to make it on time." Zaad, who is a sculptor from Lalbaug, says that he will be requesting the mandals to accept smaller-sized idols.

Sculptor Rajan Zaad says he intends to request mandals to have smaller-sized idols this year

The raw materials for making the larger idols come from Rajasthan and Kerala, while shadu—a kind of clay used for the sculpture—comes from Gujarat. But transportation has taken the biggest hit, and state borders are sealed.

Ankush Kambli, a sculptor from Parel village, says he has started work from home with the help of his family members but is running out of raw materials. Ditching the ubiquitous plaster of Paris, he has decided to use only shadu. "There is no clarity, if we will be able to get back to our routines of working from a workshop. We understand that there is the need for social distancing and that is the sole reason why we are working from home."

Reshma Khatu

The Brihanmumbai Murtikar Samanvay Samiti, an umbrella body of Ganpati sculptors, has decided to share their concerns with the government. Gajanan Tondvalkar, president of the samiti, and a sculptor in Naigaon, Dadar, says, "We will request the government to help ensure transportation of raw materials, so that we can work from home, at least."

Meanwhile, the city's Ganesh mandals, have decided to put discussions about the festivities on hold. Sudhir Salvi, secretary of Lalbaugcha Raja Mandal, says, "Calls that need to be taken regarding the celebrations will be done once the Coronavirus situation is under control." The secretary of Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, popularly known as Ganesh Galli Ganpati, Swapnil Parab, says the committee is yet to take a decision and will honour the government's directive.

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A postman succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday, making him the first casualty in the postal department in Mumbai. The 58-year-old postman, a resident of Kalachowkie, was attached to the delivery department of the GPO. He had blood pressure and heart ailment, for which he was already under treatment. A female staff member, also attached to the delivery section of the GPO, is currently being treated after having tested positive.

Just last week, mid-day had reported how postal staff in Navi Mumbai region were ensuring delivery of pension and facilitating withdrawal of postal savings for the elderly in the area, along with delivering medical kits to hospitals. Swati Pandey, Post Master General, Mumbai Region, said they were informed of the staffer's death on Friday by his son. "As per our record, he had reported to work only once during the lockdown, i.e. April 20. Out of a total of 5,500 several haven't reported to work. We are managing with limited manpower."

She added, "As per directives of Ashwini Bhide, additional municipal commissioner, we have sprayed disinfectant in the delivery section of the post office, sealed it, and have and also started tracking everyone he had come in contact with. So far, none of the contacts have shown any symptoms of COVID-19."

She added that the next of kin would be entitled to all benefits as per the norms and will also be entitled for a R10 lakh compensation, as declared by the Central government in case of a COVID-19 death. In addition to these two cases, a sub-postmaster at the Worli Police Camp Post office, a night guard at Matunga Post Office and a few delivery Postal Assistants have also tested positive.

"However, the staff continues to report to work. Around 20,000 essential articles have been delivered through Nodal Delivery Vehicles and through Window Delivery," an official stated.

5,500
No. of postal officers employed in Mumbai region

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A Colombian advertising company is pitching a novel if morbid solution to shortages of hospital beds and coffins during the coronavirus pandemic: combine them.

ABC Displays has created a cardboard bed with metal railings that designers say can double as a casket if a patient dies. Company manager Rodolfo Gómez said he was inspired to find a way to help after watching events unfold recently in nearby Ecuador.

Families in the coastal city of Guayaquil waited with dead loved ones in their homes for days last month as COVID-19 cases surged. Many could not find or were unable to afford a wood coffin, using donated cardboard ones instead. Gómez said he plans to donate 10 of his new beds to Colombia's Amazonas department, where resources are in short supply. So far there is no indication whether the beds will be put to use and no orders have been placed.

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Maharashtra's count for COVID-19 cases crossed 20,000 cases and the city had 722 new cases on Saturday. The bar of the state's death toll rose higher with 48 deaths, and 27 of them occurred in Mumbai.

State health officials said that while Mumbai has 12,864 COVID-19 cases, an additional 178 cases have been reported, but are yet to be added to the tally. Apart from 27 deaths that occurred in Mumbai, 10 were reported in Pune, eight in Malegaon and one each in Akola, Nanded and Amravati. State health officials said that the 48 deaths had occurred between April 25 and May 8.

Migrant workers, who were walking to MP on the Eastern Expressway, were herded back by policemen before the Mulund Toll Naka. Pic/Sameer Markande

Civic officials said that among the 27 patients who died, 21 of them were suffering from other ailments and three of the patients who died were less than 40 years old. In order to reduce the burden on the city's hospitals, the civic body is now urging people who test positive but have no symptoms to refrain from visiting hospitals. They are encouraging asymptomatic positive patients to visit COVID care centres instead.

Meanwhile, 25 new cases were reported from Dharavi which included one death. Five of the cases were from Mukund Nagar, the slum pocket with the highest concentration of cases. Dharavi alone now has 833 positive cases. Five other cases were reported from Mahim, 18 in Dadar, including eight cases from Kasarwadi.

In order to avoid the spread of the infection as seen in Dharavi, officials from H West ward are sealing the Khar Danda area, which includes slum pockets. The decision was taken after five members of a family in a residential building in the area tested positive earlier this week. "We found a high-risk patient while tracing the contacts of the family that tested positive. We are sealing the area. We are figuring out the arrangements for food," said an official from H West. In other parts of Bandra West, 13 cases have been reported from Shastri Nagar and 14 from the slaugherhouse near the Bandra Railway Station. Civic officials said another 12 cases have been reported from the Nargis Dutt Nagar slums.

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A day after being unceremoniously transferred from the BMC chief's office, senior bureaucrat Praveen Pardeshi proceeded on a 14-day leave, instead of taking charge of the Urban Development Department at Mantralaya.

Sources said he applied for leave because his father is unwell and his wife is self-isolating herself, after having returned from London, where she works with an international organisation. Apart from the Urban Development Department, Pardeshi has also been asked to head the water resources department.

According to sources, the celebrated disaster management expert is also upset with the turn of events. He had been in the run for the Chief Secretary's post.

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Elroy Noronha, founder of Goregaon's Indian Funeral Services, has been facing acute labour shortage. The ancillary businesses that supplied flowers and cloth are unable to operate due to the lockdown. "These days, it's a no-frills burial, with not more than three to four people," he says. His core team of four members is filling in. A part of the reason they are able to hold fort is because, along with a drop in staff, there is also a fall in the volume of requests. "Business is down by 30 per cent." Road accident cases are down to nil, and mortal remains from overseas aren't arriving due to the airlines lockdown. In April, he received one such case.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), in 2018, more than 1,50,000 people died in road accidents, which is the highest in the world. Paresh Kumar Goel, a director at MORTH, recently revealed that the Coronavirus lockdown will cut road deaths by at least 15 per cent compared to 2018. Noronha says this development is not entirely unexpected given that everyone is staying at home.

Dr Ravikant Singh, founder and president of Doctors for You, an organisation dedicated to disaster

Crematoriums, too, are seeing this pattern. A death registration karkun (DRK) officer at the Hindu crematorium, Aarey Colony, Goregaon East, says that on an average, they receive 125 bodies a month. In April, the figure stood at 108. The crematorium does not admit COVID-19 cases.

It's not just funeral services that have taken a hit, priests are also facing the heat. Yogesh Kanitkar, a pandit at Versova's Shiv Mandir, says the fear of infection has compelled people to make do without them. "Although we take all possible precautions, including wearing gloves and masks and sanitising the equipment, customers are wary of calling us even to funerals. Our community is adversely impacted," he says. Some, however, are sceptical of the trend. Vakola's Sukhant Funeral Management, that operates in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane, has seen a rise in business. "People no longer call their relatives, they phone us. They are confused about how to proceed if there's a death during the lockdown, so, we guide them on how to acquire the death certificate and go about the cremation," says founder Sanjay Ramgude.

Sarva Pooja kits are packed with 38 items

It's the reason why cousins Nitesh Mehta and Hiten Dhruv's venture SarvaPooja is doing brisk business. The duo manufacture funeral kits packed with 38 items, including earthen pots, Gangajal, black sesame seeds and dried cow dung. "The box also has a six-feet-long collapsible bamboo stretcher and can carry a person weighing up to 150 kg, and is assembled in segments," says Mehta, about the kit that is priced at R2,950.

Dr Ravikant Singh is the founder and president of Doctors for You, an organisation dedicated to primary health care. Every summer, he witnesses a drop in the outpatient department (OPD) walk-ins. "Sunny skies are good for us. It's a relatively healthy season compared to the monsoon and winter." There are a number of theories about this, he adds, including the fact that we generally choose foods that are lighter during the hotter months, which in turn lowers cholesterol. "It's easier on your heart."

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Dogs are miracles with paws. A dog named Deuce is perhaps the best example of this. He is a three-year-old who had his legs amputated because they were infected. However, he has managed to beat the odds and is able to walk on his two right legs.

"Although, he only has legs on the right side, he is very strong and stable and can walk and run just as steadily as any other dog with four legs," said Domenick Scudera, his pet parent and a theatre professor at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, to SWNS. Scudera found him in a ditch and rescued him. Not only is Deuce's walking ability a wonder, the sweet pup is a miracle worker who travels to hospitals to visit children as a therapy dog.

Deuce with Lucky

The professor also cares for a couple of other two-legged dogs named Cyrus and Lucky. All three are therapy dogs who inspire others, leading by example. "They have completely changed my life for the better. They mean the world to me," added Scudera. Their story seems to have resonated with others as the three dogs have their own Instagram page with nearly 50,000 followers.

The desi voice America loves

A 14-year-old singing brainiac, who started college at the age of seven, has been accepted into eight Californian varsities

An Indian-American teen prodigy, Tiara Abraham, who graduated from high school at the age of 13, has now been accepted into the music programmes at eight different Californian universities. Abraham became a member of MENSA, the high-IQ society, at the tender age of four and took her first college class at the age of seven. Her ambition is to become an opera performer. "I don't know, it's just something that's in me. I'm just really passionate about it. Singing makes me feel happy, it's my passion," she said to KXTV. Her mother Taji Abraham said, "We are super proud. It's super competitive with these vocal majors."

The 14-year-old is currently a full-time student at American River College. She is trying to choose between the University of Southern California, the University of the Pacific and six others.

Bhangra in Britain

Pic/@100stringsingh, Instagram

Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh shared a heartwarming video on Twitter, which showed people in London dancing to his song Veervaar. It was originally posted by Twitter user @shergillj99. It features him doing the bhangra and his white neighbours at the other end of the street following his lead.

Grim reaper says stay safe

Pic/@DWUhlfelderLaw, Twitter

Beaches in Florida were recently reopened to the public. People who visited them hoping to catch some sun were shocked, as they spotted a scythe-wielding Grim Reaper at these beaches. Daniel Uhlfelder has been dressing up as the symbol of death and haunting these beaches to protest their opening during the Coronavirus pandemic. He wants people to stay indoors."

Lady drinks smoothies with sperm to stay fit

Pic/Tracy Kiss, Facebook

Tracy Kiss, a UK-based personal trainer, told Metro that she hasn't fallen sick for the past three years because of her smoothies, which contain sperm. She takes three shots a week and makes the smoothies using donations from her boyfriend. The 32-year-old mother of two said, "I found a free and vegan-friendly alternative method to boost the body's immune system.

Elon Musk names his baby X Æ A-12

What's in a name? If you think nothing, you might change your mind as you hear about Tesla CEO Elon Musk naming his baby boy X Æ A-12 Musk. His partner, Grimes, came up with the outlandish name. "...the AE is, like, pronounced Ash," said Musk on comedian Joe Rogan's podcast.

Care to wear a shirt made of waste linen?

Pic/Archivist Studio, Facebook

Archivist Studio, a German clothing brand, has been repurposing linen discarded by luxury hotels into designer shirts. The idea is the brainchild of designer duo Eugenie Haitsma and Johannes Offerhaus, who learned that bed linen get thrown out for the smallest of defects.

A table for one, please

A Swedish restaurant is letting customers enjoy the fine dining experience. The creators of Bord för en (table for one), Linda Karlsson and Rasmus Persson, have placed a wooden table and a chair in the middle of a barren field. Customers have to serve themselves from a picnic basket placed near the table. The guest can pay what they want for the meal. Pics/@bordforen, Facebook

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The Congress has declared two candidates, making the ensuing legislative council poll elections more interesting. This means the polls in which CM Uddhav Thackeray is one of the nine candidates, will be decided through voting on May 21, unless one of the 10 candidates for the nine vacancies withdraws next week.

Rajesh Rathod was the Congress's choice cleared by the high command on Saturday. Papa Modi was announced at a state level, indicating that it could be a tactic to get more nominations in future polls. The BJP has fielded four—Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil, Praveen Datke, Gopichand Padalkar and Dr Ajit Gopchhede. The NCP has given tickets to Shashikant Shinde and Amol Mitkari. The Sena has the CM and Neelam Gorhe, deputy chairman of the upper house.

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The Coronavirus lockdown has exposed our state and nation's deep, economic divide, as it has turned out to be a nightmare for lakhs of migrants and urban poor in Maharashtra. Not only have they lost their livelihood, they are also struggling to eat two square meals a day. "Apart from food, people also need money to pay rent and electricity bills, recharge their phones, meet medical expenses," explained Lalita T of the Stree Mukti Sanghatana, an NGO working for the rights of waste picker women. It has provided dry ration kits to 5,000 waste picker women in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane. They plan to carry out another distribution drive within the next couple of weeks.

The central government seems to have taken cognisance of the hunger problem as it has allowed NGOs conducting relief activities to approach the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for procuring food grains (rice and wheat) at subsidised rates from its warehouses. "We have to pick up a minimum of 1,000 kg at once. With trucks refusing to ply during the lockdown, this puts us in a tight spot. An additional challenge is that the wheat that's been allocated is whole grain wheat. It hasn't been milled into flour," said Trina Talukdar, co-founder of Kranti. Kranti first mailed the FCI on April 16 and its request to buy food grains from them was finally approved on May 8. They have provided food essentials to 700 families in Kamathipura and Malad so far, with money raised via private fundraising efforts. Each packet typically lasts a family of five for a month.

Lalita T, consultant with the Stree Mukti Sangathana

Agreeing with Talukdar, Nishant Bangera of the Muse Foundation remarked, "Providing only rice and wheat is inadequate. Why haven't pulses been included? We expected more hand-holding from the government because we lack resources. I'm not just referring to finances, there is also a shortage of volunteers on the ground given that we are dealing with a public health crisis." The founder of the Thane-based NGO revealed that carrying relief supplies for 100 people amounts to carrying more than three tonnes of material. It has been able to help about 500 families as of now. Muse emailed its registration certificate (bearing the charity commissioner's signature) to the authority concerned. Its request to buy rice was approved and it has distributed the same. It decided not to purchase wheat, because with no disposable income at hand and mills shut, recipients can't convert it into flour.

"The state has failed in its responsibility to cater to the needy. It has shifted the onus onto NGOs, but we don't have the kind of infrastructure that the state does, to reach every nook and corner," says Bilal Khan, an activist with the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao (GBGB) movement. The GBGB kits includes supplies to prepare a basic meal— rice, wheat, pulses, masala, tea, oil, sugar, poha, rava, etc. It's logistically unfeasible for GBGB to procure rice from the FCI and all other materials from elsewhere, they say. GBGB has written to the FCI, but it hasn't heard back from them yet. Khan was one of the petitioners who had approached the Bombay High Court on March 23, seeking to address the gaps in the state government's relief response during the lockdown.

Ulka Mahajan, social worker

"It's the government's constitutional responsibility to provide food for everybody. We also want all the interstate and intrastate migrant workers to be safely transported back to their hometowns after their wages are settled," said Ulka Mahajan, a prominent social worker, who was a co-petitioner along with Khan. Mahajan feels that instead of solely depending on non-profits for distribution of food, they should also have been made stakeholders in the discussion around the lockdown and its exit plan. She stated the example of Kerala as a state which has benefitted from doing the same.

The divisional manager of the FCI in Mumbai, Avinash Dhabade, dismissed allegations of red tape claiming that, "More than 50 NGOs in Mumbai, such as the Rehbar Foundation and Citizens for Justice and Peace, have picked up food grains from us so far. NGOs engaging in relief work have to mail us their registration certificate, bearing the signature of the charity commissioner, online. If everything is in place, we will approve their request on the very same day."

Mukta Srivastava, right to food activist

As far as the stipulation to pick up one metric tonne of grains at once is concerned, Dhabade said that his hands are tied because the FCI is simply following a central government directive.

In what seems like a cruel joke, the Centre has decided to use the surplus stock of rice in its warehouses to make hand sanitiser by converting it into ethanol. The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) based on the national policy on biofuels, which allows for the conversion of excess grains into ethanol. This move comes across as high-handed and insensitive, given the food insecurity of innumerable people in major cities across the country.

Trina Talukdar, co-founder, Kranti

"What about those who haven't registered themselves with the Maharashtra Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board for instance? Or those who don't possess ration cards and so, they are excluded from the government's Public Distribution System," asks Mukta Srivastava, a Right to Food activist, questioning the government's apathy towards its most vulnerable.

Nishant Bangera, founder, Muse Foundation

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