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Akshay Kumar on Rishi Kapoor's demise: Feels like we're in a nightmare

It's another dark day for Indian cinema. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away this morning, April 30, 2020, after a long battle with leukaemia. He was 67.

Akshay Kumar, who worked with Kapoor in Namastey London and Patiala House, took to Twitter to express shock and sorrow at Kapoor's passing. He wrote, "It seems like we're in the midst of a nightmare... just heard the depressing news of #RishiKapoor ji passing away, it's heartbreaking. He was a legend, a great co-star and a good friend of the family. My thoughts and prayers with his family."

It truly feels like a nightmare of the worst kind, one we can't seem to wake up from. Indian and global cinema has lost a true doyen of the art, and the loss has hit us hard.

Yesterday, the brilliant Irrfan Khan, too, left us after battling neuroendocrine cancer for two years. He was 53.

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Nikkhil Advani remembers Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, says 'there will be jashan in heavens tonight'

April has turned out to be the most devastating month of the year. On April 29, the world lost an actor par excellence, Irrfan Khan. And today, the world has lost another gem of an actor who could do any role with ease, Rishi Kapoor. He passed away at 8:45 IST in hospital after a two-year battle with leukemia.

Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, who directed both of them in D-Day, took to his Twitter account to recount the experience he had working with this legendary star. Sharing an anecdote on Twitter, Advani wrote- "No one treated me with the respect an actor gives a director more than you did, that too being who you were. You were my friend sir. I'm sitting, remembering and just chuckling, laughing. Waiting for your booming voice to say "boy... make me one more drink!" (sic)

Have a look right here:

And then came a picture that could surely leave you teary-eyed. It was a scene from the film that had both Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan in the same frame. Sharing this priceless moment that the world will never see again, he wrote- "At least one thing is for sure. There will be jashan in the heavens tonight." Have a look right here:

The entire Bollywood industry is currently in shock as it has lost two legends who went too soon. We shall never forget their contribution to Hindi Cinema!

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Prithviraj Sukumaran on Rishi Kapoor's demise: This is a sad sad week for cinema

As the country mourned the loss of one of the finest actors of the Indian cinema industry, Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran on Thursday took to social media to express grief on the demise of 'legend' Rishi Kapoor.

The south Indian actor, director, and producer took to Twitter and wrote: "This is a sad sad week for cinema. Rest in peace [?]#RishiKapoor sir."

The 37-year-old star who had shared screen space with the veteran actor in 2013 drama-thriller 'Aurangzeb,' also recalled his conversations with the late star.

"Had the absolute privilege of working with him in #Aurangzeb Used to tell me he can't call me by name as I shared it with his grandfather."

He wrapped up the post by saying: "Farewell legend. We will miss you!"

Rishi Kapoor passed away at 8:45 am IST at Mumbai's Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital after a two-year battle with leukaemia, his family said in a statement. He was admitted to the facility on Wednesday. Earlier today, actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news of the demise of the 67-year-old.

In September 2019, Rishi and his wife Neetu returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment. He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

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




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Poonam Dhillon on Rishi Kapoor, the 'most shining star of the Kapoor family'

Poonam Dhillon and Rishi Kapoor were a popular pair of the eighties. They starred together in around 10 films, notably Sitamgar, Yeh Vaada Raha, Zamana, Biwi O Biwi, Ek Chadar Maili Si, and Tawaif. The actress looks back at working with the late Rishi Kapoor, and is too shocked to express her grief.

It is difficult at this moment for me to even talk about Rishi. It is very painful to talk about him in the past tense. So many images of him are coming in my mind.

He really was one of my favourite actors. Over the years people would ask me which co-star have you been a fan of or admired. I have always said Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan. They are my two co-stars from whom I have really learnt a lot. I have been a grear fan of both of them.

Rishi really is one of the finest, most effortless and natural actors we had. All through his life he had this romantic and loverboy image. But the variety of roles he did -- whether it is playing a villain or a bad guy or an old man, any kind of role, put him in any role and he would shine in it. He really was a complete actor and I think the most shining star of the Kapoor family.

We have done quite a number of films together. Anywhere in the world I have traveled to, people would tell me "Yah vaada raha" is one of their favourite songs. People would even convey the same on Insta and Twitter. It has been an immortal creation of R D Burman featuring Rishi Kapoor and myself.

As a person, he was somebody with an amazing sense of humour. He would always reply to texts or WhatsApp messages with something whacky or funny. He was a person who had a zest for life. He was full of life. He enjoyed everything from his work to even being on Twitter! Sometimes he wrote very meaningful and great comments (on social media).

He really lived his life to the fullest. I just wish he had not gone so soon. He still had a lots to do. It is very sad.

When I last met him, he was looking so good and nice. We would text each other on occasions like birthdays, Diwali, New Year and other festivals. I had recently sent him a message wishing him good health. Today, I am going through my old messages with him, our conversations.

It is not an easy time to talk about him like this but he is really a person I would miss as a friend, as a co-star. I would sometimes jump into him asking why are we not doing any film together and we would have a banter about it. He would sometimes say, maine ek do film ki, achha role tha, mujhe laga tu karegi nahi!

I don't think he was ready to go. I don't think this is the perfect time. It must be so very traumatic for his children Riddhima and Ranbir. I can't imagine what his entire family must eb going through. Unfortunately, this is such a time that I can't even go and meet his family, share their grief and pay my last respect to him. I am sitting alone at home and thinking about him.

He will always be immortal. He has given such a fantastic body of work. He was outstanding in every role. I wish I could spend some more time with him after he came back from New York. When I met him a few months ago, he told me tu ghar nahi ayee mujhse milne ke liye! He was an old friend and we could tell each other things as it is! I regret not meeting him recently. God bless him and his family. He was a tremendous actor and will always be remembered for his roles!

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Aamir Khan pays tribute to Rishi Kapoor on Twitter, calls him a 'child of cinema'

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last in a hospital in Mumbai on the morning of April 30, 2020. His passing has left a huge void in the film industry and in the lives of his family, close friends and millions of fans across the world. Tributes have been pouring in for the original chocolate hero of Bollywood, and Aamir Khan, too, took to Twitter to bid a final goodbye to his Fanaa co-star.

Aamir wrote, "We have lost one of the greats today. An amazing actor, a wonderful human being, and 100 per cent a child of Cinema. Thank you for all the joy you brought to our lives. Thank you for being the actor and human being that you were. You will be badly missed Rishiji."

Rishi Kapoor passed away at the age of 67 after battling cancer for two years. The actor was suffering from leukaemia, and he died with wife Neetu Kapoor by his side. Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor's co-star in a number of films, was one of the first to confirm the news of his passing.

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Rishi Kapoor passes away: Daughter Riddhima gets special permission to travel from Delhi to Mumbai

The Delhi Police has granted permission to Riddhima Sahni, daughter of actor Rishi Kapoor who passed away on Thursday morning, to travel to Mumbai for his last rites amid the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, officials said.

"Along with Ridhima, five other people -- Bharat Sahni, Samara Sahni, Akshay Sahni and Drigalakshmi Rai -- got permission to travel to Mumbai," Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) R P Meena said.

The 67-year-old actor, who was suffering from cancer, died in a Mumbai hospital. His death comes a day after his 'D-Day' co-star Irrfan Khan passed away due to cancer. Rishi Kapoor, a third generation actor of the famous Kapoor dynasty, was taken to the H N Reliance Hospital by his family on Wednesday

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Rishi Kapoor: The original 'chocolate boy' passed on

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Bobby (1973)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Rakesh Roshan: Chintu always said, main camera ke saamne masti karta hoon

Our friendship lasted 45 years because we were similar in nature — we loved food and drinks, and were brimming with optimism. We grew close during the making of Khel Khel Mein (1975).

Eventually, Jeetendra joined us, and we three became inseparable. We would meet every day after our respective shoots.

Chintu and I did several movies together — Jhoota Kahin Ka (1979), Khel Khel Mein and Aap Ke Deewane (1980), among others. He would never prepare for his shots, and yet, when the camera rolled, he came alive! He was so spontaneous and natural. When we were shooting for Aap Ke Deewane, I asked him how he shone in each take without having prepped for it. With a smile, he said, 'Aise hi yaar, main camera ke saamne bas masti karta hoon…' He was such an integral part of my life that I couldn't imagine my first directorial venture without him. So, I requested Chintu to do a cameo in Khudgarz (1987).

[In 2018], our cancer diagnosis came months apart — his in August, and mine in December. But we both fought with a smile on our face. He was always brave and full of life. When I met him in March before the lockdown, Chintu, Neetu and I reminisced about our good old days.

I spoke to Neetu earlier this week when I learnt he was hospitalised and prayed for his speedy recovery. I woke up this morning to a message from a friend, asking if Rishi Kapoor was all right. When I called Dabboo [Randhir Kapoor], his number was busy. That's when my heart sank and I instinctively knew something was wrong. Then I rang up Ranbir who shared the news. It was so shocking that I started crying on the phone. Instead of me consoling him, Ranbir comforted me. He has been a pillar of strength to his father.

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Ramesh Sippy: One didn't need to direct Rishi Kapoor!

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

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

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


Ramesh Sippy

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

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

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

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Poonam Dhillon: Like all Kapoors, Rishi loved food

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Aruna Irani on Rishi Kapoor aka Chintu baba: Where will you find such yaarana?

My Chintu baba! He was a nice and jovial person. He was good to each and every person. He came from a rich family -- the Kapoor family. Everyone knows who they are. He was so good and a comfortable artiste to work with. We used to call him Chintu baba.

"Bobby" was his first film. His father (Raj Kapoor) used to scold him, still he used to not feel bad. In such cases, kids get conscious but he never felt conscious. If his father would say something to him, he would say it's for his best. As an actor, of course, he was very good but he was also a very good human being. He used to never eat lunch on his own. He would sit down with everybody and eat. The dostana (friendship), yaarana... Where will you find it?

I have done many films with him. There's one incident. We had gone to some remote place for a film's shooting. There were so many mosquitoes that used to bite us. It was difficult to sleep because of that. Back then there were no good hotels also. We told Chintu baba that we will die. Even he said 'Aruna ji mai b mar gaya mujhe neend nai arahi hai (Even I am dead, I am unable to sleep). What should I do?' I said 'We can't say anything but you are the hero, so you only say something'. Then he told the film's producer. I don't remember the film's name. He said it was not possible to work in the morning like this, so shift the location. Then the location got shifted.

It's been many years since we worked together but he used to be so nice. We used to be in touch on WhatsApp. We spoke about his health. I was happy to see him return after his treatment. Then a few days later he said he was going to work. I was so happy then I stopped asking him because I thought he was out of this trap. He had started working, so I thought he had improved but he ditched us.

I still love him. May his soul rest in peace. He was a fabulous person.

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I have not lost I have gained in every which way: Sutapa Sikdar's emotional post for late husband Irrfan Khan

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

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

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

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Riteish Deshmukh and Karan Johar flaunt their grey hair on social media

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

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Ek Joke Saanga Na

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

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

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

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

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Nick Jonas turns tutor for Priyanka Chopra; actress takes piano lessons

Learning piano continues to be a favourite lockdown activity of stars. Now, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is learning it. Musician husband Nick Jonas is her tutor. PeeCee is said to have always harboured a desire to learn a music instrument and the piano was the best bet. Hrithik Roshan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Geeta Basra, Kriti Kharbanda are also learning piano online during the lockdown. Piano and celebrities seem to have a connect.

For the unversed, the actress has been making a lot of contribution for coronavirus struck countries. Priyanka Chopra Jonas shared that she is helping to students in Los Angeles in adapting to virtual classrooms amid lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic. Apart from this, she was also a part of fundraiser concert.

One World: Together At Home was a mega live-streamed and televised benefit concert in support of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Covid-19 solidarity response fund and in celebration of health workers around the world.

The 37-year-old actor is currently staying with her singer husband Nick Jonas in California, United States. PeeCee's contribution did not just stay in the US. Priyanka, along with her singer husband Nick Jonas donated to several organisations including PM CARES Fund, Goonj, Feeding America and others to combat COVID-19 which has affected over 10 lakh people globally.

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Sonakshi Sinha answers awkward questions thrown by netizens on Instagram

A bored Sonakshi Sinha asked netizens to throw her some awkward questions. A fan asked her if she was single? The actor replied, "Double. Hehe (sic)!" The actor then shared a mirror selfie to make the puzzled fan understand her reply. The interactive session brightened up her day as well as that of the fans. Like father Shatrughan Sinha, Sona, too, knows how to entertain with witty one-liners. Have a question, will answer, she says.

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

Bhuj: The Pride of India stars Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Sharad Kelkar, Ammy Virk and Pranitha Subhash. The film is directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya. In the film, Ajay will be seen playing Indian Air Force pilot Vijay Karnik, while Sonakshi will essay the character of Sunderben Jetha Madharparya, who is a social worker and a farmer women, who convinced 299 other women from Madhapur to help build a runway during the India-Pakistan war of 1971.

Speaking about her personal life, Sonakshi recently made headlines for dating Notebook actor Zaheer Iqbal. In a candid chat, Zaheer said, "Sonakshi and I laughed after reading the dating rumours. It was my first rumour so I didn't know how to react to it. People have seen all of us. Sonakshi and I chill together and someone must have seen that and might have started the rumour. Well, I'm sure that's how it started."

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Shah Rukh Khan pays condolences to Rishi Kapoor's family, recalls the day they met for the first time

Rishi Kapoor has gone too soon! For many of his fans and cinema lovers, this was the most exciting phase of his career and the man was making some fascinating choices as an actor. On one hand, he gave us Agneepath and Aurangzeb, and on the other hand were titles like Luck By Chance, Kapoor & Sons, and Do Dooni Chaar. How could he go without giving some more of such great works? But destiny had other plans, it seems.

He passed away on April 30 at 8:45 am IST after battling leukaemia for over two years. His last rites were performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai, near the H.N Reliance hospital where he was admitted. Family members and close friends were at the rites throughout.

Almost everyone from the Bollywood industry took to their social media accounts to pay homage and tribute to the actor and his legend and legacy. Shah Rukh Khan, who began his career in films with him in 1992's Deewana, directed by Raj Kanwar, had something more to say than just paying condolences. His had to be a memorable read, something that intrigued and hooked the readers.

It was pure nostalgic bliss when he recollected those good old days when he was a new kid on the block trying to learn the ropes of acting and wanting to rule the marquee. Here are some bits of what he wrote- "As a young man entering the daunting world of films, I was insecure about the way I looked and afraid I was not talented enough. The thought of falling meant nothing though, because even if I failed, I would have worked with the greatest actor I knew of- Rishi Sahib." (sic)

He continued, "On the first day of the shoot, he sat for my scene to finish after pack-up, then with that famously radiant smile on his face he said "yaar tujhme energy bahut hai". That day in my head I became an actor!" (sic) Have a look right here:

He also shared a picture of himself and the actor from this film and everything about Khan's debut and Kapoor's legacy could come before you like a flash. These are the moments Cinema is made for, pure cathartic but also equally chocking. The note also says how he met him again to inquire about his health and Neetu Kapoor even posted that picture on her Instagram account last year in May, have a look right here:

Rishi Kapoor will continue to live on with his films, music, performances, and of course, that radiant smile that also charmed Shah Rukh Khan!

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Mahesh Babu heartbroken and saddened by the demise of Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, pays condolences

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

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

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

Have a look right here:

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

Have a look:

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

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Will get back to each one of you but not now: Irrfan Khan's son Babil posts heartfelt note for actor's fans

Versatile Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 53 on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:11 am due to colon infection. The actor was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer and was admitted at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Tuesday due to a colon infection. The actor was buried at the Versova kabristan in Mumbai at 3 pm on Wednesday in the presence of his family, close relatives and friends. Irrfan is survived by his wife Sutapa and sons – Babil and Ayan.

Soon after news of Irrfan's death broke on the internet, social media was flooded with messages from fans and celebrities expressing their grief. Son Babil Khan also mourned the loss of his father by sharing a hearfelt note on his Instagram handle. 

In the note, Babil thanked all for their support and condolence messages as his family is faced with the most difficult challenge. He wrote: "I’m deeply grateful for all the condolences you beautiful friends are pouring in for me. Although I hope you understand that right now I’m not being able to reply because my vocabolary is dizzy. I will get back to each one of you but just not right now. Thank you so much. I love you (sic)."

Take a look at Babil's hearfelt note:

On Tuesday, the Piku actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the Intensive Care Unit. In 2018, Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was undergoing treatment for the same.

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

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

Irrfan Khan, who made his debut with a small role in Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay in 1988 was known for his performances in Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others. His last film Angrezi Medium released in March this year. 

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Rati Agnihotri: Rishi Kapoor was a wonderful person

Actress Rati Agnihotri, who worked with Rishi Kapoor in films like "Tawaif" and "Yeh Hai Jalwa", says the late actor will be greatly missed.

"(It's) A huge loss. (He used to be) So alive. I will miss him a lot. He was a wonderful person. Rest in peace Rishi, " Rati, who currently lives in Poland, told IANS.

Rishi, who died on Thursday in Mumbai after a two-year battle with leukaemia, had featured in several iconic films in his career of over four decades. And in his Bollywood journey, he had been a part of several women-oriented films. "Tawaif", in which Rati has the starring role, is one such film.

In the movie, Dawood (Rishi) accepts Sultana (Rati), a courtesan, as his wife in spite of being in love with an author, Kaynat (Poonam Dhillion).

Rishi had even once shared his happiness to be part of such films.

"Since the olden time whenever there were films made on the idea of women empowerment, I was part of those films, like 'Prem Rog', 'Damini', 'Tawaif', 'Chandni', and many more. I have done many films that reflect the future way of thinking. I have always played my part. I have always helped and encouraged women empowerment," he once said.

"No one can say that I haven't done anything; you can blame other actors who have always done macho films and actions films. I am the one who has supported and made such films I can't think of anyone else who has," Rishi had said.

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Paatal Lok: Five reasons why Anushka Sharma's web series promises to be a must-watch

Be it the Yin or the Yang, the good or the bad, there are always two sides to the same coin. The same goes for our existence today. Showcasing the contrasting realities of modern society, Amazon Prime Video's upcoming original Paatal Lok will surely raise your hair with its captivating portrayal of the many shades of humanity.

Here are five reasons that will make you want to watch the upcoming gripping show –

1. An invigorating crime-thriller

Paatal Lok is swiftly establishing a fanbase even before the release of the show. From audiences going gaga about the intriguing posters, the excitement ahead of the show's release is infectious. The show, with its gripping narrative, is all set to throw new light on the four pillars of democracy. Making for a compelling watch, viewers are set to be left in awe as they see shades of morality in the country that seems more dark than bright.

2. See the dark side of humanity get darker

Talk about a show that will shake your very core and make you question everything that you believed was right or wrong. Realising that there's always more to what meets the eye, Paatal Lok will show us how every individual has two sides to their personality. And yes, rest assured of watching a story that at no point shies away from the relentless violence displayed by ruthless mortals. Certainly, a show not for the faint-hearted, the many shades to Paatal Lok will keep one hooked to the mysteries that unravel in this inescapable hell on earth.

3. Commentary on modern-day society

Apart from being a mysterious series on the lawless and merciless, Paatal Lok's nuanced plot seems to be a scathing commentary on modern-day society. Drawing parallels with the ancient concepts of the Tri-Lok - Swarg Lok (heaven), Dharti Lok (earth), Paatal Lok (netherworld), it paints a realistic picture of the ruthless class divide that prevails today in Indian society.

4. Yet another masterpiece from the makers of NH10, Udta Punjab

If the concept didn't intrigue you yet, watch the series for the creator and co-writer Sudip Sharma. In its first-ever association with Clean Slate Films, Amazon Prime Video's Paatal Lok is a much-anticipated series from the masterminds behind the startling films NH10 and Udta Punjab. With audiences raving about the show, Paatal Lok has already won a fan in Varun Dhawan. Having been blown away by the show's poster and teaser, the actor recently took to social media to acknowledge Anushka Sharma and said that he's immensely proud of this 'Producer Saab'.

5. A critically acclaimed cast that will blow your mind

Paatal Lok will be a fabulous collaboration of brilliant critically acclaimed actors such as Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, Gul Panag, Swastika Mukherjee, Abhishek Banerjee among others. With the series riding on the back of a powerful and intriguing plot, the show's ensemble cast with their impeccable acting prowess is set to deliver one hell of a memorable performance.

Paatal Lok will stream on Amazon Prime Video on May 15, 2020.

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Naseeruddin Shah on hospitalisation rumours: I'm fine, observing the lockdown

Amid rumours that he was unwell and hospitalised, Naseeruddin Shah has reached out to his fans and thanked them for their concern. Rubbishing the reports of hospitalisation, Shah took to Facebook to reassure everyone about his health.

He wrote, "I thank all those enquiring after my health and reassure them I am fine," he said. "I'm at home and observing the lockdown. Please don't believe any rumours," he added.

The actor's younger son Vivaan Shah also dismissed rumours about his father's health. "He's alright. These are just rumours," Vivaan told PTI. Reports about Shah's health started surfacing on social media as the industry was coming to terms with the deaths of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor.

Rishi Kapoor, aged 67, breathed his last on Thursday in a Mumbai hospital after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia, while Irrfan, 53, passed away on Wednesday due to neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer.

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




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Irrfan Khan's wife Sutapa Sikdar and sons release a family statement

The brilliant Irrfan Khan passed away on April 29, 2020, after battling neuroendocrine cancer for over two years. The actor has left behind a huge void in the lives of his family, friends and fans. Irrfan Khan is survived by his wife, Sutapa Sikdar, and his sons Babil and Ayaan.

In an official family statement, Irrfan's wife Sutapa and sons have asked us to think of this as a gain, not a loss. The family writes, "How can I write this as a family statement when the whole world is taking it as a personal loss? How can I begin to feel alone when millions are grieving with us at the moment? I want to assure everyone that this is not a loss, it is a gain. It's a gain of the things he taught us, and now we shall finally begin to truly implement it and evolve. Yet, I want to try to fill in the things that people don't already know."

The statement further read, "It's unbelievable for us but I would put it in Irrfan's words, 'it's magical' whether he is there or not, and that's what he loved; he never loved one-dimensional reality. The only thing I have a grudge against him is - he has spoiled me for life. His strive for perfection doesn't let me settle for ordinary in anything. There was a rhythm which he always saw in everything, even in cacophony and chaos, so I have learnt to sing and dance to the music of that rhythm, even with my tone-deaf voice and two left feet."

"Funnily, our life was a masterclass in acting, so when the dramatic entry of the "uninvited guests" happened, I had by then learnt to see harmony in the cacophony. The doctor's reports were like scripts which I wanted to perfect, so I never miss any detail that he sought for in his performance. We met some amazing people in this journey and the list is endless, but there are some whom I have to mention, our oncologist Dr. Nitesh Rohtogi (Max hospital Saket) who held our hand in the beginning, Dr. Dan Krell (UK), Dr. Shidravi (UK), my heartbeat and my lantern in the dark Dr. Sevanti Limaye (Kokilaben hospital). It's difficult to explain how wondrous, beautiful, overwhelming, painful and exciting this journey has been."

I find these two and a half years to have been an interlude that had its own beginning, middle and culmination with Irrfan helming the role of the orchestra conductor, separate from the 35 years of our companionship. Ours was not a marriage, it was a union. I see my little family, in a boat, with both my sons Babil and Ayaan paddling it forward, with Irrfan guiding them, "wahan nahi, yahan se modo". But since life is not cinema and there are no retakes, I sincerely wish my children sail this boat safely with their father's guidance in mind and rockabye through the storm. I asked my children, if possible, if they could sum up a lesson taught by their father that has been important to them...

Babil: Learn to surrender to the dance of uncertainty and trust your faith in the universe.
Ayaan: Learn to control your mind and to not let it control you."

"Tears will flow as we plant a raat ki rani tree, his favourite, in the place where you have put him to rest after a victorious journey. It takes time but it will bloom and the fragrance will spread and touch all the souls whom I won't call fans but family for years to come."

The Angrezi Medium actor was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection, where he passed away. Irrfan's most memorable works include Salaam Bombay!, Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Haider, Gunday, Piku, Talvar, and Hindi Medium, amongst others.

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Together, online!

To support India in its efforts to financially assist those impacted by the disruption caused by the outbreak, Facebook announced the launch of Facebook Fundraisers, a platform that will allow people to start a fundraiser for a cause dear to them.

In addition to this, Hungama Artist Aloud, a platform that supports and promotes independent content, is bringing back #StayAtHome #StayEntertained, for a second season. A series of multilingual, multi-genre and multi-talent digital concerts, will come together for this effort to raise funds for Goonj, which is working to ease the hardships faced by daily-wage earning families.

Having kicked off on April 27, the series saw artistes like Himani Kapoor, Shashaa Tirupati, Sujata Majumdar, Hardeep Grewal, Poorvi Koutish, Siddharth Basrur, Paroma Dasgupta, Dev Negi, Astitva, The Suryansh Project, Preety Bhalla, Shreya Sharma and Sanah Moidutty perform live from their homes.


Shreya Sharma

Shreya Sharma says, "(While we are) comfortable in our houses and air conditioned rooms, a lot of migrant workers are in the sweltering heat without rations or basic sanitary needs. Doing even the smallest can help them to survive this pandemic."

Sanah M adds, "I'll be singing a few songs that I've sung for movies, a few covers, and will possibly take up some audience requests."


Preety Bhalla

Preety Bhalla says, "Social media is a very important platform through which people can reach out to each other especially during this lockdown. So this is a great medium where we as artists can do something from our side by performing for them and thus raise funds for the needy."

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COVID-19 lockdown: Jassie Gill releases a new song titled Johnny Waker

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

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

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

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

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Happy Birthday Radhika Madan: Three reasons why the Angrezi Medium actress is B-town's next blue eyed girl

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

1) She made it without a godfather in the industry

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

2) She has played 3 unique roles

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

3) She has been a director’s favourite

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

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

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See Photo: KGF star Yash, wife Radhika Pandit introduce their son with this adorable picture

K.G.F star Yash and wife Radhika Pandit welcomed their second child, a baby boy on October 30, 2019. However, the parents took a decision not to reveal the baby’s photo and the name. Now, after six months, the couple have finally introduced their son to the world by sharing an adorable photo of the munchkin.

Yash took to his Instagram account to share the picture of the toddler giving us much-needed smile in this gloomy days. Sharing the picture of his son, Yash wrote, "Say hello to my little buddy for life. Do give him all your love and blessings (sic)."

Take a look at the picture here:

Few days ago, Radhika Pandit had taken to his Instagram and shared a glimpse of her baby boy, in which their first child Arya was also seen. Sharing the picture, she wrote, "The moment all of u were waiting for. Yes tomorrow, Junior turns 6 months!! He will be ready to greet u all.. are u guys ready for him!! #nimmaRP #radhikapandit P.S : Thanks Amrita for this memorable shoot! @mommyshotsbyamrita (sic)."

On the work front, we will be seeing the actor in the second installment of K.G.F. which is all set to release on 23rd October 2020.

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Paatal Lok: Motion poster of Jaideep Ahlawat's character released

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Rishi Kapoor's last film producer on working with him

On January 9, 2018, producer Honey Trehan along with debutant director Hitesh Bhatia reached at the residence of Rishi Kapoor for a script-narration of their upcoming film, "Sharmaji Namkeen". The legendry actor is excited on hearing the script, he decides to sign the film.

"I am that youngster who watched, admired and loved Rishiji on-screen. There are several films that I call my favourite, and 'Chandni' always topped the list. So it was nostalgia and excitement rolled into one when I went to narrate the film and cast him in the project," recalled Honey, one of the producers of the film along with Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, while speaking to IANS.

Trehan recalls that Kapoor fell sick within a few days after the start of shooting, and he flew to the US for his treatment.

"We stopped the film and waited for him to come back. He is the DNA of the film and we cannot imagine anyone else to play Sharmaji. They stayed in touch with him and he was so eager to come back and get on to the film set. So naturally, when things started rolling, his energy and high professionalism were driving us," said the producer.

After Kapoor returned to India, shooting was scheduled to resume on January 15, 2020, in Delhi. Unfortunately, Kapoor lost his sister Ritu Nanda, and on January 14 had to travel to Delhi to attend to his family amid emotional crisis.

Keeping the situation in mind, the producers decided to reschedule the shooting.

"However Rishiji said, 'bakwas maat karo, what happened is personal but work is my profession. I am equally responsible for both. The show must go on. This is what my father taught me'. You see, under such circumstances where he lost his sister, he did not forget the high professional value that he learnt from Raj Kapoor saab. Rishi sir knew that the responsibility of the film is on his shoulder as he played the title role of the film. He knew that the unit will suffer if we stop the shooting and there comes his spirit and energy to encourage us saying, 'the show must go on, mujhe call time bataao'," Trehan recalled.

Remembering the affectionate nature of the legendry actor, he added: "On January 15 in the Delhi winter, our call time was 9 am. When I reached the set around 8:45 am, I find him ready -- not even sitting in his vanity but standing there, on the set! He smiled at me saying, 'Tu T-shirt pehna hai, thand nehi lagti? Jacket kyun nahin pehna?' That's Rishi Kapoor for you. Loving, affectionate towards everyone around him."

"Sharmaji Namkeen" also features Juhi Chawla.

Does he feel the pressure of the fact that this will be counted as Rishi Kapoor's last film? "A film with Rishi Kapoor is always special. But this one is 'sadly' special, and this is not why a film should be special. Hitesh and I are really not in the frame of mind to think about how we will finish the film. We need time. We are sad, deeply sad" Honey signed off.

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OCD Alert: Deepika Padukone, Debina Bonnerjee, Kriti Sanon, Ameesha Patel take up cleaning

Many B-townies have been keeping themselves busy by doing household chores, self-pampering, and of course, decluttering and rearranging wardrobe. Deepika Padukone, Debina Bonnerjee, Kriti Sanon, Ameesha Patel have shared some cleaning photos on their social media. In fact, some cleaning pictures might actually give you an OCD attack. The reason, the cluttered arrangements.

As we all know, Deepika Padukone has OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which means excess need and requirement of cleaning and rearranging things rapidly. The actress has confessed how she never sits at one place and is always doing something or the other when at home. If not cleaning, she rearranges her wardrobe compulsively. 

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Season 1:Episode 1 Productivity in the time of COVID-19!😷 #cleaning #wardrobe

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onMar 15, 2020 at 6:01am PDT

Kriti Sanon, who is known for her panache and grace, was also seen decluttering her wardrobe. The actress too got distracted amid the cleaning, courtesy, the little one! Check this out.

Ameesha Patel shared a video on Instagram where she is seen cleaning her most priced possession, shoes! And come on, most of us are completely obsessed with the entire thought of hoarding all kinds of footwear. Relatable much?

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

Even CiNDERELLA needed the perfect glass slipper fit for her prince to find her 😀😀😀cleaning one of my shoe 🥿👠👠👡👡👡👟🥾🥾👢👢cupboards .. stay home activities to keep myself occupied ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’–ðŸÂÂ’– #LetsStayHome #CeraKuchPalGharKeNaam

A post shared by Ameesha Patel (@ameeshapatel9) onApr 6, 2020 at 4:27am PDT

Debina Bonnerjee too shared a cleaning post, just like other celebrities. While hers included library rearrangements and decluttering the shoe rack, we can't stop gawking at her photos. Take a look.

So, what are you cleaning next?

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Spoiler Alert: Doesn't Amazon Prime's web show Upload remind you of Black Mirror's San Junipero episode?

Welcome aboard! But before you read this one, let us be clear that the next few paragraphs are filled with nothing but spoilers. If you are nerd enough to gorge on all the sci-fiction shows the web throws at you, you've landed on the perfect page. Amazon Prime Video released a good sci-fi show, that has a hint of comedy and a dash of romance and drama, on May 1, 2020, and we couldn't help but binge on this one.

Black Mirror, the popular Netflix show, which gave us some good dark and gritty content to watch out for, has kind of an uncanny resemblance to this show. How, you ask? An episode on Black Mirror showed an alternate world where people who die can move to a place named San Junipero, and live an afterlife on their own terms. Watching Upload, you'll surely be reminded of that episode.

Here we have four reasons that make Upload a good watch:

A futuristic approach

As the lockdown extends, and so does our watch-list (of course, it is a never-ending one), we have got you the scoop on one more show, and this time, it is a futuristic approach towards the afterlife of a human. In the new show Upload, our loved ones or us, 'upload' our memories and special moments on a database, which will help you to experience everything, just like a living person. Even the seven sins of a human -  pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth, have been shown by the great brains who work on the artificial intelligence of this 'afterlife heaven'.

A life, after life

Okay, so the essence of this entire show lies in the afterlife of people who have decided to 'upload' themselves, and live a kingsize life in a virtual world. This manmade heaven is no less than a fairyland, where everything is just happy and the way we want it. But, the only glitch in this virtual world is the bugs and the viruses. Just like our real-world has problems, the digital world created beyond the horizon by some great nerdy minds have to face multiple technical difficulties.

Watch the trailer of Upload here:

A gamer's show

The show Upload starts with a brat Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell), who is deeply in love with his girlfriend Ingrid (Allegra Edwards). The duo sees their future together, but Nathan's death faults Ingrid's plan. To keep him forever, she uploads his memory and avatar in an afterlife - Horizen - and what comes next is AI personified! Video game lovers will connect with this show for real. The only difference is one doesn't have to sit with a joystick to select the next move.

A reimagined heaven

Upload shares a materialistic world which many people mistake for life and realise it once everything is gone for real. Nathan experiences the same thing when he meets his angel, Nora (Andy Allo), given by Horizen, to guide him. She not only becomes his 'guiding angel' but also helps him solve the mystery behind his sudden death caused due to a technical glitch in his auto-driven car. What comes next is kind of predictable.

The entire struggle to maintain a lifestyle in the afterlife will make you cringe about the world's perception of leading a good life, and also an afterlife. This show will actually make you think about what went wrong with these people.

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Sonam Kapoor misses her 'brat' siblings Rhea and Harshvardhan

As there are restrictions to move around because of the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, actress Sonam K. Ahuja says she is missing her siblings -- Rhea Kapoor and Harshvardhan Kapoor. Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a monochrome photograph, which seems to be from her wedding celebrations.

"See you soon brats.. miss you more than you guys can imagine," she wrote.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sonam K Ahuja (@sonamkapoor) onApr 30, 2020 at 8:58pm PDT

Sonam tied the knot with her long-time beau Anand Ahuja in 2018. The grand wedding celebrations were attended by celebrities like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karan Johar.

She was last seen on screen in "The Zoya Factor" (2019), an adaptation of Anuja Chauhan's 2008 novel of the same name, which follows the story of a girl, Zoya Solanki, who becomes a lucky charm for the Indian Cricket team during the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

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COVID-19: Dhvani Bhanushali dedicates song to frontline workers

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

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

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

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Amitabh Bachchan's emotional tribute to Rishi Kapoor: 'Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam'

One of the most versatile actors of Bollywood, Rishi Kapoor passed away at the age of 67 in Mumbai on April 30. The news came as a big shock to Bollywood as it lost another brilliant actor a day after Irrfan Khan, who passed away on April 29. Condolence messages flowed in from all quarters, with film personalities, politicians and millions of fans expressing their grief at the untimely death of the two stars.

Amitabh Bachchan also paid an emotional tribute to Rishi, with whom he had worked for over four decades giving us memorable films ranging from Amar Akbar Anthony to 102 Not Out. The superstar shared a video clip on his Instagram account that had moments from 102 Not Out, in which Amitabh played a 102-year-old father to a 76-year-old son, played by Rishi. Sharing the video, Amitabh wrote, ""Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam .. Tum rahe na tum, Hum rahe na hum .. (sic)."

 
 
 
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Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam .. Tum rahe na tum, Hum rahe na hum ..

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 1, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Earlier, Amitabh wrote a note on his blog remembering the late actor.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

... in Memoriam https://tmblr.co/ZwrX5vYFTdCL4y00 had seen him at his home Deonar Cottage, Chembur , a young energetic, bubbly , mischief in his eyes Chintu , on those rare moments when I was privileged to have been invited to an evening at Raj ji’s house .. I would see him more often after , at RK Studios, when he trained as an actor for his film to be made, BOBBY .. a diligent enthusiastic youngster, ready to pounce onto every learning that came his way, in that famous large and legendary make up room, of Raj ji at the end of the first floor corridor of make up rooms .. He had a walk that was confident and determined .. a stride and style that was similar to that of his grandfather, the legendary Prithvi Raj ji .. a walk I had noticed in one of his earlier films .. that walk .. I never found it in any other .. We worked in several films together .. When he spoke his lines, you believed every word of it .. there was never an alternative .. its genuineness was beyond question .. And there has never been any other, that could lip sync a song as perfectly as he did .. never .. His playful attitude on set was infectious .. even in the most grave sequences he would discover that comedic spark and we would all just crack up .. !! Not just on set .. if you were with him at any formal event , he would find that little distractive light hearted gem to expand on and lighten the situation .. When there was a time lapse as the shot got readied , he would bring out his playing cards , or at times pull out his rather complicated Bagatele board and invite others to play .. a competition .. not just for fun .. a serious competition .. During his time of diagnosis and his treatment he never ever lamented his condition .. it was always .. ‘see you soon , just a routine visit to the Hospital .. I’ll be back shortly ‘ Joie de vivre .. the exuberant enjoyment of life , was a gene he inherited from his father .. the Legend, the Ultimate Showman the Iconic Raj Kapoor .. I never visited him in Hospital .. I never wanted to see distress on his smiling cherubic face .. But I am certain .. when he went , he must have gone with a gentle smile …

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onApr 30, 2020 at 10:27am PDT

The Coolie actor also shared a collage of throwback pictures of Irrfan and Rishi on his Instagram and wrote, "The death of an elder celebrity vs death of a younger .. the grief of the latter more intense than that of the former .. why ..? The younger more tragic. Why the loss of the young seems more tragic than that of the older .. Because you lament the loss of opportunity in the latter .. unrealised possibilities (sic)."

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Amitabh Bachchan (@amitabhbachchan) onMay 1, 2020 at 9:07pm PDT

Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan have left behind millions of memories for all his fans and cinema lovers that can never be forgotten. 

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Irrfan Khan enjoys pani puri in throwback video posted by son

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

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

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

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

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

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

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

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Kunal Aka Kunal Dron: The real countenances of the Punjabi talents flourishing in B-town

Digital marketing and artists management are the most fast-growing nooks of the industry which lead towards the success of one. Kunal Dron is one of the leading digital marketers with considerable accomplishments. In his industry Kunal is known as "Kunal Dron".

These days the trend of Punjabi songs and movies is getting elevated as it is highly appreciated by each and every one. But the significant faces behind the vogue of such popular rising sensation from Punjab are unsung. They are the reason behind the talent of Punjab getting opportunities in the Bollywood industry.

Thus Kunal Dron is going to Produce Punjabi projects by bringing the versatile talent of Punjab on the mainstream media which will prove to be an opportunity for several. As these Punjabi talents are already having a huge fan following on their social media accounts but by launching them in B-town they will be then admired more by many.

Thus, his plan to bring and promote more brown and Punjabi artists to the mainstream media and when it comes to social media then he wants them to flourish with a terrific fan following that will open up more doors of opportunities for them. With his digital realm tactics and years of experience in dealing and managing artists, he has come a long way. We wish him all the best for his future.

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




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Paatal Lok: Motion poster of Abhishek Banerjee's character released

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Lara Dutta on Hotstar's Hundred: The character's persona was intriguing

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

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

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

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

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

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Sharmaji Namkeen: Rishi Kapoor's last film that was near completion

Last week, after Irrfan Khan, Bollywood lost another gem, as veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away after fighting leukaemia for two years. The actor was back home and shooting for his next flick "Sharmaji Namkeen" which is a production by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar's Excel Entertainment and saw Rishi Kapoor play the lead.

The movie was almost complete with a couple of days of shoot remaining and we have exclusive news from a trusted source on the proceedings of the film. The source shared, "Rishi Kapoor was the main protagonist of the film and major part was already shot with only a few days of shooting remaining for the actor. Being that it was Rishi Kapoor's last project that was near completion, Ritesh and Farhan are determined to make sure that the film gets released."

The source further shares, "The microscopic details of how Ritesh and Farhan intend to bring the film to completion are in the works but rest assured that the film will get completed and see a theatrical release."

Sharmaji Namkeen will see Rishi Kapoor in the lead along with Juhi Chawla. The film is produced by Excel Entertainment in association with Honey Teheran and Abhishek Choubey. The film will also mark Hitesh Bhatia's debut as the director.

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Zaira Wasim lashes out at trolls on social media: Don't be a reason for someone's misery or sorrow

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

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

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

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

Read her full statement here:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

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

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

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Irrfan Khan's son Ayaan shares rare picture with father, pens heartfelt note for him

Versatile Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 53 on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 at 11:11 am due to colon infection. The actor was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine cancer and was admitted at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital due to a colon infection. The actor's last rites were performed on the same day in the presence of his family, close relatives and friends. Irrfan is survived by his wife Sutapa and sons – Babil and Ayan.

Soon after news of Irrfan's death broke on the internet, social media was flooded with messages from fans and celebrities expressing their grief. Son Ayaan also mourned the loss of his father by sharing beautiful memories of his father through his childhood pictures.

In the picture, Irrfan is seen riding a bike with Ayaan sitting in front. He captioned the black and white picture, "The flesh we roam this earth in is a blessing, not a promise (sic)". In another photo, the father-son duo looks handsome.

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

The flesh we roam this earth in is a blessing, not a promise.

A post shared by ayAAn khan (@arkane_7) onMay 1, 2020 at 9:36am PDT

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

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

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

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

Earlier, Babil had shared a heartfelt note on his Instagram handle. In the note, Babil thanked everybody for their support and condolence messages as his family faced with the most difficult challenge. He wrote: "I'm deeply grateful for all the condolences you beautiful friends are pouring in for me. Although I hope you understand that right now I’m not being able to reply because my vocabulary is dizzy. I will get back to each one of you but just not right now. Thank you so much. I love you (sic)."

On April 28, the Piku actor was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the Intensive Care Unit. In 2018, Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and was undergoing treatment for the same.

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Rishi Kapoor's death a big blow for Raveena Tandon's father

When Raveena Tandon was a child, Rishi Kapoor was already a big star. Years later, Raveena would star opposite the man who is one of the greatest romantic icons in Bollywood, heartthrob of millions. In an interaction with IANS, Raveena shared her fond memories of Rishi Kapoor, who passed away on April 30, and also spoke of her father, filmmaker Ravi Tandon's long association with the late actor.

"I have not worked with him in many movies but my dad has worked with him a lot. I have seen him since I was a child. I literally grew up in front of his eyes. My heart is heavy right now," said Raveena, recalling Rishi Kapoor.

She added: "Rishi sir's death is a huge blow for my father. My father has lost one more friend from his inner circle. I clearly remember how my dad, Pancham uncle (RD Burman), Ramesh Behl uncle and Rishiji used to hang out together. After his demise, my dad has been feeling very down."

Ravi Tandon worked with Rishi Kapoor in films like "Khel Khel Mein" and "Jhoota Kahin Ka". Raveena was paired opposite Rishi Kapoor in the 1995 movie "Saajan Ki Baahon Mein".

Remembering her last encounter with Rishi Kapoor, who's fondly called 'Chintu', Raveena shared that it happened last year when she met him during Ganpati pooja at Rishi Kapoor's sister Rima Jain's house in Mumbai.

"I was at Rima's house for Ganpati pooja. When I was about to leave, Rima told me to wait as Chintu ji's coming. I waited for him because I had not seen him for a long time since he was in New York. He came, we did aarti and had a good talk. That was my last and final memory of him. I will miss him a lot. May his soul rest in peace," Raveena said.

She took to social media to mourn the death of Rishi Kapoor, remembering the first walkie talkie doll he bought for her as a gift from Paris.

"Just totally love you! Seems like a part of my life, my childhood memories, my now..all taken away so fast. Not fair Chintu uncle. Not fair on all of us..could not even say a goodbye. We will miss you terribly. His infectious laughter, his wit, incidents, even when he used to scold me on sets when working with him. Still seeing me, as the same 5 year old he knew, my first walkie talkie doll he bought from Paris, a make-up gift for getting engaged to Neetu aunty without telling me," Raveena recalled.

Rishi Kapoor died in a Mumbai hospital on April 30. He was 67 and had been battling leukemia.

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Coronavirus donation: Vidya Balan releases first lot of 2,000 PPE kits

Actor Vidya Balan, who is raising funds through donations for providing personal protection equipment (PPE) kits to healthcare workers, has released the first batch of 2,000 safety kits to Kasturba Gandhi Hospital here.

The 'Mission Mangal' actor took to Instagram to post the pictures of PPE kits being loaded in trucks and thanked her fans for their generous donations.

"First batch of the 2000 PPE kits donated by you all is being loaded at the plant in Delhi on its way to Kasturba hospital," she wrote in the caption.

"Thank you so much for your generous donations and God bless you with a million times over of the best blessings life has to offer @tring.india @atulkasbekar #UniteForHumanity #WarAgainstCovid19," Balan's caption further read.

Besides Vidya, 'Dabangg' actor Sonakshi Sinha is also raising funds for donating PPE kits to healthcare workers.

Earlier on Friday, Sinha posted a video message on Instagram and urged the people to donate generously to help the frontline warriors combating COVID-19.

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COVID-19: Sonakshi Sinha asks us to help people who are helping us

Sonakshi Sinha has urged people to help frontline Coronavirus warriors by donating Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to them. On Saturday, Sinha took to social media to post a video in which she is seen highlighting the shortage of PPE supplies in hospitals. She wrote, "Let's help the people who help us. Let's make sure they get the PPE kits that they need in the war against COVID-19. Come on guys, we can do this together (sic)."

The actor has tied up with a celebrity shoutout platform to raise funds. Have a look at the video right here:

A majority of Bollywood celebrities have repeatedly thanked the medical practitioners and doctors who are leaving no stones unturned to eradicate the Coronavirus pandemic and Sinha has also joined the bandwagon. If you haven't seen her video yet, watch it now!

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Meenakshi Seshadri shares an emotional video on Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan's demise

The passing away of two of the biggest names of Hindi Cinema, Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan, will never be forgotten. April 29 and 30 will be marked as two of the darkest days of all time when we lost the doyens of acting. Khan passed away on April 29 due to the complications arising out of the Colon infection, whereas Kapoor breathed his last on April 30 after a two-year battle with leukemia.

Almost the entire Bollywood took to their social media accounts to pay homage and tributes to their legacy and selfless contribution to Cinema with their powerful and path-breaking performances. And now, Meenakshi Seshadri, who worked with Kapoor in Damini in 1993, has also taken to her social media account to share her sorrow and pain on their demise. The video is surely likely to leave you emotional.

Have a look right here:

And if you remember, Rishi Kapoor had even tweeted a picture of himself posing with his Damini co-star all the way back in 2015 when she paid him a surprise visit at his residence. Remember this?:

Kapoor and Khan went away too soon but will always be alive in our hearts. The world, through their work over the years, will not let them die!

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Sanjay Dutt remembers mother Nargis on her 39th death anniversary with an emotional post

On May 3, 1981, Sanjay Dutt's mother and legendary actress Nargis Dutt passed away after suffering from Cancer. All of Sanjay Dutt's fans know he shared a very emotional bond with his mother and how much he was eager to show her his debut film, Rocky, which was slated to release at that time.

Today, on her 39th death anniversary, the actor took to his Instagram account to share an unseen picture with Nargis and penned an emotional note. He wrote- "It's been 39 years since you left us but I know you're always by my side. I wish you were here with me, today and everyday. Love you and miss you everyday Mom." (sic)

Have a look right here:

Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Athiya Shetty commented on the post with a heart whereas the actor's daughter Trishala Dutt wrote-"I love you dad." His wife Maanayata also commented with two hearts. This is indeed a gutting moment for the actor as he remembers his mother today.

On the work front, Dutt will be seen in Shamshera, Prithviraj, KGF: Chapter 2, Torbaaz, and Bhuj: The Pride of India.

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Deepika Padukone loves raw mangoes and her latest Instagram post is proof

It seems our Bollywood divas are huge mango lovers. After Kareena Kapoor Khan, actress Deepika Padukone has now taken to social media to express her love for raw mangoes.

Sharing a picture of mouth-watering raw mango slices with lots of chilli powder sprinkled on it, Deepika wrote: "You're simply the best, better than all the rest... Better than anyone, anyone I ever met."

Reacting to her mango-licious post, a user commented: "Raw mangoes are the best." Another one wrote: "It looks so yumm." Have a look right here:

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

You're simply the best, better than all the rest Better than anyone, anyone I ever met...🤤

A post shared by Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) onMay 3, 2020 at 12:08am PDT

On the work front, Deepika will be next seen opposite her husband, Ranveer Singh in Kabir Khan's cricket drama 83. She is also part of Shakun Batra's next.

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Sanjay Dutt: Bhatt saab still seeks perfection in every shot

"The first day of Sadak 2 shoot brought back memories of the '90s," says Sanjay Dutt, who has reunited with Mahesh Bhatt for the sequel to the 1991 hit, Sadak. The drama holds an all-important place in the actor's career — not only does Sadak 2 have the potential to be that elusive hit he has been seeking over the past three years, but it also marks Bhatt's return to direction after 20 years.

Dutt notes that the past two decades have not dampened Bhatt's enthusiasm or inquisitiveness — two qualities that make him a fine storyteller. "Bhatt saab's vision remains unchanged. He still seeks perfection in every shot, and his passion for filmmaking has remained intact all these years. I am glad to be a part of Sadak 2 and work with the maestro," says the actor, who shares screen space with Pooja and Alia Bhatt, and Aditya Roy Kapur in the latest instalment.

Currently waiting to resume work on the last stint of the sequel, Dutt is using the time to sift through scripts coming his way. With an increasing number of actors being web-bound, Dutt reveals he too is keen to dabble in digital entertainment. "OTT platforms are flourishing, and have brought about so much variety in terms of content. They also enable artistes to experiment with material and characters. If I get a script that excites me, I would love to [foray into digital entertainment]."

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COVID-19: Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao sing together at the fundraiser concert to help the frontline workers

The nation witnessed 85 Indian and global stars come on one platform to raise funds for GiveIndia COVID-19 relief fund for a fundraiser concert that was held live on May 3, 2020. Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao kickstarted the philanthropic extravaganza by singing classic melodies of hope for the virtual audience.

Sharing heartfelt messages of hope with the audience, Aamir and Kiran made sure to urge everyone to contribute to the fundraiser. The classics they chose were- Aa Chal Ke Tujhe by Kishore Kumar and Raj Kapoor's Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Se from Anari and they both sang them beautifully.

Aamir Khan also said that we are passing through a difficult stage and it is important to help the needy and expressed that people should not lose hope. Kiran also said that everyone should come together in tough times.

I for India was a home-to-home fundraiser concert that went live on Facebook on Sunday, May 3, 2020, at 7:30 pm. The concert was a no-sponsors, only-donors approach where 100% proceeds from the fundraiser concert went to the India COVID Response Fund, to support on-ground relief efforts.

The vision for the concert by leaders from the entertainment industry, including Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao was three-pronged: to entertain those locked down in their homes, to pay tribute to those who are working on the frontlines and to raise funds for those who have no work and no home and do not know where their next meal is coming from. The concert features performances and personal messages from the entertainers from across the world.

With the nation facing a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19, these efforts by personalities like Aamir Khan inspire many others. Though this is not the first time he has extended his support to help the people affected by the lockdown, the personal touch that Aamir and Kiran gave in order to raise funds is commendable.

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Salman Khan sends ration to people in need amid COVID-19 lockdown

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

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

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram

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

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

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

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

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

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What is the one thing about Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol likes the most? The actress reveals

Actress Kajol is a great admirer of superstar Shah Rukh Khan's wonderful energy. On Sunday, May 3, Kajol conducted an #AskKajol session on Twitter, answering a lot of fans' queries. When a Twitter user asked her about one thing she likes the most in SRK, Kajol said: "His amazing energy."

Have a look right here:

Kajol and SRK have worked together in several movies like Baazigar, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and My Name Is Khan.

Another user shared a still of the two actors from their movie "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". Reacting to it, Kajol wrote: "Memories and Friends. Two words." Have a look:

On the film front, Kajol will be next seen in Netflix's Tribhanga.

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