Vanessa Bryant celebrated the 19th anniversary of her wedding to her late husband Kobe Bryant on Saturday with a touching Instagram post.

"My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you," she wrote, posting a picture of the couple. Five-time NBA champion Bryant and the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles on January 26. Gianna, along with her basketball teammates Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli, who also died in the crash, were honored at Friday's WNBA draft as honorary selections.

 

 

 

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My king, my heart, my best friend. Happy 19th wedding anniversary baby. I miss you so much. I wish you were here to hold me in your arms. I love you. ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Vanessa Bryant ðŸ¦Â‹ (@vanessabryant) onApr 18, 2020 at 10:00am PDT

Vanessa Bryant recorded an emotional message for the draft broadcast, saying being drafted into the women's league "would have been a dream come true" for Gianna. After the conclusion of the draft on Friday night, the WNBA announced the creation of the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, given to "an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception and advancement of women's and girls' basketball at all levels."

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The US Anti-Doping Agency has come up with a novel random testing program to cope with the unique circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. With the United States, like much of the world, under lockdown as authorities try to slow the spread of the virus, USADA has launched a program in which athletes collect blood and urine samples from themselves at home, while being monitored remotely on Zoom or FaceTime by testing personnel.

The test kits were sent to athletes, who must produce samples when they receive an unannounced call from a doping control officer. The officer watches the blood sample being taken, but urine samples are provided in private. The samples are sealed under the eye of the doping control officer and sent to an accredited lab for testing. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart told the New York Times that plenty of top US Olympic hopes were eager to sign up for the pilot project.

Freestyle swimming great Katie Ledecky and athletes Noah Lyles and Allyson Felix were among those who volunteered. "We've been talking about this and laying the foundation for several months," Tygart told the newspaper.

"COVID put that on fast forward and allowed us to roll it out." Ledecky said she "felt very comfortable" administering her first self test this week at her home in California. USADA has built safeguards into the system to limit opportunities for cheating. Although athletes are not observed during collection of urine, they show the monitoring officer the bathroom that will be used, they are timed and the temperature of the sample is recorded to lessen the chances of sample tampering or sample substitution.

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Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh's daughter and ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh's elder sister has been running a "marathon" in New York -- not on a track but at a hospital, battling the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world. Mona Milkha Singh is a doctor at the Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York, attending to emergency patients of coronavirus, which has so far claimed more than 40,000 lives in the US alone while causing over 1.5 lakh deaths worldwide.

"She is basically an ER (Emergency Room) doctor in the Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York city. So, when someone comes with the coronavirus symptoms, she has to treat them," Jeev, a four-time European Tour champion, told PTI. "She checks the patients, stabilises them, performs intubation (insertion of artificial ventilation tube into a patient) before they are sent to special wards to quarantine the COVID-19 patients," he added. The 54-year-old Mona passed out of Patiala Medical College before moving to the USA in the '90s. She has been working there for more than 20 years.

"I am so proud of her. She says it is like running a marathon every day. She has been working five days a week, sometimes day shifts, sometimes night shifts, 12-hour shifts and it is tough but she has to do the job as best as she can." The 48-year-old from Chandigarh said the job is a stressful one and sometimes he feels scared for her. "I feel worried. When you are treating people, anything can happen, so we talk to her everyday. My mom and dad also keep checking on her. "We keep asking how she is feeling and if there are any symptoms. I tell her to stay positive and boost her immune system," said Jeev, also a five-time Asian Tour winner. New York has reported nearly 250,000 confirmed cases and over 18,000 fatalities, forcing the government to extend its lockdown till May 15 to contain the fast-spreading disease. However, the lockdown is also giving rise to a lot of mental health issues among people, who also need equal attention. "With New York in partial lockdown, she gets a lot of patients who are suffering from depression as they are not used to staying at home," Jeev elaborated.

"There are people who come with bullet wounds, people who are having anxiety attacks, youngsters with drug overdose or old people getting heart attacks, basically any kind of emergency, she has to treat them all," he said. The Chandigarh-based golfer also called for greater respect for the frontline workers, who have been attacked in India while performing their duties. "It is my humble request to every citizen of the world to respect the frontline workers because they are there to help us, whether it is the doctors, police, people who pick up garbage ... we must be respectful, kind and grateful to them and make sure they are taken care of," he said. The dreaded virus has infected over 20 lakh people across the globe.

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Legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra believes once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, it could be a blessing in disguise for Indian sports due to absence of much foreign exposure. "The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure. We need to build our own coaches and our own support staff," Bindra said on Monday. The entire sporting calendar has come to a grinding halt across the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. Major sporting events, including Tokyo Olympics and Wimbledon, have either been postponed or cancelled.

Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, alongwith Nandan Kamath, lawyer and managing trustee GoSports Foundation, on Monday addressed the newly-appointed assistant directors and other senior officials of Sports Authority of India (SAI) during a special session. Bindra said that as sports administrators they need to work towards creating an alternate skill development programme for athletes to ensure their well-being in the long run.

"We need to look after athletes because the very nature of sport is that more will fail than succeed. It is important that athletes have backup plans in case their sports career doesn't work out," he pointed out. Bindra further said that sports administrators need to understand the psychology of an athlete to be able to build them up because athletes pass through different phases because of the nature of sport and the probability of failure.

"An expert can give a larger overview of the various elements that go into sporting performance and that's where you will understand where performance is built and what are the various elements that go into performance and then you will start to have a better and deeper understanding of where performance is built. Results at a competition cannot be the only denominator when planning for an Olympic Games or an Asian Games," he added.

Bindra spoke at length on his experience as an athlete and also on the future of sports in India. "The one per cent (of athletes) makes all the difference in sport, and as our sports ecosystem starts maturing, we need to start focussing on that one percent for all athletes," he said.

Stressing on the need to build a strong talent identification and nurturing programme, he added, "Getting foundations right is important, a lot of work on that has already been started with the Khelo India programme and also emphasis placed on junior programme of different sports.

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World No. 1 Rory McIlroy on Tuesday added his voice to the chorus of players opposed to the idea of playing this year's Ryder Cup without spectators. With the global golf season in chaos due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the game's administrators are running through a range of possible scenarios as they attempt to plot a path back to competition. For organisers of the Ryder Cup, which is due to take place at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin from September 25 to 27, that has included studying whether the tournament could be played without fans.

PGA chief executive Seth Waugh revealed earlier this week that officials had looked at the possibility of creating a "virtual fan experience" for the fiercely competitive team clash between Europe and the United States. McIlroy, speaking during an Instagram live event, said he would rather see this year's event delayed for a year than played before empty galleries. "I have a pretty strong view on this. I get the financial implications for everyone involved—there's a lot that goes into putting on the Ryder Cup that people don't probably know or appreciate—but having a Ryder Cup without fans is not a Ryder Cup," McIlroy said.

"For me I would much rather they delay it until 2021 than play it at Whistling Straits without fans. And that's from a European going to America, knowing that I'm going to get abuse! Obviously it would be better for Europeans to play without fans because we wouldn't have to deal with some of the stuff that you have to put up with—but at the same time it's not a Ryder Cup.

"It wouldn't be a great spectacle, there'd be no atmosphere, so if it came to whether they had to choose between not playing the Ryder Cup or playing it without fans, I would say just delay it for a year and play it in 2021."

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India wrestler Pooja Dhanda, 26, has battled quite a few injuries in her career so far and knows how tough it is, especially for young wrestlers, to cope with the financial strain. That's the reason she wants the government to take care of budding grapplers during their injury phase.

"If a top-level athlete gets injured, he or she has sponsors to help in the comeback. However, it is very difficult for junior wrestlers to manage injuries without the support of sponsors. I feel the government should step in to help such youngsters needing treatment and rehab facilities. After all, these are your potential medal-winners in the future," says Dhanda, who won a bronze medal [57kg freestyle] at the prestigious World Championships in Budapest in 2018.

Tough times

Dhanda recalled suffering a knee ligament injury during training in Lucknow in 2015 and struggling with treatment for the next two years. "Currently I'm sponsored by JSW, but back then I had no financial support whatsoever. Those two years were tough. I got the knee surgery [by Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala] and subsequent rehabilitation [under physiotherapist Dr Ashish [Kaushik] done in Mumbai and it was difficult for my family to manage the frequent to and fro travel costs," revealed Dhanda, a silver medallist (60kg freestyle) at the Youth Olympics Games in Singapore in 2010.

"Generally, it's the middle-class or lower middle-class kids, who take to sports like wrestling, kabaddi and boxing. They are not financially well off, so any injury needing expensive treatment can end promising careers. I feel, at least cadet or junior level medal-winners should get government support in these situations," added Dhanda, who was again laid low by injury in 2019 and had given up on the 2020 Tokyo Games before it got postponed to 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Online learning

In lockdown at home in Hisar, Haryana she is currently taking online lessons from women's national coach Andrew Cook of USA. "He [Cook] shares videos of the top wrestlers and we discuss technique and strategy accordingly. My aim is to not just qualify for Tokyo 2021 but to also win a medal there," said Dhanda, who bagged silver at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.

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Bajrang Punia, World silver-medallist wrestler

Wrestling is a contact sport. When wrestling will resume, there is no way you can avoid physical contact. But I don't think there would be any hesitation. I don't see any change happening.

Sachin Tendulkar, cricket legend

Players will be wary for some time when it comes to using saliva [to shine the ball]. High fives and hugging your teammates will be avoided for some time. They will be conscious to begin with and may maintain social distancing.

Vijender Singh, India's only male boxer to win an Olympic medal

Athletes will be more cautious. Certainly, training abroad won't be all that easy. Less tournaments will happen and whenever they happen, I am not sure what the participation would be like.

Joshna Chinappa, Top squash player

I think I will have to be extra careful on flights as those are the main transporters of germs around the world. My first instinct after the game is to shake hands with the opponent but now things might change there also.

Bhaichung Bhutia, Former India football captain

Sports events will gradually come back to what they were before and can be held behind closed doors for now. Till the time a vaccine is out, I don't think they can have people inside as it involves a lot of risk.

Mahesh Bhupathi, Multiple-time Grand Slam winning former tennis player

Sport won't change. Things will be normal once COVID-19 goes away.

Abhinav Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold-medallist

The post-COVID-19 world could be a blessing in disguise for India. There may not be so much foreign exposure and this may allow India to build proper sporting infrastructure.

MC Mary Kom, Six-time world champion and Olympic bronze-medallist

Once a vaccine is developed, things can go back to how they were before but until then, travelling will be less frequent, training will not exactly be a team thing and tournaments, I don't know how they will resume.

Text:PTI

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Ace India sprinter Hima Das on Sunday said her role model has always been cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

In an Instagram chat with veteran India batsman Suresh Raina, Hima said: "My role model is Sachin Tendulkar, I still remember talking to him when he invited me to his home. When I saw him, I ended up crying and sir consoled me. It was the best moment for me. Meeting your role model is a big moment for everyone and no one can forget that."

On her COVID-19 lockdown lessons, Hima said: "I have learnt a few things during the lockdown: 1. Dedication. 2. We used to go out to eat, which is not healthy 3. We can stay at home and live life without going out unnecessarily," Hima said.

Hima told Raina that she is doing yoga and indoor workout to keep herself fit. "Since we are not allowed to go to the ground, I am doing workouts in the room. We have a 30-40 metre long lawn, and I am utilising it for exercise. Started doing yoga and mind exercise. Eating habits have also changed. I have stopped eating meat and I am consuming more fruits and water," added the 20-year old Assam girl.

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WWE former Diva and superstar Nikki Bella is quite an active sports star on Instagram. Nikki Bella is currently engaged to her Dancing With The Stars partner Artem Chigvintsev, who is a Russian professional dancer during season 25.

Nikki Bella went on to share a picture of her cosied up in bed watching some television along with Artem after she put on her make-up. Nikki also went on to say that she was trying her hardest to seduce Artem into giving her a foot massage. Take a look at the fun post below on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Did my makeup in time to take a nap and watch some TV with my A. Trying my hardest to seduce my way into getting a foot massage lol 🤰🏽💋

A post shared by Nikki Bella (@thenikkibella) onApr 26, 2020 at 2:03pm PDT

Nikki Bella began dating Artem following her break-up from WWE superstar John Cena. John Cena and Nikki Bella got engaged in April 2017 but called off their wedding a year later in April, just a month prior to tying the knot.

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev began dating in January 2019 and a year later, the couple announced they were engaged. On 29 January, Nikki Bella announced that she and her twin sister Brie Bella were expecting a child, respectively.

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Silverstone owners said on Monday that no spectators would be able to attend the British Grand Prix due to the coronavirus pandemic but the race is still scheduled to go ahead.

The French Grand Prix scheduled for June 28 was cancelled on Monday but while organisers have not yet made a final decision on postponing or cancelling the July 19 British race, Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle paved the way for a behind-closed-doors race.

"I am extremely disappointed to tell you that we are unable to stage this year's British Grand Prix in front of the fans at Silverstone," Pringle in his statement on Silverstone's Twitter account. "We have left this difficult decision for as long as possible, but it is abundantly clear given the current conditions... that a grand prix under normal conditions is just not going to be possible."

Britain has been one of the countries worst affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, with the number of deaths topping 20,000. The actual toll could be much higher when deaths in the community are taken into account, particularly at care homes. The French Grand Prix is the 10th leg of the 2020 championship to be either scrapped (Australia, Monaco, France) or postponed (Bahrain, China, Vietnam, Netherlands, Spain, Azerbaijan, Canada).

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National rowing coach Bajrang Lal Takhar, 39, wants India's ace rowers, Sawarn Singh and Dattu Bhokanal to make the most of the Coronavirus-caused lockdown by working on their mental toughness.

Takhar, the first to win an Asian Games individual gold [Guangzhou 2010], is keen that the duo fine-tune their technique and emerge mentally stronger when the lockdown is over.

"Dattu performed well at the Rio Games in 2016 [finishing 13th in men's single sculls] in his maiden Olympics. Sawarn is also a good rower. My advice to them is to become mentally strong if we want to win at the Olympics. At the top level, there is not much to differentiate in terms of physical fitness. Being mentally strong can make a huge difference. They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] also need to work on their technique," Takhar, who has been guiding the rowers via video conferencing from his hometown in Maganpur, Rajasthan, told mid-day on Monday.

Meanwhile, Takhar urged patience from those expecting a rowing medal at the Tokyo Olympics. "They [Sawarn and Bhokanal] will surely qualify for the Tokyo Games. They will make it to the final as well, but we may have to wait for another Olympics [Paris 2024] to win a medal," felt Takhar.

Sawarn, 30, has won gold in quadruple sculls along with Bhokanal, Om Prakash and Sukhmeet Singh at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, while he bagged a bronze in single sculls at the Incheon Games in 2014. Bhokanal, 29, won silver in single sculls at the 2015 Asian Rowing Championships in Beijing.

Takhar has urged the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) to concentrate on rural areas if they wish to tap upcoming talent.

"The RFI needs to search for talent in rural regions. Getting physically strong people is extremely crucial to succeed in rowing. We have worked on certain plans to train aspiring players," he concluded.

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Bollywood star Irrfan was admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection on Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday April 29, 2020 at the age of 53. 

Many stars from the Indian sports fraternity took to social media to pay tribute to the late actor Irrfan Khan. From the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Virender Sehwag, to Saina Nehwal and Sunil Chhetri, here are some of the heartfelt posts shared on Twitter.

"Sad to hear the news of #IrrfanKhan passing away. He was one of my favorites & I've watched almost all his films, the last one being Angrezi Medium. Acting came so effortlessly to him, he was just terrific. May his soul Rest In Peace. Condolences to his loved ones," tweeted cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Sad to hear the news of #IrrfanKhan passing away. He was one of my favorites & I’ve watched almost all his films, the last one being Angrezi Medium. Acting came so effortlessly to him, he was just terrific.
May his soul Rest In Peace. 🙏🏼
Condolences to his loved ones. ☹ï¸Â pic.twitter.com/gaLHCTSbUh

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 29, 2020

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli tweeted: "Saddened to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. What a phenomenal talent and dearly touched everyone's heart with his versatility. May god give peace to his soul"

Saddened to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. What a phenomenal talent and dearly touched everyone's heart with his versatility. May god give peace to his soul 🙏

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) April 29, 2020

"Khan sahab, you were brilliant at what you did and that will always live on. Thank you for bringing your art to us the way you did. Strength to those grieving," said Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri.

Khan sahab, you were brilliant at what you did and that will always live on. Thank you for bringing your art to us the way you did. Strength to those grieving.

— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) April 29, 2020

"A great actor and a great talent. Heartfelt Condolences to his family and well - wishers #IrfanKhan," said former India batsman Virender Sehwag.

A great actor and a great talent. Heartfelt
Condolences to his family and well - wishers #IrfanKhan

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 29, 2020

"Saddened to hear the passing away of #IrfanKhan. Condolences to the entire family. An actor of great caliber! You will be cherished by us until eternity. RIP," tweeted fast bowler Mohammed Shami.

Saddened to hear the passing away of #IrfanKhan. Condolences to the entire family. An actor of great caliber! You will be cherished by us until eternity. RIP. pic.twitter.com/wLTWUz8w6Z

— Mohammad Shami (@MdShami11) April 29, 2020

Badminton star Saina Nehwal tweeted a picture of herself and Irrfan. "With the legend during one ad shoot ... great memories sir #RIPIrrfanKhan," she said.

With the legend during one ad shoot ... great memories sir 🙏🙏 #RIPIrrfanKhan pic.twitter.com/GOKyVjqAoR

— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) April 29, 2020

The actor had been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour a while back, and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

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Mawa modak

Modak is Ganesha’s favourite dish and therefore, Ganesh Chaturthi celebration is incomplete without this Indian sweet. Modak has evolved with time and is now available in myriad forms, including steamed and fried forms. Thanks to restaurants and chefs in Mumbai, who are taking initiative to give a tasty twist to the traditional sweet dish.

This year on Ganesh Chaturthi, Executive chef Kamlesh Rawat of 180 Degrees Grand Sarovar Premiere in Goregaon has prepared a massive 5kg Mawa Modak to mark the occasion. The modak will be there on display until Sunday, August 27. Do not forget to drop in to take a glance of this mighty modak.

5kg Mawa Modak at Grand Sarovar Premiere

Read the recipe of the modak here:

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 3Kg Mawa(if hariyali mawa is good texture)
2. 1.5 Kg sugar or add as per taste
3. 200 Gm. Cardamom powder
4. 10 Gm. Saffron
5. 200 Gm. Ghee for Modak greasing

Method:
1. Heat pan in low flame and put mawa on it. As the mawa starts melting, keep stirring it on low flame.
2. When the mawa begins to melt add sugar in it and stir again.
3. When the mawa starts bubbling, add cardamom and saffron in the mixture.
4. Keep stirring on low flame until the mixture starts leaving the bottom of pan.
5. Transfer the mixture into a big bowl and wait for it to cool.
6. Place the mixer on a greased plate and mould it in the shape of a modak.
7. Garnish with saffron on top and the Mawa Modak is ready to be served

Where: Grand Sarovar Premiere, AK Plaza, SV Road, Goregaon West, Mumbai

Chef Saransh Goila and TV personality Mini Mathur at Silver Beach Cafe, Juhu. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

The glass walls overlooking a quiet street at Silver Beach Café are misty. Chef Saransh Goila is early and orders a plate of Eggs Benedict, Beetroot Cous Cous Salad and a glass each of orange and carrot juice, choices that TV host Mini Mathur is happy with when she walks in. "The last time we met we were both drunk," Mathur says animatedly. Both TV stars are currently hosting digital food shows. Goila has married his two loves — fitness and food — for his Facebook show Run to Eat (Singapore). Mathur has been cooking with Bollywood stars for her show The Mini Truck. One is a trained chef and the other a home cook, but when they speak, their love for rich traditional food takes over.

Sabhnani: How did an erstwhile vegetarian chef move to selling butter chicken?
Goila: In Delhi, my vegetarian family was tired of eating sweet paneer. So I smoked the gravy for them. That's how I came up with it. My friends in Mumbai loved it. We are actually Goels, my great-grandfather changed it to 'Goila'. When I was opening Goila Butter Chicken, my dad got calls asking him, 'Can't he just call it Saransh's Butter Chicken?' Once I graduated, I realised you cannot be a chef who is vegetarian.
Mathur: Mera butter chicken khaake dekho, hum bhi Dilliwalle hai! I am a Kayasth married to a Hyderabadi. Both the families are very proud of traditional recipes. I hate bastardised versions of food — if someone gave me Szechuan dosa, I'd spit on them! Every Diwali, I pickle six kilos of aloo or chana for achaar. I will make some for you and you can give me butter chicken instead.

Sabhnani: Your new shows are shot internationally, though…
Mathur: My next show, Mini Me, is about a bad**s mum travelling with her seven-year-old. We went to 15 cities across six countries in Europe in 25 days. It was originally shot for digital viewing, but a channel picked it up.
Goila: Run to Eat (Singapore) was originally supposed to be shot in India, but I didn't get support from the state tourism boards.

Sabhnani: You must have collected many stories while shooting.
Goila: Once, on an uphill trek in Himachal, we saw a tree full of apples. As soon as I plucked one, I slipped. I quickly grabbed a branch or I would have rolled down the hill. Things you do for apples and shots!
Mathur: Sunny Leone is such a cool woman. When she shot for my show, she said things like, 'Now let's grind.' I had to control my crew.

Sabhnani: Was the shift to digital platforms a natural progression?
Mathur: Digital is the future. The problem is figuring out how to monetise it.
Goila: Every time I enter a house party, there is a group of people watching something on their phones. My mom wants a Chromecast!
Mathur: People are waking up to the fact that watching TV at an appointed time is not necessary.

Eggs Benedict, Beetroot Cous Cous Salad and juices arrive
Goila: My plate looks beautiful! They have made an effort.
Mathur: Do you always shoot your food before you eat? The whole thing of 'let's tuck in yaar' is not happening any more.

Sabhnani: The impact of social media is huge...
Goila: People explore social media, and not colleges, for learning, which is fine. But one out of 100 people succeeds that way.
Mathur: I mostly find positivity on Instagram and YouTube. Twitter is a different universe.
Goila: Sometimes you have to choose to ignore it [trolls]. It's also driven by brands and PR.
Mathur: Today, you can backslap a star online and say, 'Hey, I don't like your moustache!'

Sabhnani: Do looks matter?
Goila: I am not the best-looking chef in the country. I generally believe in fitness (I used weigh 93kg). You can't judge a chef by his belly, though.
Mathur: If you are good-looking, it can't harm you.

Sabhnani: Dilliwallah's take on Mumbai's food?
Mathur: I love Maharashtra's coastal cuisine. Mumbai should give up on chaat; vada pav is your thing. The Mughlai scene is better in the north.
Goila: The international cuisine spread is better in Mumbai.
Mathur: Eat food at the place where it comes from. Don't go asking for vada pavs in Delhi.

Modak platter

Malai modak, chocolate modak, mawa modak, Ganpati Bappa's feast is incomplete without a plate of modaks. And, so is ours during Ganesh festival! But, this Ganeshotsav, ditch the calorie laden modaks and try their healthy alternatives. We bet the modaks taste yummy and are perfect sweets to indulge in during the festival in Mumbai. What more do you need when you have more 'goodness' on a platter?

1. Oats modak: Made with jaggery instead of sugar, Oats modak is an all time favourite healthy Indian dessert to savour during Ganesh festival. Crush the oats to give a fine texture to the dessert. Keep a frying pan in low flame and put jaggery on to it. Once the jaggery melts, add coconut oil, crushed coconut, powdered oats and assorted crushed dry fruits. Make a fine mixture and keep it aside to cool down. Once the mixture cools down, place it in a modak mould, press hard and take it out gently. Place it on a plate, garnish with pistachio and your nutritious oats modak is ready to be served.

Oats modak

2. Figs and dates modak: Soak dates and figs in hot water for some time. Once it turns soft, drain the water and grind it to make a fine paste. Take a handful of almonds and cashews and ground it into a fine powder. Heat a pan, add ghee, dates and figs mixture and powdered nuts gradually. Cook it for a while and place it aside to call down. Put the mixture in a modak mould, press it, and take out from the mould once the shape is formed.

3. Chana Dal ka Modak: Consumption of legumes in any form is good for health. Boil chana dal in a pressure cooker, drain out excess water and mash the dal to make a smooth paste. Add jaggery and ¼ water to a pan. Keep the pan in low flame and stir the jaggery until it melts. Add chana dal and 1/3 cup of grated coconut to the jaggery syrup. Mix everything and cook on a low flame until a thick mixture is formed. Let it cool down before you start shaping it in the form of modak. Fill the mould with the mixture for healthy and delicious chana dal modak.

Ukadiche Modak

4. Ukadiche Modak: Also known as steamed modak, this is one of the popular and nutritious versions of modak available in the market. The sweet dumplings are made from rice flour. Add rice flour in a pan of boiling water. Mix well, knead into a soft dough and keep it aside to cool down. Heat ghee and add coconut, jaggery and poppy seeds to it. Make a thick mixture and let it cool for a while. Make rice balls, stuff the centre of the balls with the mixture and put them in a modak mould. Moisten the modaks with little water and place them in a steamer. Steam for around 10 minutes and serve warm.

5. Dark chocolate modak: Heat dark chocolate and milk in a pan until it turns into a smooth mixture. Add crushed digestive biscuit crumbs to make the modak more nutritious and knead to form a soft dough. Once the paste cools down, put it in a modak mould and serve. Garnish it with finely chopped nuts.

None of these modaks is made of sugar and is therefore perfect for those on a diet plan or those who are looking out for healthy alternatives of the traditional dessert. Yet, these are delicious in taste and are ideal to indulge during the festival. The recipes are simply too. So, why not give it a try at home?

Ayam Goreng Kalasan with Sambal Kacang

Last October, when Priyadarshini Gupta travelled for a three-week trip to Indonesia, she signed up for a day-long cooking class with a local chef in Yogyakarta, a culturally rich city on the island of Java. She learnt to identify native produce, whip up traditional Indonesian fare - including sambal, a hot sauce of Javanese origin - and even noted the substitutes for ingredients not available in Mumbai. "One example is tempeh [a traditional product made from fermented soy], which is cut into thin slices and fried till crisp and served as an accompaniment with many dishes. The chef suggested tapioca or potato slices for a similar crunch," says the 46-year-old corporate consultant.

Priyadarshini Gupta at a cooking class in Indonesia

This weekend, if you drop in at Gupta's Versova home, you'll find the crunchy potato slices accompanying two dishes - Soto Ayam and Gado Gado - that are part of The Indonesian Kitchen, a dinner pop-up presented by Commeat. While the home chef and former Masterchef India contestant has been hosting meals of regional cuisines like Bengali and Oriya for over a year, this will be her first international meal pop-up.

Soto Ayam

"The menu features dishes from across Indonesia," says Gupta. For instance, Gado Gado is a salad packed with steamed vegetables, prawns or chicken and the traditional dressing of sambal kacang, a cooked version of the condiment with a peanut base. It's a prominent feature on the menus of warungs, or mom-and-pop establishments that dot Indonesia. Meanwhile, Ayam Goreng Kalasan (fried chicken marinated in coconut milk), a starter, is a popular street snack across the Southeast Asian nation. The starters also include Pisang Goreng (fried bananas coated with rice flour) and Rempeyek Kacang, a snack that Gupta calls 'Indonesian mathri' since it's made in a manner similar to the Indian snack, but with peanuts and rice flour.

Spicy Steamed Tofu 

The mains feature Soto Ayam, a one-bowl dish with poached chicken or prawns, flavoured with macadamia nuts, light soy and Balinese egg noodles, and Gule Kambing, an aromatic lamb curry laced with macadamia nuts and spices like cinnamon, galangal and lemongrass. If you're a vegetarian, try Soto Ayam with tofu and shiitake mushrooms, or opt for Sayur Nangka, a gravy dish starring jackfruit soaked in coconut milk. The menu includes Spicy Steamed Tofu, a baked tofu dish made with shiitake mushrooms. "This is a contemporary version. Traditionally, it is steamed in a banana leaf," she says.

Longtong

The accompaniments include Longtong (compressed and steamed rice cakes) and steamed rice. "While Thais use sticky rice, Indonesians prefer the long-grained jasmine rice. Indonesian cuisine also features tamarind, jaggery and nuts like almond and peanuts - all ground - in the gravies. They might sound similar to Indian dishes but their taste is distinct," says Gupta.

End the meal with Nagasari, banana-based steamed rice flour cakes.

On: September 9, 7 pm to 10 pm
At: Versova, Andheri West.
Log on to: bit.ly/2iNSGdF
Cost: Rs 1,400

You may also like - Photos: Your hunt for top 10 eggless desserts in Mumbai ends here

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

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

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

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

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

Peri Peri Twister. Pics/Sameer Markande

The led lights fitted in 3D wall panels engulf The Pabulum (Latin: food) with a violet glow that spills on to the street. Standing next to a chemist and a stone's throw away from a farsan store, the QSR off SV Road in Santacruz, which promises 'fiery fries' and 'sexy shakes', resembles an alien spaceship.

The counter has a slot that holds these BBQ Cheese Fries served in a conical container

Our analogy isn't far off the mark as we step in and overhear a middle-aged couple, curious to know what Nacho Fries and Cheesy Potato Twisters actually mean. A millennial helming the service station explains the dishes. He points to staffers working in a bot-like fashion, adding dollops of Mexican salsa to golden fries and slicing potatoes to create spirals on a stick in an open kitchen. The couple places the order and moves to one of the two dining counters in the space, launched last month by three foodpreneurs - 21-year-olds Himanshu Jain and Mayank Jain, and their friend Deepak Joshi, 26, who runs a catering business.

A staffer preps the fries in the kitchen

The menu is The J-meets-Keventers-meets-Irla's Twisted Potato. It features French fries served with a host of vegetarian toppings - from aioli garlic to tandoori mayo and Schezwan sauce. They also offer Jain fries made with raw banana. From blueberry and rose to popcorn and Parle G, an array of ingredients make their way into the shakes, along with four varieties of twisters.

Death By Chocolate

A-peeling twist
We begin with the Peri Peri Twister ('69), a 12-inch long tornado of spicy flavours. The potato spiral - deep-fried and crisp but non-greasy - is piped with a fiery, paprika-and-garlic infused mayonnaise instead of a powdered spice mix. This enhances the stick, where the mayo's slight tang balances the heat. We wash it down with Popcorn Caramel Shake ('149), a lip-smacking, creamy rendition of the munchie with just the right hint of burnt brown sugar.

Popcorn Caramel Shake

The BBQ Cheese Fries ('99) feature crisp-till-golden, starchy potato fries doused with a peppery, slightly sweet barbeque sauce with an oh-so-good smoked taste that balances the sharpness of the cheese sauce. Our friend remarks, "They are better than the ones at The J."

The Poppers & Fries ('149) comprise three deep-fried cheese balls perched on a bed of fries, doused in chilli garlic sauce and mayonnaise. While the tangy-spicy sauces complement the dish, the poppers are underwhelming, and stodgy.

Try a dessert fry
Heading for a carb crash by now, we pick the apt climax - Death By Chocolate ('149). Coated with generous amounts of Nutella and chocolate sauce, the crisp, unsalted fries, topped with grated cheese, make for a great dessert. We exit with a promise to return, once we're cured of a potato hangover.

Time: 11 am to 11 pm
At: Shop No 3, Tagore Kunj, Saraswati Road, Santacruz West
Call: 8080805775 (delivery via Swiggy and Zomato)

Bittu Sahgal and Dia Mirza enjoy a meal at Kitchen Garden by Suzette in Bandra. Pics/Shadab Khan

There is a peacock whose cacophony Bittu Sahgal wakes up to at his Napean Sea Road residence every morning , before he starts hammering away at articles for Sanctuary Asia, a magazine he launched and has been editing since 1981. And as Dia Mirza tells us how she came to be associated with Sahgal's various projects, a butterfly fluttering in the al fresco section of Kitchen Garden by Suzette lights up her eyes. The actor, who has been deeply involved with the cause of the environment, attended The International Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Forum in Kyrgyzstan last month, and was appointed the ambassador of the Wildlife Trust of India earlier this year. As the mentor and the mentee meet over lunch, words flow as odes to nature, unravelling the green legacy of India and the ecological miracle called Mumbai.

Hasan: How did your association come about?
Sahgal: She walked into our lives like a breath of fresh air.
Mirza: There had been always a sense of awe for the man he is and his work, but I hadn't had facetime with him. So, when I met him socially at a dinner, I chased him. I told him, 'The problem with people like you is that you don't communicate with people like me. If I had more access to your mind, I would take your ideas to more people.' Bittu is someone I look up to as my guardian, my guru. He really changed my life.
Sahgal: It takes a lot out of somebody to keep fighting for 40 years. Then I look at you and I say to myself, 'We won!' Life is a marathon and the baton has been passed on.
Mirza: The world is constantly drawing you away from your purpose. Bittu came into my life as a reminder of all the things I was nurtured with when I was being brought up. I went to a J Krishnamurti school, where we did classes under trees, we grew vegetables and discussed materialism. My work in films had taken me far away from all this but he reminded me that the two can co-exist. And I made a choice.

Avocado Toast and The Greek salad arrive.
Hasan: Speaking of choices, are both of you vegetarian?
Sahgal: I don't perceive meat as food. I was born in a non-veg loving Punjabi family, but I stopped eating meat when I was old enough to say no to my mother.
Mirza: I am not a vegetarian, but I have become more conscientious about my consumption. There are certain meats I don't eat, like wild animals.

Hasan: Where does Mumbai stand in the fight to ensure urban centres retain their green cover?
Mirza: As citizens of Mumbai, we need to remember that we are the only city in the world with a large forest cover in the heart of the city.
Sahgal: We have a garland of mangroves protecting us. Sanjay Gandhi National Park has more butterflies than the entire UK. We are like spoilt rich brats who don't understand the value of our wealth. Like the biodiversity of forests, we need biodiversity of attitudes and strategies.

Mirza: And laws. Isn't it appalling that we are waking up to waste management systems only now?
Sahgal: We have planners planning infrastructure at sea level, when the rest of the world is planning for six metres above sea level. It defies logic that my generation is straddling your generation with white elephant investments that can never work. Nature doesn't give you judgement, it gives you consequences. Mithi river was a consequence, as is Florida.

Mirza: As Bittu always quotes Senegalese environmentalist Baba Dioum: In the end we will conserve only what we love and love only what we learn about.

Crazy Salmon Roll, Veg California Roll and Crabmeat Gunkan. Pic/Nimesh Dave

We are quite chuffed with the thought of ordering sushi for lunch on a busy day in the newsroom. Sushi and More, a delivery-only enterprise, has been fulfilling Japanese sushi cravings for residents of SoBo and Prabhadevi since 2009, and has now launched in Andheri.

The menu for the suburbs is a slimmer version of the original, but it doesn’t disappoint (there are Jain options as well). They offer nigiri, uramaki and hosomaki style rolls in addition to a few appetisers such as Chicken Yakitori and Rock Corn Tempura.

We pick three sushi options, Veg California Roll (Rs 400, eight pieces), Crazy Salmon Roll (Rs 950, eight pieces) and Crabmeat Gunkan (RS 400, six pieces). They cover Andheri to Juhu via direct orders, so we get a partner delivery company to deliver to Bandra East and as a result, are unable to test their delivery time. But they earn full marks for packaging. The pieces sit firmly in boxes with transparent covers. Separate sections for gari and wasabi (and a pair of wooden chopsticks) ensure that they don’t meddle with the mild flavours of the dishes.

We dig into the Veg California Roll first, as the avocado it comes stuffed with has already turned brown. We feel the rice could be of a better variety. The roll is a downer, with no standout flavours to savour. Next, we try Crabmeat Gunkan, our favourite from the list. The delicate flavour of the meat goes well with the sticky rice it comes topped on, unlike the California Roll, where the rice tasted flat. The Crazy Salmon Roll has fish on the outside and the inside. The amount of meat is worth the money, but the spicy salmon in the centre doesn’t taste very different.

Sushi and More is priced well compared to other restaurants offering the fare, but slight creases need to be ironed out for a silken smooth sushi experience.

Review
Food Mixed
verdict J
COST Competent

Representational Image

India's leading player Saurav Ghosal stormed into the final of the USD 50,000 Macau Open, a major PSA world tour event, here today.

The national champion, seeded fourth, ousted the top seed Simon Rosner of Germany in five games 11-5, 5-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-4 in a pulsating semi-final.

The Indian is ranked 28th in the world while the German is placed 11th.

But that did not unsettle Ghosal who showed his characteristic fighting ability and ensured victory in what proved a topsy turvy tussle.

In the title round, Ghosal will meet second seed Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar.

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

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

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

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Stanislaus' Saurabh Gupta (left) and Amos Mathews

Saurabh Gupta and Amos Mathews bagged hat-tricks to help St Stanislaus High School (Bandra) continue their winning form with 12-0 thrashing of Rustomjee International School (Dahisar) in the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA)-organised Ahmed Sailor inter-school under-16 boys hockey tournament at Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kandivli yesterday.

Saurabh opened the scoring for the Bandra team in the eighth minute. The striker netted his second goal in the 22nd minute and completed his hat-trick in the 35th minute.
Zaheem Dodhaya added a goal in the 10th minute while David Mendonca scored in the 20th minute.

Forward Sean Gonsalves, too got into action with back-to-back goals in the 15th and 18th minute. St Stanislaus were 6-0 up at end of the first half.

Minutes into the second half, Amos Mathews came up with his first goal in the 29th minute to add to St Stanislaus' tally. He too completed his hat-trick with goals in the 30th and the 37th minute.

Stanislaus' midfielder Joshua D'Souza piled on more misery on the Dahisar outfit with a goal in the 32nd minute. Zaheem completed the rout when he found the net in the 40th minute.

The protesting staff Jayesh Parmar (left), Dattatray Tambadkar and Anthony D'Souza (right) outside the Mumbai School Sports Association’s office at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Four Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) employees — Anthony D'Souza (junior clerk), Dattatray Tambadkar (junior clerk), Jayesh Parmar (peon) and Rakesh Gaud (groundsman) accused the school body of ill-treating them for working under protest by wearing black bands on their arms and mouths yesterday.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the Maharashtra Mission One Million initiative under which over 10 lakh students across the state played football. Fadnavis and State sports minister, Vinod Tawde were present at Bombay Gymkhana.

Rakesh Gaud

Similar matches were played at various venues, of which MSSA ground was one of them. MSSA officals didn't want them to see us. Esmero Figueiredo threatened us and told us to vacate the office premises. Others were working, then why not us?" Tambadkar told mid-day.

Interestingly, the workers didn't protest in the last few days, but decided to do so only yesterday so that they can be seen by the chief minister and other officials. The ongoing tussle between the workers and MSSA is in court at the moment.

While, MSSA official Sebastian Fernandes said: "Due to the program, there was a lot of chaos hence we decided to give them a holiday. Others were working as there was final at Cooperage."

Amanda D'Souza

Riding on Amanda D'Souza's brace, St Joseph's (Bandra) beat St John The Evangelist (Marol) 2-0 in the MSSA-organised Ahmed Sailor inter-school U-16 girls hockey tournament at Kandivli on Saturday.

In the very first minute, St Joseph's Rachel Michael beat her opponents with her dribbling skills, but the ball missed the target. However, Amanda put her stick in the way of the ball and the ball deflected towards the goal post. Amanda was in the thick of the action again in the 13th minute of the rain-marred game when she netted her second goal.

Varad Parab's lone goal helped St Stanislaus High School (Bandra) beat Bombay Scottish (Mahim) 1-0 and secure a spot in the final of the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)-organised inter-school boys under-14 Division I football tournament at Azad Maidan yesterday. Both teams had their fair share of chances during the first half.

St Stanislaus' Varad Parab (centre) heads a ball as the Bombay Scottish’s Ryan Davar (left) looks on during the MSSA U-14 semis at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Shada Khan

Shayne's early move
Stanislaus' midfielder Shayne D'Costa almost put his team in front, only for the Bombay Scottish goalkeeper Kritaansh Khera to come up with a save.
On the other hand, Scottish forward Craig Daniel too had an opportunity to score for his team from outside the penalty area, but vigilant Stanislaus goalkeeper Moin Khan thwarted the attack.

Both teams remained goalless at the end of the first half. After the break, both team put on an attacking display. Scottish were close to scoring when they received a free-kick, but the pressure got the better of defender Ryan Davar, who kicked the ball over the bar. Finally, St Stanislaus' Varad broke the deadlock in the 38th minute. The striker powered home the winner after he received a cross from teammate Jaffer Mansoori, who came dribbling in from the right wing.

'Great team effort'
"We wanted to attack from the beginning. We went hard at our opposition as we did not want to give them any opportunity to score. It was a great team effort and now we look to winning the final," Varad told mid-day.

Farah Khan's daughter Anya Kunder has been raising money for the animals to help them amid the Coronavirus pandemic and the filmmaker also shared the sketch she drew and it drew a lot of respect from Bollywood celebrities like Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Zoya Akhtar, Tahira Kashyap, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Sonu Sood.

It is a great initiative and not only Bollywood celebrities, but even the commoners also need to applaud her efforts to ensure the well-being of the animals amid this crisis. In case you missed the post that was shared by Farah Khan on her Instagram account a few days back, have a look right here again.

Here it is:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

My daughter Anya has decided to sketch a pet, n sell it for rs.1000-/.. all proceeds will go towards feeding stray animals and homeless during this pandemic.. not much but she s only 12 yrs old.. ♥ï¸Â thank you @tabutiful @rajeevmasand @aartishetty @shaziaqg for advance orders💕

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onApr 5, 2020 at 10:54pm PDT

And now, actor and good friend Abhishek Bachchan has come forward and given Rs. 1 lakh for this sketch and completely bowled over Farah. She couldn't contain her excitement and this is how she expressed her joy. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Who gives 1 LAKH for a sketch?? Only @bachchan ..that straightaway doubles Anya s charity drive! Thank u my mad, big hearted crazy boy♥ï¸Â bigggggg huggggg cming up which u will hate i know😂

A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:06am PDT

Zoya Akhtar and Patralekhaa reacted with a heart, a user wrote- "Wow! Told you this guy was the coolest." And another one wrote- "He is such a great guy." Now let's wait and watch who happens to be the next Bollywood actor to come forward and become a part of this great initiative!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Telugu actress Samantha Akkineni turned a year older on April 28, 2020, and she was seen celebrating her special day with near and dear ones. Samantha's husband Naga Chaitanya hosted a sweet little party for the birthday girl at their home.

Chaitanya also baked a cake for his wife, and the actress shared a time-lapse video on social media. She wrote, "baking my birthday cake." Take a look at the series of photos and video shared by the birthday girl on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Family ❤ï¸Â .... (no points for guessing what I am praying for )

A post shared by Samantha Akkineni (@samantharuthprabhuoffl) onApr 27, 2020 at 12:29pm PDT

For the uninitiated, the 33-year-old actress has a solid fan-following not only in India but globally too and has given us two very memorable films- 24 and Eega, both brimming with imaginative ideas and smashing entertainment. Samantha has come a long way and carved her own niche in Indian Cinema. Her work in the Telugu and Tamil industry continues to resonate with audiences and critics alike.

Speaking of her professional journey, some of her most remembered works as an artist are 24, Oh Baby, U-Turn, Super Deluxe, and Rangasthalam.

On the other hand, talking about her personal life, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya tied the knot in both grand South Indian and Christian ceremony in October 2017.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

Singer Sachet Tandon, voice behind the recreated versions of the 2009 AR Rahman hit "Masakali", has reacted to all the criticism coming the new version's way saying he respects audience opinion.

"It's Tanishk Bagchi's song and I was approached by the creators to sing it. I was glad to be part of the song and I am still happy that makers thought of me. But ultimate decision always lies in the hands of public. It's totally upto them whether to like a particular song or not, and I truely respect their opinion," said Sachet, about his version, titled "Masakali 2.0".

"Also, I don't think that any creator would intentionally try to distort an original song. Speaking of 'Masakali 2.0', I was not its creator. I just sang it and tried to give my best," Sachet told IANS.

The original "Masakali" was composed by Rahman, written by Prasoon Joshi, and sung by Mohit Chauhan for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 2009 film "Delhi-6". It was picturised on the film's lead pair, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. Although the film fared below expectation, the song has gone on to attain cult status.

Shortly after the release of "Masakali 2.0", both Rahman asnd Joshi expressed disappointment on social media, and were joined by a huge number of fans who agreed with them.

When asked Sachet about his views on the ongoing trend of recreations, he said: "In today's time, everything is being liked by audience. Some remakes have done amazingly well, some originals have become hits. Proper balance should be maintained."

Sachet, who gave Indian cinema a blockbuster love anthem, "Bekhayali" in collaboration with Parampara Thakur last year for the film "Kabir Singh", , has now come up with the melodious track "Bewafai", which has garnered over 20 million views on YouTube.

"It's a beautiful song (and I )loved giving voice to 'Bewafai'," Sachet said, sharing that he never gives heed to "likes" and "number of views".

"For me likes and number of views do no matter. What matters the most is the love of the audience. The best feeling is to hear compliments about your song. Jab log baat karte hain song ke baare me tab zyada acha lagta hai," Sachet signed off.

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Amid the nationwide lockdown due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, Bollywood celebrities have been flaunting their culinary skills on social media. Actor Pulkit Samrat treated his actress-girlfriend Kriti Kharbanda to some prawns.

Kriti took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of the prawn curry made by Pulkit and she captioned it: "And then, death by amaze food happened! @pulkitamrat showing off his cooking skills."

 

 

 

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@pulkitsamrat ❤️

A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) onApr 24, 2020 at 3:03am PDT

Recently, Kriti shared a post where she could be seen enjoying a champi (oil massage on the head) by her boyfriend Pulkit Samrat. She also jokingly claimed that her new motto in life is to make Pulkit give her a champi!

 

 

 

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First I made him look like Champak, then made him give me a champi! 😋😋😋 @pulkitsamrat heya! Thanks ya! 😛😘 #quarantinememories #yelocozyolo (this is officially my new motto in life)

A post shared by Kriti Kharbanda (@kriti.kharbanda) onApr 14, 2020 at 10:28pm PDT

Meanwhile Pulkit took to Instagram and posted a black and white picture of himself along with his dog -- a husky.

"Ek Dooje Ke Liye (for each other)" he captioned the image.

On the work front, Kriti and Pulkit were together seen in Anees Bazmee's comedy caper "Pagalpanti. Kriti will next be seen in "Taish". Pulkit will next be seen in "Haathi Mere Saathi and "Taish".

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Megastar Salman Khan on Tuesday 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.

Baba and baba's baba zeeshan ne aan baan aur shaan se 1,25,000 families ko ration bataa hai.

Now this is a challenge that one should be a part of.. Challenge 'Anna Daan'

Karo to khud ya kissi bharosemand ke through...@BabaSiddique @zeeshan_iyc pic.twitter.com/317KPrxWyp

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 28, 2020

The 54-year-old actor also informed that his two friends Baba Siddiqui and Zeeshan Siddiqui have distributed ration to a total of 1,25,000 families to date.

"Baba and baba's baba zeeshan ne aan baan aur shaan se 1,25,000 families ko ration bataa hai. Now this is a challenge that one should be a part of.. Challenge 'Anna Daan,'" he tweeted along with the picture.

He also asked people to distribute the essential items either on their own or get it done by somebody reliable.

"Karo to khud ya kissi bharosemand ke through," his tweet further read.

Khan has also been donating to the needy ones who have lost their livelihood due to the nationwide lockdown. He has also supported some of the daily wage workers economically.

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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

Adah Sharma's stuffed toy cat, Radha, has a life of its own. After hanging out with the Commando 3 actor and getting papped, it has now bagged a role in the short film, Tindey, starring Sharma. Seemaa Desai's film is about love in the time of online dating apps. Radha's name features in the credits as well. The feline has a short, sweet role in the film, also starring Ashwini Kalsekar and Rajesh Sharma.

Infact, the 1920 actress has created a Instagram page of her stuffed cat which already has over 35,000 followers. She announced the debut of her toy with a picture along with Tindey director Seemaa Desai. Have you watched my debut film yet ? It's called TINDEY ! on youtube ! Go watch it now if you haven't yet. Thank you my amazing director Seema for launching me (sic)", she captioned the picture.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Radha Sharma (@adah_ki_radha) onApr 23, 2020 at 9:04am PDT

Here's another video posted by "Radha" in which we can see the two engaging in a fun banter.

 

 

 

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Give your love to star kid Radha Sharma in the comments ♥ï¸Â♥ï¸Â♥ï¸Â And anyone who is good with special effects and would like to help also please leave a message in the comments . #adahsharma #bollywoodactress #bollywood #starkidsbollywood #nepotismrocks

A post shared by Radha Sharma (@adah_ki_radha) onApr 18, 2020 at 3:37am PDT

Adah Sharma also leaves no bounds to share pictures and videos of her toy. Recently, she hosted a "singing" session with Radha and posted a video about it on Instagram.

 

 

 

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Tag someone who should see a singing cat 😁 Poll : Radha Sharma or Radha Sharma Who sang better ?(only Radha is singing here I just gave her some support 🙃) . . Soooo much love u guys have been sending Radha and me for my TED talk and for my short film TINDEY so I've decided to do.... *drum roll* . #RavivaarWithStarkidRadhaSharma . Every Sunday Radha will be singing one song ! You guys will name your favourite song and she will pick from the comments ♥ï¸Â #RavivaarWithRadha #adahsharma #100yearsofAdahsharma #1920to2020

A post shared by Adah Sharma (@adah_ki_adah) onApr 25, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Adah made her Bollywood debut in 2009 with the horror film 1920. She was then seen in films like "Hum Hai Raahi Car Ke", the "Commando" franchise, and "Bypass Road", and will next be seen in "Man To Man". The film revolves around actor Naveen Kasturia's character falling in love with and marrying Sharma's character, only to realise she was biologically a man who became a woman after surgery.

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Kiara Advani began her Bollywood journey with the 2014 film Fugly that was Akshay Kumar's home production. She also appeared in M.S Dhoni- The Untold Story in 2016, a commercial and critical success. She then starred in Abbas-Mustan's thriller, Machine, in 2017 that failed to do well at the box-office. It was Karan Johar's anthology, Lust Stories, which made the audiences sit up to the actor that was yet to be tapped by the industry people.

And with the gigantic success of Kabir Singh, there was no looking back. She became Preeti for everyone and began attracting a lot of memes on social media on her silent and submissive character. The rest, as they say, is history! Her last film, Good Newwz, was a smash-hit too and now she has films like Indoo Ki Jawaani, Shershaah, Laxmmi Bomb, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 coming up. And she has often thanked one man for guiding her through her thick and thin and that's Salman Khan.

And in a chat with Mumbai Mirror, she spoke about meeting the Superstar for the first time and what her initial reaction was. She said, "I was smitten by Salman Khan sir the first time I saw him, which was on a film set at Mehboob Studio. He was sitting outside his vanity van, waiting to be called for a shot." She added, "I was struck dumb, literally! I already knew him but the aura around him was so strong. He made me comfortable and while my mother and he were sharing stories from my childhood, I just stood there, gawking."

Given Salman has acted with almost all the actresses he has guided and mentored, can we expect him and Advani in a film together in the future?

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Twinkle Khanna, Hema Malini, Bhumi Pednekar, Kim Sharma, Surbhi Jyoti and many other Bollywood celebrities took it upon themselves to grow their own vegetables. Many have taken to home gardening and decided to grow some veggies and other plants during the lockdown.

The coronavirus outbreak has put many lives and businesses on halt, but people have decided not to give up and find a different way to help each other. Twinkle Khanna grew green veggies in her garden, and sharing the picture, she wrote, "What you sow, you shall reap and I planted a love for gardening in the hearts of my children. This is my harvest-their help in digging, watering and this large bowl of Ceylon Palak. It grows like a weed and is easily propagated by planting the stem back after taking out the leaves. Thank you @merliynjoseph for helping me with this a few years ago. It is a gift that keeps giving in so many ways. #greenthumb [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna) onMar 26, 2020 at 12:13am PDT

Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan and their tiny tot Taimur Ali Khan have been waiting for the tomatoes they planted to sprout. Kareena, who made her Instagram debut on March 1, 2020, shared, "My boys doing their bit! Together, let's make the world a better place for us all.
Play your part... #StayHome #StaySafe #JantaCurfew [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onMar 22, 2020 at 12:34am PDT

Bhumi Pednekar too shared the new members of her family, "After months of tender love & care, we present to you #PednekarKePed #homegrown #GharKiKheti #sustainableliving [sic]"

 

 

 

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

Kim Sharma, who also enjoys gardening, wrote on Instagram, "Weekend chores #day4 [sic]"

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kim Sharma (@kimsharmaofficial) onMar 28, 2020 at 3:38am PDT

Madhuri Dixit-Nene also posted an Instagram story, which showed figs and pomegranates from her home garden. Isn't this truly inspiring? Take a look!

"Ye dekho... Mera naya kaam... preparing beds for methi, kothmir and planted tomatoes! abhi dekhte hain kya hota hai [sic]" wrote Juhi Chawla on her Instagram.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Juhi Chawla (@iamjuhichawla) onApr 11, 2020 at 10:56pm PDT

It's good to see public figures taking up the initiative to grow their own food and showing people how it's done! Home gardening can never get better, or more fun, than this!

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April 29 is going to be one of the saddest days for all the Irrfan Khan fans and even Hindi Cinema. His untimely and unfortunate demise has shaken and shocked one and all, especially the people from the fraternity who worked with him and knew him as a human and not just an actor. One of them is Akshay Kumar, who did two films with him, Aan - Men At Work and Thank You.

He took to his Twitter account and expressed sorrow on this devastating news. He wrote- "Such terrible news...saddened to hear about the demise of #IrrfanKhan, one of the finest actors of our time. May God give strength to his family in this difficult time.[sic]"

Have a look right here:

Such terrible news...saddened to hear about the demise of #IrrfanKhan, one of the finest actors of our time. May God give strength to his family in this difficult time 🙏🏻

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 29, 2020

For all those who don't know about this, Kumar once shared in an interview he gave along with Irrfan Khan to Rajeev Masand, how he was Vishal Bhardwaj's first choice for his role in Maqbool, which is regarded as a classic and a nearly perfect film. Both men had a laugh about it. In the same interview, Kumar recalled the day when he was all set to work with the actor for the first time. It was on the sets of Aan, and there was a confrontation scene between them. Kumar had to come in full fury and lash out at Khan, who was playing the antagonist.

Khan, on the other hand, barely reacted to his monologue, as his character, although a villain, was driven by calmness. Kumar said, "I wanted to know what kind of acting is this, here I am saying all my lines with force and here he comes, says his lines and goes away." Seven years later, they united for Anees Bazmee's Thank You, an out-and-out comedy, and a film that showed how versatile this actor is.

May his soul Rest In Peace!

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

One Twitter user shared:

RIP #IrrfanKhan 😢

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

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

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

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

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

— IRONY MAN (@karanku100) April 29, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Angrezi Medium was Irrfan Khan's return to the big screen after a gap of almost two years. And his fans were elated to see their favourite actor do what he loves- Acting! Everyone thought the actor would now be back and scintillate us with his performances. However, fate had other plans. Irrfan Khan passed away on Wednesday (April 29). Kareena Kapoor Khan, who worked with him for the first time in this comedy, has now taken to her Instagram account to express her sorrow.

She shared a throwback picture from the sets of the film that also had Dimple Kapadia and Deepak Dobriyal and she wrote- "It was an absolute honour sir. Rest in peace." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

It was an absolute honour sir 🙏🏻 Rest in peace ❤ï¸Â

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 29, 2020 at 1:27am PDT

Just like Hindi Medium, Angrezi Medium was also a film about hope and what it takes to fulfill your dreams. It's a film every parent and child should watch, and because this was the last time we saw a legend on the big screen and in a film!

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

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

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

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

Have a look right here:

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

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 29, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Pakistani actor Saba Qamar, who starred opposite Irrfan Khan in 2017's "Hindi Medium", said she is at loss of words with the untimely demise of her co-star. The 53-year-old actor lost his battle with a rare form of cancer and died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

He was buried at the Versova graveyard in the afternoon. Saba said she does hope things were better between India and Pakistan as she wants to meet Irrfan's wife Sutapa and their two sons Babil and Ayaan. "I'm numb today. I still cannot accept the loss of a brilliant co-actor Irrfan. I really am at a loss for words. It's very heart wrenching for me to say rest in peace Irrfan. "I really hope things were better between our countries and I could go see his family but my heartfelt condolences to his family," Saba told PTI.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. I still can’t absorb the news. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of Hindi Medium. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. It is indeed a huge loss to the cinema world. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. You left a huge irreplaceable void in Cinema Irfan. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah give them strength to bear this loss. RIP Raj 💔 Yours Only, Meeta. 🌸

A post shared by 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐐𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 (@sabaqamarzaman) onApr 29, 2020 at 2:07am PDT

She said Irrfan's death is a huge loss to world cinema. "We lost a gem today. It's a huge loss to the cinema world and I hope we become able to bear that," she said. "Hindi Medium"', directed by Saket Chaudhary, marked Saba's debut in Bollywood. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of a nouveau riche in the 2017 comedy drama. The actor had also paid tribute to Irrfan on Twitter. "Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of 'Hindi Medium'. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. I'm at a loss for words. RIP Raj Yours Only, Meeta #IrrfanKhan" she had posted.

Meanwhile, many other actors from Pakistan have also condoled Irrfan's sudden demise. Pakistani actor Imran? Abbas, who was seen in a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil:, said art has no boundaries and he can feel the pain of his sudden demise. "Rest in peace the legend Irfan Khan!! You will surely be missed forever¿Since art has no boundaries, we can feel the pain and are equally grieved by your sudden demise...May Allah bless the departed soul. Undoubtedly, we all belong to Allah all mighty and have to return to HIM," he tweeted. Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar, who has acted in quite a few Bollywood films such as "Tere Bin Laden", "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" and "Dear Zindagi", posted, "RIP #IrrfanKhan. You were inspirational and unparalleled." Pakistani actor Sajal Ali wrote, "Shocked and sad. What a brilliant actor he was! Rest In Peace #IrrfanKhan."

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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

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

How has the actress been spending time at that place and what exactly has the lockdown taught her? She has spilled the beans on all in her recent interview with Times of India. Speaking to the daily, she said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually." On the work front, she has films like Mrs. Serial Killer, Attack, and Kick 2. And this is what she has to say on getting back to work, "I am eagerly waiting to get back to shoots, get dressed and have fun… I am missing all that."

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

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who was admitted to H.N Reliance Hospital for the past three weeks, passed away on Thursday morning at 8:45 am. The 67-year-old was suffering from leukaemia, and he died with wife Neetu Kapoor by his side. Amitabh Bachchan was one of the first to confirm the news of Rishi's passing. The Hindi film industry is devasted by his loss, and this came a day after we lost yet another gem - Irrfan Khan.

The bereaved Kapoor family issued a statement on Rishi's passing, which read, "Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45 am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukaemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last. He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him."

The statement further said, "He was grateful for the love of his fans that poured in from the world over. In his passing, they would all understand that he would like to be remembered with a smile and not with tears."

The Kapoor family has also requested Rishi's fans and well-wishers to abide by the rules, amid the Coronavirus outbreak, "In this hour of personal loss, we also recognise the world is going through a very difficult and troubled time. There are numerous restrictions around movement and gathering in public. We would like to request all his fans and well-wishers and friends of the family to please respect the laws that are in force. He would not have it any other way."

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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:

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!” #RishiKapoor #RIP

— Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) April 30, 2020

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:

At least one thing is for sure. There will be jashan in the heavens tonight. #RIPLegend #RishiKapoor #IrfanKhan pic.twitter.com/V4qXyWjeqp

— Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) April 30, 2020

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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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."

This is a sad sad week for cinema. Rest in peace ⁦#RishiKapoor sir. 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 grand father. Farewell legend. We will miss you! pic.twitter.com/VSZHRqNks9

— Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) April 30, 2020

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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Rishi Kapoor wasn't just a phenomenal actor but also a very lively and lovable human. As exhilarating was his on-screen persona, his real-life demeanour was just as entertaining. In a devastating piece of news, he breathed his last today in hospital at 8:45 IST after a two-year battle with leukemia.

All the Bollywood celebrities began sharing their memories with this iconic actor and how he was one of a kind. And now, taking to his Twitter account, Salman Khan has also offered his condolences and also offered strength to his family and friends.

Have a look at his tweet right here:

Rest in peace chintu sirrr, kaha suna maaf , strength , peace n light to family n friends...

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 30, 2020

Salman Khan and Rishi Kapoor worked together in David Dhawan's Yeh Hai Jalwa in 2002 and both of them shared fantastic chemistry in that comedy. Also, if you remember, in 2015, Rishi Kapoor tweeted that If there's one actor after Shashi Kapoor who's handsome and has some blessed looks, it's Salman. The tweet isn't available anymore but you can have a look at it here:

Kapoor's loss, as everyone has stated, has left a void that can never be filled. His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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April 30 will be one of the saddest days in Hindi Cinema as one of its most beloved actors Rishi Kapoor left for the skies. He passed away today morning at 8:45 IST after a two-year battle with leukaemia. He has left a void that will never be filled.

His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai, near the H.N Reliance hospital where he was admitted. Alia Bhatt arrived at the hospital who came to pay her last respects to the veteran actor. Her car was spotted outside the hospital.

Have a look right here:

Alia Bhatt: Picture Courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Rajiv Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor's younger brother, was also seen arriving at the hospital. Take a look right here:

Rajiv Kapoor: Picture Courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Saif Ali Khan was also seen arriving at the hospital and pay his last respects. He could be seen inside his car:

Saif Ali Khan: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Kareena Kapoor Khan was also spotted arriving at the hospital and could be seen wearing a mask:

Kareena Kapoor Khan at the hospital: Picture Courtesy/Ashish Raje

Armaan Jain was seen arriving at the hospital with fiancee Anisha and brother Aadar Jain:

Armaan Jain with and wife Anissa Malhotra and Aadar Jain: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Abhishek Bachchan, who shared the screen with Rishi Kapoor in films like Delhi-6 and All Is Well, could also be seen arriving at the hospital to pay his respects to the veteran Bollywood star:

Abhishek Bachchan arriving at the hospital: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Preparations for his funeral have begun outside the Chandanwadi Crematorium, here's a picture:

Rishi Kapoor Cremation: Picture Courtesy/Shadab Khan

Rishi Kapoor's body has now been taken for the last rites at the crematorium. May his soul Rest In Peace!

Rishi Kapoor's Body Being Taken For The Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

His family members also proceeded to the Crematorium for his last rites. This included Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Armaan Jain, and Aadar Jain.

Saif Ali Khan Going For Rishi Kapoor's Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Ranbir Kapoor was also seen going for his father's last rites. He had the company of his mother Neetu Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

Ranbir Kapoor Going For Rishi Kapoor's Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Rishi Kapoor has gone too soon and we were hoping he would entertain and charm us with a lot more exhilarating and enigmatic performances. But he has left behind millions of memories for all his fans and Cinema lovers that can never be forgotten. With a career of over five decades and tons of blockbusters and classics, we shall make sure he's always alive and among us!

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It is hard to believe that I will not see him again, in person. The worst part is that I couldn't be there with him and his family for the final rites. I met him in the latter part of 2019. He was jovial. I remember looking at him and thinking that the worst phase of his life is behind him. There wasn't an iota of [weakness] in his eyes. One couldn't, from his body language, gauge that he was enduring any pain or difficulty. The unfortunate turn of events was unexpected.

More than being his co-star, I was a fan. I loved Rishi and Neetu, as a couple, and wouldn't miss a single film of the duo. For me, the turning point [in my career] came when I signed a movie with him. Rishi was the one who recommended my name to Nasir Hussain, and that's how I landed up in Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai.
 
The first shot that we did together was for the song Poocho na yaar kya hua. I remember it vividly. I had to do a dance sequence and then hug him. I was shivering because I was a fan.

We shot [Hoga tumse pyara kaun] on a train, and it was a surreal experience. It was hot, and we were trying to look our best, and do the best that we could. Unfortunately, my scarf caught fire, and, like a true hero, Rishi ran towards me and rescued me. 

He was a foodie. I'd get prawns and fish curry to the sets and we would eat together. More than him, we loved his Punjabi lunch that Neetu would send. Neetu would send healthy food, but she never knew that he'd, in fact, be eating his co-stars' meals.

He is going to be missed. My heart goes out to Ranbir and Ridhima. 

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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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