Sanya Malhotra is an actress that breathes life into characters on-screen with her impactful performances. She has made a space for herself in the Indian film industry with the awe-striking characters she has played. Not only is she renowned for her acting but she is also well acclaimed for her mesmerizing dance moves!

One might say that the actress is a multifaceted package of entertainment. Sanya is to be seen making an engrossing appearance in an upcoming Indian 2020 Hindi language dark anthology comedy film Ludo. The film contains four chapters, each of which revolves around a different story.

The actress is known to prepare immensely for all her characters to truly submerge into the depths of the characters, however, with Ludo things were very different as Anurag Basu's brief for Sanya was basically just coming to the set unprepared.

It was quite an enriching experience as the actress went on the set completely clueless about the character and that was Anurag's artistic appeal towards weaving the character which Sanya surely aced. This is proof of how the actress takes on different roles and experiments with her characters.

Apart from Ludo, she has created quite a huge space for herself in the industry on the basis of her dedication and passion towards acting, owing to which she has bagged roles in upcoming films like 'Shakuntala Devi' where the actress will be playing Anupama Banerjee while sharing the screen with Vidya Balan and Guneet Monga’s Pagglait.

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The song Genda Phool, featuring Badshah and Jacqueline Fernandez, may have gone through its ups and downs but there's one actress that's clearly enjoying dancing on it. We are talking about the Bengali beauty Monalisa, who shot to fame with her career in Television. She is known for acting in the serial Nazar, both season 1 and 2.

The aforementioned song is set against the backdrop of the Bengali culture and since she too is a Bengali, couldn't stop herself from grooving on its pulsating beats. Taking to her Instagram account, she shared a video and danced with both oomph and elan. Also featuring in the video was her hubby and actor Vikrant Singh.

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

“GENDA PHOOL” ❤ï¸ÂðŸ¥°.... Finally 🤷‍♀ï¸Â#myfavourite #song #gendaphool #bongconnection #lovingit #quarantinelife #havingfun #dance #stayhome #staysafe @vikrant8235

A post shared by MONALISA (@aslimonalisa) onApr 10, 2020 at 2:29am PDT

The song has fetched a staggering response on YouTube and now has even attracted the attention of Monalisa. Let's see who happens to be the next one to dance on this infectious song!

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Allow us to say this but if Hrithik Roshan had a staggering debut with Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai in 2000, Karishma Tanna made her debut with an equally successful piece of work- Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. Ekta Kapoor more or less revolutionised the television industry by introducing a concept that was never heard of until it became a dying genre as times passed by.

Talking about Tanna, she didn't have it easy at all, and which actor has. In a chat with Pinkvilla, she candidly spoke about her audition for this iconic show and how it was bad, very bad. "My audition for Balaji was horrible (laughs). I'm generally a good student when learning lines, but in front of the camera, things go haywire. I have fumbled multiple times and it was a very 'ganda' (bad) audition."

She added, "But still, I got chosen. Ekta (Kapoor) ma'am does not see dialogues, she wants the actor to fit in the role, acting is then taken care of. So, I guess I fit the role and that is how I got it." And today, thanks to her success and even the social media sensation, she's known by one and all. She was also seen in Sanju in a special appearance.

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The return of Mahabharat and Ramayan on television has really pleased all the people across the nation. As reported, the views have been record-breaking and unheard of in a long time. And speaking about its return on television is veteran actor Gajendra Chauhan, who essayed the role of Yudhishthir in the show.

Talking to Koimoi, he said, "When the show came on TV for the first time, people used to just watch it. It used to come weekly. Now, 2 episodes are aired daily. Currently, people are watching it to learn something out of it. The show teaches a lot in terms of boundaries and India's culture and tradition, the duties of the king and the citizens." His choices of words suggested he was really elated by the fact that he and the entire nation were getting the opportunity to visit and revisit such a classic piece of work.

That's not all, he also spoke about how Mahabharat taught us to stay at home safe and sound. "In the show, Vidur says a few lines to Yudhisthir that are relatable today. The lines are – Vann ki akhir kaun prachit rehta hai? Wahi prachit rehta hai jo ghar mein hota hai'. Even Mahabharat has given a message to people to stay at home."

And lastly, he also shed light on his experience of visiting a school where the children were being shown an episode of the show. "A few years ago, I went to a school in Delhi and they had a lecture on Mahabharat where they would show 45 mins episode from the show. Every year, they used to have one test based on it. These are good steps taken to make sure our future generation is well aware of India's culture. There are a lot of Indians staying abroad who make sure their kids know about Ramayan and Mahabharat through whatever medium is available to them."

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Between cooking and watching TV, Sayantani Ghosh is making time to train herself in singing. "I could always sing, but I want to take it more seriously since I have the time. I have been checking online classes too," she says. Just like a lot of Bollywood and Television celebrities who are trying out new stuff, she is honing her singing skills.

Spreading love

Amid the grim situation, Aalisha Panwar hopes to spread some positivity among her fans. She says, "I want to bring a smile on their faces, so I have started an interactive session, Friday Fan Love to spend some time with my fans."

Slambook

Kunal Thakur

One superpower you wish to possess?
The power of teleportation.

Your last fantasy?
Penélope Cruz.

The last nightmare you had?
That I fell out of a window while trying to take a picture of the sunset.

One thing on your wishlist.
To buy a high-end motorbike and go on a road trip.

Your worst project?
A film that I backed out of because it didn't go as expected.

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The popular sitcom Office Office is back on television, and actress Asawari Joshi, who played the role of Usha ji in the show, went down memory lane recalling how her co-stars would play pranks on her on the set, and added how she learnt many things from her veteran co-star Pankaj Kapur.

Kapur plays a retired schoolmaster named Mussaddi Lal Tripathi, and the evergreen show narrates his struggles to get work done in corrupt offices in a satirical manner.

"The most mischievous one on the set was Sanjay Mishra, who was the master of quick comebacks. He played pranks on me every day. I was always the prime target of all pranks, and one day everyone decided to play a prank on me while we were in the middle of a reading session.

"They made me scream in the middle of the session by making me think that a mouse was under my chair!" she recalled.

Asawari also shared that she was called "production ka eklauta damaad" (the sole son-in-law of the production guys) on the sets.

"Being the only woman in the cast, all the men used to pull my leg and called me 'production ka eklauta damaad', because I had all the perks -- such as an individual room and a personal stylist -- like a pampered son-in-law. While Sanjay, Manoj (Pahwa) and Hemant (Pandey) were the notorious gang who played pranks on me, they also became really good friends. Deven (Bhojani) was fairly quiet on the set and very sincere towards his work. I feel we all learned the most from Pankaj ji, and during the entire journey of 'Office Office', I witnessed his immense dedication towards work," she reminisced.

The show is currently re-running on Sony SAB. The decision to bring back the show came in the wake of the good response that the re-telecast of several old popular TV shows among new-age audiences has seen during the coronavirus lockdown.

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Who says you cannot celebrate during the lockdown? Television actor Sharad Malhotra is making sure to leave no stone unturned for making his wife Ripci feel special on their first anniversary. "In the midst of this pandemic, we will be celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary in each other's company and completely house arrested. We shall cook a meal together, listen to some soulful music and sip on our favourite red wine," he says.

Ask him what is the best thing about being married to her, and he says, "The best thing about my partner that I have discovered during this quarantine period is that she is a very motivating and encouraging person to be with. She has a very positive outlook towards life and loves to live in the moment. She is very caring and compassionate too."

He adds, "Marriage is a beautiful amalgamation of two completely different worlds, having different theories, thoughts, ideas, practices, caste, culture, coming together under one roof. When you are married, you share your joys and sorrows with your life partner which is certainly fulfilling. When life gets tough and things don't go as planned, people generally look for partners who can support them. Marriage offers that facility to be stuck to one another and share life. When a married couple chooses to live together, they vow to protect and stand by each other through the rough times. Life can be enjoyed better with love over anything else."

 

 

 

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On 20.04.19 a beautiful adventure began...❤ We will be coming live from HOME with NO social distancing between US on the 20.04.20 @ 9pm IST 😘 @ripci.bhatia

A post shared by Sharad_Malhotra009 (@sharadmalhotra009) onApr 15, 2020 at 10:19pm PDT

The actor loves whatever his wife cooks too. "She has amazing culinary skills which we both have discovered thanks to the lockdown period. We both are foodies and she loves to cook the most exotic dishes in the books...Shahi paneer, Dal makhani, Pindi chole to the simplest of dal khichdi is being cooked at home. I usually make the morning bed tea for my wife that she relishes with every sip and thanks me for making it the perfect starter for her day," he says.

Ask him what he is planning to gift her, and he says, "We could not spend time with each other all of last year due to our work commitments till this lockdown period began. So now, till we're house arrested, I will be gifting her all of my time and attention and will probably get her something as we return to normalcy."

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On Monday evening, the hashtag #FraudArhaanKhan started trending on Twitter following claims by netizens that actor and "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Arhaan Khan has taken Rs 15 lakh from his former girlfriend Rashami Desai's account, and is allegedly threatening her. Arhaan withdrew the money when Rashami was still inside the "Bigg Boss" house, it has been claimed.

The accusations have mostly been levelled on Twitter by netizens who claim to Rashami's fans. They also shared screenshots of bank statements of monetary transactions from an account with the name Shivani Ajay Kumar Desai.

A user tweeted in Hindi claiming Arhaan Khan has taken Rs 15 Lakh from the actress' account in 15 days.

Another user alleged that Arhaan has even taken money for subscribing to a popular OTT platform.

A Fanclub of Rashami Desai tweeted: "We need justice for @TheRashamiDesai. She has earned money with lot of her hardwork and #FraudArhaanKhan misused her money. What a shame to society."

Calling Arhaan a "gold digger," Rashamians, as Rashami's fans like to call themselves claimed in a tweet: "This is a call to all fandoms - any and everyone who is sane enough to see the wrong in this situation- keep aside your Bigg boss grudges for once and please help us expose and shame a gold digger. #FraudArhaanKhan."

However, there has been no substantial basis to any such claim on the part of fans.

During her stay in the "Bigg Boss" house in the latest season, Rashami Desai was heartbroken after learning about Arhaan Khan's child and former wife. The two eventually parted ways. It seems a bigger shock is waiting for the "Naagin 4" actress if allegations made by her fans come true!

While this season of the reality show is already over long back, Rashami Desai continues to remain a favourite with her fans.

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On Monday, JD Majethia, chairman of the TV wing of the Indian Film and TV Producers' Council (IFTPC), stated that he intends to approach the government to seek permission to resume shoots of television shows with small crews from May 4. The move has sent the daily-wage workers of the television industry into a tizzy as they have been relentlessly calling the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to enquire whether they can report to work post-May 3.

BN Tiwari, president, FWICE, says, "[With his statement], JD Majethia has sent a wrong message to the daily wagers who now feel that producers are willing to work, but the FWICE is imposing unnecessary restrictions. That is not the case. Maharashtra is at high risk, and we are only concerned about our workers' safety. We have issued a letter to Majethia, asking him not to make such statements."

BN Tiwari

On March 15, various cine bodies had unanimously decided to suspend all shoots in the wake of the pandemic. "Similarly, the decision to resume work will have to be collectively taken by IFTDA, FWICE, Producers' Guild, and other associations," insists Tiwari.

Majethia was keen to propose the resumption of shoots as it would bring relief to the daily wagers. However, Tiwari points out that the associations are standing by those in need. "The industry — including Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty and Yash Raj Films — has come together to help the workers. Even if the lockdown is lifted on May 3, we may not begin work until May 25. In case the stay-at-home orders are extended to June, we will continue to take care of our workers."

When mid-day reached out to Majethia, he agreed that the recommencement of shoots will be "a collective decision of the industry" with the approval of the government. "It is not as if we have already taken a call. We will start shooting only when it is safe for everyone, but we must start planning for it in advance."

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Since the lockdown began in March, we have seen umpteen videos of celebrities working out, cooking, eating healthy, playing with their pets, gardening, and pursuing their many hobbies. Now, with a video that actress Jaya Bhattacharya has shared on social media, we will see the actress going bald on camera!

Sharing how she has wanted to do this for ages, Jaya Bhattacharya compiled a post of five videos telling us why she finally decided to take the plunge, the reasons that compelled her to do so, and also that she thinks vanity isn't something she cares much about.

Jaya Bhattacharya wrote, "#surprise wanted to do this since ages but never had enough motivation.
This helps me work more freely and better."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#surprise wanted to do this since ages but never had enough motivation This helps me work more freely & better #monday #mondaymotivation #feedthehomeless #feedthehungry #feedstrays #feedstraydogs #feedstrayanimals #coronatime #covid19mumbai #lockdowndiaries #lockdownextended #doyourbit #behelpful #weiredtimes #doyourbest #lifeisbeautiful #lifeisbeautiful as you make @ankitbathla10 SORRY

A post shared by Jaya Bhattacharya (@jaya.bhattacharya) onApr 20, 2020 at 8:26am PDT

Jaya shared her motivation to go bald and said, "Every time I come back home, I've been feeding dogs, sharing ration... Be it day or night, I and everyone in my home make it a point to soak our clothes in soap and piping hot water, and we take a bath from head to toe. It's getting difficult for me to maintain my hair..."

As the videos go on, we realise that the real motivation for the actress is helping others during the COVID-19 lockdown, and her desire to do it freely. She further said, "I actually never cared for my looks. The acting mattered to me, my other work mattered to me." After having all her hair chopped off, she asks for it to be kept carefully as she will use them to get wigs made for cancer patients.

Well, that's one bold move and more power to you!

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These days, since Bollywood celebrities are not shooting and only spending time at home and sharing their videos and pictures and also a lot of interviews, fans have been following them religiously. And good thing that all these Bollywood celebrities have numerous fan-clubs on social media that keep sharing their old and unseen videos and pictures too. One of them is Janhvi Kapoor.

A fan-club of the actor took to its Instagram account to share a classic Throwback Thursday video where she could be seen in an adorable interaction with Salman Khan on the sets of his game show Dus Ka Dum. And guess what, the contestants were none other than Boney Kapoor and Sridevi. The year was 2009 when Janhvi's parents graced the show for the promotions of Salman's film Wanted, which Boney Kapoor and Sridevi produced.

Salman asks Janhvi if marriages are made in heaven, and her reply will melt your heart. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So real, so pure! ♥ï¸Â @janhvikapoor @khushi05k 🥰 . . #boneykapoor #sridevikapoor #sridevi #janhvikapoor #khushikapoor #kapoors #bollywood #salmankhan

A post shared by Arjun Anshula Janhvi Khushi (@kapoooors) onApr 15, 2020 at 9:36am PDT

A decade later, Janhvi is a rising star and a promising actor. And given her line-up of films in the future, she could give her contemporaries a run for their money. This is what it looks like currently- Dostana 2, Gunjan Saxena, RoohiAfzana, and Takht. We are waiting for them!

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Bigg Boss 13 still continues to be in the limelight and so does its contestants. One of them is Rashami Desai. You all must be aware of the '15 lakh' controversy that happened between her and Arhaan and a screenshot of the same was also shared on Twitter. And now, speaking to Times of India, Rashami broke her silence and slammed Arhaan.

She said, "These transactions were made in my absence, and that too, without my knowledge when I was inside the BB house. When I came out and learnt about it, I shared the screenshots of my personal documents and these transactions with my accounting staff and a few others. Why did Arhaan transfer my money into his account? Also, I don't know the people he has further transferred those funds to."

She added, "Apart from the 15 lakh that Arhaan has to pay me, as can be seen in the screenshots, he owes me more money, which he is refusing to return. Talking about the screenshots, I have no clue who has leaked them on social media. If I had to leak anything, I wouldn't have waited for two months after BB. I don't want anything to do with Arhaan. The whole incident is disturbing and it has taken a toll on me, emotionally."

Arhaan too broke his silence and commented on the entire controversy and clarified his side of the story. He said, "Half the transactions involving huge amounts aren't mine. Rashami had set up a production house, which I had joined as a partner. I have invested equally, both financially and emotionally. Any transfer of funds is either my rightful profit or return of debt. Also, before making such allegations, it is to be noted that transfer of funds wouldn't have been possible had Rashami not given me signed cheques."

He continued, "She had asked me to transfer money to certain people in her absence. It was work-related. She was fully aware of the transactions and I have bills to prove my claim. I strongly believe that this is a curated plan to malign me, as I had received messages, warning me against adversities post April 15. It's unfortunate that our relationship has reached a point of no return."

Will the matter escalate or subsidise as time passes by? Will a legal battle ensue?

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It's Ishq Mein Marjawan star Kushal Punjabi's birth anniversary. The actor passed away on December 26, 2019, in Bandra, Mumbai. He was found hanging at home, and a suicide note was found that said nobody was responsible for his death.

Some of his friends remembered the actor on his birth anniversary and took to social media to post their memories of and with him. Apurva Agnihotri shared a photo of them together and wrote, "I stood and watched as my brother rode by it wasn't the way it should be But I shed not a tear for this brother for he lived free and loved his life So ride on my brother till we meet again and when my time comes to take that last ride you can bet it'll be with a smile... (sic)"

 

 

 

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I stood and watched as my brother rode by it wasn’t the way it should be But I shed not a tear for this brother for he lived free and loved his life So ride on my brother till we meet again and when my time comes to take that last ride you can bet it’ll be with a smile...till then enjoy your special day Happy Birthday Dear Kushal Bhai...Miss ya❤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Â

A post shared by Live what you love.... (@apurvaagnihotri02) onApr 22, 2020 at 7:52pm PDT

Model and TV host Diandra Soares, who called Kushal her 'sunshine boy', also shared a photo on her Instagram story. Take a look:

Actor Deepak Bajaj also shared a photo from happier times spent with Kushal. He wrote, "Happy Birthday KP #memories"

 

 

 

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Happy Birthday KP ðŸÂŽˆ #memories

A post shared by Deepak Bajaj (@mr_bajaj) onApr 22, 2020 at 7:30pm PDT

Kushal Punjabi was said to be depressed ever since his wife, Audrey Dolhen, left him, taking their son with her. His wife is a French national and lives in Shanghai with their son.

Kushal Punjabi is sorely missed by his friends and fans!

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The Bollywood couple of Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth has been uploading content for Instagram followers, aimed at tickling the funny bone, during the ongoing lockdown. In their recent post, the two are seen discussing what to cook. The argument continues in Gujarati style, which is meant to make people laugh.

 

 

 

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Gujju Ben vs Gujju Bhai 🥊🥊 @vatsalsheth

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onApr 20, 2020 at 8:42am PDT

"We had thought of creating content together but we never got the time earlier. We have been shooting round the clock. Now that we are locked down and at home, we thought why not give it a try and create some stuff," said Ishita.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#ThisIsUs ❤️

A post shared by Ishita Dutta Sheth (@ishidutta) onApr 16, 2020 at 7:19am PDT

"We have got great feedback and it's been exhilarating to hear from fans and friends. It's a great time to actually work on content via the phone from home," she added about the videos that have got a thumbs up from celebrities like Suniel Shetty and Kapil Sharma.

The couple has also made a short film together, which will be out soon. Amidst all the fun and laughter, Ishita has urged people to "follow the government's orders and give it paramount importance".

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It was November 28, 2017, when Vatsal Seth and Ishita Dutta tied the knot and surprised all their fans. Not much was known about their romance and they didn't even indulge in any sort of social media PDA to at least leave us guessing a possible union in the future. But this is what Tinsel Town is all about, replete with shocks and surprises.

But do you know there was a time when Dutta felt she would never get married to Seth? She even has an explanation for that. In an interview with Bollywood Life, she spilled the beans on what made her say so and how the married life has been like. She said, "When I first saw Vatsal, I remember we were doing a mock shoot, however, he was already doing the show. And I saw him standing in the front, he appeared to be very serious, not too talkative. Generally, on-screen images are quite different, they are kinda full of life. So, I was really surprised to see quiet Vatsal in a serious zone."

She added, "According to my friends and co-stars on the sets, whenever Vatsal comes to meet me, I generally have a big glow on my face. That's what people say." When asked about the craziest thing she has ever done, her answer was, "Saying yes to him for marriage is the craziest thing I've done. I thought we would never get married." They both were seen together in the show, Rishton Ka Saudagar- Baazigar.

Vatsal made his Bollywood debut in 2004 with Taarzan: The Wonder Car and went on to do films like Heroes, Paying Guests, and Malang. Ishita was seen with Ajay Devgn in Drishyam in 2015 and with Kapil Sharma in 2017 in Firangi.

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It has been a long and tedious road for Naagin 4 actress Rashami Desai ever since she dealt with her relationship woes on national television on the 13th season of Bigg Boss. Her then-boyfriend, model-actor Arhaan Khan, hid a number of things from her, including the fact that he was married and had a child. 

After a series of allegations and insults thrown at each other, the latest one being Rashami insinuating that Arhaan transferred a large amount of money from her account to his, the actress has taken to Twitter to bare it all.

In one of her tweets, Rashami talks about being a self-made woman who got into something she thought was love. She writes, "Done and Dusted! I don't need to give anyone any explanation I’m a self-made woman got myself into something I thought was love but thank god to all the positive energy’s around me who saved me and made me learn so much more..."

Sharing a quote, this is what Rashami tweeted next:

So on that note! I don’t regret anything because living-in means that I am privileged that I worked hard to have a house of my own so thought to share my house with the one I loved since that person oh well.. #nevermind samjh jao samjh ne walo pic.twitter.com/R1KWDtv8Rc

— Rashami Desai (@TheRashamiDesai) April 23, 2020

The actress then emphasised on all the hard work she's put in to be where she is. She wrote, "#Damn I feel so light! So goodbye to all those so-called sources wale articles and also to my hard-earned money which I lost shall work more hard to earn it all over again because unlike others I don’t use people... #MehnatKartiHoon"

#Damn I feel so light!
So good bye to all those so called sources wale articles and also to my hard earned money which I lost shall work more hard to earn it all over again because unlike others I don’t use people.. #MehnatKartiHoon pic.twitter.com/tQxZ6ZySlN

— Rashami Desai (@TheRashamiDesai) April 23, 2020

Rashami Desai had also claimed previously that Arhaan Khan had used her emotionally. 

On the work front, before Bigg Boss 13, Rashami participated in Comedy Circus, Zara Nachke Dikha, Khatron Ke Khiladi, and Kitchen Champion season two.

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It is indeed a rough time and a tough time for all the Bollywood and Television celebrities that have been stranded in different parts of the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Right from Mouni Roy to Sanjay Dutt to Mithun Chakraborty to Irrfan Khan, some lost their parents, and some of their members are all by themselves. And now, Sanjivani 2 actress Chandni Bhagwanani has also been stranded in Australia amid the lockdown.

Talking to SpotboyE, the actress revealed some details about her stay in the country and how she has been coping up. She said, "I am all alone here. Initially, I was staying in a hotel for a month but when this lockdown got extended, I rented an apartment in Melbourne here with two other Indians." She further revealed, "I came down to Australia for a month for some professional work. And by the time I could come back, everything was shut due to corona and now, I am stuck here."

Talking about how she has been managing her finances, she said, "It's quite difficult. Everything is expensive here- stay, food, travel. But whatever savings I have, I am putting it here right now. Since my accommodation is on a sharing basis, it's quite comfortable for me than living in a hotel, studio apartment, or in a flat by myself. That must have been more difficult. Thankfully, I have these two girls around me and have people whom I can talk to in this crucial phase."

We hope she can come back home sooner and safer!

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Ties that bind

Last seen in Nisha Aur Uske Cousins, Amit Sarin relocated to Los Angeles in 2018 with wife Vineesha and children, Vaeda and Aveer. The actor-producer informs, "People in LA have taken social isolation seriously. Everybody is staying at home. Only stores selling essentials are open with reduced timings." Sarin, who also featured in Pavitra Rishta, adds, "Such adversaries remind you of being close to loved ones. But thanks to technology, I am connected with my folks and pals."

Time to reconnect

Vikas Sethi

While in self-isolation, Sasural Simar Ka actor Vikas Sethi is also introspecting. It's been a while since the audience saw him on screen. He says, "Gone are the days when you were considered too old to play a lead. Now, there is room for actors belonging to different age groups to play parts. I would like to get meaty roles and have no qualms about asking for work." Sethi is hoping to do just that when things improve.

Rajeev Siddhartha scores a hat-trick

Rajeev Siddhartha and Rinku Rajguru in Hundred

Rajeev Siddhartha who we best remember for his diverse roles as Romil in ALT Balaji's web series show Romil & Jugal, Veer Diwan in Netflix's Upstarts and Bala in 24 among many others, is currently basking in the glory of his three eye-ball grabbing web shows that have released recently. Rajeev was last seen in Voot's Marzi and the super acclaimed Amazon Prime series Four More Shots Please and his recent third release which is Hotstar's Hundred starring Lara Dutta and Rinku Rajguru. In the series Hundred, Rajeev plays the role of a shady racketeer under the garb of running a legitimate business. He is very work driven until Rinku’s character comes into his life and changes it completely.

Talking about working on Hundred, Rajeev said, "It was a great change working with three directors namely Ruchi, Ashutosh and Taher. Each had their unique approach to direction and different styles but the best part was their vision was singular - that helped a lot in shaping the performance. It helps when there is clarity and it shows in the final cut." In the series, Rajeev who mostly shares screen space with Rinku Rajguru said, "Rinku was a delight to work with. It’s always fun to act alongside someone who is a thorough professional and someone who is so well prepared."

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Pre-mature balding is something a lot of actors have dealt with in Bollywood, Television, and even the ordinary people. But given an actor is supposed to sell his face on the screen and is expected to look handsome and gorgeous all the time, he is often under the radar of the media and the social media. So when Bigg Boss fame Paras Chhabra began losing his hair, he wasn't sulking but accepted the truth.

Talking about it to Times of India in a recent interview, he said, "You cannot run away from reality. I spoke about my hair patches and stammering myself because there was nothing to hide. I have been doing modelling for many years now and because of the harsh lights, your hair actually get scanty. I felt that it didn't look nice especially for the kind of roles I was doing."

He added, "I was playing Duryodhan and the mukut was very heavy and due to this I started going through hair loss. And at times being an actor when you want to get a good physique and want to see faster results, you take steroids too as a result there can be scanty hair." He also spoke about how Salman Khan came out in his support and what advice he gave him at that time.

Speaking about the actor, Paras said, "Salman Khan sir supported me and he also said that he will give me a number and asked me to go and meet a doctor. On the final day of Bigg Boss, he also told me that the patch is hardly visible. Salman Khan sir has supported me in this too. He had asked me to wait and not rush. A few doctors in my family have asked me to go for hair weaving but I don't want to go under the knife right now."

This is truly inspiring how an actor is comfortable about his body and refuses to change the truth about him. Hope others take notes!

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Archana Puran Singh has always believed in laughing out loud and living life to the fullest. We all have seen that in Comedy Circus and The Kapil Sharma Show, and the same amount of mirth and liveliness is to be found in her Instagram posts. But in the latest one, it's her hubby Parmeet Sethi who steals the show.

We all get to see Singh capturing Sethi and her mother and Sethi, who seems to be in a jovial mood, begins taking a dig at her and their 30-year old marriage. He calls her a 'defective maal' and also adds 'Iska koi refund nahin hai.' To make matters worse for her and funnier for us, her mother too joins Sethi to pull her leg.

Have a look at the first video right here where we can see all three of them:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

. Both saasu ma and jawai ji have some fun... at my expense! 😁 Mom has declared me to be the "video waala" ! 🤦‍♀ï¸ÂðŸ˜‚ #lockdown2020 #quarantinelife #madhislandlife

A post shared by Archana Puran Singh (@archanapuransingh) onMay 2, 2020 at 6:47am PDT

And in the second video, the actress gives us a glimpse of their Sunday conversations. She says- "Sunday. No workout. Fresh mint flavoured nimbu paani. Nature. Mom. Parmeet. Bhagyashri. Entertainment. Nok jhok. Happy." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Sunday. No workout. Fresh mint flavoured nimbu paani. Nature. Mom. Parmeet. Bhagyashri. Entertainment. Nok jhonk. Happy. @iamparmeetsethi #madhislandlife #quarantinelife #lockdown2020 #bhagyashrirocks

A post shared by Archana Puran Singh (@archanapuransingh) onMay 3, 2020 at 7:38am PDT

Hope just like us, you also had a laugh!

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TV czarina Ekta Kapoor along with her friends Krystle D'Souza and Anita Hassanandani has shared a throwback video where the trio dances in a funny manner. Ekta took to Instagram and re-posted a video shared by Anita. The producer said she was coerced into joining by her two "mad" friends.

"Not on tik tok but got coerced into this cray video by two of my mad frns ! Since d lockdown is throwing out all old madness let it all be out there credit: @anitahassanandani... Girls just wanaaa have fun! #ThrowBack Merriii cuties @ektarkapoor@krystledsouza," she shared.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Girls just wanaaa have fun! #ThrowBack Merriii cuties @ektarkapoor @krystledsouza

A post shared by Anita H Reddy (@anitahassanandani) onMay 3, 2020 at 4:49am PDT

Recently, Ekta shared a throwback picture from the days of "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", the show that made Smriti Irani a household name as the nation's favourite telly-bahu, Tulsi.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Three of us ! Wat e throwback #tarunkatyal @smritiiraniofficial n moi! #thenandnow

A post shared by Erk❤️rek (@ektarkapoor) onApr 13, 2020 at 6:36am PDT

Anita built a fan following with shows like "Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii", "Kkavyanjali" and "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein" over the years. She was last seen in "Naagin 3". In Bollywood, she was paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor in the Ekta-produced film, "Kucch To Hai".

Krystle rose to prominence with her roles in "Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai", "Ek Nayi Pehchaan" and "Brahmarakshas".

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Telly actor Saumya Tandon is part of a campaign to distribute reusable masks and face shields to frontline workers on the streets. The Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai actor was spotted in Andheri distributing the kits to vegetable vendors and police personnel.

Main bhi artist

Aishwarya Sakhuja, who has taken up sketching during the lockdown, is enjoying the process. "I never thought I would be good at it, but I've surprised myself. I still have a long way to go but my friends have been loving my sketches," she adds.

Mamma mia

Jag Jaanani Maa Vaishno Devi actor Madirakshi Mundle is bonding with her mother during the lockdown. She has special plans for Mother's Day. "I plan to cook her favourite meal and refurbish an old saree to a suit with embroidery work on it."

The web game

Mere Sai actor Tushar Dalvi is set to make his digital debut on Netflix with Anurag Kashyap's Choked. He says, "Working with Anurag Kashyap is a dream come true. His films don't underplay issues."

Slambook: Parull Chaudhry

One superpower you wish to possess?
The power of illusions.

One thing you won't share?
My mom's laddoos.

Your guilty pleasure movie?
Dumb and Dumber (1994).

One thing you are guilty of?
Of unknowingly hurting my parents.

Your worst project?
Being part of an episode of supernatural show in which I played a 300-year-old witch. Wearing prosthetics was painful.

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Television actress Sambhavna Seth, who became a household name after Bigg Boss 2, was rushed to the hospital on May 4 for being unwell. The news was announced by her husband Avinash Dwivedi from the actress' Instagram account.

He wrote- "Hi Guys, Yesterday night we had to rush to the hospital as Sambhavna is unwell. We came back at 5 am in the morning..And now taking her to the hospital again..So there will be no vlog today. Regards Avinash Dwivedi." (sic)

Have a look at the post right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) onMay 4, 2020 at 11:16pm PDT

Moments after the post, comments from friends and colleagues from the television industry started pouring in that expressed concern and worry for the actress and her health. One of the first ones to comment was actor and singer Lizaa Malik, who wrote- "What happened" (sic) Next in line was Bollywood actress Meghna Naidu, who also wrote- "What happened?" (sic) Sonali Raut had this to say- "Ohhho...get well soon darling...godbless" (sic)

There were a lot more comments that followed! Kamya Panjabi also expressed her worry and commented- "Get well soon darling! Avinash hope nothing serious!" (sic) Anara Gupta wrote- "What happened to her ... vo thik hain ...???? Pls update about her" (sic). And Pakkhi Hegde commented- "???????? M worried" (sic)

More details about her health are awaited! Given the support of the industry people and the wishes that have been pouring in, we are assured she's going to be fit and fine, hale and hearty!

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Sambhavna Seth was rushed to an Andheri hospital on Monday night, her celebs friends had expressed shock over her sudden hospital visit. The former Bigg Boss contestant is now back home and on the road to recovery. Her blood pressure dipped and she had a panic attack after experiencing temporary loss of hearing due to a blocked ear.

Sambhavna and husband Avinash Dwivedi shared a video talking about their ordeal to get hold of a doctor during COVID-19 times.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) onMay 6, 2020 at 12:44am PDT

Landmark celebration

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa completes 25 years this month and Zee is planning a celebration, Ek Desh Ek Raag, to mark the singing reality show's landmark year. It includes a 25-hour fundraising liveathon on the channel's Facebook page on May 23. It will be followed by a concert on May 24 on the channel in which iconic faces on the show, including Himesh Reshammiya, Richa Sharma and Javed Ali, will perform from their respective homes.

Be my guest tonight

Ramman Handa is launching an online chat show, Quarantine Diary, in which actors will reveal unknown facts about themselves. The first guest is Ghajini (2008) actor Pradeep Rawat. It will give an insight into how the character actor bagged the film and lesser-known facts about the making of the Aamir Khan-starrer. As Handa resides in a Goregaon complex with several stars from the big and small screen as neighbours, he hopes they will feature on his YouTube show.

Hello, Anayka

Smriti Khanna and Gautam Gupta have named their newborn, Anayka. The Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi actor shared the news on social media. She shared the first family photo and revealed the name of her daughter. The telly couple welcomed their first child on April 15.

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The year 2020 keeps getting worse. In another heartbreaking piece of news, Shehnaaz Gill's grandmother has been hospitalised due to liver ailment and this news was broken by her father Santokh Singh Sukh on his Instagram account.

Taking to his account, he shared a shattering image of his mother and wrote- "My mother hospital mein hai liver mein problem ho gayi hai God jaldi thik kar do." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

My mother hospital mein hai liver mein problem ho gayi hai God jaldi thik kar do

A post shared by SANTOKH SINGH SUKH (@santokhsukh1) onMay 6, 2020 at 4:43am PDT

If you all go through the comments, everyone, especially Shehnaaz's fans, are praying for her recovery and we also hope she gets well soon and comes back home! If you all followed Bigg Boss 13, the actress, on multiple occasions, used to share anecdotes of spending some special moments with her grandmother and how she is really funny.

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TV actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee, who was also seen in the thirteenth season of Bigg Boss, is currently in self-isolation after her cook has been quarantined. The cook, who is Devoleena's main domestic help, was quarantined after someone in a family he worked for tested positive for COVID-19.

In an interview with Spotboye, Devoleena has emphasised that she is well and her cook is not positive for coronavirus. She shared, "I don't know why it spread like wildfire that he has contracted Coronavirus. The government has put him up in a hotel. He's been looked after very well. Too much has been made out of this. It has made me only more tired."

Talking about how reports of her cook being positive have affected her, the actress said, "I have had to consequently quarantine myself. It's not going to be easy. Damn! This is the 4th time in the last 5 months that I cannot go out of the 4 walls - first Bigg Boss 13, then my back played up and confined me to bed rest, then the lockdown happened - and now just when I was managing to step out a bit for essentials, I have been asked to lock myself up."

Devoleena, however, has no problem cooking for herself, and she reminds us that she did it all the time in the Bigg Boss house.

Recently, the Saath Nibhaana Saathiya actress received death threats on social media after she took a stand against close friend Rashami Desai's ex, Arhaan Khan. Devoleena had taken to her Twitter account to extend her support to Rashami and asked her fans to ignore Arhaan.

Well, we sure hope things get back on track for Devoleena!

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The Philippines Ministry of Finance has said that a lower value-added tax rate may be possible once the tax base is broadened and wider tax system changes are implemented.

The Philippines Government has said that it hopes to secure approval from Congress of the corporate income tax reform package within the next few months.

Representational image

New York: Far from giving your sex life a leg-up, watching porn may lead to reduced happiness in relationships -- both sexually and generally, suggests new research.

For the study, Paul Wright from Indiana University in Bloomington and colleagues analysed the findings of 50 studies collectively including more than 50,000 participants from 10 countries.

"Pornography consumption was associated with lower interpersonal satisfaction outcomes," the researchers found.

The study, published in the journal Human Communication Research, however, found that porn viewing hardly affects relationship satisfaction in women.

"Associations between pornography consumption and reduced interpersonal satisfaction outcomes were not moderated by their year of release or their publication status. But analyses by sex indicted significant results for men only," the study said.

Male participants' porn-watching was associated with lesser happiness in their relationships -- both sexually and generally, Vocativ.com reported.

The researchers also reviewed studies looking at porn viewing and sexual self-esteem and body confidence, but they found no link.

The finding could come as a surprise for those who argue that pornography leads to unrealistic and unhealthy beauty standards.

Celebrities supporting social causes is indeed commendable because amidst the current scenario, the world needs empathy, love, and financial support at the right time. Salman Khan has been financially supporting daily wage workers and providing ration to those impacted during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Commencing the financial aid, he was one of the first people who made sure that money was directly transferred into the bank account of 25,000 daily wagers who were in dire need. It did not stop there, he further transferred money into the account of additional 7000 daily wage workers of the film fraternity.

The actor also helped 90 vertically challenged wage workers associated with All India Special Artistes Association (AISAA), a wing of FWICE.

The superstar also arranged for food supplies for thousands of people from varied corners of the state. A video of the same surfaced on the internet recently where truckloads of essentials were sent to the villagers around the farm.

Salman Khan has been carefully watching the situation and extending help in installments to ensure steady flow of income and essentials for the needy in different parts of the country.

Keeping in mind the current situation, he has released several videos where he has voiced his opinions and made a personal appeal to his massive fandom and people of the nation to stay indoors and maintain social distancing.

ALSO READ: Inside Salman Khan’s Panvel farmhouse with Jacqueline Fernandez and Iulia Vantur

The outbreak of coronavirus has made it difficult for people to get treated for other illnesses without being a COVID-19 suspect. However, the Bigg Boss 2 contestant, Sambhavna Seth who is well known for her vlogs, was rushed to the hospital in the dead of the night. Her husband, Avinash Dwivedi, took to Sambhavna’s Instagram to inform her fans of the situation.

According to Avinash’s message, Sambhavna had to be rushed to the hospital twice. When she was unwell a couple of days ago, her husband accompanied her to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and the couple came back home at 5 am. However, they took her back to the hospital again. While her fans were extremely worried about her health, Sambhavna spoke to a portal and clarified the reason behind it. She said that her blood pressure dropped low and she fainted, she is also suffering from a severe ear infection and her ear is completely blocked.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sambhavna Seth (@sambhavnasethofficial) on May 4, 2020 at 11:16pm PDT

She further spoke about the stress they had to go through to get her admitted to a hospital. Sambhavna clarified that no hospital opened its gates till 4 in the morning. She tried a few hospitals before the staff at Kokilaben attended her and asked her to leave soon after the treatment, which is why she had to go back again.

Actor Tom Cruise is taking his love for action scenes one step higher! According to Deadline, the actor is reportedly planning to shoot in space with the help of Elon Musk's Space X. There is no studio attached to it yet but he is working with NASA for the same.

Jim Bridenstine, who works as an official administrator at NASA, confirmed the news on Tuesday. "NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality," he wrote on Twitter.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv

— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020

Deadline reported, " Tom Cruise and Elon Musk’s Space X are working on a project with NASA that would be the first narrative feature film – an action adventure – to be shot in outer space. It’s not a Mission: Impossible film and no studio is in the mix at this stage but look for more news as I get it. But this is real, albeit in the early stages of liftoff."

Tom Cruise has three upcoming projects including Top Gun: Maverick and Mission Impossible 7 & 8. All three have been postponed amid coronavirus pandemic.

ALOS READ: Tom Cruise starrer Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 postponed amid coronavirus pandemic

On Monday, the Bombay High Court directed Eros International Media Ltd to pay Rs 19.39 lakh to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Bhansali Production within three weeks. This move comes after Bhansali had approached the court to restrain Eros International from exploiting rights over actors Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh starrer Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela.

Bhansali had sought urgent reliefs to restrain Eros International from selling, exploiting, distributing , licensing and renewing rights over the film. Bhansali Productions had challenged an intimation filed by Eros International with Bombay Stock Exchange of an all-share merger with its parent company Eros International Plc and Hollywood's STX Filmworks.

Bhansali's Production house claimed that the merger was based on incorrect and misleading disclosure and that STX Filmworks or other companies cannot claim any rights in the film.

Meanwhile, the advocates representing Eros International said that the film Ram Leela was specifically mentioned in annual returns published for the fiscal ending March 31, 2019 and therefore there was no urgency to grant interim reliefs to the Bhansali Productions.

While the court has directed Eros International to pay Bhansali production the dues, it also said that the Production will have the liberty to approach it for relief against the merger after regular court resumes post lockdown.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Eros India said “The Bombay High Court has adjourned the case in our favour. Eros always sticks to best corporate governance and business practices and had already given the cheque in advance as per our agreement. We will take appropriate legal action against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production for this mala fide and unfounded action, which has also been duly noted by the court”.

While the film industry has come to a halt, the producers, actors and directors are interacting with each other through video calls and getting things in order for the future. Multiple films are being planned at the moment and one of them is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious period musical drama, Baiju Bawra. Bollywood Hungama has exclusively learnt that the celebrated director is in talks with Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone for the official remake of the 1952 film.

“Ranbir and Deepika make a pair to reckon with on screen and Bhansali wants to create magic on screen with the two actors. Talks are on, however neither of the two have signed the dotted lines yet,” revealed a source close to the development, adding further that the idea is to move away from the conventional pairing for Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone. “He will work with Ranveer again in the future, but he doesn’t want to repeat the pairing of the real life couple for the fourth consecutive time.”

Ranbir made his acting debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Saawariya, which was a colossal disappointment, while Deepika has worked with the director in Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmavaat. Ranbir and Deepika, on the other hand, have worked together in two successful films – Bachna Ae Haseeno and Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani, while their third collaboration, Tamasha, was a flop. “These are all early talks, which started before the lockdown, but with the entire calendar of actors going for a toss, it would be interesting to see how things shape up. Though Ranbir and Deepika will make for a formidable pair in a Bhansali film,” the source added.

Bhansali is currently working from home on the post production of his next directorial, Gangubai Kathiawadi with Alia Bhatt, which went on the floors in November last year. A lot of shoot still remains, and it will be resumed once the national scenario gets back to normal.

Also Read: Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt to reunite for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Baiju Bawra?

The Coronavirus-induced lockdown will complete two months on May 24. And yet, the situation hasn’t improved, with the cases increasing everyday. The entertainment sector has been hit the hardest. They got shut first and hence, they might also be the last ones to open. And even if cinema halls commence operations, there are fears that viewers will not come in hordes. Taking advantage of this situation, OTT platforms have been approaching filmmakers with tempting offers. Few of them are already in advanced talks. This includes not just filmmakers of smaller films but also the producers of one of the biggest films of 2020, Laxmmi Bomb, starring Akshay Kumar.

Rumours were abuzz that the makers of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai too were open to offers from web streaming giants. Jordy Patel, manager of superstar Salman Khan, who is the film’s leading actor and producer, was also quoted as saying that they were ready to accept the offer, provided that they be offered a staggering Rs. 250 crores.

When Bollywood Hungama contacted Jordy Patel, he declined having made any such statement. “I haven’t given any figure,” he told this writer. He adds, “All I said was that we are ready to release Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai on an OTT platform, once the film is complete and once we evaluate the situation. Only then, we’ll take a call.”

So if not Rs. 250 crores, do they have any figure in mind that they’ll like to quote when meeting the OTT representatives? He explains, “We don’t have a figure in mind. The film is not yet complete. How can I quote an amount? We have got songs which are yet to be shot and even a couple of scenes.”

So how long are the makers planning to hold the release of Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai? After all, cinema halls are expected to start in August or September. Jordy Patel retorts, “Would people like to go to watch a film in August? It seems unlikely. So we’ll see what the situation is then and take a call accordingly.”

Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai, besides Salman Khan, also stars Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda and Jackie Shroff. It was to release on Eid 2020.

Also Read: Salman Khan keeping himself in shape to shoot for the climax of Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai post lockdown

Iulia Vantur is a Romanian model who has become a popular name in India. She was last seen in the music video ‘Harjai’ with Maniesh Paul. The song was sung by Iulia and Maniesh and composed by Sachin Gupta. Iulia has been spending the lockdown at Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse along with the superstar and few other friends from the industry. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Iulia spoke about Salman Khan and her marriage plans.

Iulia Vantur is rumoured to be dating Salman Khan and fans have often asked about their marriage. While talking to us on Instagram live, a fan commented that Iulia should get married to Salman Khan. Responding to this, Iulia said, “I think it is more about how people feel about each other. Spending time together is more important than any other stuff. At one point I was asked the same question on and on and on. Even my parents were asking when you are going to get married. So, I asked my mom, 'Do you want me to be happy?' or ‘Do you want me to get married?’ because to get married just like that I can get married to anyone just like that tomorrow. But you want me to be married or be happy. So that was the last time she ever asked me about it. So I think it is more important to be happy with someone and spend quality time with someone and to have a good connection with someone.”

Iulia Vantur has known Salman Khan for quite a few years now. Talking about the kind of person Salman is, Iulia said, “I have never met anyone like him. His personality is so special. I was always wondering why people loved him so much. It's his heart; it's his generosity, his thought of doing good and helping someone and guiding someone. He does this selflessly. He has no interest there. He just wants to help. Just because he is so simple and grounded that is why people are connecting with him. He is a special person for sure.”

When asked if she too loves his personality, she said, “Off course, who doesn’t love those qualities right! I mean, off course, we all love good people. We admire and follow them and try to reach their level.”

Also Read: Radhe – Your Most Wanted Bhai asking for Rs. 250 crores for direct OTT release? Salman Khan’s manager clarifies

With the increasing cases of the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 17. The lockdown first commenced on March 25 for a 21 day period. But had to be extended owing to the increasing cases.

However, the lockdown has badly hit the economy of the country with several people going out of a job. One industry that has completely shut down is the entertainment industry. The cinema halls were the first one to shut down in the country. Speaking to a tabloid about resuming Bollywood movies shoots, Ashok Dubey, the General Secretary of Federation of Western Indian Cine employees said that they spoke to CINTAA recently and are making guidelines on how they can proceed with shootings. Ashok Dubey said that nothing has been finalised. He said that Mumbai is a red zone and so they cannot think of shooting right now. Dubey also spoke to Sidharth Roy Kapur who said that they will have a conference call with Indian Motion Picture Producers (IMPPA), Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) and Western India Film Producers' Association on how to deal with the situation and go ahead.

A few days back, the Producers guild had shared a document that lists precautions to be taken while shooting including proper sanitation, use of masks, etc. Dubey said that the guidelines are correct but how are they to shoot when there are spot boys and workers who travel from their home and back and how they are supposed to test everyone daily when the reports take time to come.

He also questioned about reducing the number of people on the sets. He questioned how the people left out will manage their livelihood and how to assure them a salary. Dubey said that there are several factors to be considered before proceeding with the shoot.

Ashok Dubey said that the TV producer body is in a hurry to start shooting bit is not possible. He said that it will be like digging its own grave if it does something like this. He further said that social distancing is not possible on the sets and lightmen cannot work 12 hours with a PPR kit. Dubey said that there is a difference in giving suggestions and actually implementing it.

Dubey said that the Government has not released any guidelines for the film industry to start shooting. Producers' Guild has just said that these precautions are to be taken while shooting; they haven't said to start shooting and take these precautions.

ALSO READ: Actors to do makeup at home, doctors to be on set and more new safety measures set up by Cine bodies

Salman Khan has been spending the lockdown at his farmhouse in Panvel. Despite being away from the city, the actor through his foundation Being Human has been doing everything possible to help people in distress. From giving financial aid to thousands of daily wage workers to sponsoring ration for their families, he has been at the forefront in helping people in need. The actor has now launched a food truck with the words ‘Being Haangryy’ written on it. This is to provide food to the less privileged. 

In a tweet, Shiv Sena leader Rahul Kanal thanked Salman for doing his bit for the underprivileged. Sharing a video of the food truck, he wrote, “Thank you @Beingsalmankhan bhai for being there and silently doing something which is needed,service to mankind is service to the almighty!!!Jai Ho!!! I shall surely try and do my bit following the lockdown norms and request our Fanclub family to practice the same #BeingHaangryy.” 

Thank you @Beingsalmankhan bhai for being there and silently doing something which is needed,service to mankind is service to the almighty!!!Jai Ho!!! I shall surely try and do my bit following the lockdown norms and request our Fanclub family to practice the same #BeingHaangryy pic.twitter.com/nOeQncO9Er

— Rahul.N.Kanal (@Iamrahulkanal) May 6, 2020

Meanwhile, a few days ago Salman Khan recently took to his Instagram to share a video where he along with Jacqueline Fernandez, Iulia Vantur and others at the farmhouse are seen stacking bags of ration in vehicles to be sent out to those in need. He posted it with the caption, “Thanks for the contribution... thank you all”.

ALSO READ: Radhe – Your Most Wanted Bhai asking for Rs. 250 crores for direct OTT release? Salman Khan’s manager clarifies

StarPlus, the country’s leading general entertainment channel StarPlus is entertaining viewers with the legendary show – Ramayan. Written, produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar, Ramayan, first aired in 1987 and acquired a cult status over the years. The show boasts of a talented ensemble comprising of Arun Govil as Lord Rama, Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala as Goddess Sita and Sunil Lahri as Lakshman. It also starred veteran actors Lalita Pawar as Manthara, Arvind Trivedi as Ravana and Dara Singh as Hanuman. Not many people are aware that the show’s maker Ramanand Sagar was destined to make this mythological saga into a classic rendition for television.

There is an interesting story that has been shared by Ramanand Sagar’s son Prem Sagar in the book that he has written on his father’s life - An Epic Life: Ramanand Sagar: From Barsaat to Ramayan. In 1942, when Ramanand was 25 years old a Kashmiri mystic, Pandit Nityanandji had predicted that Ramayan would be retold by Ramanand Sagar. In 1976, noted film producer, Mr Mohla, on observing Ramanand’s astrological chart, had said that Ramanand Sagar would cause a spiritual awakening globally through the medium of cinema. Going forward, Ramanand Sagar ensured that this vision turned into reality and the rest is history!

Ramayan created waves across the world with its soulful narrative. The divine tale of how good triumphs over evil gladdened hearts of every viewer. Streets would be deserted on Sunday mornings as people stayed glued to their television sets as Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan described the tale of Lord Ram in vivid detail.

ALSO READ: Ramayan’s Sita denies asking for Padma Award from government

In a recent turn of events, it was discovered that Devoleena Bhattacharjee's cook was tested positive for Coronavirus and it has led to the actress being under quarantine for the next 14 days and her residential building has been contained. Currently, she is living alone as her mother and brother are stuck in Assam during the lockdown.

In her recent conversation with another portal, Devoleena revealed that this is the fourth time in the last five months that she has been quarantined. Starting off with Bigg Boss, then her back injury required her to be on best rest, then the lockdown and now finally when she managed to head out for groceries, her cook's condition has led her to stay stuck among the four walls of her house.

Speaking of her cook, Devoleena said that he’s being taken care of by the government and has been asked to stay in some hotel.

Also Read: Devoleena Bhattacharjee quarantined for 14 days after her cook tests positive for COVID-19

Dipika Chikhlia rose to fame with her performance as Sita in Ramanand Sagar's show Ramayan. Owing to the lockdown the show is being aired on television for the viewing of the younger generation. Now, Dipika is once again going to be seen on screen as she will be playing Sarojini in her new film.

Dipika took to her social media handle to unveil the first look poster of the movie which is based on freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu. Dipika is seen posing in a thoughtful mode in the poster.

#sarojininaidu...1st look....poster pic.twitter.com/zN5hhdSJmX

— Dipika Chikhlia Topiwala (@ChikhliaDipika) May 7, 2020

Sarojini is directed by Akash Nayak and Dhiraj Mishra. The story has been written by Dhiraj Mishra and Yashomati Devi. The venture is produced by Kanu Bhai Patel under the Royal Film Media banner. Sarojini Naidu is a strong personality in India's freedom struggle and is known as the Nightingale of India.

This is the first full-length feature film on Sarojini Naidu that will show her political career.

ALSO READ: Dipika Chikhlia reveals that people in small town think of her as Sita and touch her feet even today

The two of the biggest superstars of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, also have an electrifying chemistry on screen. This was evident in Rakesh Roshan’s 1995 blockbuster Karan Arjun. Even in the romance saga Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, where Salman had a supporting part, the film went on another level whenever they came forward. Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam today is memorable chiefly because it starred both of them together. It’s been 18 years since they both came together, though they were sweet enough to do special appearances in each other’s films (Om Shanti Om, Tubelight and Zero). But to see them together in a two-hero flick is something that fans have been waiting for keenly. Their excitement did arise when reports emerged that Sanjay Leela Bhansali was planning to cast Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in his next flick. But sadly, the project failed to take off.

After SRK’s Zero tanked, the star took a long time in deciding his next and finally, if reports are believed, he has given his nod to blockbuster filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. However, as per a write-up by Rajeev Masand in Open magazine, Rajkumar Hirani had initially approached SRK with a different film. The article states that Rajkumar had the concept of a two-hero film in his mind. For this project, he wanted to cast both Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. However, when he met SRK, he insisted that he’s keen on doing a solo-starrer. Hence, Rajkumar Hirani went back to the drawing board and he finally came up with an idea which was fine to both the filmmaker and the actor.

Rajkumar Hirani is writing the script with his regular colleague, Abhijat Joshi. As it is his style, Rajkumar Hirani is taking his own sweet time to write and fine-tune the script. He’s been sharing all the drafts with the superstar, who also provides his feedback and input to Rajkumar. However, an official announcement regarding this film will happen only when a fully satisfied Rajkumar Hirani locks the script. This is being done at the behest of the filmmaker and Shah Rukh Khan reportedly has no qualms in delaying the announcement.

Recently, SRK had got his fans excited when in a reply to a fan question on Twitter, he had hinted that his film with Rajkumar Hirani is indeed on.

Wow both are awesome and I have met them...but Raju apna sa lagta hai...nahi? https://t.co/EuSsrTHtx5

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 20, 2020

Also Read: Rajkumar Hirani and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to have an insightful conversation on the Heart To Heart Show

Sanjay Dutt is an actor who has appeared in a great many numbers of films spanning across genres, thus time and again proving his adaptability to wear the mask of different characters. The actor has been in the industry for a very long time and has even been part of the transformation and evolution of the Indian film industry.

Of late, Bollywood has been going through a paradigm shift as the world of content has been brought to digital platforms. OTT platforms have opened up new avenues and make any genre of series or films available, just a click away, which has been benignant for the viewers.

Actor Sanjay Dutt comments on how he feels OTT platform can be beneficial for artists, he says, "OTT platforms are flourishing and have brought about so much variety in terms of content. They also enable artists to experiment with material and characters. If I get a script that excites me, I would love to foray into digital entertainment."

Sanjay Dutt is an actor who is enriched with the experience of the various characters he has played on-screen and it would be thrilling to see him make a debut on OTT platform. The actor shows interest in foraying into the world of digital entertainment so the audience can just keep their fingers crossed and wait to see what happens!

2020 is an immensely packed year for Sanjay Dutt as the actor will be seen in five big banner films namely, KGF: Chapter 2, Shamshera, Bhuj: The Pride of India, Torbaaz and Sadak 2. The actor will certainly ace the characters as he can slip into any character given to him as he is rich with the experience of numerous characters he has played on -screen.

With the lockdown in place, the theatre business has been shut completely. This has led to a substantial increase in content consumption through digital streaming platforms. Several web series makers are speeding up post-production work to release their shows during the lockdown. 

While releasing shows during lockdown sounds good, director Ali Abbas Zafar is in no hurry to finish the post-production of his show. Ali Abbas Zafar is currently working on a political drama tentatively titled Dilli. Talking to a tabloid he said that he would rather revel in the satisfaction of a series well made than join the rat race. He said that people have been asking them on social media to release the show, but they do not wish to rush the process.  The series was supposed to release in the last quarter of 2020 and they intend on sticking to it. 

The Saif Ali Khan starrer is currently in the post-production stage. Zafar said that if the show was ready they might have released it now. He said that when it comes to developing an offering for the global audience the post-production is a long drawn process. He said that once the project is delivered, it has to be dubbed in nine languages and the post-production takes three to four months. 

The show will be aired on Amazon Prime videos and the makers have already started working on season 2. Amazon Prime green signalled the second season after watching the rushes of season 1. 

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Ali Abbas Zafar confirms teaming up with Katrina Kaif for superhero flick

<strong>EXPECTATIONS</strong> As is the current trend with majority of Bollywood flicks, soundtrack of <em>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan</em> too has released alongside the arrival of the film in theatres. Though an early release of the jukebox can well help gain added popularity in days preceding to the film's release, one wonders if this trend would reverse in time to come. Moreover, yet again there are three recreated songs in this album which has over half a dozen numbers in there. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1077562 size-full" title="Music Review: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Music-Review-Shubh-Mangal-Zyada-Saavdhan.jpg" alt="Music Review: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan" width="720" height="450" /> <strong>MUSIC</strong> Yo Yo Honey Singh (composer), Kinder Deol (lyricist) and singer J-Star's <strong><em>'Gabru'</em> </strong>from the album International Villager is recreated by, who else but, Tanishk Bagchi as <strong><em>'Pyaar Tenu Karda Gabru'</em></strong>. A fun track all the way which is already quite popular, especially up North, this one is a celebratory outing with newer lyrics by Vayu. Singer Romy does quite well in rendering this hard-core Punjabi number that is set to be a chartbuster all over again. Tanishk - Vayu come together to create number of songs in <em>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan</em> and one of their first collaborations is <strong><em>'Mere Liye Tum Kaafi Ho'</em></strong>. Ayushmann Khurranna brings himself behind the mike for this Vayu written number and his voice actually comes across as quite different in here. A decent track which is easy on ears, it comes across as a situational number at best as it doesn't really have that punch in there to emerge as a chartbuster. Second recreated song in the album is <strong><em>'Arey Pyaar Kar Le'</em></strong> which is a take-off on Bappi Lahiri and Anjaan's <strong><em>'Yaar Bina Chain Kaha Re'</em></strong> from Anil Kapoor and Amrita Singh's <em>Saheb</em>. A good recreation by Tanishk Bagchi and Vayu, this one has Bappi Lahiri's voice been retained which actually works tremendously for the song. While Ayushmann Khurranna chips in as well, the real fun is to listen to Bappi Lahiri due to his unique vocals. A good take on 80s nostalgia. It's time for the Kakkar family to come together for <strong><em>'Ooh La La'</em></strong>. While Tony Kakkar writes and composes this one (along with Tanishk Bagchi), his sisters Sonu Kakkar and Neha Kakkar take centre-stage to let their hair down. A fun number all the way, its promotion surprisingly kick-started quite late in the film's campaign and it could well have been beneficial had this been earlier. Not that the song is a huge chartbuster in the making but still it has the kind of energy in there that would have pepped the film even further. Mika steps in soon after for Tanishk - Vayu created <strong><em>'Aisi Taisi'</em>.</strong> Though the fun element is intact this time around as well, as has been the case with most of the songs heard before, at the end of the day it only fits in the needs of being a situational outing. Same is the case with <strong><em>'Raakh'</em></strong> which is actually a melancholic outing and arrives out of nowhere. Though Arijit has sung for this Tanishk - Vayu creation, the punch is not really there and you don't quite crave to return and give this one a repeat hearing. There is some fun that comes to the proceedings though Anuradha Paudwal and Mohammad Aziz's <strong><em>‘Kya Karthe The Saajna’</em></strong> from Anand-Milind's <strong><em>'Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka'</em></strong> is sampled for <strong><em>'Kya Karte Thay'</em></strong> by Tanishk Bagchi and Vayu. Though Zara Khan tries to bring in something quirky to the proceedings, the fun element actually comes in when the original makes an appearance. <strong>OVERALL</strong> The music of <em>Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan</em> turns out to be decent enough with a couple of songs making an impression, albeit both being recreations. Somehow the new songs that have been created for the film don't quite cover the distance and had there been a chartbuster ortwo there, it would have only helped the soundtrack further. <strong>OUR PICK(S)</strong> <em>‘Pyaar Tenu Karda Gabru’, ‘Arey Pyaar Kar Le’, ‘Ooh La La’</em>

21/02/2020

21/02/2020

COVID-19 has brought everyone to their knees and this was what happened with Dharamnath Singh when he and his nine of his family members tested positive for the Coronavirus disease.

The 59-year-old had already lost his sister-in-law who was his first victim in North Bengal to the respiratory illness.

After his sister-in-law's death, ten members of the family tested positive.

Singh spoke to Hindustan Times, "When I and other members of the family tested positive, I initially thought the world had come to an end. I soon realised that the virus has to be defeated and for that we need determination. I am home now and free again."

He also encouraged others, to fight the disease with determination and will power. Singh fought the virus alongside his three-year-old granddaughter, Kavya and walked out of a private nursing home with the child.

Singh and his granddaughter spent 12 days in treatment and tested negative in three back to back tests.

“Positive thinking, determination, will power, discipline and social distancing are the mantras in the war against the coronavirus,” Singh said.

Kavya's mother said, "Initially we were scared. Had we remained scared and did nothing to bring out the positive energy from within we would not have come out of the nursing home so soon."

'One should not be afraid. If you are afraid it becomes difficult to fight a crisis. There are doctors, and even common people, to help you," she added.

"One must be firm, keep social distance and have lukewarm water regularly to defeat the virus. If you have the symptoms, please don’t hide it. Tell others and go for treatment. There are people to help you. One can recover in 15 to 20 days," Singh encouraged everyone and said.

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People were seen lining up outside liquor stores in huge numbers here on Monday after the Assam government permitted retail stores to remain open for seven hours and sell liquor. While standing in queue, the people were seen adhering to the norms of social distancing -- as advised by the health ministry and experts. They were also seen carrying bags in an attempt to stock up the liquor in their houses.

Assam: People line up outside a liquor shop in Dibrugarh as government permits sale of liquor between 10 AM & 5 PM during #CoronavirusLockdown. pic.twitter.com/d8HhAYJa5G

— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2020

The shopkeepers also maintained social distancing in the stores as the staff strength was down to a bare minimum. On Sunday, the Assam government permitted retail liquor outlets in the state to open for seven hours daily from April 13.

An official notification stated that all liquor shops shall remain open from 10 am to 5 pm on the permitted days and follow social distancing. Along with the liquor shops, wholesale warehouses, bottling plants, distilleries and breweries have also been allowed to operate from Monday.

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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

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said a lockdown is not a solution to the virus and suggested the Centre should aggressively go for testing and use it strategically.

"We are in a very serious situation, that is clear and I think all political parties have to work together and the people of India have to work together if we want to solve this problem and defeat this virus... Over the last couple of months, I have been speaking to large number of experts in India and abroad, who have a very good understanding of what is going on. So, a lot of what I am going to be saying is going to be based on these conversations," Rahul said while addressing media via video conference.

Lockdown is in no way a solution to the #COVID19. Lockdown is like a pause button. When we come out of the lockdown, the virus is going to start its work again: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/PLQlHtZCCL

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2020

"The first thing to understand is that a lockdown is like a pause button. A lockdown is in no way a solution to COVID-19...When we come out of the lockdown, the virus is going to start its work again. So, it is very important that we have a strategy to come out of the lockdown," he added.

Rahul stated that lockdown "allows you the time and space to put in medical resources, to ramp up your testing ability, to prepare your hospitals, to get ventilators, to create the type of architecture that is required to fight the virus when it picks up again." "So, there is one misconception that I would like to clear up. In no way does a lockdown defeat the virus. It stops the virus for some time. Now what is the real weapon against the virus, the biggest weapon? The Biggest weapon is testing. Testing at scale so you know where the virus is moving and you isolate the virus and target the virus," he said.

Now we've reached a level, where we are in an emergency situation. India must unite&fight against it. My main suggestion is that blunt instruments must not be used. We must work strategically. Lockdown has not resolved the problem, it has only postponed the problem: Rahul Gandhi https://t.co/1Pt8uD2OQ0

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2020

The former Congress president also stated that India's testing rate is 199 out of a million. "If you look at all the tests that we have done over the last 72 days, it works out to approximately an average of 350 tests per district. This is in no way enough to tell you how the virus moving," Rahul said

"If you want to fight the virus, you have to increase testing dramatically and your testing has to go from chasing the virus to moving ahead of the virus... Lot of our testing is currently chasing the virus because we are identifying cases and then following the virus. With that type of testing, you will never be able to actually get a good image of what the virus is doing and where the virus is," he added.

If you want to fight the virus, you've to increase the testing dramatically & your testing has to go from chasing the virus to moving ahead of it. You've to move to random testing and pre-empt where the virus is moving: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi #Coronavirus https://t.co/YWG4PJEoSK pic.twitter.com/9t2hOA1wgm

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2020

Rahul has advised the central government to push testing aggressively, maximise testing and use testing strategically. The testing levels are currently too low and the Government of India is not using testing strategically, he noted. Prime Minister Modi had on March 24 announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID19. Earlier this week, he announced the extension of lockdown till May 3.

With 941 more COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, India's coronavirus tally crossed the 12,000 mark with the tally reading at 12,380 cases, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday. Out of the total tally, 10,477 patients are active cases while 1,489 patients have been cured, discharged and migrated. With 37 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll has risen to 414.

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