It's only now that Ibrahim Ali Khan's presence on Instagram has become more frequent than before. And thanks to him being a TikTok fan, we now know that he has quite an actor in him! Credit the genes! But does he have plans to pursue it professionally?

Sara Ali Khan, who recently indulged in a candid conversation with Bollywood Hungama, was asked if Ibrahim plans to get into films. "He has not even gone to college as yet. So I think acting is a while away. It's definitely something he is interested in, something he is passionate about. And he's gonna study film in LA. So, if he wants to do something he'll do it,"  she said.

In October last year, Sara and Ibrahim shot for their first magazine cover together, and the internet was all praises. Given that he already has a thing for the camera, looks like it is only a matter of time before we see him in films!

Subhash Ghai is one of the celebrated filmmakers of Bollywood. He has films like Taal, Karz, Ram Lakhan and Khalnayak to his credit and has worked with several A-list actors. However, the director has never worked with Amitabh Bachchan. The two had started working on a project but it was called off in its early stage. In an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Subhash Ghai revealed why they never completed the film.

Talking about why the film was stalled, Subhash Ghai said, “Both of us tried to make the film, but the situation was such that the film could not be made. Neither of us was at fault. Sometimes situations are such that you feel that films cannot be made and we stop in between. There were several factors. Even I was at fault as I was impatient back then. He is one of the finest actors of India and it is my bad luck that I could not work with him. He does the bad scenes also so well that it puts the writer to shame. I did not write as well as Amitabh Bachchan performed it. I am a great admirer of Amitabh Bachchan and we are family friends. It was not in our fate to work with each other.”

However, Subhash Ghai seems hopeful of working with the veteran actor in the future when the time is right and they get the right script. The incomplete film of Subhash Ghai and Amitabh Bachchan was titled Devaa. In 2013 there were reports of Subhash Ghai collaborating with Bachchan for the biopic of Sarabjit which was ultimately essayed by Randeep Hooda and directed by Omung Kumar.

ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Subhash Ghai reveals the plot of Khalnayak 2 with Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, and Jackie Shroff

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

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

Norma Arnold, The Wonder Years

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

Jessica Huang, Fresh Off the Boat

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

Rainbow Johnson, Black-Ish

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

Joyce Byers, Stranger Things

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

Claire Dunphy, Modern Family

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

Nimrit Kaur as Meher from Choti Sarrdaarni:

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

Amruta Khavilkar of Khatron Khiladi Season 10:

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

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

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

Puneett aka Arjun from Naati Pinky Ki Lambi Love Story

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

Namish Taneja as Vivek Vardhan Singh of Vidya:

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

Anita Raj as Kulwant Kaur from Choti Sarrdaarni:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 'SONDAY':

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

 

 

 

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

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

Crafting memories:

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

 

 

 

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

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

Fun Banter:

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

 

 

 

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

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

Planting veggies:

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

 

 

 

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

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

Baking:

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

 

 

 

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

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

movie night:

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lately, the 'Thappad' star has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown. Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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As the nation celebrates Mother's Day today, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut on Saturday dedicated a beautiful poem for her mother, Asha Ranaut. The poem was shared by Kananga's official team on Instagram. The poem began with lines that read: "I'm your longing for life. When I first arose in your young heart...Your eyes gleamed with hope."

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) May 9, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a look right here:

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

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

And here were some more of them:

And some more pic.twitter.com/6cP7UfDNjD

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

To which baby Ananya innocently replies, "Mama."

And he asks, "And the second?"

She smilingly replies, "Nobody."

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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Mom for president ✌🏼

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

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

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

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

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

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 10, 2020

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

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

Glimpses of the past pic.twitter.com/iKYOXwjnIT

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) May 10, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

Miss you, ma

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

16m pounds
Fund unveiled to help support charities

Russia reports 10,817 cases in 24 hours

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sarva Pooja kits are packed with 38 items

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

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

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

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

Deuce with Lucky

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

The desi voice America loves

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

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

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

Bhangra in Britain

Pic/@100stringsingh, Instagram

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

Grim reaper says stay safe

Pic/@DWUhlfelderLaw, Twitter

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

Lady drinks smoothies with sperm to stay fit

Pic/Tracy Kiss, Facebook

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

Elon Musk names his baby X Æ A-12

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

Care to wear a shirt made of waste linen?

Pic/Archivist Studio, Facebook

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

A table for one, please

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

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IT was a camel, a mule and a Karachi-Bombay train that he jumped on. Nothing could stop the 13-year-old peasant boy from Yazd travelling 2,500 kilometres to the city of his dreams in 1929. Khodamurad Meherwan realised his prospects were dim in sleepy Mazrekalantary, where men slaved on dry fruit farms and women stoked kitchen fires in long-sleeved, handwoven dresses worn with white jute slippers called maliki.

"He was running away from no real future in Iran," says Khodamurad's daughter Banoo Kalantary, retracing her feisty father's flight. Stopped at the Afghanistan border on a donkey, Khodamurad was asked his surname. "I don't have one," he replied. That's why he became Khodamurad Meherwan Afkham.

He started sweeping the floor of 1860-established New Majestic Restaurant & Stores below Capitol Cinema at VT for five rupees a day. "My father had no home, only hope, but an attitude of gratitude in his heart," Banoo says. He slept on the footpath outside, with a thin gunny sack lining the cold ground. Slogging for years, he got a modest partner share in Majestic at the age of 20. With his wife Vahbiz, from Alliabadi village, he raised five children in a flat on Gunbow Street, Fort, accommodating an aunt with her five kids too.

Khodamurad's first son Jehanbux was born in a goat stable in Iran, the rest here. In a city of military marchpasts on streets that were washed daily, the Afkhams' front door was always wide open. On Fridays, sigri-simmered fish curry was ladled to anyone dropping in. Between chores, the lady of the house somehow caught shows of her adored Raj Kapoor-Nargis starrers at Capitol.

Kapurchand Mehta with Prithviraj Kapoor in 1960. With his brothers Zaverchand and Kevalchand, Kapurchand helmed wide-ranging businesses interests in textiles, real estate and films

Not far from the Afkhams, an iconic cinema and trio of Marine Drive buildings stand centrestage in the story of Nemchand K Mehta's sons. Their grocery-to-glory saga is threaded together by generations after, in Zaver Mahal, Kapur Mahal and Keval Mahal. Nemchand sweated, struggling with meagre earnings from his vegetable shop in Vadal, Saurashtra, to provide for 11 children. Kapurchand, Zaverchand and Kevalchand were born two years apart from 1900 and 1904.

At under 12, Kapurchand boldly left home, walking impossible distances, hopping on to a buffalo buggy and finally steam train. His granddaughter Uma shares an account narrated by her father. "Exhausted and famished, Kapurchand met a woman who gave him one of her two rotlas." He saved a scrap—which, incredibly, Uma has preserved in a casket. "Anything from the hands of a kumarika, an unmarried virgin, was an auspicious shagun offering."

At Bombay Central he was spotted by a Marwari seth and employed in his cloth shop. Buying a lottery ticket, Kapurchand was stunned to find a jingling cascade of coins suddenly his. "Back to work," Nemchand urged his son who returned to Vadal with the surprise treasure. He headed to 1920s Bangalore, opening Kapurchand & Co. in Chickpet. Stocking blankets of the Lal Imli Mills, Kanpur, he invited Zaverchand and Kevalchand to join him.

Filmmaker Vikas Desai at his Rajkamal Studio office stands below the hanging cap of his great-grandfather, Anant Shivaji Desai Topiwala (portrait, right), pre-Independence Bombay’s leading hat maker and pioneer industrialist-philanthropist. Pic/ Bipin Kokate

Bombay beckoning soon, they settled in Prarthna Samaj. Kapurchand shouldered the overall responsibility of their ventures, focusing on finance. With the Lal Imli agency for South India under their belt, Zaverchand managed the Chira Bazaar shop and midtown estates. Kevalchand assumed charge of a film exhibition operation, centred at Roxy on Charni Road, where screen history was rewritten in 1943 with Kismet totting up 192 weeks. Aspiring to a beautiful property each, the brothers commissioned PC Dastoor to create the three buildings.

Another boy bolting from Saurashtra was Shyamdas Govindji Jhaveri, of Kundal in Barwala taluka. A few years after he was orphaned at the age of five, with barely a couple of rupees clinking in his torn pocket, he clocked in unimaginably stretched hours at a Crawford Market stall set up around 1914. Shifting to Metro House, the cinema building, Jhaveri Bros continues to display trophies, silver items and commemorative coins crafted at that counter.

Gradually flourishing, the Jhaveris introduced India to a luxury legend—their door handles are still in the shape of Mont Blanc pens. Adopting the motto, "Customer is master", Shyamdas trained staffers to adhere to ethical standards, meticulously maintaining a file labelled "Thoughts on progressive business". Jhaveri Bros. has witnessed World Wars, civic crises, economic depressions and today's pandemic. Shyamdas' granddaughter Seyjhal says, "We enjoy tremendous trust from local and international clients forever loyal to us."

A humble chana-kurmuri shack he helped his father serve Walawal villagers from, in Sawantwadi, lies at the core of compelling circumstances that brought 10-year-old Anant Shivaji Desai to Bombay. On his father's death, the boy was forced to leave the village with nothing more than a rupee pressed into his hand by a relative. Of which eight annas, or 50 paise, paid for the 13-day boat trip ticket. Two months later, finishing the chinchuk tamarind seeds and kilo of rice his worried mother had packed, he fainted at Grant Road station.

New Majestic Restaurant partner Khodamurad Afkham and his wife Vahbiz with their eldest boy Jehanbux, now a cardiologist in Germany. Jehanbux’s sons are music virtuosos —David Afkham is chief conductor and artistic director of the Spanish National Orchestra and Chorus, while Micha Afkham plays the viola with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Pic courtesy/ Kalantary Family

Employed as a railway labourer there, he learnt tailoring at a mill during his lunch break. This skill won a series of orders and, by 1872, catapulted him to the status of Bombay's best hat maker with a growing appreciative clientele of Parsis, Muslims and Gujarati seths. They paid well for quality caps fashioned with flair by Anant Shivaji Desai. Titled Rao Bahadur Topiwala by the British, he rose to rank among the richest landlords, whose descendants gifted Bombay the Topiwala Medical College at Bombay Central and Topiwala Theatre in Goregaon.

Anant Shivaji Desai also positioned himself as sole agent for Raja Ravi Varma lithographs, acquiring rights to the Baroda and Mysore collections after the painter's death in 1906. Prise open the frame of a Ravi Varma print and you will most probably read: "Anant Shivaji Desai Topiwala, Ravi Varma Press".

A stitch in time similarly saved Camilo Xavier Pereira from life consigned to the islet of Sao Mathias in Divar. Hugging a "passport" granted by Portuguese authorities then ruling Goa, he bunched meagre savings for steamer fare. In this case, the earnings were from his stint as an eight-year-old muncar (tenant) working for a well-inclined lady badcar (landowning employer). Docking in Bombay harbour, he joined hundreds of other young men from his community, living crammed yet in camaraderie, out of a trunkful of belongings in dormitory quarters called coors—waiting to seize the chance to become seamen, chefs, musicians or Konkani tiatr artistes.

Camilo had figured his forte was sewing. In Dhobi Talao's Sonapur Lane, Tony Pereira points to St Mathias Tailors, where his father's scissors snipped classic 1970s three-pieces for Johnny Walker and Mehmood. And bespoke safari suits for tycoon Pranlal Bhogilal who smiled when Savile Row-accoutred tycoons in London asked with admiring looks, "Who cuts your clothes?"

Shyamdas Jhaveri  was the first to import this luxury brand in the country and the shop still has its door handles shaped like Mont Blanc nibbed pens. Pic courtesy/Seyjhal Jhaveri

Equally motivated exits drove starry-eyed boys from small towns to the city they dreamed would never let them down. The success of a pioneer educationist is rooted in kindness—that of institutional legend GD Agrawal of Harganga Mahal at Khodadad Circle, Dadar. He left from Ajmer in his teens, carefully clutching R29 from selling his bicycle. Touched by hungry-to-learn Mazagaon mazdoors' children he saw all over at the height of the city's vibrant textile mills era, he tutored them for free in math and science. Going professional on marrying, Agrawal rented a Matunga room his growing family had to step out from during coaching hours. Agrawal Classes shifted to Harganga Mahal from 1955, their students including Nadir Godrej, Mukesh Ambani and Mahendra Choksi of Asian Paints.

A stowaway from Karachi proving Parsi theatre's extraordinary gain was Jehangir (Jangoo) Irani. The comedian brought the house down as the eccentric domestic help Aspandyar. The third actor essaying this role (predecessor greats were half-French Jean Bhownagary and Pheroze Antia), Jangoo added sparkling touches under Adi Marzban's direction. With a dirty, gingham-check duster slopped across the shoulder and striped shorts ballooning clumsily, he begged a stingy employer for wages.
Hearing excuses like "I pay on the 30th of each month and last month was February", Irani muttered a sulky threat, "Chaal Iran jaaych—I'm off to Iran!"

Fascinated by dramatic showmanship, Jangoo had earlier given Pipsy, his pet squirrel, to visiting Russian circus artistes who taught him stunt cycling and air-gun tricks. His craze to perform made his principal gift him an English bicycle. Scraping through middle school years, he preferred to sit on this cycle perched atop two tables to target-shoot, with candle flames casting flickering shadows around.

An early view of the Jhaveri Bros & Co. corner store at Metro House, with the Mont Blanc van parked in the foreground

Deciding that entertainment-friendly Bombay would be best receptive to his talents, with no money whatsoever, he hushed a chattering black mynah smuggled under his shirt and traded the talking bird for the ship trip. Mechanical-minded, he interviewed with a Godrej firm. At a subsequent job in Central Bank, his acting at annual day skits hooked playwright Pheroze Antia's attention.

The star was the biggest hero to his sons. Shapur Irani recalls he and his brother crept into halls on Sunday evenings to watch their father fire away in the Dari dialect. As he stomped off, mock-huffing, amid loud audience applause, two little lads whispered from the seats, "Chaal Iran jaaych."

Author-publisher Meher Marfatia writes fortnightly on everything that makes her love Mumbai and adore Bombay. Reach her at meher.marfatia@mid-day.com/www.mehermarfatia.com

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It seems that there is rampant poaching of pangolins taking place during the lockdown in the Konkan belt, and their scales are being illegally sold in the local black market. During the raids, the forest department recovered two kilograms of pangolin scales and six nails. The pangolin is one of the most trafficked wild animals across the world as there is a huge international demand for its scales.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Vaibhav Borate, said, "Based on the tip-off received from our sources, our forest department team raided the house of Kalpesh Tukaram Balgude at Karanjali [Balgudewadi] village near Dapoli. During the search operation of the house, our team recovered one tortoise shell, one jungle hare, and 22 kg of pangolin scales and nails. We have taken the accused into custody and investigation is on."

As evidence related to wildlife trade have been found from the house of the accused, the forest department is exploring the possibility of him doing this regularly. The forest department team has registered an offence under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

According to the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) website, "Major threats to pangolins in India are hunting and poaching for local consumptive use and international trade. Another reason for hunting pangolin is its meat. There is now greater evidence of its inclusion in illicit international trade, in particular its scales, from India through Myanmar to China and South-East Asian countries as the most likely, final destinations. Inadequate information on population and distribution further accentuates the threats arising from hunting and poaching."

The Indian Pangolin is found sporadically throughout the plains and lower slopes of hills from south of the Himalayas to Kanyakumari, except the north-eastern region. The Chinese Pangolin is found in India in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and the northern part of West Bengal.

Why Pangolins?

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world, for their scales [made of keratin], which are boiled off their bodies for use in traditional medicine. Their meat is a delicacy in Vietnam and China; and their blood, which is considered to be a healing tonic.

Pangolin could help find cure for COVID-19?

Soon after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, there were many media reports that claimed that the endangered pangolin was linked to the initial outbreak of the disease in China. However, this hasn't been proven yet. Now, a research conducted by the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, has revealed that certain genes sense when a virus enters the body, and trigger an immune response in most mammals. They found that pangolins, which have been called the 'missing link' between bats and humans, lack two of those virus-sensing genes. This means that not only are the endangered animals carriers, but they also seem to be immune to it, via an unknown mechanism. This evolutionary advantage and its understanding may give way to possible treatment options for COVID-19.

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Akash Kamble fell in love when he was a little boy. And once he set eyes on her languid, unending, lithe body, he was hooked.

His mother would take him along on the Mumbai local, from Bhayandar to Charni Road every day, so that her in-laws could babysit while she finished a day's work at her Fort office. Travelling in the train, watching it fly past through the window grill, had Kamble realise he loved trains deeply enough to work around them.

To acquire the weather beaten look of a diesel locomotive, Kamble uses candle light against the aluminium sheets

"I would observe them carefully during the commute and went on to make my first cardboard train model of a two-coach local when I was in Class VIII," says Kamble, 23, who is a mechanical engineer and holds the job of a Station Master with the Mumbai Monorail.

The rail model enthusiast thought the lockdown was the perfect opportunity to wrap up a few more models. He has, in the last five weeks, made 11 models of hi-class trains, from locomotives to local coaches.

"I first started with cardboard and foam-based train and engine models, but later moved to working with aluminium. My research involves reading about trains, their specifications and poring over their drawings. I make models of 1:35 scale, realistic and a perfect match [to the original]. The continuous involvement slowly leads to perfection," says Kamble, a resident of Ambernath, adding, "I have made a model of the most powerful green coloured WAG-9 electric locomotive and two coaches of the Garib Rath train. Besides this, one of my favourites is the diesel locomotive, a few coaches of the Mumbai local and a mail express."

He has also found the time to give finishing touches to earlier models, giving them a realistic feel. To acquire a weather beaten look of a diesel locomotive, he uses candle light against the aluminium sheets.

In 2019, Kamble joined what he calls his dream job. And, next on his agenda is to make a "replica of my employer". He has acquired drawings and technical specifications of the Mumbai Monorail and hopes to complete the project before the city chugs back to normal.

1:35
The ratio scale to which the mechanical engineer makes his models

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Lobo Lobo came over last Monday, carrying many cartons of alcohol.

"Lobo Lobo, you know there's a lockdown, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Dikuna men, de BMC has agreed to the opening of liquor stores, so I decided to buy lots and lots of booze before dey close once again. I left my house early, and bought one bottle per store from Virar to VT men. I have totally purchased 20 whiskies, 10 vodkas, tirty Old Monks and many beers from 414 shops!" he proclaimed proudly.

"How did you escape all the nakabandis?

"It was easy, Boss! On top of each carton, I packed some set-top boxes, and told de cops dat all de ministers in Mantralaya needed new cable connections to watch reruns of Ramayana and Mahabaratha. Clever no?"

"And risky! Anyway. How are things generally? You've lost weight, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Wot to say? I'm toh jacked men. See fust tings fust. We were observing Lent, so I was fasting, like I normally do. No bleddy beef or booze, chhe! But, just wen I tought, now 'majha begins', just before Easter, de blasted virus struck! Now we are not getting any poke, or beef or mutton or fish. No sorpotel or vindaloo. Only bleddy chicken, which no self-respecting catlick eats men. Chhe! Dis Lent followed by lockdown is solid 'pakaoing' men! Even Christ our Lord, if he had predicted dat Lent was going to be followed by a lockdown, he would have said, 'My children forget fasting for me. For now eat, drink and be happy'."

"How about veggies, greens, sprouts, salads? Time to eat healthy, Lobo Lobo..."

"Arre Mr Rahul. I love bhindi and bhaingan. But, my better half, can't cook veggies for nuts. She actually argues dat tings like 'rajma' is bad for you, bloats your tummy! Wot to argue wid her men?"

"So, Lobo Lobo, you came all the way to my house for a reason right? Are you planning to sell me some whiskey, or are you lonely, feeling isolated, stuck in a cage-like existence?"

Lobo Lobo answered, gobsmacked, "Wot wot high funda tings you are aksing me men? Are you ok? I'm talking about technology men. I'm toh lost handling all dis stuff, wot is a Zoom call, can you tell me?"

"Uhm… who do you wish to communicate with?", I attempted to answer.

"My bleddy building society wants to have a Zoom party… Dese blighters all want to sit in frent of dere phones or laptops and drink and do blinking 'gupshup'. My tird floe padosi, de President Danesh Jhujunwalla, tells me dat he is a teetoteller but I know he is a 'boozard', chhe! And de treasurer, Champak Dudani is a foren returned smuggler. All want to drink men, chhe wastrels!"

"But, Lobo Lobo can you explain why you have bought so much alcohol?"

"Arrey men, de way tings are going, dis lockdown will end in 2021. Better be ready na Dikuna men? Who knows wen shops will reopen?"

Rahul daCunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, photographer and traveller. Reach him at rahul.dacunha@mid-day.com

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An elderly lady walked into my consultation room with two girlfriends, chewing gum. Her Gucci shades were stationed over her salt-and-pepper hair and she wore a black dress. Her wrists and ankles were crowded with beaded trinkets.

"Hi!" she said, greeting me with a firm handshake and a brief introduction as I jotted her name. "And your age?"

"Twenty-six!" she blurted, followed by a big smile because it made me look up and stare at her intently.

"Okay, just reverse that," she reconciled before I could say anything. "Any diabetes, blood pressure?" I proceeded, smiling through the usual questions, still wondering in my head her fancy for playing the fool with me about her age.

"Any heart issues?"

"I keep falling in love, doctor!" she said bluntly, as two ladies accompanying her rolled their eyes, gesticulating for her to behave. I shook my head at them, hinting that they let her comfortably continue.

Some patients like to bring on a keen familiarity early on in their meetings with physicians or surgeons. Some may be suffering from a grim diagnosis and might want to appear like they are perfectly fine with it. Others might come with the idea that "since this is someone whose knife I'm going to go under, we might as well be friends first'" For some, it might simply be their personality or disposition. As surgeons, we refrain from judging atypical behaviour unless it helps with the diagnosis.
"What brings you to me?"

"I have this shooting pain in my right jaw. It's like an electric shock that sometimes goes into my cheek as well. I can't brush, eat, swallow or chew," she continued, wincing as she opened her mouth to remove the gum she was chewing with difficulty, wrapping it tidily in a tissue paper. Thinking it was tooth pain, she had visited the dentist but had eventually been told to see a neurosurgeon. The medication she had been prescribed was no longer helping and she had been living with the pain for close to two years. "Sometimes, I feel like jumping off the Bandra-Worli Sea Link."

I told her friends to ensure that she didn't take that route on her commute for now.

She was pretty well-informed and knew enough about her condition, trigeminal neuralgia. It occurs when a blood vessel in the brain presses on the trigeminal nerve that supplies sensation to the face. The pain can sometimes be so severe that it pushes patients towards contemplating suicide. Some women patients have told me that it's infinitely worse than the pain of labour without an epidural. Owing to the location of the pain, most patients visit a dentist first, and when a root canal doesn't help, they are referred to a neurologist.

"Having a drink at night makes the pain a little better," she confessed.

"In the good, old days, they used to inject alcohol directly into the nerve to numb it," I said. She thought I was joking but it's a fact.

The current options were to inject glycerol or ablate the root of the nerve with some radiofrequency current. The drawback —the pain would be replaced by semi-numbness since it's a destructive procedure. Or, we could use the Gamma Knife, where a single dose of focused radiation could do the trick. And finally, there was surgery—a little more invasive, but offering the best chance of cure and the least chance of recurrence. I explained that we'd make a small hole in the skull behind the ear and place a pad of Teflon between the vessel and the nerve so that direct contact between the two was eliminated.

After understanding her options, she opted for surgery. "You just want to go back to drinking without pain," I said in jest.

At surgery, under the magnificence of the microscope, we could see the offending vessel deeply grooving her nerve. When it was lifted gently after meticulously dissecting tiny strands connecting the two, I could see how pale and beat up the nerve looked. I teased the strands of the padding material Teflon and interposed them in the right place, transposing the vessel away to avoid any contact. As we were closing, I told my surgical assistant that this was one of the most gratifying neurosurgical procedures he would ever do. The charming lady woke up completely pain free, and over the next few days, we managed to get her off all painkillers.

Two days after discharge, she sent me this text message: "For the first time in several years, I could brush my teeth and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner without any pain. What's still better is that I could have the single malt, pain-free!"

"You are now permitted to use the Sea Link," I replied.

The writer is practicing neurosurgeon at Wockhardt Hospitals and Honorary Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals. You can reach him at mazdaturel@gmail.com

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