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Indo-Asian News Service or IANS is a private Indian news agency. The IANS was founded by Indian American publisher Gopal Raju as the India Abroad News Service. It was later renamed the Indo-Asian News Service. The IANS has its main offices located in Noida.

Articles Written By IANS News

Honey Singh: Fans are biggest strength for an artiste
2233 days ago
Bollywood

Honey Singh: Fans are biggest strength for an artiste

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh feels fans are the biggest strength for any artiste and is glad that he can stay in touch with his fans through the virtual world.## "Fans are the biggest strength for any artist, it's their constant love and support that keeps me wanting to do what I love most," Honey Singh said.## To stay connected with his fans, Honey Singh along with comedy star Kapil Sharma has made an iconic entry to the star-studded club of Bollywood celebrities on Helo, the regional social media platform in India.## "I am glad that Helo is one such platform where people will open their hearts to me in the language they like. With multiple avenues to explore content and entertain my followers, I look forward to sharing some memorable moments of my life with my Hello Fans," he added.## Kapil's account has garnered close to one million followers, and Honey Singh's first video on the platform garnered over 14 million views to date.## Talking about getting on the medium, Kapil said: "I am happy to be on Helo for my fans, who have always showered their love on me. Through Helo, I will be able to share my jokes, funny moments, and content with my fans, in their preferred language. I look forward to meeting and connecting with my Helo family."## Stay tuned...

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Sara Ali Khan reveals her 'sapno ki rani'!
2233 days ago
Bollywood

Sara Ali Khan reveals her 'sapno ki rani'!

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan shared an adorable throwback photo from her childhood days and disclosed who her "sapno ki rani" was.## Sara's new picture on Instagram has garnered over 1.4 million likes currently. In the image, she is seen decked up in jewellery and make-up.## She captioned the image: "Mere sapno ki rani... hamesha main hi thi (I was always the queen of my dreams)."## Sara's friend and actress Ananya Panday commented: "Loving this caption."## Sara, an ardent social media user, keeps her fans and friends entertained with her regular posts, which gives a glimpse into her life.## Recently, she shared a photograph of herself with her brother Ibrahim Ali Khan working out together.## On the work front, Sara was last seen in Imtiaz Ali's "Love Aaj Kal", which also starred Kartik Aaryan.## Sara will be next seen opposite Varun Dhawan in the remake of "Coolie No.1". She will also be seen sharing screen space with Akshay Kumar and Dhanush in "Atrangi Re".## Stay tuned...

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Lisa Mishra comes out with first solo track
2233 days ago
Bollywood

Lisa Mishra comes out with first solo track

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Singer Lisa Mishra has launched her first solo non-film single "Nai chaida", about a long-distance relationship.## " ‘Nai chaida' was made about a year ago initially, because I really wanted to do a heartbreak song. We later had the idea of incorporating my own story of transition from America to India and leaving my old life behind," Lisa told IANS while recalling the process of making the song.## Defining "Nai chaida", she said: "‘Nai chaida' is a very relatable track about a long distance relationship. Both people deeply love each other and there is no intentional foul play, just miscommunication and distance tearing them apart."## Composed by Lisa and penned by Kunaal Vermaa, "Nai chaida" released on Tuesday on VYRL Originals. With her energetic vocals, she emotes desire, helplessness and pain that a long-distance relationship endures, ultimately conveying that there is no catalyst bigger than distance itself, which pushes two hearts apart.## The Indian-American is best remembered for rendering the reprised version of "Tareefan". Most recently, she delivered hits "The wakhra song", "Naadaniyaan" from "The Sky is Pink" and "Chandigarh mein" from "Good Newwz".## Talking about her influences, she said: "I think I evolve the more I listen and we're living in an exciting era of songwriting and production. I've been leaning more towards simple production and complex songwriting, which is especially evident in ‘Nai chaida'."## Stay tuned...

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Madhuri Dixit to host online dance festival
2233 days ago
Bollywood

Madhuri Dixit to host online dance festival

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actress Madhuri Dixit Nene is going to give an opportunity to people to relieve stress through her online dance festival.## The two-day online festival will kickstart on April 29 on World Dance Day.## The festival is organized by her dance academy, Dance With Madhuri, and it includes masterclasses by ace choreographers Farah Khan and Saroj Khan, a performance by Madhuri and Kathak legend Birju Maharaj, and more.## "With the ongoing global lockdown, we wanted to provide our users with an opportunity to relieve stress while learning something new within the sanctity of their own homes," said Madhuri.## "After successfully enabling our users to learn for free from our platform since April 1, we have created an online experience for our dance community with the DWM Dance Festival. It will be 2 days of fun and learning from the best dancers, choreographers, and industry experts," she promised.## The festival will take place across Dance With Madhuri social properties like Instagram, YouTube, and their website.## Stay tuned...

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Irrfan Khan hospitalized after actor's health deteriorates
2233 days ago
Bollywood

Irrfan Khan hospitalized after actor's health deteriorates

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actor Irrfan Khan is once again hospitalized. Amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown, the actor reportedly has been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital.## The actor's health suddenly deteriorated as a result of which he needed immediate medical attention. The 53-year-old actor has been admitted to the hospital's ICU, according to a report in aajtak.in. His wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons are with him.## The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor a while back and has been under medical attention for the same.## Irrfan is currently mourning the loss of his mother. The actor's mother Saeeda Begum breathed her last on Saturday in Jaipur where she used to stay. However, owing to the ongoing lockdown, the actor could not physically attend his mother's last rites and reportedly paid his last respect through video conferencing.## The actor's latest film is Homi Adajania's comedy "Angrezi Medium", the last-released Bollywood film before COVID-19 forced the complete shutdown of cinema halls. "Angrezi Medium" ran in theatres for just a day before halls all over India were shut down. The film has eventually released in the OTT space.## "Angrezi Medium" marked Irrfan's return despite his ailing condition.## Stay tuned...

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Celina Jaitly: Rituparno Ghosh had called me to cast in a project
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Celina Jaitly: Rituparno Ghosh had called me to cast in a project

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actress Celina Jaitly made her comeback with Ram Kamal Mukherjee's digital short film "Season's Greetings: A Tribute To Rituparno Ghosh". She says that though she missed out on a chance to work with the iconic Bengali filmmaker, she feels special having got a chance to work in the short film.## Asked if she followed the work of Rituporno, Celina told IANS: "Once, Rituda has called me and wanted to cast me in a project. He did not know I was pregnant with my first set of twins at that time, and it didn't work out. I spoke to him last when his father passed away. It was an intimate conversation. Little did I know he will be leaving for his heavenly abode soon. His last words to me were that I must have the babies safely and that he would like me to stay at the Tolly club whenever we went ahead with a project after the delivery."## She added: "Rituda calling me for a project was beyond my dreams. I had admired him so much that I couldn't believe my ears. Unfortunately, things were not meant to be, until Ram (Kamal Mukherjee) came along with this project. I had goosebumps it's as if things were working from the beyond. I hope Rituda will be happy and satisfied with our subtle tribute. I always pray that he has finally found the acceptance and place of no judgment."## According to the actress, she was a fan of the late National award-winning filmmaker, and his 1997 release "Dahan" is one of her favorite films of Rituparno Ghosh.## "I was in school when 'Dahan' released. I remember being mesmerized with the film and Romita, the character played by Rituparna Sengupta. Little did I know I would play a character named after her years later in a film which is, unfortunately, a posthumous tribute to the legend Rituparno Ghosh," recalled Celina.## Ram Kamal Mukherjee's short film also features Shree Ghatak, Lillette Dubey, and Azhar Khan.## Celina's last released film was "Will You Marry Me?" in 2012. The reason she did "Season's Greetings", she says, is because it was her mother's last wish that she should make a comeback and show people her true worth as an actress.## "It was one of her last wishes that I return to cinema and show people my true talent. She never gave up on me. When our director Ram Kamal Mukherjee narrated the story in Dubai I knew this movie is a calling from beyond. A calling of four very important people in my life who are no more. Ritu Da, My late parents, a mother-figure trans person who is no more. I am very thankful to Ram for making my mother's wish come true," said the actress.## "Season's Greetings" is streaming on ZEE5.## Stay tuned...

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Jatin Sarna: Whenever '83' releases, audience will cherish it forever
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Jatin Sarna: Whenever '83' releases, audience will cherish it forever

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actor Jatin Sarna will be essaying hard-hitting middle-order batsman Yashpal Sharma in Kabir Khan's "83", the much-awaited sports drama narrating the story of India's first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983. The film was scheduled to open on April 10 but has been deferred owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Rumors that suggested the film could go directly for an OTT release have been quashed by the makers, and Sarna feels a film of the magnitude of "83" deserves nothing short of a big release.## "I think a film like '83' deserves a big release all the way because it is about a topic like a cricket that unites the nation. In a diverse country like ours, only cinema and cricket unite us. That was the reason why Kabir cast actors across regions. Whenever the film is going to release, our audience will cherish it forever," Jatin told IANS.## "83" stars Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, who led an underdog Indian team to the famous World Cup victory, and features Deepika Padukone as Kapil's wife Romi Dev. The film also has Tahir Raj Bhasin, Saqib Saleem, Harrdy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Jiiva, Pankaj Tripathi, and Boman Irani in important roles.## With the theatrical release of the film getting postponed owing to COVID-19, it was rumored that the film might be released directly on a major OTT platform. However, co-producers Reliance Entertainment denied such speculations, and on Monday, calling it "official news", trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed that the film would release in theatres when the time is "appropriate".## "#Xclusiv: #83TheFilm will release in theatres first, as and when the time is appropriate... WON'T release on #OTT platform first... #Clarification #OfficialNews #83TheFilm stars #RanveerSingh as #KapilDev," tweeted Adarsh.## Stay tuned...

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Singer Kanika Kapoor to donate her plasma
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Singer Kanika Kapoor to donate her plasma

Lucknow, April 28 (IANS) Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor has now approached the King George's Medical University (KGMU), offering to donate her plasma for treatment of other Covid-19 patients.## The singer called up the head of the transfusion medicine department, Prof Tulika Chandra, and volunteered to help.## "She called me up and said she really wanted to help other Covid-19 patients. Vice-Chancellor Prof M.L.B. Bhatt has given a go-ahead on it and we will now be carrying out the tests on her to see if she is fit to donate her plasma," said Prof Chandra.## As per experts, Kanika's sample will be tested for a number of things before she can donate her plasma. These include her hemoglobin level that should be above 12.5, weight should be more than 50 kg and the patient should not have diabetes, cardiovascular issues, malaria, syphilis, and other such ailments.## Kanika's sample will probably be taken on Tuesday and if found to be eligible, she will be donating her plasma on Wednesday.## Kanika Kapoor had grabbed headlines last month when she became the first Bollywood celebrity to test positive for Coronavirus.## Kanika had attended two parties in Lucknow in the presence of top politicians and bureaucrats and all of them were later tested for Corona.## Kanika was hospitalized for over a fortnight at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).## She had, on April 26, come out with a statement clarifying her travel and Covid-19 history declaring that she was aware of misconceptions and wrong information floating around her but she chose to remain silent until ready to speak.## Kanika in her social media post had said that all persons she came in contact within the UK, Mumbai, and Lucknow had been tested negative and that she had duly followed the process.## Meanwhile, the KGMU on Sunday night made the first plasma transfusion in a 58-year-old patient from Orai who is a government doctor whose condition was critical.## The doctors now say that the patient is responding well to the transfusion.## The university has received three plasma donations from fully recovered Covid-19 patients, two from doctors and one from a Lakhimpur man.## Stay tuned...

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Sachet Tandon on 'Masakali 2.0' criticism: I respect audience opinion
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Sachet Tandon on 'Masakali 2.0' criticism: I respect audience opinion

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Singer Sachet Tandon, the voice behind the recreated versions of the 2009 AR Rahman hit "Masakali", has reacted to all the criticism coming the new version's way saying he respects audience opinion.## "It's Tanishk Bagchi's song and I was approached by the creators to sing it. I was glad to be part of the song and I am still happy that makers thought of me. But the ultimate decision always lies in the hands of the public. It's totally up to them whether to like a particular song or not, and I truly respect their opinion," said Sachet, about his version, titled "Masakali 2.0".## "Also, I don't think that any creator would intentionally try to distort an original song. Speaking of 'Masakali 2.0', I was not its creator. I just sang it and tried to give my best," Sachet told IANS.## The original "Masakali" was composed by Rahman, written by Prasoon Joshi, and sung by Mohit Chauhan for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 2009 film "Delhi-6". It was picturized on the film's lead pair, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. Although the film fared below expectations, the song has gone on to attain cult status.## Shortly after the release of "Masakali 2.0", both Rahman and Joshi expressed disappointment on social media and were joined by a huge number of fans who agreed with them.## When asked Sachet about his views on the ongoing trend of recreations, he said: "In today's time, everything is being liked by the audience. Some remakes have done amazingly well, some originals have become hits. A proper balance should be maintained."## Sachet, who gave Indian cinema a blockbuster love anthem, "Bekhayali" in collaboration with Parampara Thakur last year for the film "Kabir Singh", has now come up with the melodious track "Bewafai", which has garnered over 20 million views on YouTube.## "It's a beautiful song (and I )loved giving voice to 'Bewafai'," Sachet said, sharing that he never gives heed to "likes" and "number of views".## "For me likes and the number of views do no matter. What matters the most is the love of the audience. The best feeling is to hear compliments about your song. Jab log baat karte hain song ke baare me tab zyada acha lagta hai," Sachet signed off.## Stay tuned...

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Urvashi Rautela: A virtual vacation will do for now
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Urvashi Rautela: A virtual vacation will do for now

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Bollywood actress and former beauty queen Urvashi Rautela seems to be in a holiday mode and says amid lockdown a virtual vacation will do for now.## Urvashi took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of herself in a sea green bikini. In the snapshot, she lies on a wooden plank beside the ocean. She completed her look with a pink flower in her hair and sunglasses.## "Sunshine is my favorite accessory. Close your eyes & imagine the beach... A virtual vacation will do for now," she captioned the image, which currently has 330K likes.## Urvashi on Sunday treated her fans to a dance video. In the clip, the actress is seen performing "heel choreography" on the Bollywood number "Aashiq banaya aapne" by Himesh Reshammiya.## Earlier this week, Urvashi's Facebook account was hacked. She warned fans not to respond to posts originating from the account.## On the work front, "Beat pe thumka", a peppy wedding number featuring Urvashi has just been released. The song is from her upcoming comedy flick "Virgin Bhanupriya".## Stay tuned...

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Tisca Chopra: Important to stay mentally fit during lockdown
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Tisca Chopra: Important to stay mentally fit during lockdown

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Actress Tisca Chopra says due to the ongoing isolation period, anxiety and mental health are big issues today. She has stepped forward to help people get through this tough time.## People have been under lockdown for over a month now, and a lot of celebrities are trying to help fans through various activities. Some are suggesting good books, others are posting videos of cooking, while some are spending time learning new things.## Tisca has also found a way to help the masses through this lockdown. She conducted a live session on Instagram with Dr. Sanjay Chugh who specializes in neuro-psychiatry. During the session, they discussed issues that people are dealing with currently, right from anxieties to parenting.## "Due to this pandemic, we all are sitting in our homes and there are chances that we might feel anxious about this drastic change in our lifestyle. Due to this isolation period, anxiety and mental health is a big issue today. We might do yoga and other workouts to keep ourselves healthy physically but it is equally important to stay fit mentally too and so, I decided to get Dr. Chugh on board though by Instagram to explain people a lot of factors related to their psyche," Tisca said.## "Dr. Chugh is a well-known neuro-psychiatrists whom I have known for many years. I urged him to do this so that we can help share the right information and the right strategy to deal with the issues that people are going through. The fight isn't over yet and I hope that I can keep doing my bit by hosting more sessions like these for everyone," she added.## Meanwhile, Tisca recently shared a photograph of herself in a monochrome monokini. In the image, the "Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji" actress was seen lying on the sand.## She mentioned that she was "missing the outdoors but making the most of the indoors".## Stay tuned...

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Arjun Kapoor: Can't wait to enjoy the nonsense of being a family together
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Arjun Kapoor: Can't wait to enjoy the nonsense of being a family together

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Amid lockdown strictures, Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor became nostalgic about spending time with his grandmother, saying he cannot wait to sit down and enjoy the "nonsense" of being a family together over a long slow Sunday lunch.## Arjun took to Instagram, where he shared a vintage photograph of his grandmother and late grandfather. Along with the post, he shared a heart-warming note about staying away from family due to the lockdown. "My dadu & dadi. I grew up with them in a joint family. Unfortunately, my granddad passed away just before I became an actor. He couldn't see me make a mark in the profession when he toiled to give our family our foundation. My dadi (she's on insta btw @nirmalkapoorbombay) who is too cool is hail hearty and lives in our family home about 5kms from where I stay but I can't see her for her own health."## He said he is missing visiting his grandmother Nirmal Kapoor owing to the lockdown.## "This post was just because I'm missing her and I'm certain a lot of u out there are worried and missing the elders in ur family and lives... eventually this will all pass and things will get better and when it does I can't wait to sit down and just enjoy the nonsense of being a family together over a long slow Sunday lunch.## "It is for that dream to be a reality we must sit at home and fight through this phase and chapter of all our lives. Here's to a Happy Sunday to everyone."## On the acting front, Arjun will next be seen in Dibakar Banerjee's "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar". The film also stars Arjun's "Ishaqzaade" co-star Parineeti Chopra.## Stay tuned...

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