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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

Kanika Kapoor speaks up after recovering from COVID-19
2235 days ago
Bollywood

Kanika Kapoor speaks up after recovering from COVID-19

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Singer Kanika Kapoor, who was the first Bollywood celebrity to have tested positive for COVID-19 in India, has broken silence on her travel history, diagnosis and treatment.## Kanika was admitted on March 20 when her tests revealed that she was Coronavirus positive.## She was discharged from the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow earlier this month.## She has now issued a statement on Twitter in which she has revealed why she chose to be silent all this while.## "Every person that I have come in contact with, be it in UK, Mumbai or Lucknow, has shown no symptoms of Covid-19. In fact all those tested have been negative," she said in her statement.## "I travelled from UK to Mumbai on March 10 and was duly screened at the international airport. I travelled to Lucknow the following day on March 11 to see my family. There was no screening set up for domestic flights. On March 14 and 15, I attended a friend's lunch and dinner. There was no party hosted by me and I was in absolute normal health. I had symptoms on March 17 and 18, so I requested to be tested."## The singer also mentioned that she has been at home for 21 days now and also thanked doctors and medical staff for "taking care of her during a very emotionally testing time".## She concluded the statement by saying: "Negativity thrown at a person does not change the reality."## A case had been registered against the singer, last month, for hiding her travel history and attending parties after returning from London.## She was charged under IPC Section 269 (a negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and Section 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life).## Stay tuned...

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KJo 'apologises profusely' over posts showing privileges amid lockdown
2236 days ago
Bollywood

KJo 'apologises profusely' over posts showing privileges amid lockdown

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Filmmaker Karan Johar has "apologized profusely" after he was hit hard by a post showing a "privilege celebrities" have.## Karan took to Twitter, where he shared a video titled "Thank You Celebrities", which shows celebrities including A popular names like Ellen DeGeneres, Sam Arnitage and Amanda Keller among many others, who have been treating quarantine like a vacation from in their sprawling mansions by "common" people who are struggling during the pandemic.## "This hit me hard and I have realized many of my posts may have been insensitive to many...I apologize profusely and wish to add none of it was intentional and came from a place of sharing but clearly may have lacked emotional foresight ... am sorry!" Karan wrote alongside the video.## The Bollywood director has constantly been entertaining his fans and followers amid lockdown. The videos feature his twins -- Roohi and Yash poking fun at him.## However, social media users came in support of Karan's videos.## One wrote: "Ur kids are Angels in this hard time ..me and my daughter s are waiting for Yash Roohi videos.."## Another questioned as to why the filmmaker is apologizing.## "Why are you apologizing. Your videos are harmless to your kids. You are bringing joy to people like us and I am a healthcare worker in Chicago saying that. You aren't one of the celebrities showing off, so please don't apologize and keep posting and sharing joy," the user wrote.## A third user said: "Wish to thank your kids for bringing smiles to me as well as my family. Please don't apologize. And don't stop posting, we look forward to them."## A social media user lauded Karan's "sensitive side."## "Sorry bolne ke liye bohoth himmat chaheye (It takes a lot of strength to apologize. I have no idea what you apologizing for, lekin it feels good to know your sensitive side (It feels good to know your sensitive side)," the user said.## Stay tuned...

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Vidya Balan: Elated that we have raised 2,500 PPE kits
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Vidya Balan: Elated that we have raised 2,500 PPE kits

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is elated as she's raised over 2,500 PPE kits for doctors and Rs 16 lakhs for those who are battling at the frontline to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 pandemic.## Vidya had also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar.## She took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon where she shared the good news.## "I've woken up to good news this morning. We've reached 2500+ PPE kits and raised over 16 lakh in just a few hours. A big thank you to each of you who has donated and made this possible. A load of gratitude and bless you. This is truly the unity and spirit of India..." she said in the video.## Alongside the video, Vidya wrote: "Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I'm elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs 16 lakh within a few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target.## "The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven't been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let's #UniteForHumanity #StayHome#StaySafe".## In an earlier post, the "Mission Mangal" star had informed that each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers.## Stay tuned...

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Samir Kochhar: I'm hungry for bigger, meatier roles
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Samir Kochhar: I'm hungry for bigger, meatier roles

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Actor Samir Kochhar, who appears in the second season of the web series "Four More Shots Please!", says that he always looks for an opportunity to prove his versatility.## "(I am) Really happy with the shows I've been a part of. I'm hungry for bigger, meatier roles, which I hope (will) keep coming along," Samir said.## The actor has lately appeared in web series like "The Test Case", "Sacred Games", and the digital film "Typewriter".## Samir stepped into the world of entertainment as a travel show host before becoming an actor. He believes in proving versatility, and he looks for subjects, genres, and roles that are completely challenging and diverse.## According to him, working with good directors like Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Nupur Asthana has helped improve his performances.## Stay tuned...

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When a bat entered Big B's house
2236 days ago
Bollywood

When a bat entered Big B's house

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan shared a "breaking news" that a bat entered his home Jalsa here.## Amitabh took to Twitter to share the "news of the hour" with his fans and followers.## "Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury .. news of the hour .. BREAKING NEWS .. would you believe it .. A Bat, a (chamgadar) has come into my room .. in Jalsa .. on the 3rd floor .. in my Den..."## The thespian said that it was a tough job to take the bat out from the room.## "Badi mushkil se use bahar nikala (It as tough to take it out)... Corona peecha chodh hi nahin raha (Corona is not leaving)."## However, the tweet did not go down well with many social media users.## A user wrote: "Sorry to hear this from a reputed personality. Bats are not harmful and there is no need to fear. Kindly understand that they did not spread the virus to human. The reason is still debated. By nature, most animals have got virus in their body. Pls read this."## Another commented: "Not in good taste sir. You have millions of followers. Still we don't have exact process of human virus spillover. Demonising bat is last thing we want. Things we know for sure; They are pollinators. They help in pest control. Please revisit it."## "This is story of every uncle now days after limits on WhatsApp forwards," said a user.## On the work front, Big B will next be seen in films like "Chehre", Gulabo Sitabo", Brahmastra" and "Jhund".## Stay tuned...

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Aashiqui 2' is 'gift of a lifetime' for Shraddha Kapoor
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Aashiqui 2' is 'gift of a lifetime' for Shraddha Kapoor

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) "Aashiqui 2" turned seven on Sunday. The romance musical is one of the most successful films of actress Shraddha Kapoor, and she thanked its director Mohit Suri for the "gift of a lifetime".## Shraddha tweeted: "7 years of Aashiqui 2 today! Thank you forever @mohit11481 for this gift of a lifetime @VisheshFilms for believing @shufta20 for your exquisitely beautiful writing, Aditya for being an unbelievably amazing costar & the entire team who gave their everything to this precious film."## Mohit replied to her saying: "Love you even more chota !! Forever."## The blockbuster tells the story of a failing singer Rahul (Aditya Roy Kapur), how he meets her and falls in love with Aarohi (Shraddha), a woman who sings in a bar. He helps her in becoming a famous singer while he goes on a self-destructive mode.## Shraddha even changed her Instagram username to Aarohi and changed her profile photo taken during the film's shoot to celebrate the movie's anniversary.## Stay tuned...

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Irrfan Khan's mother passes away, actor stranded abroad
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Irrfan Khan's mother passes away, actor stranded abroad

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan lost his mother Saeda Begum on Saturday morning. She was 95 and a resident of Jaipur.## The actor is currently out of India and, owing to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, will not be able to fly back to the country for his mother's last rites, according to a report in SpotboyE.## "It's very sad. I have yet to talk to him, though. I will be calling him," filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, who worked with the actor in the 2015 film "Piku", told the website.## Irrfan'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. The actor was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor and has been under medical attention for the same.## Stay tuned...

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Tamannaah Bhatia aces quarantine pillow challenge
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Tamannaah Bhatia aces quarantine pillow challenge

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actress Tamannaah Bhatia recently took part in the ongoing viral #pillowChallenge, and she pulled it off with the help of her Gucci belt.## The Pillow Challenge is one of the viral trends doing the rounds during the global COVID-19 lockdown. People taking the challenge have to tie a pillow to themselves like a dress using a belt and post a picture or video of the pose on social media.## Taking to Instagram, Tamannaah posted a picture in which she is seen lying on a floor while striking a stunning pose with a pillow. She accessorized with Gucci belt and red high heels.## "I'm off to club bed featuring DJ pillow and MC blanket! #feelingfancybutnowheretogo #weekendvibes #quarantinePillowchallenge #pillowchallenge," she captioned the post.## Reacting to Tamannaah's post, a user commented: "So hot."## Another one wrote: "Lucky pillow."## Stay tuned...

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Vatsal Sheth's debut short as director ready to release
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Vatsal Sheth's debut short as director ready to release

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actor Vatsal Sheth will be making his directorial debut with a short film "Kahaa Toh Tha", in which he stars with wife Ishita Dutta.## The short film will release on April 28. It's a love story about a middle-class couple and the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic brings in their lives.## "This film 'Kahaa Toh Tha' is very close to me for a lot of reasons. I have turned director and producer for a film for the first time and I have launched Vatsal Sheth Films," Vatsal said.## "Ishita is a part of the film and I got to direct her. It's a very sweet film made at home by the two of us and the story is also very sweet and nice. It's a short film. I tried my best to make this as professional as possible with whatever limitations there. For example, we got the best music director. The music director of tanhaji has done the music. We got the best editor, poster designers for the film. This film is very close to me," he added.## Stay tuned...

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Vidya Balan donates 1000 PPE kits for doctors, raising funds for more
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Vidya Balan donates 1000 PPE kits for doctors, raising funds for more

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is donating 1000 PPE kits for doctors and other medical staff who are battling at the frontline to keep us safe from the deadly COVID 19.## Vidya has also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring to raise donations to provide additional 1000 PPE kits, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar.## Vidya Balan took to Instagram urging all to donate to the cause. She wrote: "Namaste, it is critical that we provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits to our healthcare workers for their protection in this #WarAgainstCovid19. I am donating 1000 PPE kits for our medical staff and have partnered with Tring to raise a donation for another 1000 PPE kits which are in immediate need across India for our doctors and medical staff."## The actress also announced a reward to whoever is donating. She wrote: "For your contribution, I will send you a personal thank you video message recognizing your generosity."## The "Mission Mangal" star also shared a video message on Instagram where she talks about the shortage of PPE kits in India's hospitals and explains why is it necessary to donate for the same.## In the video, Vidya says: "In the war against COVID 19, our healthcare professionals are like soldiers at the border fighting for our health and freedom. Just like we equip our soldiers for a battle, we must do the same with our medical staff."## "There is a critical shortage of PPE that is personal protective equipment for our senior doctors, residents, nurses, and ward boys in their daily work. They come into constant contact with affected patients and if one medico is affected, the entire unit of 8-12 healthcare workers is quarantined for 2-3 weeks. As a result, a lot of our hospitals are not functioning at full capacity. Join me in changing this now," she added.## Akshay Saini, co-founder of Tring stated: "We are very grateful to Vidya who has been very generous and has donated 1000 PPE kits in her individual capacity, in addition to the several other donations she is doing."## Each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof, nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers, informed the actress.## Stay tuned...

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Reliance Entertainment denies reports that '83' will go directly to OTT
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Reliance Entertainment denies reports that '83' will go directly to OTT

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Unconfirmed reports suggesting the upcoming Ranveer Singh-starrer "83" will be sold for release on an OTT platform before it opens in the theatres, have been denied by Reliance Entertainment, co-producers of the much-awaited film. The rumors started after the film's release was pushed from its scheduled date of April 10 owing to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.## Lately, the trade circuit was abuzz with speculations that a global OTT giant with substantial reach in India has offered a whopping Rs 143 crore to the producers of "83" for the purchase of the film's release rights.## However, Reliance Entertainment has denied all such reports, claiming they will "evaluate" if the situation did not become normal even after six months, reports bollywoodhungama.com.## "There is no truth to these reports. '83' has been made for the big-screen experience. Right now, there's no intention or interest on the part of the directors or us as producers, to take these films to the small screen. If the situation deteriorates rapidly or there is no visibility of normalcy even after six months, we will evaluate then. But right now, we are all quite positive and I foresee that between the next four to six months, cinema halls will start operating. So that's the hope and mindset which we currently have," Shibashish Sarkar, Reliance Entertainment Group CEO, told bollywoodhungama.com.## Directed by Kabir Khan, "83" narrates the story of India's first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983. In the movie, Ranveer Singh stars as the then skipper Kapil Dev while Deepika Padukone plays Kapil's wife Romi Dev. The film also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Saqib Saleem, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Harrdy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Jiiva, Sahil Khattar, Chirag Patil and Adinath Kothare in key roles.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Honey Singh, Ankit Tiwari, Amit Trivedi, Mika among stars to go live on TikTok
2236 days ago
Bollywood

Honey Singh, Ankit Tiwari, Amit Trivedi, Mika among stars to go live on TikTok

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Yo Yo Honey Singh, Ankit Tiwari, Amit Trivedi, Mika Singh, Aastha Gill, Jubin Nautiyal and Akriti Kakar along with other artists will perform in a live concert on TikTok all through Sunday, April 26, aimed at spreading joy in the time of COVID-19 lockdown stress.## "I have been thinking of my fans during this time and just posted a new song, 'Quarantine love', with them on TikTok. Going on TikTok LIVE for this concert is going to be amazing!" said Mika.## Honey Singh, who is scheduled to perform live at 7 pm, said: "What better way than going live with your fans while at home and what a great way to spread some love, hope, and positivity during this time. I'm always looking at ways to engage with my fans and TikTok LIVE is the perfect platform to do so."## Ankit Tiwari also sounds excited about the idea. "At a time when people are at home, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to entertain my fans. This is going to be my first digital live concert and I'm really excited," he said.## The concert begins at 11 am with Salman Ali's performance, while Rapper Maddy will be concluding the digital show at 9 pm. While Mika performs at 6 pm, Ankit Tiwari goes live at 12 noon.## For music lovers stuck at home, the TikTok live concert is sure to turn Sunday into a fun day!## Stay tuned...

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