I

IANS News

885 Articles

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

Anurag Kashyap is all praise for Vijay Varma
2247 days ago
Bollywood

Anurag Kashyap is all praise for Vijay Varma

Mumbai, April 15 (IANS) Vijay Varma's acting in "Bamfaad" has left filmmaker Anurag Kashyap impressed.## "Vijay and I started our careers with the same films as 'Chittagong' and 'Monsoon Shootout, in which he was the lead and I was the producer. When I saw the first cut of 'Bamfaad', I immediately called up Vijay and told him that with this role, a new aspect of him has come out. I think it's one of the best approaches to a performance by an actor," Anurag said.## In the Zee5 original film, Vijay plays the antagonist. The film marks the debut of veteran actor Paresh Rawal's son Aditya Rawal. It is presented by Anurag Kashyap and directed by Ranjan Chandel.## Vijay will be next seen in Mira Nair's "A Suitable Boy".## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Jasleen Royal: There's a lack of female composers
2247 days ago
Bollywood

Jasleen Royal: There's a lack of female composers

Mumbai, April 15 (IANS) Music composer, and singer Jasleen Royal points at the fact that there are few female composers in the Indian music industry.## "I want to see more women in key roles in our music industry. I want to see them taking the Indian music scene to a higher level. Today, the situation is better -- more female solo singers have come up, but there is still a lack of female composers. I really want to see that change in the upcoming time," Jasleen told IANS.## Jasleen, who is the voice behind hits such as "Love you Zindagi" ("Dear Zindagi") and "Nachde ne saare" ("Baar Baar Dekho"), had created singles like "Panchhi ho javan", "Mai ni" and "Din shagna da" before stepping into Bollywood. She had also appeared in the first season of the reality TV talent hunt show "India's Got Talent". One the show, she was given the tag of a one-woman band as she is able to collectively play different musical instruments while singing.## On recalling her journey so far and how she carved a niche for herself, Jasleen got emotional.## "I am really grateful for all the opportunities and for the people who gave me work. It's been a long journey. I got a chance to work with Karan Johar sir and Zoya Akhtar ma'm at such an initial stage of my career. That was really something big for me," she said.## Jasleen believes in creating good music and paying less attention to the result. "There were days when I felt like my songs were not working. I started doubting myself. I remember when 'Din shagna' came out, initially it didn't do well. It hardly reached out to the masses. Then, suddenly a few months later when Anushka-Virat got married, the song was playing in the background of their videos and it became viral! It was playing everywhere. I made a jingle for Paytm and it became viral after demonetization. So, I believe one should do their best and not worry much about the result. Everything takes time to flourish," Jasleen added.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Arshad Warsi: Loved 'Benji' as child
2247 days ago
Bollywood

Arshad Warsi: Loved 'Benji' as child

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Actor Arshad Warsi has revealed that as a child he was fascinated with the world of "Benji", the fictional mixed-breed dog that has been the central character of many films since it first appeared on screen in 1974.## "The first movie that I ever watched was a very, very long time back. I was in a boarding school and every second Sunday, we would get to see a film, so we would watch ‘Force 10' from Navarone. There is one film that I remember, as a child which used to fascinate me. It was called ‘Benji'. I used to love dogs, and I remember as a child, ‘Benji' was one of the films that I completely loved," said Arshad.## The actor also confessed his love that he can watch the iconic sitcom "Friends" again and again. "I can watch ‘Friends' over and over again. I like it, my children like it too," he said, during an interview for IMDb.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Lakshya Kochhar: 'Second Hand' explores dichotomy in new-age relationships
2248 days ago
Bollywood

Lakshya Kochhar: 'Second Hand' explores dichotomy in new-age relationships

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Actor Lakshya Kochhar, who is playing an important role in the upcoming short film "Second Hand", says that the story of the film quite realistically shows a modern-day relationship.## Sharing insight into his character, Lakshya said: "The film explores the dichotomy in modern-day relationships through its turbulent journey, dotted with ups and downs. Till what level can you push yourself to make a relationship work? What role does your past play in being the best self in your current relationship? And how do people react when they have no options left in the relationship. Either all in or out?"## The short film is directed by Navjot Gulati and releases on the OTT platform ZEE5 on Wednesday.## Lakshya, who earlier appeared in the Akshay Kumar-starrer "Gold" said that in the upcoming film his character looks very "non-glamourous", and he stopped working out for a while to put on a few kilos to look the part.## He added: "To reach the psyche of the character, it was very important to browse through my own experiences. Insecurities come with love and hence the balance between being possessive and insecure is the thin thread we walk on, to make any relationship work. We live in a very complex world and too many interlinked dynamics are at play. Manoeuvring your relationship through this chaos and surviving the ride can be very challenging. So in that sense, I feel most people will relate to the film and draw something from it."## The short also features Abhishek Banerjee and Parul Gulati.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Here's how Taapsee Pannu beats promotion stress
2248 days ago
Bollywood

Here's how Taapsee Pannu beats promotion stress

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Great acting in itself is never enough for an artist to reach out to the masses. While stardom and glamour do matter, an important role in modern-day showbiz is played by promotions.## Acting powerhouse Taapsee Pannu would be aware of that, but she would tell you promotional activities is hectic and can cause a lot of stress. To beat the stress, Taapsee says she has always fallen back on meditation.## "This might easily pass off as latest quarantine time picture but this is how I beat the stress of the promotion. With 4 releases in a year this makeshift meditation while getting my hair done became the need of the hour. #Archive #QuarantinePost," she wrote on Instagram along with a throwback picture that shows her meditating while getting her hair done.## On the film front, Taapsee's latest role in Anubhav Sinha's "Thappad" has been widely acclaimed. The actress will be seen in "Haseen Dillruba", "Rashmi Rocket" and "Shabaash Mithu" in the coming months.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
When Lata Mangeshkar met BR Ambedkar
2248 days ago
Bollywood

When Lata Mangeshkar met BR Ambedkar

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) On Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar's 129th birth anniversary on Tuesday, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar recalled the time was fortunate to meet the Father of the Constitution of India in person.## Mangeshkar took to Twitter on Tuesday and paid her tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar, who was also a social reformer who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards untouchables.## "Namaskar. Bhartiya samvidhan ke janak mahamanav Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar ji ki jayanti par main unko koti-koti vandan karti hoon Main unko pratyaksh roop se mil saki yeh mera saubhagya hai (On the anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar ji, father of the Indian Constitution, I offer him a million prayers. I met him in person and that is my good fortune)," tweeted @mangeshkarlata.## Mangeshkar's tweet currently has 506 retweets and over 7.7K likes on the micro-blogging website.## Meanwhile, Mangeshkar earlier donated Rs 25 lakh to the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.## The 90-year-old singer, fondly called Nightingale of India, joins a growing list of celebrities from the Hindi film industry who have extended support in the battle against the coronavirus.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Big B: Never before one human has shown so much sympathy for another
2248 days ago
Bollywood

Big B: Never before one human has shown so much sympathy for another

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Amid the coronavirus crisis, actor Amitabh Bachchan has penned his feelings on humans and humanity.## Big B shared a throwback image from his young days in which he was seen talking to somebody over the phone. In another image he posted alongside the old black-and-white picture, the thespian is seen signaling a phone with his hands.## "Of this, there is no doubt at all, that during this pandemic.. irrespective of caste color creed or belief.. friend, acquaintance or unknown... never before and perhaps never after has one human shown so much concern and sympathy for another... there is but one common refrain on every lip.. be safe, be protected," he captioned the image.## The image currently has 450K likes on Instagram.## On the work front, Amitabh will next be seen in films like "Chehre", Gulabo Sitabo", Brahmastra" and "Jhund".## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Ayushmann Khurrana condemns attacks on police personnel
2248 days ago
Bollywood

Ayushmann Khurrana condemns attacks on police personnel

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana is deeply disturbed after reading about the growing violence against police personnel in various cities across India amid coronavirus crisis.## Ayushmann took to social media to condemn such violent acts.## "I feel terrible reading about the heinous attacks on cops and security personnel that is happening across the country. The police force is risking their lives every single day to keep us, our families and our friends safe and I condemn such attacks on them," he wrote.## Lately, several incidents of violence against cops have occurred in many parts of India -- notably, a cop's hand being chopped off in Patiala while on duty to prevent people from stepping out of their homes. Mob attacks on policemen in Bhopal and Cuttack, Ahmedabad have surfaced in the last couple of days.## Ayushmann urged all Indians to appreciate the hard work that our police force is putting in.## "They are putting us and our lives before theirs and we should respect how they are fighting for us to keep us all protected. All Indians should celebrate the police force and salute them! Jai Hind!" he concluded.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Bollywood urges citizens to cooperate during 'lockdown 2'
2248 days ago
Bollywood

Bollywood urges citizens to cooperate during 'lockdown 2'

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and informed citizens that the nationwide lockdown is being extended till May 3 in an attempt to battle the deadly COVID 19 pandemic. Bollywood celebs welcomed this decision and took to social media to urge people to cooperate with the government's decision.## Veteran actress-politician Hema Malini wrote: "We have completed 3 weeks of nationwide lockdown successfully &controlled the spread of the virus to a large extent. Let us follow our PM @narendramodi Ji's behest to the nation to observe the next 3 weeks also in strict lockdown. For our own welfare & benefit, we shouldn't break rules."## In a separate tweet, she also suggested people utilize their time finding out their hidden talents rather than getting bored at home.## "Find ur hidden talents! U might have an artist within u waiting to be encouraged. A dancer who has always loved to dance but too busy to take it up. A nature lover who didn't have time to even look at our own garden. A storyteller, a writer-the list is endless. Time to discover urself!"## Actress Nimrat Kaur also shared on Twitter: "These last 21 days stay valid and effective only with patience and discipline every single day of the next 19 coming up. Each decision at every individual level matters like never before. #TogetherAtHome #StaySafeStayHome #Lockdown2 #IndiaFightsCarona."## Urging citizens to cooperate in the extended lockdown period, Rajeev Khandelwal tweeted: "Let's respect what our Prime Minister just said. It is in the interest of the entire country. Stay indoors, stay safe. #CoronaUpdatesIndia"## Lyricist and censor board chief Prasoon Joshi tweeted: "#ModiMangalMessage Time to Stay firm&united. India under the leadership of PM @narendramodi has set an example of decisiveness, self-belief, and welfare in the face of the Coronavirus crisis. Let's keep staying responsible for the sake of all and not get distracted by any negativity."## Actress-politician Kirron Kher tweeted: "In order to ensure that India's fight against #COVID19 continues and we will be victorious, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi has decided to extend the lockdown by 3 May. Stay where you are, be safe."## Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri expressed: "Friends, You can achieve all this before 3rd May:## - lose weight/ be fitter## - learn about food## - learn a new skill## - throw away what you don't need/live light## - discover new ideas and be ready for #NewWorld## - discover your #CreativeConsciousness## - be successful## #Lockdown2"## Singer Adnan Sami, who became an Indian citizen a while back, tweeted: "#Lockdown2 #NoProblem #IndiaFightsCorona #IndiaFightsCoronavirus."## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Naseeruddin Shah recalls the day his attitude towards prayer changed
2248 days ago
Bollywood

Naseeruddin Shah recalls the day his attitude towards prayer changed

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Iconic actor Naseeruddin Shah recalls an incident from his early days in the city when he was a struggler, and how a moment of realization back then changed his attitude towards prayer forever.## "I can recall that day even now. I was very vulnerable back then. I had no work, no friends in the city, no money to buy my bread and it felt like all the doors were closed. I thought I would pray. While performing Wudu I began to think, what is prayer about? Is it �saudebaazi' (bargaining), where I say, �God please give me this and I will become that and I will offer you that'? No! That should not be the reason why we pray! That day and ever since, I never prayed to ask anything from the Almighty. My attitude towards prayer changed forever," the veteran actor told IANS.## "I only pray to express gratitude. When I was broken, I realized that the only solution is to get work and whoever offers me would appear to me as �God-like'. I have to hold myself strong until then. I think begging to God for things while praying is despicable," he added.## Shahj has recent;y appeared in the short film "Half-Full". Directed by debutant Karan Rawal, the film also features Vikrant Massey, and will premiere on the OTT platform ZEE5.## What made him sign up a short film directed by a greenhorn filmmaker? "I am very supportive of these short films that are made by young filmmakers. They have a voice that they express through storytelling and I think if the idea is good, it deserves support. I receive several scripts but I do not agree to work with all of them. You see, the idea, the story matters to me. I did not know this young man Karan before reading the script. That way, I did not know Shekhar Kapur before doing �Masoom', I did not know Neeraj (Pandey) before doing �A Wednesday'. For me, the story matters. When I came on board for this film, I found the script interesting," he explained.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
'Guilty' actress Akansha hopes to work in films like 'Thappad'
2248 days ago
Bollywood

'Guilty' actress Akansha hopes to work in films like 'Thappad'

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Actress Akansha Ranjan Kapoor says she is utilising her lockdown days to catch up on some great movies. Akansha, who garnered acclaim for her debut role in the recent digital film "Guilty", wishes to be part of a film like "Thappad".## "I am utilizing this time that I am sitting home productively. I am one of those people who used to watch a lot of TV series rather than film, but now I have made a list of important films that I am watching to understand performance better. It is useful for me as an actor. I have watched 'The Platform', 'The Report' and 'Lady Bird'. I am watching more films -- for my acting purpose, these are important," Akansha told IANS.## Asked about if there is any Bollywood film she has watched that made her feel like she would want to be a part of it, and Akansha replied: "Every time I watch a film, I feel like I want to do this one! I wish I could get a chance to play a character like this! Recently when I watched 'Thappad', I was like 'I so want to play the part at Taapsee did'. I wish to be a part of that kind of film."## "There are films that I watch as an actress. When I watched 'Section 375' I was moved. I so wish to be part of a story like 'Udta Punjab'. I want to work with Anubhav Sinha, Shakun Batra, and Luv Ranjan. All of them are so distinct in their style of storytelling and I think working with them would help me to grow as an actor," Akansha signed off.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Read Article
The man who captured Virat-Anushka's fairytale wedding
2248 days ago
Bollywood

The man who captured Virat-Anushka's fairytale wedding

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Remember December 2017, when Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma tied the knot in an exclusive ceremony at Italy's breathtaking Borgo Finocchieto? Far away from paparazzi, the two exchanged garlands in a private affair and then had revealed the news on social media with a picture of the ceremony. Till date, their wedding videos make the fans ask for more.## The fairytale touch to Virushka's wedding nuptials was given by Vishal Punjabi, filmmaker and founder of the production company, The Wedding Filmer. He's the one who shot Virat and Anushka's destination wedding along with his team. It's been almost three years since he filmed the festivities, and he naturally considers it a career milestone.## "I didn't know it was their wedding until I got there!" Vishal told IANS, adding: "I was proud of the fact that they picked me for their wedding. It was a private affair and we respected their privacy as we wanted them to freely live their special moment. It was not that difficult to shoot their wedding. In fact, they made us so feel comfortable that I felt I was a part of their celebrations. Once the wedding was done, I realized that I had finally accomplished something big. I had covered one of the biggest and beautiful weddings in the world. Virat and Anushka taught me the difference between hope and expectation."## To make their marriage video special, Vishal decided to give it a musical effect. Instead of depending on Bollywood Shaadi songs, Vishal tried something original.## The Sufi song "Peer vi tu" was created for Virushka's wedding video. It was sung by Harshadeep Kaur and Mohan Kannan.## "Why go for Bollywood when one can create something original? It's so boring to use the same songs at almost every wedding. Every bride should feel special on her special day. So, I thought it was important to come up with original tracks," Vishal emphasized.## Apart from Virat-Anushka, Vishal has also captured the moments of Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh and Bipasha Basu-Karan Singh Grover's weddings.## Vishal also spoke about how the wedding industry has faced the brunt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.## "The wedding industry has taken a huge hit. Many wedding assignments that I was really excited about and worked really hard on have been pushed and there is nothing that can be done about it. At this time, the best you can do is help those around you, accept what is happening and stay positive by turning this around to improve your life and the lives of those you love. I am worried what if people start marrying online," he quipped.## Vishal is all set to come up with the streaming service Wedflix for people to watch wedding content directly at their homes.## "We coined the term Wedflix to encourage people to stay at home and watch their wedding films. A lot of couples we've filmed for -- who have children now or who are stuck at home with their families -- end up watching their wedding videos and relive their memories again.## "Your lehenga ain't gonna comfort you in times of distress. Your wedding film has the potential to remind you of why you got married in the first place. So, when life is going uphill, Wedflix and Chill," Vishal ends with a smart hard sell punchline for his trade.## Stay tuned...

Read Article
Prev Next