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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

Kareena urges citizens to stay at home amid lockdown extension report
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Kareena urges citizens to stay at home amid lockdown extension report

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has urged citizens to stay at home after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown would be extended in the state.## On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with state chief ministers via video conferencing. Although an official announcement is awaited at the time of publishing this story, it is being speculated that after today's meeting the lockdown will be extended across the nation by another couple of weeks.## Taking to Instagram on Saturday evening, Kareena wrote: "Now that the lockdown has been extended, the one thing we must do to help overcome this is STAY AT HOME. We need to be strong, now more than ever. We've come this far... let's not stop! Together with @unicefindia and @unileverdiariesindia, I urge you to #BreakTheChain #WeCanAndWeWill #VirusKiKadiTodo #StayHomeStaySafe #CoronaVirusIndia."## Her appeal came soon after the Maharashtra chief minister announced that lockdown in the state would continue till April 30.## At the time of publishing, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Telangana are the three states that have officially declared an extension of the lockdown.## Stay tuned...

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Big B: Smartphones are 'the invention of the times'
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Big B: Smartphones are 'the invention of the times'

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Smartphones would have to be the invention of the times, feels Amitabh Bachchan.## "The 'wheel' has been dubbed as the greatest invention of all time.. in today's times I would say the 'smartphone'.." the actor opined on Twitter.## In a blog entry, Big B shared his reasons. "The smartphone would have to be the invention of the times.. it is running everything in the World today.. whatever would we have done without it," he wrote.## Traveling down memory lane Big B shared memories of landline phones and, how these were the primary means to communicate with before cellphones came along.## "The finger dialing within rounded hole numbers was the luxury of the times.. that and the Frig.. it was 'the' possession if you had that line land phone in the house.. difficult to afford for us at the time, and a privilege we never enjoyed for years.." he reminisced.## "When you never had it, it was manual communication.. a bicycle ride to tell or inform or get from the market... and in an emergency, a brisk run to the neighbors -- at times pretty distant, for, not all had the facility," he added.## The veteran actor also shared how their family used to wait for letters from his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan when he was pursuing his Ph.D. in Cambridge and the experience when they heard his voice after two years over the phone.## "When Babuji was in Cambridge for his Ph.D. the phone was unheard of.. it was the letters that commanded information and connect.. on the one occasion I remember when we were able to hear his voice after a gap of 2 years, he wrote a letter to say which day and time he would be able to afford a call from England.. letters took almost 7 to 10 days, if you were lucky, to get to their addressed destination.. and the call was to a friends phone, that lived a good half-hour bicycle ride away .. the anticipation of the wait.. the excitement of a phone call coming through.. the moment of its connect.. the nervous quivers.. the emotion.. and within a few minutes.. over," he wrote.## Drawing a comparison between landlines and smartphones, he wrote: "In the times of yesterday, when the phone rang the entire household would run from different parts of the house to pick up that receiver.. such as the importance and excitement of its ownership."## He added: "Now you control what comes in.. whether it should come in.. who will be permitted to come in.. and a zillion other factors that go along in the acquisition of the marvel.## However, times change and with the changing times, the new generation often fails to comprehend many things belonging to the bygone era, he contended. "This generation will never understand those times.. just as our generation was never able to understand the times before us," he commented.## Stay tuned...

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How will intimate scenes be shot post COVID-19, wonders Shoojit Sircar
2251 days ago
Bollywood

How will intimate scenes be shot post COVID-19, wonders Shoojit Sircar

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) What happens to hugs and kisses on the screen once the COVID-19 storm passes? Will actors be confident about intimate scenes, or cautious? Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar cannot help mulling over the matter, in the course of a weekend spent at home doing precious little, amid the ongoing lockdown that looks all set to be extended by two more weeks.## "How the cinema world conducts shooting intimate scenarios in the film to be seen and planned after all this is over. Especially the intimate kissing/hugging scenes. How close or how far.. or cheat storytelling in those intimate scenes for some time," the "Piku" director wrote on Instagram.## Actress Dia Mirza commented: "Guru, the entire process of making a film is intimate! So many people all coming together to create moment after moment in unity and synchronized effort. Aap intimate scene ki baath kar rahe ho, how will all that change? Will we be masked and gloved as a crew? Only time will tell."## A user had this witty quip: "Go back to the 60s/70s, show two flowers swaying."## Another pondered over the very future of film shoots, and not just intimate scenes. "How will the industry shoot at all, if they ban gatherings of 50 or more people?" the user wondered.## Another user suggested performing a health check-up for actors before shooting intimate scenes: "Probably all the actors involved would be asked to go through a medical test first."## "I think the time has come for virtual intimacy till we find the corona vaccine," opined another user.## Stay tuned...

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Hansal Mehta talks about the plight of migrants during COVID-19 lockdown
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Hansal Mehta talks about the plight of migrants during COVID-19 lockdown

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has taken to social media to share the plight of migrants who have started walking from Mumbai, Pune and other big cities to their homes in other parts of Maharashtra as well as other states of the country amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.## Most of these migrants are daily wage laborers who are desperately attempting to get home during this period and have resorted to walking because lockdown does not permit traveling in vehicles and passenger trains are also closed.## The filmmaker tweeted informing about one such group which he spotted this morning at Malavli station, near Pune.## In a series of tweets posted on Saturday afternoon, he shared: "Was near the railway station buying medicines. The tracks are filled with migrants walking home towards Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Hyderabad and to so many villages in and outside Maharashtra. They begin walking at 5 am. They stay at platforms late evening hoping to find some food."## "They find drinking water on the way, go hungry all day unless somebody helps out with biscuits or if they're lucky, food. Many of them have left the city without being paid their wages by contractors/employers. This is the India story. The exploitation of the poor."## The director also shared that he is helping them with food, water, and other necessities for their journey.## "These people work hard to keep our cities running. They are the nameless, faceless other that we desperately need but give a f**k about when their usefulness has gone past its expiry date. We try to help her with food, water, and basic supplies for their onward journey."## "But it is very little help. And very late," regretted the filmmaker in a separate tweet.## Stay tuned...

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Madhuri, Preity shower love on furry friends on National Pet Day
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Madhuri, Preity shower love on furry friends on National Pet Day

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) It's National Pet Day and on the occasion, many Bollywood celebrities have taken to social media to express their love towards their pets.## Madhuri Dixit Nene posted a video that shows her dancing in ghungroos and playing with her dog, Carmelo.## "The one who's always by my side, the one who always entertains me, my favorite dancing partner and the one who always brings a smile on my face - My mellow Carmelo. #NationalPetDay," Madhuri captioned the video.## Preity Zinta also shared a picture of her "best friend" -- her dog Bruno.## "My partner in crime... #NationalPetDay #bruno #dutchshepherd #dutchie #ting," she wrote.## Actor Randeep Hooda posted a loving message for his horse Cuba, saying he is missing him.## "Missing Cupa, blue skies and evening sun," he wrote along with an image in which he is posing with Cuba.## For the uninitiated, Randeep Hooda is a great horse lover. Reportedly, in 2016, he had adopted 9 dying horses.## "Bigg Boss 13" fame contestant Mahira Sharma, who owns a cat, too took a moment to introduce her pet on social media.## "I'm spending my quarantine time with my pet Duggi," Mahira wrote, appealing her fans to be kind to animals amid the coronavirus pandemic.## Stay tuned...

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Now, 'Masakali 2.0' trolled by Delhi Metro and Jaipur Police!
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Now, 'Masakali 2.0' trolled by Delhi Metro and Jaipur Police!

New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) After being heavily slammed by netizens and the original song's creators alike, the recreated version of "Masakali" is now being trolled by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Jaipur Police!## "Nothing beats the original track, Plus we have a bias as we feature in it," reads a tweet on the official handle of DMRC, referring to the fact that portions of the original song, featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor, were filmed on the Delhi Metro.## The Delhi Metro post didn't go unnoticed. Sonam retweeted it with a red heart emoji.## Joining the trollers, Jaipur Police too took a potshot at "Masakali 2.0"## Using a meme, Jaipur Police said they will use the latest remix to punish those who would roam unnecessarily in the city during the nationwide lockdown.## The original "Masakali", sung by Mohit Chauhan, was composed by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman on lyrics by Prasoon Joshi. The song featured in the 2009 film, "Delhi-6".## Both Rahman and Joshi have expressed discontent over the recreated number, and they have seen a lot of support on social media by fans as well as B-Towners.## Without mentioning the name of "Masakali 2.0", Rahman had tweeted: "No short cuts, properly commissioned, sleepless nights, writes and re-writes. Over 200 musicians, 365 days of creative brainstorming with the main aim to produce music that can last generations. A team of a Director, a Composer, and a Lyric supported by actors, dance directors, and a relentless film crew."## The recreated version is sung by Sachet Tandon and Tulsi Kumar and credits its music to Tanishk Bagchi. The song has been picturized on Tara Sutaria and Sidharth Malhotra.## Stay tuned...

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COVID-19: Sonu Sood distributes food among the underprivileged
2251 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19: Sonu Sood distributes food among the underprivileged

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) After offering his Juhu hotel for frontline COVID-19 warriors, actor Sonu Sood has now started a food distribution drive to help the needy during the ongoing lockdown.## Under an initiative called Shakti Annadanam launched in the name of his late father Shakti Sagar Sood, Sonu aims to feed more than 45,000 people on a daily basis in Mumbai.## "Right now we are all together in these tough times against the coronavirus. Some of us are blessed to have food and shelter but there are many who have not eaten meals in days and it's really difficult for them. To help these people, I've started a special food and ration drive on my father's name, which is called Shakti Annadanam. I hope I am able to help as many people as possible," the actor said.## He is also making the best use of social media to spreading awareness about the novel coronavirus, advising people on how to workout at home and maintain fitness.## Stay tuned...

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Salman Khan provides ration to daily wage workers
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Salman Khan provides ration to daily wage workers

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Superstar Salman Khan, who earlier financially supported 25,000 daily wage workers of the film industry amid the COVID-19 lockdown, has now provided ration facility to them.## Politician Baba Siddique on Friday took to Twitter to thank the actor for his contribution.## "Thank you @beingsalmankhan @tweetbeinghuman for your generous contribution towards the daily wage workers. You are always one step ahead of everybody when it comes to helping people and you have proved that yet again," Siddique tweeted.## Siddique also shared a few pictures of a godown and trucks filled with food supplies.## Seeing Salman's contribution, fans showered him with praises and love.## A user commented: "True hero. Salute bhaijaan."## Another one wrote: "Salman is a real human."## Salman is currently staying at his Panvel farmhouse. He is constantly in touch with his father Salim Khan via video calls.## On the film front, Salman will be next seen in "Radhe" and "Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali".## Stay tuned...

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Disha Patani's special birthday note for Mohit Suri
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Disha Patani's special birthday note for Mohit Suri

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Actress Disha Patani has penned a note for "Malang" director Mohit Suri on his birthday, saying he is an "amazing person".## Disha took to Instagram to share a couple of throwback photographs with Suri, and send him some virtual love.## "Happy b'day to one of the most amazing directors and an even more amazing human, have an amazing year ahead sir, lots of love always… Mohit Suri," Disha wrote along with the photographs.## In one of the pictures that Disha shared via Instagram Stories, the actress can be seen posing with Suri. In another, Mohit seems to explain something to Disha, and she is seen listening to her director.## "Malang", which released on February 7, was a commercial success. The film also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Anil Kapoor, and Kunal Kemmu. It is a romantic action thriller film produced by Luv Ranjan, Ankur Garg, Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, and Jay Shewakramani.## Disha is set to work with Suri again on the sequel of 2014 sleeper hit "Ek Villain". Reportedly, Disha will star in the sequel along with Aditya Roy Kapur and John Abraham, and the film, which is being directed by Mohit Suri, will have her essay a character inspired by Rosamund Pike's role in the 2014 Hollywood film "Gone Girl".## Stay tuned...

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Kartik Aaryan's dapper message to continue following lockdown guidelines
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Kartik Aaryan's dapper message to continue following lockdown guidelines

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Actor Kartik Aaryan made a rather dapper style statement while urging people to continue following lockdown guidelines.## The actor took to Instagram to share an image of himself where he is all suited up in black. In the picture, he poses for the camera while standing in front of a shop whose shutter is down.## "Dukaan band hai, Kal aana," he wrote as a caption.## This is not the first time Kartik has tried something quirky to spread awareness for COVID-19. Recently, Kartik turned rapper with a new song he has made on the outbreak of COVID-19. He uploaded a video that shows him rapping. In the clip, he shares the do's and dont's during the pandemic.## Last month, Kartik, who shot to fame with the famous monologue in his 2011 debut film "Pyaar Ka Punchnama", came up with a new monologue in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.## He has contributed Rs 1 crore to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's PM-Cares fund in support of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.## On the film front, Kartik will be next seen in "Dostana 2" and "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2".## Stay tuned...

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Kajol crosses 10-million mark on Insta, thanks fans the 'K3G' way
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Kajol crosses 10-million mark on Insta, thanks fans the 'K3G' way

Mumbai, April 11 (IANS) Actress Kajol is extremely happy about garnering over 10 million followers on Instagram. On Saturday, she took to the photo-sharing application to thank her fans.## "This is a shout out to my Insta fam who have shown love to the reel and real me so much! Gratefully, yours Kajol," she wrote.## Along with her thank-you note, she posted a small dance clip of her from the film "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham", clearly to convey her joy.## On the film front, Kajol, who was last seen in the short film "Devi", is all set to make her digital debut with the Netflix film "Tribhanga".## A drama set in Mumbai, "Tribhanga" weaves a complex tale that goes back and forth through three generations of the same family, from the late 1980s to a modern-day milieu. The storyline looks at the importance of family in everyday lives. It is directed by Renuka Shahane.## Stay tuned...

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Jewel, Deepak Chopra's docu-film explores mindfulness as a way to bust COVID-19 fear
2251 days ago
Bollywood

Jewel, Deepak Chopra's docu-film explores mindfulness as a way to bust COVID-19 fear

Mumbai, April 10 (IANS) Producers Jewel and Deepak Chopra have decided to release their documentary feature, "The Mindfulness Movement", digitally, owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic.## The film was initially scheduled to be released n over 50 theatres across the US and Canada and is now available at ThemindfulnessMovement.com.## The feature documentary examines how people are increasingly taking to mindfulness -- a peaceful quality of attention anyone can develop by simply focusing on the present moment in a non-judgmental way -- as a means to create a healthier, happier world.## Sharing the importance of the film, Chopra took to Twitter and wrote: "Mindfulness can help reduce anxiety in these uncertain times. Please take a moment to visit the site to learn more about this important film."## According to Jewel, mindfulness can help reduce the "pandemic's silent symptoms of anxiety, fear, and depression".## Stay tuned...

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