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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.

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Ankit Tiwari, Amaal Malik to conduct online music gig during Janata Curfew
2272 days ago
Bollywood

Ankit Tiwari, Amaal Malik to conduct online music gig during Janata Curfew

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) After international singers like Chris Martin and John Legend, a slew of India musicians including Ankit Tiwari, Akhil Sachdeva, and Amaal Malik have decided to perform impromptu home concerts for fans via social media amid the coronavirus outbreak.## The idea behind the digital concert, Safe And Sound, was given by Mourjo Chaterjee in view of the 'Janata Curfew' to be observed on Sunday. Mourjo is a founder of On Stage Talents, a multi-genre talent agency.## Happy to be part of such noble initiative, Akhil Sachdeva, who sang "Tera ban jaunga" in "Kabir Singh", said: "It's a great initiative and we looking forward to this concert."## Actress Sunny Leone's husband Daniel Weber will also participate in the concert.## "We urge people to stay home, in the meanwhile we artist will try our best to entertain you'll with our music," Weber added.## The concert will take place on Sunday between 4-5 p.m. with artists going live on their respective social media handles. Singers like Tulsi Kumar, Jasleen Royal, Richa Sharma, Shruti Pathak, Jeet Ganguli, Abhay Jodhpurkar, Osho Jain, Bhoomi Trivedi, Ravi, and Shargun Dubey, have also joined hands to be part of the digital singing concert.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Anupam Kher self-quarantines on returning from New York
2272 days ago
Bollywood

Anupam Kher self-quarantines on returning from New York

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who flew down from New York to India on Saturday, has decided to self-quarantine himself amid the coronavirus outbreak. ## "Finally landed in Mumbai from NY after four months. It was so gratifying to see how strictly but politely and competently our authorities at the airport are dealing with #Corona situation. India is really setting up an example of how to deal with the crises. Proud of the authorities and the people," the actor wrote on Instagram. ## Kher also posted a video of Mumbai aiport to show how stringently checking procedures were being implemented by the authorities. ## Reacting to Anupam's post, actor Varun Dhawan wrote: "Take care Anupam uncle... sending lots of love and good wishes." ## In response to Varun's comment, Anupam shared that he would "follow the mandatory self- quarantine". ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Ranveer Singh recalls his tryst with the stage
2272 days ago
Bollywood

Ranveer Singh recalls his tryst with the stage

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Bollywood's livewire star Ranveer Singh shared a major throwback image that disclosed that he had tried his hands at theatre before his Bollywood debut role in "Band Baaja Baaraat". ## Before Bollywood, Ranveer had worked in an English play called "Carry On At The Keyhole". It was a comedy directed by Dinkar Jani. ## Sharing a poster of the play on social media, the actor said: "This is a poster for a small play in which I had a small part and the story goes that I used to be a struggler and I used to sit at Prithvi theatre with two or three others like me. We used to just sit there every day, look for odd jobs. One of them got the information that an audition is happening in a college in Andheri for a small role in a small play and nobody wanted to go -- I said I'll go because I didn't have anything at that time!" ## Ranveer added: "I thought to myself -- ‘acting acting hoti hai, koi bada chhota kya hota hai' (acting is acting, nothing big or small about it). I went for the audition , I got the part and they were very impressed by my acting. When we put up the performance - I remember one was at St Andrews and even then I felt proud when I was performing at St Andrews stage because I used to perform on St Andrews stage as a student when I was in school." ## "So, you know, we had a few performances, I had the role of an interior decorator who was posing to be a homosexual man in order to attract more business and it was an old English double-meaning comedy play that was headlined by Darshan Jariwala and directed by Dinkar Jani," Ranveer recalled. ## Ranveer claimed whoever came to watch the play used to be be impressed by his performance. ## "I really took it very seriously and I gave it everything. I used to wear some of my own clothes and most of the people who came to watch the play were just friends and family whom I had informed that I am doing this performance and to come and see it, he said, adding: "I remember meeting Yogesh Sanghvi (the producer of the play) at an awards show last year which is when we re-connected and it was a very emotional moment for him and for me - to meet after all those years - just to see his moist eyes , the pride in his eyes - ‘tu kahan se kahan pahuch gaya mere dost' and I was also getting a bit emotional when I met him because he used to really like me, he used to be very kind to me." ## Ranveer recalled there wasn't much money in theatre but whatever the producer made, he would give to him very generously. ## "He was always very fair and kind to me. So it's a very, very fond memory of mine from my struggling days," he summed up. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Ajay Devgn mourns the demise of football legend PK Banerjee
2272 days ago
Bollywood

Ajay Devgn mourns the demise of football legend PK Banerjee

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Ajay Devgn has mourned the demise of legendary footballer PK Banerjee on social media. ## "Had the good fortune of meeting football legend PK Banerjee in Kolkata during the Maidaan schedule in November. Sad to hear about his demise. RIP, the man with the golden kick #PKBanerjee," Devgn tweeted. ## "Maidaan" is based on the golden era of Indian football and the actor essays the role of the late legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim. During the film's Kolkata schedule last year, Ajay had an opportunity to meet PK, as the legendary footballer was known in the footballing world and among fans. During their interaction, the football legend had shared expertise and experiences with the actor. ## Directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma, "Maidaan" is scheduled to hit theatres on November 27, 2020. ## PK breathed his last after battling chest infection. He was 83, and on ventilator support in the intensive care unit of Medica Superspecialty Hospital for over two weeks. He was a two-time Olympian and the goalscorer for India's 1962 Asian Games gold medal-winning team. He is survived by his two daughters. ## In 2004, PK was honoured with FIFA Order of Merit (Centennial), the highest honour accorded by FIFA, the international federation of association football. He was also hounoured with Padma Shri in 1990, and the Arjuna Award in 1961. He is listed as the Indian Footballer of 20th Century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). PK's younger brother Prasoon Banerjee was also a renowned footballer who captained India in his days. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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COVID-19: Kanika Kapoor slammed by social media for being 'irresponsible'
2272 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19: Kanika Kapoor slammed by social media for being 'irresponsible'

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Singer Kanika Kapoor, who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, is being slammed by netizens for not going into self-quarantine after returning to India from London a few days ago. Users on social media users called her "irresponsible" and "uneducated" when they got to know that she has reportedly attended several high-profile parties and events after arriving in the country. ## "Kanika Kapoor's episode just shows that stardom and money and privilege doesn't guarantee minimum common sense. Their irresponsible behaviour can upset the fight against #coronavirus which till date has been reasonably contained in India," a user tweeted. ## Another one even asked police to arrest the "Baby Doll" singer. ## "Horrible Behavior!!! She should be arrested," the user added. ## Condemning her negligence, a user called her "uneducated". ## On Friday morning, Kanika had taken to Instagram to announce that she has been infected with the virus. ## "Hello everyone, For the past 4 days I have had signs of flu, I got myself tested and it came positive for Covid-19. My family and I are in complete quarantine now and following medical advice on how to move forward. Contact mapping of people I have been in touch with is underway aswell. ## "I was scanned at the airport as per normal procedure 10 days ago when I came back home, the symptoms have developed only 4 days ago. At this stage I would like to urge you all to practice self isolation and get tested if you have the signs. ## I am feeling ok, like a normal flu and a mild fever, however we need to be sensible citizens at this time and think of all around us. We can get through this without panic only if we listen to the experts and our local, state and central government directives," Kanika wrote. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Big B shares throwback photo from Abhishek's birthday party
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Big B shares throwback photo from Abhishek's birthday party

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan shared a throwback photograph of himself from his son Abhishek Bachchan's themed birthday party. ## In the photograph, Amitabh can be seen dressed as superman and holding a video camera. ## "A fancy dress birthday party for Abhishek in his very early years... dress theme 'SUPERMAN'..." the thespian captioned the image. ## On the acting front, the cine icon will next be seen in "Brahmastra". He also has three more films in his kitty -- "Jhund", "Gulabo Sitabo" and "Chehere". ## Currently, Amitabh has been actively spreading awareness about COVID-19 social media. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Shabana Azmi under self-quarantine after returning from Budapest
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Shabana Azmi under self-quarantine after returning from Budapest

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Veteran actress Shabana Azmi is under self-quarantine after returning from Budapest amid the COVID-19 outbreak.## Shabana, who came back from March 15 from Budapest, took to Twitter to announce that she is in isolation following her trip.## "I have returned from Budapest on 15th March morn and am practicing self-isolation till March 30," she wrote.## The coronavirus outbreak so far has claimed over 10,000 lives globally and affected over 2.5 lakh people.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Ranveer Singh's '83' on hold due to COVID-19
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Ranveer Singh's '83' on hold due to COVID-19

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) The much-anticipated release of actor Ranveer Singh's upcoming film "83" has been put on hold due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. ## The film was earlier slated to hit the screens on April 10. ## Ranveer, who will be seen playing the role of former cricket captain Kapil Dev in the film, took to Instagram, where he shared a post. ## It read: "In the wake of the risks posed by the recent outbreak of COVID-19 and the growing health concerns, the release of 83 has been put on hold. We will take a decision regarding the next course of action once the conditions return to normal. ## "We urge fans to take all the necessary precautions and take care of their loved ones. '83' is a film about fighting the odds and we hope we will bounce back from this soon." ## Ranveer then captioned the post: "'83' is not just our film but the nation's film. But the health and safety of the nation comes first. Stay Safe, take care. We shall be back soon!" ## The Kabir Khan-directed "83" tells the story of India's first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983. ## The film also stars Ranveer's wife Deepika Padukone, who will be seen playing Kapil's wife Romi. It also features Tahir Raj Bhasin, Ammy Virk, Sahil Khattar, Hardy Sandhu and Saqib Saleem. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Bollywood happy as Nirbhaya finally gets justice
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Bollywood happy as Nirbhaya finally gets justice

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Bollywood celebrities took to social media to laud the hanging of Nirbhaya's rapists and also extend support to her parents.## Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma, and Mukesh Singh -- the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case -- were hanged at 5:30am in Delhi's Tihar Jail on Friday. While Bollywood is happy, many felt justice should have been served long before in this case.## "Nirbhaya Justice. "Jaisi karni waisi bharni" Let this set an example not only in India but world over. Punishment for rape is by death. You have to respect womanhood. Shame on the people who delayed the execution. Jai Hind!" Rishi Kapoor tweeted.## "It's done. Finally. I hope the parents can finally sleep slightly better tonight after YEARS. It's been a long long battle for them. Asha Devi," Taapsee Pannu tweeted.## Riteish Deshmukh tweeted: "#JusticeForNirbhaya My thoughts and prayers are with the parents, friends & loved ones of Nirbhaya. The wait has been long but the justice has been served."## "Good Riddance . The planet is less 4 monsters . 8 long years, the parents have waited for justice . High time we demand swift justice. We have finally put Nirbhaya to rest," wrote Raveena Tandon on Twitter.## "If #Nirbhaya rapists were hung in 2012 the judicial system would have stopped so much crime against women. Fear of the law would have kept the lawless in check. Prevention is always better than cure. It's time the Indian govt. takes steps for judicial reforms. #RIPNirbhaya," opinion Preity Zinta, in her Twitter handle.## Sushmita Sen tweeted: "A Mother's resilience. Asha Devi sees it through!! Finally some justice!! #Nirbhaya Dugga Dugga"## Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted: "Finally justice has been served for #Nirbhaya, I pray for the much needed mental peace for her parents now. #JusticeForNirbhaya #nirbhayagetsjustice"## Writer-director Milap Zaveri tweeted: "Finally. Justice served. RIP #Jyoti #Nirbhaya Sorry for what happened to you and sorry for the delay in justice."## Aftab Shivdasani tweeted: "Prayers for you to rest in peace #Nirbhaya .. it's taken 7 years but the resolve and grit didn't die with you. The devils have been punished. May you now rest in peace. Congratulations to your family. #NirbhayaJustice."## Lyricist Manoj Muntashir tweeted in Hindi: "Today those four names have been deleted from India's population register which were incorrectly written as 'male' instead of 'animal' . Congratulations #Nirbhaya #NirbhayaCase## "Justice delayed is not justice denied. Woke up with the wonderful news of the #NirbhayaCase convicts are finally executed. This is a victory for Nirbhaya's parents & every Indian who fought in their own way to bring justice for Nirbhaya," Isha Koppikar tweeted.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19 effect: Rishi Kapoor concerned about Pakistani citizens
2273 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19 effect: Rishi Kapoor concerned about Pakistani citizens

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) This is not a time to hold on to ego. Rather this is the time when we should all come together to fight a bigger threat that looms large in the form of coronavirus, feels veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor. The actor took to social media to express his concern for the citizens of Pakistan.## "With all due respect, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan should also advise his country to take adequate precautions. People of Pakistan are also dear to us. Once we were one. We are concerned too. This is a global crisis. No ego matter this. We love you guys. Humanity zindabad!" Kapoor tweeted.## Kapoor's words struck a chord with Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali. "Thank you so much for your lovely wishes. Much love and respect to you. You are right, we are all in this together and this is not about countries, but about humanity. Humanity Zindabad! Hope we overcome this threat soon. Love and best wishes to you," Ali commented.## Meanwhile, shooting for all formats of entertainment -- films, TV and digital -- has been stopped in Bollywood and other film industries all over India. Actors, filmmakers, and technicians are confined in their homes, like most citizens across the country.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Singer Kanika Kapoor tests positive for coronavirus
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Singer Kanika Kapoor tests positive for coronavirus

Lucknow, March 20 (IANS) Singer Kanika Kapoor of "Baby Doll" fame on Friday announced that she has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. She might be the first Indian celebrity to have become victim of COVID-19.## "For the past four days I have had signs of flu, I got myself tested and it came positive for COVID-19. My family and I are in complete quarantine now and following medical advice on how to move forward.## "Contact mapping of people I have been in touch with is underway as well," Kanika, who had returned from London to Lucknow a few days ago, wrote on Instagram.## She also urged her followers to take proper precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak.## "At this stage, I would like to urge you all to practice self-isolation and get tested if you have the signs. I am feeling ok, like the normal flu and a mild fever, however, we need to be sensible citizens at this time and think of all around us. We can get through this without panic only if we listen to the experts and our local, state and central government directives. Wishing everyone good health. Jai Hind! Take care," Kanika added.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Isha Koppikar: Ram Gopal Varma made cult films
2273 days ago
Bollywood

Isha Koppikar: Ram Gopal Varma made cult films

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Actress Isha Koppikar reunites with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma in an upcoming untitled web series. She feels although the filmmaker is going through a bad phase in career right now, no one can downplay his contribution to Indian cinema for the cult films he once made. ## "I have finished shooting a major part of the web show. RGV is the showrunner and presenter of the show. The web series has been directed by four directors and after they finish the shooting of all episodes, they submit their work to RGV. He will look after post-production and hopefully create magic," Isha told IANS, about her latest collaboration with the filmmaker. ## Isha shot to fame for her dance number "Khallas" in Varma's 2002 film "Company", which is till date considered one of the most powerful films about the underworld that Bollywood has ever made. Later, she also worked in Varma productions such as "Darling" and "Shabri". ## Varma's last few Hindi releases like "Veerappan" and "Sarkar 3" fared below expectation and the filmmaker has also courted controversy for his comments on socio-political issues. Isha hopes with his upcoming show, RGV will get out of his rough patch. ## "Ram Gopal Varma is a genius. Look at the kind of films he has made, those are cult films of Indian cinema. The first Hindi horror film that I watched and loved was "Raat". Then all the other films, whether it is "Bhoot", "Rangeela", "Satya" -- you name the film and the genre -- horror, romantic-musical, gangster-action -- and he has made a cult film in that genre," she said. ## Isha continued: "In our lives, at times we go through a low phase but that does not mean that the person is finished. It is true that in the entertainment industry, every Friday could be a good Friday' or a bad Friday'," she laughed, adding: "I hope with the upcoming web series, RGV claims his space back again." ## Apart from the web series, Isha is also working on the Tamil science fiction film "Ayalaan". Directed by R. Ravikumar, the film also features Rakul Preet and Sharad Kelkar. ## According to the actress, the film will offer a unique experience to the audience. ## "Ayalaan will be an interesting film to watch out for because in the film we are using VFX quite interestingly. In fact, that is why the film will take more time than any regular film in post-production. Most of the time we use prosthetic but in this one, we are focusing on VFX," Isha said. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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