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IANS News

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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

Jameela Jamil: Great to show our culture to the world
2266 days ago
Hollywood

Jameela Jamil: Great to show our culture to the world

Los Angeles, March 27 (IANS) Actress Jameela Jamil feels it is important to portray girls as heroes on screen and says she would have benefited with such content while growing up.## The actress is glad that she is part of such a show -- Disney Junior animated series "Mira, Royal Detective". It is a mystery adventure show inspired by the cultures and customs of India.## "You can see a little Indian girl being the person who is the hero and the protagonist of the story. Also, it's so important for young south Asian women to see a character where the hero is the girl," said Jameela, whose roots trace back to India.## "She is not just the accomplice or the problem, instead she is the one solving everything, being independent and strong-minded and I think that's something. I really would have benefited with similar content from when I was growing up," added the actress, who has voiced the character of Aunt Pushpa in the show.## Explaining how the show has the power to change perceptions of children from diverse cultures, she said: "I think it's really amazing for children from other cultures to see our culture. We have been exposed in a wonderful way to American and English content, hence, it's great to show our culture to the world."## Set in the fictional land of Jalpur, it follows the life of Mira, a commoner who is appointed to the role of royal detective by the queen.## The series features an all-star cast of prominent South Asian actors including Jameela, Kal Penn, Freida Pinto, Hannah Simone, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aasif Mandvi and Aparna Nancherla amongst others. It introduced 16-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier as the voice of Mira. The show airs in India on Disney Channel India.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Priya Bapat: I am spending time reading fans messages after 'Aani Kay Hava'
2266 days ago
Marathi

Priya Bapat: I am spending time reading fans messages after 'Aani Kay Hava'

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Celebrated Marathi actress Priya Bapat, who plays the female protagonist in the Marathi web series "Aani Kay Hava" says that her isolation time is spent reading fan messages. She adds that she is planning to interact with her fans.## Talking about the quarantine phase due to the outbreak of coronavirus, Priya told IANS: "I just want to take a moment and thank everyone who watched the new season of the show and loved it and messaged me. My Instagram DM is flooded with messages and I am planning to reply to our fans as many as possible. I think that would be great for me and (co-star) Umesh (Kamat) to utilize this time by interacting with our fans. We are overwhelmed."## The new season of the web series started streaming on OTT platform MX Player.## The story of the show revolves around a married couple Juhi and Saket, and the internal conversation of their relationships. The show also features Priya and Umesh with Siddharth Jadhav and Sai Tamhankar.## Priya further shared: "At a personal level I am not highly affected by this isolation time because as an individual I am not a party animal. So partying with friends is not a mandatory or important part of my lifestyle. Therefore I am not upset on that front. Having said that I think I will not gain weight at all because I am doing all the household work, and let me tell you that takes a lot of energy. It is really keeping me busy -- ghaar ka bahut saara kam hota hai (there's a lot of work at home)!"## While the actress said that her family, including her husband and father-in-law, have also been helping her with household work, she mentioned: "Once we are done with that, we are sitting and watching films that we missed out watching together!"## For more and latest news about Marathi Cinema, stay tuned with us.

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Deepika's travel idea amid COVID-19 lockdown has netizens in splits
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Deepika's travel idea amid COVID-19 lockdown has netizens in splits

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Actress Deepika Padukone on Friday shared a meme about how one can go from one room to another in their houses if they want to 'travel' amid coronavirus lockdown.## "Looking at the map for some weekend travel ideas... #travel #home" The picture is a layout of an apartment," Deepika wrote on Instagram.## The meme has a photo of a house floor plan.## Reacting to the post, a user commented: "So relatable."## Another one commented: "hahaha. we all are doing the same."## Deepika has been posting a couple of videos and pictures on Instagram showing how she is spending time during the lockdown. In one of the images, she is seen enjoying eating a chocolate Dessert.## On the work front, Deepika will be seen sharing screen space with her husband Ranveer Singh in "'83".## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Shreyas Talpade's pet brings emotional peace during COVID-19
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Shreyas Talpade's pet brings emotional peace during COVID-19

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Actor Shreyas Talpade feels that at a time when people are forced to stay indoors, pets can take over the job to keep the family calm.## "There are innumerable benefits that come with having a pet, including making you responsible and committed," said Shreyas.## The actor, who recently became a father, says he finds magic in his 10-year-old labrador.## "Since the time Aadya was born, Don has started demanding more attention. So he's no longer the calm dog that he used to be and really keeps us on our toes!", said Shreyas, who finds his day spent between his dog and his new baby.## "But jokes apart, when Don sits quietly near me, he calms me down completely. I keep petting him and in a couple of minutes I start feeling the change within," he added.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Shibani Kashyap's new tune: 'Corona ko hai harana'
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Shibani Kashyap's new tune: 'Corona ko hai harana'

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) At a time when people across the globe are finding ways to bust COVID-19 anxiety, singer Shibani Kashyap, popular for songs like "Sajnaa aa bhi jaa" and "Zinda hoon main", has written, composed and sung "Corona ko hai harana".## The foot-tapping track focuses on precautions that people need to take in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the importance of social distancing.## " 'Corona ko hai harana' is a song about what needs to be done to win this war against the virus. It can also be perceived as a song that motivates and encourages people to stay home irrespective of the constraints and inconvenience it causes," she said.## "In the larger picture, these measures will go a long way in preventing any dire consequences. I hope people enjoy the song during this lockdown period and it can bring a smile on their faces," she added.## India has so far reported over 700 coronavirus positive cases.## Stay tuned...

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Badshah: It's time for India to be heard globally
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Badshah: It's time for India to be heard globally

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Rapper Badshah feels it is time for India to be heard globally and says that he will continue pursuing his focus on putting Indian Music on the world stage.## Badshah, known for hits such as "DJ wale babu", "Tareefan", "Pagal" and "Garmi", has introduced a new version of himself -- Badshah 2.0 -- and also changed his twitter username to the same.## With Badshah 2.0, the rapper said that he is ready to tell a new story.## "I will continue pursuing my focus on putting Indian Music on a world stage. I strongly believe it's time for India to be heard globally," Badshah told IANS.## As Badshah 2.0, he has released "Genda Phool", the video of which will feature actress Jacqueline Fernandez. The song, which comes with a Bengali touch, is themed around Durga Pujo and is directed by Sneha Shetty Kohli.## Badshah says: " ‘Genda Phool' is my attempt to pick up a part of my Indian culture and present it to the world in all its glory. The long-forgotten instrument Dotara, the folk language and melody, the colors, the dance, the flowers in the video. I truly believe these are aspects of India that are gorgeous and should be represented, to make people Groove to a whole new groove and just be happy".## "This is the first time I have played with a new language on my single. The instrumentation has been kept as folk as it can be. In fact, the original instrument where the song starts is called a DoTara, it's a two-string instrument that was used by the Bauls of Bengal, when they used to travel from village to village, singing their stories. ‘Genda Phool' is an amalgamation of folk melody with urban tunes and programming and has one purpose - To make you dance," he added.## Asked what's next for him, he said: "A brand new sound. A brand new presentation for my live performances. Some great new music. And a constant prayer for the world to be safe and be back.on its feet soon."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Pankaj Tripathi reminisces about his theatre days
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Pankaj Tripathi reminisces about his theatre days

March 27 (IANS) Actor Pankaj Tripathi has been earning laurels with every role. Today, he is considered one of the most versatile actors in the industry. According to him, it's theatre that helped him to become successful artiste.## On World Theatre Day, Pankaj recalled how he grew up watching plays and how he got admitted to National School of Drama, Delhi.## "I didn't know what I was made for but I knew I had a connection with acting. I went on to reluctantly do a hotel management course, but in my heart there was a passion ignited for acting. I didn't enjoy anything else as much and couldn't be consistent at other things. I started doing plays in Patna but the culture for performance arts wasn't there. The pay was measly.## "I knew I had to pursue NSD. Initially I was rejected twice but turned out to be lucky the third time. It was Andha Kuan that was my trigger. Had I never watched that, I wouldn't have known how wonderful the world of stories is. It made me want to train in acting. Till then it was a hobby but after that, I was a new person who studied hard to get here," Pankaj said.## His life changed after watching the play, "Andha Kuan".## "My life completely changed after watching the play Andha Kuan, it had a powerful monologue by actress Pramita Jaiswal, listening to that monologue I started to cry.## " It was then I realized that how powerful this medium drama is. I never experienced anything such before in my life. It prompted me strongly within to pursue acting as a profession even more," Pankaj added.## Pankaj started his journey in Hindi filmdom with a blink-and-miss role in movies such as "Run" (2004) and later made an impact with his craft only with roles in "Gangs Of Wasseypur", "Sacred Games" and "Mirzapur".## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Anveshi Jain to play sexologist in Telugu debut movie
2266 days ago
Tollywood

Anveshi Jain to play sexologist in Telugu debut movie

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Actress Anveshi Jain is set to debut in Telugu films in Lakshmikanth Chenna's film "Commitment", where she will be essaying the role of a sexologist.## "I am playing Dr. Rekha Gupta, a sexologist. She meets a younger trainer in her gym, who falls in love with her. The plot revolves around how she responds to him and what reality checks she gets in life eventually," Anveshi said.## She added that the movie has a deep message "about women that when they speak openly about their desires & sexuality, they are considered as easily available."## "The movie shows another side of Rekha, who is committed towards her family and work, and is a very different person from how people perceive her," she said.## Anveshi was chosen for the role after makers saw her app where she talks about the art of seduction and related topics.## "They approached and I read the script . After discussing the role for a while, I was signed for the movie. The best part of working in this film was that I didn't have (had ) to act at all.## "It came out very naturally as all of it was inspired by my own life incidences and what I speak on my app about the art of seduction. More than acting, it was reliving all my experiences."## The film is scheduled to release in May.## For more and latest news about Tollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Here's why Kajol loves wearing sarees
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Here's why Kajol loves wearing sarees

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Be it off-screen or on-screen, actress Kajol has often seen wearing sarees. She says the six-yard outfit makes her feel more comfortable.## "I do love western outfits, but saree makes you stand apart in a crowd and I find them to be more comfortable and I prefer wearing a saree at every event possible.## "I have a different kind of attachment to sarees, so I keep purchasing them. And yes, I do have a substantial saree collection in which I am in love with," Kajol expressed her love for sarees.## On the work front, Kajol recently wooed the audience with the short film, titled "Devi". She will also be seen making her Netflix debut in "Tribhanga".## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri to conduct online masterclasses
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri to conduct online masterclasses

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Owing to the outbreak of COVID-19, when social distancing is a mandatory practice, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has decided to utilize the nationwide lockdown period of 21 days in a productive manner by conducting online masterclasses.## "I have decided to conduct these free masterclasses every alternate day till the time we are quarantined. My idea is to help people learn new skills and also to use their time creatively. Else the entire society will get into depression. Everyone has stories but they don't know how to tell these stories. My goal is to ensure that by April 15 at least a couple of housewives and 5-6 young people end up making short films sitting in their homes without spending a penny," Agnihotri said.## Earlier, the filmmaker had declared that intention to sell paintings to raise money for daily wage workers.## "There are a lot of people in the industry whose livelihood has been affected. I will sell these paintings for them," he had said.## Stay tuned...

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Swwapnil Joshi wants 'Samantar' to be dubbed in Bengali
2266 days ago
Marathi

Swwapnil Joshi wants 'Samantar' to be dubbed in Bengali

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Marathi actor Swwapnil Joshi is garnering praise for his performance in the new web series "Samantar", and the show has been dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages. He feels the series should now be dubbed in Bangla because Bengalis are among the most evolved audiences and constitute great connoisseurs of entertainment.## The show is based on the Marathi book 'Samantar" written by Suhas Shirwalkar. According to the actor, Bengali and Marathi are languages rich with great literature.## "When it comes to the audience, I would like to mention that Bengali and Marathi audience are some of the most evolved audience because we are highly influenced by our literature. Our literature is rich and experimental. So our audience is exposed to such kind of storytelling, way before everybody else. You see, ‘Samantar' is one of the highest-selling books in Maharashtra. I so wish that our show gets dubbed and released in Bengali. I am sure they would love to watch it," Swwapnil told IANS.## "Samantar" features Swwapnil with Krishna Bharadwaj and Tejaswini Pandit. The show streams on MX Player.## Stay tuned...

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Honey Singh: People nowadays get offended too quickly
2266 days ago
Bollywood

Honey Singh: People nowadays get offended too quickly

Mumbai, March 27 (IANS) Pop star-composer Yo Yo Honey Singh says staying away from the industry for two to three years never made him nervous about losing it.## Asked about the fear of someone taking their place, he said: "I don't want to outdo anyone's thought, but staying away from the industry for two-three years never made me nervous or fear of losing it. The time, I was away from 2017 till now, I composed 60 songs."## "And I never felt out of the scene, because people were still grooving to my songs and loving my work. I am in the hearts and DNA of my audience, and no one changes that," he added.## The singer has been vocal about his struggles with bipolar disorder and alcoholism.## "I never let negativity reach me or any other aspect of my life, may it be songs, personal life or health. Talking about my health was a way of keeping my larger family and fans informed on my phase of life. I have written songs on my experience; they are more serious and philosophical. I will release the songs to tell my story to people," he said.## Talking about his journey as a person, the singer said: "Early years of my career, I stretched and exerted myself extensively and I knew it would eventually affect my health. I have changed myself and my routine completely. Akshay (Kumar) sir is a huge inspiration for me. I wake up early, I give myself time to do my tasks and not rush myself into it."## Recollecting his experience touring with Shah Rukh Khan in Australia, Honey Singh said: "We went on an Australia tour with Shah Rukh Khan and there were protests against me performing, saying that I promote alcohol. Shah Rukh sir stepped in and said that if I don't come, then this tour won't happen at all. After the show, we were partying in my room and that's when I wrote the song - ‘Chaar bottle vodka'. We made Shah Rukh listen to the track and he asked what kind of song is this and we said, this is about the 4 bottles of vodka that we finished last night'."## The "Loca" hitmaker feels people now get offended easily.## "I think people nowadays get offended too quickly. As much I support the freedom of expression, I still think that you get judged on every single thing. In the past, we had songs like 'Mehbooba mehbooba', 'Choli ke peeche kya hai', 'Chumma chumma' and more, but they never got discussed of being morally correct or not. As an artist, it becomes difficult to please the audience at large and be creative at the same time."## The singer shared his thoughts in an episode of "By Invite Only", which airs on zoom.## The singer isn't against the current remix trend and said: "I think everyone is original. Even though they are making a remix, they are all original".## In a fun quickie session, Honey Singh said: "If I would be single, would take Alia Bhatt on a date with me". When quizzed about one Bollywood actor who is overrated, Honey gave a witty response: "Himesh Reshammiya."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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