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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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Vin Diesel says Spielberg urges him to get to direction
2270 days ago
Hollywood

Vin Diesel says Spielberg urges him to get to direction

Los Angeles, March 23 (IANS) Hollywood star Vin Diesel could be calling the shots as a director more often if filmmaker Steven Spielberg has his way. ## Diesel had written, directed, and produced t in the self-starring 1997 movie "Strays", in which he played a drug dealer looking for a better life. Earlier, he had also directed and starred in the 1995 short film "Multi-Facial", which had led Spielberg to give him a role in his 1998 film, "Saving Private Ryan". ## In a recent interview with The National, the 52-year-old actor said director Spielberg has been encouraging him to direct more often, reports aceshowbiz.com. ## "Speaking of Steven Spielberg, I saw him recently, and he had said to me, 'when I wrote the role for you in 'Saving Private Ryan', I was obviously employing the actor but I was also secretly championing thedirector in you, and you have not directed enough. That is a crime of cinema and you must get back in the directing chair.'" Diesel said. ## He added: "I haven't directed enough." ## The star went on to say he hopes to complete a planned film series about famed Carthaginian military leader Hannibal Barca, who fought the Romans during the Second Punic War around 200 BC. ## "I haven't done it yet. As much as I am grateful for the accomplishments, there are moments when I go 'God, you promised the universe, very specifically, the Hannibal Barca trilogy, and you haven't delivered it. You travelled all over the world'," he said. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Miley blames exclusion of gay friends for quitting church
2270 days ago
Hollywood

Miley blames exclusion of gay friends for quitting church

Los Angeles, March 23 (IANS) Singer Miley Cyrus says she gave up her faith because her gay friends weren't accepted at the church. ## During an Instagram Live chat with model Hailey Baldwin, Cyrus said she is keen to "redesign my relationship with God" after quitting church at a young age because it conflicted with her own beliefs. ## "I had some gay friends in school. That is the reason why I left my church is that they weren't being accepted. They were being sent to conversion therapies. I had a hard time with me finding my sexuality too," Miley said. ## She continued: "So I think now you telling me that I'm allowed to redesign my relationship with God as an adult and make it how it feels most accepting to me would make me feel so less turned off by spirituality." ## Encouraging the singer to explore her "journey between you and God", Baldwin replied: "It's not your journey and 10 other people's journey. It's just yours. It's between you and Him." ## "I believe that Jesus is about loving people, no matter where they are in life. I've always had a hard time with church making people feel excluded and not accepted and they can't be apart of it because of what they believe in and who they love," she said. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Cardi B's theory: Celebs testing COVID-19 positive are all paid
2270 days ago
Hollywood

Cardi B's theory: Celebs testing COVID-19 positive are all paid

Los Angeles, March 23 (IANS) Rapper Cardi B has a conspiracy theory. She feels that celebrities who have said that they tested positive for COVID-19 are all paid. ## In a recent Instagram Live post, the "Bodak yellow" hitmaker said that some of the celebrities who have tested COVID-19 positive have showed no symptoms, reports aceshowbiz.com. ## While many people have claimed that COVID-19 testing is available only to the rich, the rapper thinks all these celebrities are actually being paid for getting tested. ## "We keep seeing these basketball players say like, 'Yeah, I have the coronavirus but I don't got no symptoms'. So how the f**k am I supposed to know when I am supposed to get tested for it?!" she said inthe video. ## Cardi added: "Y'all n****s is playin' with me. That's my problem right there. Cause y'all not really saying what it is. And it's like, alright, so tell me what it is and what it ain't. I'm starting to feellike y'all n****s is payin' n****s to say that they got it." ## She went on to say: "If y'all are paying n****s to say that they gotit, pay me too! Pay me too! Okay? S**t, 'cause I'm trying to get paid." ## Many of her fans on social media blindly agreed with Cardi's theory. ## "I mean the thought has crossed my mind," one Instagram user wrote. ## "SIS IS WOKE! like is y'all getting paid or?" another said. ## A user added: "EXACTLY!!! You had no symptoms but got tested. But his would you know to get tested... Cardi is righttt." ## Another fan assumed that those stars were "being paid to make people panic." ## Others said Cardi B's theory was "ridiculous," and asked to "stop posting all this cardi b nonsense". ## Hollywood stars like Idris Elba and Tom Hanks had come out as COVID-19 positive. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Harvey Weinstein tests positive for COVID-19 in jail
2270 days ago
Hollywood

Harvey Weinstein tests positive for COVID-19 in jail

New York, March 23 (IANS) Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in prison and has been put in isolation. ## Weinstein has been kept in medical isolation at the Wende Correctional Facility, reports aceshowbiz.com. ## A source told Press-Republican newspaper that the producer is sick in prison, but officials at the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision are yet to confirm the story. They have just revealed that two inmates at the Wende facility have tested positive for COVID-19. ## Meanwhile, Weinstein celebrated his 68th birthday behind bars on March 19 after he was transported to the maximum-security prison, following a few days at New York's Bellevue Hospital and also spending some time at the medical unit at Rikers Island prison, New York. He had complained of heart issues. ## The former Miramax boss was sentenced to 23 years in jail earlier this month following rape and sexual assault charges. ## In addition to his current sentence, Weinstein also faces four charges of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles, where the District Attorney's has started procedure. ## The Los Angeles proceedings have been delayed owing to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Lucknow police hunt for Kanika's missing friend
2270 days ago
Bollywood

Lucknow police hunt for Kanika's missing friend

Lucknow, March 23 (IANS) The Lucknow police are now frantically searching for a Mumbai based entrepreneur, Ojas Desai, who was present with singer Kanika Kapoor at Hotel Taj and left the city on March 16. ## While the police have tracked over 260 people who interacted with the singer but Ojas Desai has remained untraceable. ## Chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Narendra Agarwal said that they had been trying to track down Desai but did not have his exact address in Mumbai or his whereabouts. ## The singer is in quarantine and cannot be questioned at this time, he added. ## The Hotel Taj, however, has sent 11 of its employees who interacted with Kanika during her two day stay at the hotel into quarantine. "We are keeping close watch on their health and necessary checks are being done," said a hotel official. ## The Hotel Taj has been shut down by the Lucknow administration after it was found that the singer had stayed there. ## Meanwhile, the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) where Kanika is presently admitted, has said that her second test on Sunday also showed that she is Coronavirus positive. ## SGPGIMS director Prof R.K. Dhiman said that the singer was doing well otherwise but would remain in hospital until she tested negative for the virus. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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Shah Rukh uses his movie scenes to create COVID-19 awareness
2270 days ago
Bollywood

Shah Rukh uses his movie scenes to create COVID-19 awareness

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Sunday came out with a unique and interesting video to create awareness about coronavirus among people. ## He made a fun and informative video on COVID-19 using scenes from his movies. ## From the popular "Loveria" song of his 1992 hit "Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman" to stills from hits such as "Kal Ho Na Ho" (2003), "Chalte Chalte" (2003) and "Raees" (2017), clips of various SRK films have been put together in an attempt to convey facts about coronavirus in his explainer. ## Not only this, he even highlighted the kind of masks people should not buy -- the kind he wore in "Baazigar" and "Badshah". ## "InshaAllah #JantaCurfew will help against the spread of virus, though we may have to do this again. The clapping brought so much cheer. So a reminder of safeguards, with some cheer... Pls take it in the right spirit. To all relentlessly working today - Extremely Grateful. Thx!," he wrote in his tweet on Sunday," SRK tweeted. ## Meanwhile, on work front, SRK has been missing in action from the big screen since December 2018. He was last seen in "Zero". His fans are eagerly waiting for him to announce his next project. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

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'Bigg Boss 13' star Rashami Desai opens up about her depression
2271 days ago
TV

'Bigg Boss 13' star Rashami Desai opens up about her depression

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) "Bigg Boss 13" finalist has opened up about her battle with depression and revealed how her family helped her tide over the predicament.## "You start feeling low, your self-esteem is hit, your self-confidence is almost zero. You become moody and sad and your choices change. Many people face this but they do not talk about it. Maine apne aap ko baandh liya tha (I restricted myself). The beautiful part is that my work always supported me. Because I worked, it helped me a lot. Three to four years later, I also took counselling and realised that if I could create something, I could also undo something," Rashami told hindustantimes.com in an interview.## She also spoke about hwo she dealt with her depression. "You should be with people who want to see you grow and who can help you grow. Often, we do not realize but our choices may be wrong. We are sad when things do not match our expectations. I think you should always move ahead and never give up," she said.## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19 effect: Priyanka, Nick are a picture of mush during quarantine
2271 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19 effect: Priyanka, Nick are a picture of mush during quarantine

Los Angeles, March 22 (IANS) Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her pop star husband Nick Jonas may have self-quarantined in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, but the couple never misses a chance to engage in PDA on social media.## Priyanka on Saturday posted a picture of mush on social media, which she also used to profess the fact that self-isolation is the need of the hour.## In the picture, the actress can be seen sleeping with her head in Nick's lap. Their pet dog can also be seen sitting and relaxing next to the couple.## "Stay at home," she captioned the picture.## On the other hand, Nick shared a video in which the two urged people to stay at home and maintain social distancing.## On the work front, Priyanka will be soon seen in Netflix's "The White Tiger".## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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B'day girl Dhvani Bhanushali donates Rs 55k for daily wage earners
2271 days ago
Bollywood

B'day girl Dhvani Bhanushali donates Rs 55k for daily wage earners

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) On Sunday, as India observed Janata Curfew, singer Dhvani Bhanushali quietly observed turning 22 with a noble gesture. On her birthday, the "Vaaste" singer donated Rs 55,000 to the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, for daily wage workers whose income has stopped due to the lockdown of the entertainment industry in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.## "Being a part of this industry, I have seen what goes on behind the cameras. From the spot boys to cameramen to even the ones who make and serve the food, work throughout the day and night so that we can do our best to entertain the audience. I felt really bad when I came to know that, due to the situations we are facing today, they won't have any means of earning. I wanted to do something special for them," Dhvani said.## She added: "When I came to know about the contribution The Film & Television Producers Guild of India is making towards the daily wage workers, as a thank you for looking after minute details of the camera, I decided to pitch in a small amount of my income to them."## In a recent interview with IANS, Dhvani spoke about her Bollywood journey and her dream of becoming India's "pop icon" someday.## "It's my dream to become India's pop icon. That dream is going to be fulfilled through non-film songs. It also gives me a chance to feature in my own videos and the song is associated with my face and name instead of being a voice for someone else's face," Dhvani had said.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Tamil actor-director Visu dead
2271 days ago
Kollywood

Tamil actor-director Visu dead

Chennai, March 22 (IANS) Tamil movie director, producer, actor, play writer Visu, 74, on Sunday died here due to old age ailments.## Tamil Nadu BJP leaders condoled the death.## Born as M.R. Viswanathan and popularly known as Visu is noted for his family-centric movies.## He began his career as an Assistant Director under ace Director late K.Balachandar and later branched off on his own. He also hosted a couple of television shows.## Most of the movies directed by him revolved around joint families and the issues faced by them.## Some of Visu's popular movies are 'Samsaram Adhu Minsaram', 'Manal Kayaru', 'Dowry Kalyanam'.## In his condolence message, Tamil Nadu BJP President L. Murugan said Visu's death is a great loss for his family and for the art world.## Visu had joined BJP in 2016.## Former Union Minister and BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan also condoled Visu's death.## For more and latest news about Kollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Ajay Devgn's next comedy with Indra Kumar titled 'Thank God'
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Ajay Devgn's next comedy with Indra Kumar titled 'Thank God'

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) The Bollywood film trade was excited when Ajay Devgn and filmmaker Indra Kumar declared they were returning with a new comedy after last year's superhit "Total Dhamaal", and now that film's title has been officially announced.## The film has been named "Thank God", and it will also feature Rakul Preet Singh and Sidharth Malhotra. According to a report in bollywoodhungama.com, the film is about a couple of goodnatured, goofy men who are out to reform society, and their hilarious adventures.## Reportedly, Indra Kumar has been scripting the project over several years.## The website quoted Rakul Preet as saying shooting for the film was to start on April 10, but the schedule has been pushed owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. If all is well, the makers are looking at the summer of 2021 for a possible release date.## The project was announced in December 2019, as a co-production between Ajay Devgn and T-Series.## "Total Dhamaal", the third part of the "Dhamaal" series, had grossed over Rs 150 crore upon release last year.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19: Rihanna donates $5mn to combat pandemic
2271 days ago
Hollywood

COVID-19: Rihanna donates $5mn to combat pandemic

Los Angeles, March 22 (IANS) Pop star Rihannas non-profit organisation, The Clara Lionel Foundation, has announced an emergency donation of $5 million (around Rs 37.8 crore) towards efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. ## The charity announced through the singer's education and emergency organisation will aid associations such as The World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the International Rescue Committee. Direct Relief, Feeding America, and Partners in Health, according to a report in forbes.com. ## The donation will be used for research to develop vaccines and other therapies, towards research labs and protective gear for health workers, the maintenance of ICUs, the training of healthcare workers, and prevention and containment in countries. ## The website added that the money will also be used to support food banks that are serving at-risk communities in the US, and for the betterment of testing and care facilities in Haiti and Malawi, besides mobilising resources for Native Communities. ## "It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, this pandemic will affect us all. And for the world's most vulnerable, the worst may be yet to come. Protecting our front line health workers and marginalized communities around the world requires getting ahead of it fast. The time to act is now," the group said in a statement. ## Rihanna lauched her non-profit organisation in 2012, in memory of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. Other international celebrities who have contributed to the cause of fighting coronavirus include Hollywood couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, singer Ciara and her husband, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, fashion designer Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

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