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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

Kanika Kapoor stayed in same hotel as South African cricket team: Report
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Kanika Kapoor stayed in same hotel as South African cricket team: Report

Lucknow, March 22 (IANS) Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, who tested positive for coronavirus a few days ago, stayed in the same five-star hotel here as the South African cricket team, who were in India for the ODI series against Virat Kohli and Co. which later got postponed. ## "There are reports that she dined in the hotel's buffet and also attended several guests in the lobby," an official was quoted as saying on Sunday. ## "She was living there at a time when the South African team was staying in the hotel for the ODI match, which eventually was called off. There is information that Kanika was seen briefly attending a news channel's annual conclave held at the hotel. Therefore, it is important to scan the CCTV footage and list those who came in contact with her." ## The Quinton de Kock-led South African cricket team were slated to play three ODIs in India but the series had to be postponed amid the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. They came to Kolkata and travelled via Dubai to their respective destinations and have seen been on mandatory quarantine. ## Kanika has been criticised a lot by netizens for her irresponsible behaviour for not self-quarantining herself upon her return from London and then attending several parties in Lucknow. ## Her family members are now questioning the medical report which declared her as coronavirus positive. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

Big B, Akshay, Hrithik take part in Janata Curfew clapping initiative
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Big B, Akshay, Hrithik take part in Janata Curfew clapping initiative

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) From Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, Karan Johar and Hema Malini, a slew of Bollywood celebrities on Sunday took part in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Janata Curfew clapping initiative, to pay tribute to all those who are working round the clock to eradicate COVID-19 from India. ## Akshay along with his neighbour Hrithik came out of their sea-facing houses to clap for the unsung heroes. ## Taking to his Twitter handle, he posted a video in which Akshay, Hrithik and producer Sajid Nadiadwala are seen banging plates. ## "5mins at 5pm :With my neighbours,taking a moment to appreciate those who do not have this luxury of staying at home & working tirelessly to keep us safe.Thank you to all the essential service providers for your selfless work?? #JanataCurfew #BreakCorona," Akshay tweeted. ## Amitabh Bachchan too paid respect to the people who continue working in important sectors such as health services. ## A video is doing the rounds on the internet in which Big B along with his son Abhishek Bachchan , daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and granddaughter Aaradhya can be seen taking out a moment to ring a bell and clap for the people involved in fighting against coronavirus. ## Big B called Janata Curfew "an unbelievable success". ## "India has created HISTORY .. !! #JanataCurfew an unbelievable success .. and at 5 pm .. the entire country on their balconies roof tops gates and doors applauding the true heroes of the Nation .. NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS !I AM PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN ## JAI HIND Flag of India," Amitabh tweeted. ## Actor Varun Dhawan posted a video on social media in which he is seen clapping along with his father David Dhawan, brother Rohit Dhawan and mother. ## "#JantaCurfew I salute the heroes fighting this virus. Everyone of my generation please look after ur elders . Stay at home House building. We will fight this. Maintain quarantine #SocialDistancingNow," Varun captioned the video. ## Sharing a video of him banging a thali at his balcony, veteran actor Anupam Kher thanked "to all those who tirelessly and selflessly helped others in the difficult times". ## Veteran actress Hema Malini , who blowed the shankh to salute the heroes, tweeted: "On a lighter note but also fully committed to Janta Curfew as well as the 5 mins of thanksgiving to all the medical personnel & all those who are doing so much to keep our country safe from the Corona - this is me practising blowing the shankh in deference to the PM's request." ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

#TwitterAntakshari: Smriti Irani says K.Jo's fave 'Lag ja gale' is wrong song right now
2271 days ago
Bollywood

#TwitterAntakshari: Smriti Irani says K.Jo's fave 'Lag ja gale' is wrong song right now

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) As India is observes Janata Curfew on Sunday, Union Minister for the Ministry of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani encouraged netizens to participate in 'online antakshari' to fight boredom amid coronavirus lockdown. ## "We are a 130 crore family so tag karna mushkil hai ki next kaun gaana uthayega isiliye sing / tweet a song coz ye apni marzi wala #TwitterAntakshari hai," Smriti tweeted. ## Seeing her tweet, many celebs, including Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor participated in the game. ## Filmmaker Karan Johar shared that antakshari is his favourite game to pass time. Not only this, he also mentioned his favourite song "Lag jaa gale". ## "Helloji! Antakshari is my favourite time pass activity! To main Zaroor contribute karna chahoonga... with my favourite song... ## Lag ja gale ... ke phir ye haseen raat ho na ho... Shayad phir is janam mein mulakat ho na ho... ab aapki bari," Karan wrote. ## Responding to Karan's song, Smriti took a humourous dig at him. ## She said that "lag jaa gale " is the wrong song during corona. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

COVID-19 effect: Katrina, Varun, Arjun bond over video call
2271 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19 effect: Katrina, Varun, Arjun bond over video call

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) B-Town's high-flying stars have found a way to stay connected despite Janata Curfew. Although life outside has virtually come to a standstill, many among our Bollywood have fallen back on technology to catch up. ## Actress Katrina Kaif on Sunday posted a screenshot of a video call she had with Arjun Kapoor and Varun Dhawan, amid Janata Curfew. ## "Reunited.... our newly reformed 'club' with a very appropriate name '#isolated r us'@varundvn @arjunkapoor #togetherforever. #stayhome #selfquarantine #jantacurfew," she wrote on Instagram. ## Reacting to Katrina's post, Arjun commented: "I love that you have full network." ## Varun wrote: "Farmville." ## In the image, Katrina is seen smiling while Varun is seen lying on bis bed. On the other hand, Arjun is seen making funny faces. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

Hrithik Roshan urges citizens to avoid train travel
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Hrithik Roshan urges citizens to avoid train travel

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Amid the coronavirus outbreak, actor Hrithik Roshan has appealed to the public to avoid travelling-- especially by train. ## Retweeting Ministry of Railways' tweet, Hrithik wrote: "It is seen that many people are still using the train and railway station. I would like to request people not to do this. Don't travel by train right now unless absolutely necessary." ## "Do not put yourself and your co-passengers at risk. The government is taking proactive steps. Support them," he further said. ## On March 21, the Ministry of Railways shared that it has "found some cases of coronavirus infected passengers in trains which makes train travel risky". ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

Amitabh Bachchan applauds citizens for following Janata Curfew
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Amitabh Bachchan applauds citizens for following Janata Curfew

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan is impressed by the enthusiasm with which all of India has been observing Janata Curfew on Sunday, and following due health guidelines in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. ## Taking to his Twitter, Big B hailed the spirit of Indian citizens. ## He wrote: "One plea , one instruct, one invocation, one implore .. AND a nation is in discipline ! ## "WE OBSERVE A COUNTRY SHUT DOWN ! what an exemplary example we have set for the entire World .. for the safety of each other .. ## WE ARE ONE , WE ARE UNIQUE .. ## WE ARE INDIA..JAI HIND." ## Not only this, Big B even shared a video to show the lanes are empty and no one is coming out of their homes. ## "Marine Drive, Mumbai this morning... this is what 'National Discipline' means. Jai Hind, " Amitabh captioned the video. ## Before Janata Curfew, Big B along with other Bollywood stars, including Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Madhuri Dixit and Ranveer Singh, came together for a special video to spread awareness about the novel coronavirus. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

Saif busy gardening with son Taimur on 'Janata curfew'
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Saif busy gardening with son Taimur on 'Janata curfew'

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Star couple Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan know the best how to keep their little kid Taimur entertained while abiding by Janata Curfew on Sunday, and staying indoors in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. ## Kareena shared a few photographs on her Instagram account in which we can see Saif and Taimur planting saplings in their house's balcony. ## Dressed in white kurta pyjama, the father-son are looking extremely adorable. ## "My boys doing their bit," Kareena captioned the images. ## The 'Jab We Met' actress even urged people to "make the world a better place" and "play their part". ## "Stay Home...Stay Safe. #JanataCurfew," she added. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

Here's what you all should know about Kanika Kapoor
2271 days ago
Bollywood

Here's what you all should know about Kanika Kapoor

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Singer Kanika Kapoor, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus a few days ago, has been criticized a lot by netizens for her irresponsible behavior for not self-quarantining herself upon her return from London and then attending several parties in Lucknow. But there's a section of social media who have come in her support. Some of her friends have urged the trollers to show her empathy rather than slamming her.## For the uninitiated, Kanika, who is trained in Indian classical vocal music, is a popular Bollywood singer. She was born and brought up in Lucknow. At a young age of 18, she got married and shifted her base to London with her husband, Raj Chandok in 1997. The two met at Kanika's cousin's wedding.## After spending substantial time and giving birth to three children (two daughters, Aayana and Samara, and a son, Yuvraaj), Kanika separated from her husband and returned to India.## She made her singing debut in 2012 with the song "Jugni Ji", which was the remixed version of Pakistani Sufi song "Alif Allah". And then in 2014, she actually shot to fame with the song "Baby Doll" from the Sunny Leone-starrer "Ragini MMS 2". Later she went on to sing chartbuster songs like "Chittiyan Kalaiyan" and "Lovely".## "I think I have a deep relation with pain... I really have seen a lot in life and I am usually not a person to sit down and cry.## "I do not complain, and rather try to find a way to resolve things. Finally, when I was on the verge of giving up, God gifted me with the opportunity to sing 'Baby Doll'. So yes, then I had no reason to give up," Kanika had earlier told IANS.## There was also a time when Kanika thought of ending her life.## "It happens when you have no money, are going through a bad divorce, and the lawyers are squeezing you to the limit. Plus, you have three kids, who have been thrown out of school because you haven't paid the fees.## Then, you fall sick. You hit a low and feel that there is nothing left. But, at the time, I got a lot of support from my mother, my brother, and a few friends," she had said.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Aaditi Pohankar: 'She' has been an exciting journey
2271 days ago
Digital Media

Aaditi Pohankar: 'She' has been an exciting journey

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) Playing the protagonist in the new web series "She" has been an exciting journey for Aaditi Pohankar. The "Lai Bhaari" fame actress plays the lead character on the show.## Aaditi's character in the Imtiaz Ali-scripted show is called Bhumika Pardesi. She is a lady constable who has to pose as a prostitute to help the police force nab a dreaded narcotics dealer.## "What I understood about Bhumika Pardesi is that she is a timid person going through the mundane rhythm of life, where she goes to work and comes back home. When she goes home, where she is with her family, she becomes her real life. She is melancholic, rather masochistic at times," the actress told IANS, describing her character.## The antagonist is a dreaded narcotics dealer named Sasya, played by Vijay Varma.## Talking about how the two characters are interrelated, the actress said: "Sasya is a catalyst in Bhumika's life in a strong way. As Bhumika goes ahead, she is just understanding herself. From being timid, she is realizing that it is okay to be what she is being now and it's okay sometimes to think about Sasya. Nobody is watching her."## In what way was becoming Bhumika a challenge for her? "Challenge is very subjective. It's so much fun! I don't like to go on those scary rides, I would rather go on that ride within my script. I would like to go and not look where I am going to reach but I still want to take that leap, and I want to keep falling down that valley till I feel free. And I feel free at times with that character. Like with Bhumika at times I was just sitting and it did work out very well," Aaditi replied.## "It was not very challenging but of course all the credit goes to Imtiaz sir (Ali) with the great rehearsals that we did, with the amount of talking that we did on it. And of course with Arif sir (Arif Ali, director) and Avinash sir (Avinash Das, director), it didn't feel like a challenge. It has been an exciting journey," she concluded.## Directed by Arif Ali and Avinash Das, the web series has premiered on Netflix on March 20.## For more and latest news about Digital Media, stay tuned with us.

COVID-19 effect: Salman Khan's 'Bigg Boss 13' returns
2271 days ago
TV

COVID-19 effect: Salman Khan's 'Bigg Boss 13' returns

Mumbai, March 22 (IANS) The Salman Khan-hosted popular show "Bigg Bos 13" will return on TV. The show is all set to see a re-run on Colors because the channel has had to end its swayamvar-based show aceMujhse Shaadi Karoge" owing to the coronavirus outbreak. ## The channel has recently unveiled a fresh promo of "Bigg Boss 13" on socia media. The new promo announcing the re-run of the show was launched on Twitter and Instagram. According to the channel's announcement, the show will be aired March 23 onward at 10pm. ## "Relive the most entertaining, dramatic and exciting season of #BiggBoss! Tune in and watch #BiggBoss13 from 23rd March, 10 PM only on #Colors @BeingSalmanKhan Anytime on @justvoot," said the official announcement by the channel on its official handle, @ColorsTV. ## The promo highlights some of the more talked-about incidents of the seasons, such as Sidharth Shukla and Asim Riaz's fight, Sidharth Shukla's fight with Rashami Desai, and Asim's romance with Himanshi Khurana. ## "Bigg Boss 13" ran from September 29, 2019 to February 15, 2020. Television star Sidharth Shukla won the season while Asim Riaz was runner-up. ## For more and the latest news about TV, stay tuned to us.

One year on, Radhika Madan fondly looks back at 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota'
2272 days ago
Bollywood

One year on, Radhika Madan fondly looks back at 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota'

Mumbai, March 21 (IANS) The action-comedy "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota" was released a year ago on this day. Although the film failed to create much of a ripple at the box-office, it has been accepted as a cult flick by the niche audience.## Radhika Madan, who has been impressing Bollywood buffs with her recent outing "Angrezi Medium", was the heroine of "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota". She was paired opposite debutant actor Abhimanyu Dassani, son of "Maine Pyar Kiya" heroine Bhagyashree.## A year down the line, Radhika got nostalgic recalling the Vasan Bala-directed film. "I feel extremely happy today as 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota' completes a year. This film is always special for me because it helped me push my boundaries and perform action sequences that I couldn't have imagined. There are so many fond memories. This was the film that really changed my foundation. I had grown up watching films where hair and sarees flew, but Vasan sir made me understand that in the end, it is just going to be my craft that will sustain. After 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota', I have started looking on to projects with a different outlook," she said.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with.

COVID-19: Bollywood urges people not to abandon pets
2272 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19: Bollywood urges people not to abandon pets

Mumbai, March 21 (IANS) Amid the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of rumours and myths have found way into our WhatsApp inboxes. One such unfounded rumour links the disease to pets, which in turn has given rise to the trend of people abandoning pets.## Several Bollywood stars have taken to social media to urge their fans not to pay heed to such rumours, insisting that pets are not responsible for spreading the virus.## "Pets can't carry or contain the Covid-19 virus! So stay calm, give them love and spend some time with your PAWsome munchkins! #SpreadLove #StayPositive," tweeted Kriti Sanon.## Richa Chadha requested on social media: "Dogs aren't the carriers for coronavirus! Please please please don't abandon your pets! They think you are their parents. Would you abandon your child ? They must be so confused and heartbroken. Please don't!"## Reacting to Richa Chadha's tweet, singer Sona Mohapatra wrote: "Are people actually doing that?! Animals and Dogs in particular are our best bets in these times of isolation. Love machines and our best best friends."## "There is a lot of misinformation and miscommunication out there about the spread of #coronavirus through animals and pets. What's happening because of this is heartbreaking. Health experts maintain there has been no evidence to suggest that pets can spread the infection," wrote Sonali Bendre.## Twinkle Khanna shared: "There is no evidence that dogs and cats pass on Covid-19! Because of misleading posters and dubious sources of information, people are abandoning their pets! A cuddle a day keeps the doctor and the vet away, so do cuddle away #Dogperson."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.