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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

Taylor Swift tops Google's 2020 list of most-searched woman
2283 days ago
Hollywood

Taylor Swift tops Google's 2020 list of most-searched woman

Los Angeles, March 10 (IANS) Singer Taylor Swift has been named as Google's most-searched-for woman in the music of 2020.## The search engine honored International Women's Day on Sunday, March 08 by sharing their data surrounding the most looked-up women on the Internet, reports aceshowbiz.com.## According to Google, Swift topped the list of searches among women in music, while tennis player Serena Williams was the most-searched-for the female athletes.## Actress Awkwafina was the most-searched-for woman in comedy, and novelist Toni Morrison was the most-searched-for a female author.## Meanwhile, searches for "songs about girl power" have reached an all-time high in America, while queries about "women's empowerment" have increased by more than 330 percent in the US since 2004.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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GoT star Jack Gleeson to be back on TV with comedy show
2283 days ago
TV

GoT star Jack Gleeson to be back on TV with comedy show

Los Angeles, March 10 (IANS) Actor Jack Gleeson, best known for the role of the despicable King Joffrey in the globally popular fantasy series 'Game of Thrones', is all set to make his return to television after a six-year break.## Gleeson has been announced among the cast members for "Out of Her Mind", a BBC comedy from comedian Sara Pascoe which has Simon Pegg and Nick Frost on board as executive producers, reports variety.com.## The news of Gleeson's casting comes after he had previously hinted that he might give up acting as a career.## The series explores heartbreak, family issues and how to survive them both. The show will look to subvert the traditional sitcom format by combining eccentric characters, animation, and scientific explanation.## "'Out Of Her Mind' is a direct expression of my mind. We've turned my brain into a theme-park, and everyone's invited," said Pascoe, adding: "The cast are incredible and I can't wait for people to see what we've made."## Gleeson's screen credits include a cameo in "Batman Begins". On TV front, his four-season run as Joffrey, which ended in spectacularly poisonous fashion, is his only credit.## "Out of Her Mind" also stars Juliet Stevenson, Fiona Button, Cariad Lloyd, Adrian Edmondson, Navin Chowdhry, Sean Gilder, Tom Stuart, Scroobius Pip, Jumayn Hunter, Sheila Reid, Cash Holland, Lorraine Ashbourne, and Cian Barry.## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

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'Parasite' becomes UK's highest-grossing foreign-language film
2283 days ago
Hollywood

'Parasite' becomes UK's highest-grossing foreign-language film

London, March 10 (IANS) Oscar-winning drama 'Parasite' has set a new record as the highest-grossing foreign-language film in British box office history.## The South Korean movie, directed by Bong Joon Ho, has so far banked $14.59 million since it opened on 7 February, dethroning Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", reports aceshowbiz.com.## "The Passion of the Christ", which featured dialogue in Hebrew and Latin, had held the title since 2004, with a total gross of $14.56 million.## Official distributors of "Parasite", Curzon Artificial Eye, announced the news via Twitter after the figures were unveiled on Sunday, reports aceshowbiz.com.## "This weekend we're celebrating the fact that Bong Joon Ho's universally acclaimed #Parasite has now become the highest-grossing foreign-language film in UK box office history!"## "Parasite" claimed four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, at Hollywood's big night last month (February), and has taken in more than $257 million across the world to date.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Sidharth Shukla, Shehnaz Gill skip 'Bigg Boss' reunion party
2283 days ago
TV

Sidharth Shukla, Shehnaz Gill skip 'Bigg Boss' reunion party

Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) 'Bigg Boss 13' contestants including Paras Chhabra, Mahira Sharma, Arti Singh, Vishal Aditya Singh, and Shefali Jariwala recently had a fun reunion and they all partied together.## The get together was hosted by Shefali and her husband and actor Parag Tyagi. Vikas Gupta and Hindustani Bhau also joined the gang for a fun night out. However, Sidharth Shukla, Shehnaz Gill, Asim Riaz, Himanshi Khurana, Rashami Desai, and Devoleena Bhattacharjee seemed to be conspicuous by their absence from the reunion party.## Everyone seems to be having a gala time dancing and partying the night away. Arti took to her Instagram to share moments from the reunion.## "If these pics look fun, all I can say is that they are only a fraction of the madness that happened when some of us who were recently locked up together met!!! Thanks, Shefali for an amazing get together," Arti wrote along with the pictures.## Several videos from the night were shared by Mahira and Vishal. They were not fighting or arguing with each other, instead were having fun, pulling each other's leg and dancing.## This year, Sidharth emerged as the winner of "Bigg Boss 13".## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

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Neha Kakkar: I'm very emotional and I'm proud of it
2283 days ago
Bollywood

Neha Kakkar: I'm very emotional and I'm proud of it

New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) Known for belting out hits after hits like 'Garmi', 'O Saki Saki' and 'Aankh Marey', singer Neha Kakkar says she is an extremely emotional person and she is very proud of the fact.## Neha was at the centre of social media after many memes were made on her following a clip of her breaking down on a singing reality show went viral.## "I've seen a lot of memes... People have put my pictures and screenshots where I am crying. So there are people who make memes... They need some data because I am visible everywhere... I do everything openly. I cry openly, I laugh openly... I am very emotional and I am very proud of it," Neha told IANS.## The "Coca Cola" hitmaker, who is currently enjoying a vacation in her new home in Rishikesh, says she "understands" the pain people go through.## "I feel people's emotions in this heartless world... I understand the pain. I would like to tell people who say I cry a lot that I just don't cry, but I also help people. It happens naturally. It comes from my heart... I just don't want to get appreciated for the singer I am, but also for being the human being, I am. And this (emotional) is how I am going to be all my life," she added.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Director Ahmed Khan hints at Baaghi 4, says 'will keep the franchise alive'
2283 days ago
Bollywood

Director Ahmed Khan hints at Baaghi 4, says 'will keep the franchise alive'

Mumbai, March 9 (IANS) Ahmed Khan is happy with the opening weekend box office performance of his latest directorial 'Baaghi 3'. The film starring Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor has collected 53.83 crores at the domestic box office in its first weekend.## "People loving my work is the most important thing. We were expecting this because even 'Baaghi 2' was taken very well by the audience. So I had an intuition that people will accept Baaghi 3," the filmmaker told IANS.## Khan, who had also directed "Baaghi 2", gives credit to the film's action quotient and lead actor Tiger Shroff's popularity for the franchise's success. "One (the reason for success) is definitely Tiger Shroff's fan following, and the other is the film's action, which merges with the story. The credit surely goes to Tiger Shroff. This is because even though other heroes can perform an action, he is trained very well to do this kind of action," said the filmmaker.## Khan simply cannot get over gushing about his lead actor, it seems. "It reduces 80 percent of the stress when it comes to conceiving any action (around Tiger Shroff). The most important thing is conceiving it and the double hard work goes into executing it. If you have a guy who can execute it for you, life becomes easy."## Tuesday being a National Holiday for Holi would seem like a boost for the film's business, but there is the scare of coronavirus to be taken into consideration. At the last count, 43 cases have been reported in India and entertainment is seriously not the priority in the average public's life.## Khan, however, hopes the virus scare will not affect either Holi or his film. "I'd prefer that people come to the theaters being safe. Holi is there but there are so many issues going on with the virus. With so many issues around, not just our film, I feel the festival should also be celebrated well. People should enjoy both the things, the festival, and our film," he said.## With the consistent good show of the franchise, is "Baaghi 4" a possibility in the future? "The owner of the film is Sajid Nadiadwala. If he decides that we should go ahead with 'Baaghi 4', we will do it. But we will keep the franchise alive definitely," concluded the director.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Shirley Setia: My real journey has just started
2283 days ago
Bollywood

Shirley Setia: My real journey has just started

Pune, March 9 (IANS) From singing covers on YouTube to performing live at concerts and now making her acting debut in the Bollywood film 'Nikamma', 24-year-old Shirley Setia has come a long way. But she feels 'it's just the beginning'.## "There's so much to do and explore in life. I am glad that Indian industry-accepted me and welcomed me with open arms. I agree it was not easy for me to become an online sensation...there was a lot of hard work involved, but still there is a long way to go. I have so much to learn and experience. My real journey has just started," Shirley told IANS on the sidelines of the Gaana Crossblade Punjabi Music Festival in Pune.## Shirley was a little kid when she had to leave India and move to New Zealand with her family. She actually rose to fame in 2013 after she won a competition organized by T-Series. She recorded the popular Hindi song "Tum Hi Ho" that gathered a lot of views on YouTube. And when she was 21, she came back to her roots to make a name for herself here.## On bagging the acting project, Shirley expressed her happiness and shared her experience working with co-star Shilpa Shetty Kundra.## "You know it feels blessed to work with such talented artists. Shilpa ma'am made me comfortable a lot. She taught me so many things -- especially how to remain fit. I am really excited for my debut film," she quipped.## Directed by Sabbir Khan, "Nikamma" also features Abhimanyu Dassani, who is actress Bhagyashree's son. The film will release on June 5.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Hollywood veteran Max Von Sydow dies at 90
2283 days ago
Hollywood

Hollywood veteran Max Von Sydow dies at 90

Los Angeles, March 9 (IANS) Hollywood actor Max von Sydow is no more. The news of the demise of the Swedish-born star was shared by his family 'with a broken heart and infinite sadness', reports deadline.com. He was 90.## Among numerous roles that won Sydow accolades are Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" (1957), George Stevens' "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965), William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" (1973), David Lynch's "Dune" (1984), Woody Allen's "Hannah And Her Sisters" (1986), Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report" (2002), and Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" (2009). In 1983, Von Sydow played the James Bond villain Ernst Blofeld in "Never Say Never Again".## GenNow viewers also known him as Lor San Tekka in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) and for his role of Three-eyed Raven in "Game Of Thrones", for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.## "It is with a broken heart and with infinite sadness that we have the extreme pain of announcing the departure of Max von Sydow, on March 8, 2020," a statement from his widow Catherine von Sydow read.## The actor's 65-year career spanned acclaimed arthouse movie, Hollywood blockbusters, and television.## Von Sydow was nominated for two Oscars during his career, including Best Actor in 1998 for "Pelle the Conqueror". His other Academy Award nomination was as Best Supporting Actor for his role in 2011's "Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close".## The actor enjoyed a run of 11 films with Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman, including "The Seventh Seal", in which he plays chess with Death.## Showcasing his enduring versatility, Von Sydow also took roles in the box-office hit "Rush Hour 3", and Julian Schnabel's French film "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly".## His final film role was set to be in the upcoming drama "Echoes Of The Past", which is reported to be in post-production.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Payal Ghosh looks adorable in pink and peach
2283 days ago
Bollywood

Payal Ghosh looks adorable in pink and peach

Mumbai, March 9 (IANS) Actress Payal Ghosh looks absolutely stunning in a pink-and-peach dress that she wore at a recent event.## The "Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi" star is rocking everywhere she is seen and has been a hit in the fashion circles. Payal is living up to her billing as an emerging style icon.## Meanwhile, Payal revealed to IANS a while back that she is learning Spanish for an upcoming Bollywood role.## "I am learning Spanish and I am totally loving the process. Every emotion and expression is denoted so differently in Spanish, and it is such an open language. It is beautiful, and I hope I get it right," she said, though she claimed she was not in a position to talk of the film yet.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Vatsal and Ishita to celebrate dry, eco-friendly Holi
2283 days ago
Bollywood

Vatsal and Ishita to celebrate dry, eco-friendly Holi

Mumbai, March 9 (IANS) Vatsal Sheth, and Ishita Dutta will celebrate Holi keeping the coronavirus scare in mind. They will not use any water and will celebrating a dry holi, as the virus can spread through to water droplets and moisture.## "This year I will be celebrating with my immediate family only. Normally also I am not someone who plays Holi a lot. I am against wasting water. So I would just meet my family. I also would urge everyone to stay safe and avoid huge human gatherings. We all have to do our bit in the current scenario," said Vatsal.## Ishita added: "This year I will be celebrating with my immediate family. Normally, I am not someone who plays Holi. I am against wasting water. So I would just meet my family. I think because of coronavirus a lot of functions are not happening and a lot of people aren't playing Holi. I feel there is no need to be scared, but as responsible citizens, it is important for us to take it seriously and avoid public gathering as much as possible."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Paras Chhabra defends against showdown with Jay Bhanushali
2283 days ago
TV

Paras Chhabra defends against showdown with Jay Bhanushali

Mumbai, March 9 (IANS) 'Bigg Boss 13' contestant Paras Chhabra has snubbed allegations that Jay Bhanushali levelled on him on the Colors TV show, 'Mujhse Shaadi Karoge'.## The promo of an upcoming episode shows Paras and Jay, who is a guest on the show, engaged in a heated argument, over how he feels for the contestants of the reality wedding show.## "It is a promo and it doesn't depict the entire story. It is just a part of an episode which will air soon. Sometimes what you see and hear is not the complete story," said Paras, about how he has been projected in the promo.## He further elaborated: "I have immense respect for women, I will never pass demeaning comments which can hurtful. That's not my nature. Understanding five women with cameras around you is not easy. I believe in loyalty & I have proved it in Bigg Boss. I request people not to make assumptions about me or the episode, please watch to know the truth."## Paras has blamed Jay for roasting him and defaming him.## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

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Coronavirus scare: Chris Hemsworth calls off India visit
2283 days ago
Hollywood

Coronavirus scare: Chris Hemsworth calls off India visit

New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth has cancelled his plans to visit India to promote his upcoming action film 'Extraction' due to the global coronavirus outbreak.## The "Thor" star was scheduled to visit Mumbai along with director Sam Hargrave on March 16.## The event has been called off due to the coronavirus scare, travel advisory issued and the risk factor involved in travel.## "Extraction", which was initially titled "Dhaka", also stars Indian actors Randeep Hooda and Pankaj Tripathi.## It revolves around Tyler Rake (essayed by Hemsworth), a fearless, black market mercenary, who embarks on the most deadly extraction of his career when he is enlisted to rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. The film is scheduled to release on April 24.## Hemsworth shot for the Netflix film in India in 2018. He shot in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.## Earlier, in an interview to IANS, Hemsworth opened up about shooting in India, saying he felt like a rockstar while doing so.## "I love the place and the people. Shooting there... There were thousands of people on the streets every day and I have never experienced that on set. It was sort of intimidating as it was exciting because there were so many people," he said.## "After every take (when the director) called 'cut', there was a loud cheer. We felt like rock stars in a stadium. But the warmth and support we got while shooting there, no matter how disruptive we were to their daily lives, it was so good. People were so positive. I have huge appreciation to that," added Hemsworth, whose daughter is named India.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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