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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

Lisa Mishra comes out with first solo track
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Lisa Mishra comes out with first solo track

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Singer Lisa Mishra has launched her first solo non-film single "Nai chaida", about a long-distance relationship.## " ‘Nai chaida' was made about a year ago initially, because I really wanted to do a heartbreak song. We later had the idea of incorporating my own story of transition from America to India and leaving my old life behind," Lisa told IANS while recalling the process of making the song.## Defining "Nai chaida", she said: "‘Nai chaida' is a very relatable track about a long distance relationship. Both people deeply love each other and there is no intentional foul play, just miscommunication and distance tearing them apart."## Composed by Lisa and penned by Kunaal Vermaa, "Nai chaida" released on Tuesday on VYRL Originals. With her energetic vocals, she emotes desire, helplessness and pain that a long-distance relationship endures, ultimately conveying that there is no catalyst bigger than distance itself, which pushes two hearts apart.## The Indian-American is best remembered for rendering the reprised version of "Tareefan". Most recently, she delivered hits "The wakhra song", "Naadaniyaan" from "The Sky is Pink" and "Chandigarh mein" from "Good Newwz".## Talking about her influences, she said: "I think I evolve the more I listen and we're living in an exciting era of songwriting and production. I've been leaning more towards simple production and complex songwriting, which is especially evident in ‘Nai chaida'."## Stay tuned...

Madhuri Dixit to host online dance festival
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Madhuri Dixit to host online dance festival

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actress Madhuri Dixit Nene is going to give an opportunity to people to relieve stress through her online dance festival.## The two-day online festival will kickstart on April 29 on World Dance Day.## The festival is organized by her dance academy, Dance With Madhuri, and it includes masterclasses by ace choreographers Farah Khan and Saroj Khan, a performance by Madhuri and Kathak legend Birju Maharaj, and more.## "With the ongoing global lockdown, we wanted to provide our users with an opportunity to relieve stress while learning something new within the sanctity of their own homes," said Madhuri.## "After successfully enabling our users to learn for free from our platform since April 1, we have created an online experience for our dance community with the DWM Dance Festival. It will be 2 days of fun and learning from the best dancers, choreographers, and industry experts," she promised.## The festival will take place across Dance With Madhuri social properties like Instagram, YouTube, and their website.## Stay tuned...

Irrfan Khan hospitalized after actor's health deteriorates
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Irrfan Khan hospitalized after actor's health deteriorates

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actor Irrfan Khan is once again hospitalized. Amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown, the actor reportedly has been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital.## The actor's health suddenly deteriorated as a result of which he needed immediate medical attention. The 53-year-old actor has been admitted to the hospital's ICU, according to a report in aajtak.in. His wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons are with him.## The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor a while back and has been under medical attention for the same.## Irrfan is currently mourning the loss of his mother. The actor's mother Saeeda Begum breathed her last on Saturday in Jaipur where she used to stay. However, owing to the ongoing lockdown, the actor could not physically attend his mother's last rites and reportedly paid his last respect through video conferencing.## The actor's latest film is Homi Adajania's comedy "Angrezi Medium", the last-released Bollywood film before COVID-19 forced the complete shutdown of cinema halls. "Angrezi Medium" ran in theatres for just a day before halls all over India were shut down. The film has eventually released in the OTT space.## "Angrezi Medium" marked Irrfan's return despite his ailing condition.## Stay tuned...

'Baahubali 2' cast nostalgic as blockbuster turns three
2234 days ago
Tollywood

'Baahubali 2' cast nostalgic as blockbuster turns three

Hyderabad, April 28 (IANS) "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" was released three years ago on this day, and the blockbuster's cast -- including Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Rana Daggubati and Tamannaah -- took to social media to express nostalgia about the project.## The "Baahubali" franchise turned Telugu actor Prabhas into a superstar overnight. Calling "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" the "biggest film" of his life, Prabhas shared a photo from the sets of the film on Instagram.## The actor wrote: "Baahubali 2 was not just a film that the nation loved but also, the biggest film of my life. And, I'm grateful to my fans, team, and director S. S Rajamouli who made it one of the most memorable projects. Baahubali 2 completes three years and I'm delighted for all the love the film and I have received."## Rana Daggubati, who played the main antagonist, shared a couple of stills from the film's sets and wrote: "The learning and the joy!! #3yearsofbaahubali2 The best time!!"## Tamannaah Bhatia recalled her first day on the set when her dream of being directed by noted filmmaker SS Rajamouli came true. The actress shared a few stills from the shoot and wrote: "Can't imagine we are already celebrating 3 glorious years of the magnificent and opulent #Baahubali2. Still remember my first day on the sets when my dream of being directed by @ssrajamouli sir came true. A big THANK YOU to the entire team of Baahubali who worked like a big happy family and our audiences for loving the movie and pouring in unconditional love every single day. #3YrsForMightyBaahubali2"## Actress Anushka Shetty expressed gratitude to her fans for the success of the franchise. She wrote: "#3YrsForMightyBaahubali2. Thank you all."## Directed by SS Rajamouli, "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" is the sequel to "Baahubali: The Beginning", which hit theatres in 2015. While both the films created a storm at the box office, the second part was a bigger success due to the fanbase created by the first one. Over two years, the audience across India and the world excitedly waited for the second part, which reflects in the sequel's box office figures.## Talking about the film's box office success, trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted about a record created by the film which remains unbroken till date.## Stay tuned...

Celina Jaitly: Rituparno Ghosh had called me to cast in a project
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Celina Jaitly: Rituparno Ghosh had called me to cast in a project

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actress Celina Jaitly made her comeback with Ram Kamal Mukherjee's digital short film "Season's Greetings: A Tribute To Rituparno Ghosh". She says that though she missed out on a chance to work with the iconic Bengali filmmaker, she feels special having got a chance to work in the short film.## Asked if she followed the work of Rituporno, Celina told IANS: "Once, Rituda has called me and wanted to cast me in a project. He did not know I was pregnant with my first set of twins at that time, and it didn't work out. I spoke to him last when his father passed away. It was an intimate conversation. Little did I know he will be leaving for his heavenly abode soon. His last words to me were that I must have the babies safely and that he would like me to stay at the Tolly club whenever we went ahead with a project after the delivery."## She added: "Rituda calling me for a project was beyond my dreams. I had admired him so much that I couldn't believe my ears. Unfortunately, things were not meant to be, until Ram (Kamal Mukherjee) came along with this project. I had goosebumps it's as if things were working from the beyond. I hope Rituda will be happy and satisfied with our subtle tribute. I always pray that he has finally found the acceptance and place of no judgment."## According to the actress, she was a fan of the late National award-winning filmmaker, and his 1997 release "Dahan" is one of her favorite films of Rituparno Ghosh.## "I was in school when 'Dahan' released. I remember being mesmerized with the film and Romita, the character played by Rituparna Sengupta. Little did I know I would play a character named after her years later in a film which is, unfortunately, a posthumous tribute to the legend Rituparno Ghosh," recalled Celina.## Ram Kamal Mukherjee's short film also features Shree Ghatak, Lillette Dubey, and Azhar Khan.## Celina's last released film was "Will You Marry Me?" in 2012. The reason she did "Season's Greetings", she says, is because it was her mother's last wish that she should make a comeback and show people her true worth as an actress.## "It was one of her last wishes that I return to cinema and show people my true talent. She never gave up on me. When our director Ram Kamal Mukherjee narrated the story in Dubai I knew this movie is a calling from beyond. A calling of four very important people in my life who are no more. Ritu Da, My late parents, a mother-figure trans person who is no more. I am very thankful to Ram for making my mother's wish come true," said the actress.## "Season's Greetings" is streaming on ZEE5.## Stay tuned...

When old man in Himalayas recognised Kate Winslet as Titanic girl
2234 days ago
Hollywood

When old man in Himalayas recognised Kate Winslet as Titanic girl

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) Hollywood star Kate Winslet might have impressed fans many times over with her immense talent and glamour, but true-blue fans have always instantly remembered her as Rose in the 1997 blockbuster "Titanic". Winslet would realize as much during a trip to India after the film released.## "Titanic was everywhere. A couple of years after it came out, I went to India. I was walking in the foothills of the Himalayas, just me with my backpack on my back and a man came towards me with a walking stick -- he must have been 85 and was blind in one eye. He looked at me and said, 'You - Titanic'. I said yes and he just put his hand on his heart and said, 'Thank you'. I burst into tears. It really helped me understand how much that film had given to so many people," Winslet told Candis magazine, according to news18.com.## The actress starred in James Cameron's multiple-Oscar winning romantic tragedy opposite Leonardo DiCaprio.## Stay tuned...

Jatin Sarna: Whenever '83' releases, audience will cherish it forever
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Jatin Sarna: Whenever '83' releases, audience will cherish it forever

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Actor Jatin Sarna will be essaying hard-hitting middle-order batsman Yashpal Sharma in Kabir Khan's "83", the much-awaited sports drama narrating the story of India's first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983. The film was scheduled to open on April 10 but has been deferred owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Rumors that suggested the film could go directly for an OTT release have been quashed by the makers, and Sarna feels a film of the magnitude of "83" deserves nothing short of a big release.## "I think a film like '83' deserves a big release all the way because it is about a topic like a cricket that unites the nation. In a diverse country like ours, only cinema and cricket unite us. That was the reason why Kabir cast actors across regions. Whenever the film is going to release, our audience will cherish it forever," Jatin told IANS.## "83" stars Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, who led an underdog Indian team to the famous World Cup victory, and features Deepika Padukone as Kapil's wife Romi Dev. The film also has Tahir Raj Bhasin, Saqib Saleem, Harrdy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Jiiva, Pankaj Tripathi, and Boman Irani in important roles.## With the theatrical release of the film getting postponed owing to COVID-19, it was rumored that the film might be released directly on a major OTT platform. However, co-producers Reliance Entertainment denied such speculations, and on Monday, calling it "official news", trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed that the film would release in theatres when the time is "appropriate".## "#Xclusiv: #83TheFilm will release in theatres first, as and when the time is appropriate... WON'T release on #OTT platform first... #Clarification #OfficialNews #83TheFilm stars #RanveerSingh as #KapilDev," tweeted Adarsh.## Stay tuned...

Hina Khan: 'Bigg Boss' house and COVID quarantine poles apart
2234 days ago
TV

Hina Khan: 'Bigg Boss' house and COVID quarantine poles apart

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) No househelp and no option to step out have made many feel like being locked up in the "Bigg Boss" house. But former "Bigg Boss" contestant Hina Khan says that participating in the reality show and experiencing the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown have nothing in common.## The reality show, an Indian version of international series "Celebrity Big Brother", features celebrities locked inside a house for months under constant camera surveillance, without any gadgets or luxury.## "The 'Bigg Boss' house and this quarantine phase are poles apart in regards to any kind of comparison. There is no tactic I am using right now," Hina told IANS.## Unlike the show where the contestants have to be away from their loved ones, Hina is living with her family in Mumbai right now and is feeling fortunate.## "I am so happy to have them by my side during these tough times," said the "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai" actress.## Like others, she is also doing household chores and keeping herself entertained with engaging content online.## "From cooking to cleaning to working out to watching stuff online, I have been diverting my mind with things that are positive and productive. Right now it's best doing what you like doing more than anything else, to deal with the home quarantine phase in a better way," she said.## The lockdown, which has been imposed since March, has been a learning experience for her.## "The art of patience is the biggest thing I have learned from the lockdown. Keeping calm, composed, and patiently passing through each day is what I am now getting much better at," she shared.## She doesn't have big plans after the lockdown gets over.## "I feel that even when the lockdown is over, getting back to the normal way of life like it was before this whole scenario began, is honestly going to take a lot of time. So even if there are things I want to do, it's all going to be done with keeping necessary precautions in mind first," she said.## While there is still time for the lockdown to be lifted, viewers can enjoy her recently released a short film titled "Smartphone".## "The short film has a great message. One is about never underestimating anybody else's abilities and there is a strong sense of women empowerment as well, so content-wise it is quite good. And right now I feel that good, meaningful, and interesting content is what people need to be given to watch, to help divert their minds from the stressful situation that we are all facing at the moment," said Hina.## She plays a rural woman in the short film.## "It was a challenging role with lots of nuances to keep in mind. From the desi accent to the language, dressing style, and even personality traits of the character, I had to ensure that every small detail was perfect! And challenges like these in my workspace are what I actually look forward to and enjoy working on, so this definitely is one of those amazingly challenging projects," she said.## Stay tuned...

Singer Kanika Kapoor to donate her plasma
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Singer Kanika Kapoor to donate her plasma

Lucknow, April 28 (IANS) Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor has now approached the King George's Medical University (KGMU), offering to donate her plasma for treatment of other Covid-19 patients.## The singer called up the head of the transfusion medicine department, Prof Tulika Chandra, and volunteered to help.## "She called me up and said she really wanted to help other Covid-19 patients. Vice-Chancellor Prof M.L.B. Bhatt has given a go-ahead on it and we will now be carrying out the tests on her to see if she is fit to donate her plasma," said Prof Chandra.## As per experts, Kanika's sample will be tested for a number of things before she can donate her plasma. These include her hemoglobin level that should be above 12.5, weight should be more than 50 kg and the patient should not have diabetes, cardiovascular issues, malaria, syphilis, and other such ailments.## Kanika's sample will probably be taken on Tuesday and if found to be eligible, she will be donating her plasma on Wednesday.## Kanika Kapoor had grabbed headlines last month when she became the first Bollywood celebrity to test positive for Coronavirus.## Kanika had attended two parties in Lucknow in the presence of top politicians and bureaucrats and all of them were later tested for Corona.## Kanika was hospitalized for over a fortnight at the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).## She had, on April 26, come out with a statement clarifying her travel and Covid-19 history declaring that she was aware of misconceptions and wrong information floating around her but she chose to remain silent until ready to speak.## Kanika in her social media post had said that all persons she came in contact within the UK, Mumbai, and Lucknow had been tested negative and that she had duly followed the process.## Meanwhile, the KGMU on Sunday night made the first plasma transfusion in a 58-year-old patient from Orai who is a government doctor whose condition was critical.## The doctors now say that the patient is responding well to the transfusion.## The university has received three plasma donations from fully recovered Covid-19 patients, two from doctors and one from a Lakhimpur man.## Stay tuned...

Sachet Tandon on 'Masakali 2.0' criticism: I respect audience opinion
2234 days ago
Bollywood

Sachet Tandon on 'Masakali 2.0' criticism: I respect audience opinion

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Singer Sachet Tandon, the voice behind the recreated versions of the 2009 AR Rahman hit "Masakali", has reacted to all the criticism coming the new version's way saying he respects audience opinion.## "It's Tanishk Bagchi's song and I was approached by the creators to sing it. I was glad to be part of the song and I am still happy that makers thought of me. But the ultimate decision always lies in the hands of the public. It's totally up to them whether to like a particular song or not, and I truly respect their opinion," said Sachet, about his version, titled "Masakali 2.0".## "Also, I don't think that any creator would intentionally try to distort an original song. Speaking of 'Masakali 2.0', I was not its creator. I just sang it and tried to give my best," Sachet told IANS.## The original "Masakali" was composed by Rahman, written by Prasoon Joshi, and sung by Mohit Chauhan for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's 2009 film "Delhi-6". It was picturized on the film's lead pair, Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. Although the film fared below expectations, the song has gone on to attain cult status.## Shortly after the release of "Masakali 2.0", both Rahman and Joshi expressed disappointment on social media and were joined by a huge number of fans who agreed with them.## When asked Sachet about his views on the ongoing trend of recreations, he said: "In today's time, everything is being liked by the audience. Some remakes have done amazingly well, some originals have become hits. A proper balance should be maintained."## Sachet, who gave Indian cinema a blockbuster love anthem, "Bekhayali" in collaboration with Parampara Thakur last year for the film "Kabir Singh", has now come up with the melodious track "Bewafai", which has garnered over 20 million views on YouTube.## "It's a beautiful song (and I )loved giving voice to 'Bewafai'," Sachet said, sharing that he never gives heed to "likes" and "number of views".## "For me likes and the number of views do no matter. What matters the most is the love of the audience. The best feeling is to hear compliments about your song. Jab log baat karte hain song ke baare me tab zyada acha lagta hai," Sachet signed off.## Stay tuned...

Urvashi Rautela: A virtual vacation will do for now
2235 days ago
Bollywood

Urvashi Rautela: A virtual vacation will do for now

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Bollywood actress and former beauty queen Urvashi Rautela seems to be in a holiday mode and says amid lockdown a virtual vacation will do for now.## Urvashi took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of herself in a sea green bikini. In the snapshot, she lies on a wooden plank beside the ocean. She completed her look with a pink flower in her hair and sunglasses.## "Sunshine is my favorite accessory. Close your eyes & imagine the beach... A virtual vacation will do for now," she captioned the image, which currently has 330K likes.## Urvashi on Sunday treated her fans to a dance video. In the clip, the actress is seen performing "heel choreography" on the Bollywood number "Aashiq banaya aapne" by Himesh Reshammiya.## Earlier this week, Urvashi's Facebook account was hacked. She warned fans not to respond to posts originating from the account.## On the work front, "Beat pe thumka", a peppy wedding number featuring Urvashi has just been released. The song is from her upcoming comedy flick "Virgin Bhanupriya".## Stay tuned...

Tisca Chopra: Important to stay mentally fit during lockdown
2235 days ago
Bollywood

Tisca Chopra: Important to stay mentally fit during lockdown

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Actress Tisca Chopra says due to the ongoing isolation period, anxiety and mental health are big issues today. She has stepped forward to help people get through this tough time.## People have been under lockdown for over a month now, and a lot of celebrities are trying to help fans through various activities. Some are suggesting good books, others are posting videos of cooking, while some are spending time learning new things.## Tisca has also found a way to help the masses through this lockdown. She conducted a live session on Instagram with Dr. Sanjay Chugh who specializes in neuro-psychiatry. During the session, they discussed issues that people are dealing with currently, right from anxieties to parenting.## "Due to this pandemic, we all are sitting in our homes and there are chances that we might feel anxious about this drastic change in our lifestyle. Due to this isolation period, anxiety and mental health is a big issue today. We might do yoga and other workouts to keep ourselves healthy physically but it is equally important to stay fit mentally too and so, I decided to get Dr. Chugh on board though by Instagram to explain people a lot of factors related to their psyche," Tisca said.## "Dr. Chugh is a well-known neuro-psychiatrists whom I have known for many years. I urged him to do this so that we can help share the right information and the right strategy to deal with the issues that people are going through. The fight isn't over yet and I hope that I can keep doing my bit by hosting more sessions like these for everyone," she added.## Meanwhile, Tisca recently shared a photograph of herself in a monochrome monokini. In the image, the "Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji" actress was seen lying on the sand.## She mentioned that she was "missing the outdoors but making the most of the indoors".## Stay tuned...