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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

Mini Mathur brings back her cooking show on Insta
2249 days ago
TV

Mini Mathur brings back her cooking show on Insta

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) Anchor-actress Mini Mathur is a great cook too! Two years ago, she came up with a show titled "The Mini Truck", which saw her cooking and chatting up along with Bollywood celebrities in a food truck. And now, she has taken to reminiscing about the show's journey by re-posting its episodes on Instagram, aiming to lighten up the mood of people amid the COVID-19 pandemic.## "Some shows are special. Because they are conceived with love and passion. Where every little detail is put out there from a piece of someone's heart. And yet there is organic, free-flowing magic to its birth. The Mini Truck is THAT show," she wrote on Instagram.## For Mini, "more than cooking itself, it's the memories and stories behind it that taste better".## She also shared how the show came into existence.## "My friend @nikkhiladvani decided I should cook my recipes with my stories on camera. @onlyemmay & @gauravvkchawla decided we should have celebrity friends come in. @anaghar who has always believed in me & Rajeshree from @indiafoodnetwork gave us the most amazing platform and fantastic sponsors.## "Nikhil bought us a bus, we stripped it down and then @karishmakohli came and poured in her soul into mine and we created the look, color, feel of the showdown to every cup, saucer, spatula & tea towel. The way the food would look. And she directed it like a dream along with our producer @kaachua! Then I met the most amazing food team @thefoodkonnect & @anushakay curated the recipes and we were set," Mini added.## The first person to visit her show was filmmaker Farah Khan. The two had made Mathur Alan ka saag and chicken together in the first episode.## Stay tuned...

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COVID-19 effect: 'Balika Vadhu' gets re-run, Avika Gor is 'overwhelmed'
2249 days ago
TV

COVID-19 effect: 'Balika Vadhu' gets re-run, Avika Gor is 'overwhelmed'

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) In keeping with the trend of re-telecasting hit old TV shows during the COVID-19 lockdown, the popular "Balika Vadhu" is in for a re-run, and actress Avika Gor, who played the central role of Anandi in the serial, is clearly on cloud nine.## Taking to Instagram Story, Avika posted a video that shows her singing the show's title track, "Choti Si Umar Mein", a Rajasthani folk.## "Balika Vadhu re-telecast... I am so overwhelmed," she captioned the video, thanking her other former co-stars.## "Balika Vadhu" was aired from 2008 to 2016. The show deals with the issue of child marriage. The cast included Surekha Sikri, Vikrant Massey, and Sidharth Shukla.## Colors channel decided to re-telecast the show in the wake of several Doordarshan repeats including "Ramayan", "Mahabharat", "Byomkesh Bakshi", "Circus", and "Shrimaan Shrimaati". Several other private channels have also already brought back many popular old shows.## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

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Hrithik Roshan's 'Super 30' awaits censor clearance for China release
2249 days ago
Bollywood

Hrithik Roshan's 'Super 30' awaits censor clearance for China release

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Hrithik Roshan's 2019 hit "Super 30" is lined for release in China once the COVID-19 pandemic blows over and normalcy returns.## Reliance Entertainment Group CEO Shibashish Sarkar said that they were in the midst of the censorship process before the lockdown in China, and are looking forward to taking the movie to the foreign market once they get a go-ahead signal.## Asked if "Super 30" will be the first Bollywood film to get a release in China after the health crisis -- as being speculated widely by a section of the Indian media -- Shibashish told IANS: "I don't think that is the fact."## "The fact is that we have applied for the censor, and we were in the midst of the censorship process. There are three stages and we have completed the first stage. We were in the midst of the process when the lockdown happened in China," he added.## Sarkar continued: "I assume that there will be many other films in the pipeline, maybe many Indian films in the pipeline as well, which I am not sure about. But I am pretty sure that our film was in the censorship process, and once the sensor clears it, we will gear up to release our film in China. But whether it is our film which will be the first (to release in China) or some other film, I don't have any idea."## "Super 30" is based on the life of Anand Kumar, who runs the Super 30programme for IIT-JEE aspirants from poor families. Produced by Reliance Entertainment and Phantom Films, and directed by Vikas Bahl, the film also stars Mrunal Thakur, Amit Sadh and Nandish Sandhu in pivotal roles.## Sarkar says they are looking forward to releasing the film in China.## "If the sensor gets cleared, which will get cleared in all likelihood because it is an inspirational film, then we are all geared up to release the film in China," he said.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Akbar and Birbal return on TV to bust your lockdown blues
2249 days ago
TV

Akbar and Birbal return on TV to bust your lockdown blues

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) "Har Mushkil Ka Hal Akbar Birbal", which ran from 2014 to 2016, is back on television. Its cast members Vishal Kotian, Delnaaz Irani and Kishwer Merchantt went down memory lane to shared some anecdotes from the shoot.## The popular historical comedy, with a lot of drama, suspense, and thrills, was inspired by the tales of Akbar and Birbal.## Vishal, who played Birbal in the show, said: "My experience of working in the show was amazing as I was surrounded by a set of close friends. Sometimes, magic just happens and the exact thing happened with this show. Nobody knew at that time that '...Akbar Birbal' will become such a hit."## "I remember when I first went for the reading session for the show, Kiku (Sharda) and I were there and this movie 'Jodhaa Akbar' had released and was already a huge hit. So I had the image of Akbar as a well-built guy and when I went for the reading, I actually thought that I was called for the role of Akbar as I believed it suited me more. When I started doing the show, I realized how Birbal's character is so much like me in real life as well.## "Another thing which changed with the show was my Hindi, as being a Mumbaikar, my Hindi was not up to the mark and no one could have thought of casting me in a show like '...Akbar Birbal' but as the show progressed, my Hindi actually improved," he added.## Delnaaz was seen as Maharani Jodha in the TV show. "There are some beautiful memories associated with the show. As we used to spend most of our time on the sets, each one of us had decorated our rooms as per our choice and requirement. For instance, my room had a prayer corner, office corner, Mirchi lights and I would light a Diya every day.## "On the other hand, Kiku being a foodie, had his room filled with eatables, fridge, microwave, etc. There was altogether a different level of comfort between each and every member of the show where we were like one big happy family on the set."## Kishwer essayed the role of Urvashi, a beautiful dancer appointed by Emperor Akbar.## "It's a show that has been very close to my heart and always will be. This was a character that I thought I could never pull off but I still ended up giving it a shot. I am not very comfortable with comedy as most of my roles have been negative characters. But working with Kiku, Delnaaz and Vishal actually taught me a lot," she said.## "Har Mushkil Ka Hal Akbar Birbal" is aired on BIG Magic.## Stay tuned...

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How Satish Kaushik celebrated his 64th birthday amid lockdown
2249 days ago
Bollywood

How Satish Kaushik celebrated his 64th birthday amid lockdown

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) As the world is staying indoors due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, veteran Bollywood actor-filmmaker Satish Kaushik is more than happy to celebrate his 64th birthday at home among his near and dear ones.## The actor says his seven-year-old daughter Vanshika has planned a special surprise in the evening.## "This is a really special birthday because I get to spend it entirely with my family at home. My daughter, Vanshika, gifted me with a lollipop, which she made herself by using many chocolates. She kept her room locked for the last two days, so I'm sure she has been whipping up something creative for me," Satish told IANS.## He said he would know what the surprise is by evening.## "I'll know that by the evening and I'm really excited about it. Just being home gives so much joy, and that makes this day even more special for me," he said.## How has he been keeping himself busy in lockdown?## "The only thing that's good about this lockdown phase is that I'm getting to stay home. I haven't spent so much time at home during my entire career. Now I get to see how the household is managed. I get to spend so much time with my wife and daughter. I don't feel I'm missing out on anything," he said.## Satish says he socializes with his friends Anupam Kher and Anil Kapoor via video calls.## "I often indulge in video calls with my besties Anupam Kher and Anil Kapoor. I've also been helping my daughter with studies and I enjoy playing with her. Of late, I've learned how one can walk and do proper exercise and yoga even at home. I've been watching a lot of movies and epic mythological stories like 'Ramayan' and 'Mahabharata'."## He has been exploring his creative sides even more now.## "I'm glad that I didn't allow my creative faculties to rest. I narrated and put together a poem, which was penned by Rashmi Virag, which went viral on digital platforms. So I'm glad I've got to explore different facets of my personality. This time has also been great for penning new content and ideas and deciding the way forward," he said.## Stay tuned...

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Why technology not hurting social skills of kids these days
2249 days ago
Lifestyle

Why technology not hurting social skills of kids these days

New York, April 13 (IANS) Parents, kindly take note. Despite the time spent with smartphones and social media, young people today are just as socially skilled as those from the previous generation, say researchers.## For the findings, published in the journal American Journal of Sociology, researchers compared teacher and parent evaluations of children who started kindergarten in 1998 - six years before Facebook launched - with those who began school in 2010 when the first iPad debuted.## Results showed both groups of kids were rated similarly on interpersonal skills such as the ability to form and maintain friendships and get along with people who are different.## They were also rated similarly on self-control, such as the ability to regulate their temper.## In other words, the kids are still all right. In virtually every comparison we made, either social skills stayed the same or actually went up modestly for the children born later," said study lead researcher said Douglas Downey from the Ohio State University in the US.## For the study, the research team used data from The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, which is run by the National Center for Educational Statistics. The ECLS follows children from kindergarten to fifth grade.## The researchers compared data on the ECLS-K cohort that included children who began kindergarten in 1998 (19,150 students) with the cohort that began kindergarten in 2010 (13,400 students).## Children were assessed by teachers six times between the start of kindergarten and the end of fifth grade. They were assessed by parents at the beginning and end of kindergarten and the end of first grade.## The researchers focused mostly on the teacher evaluations, because they followed children all the way to fifth grade, although the results from parents were comparable.## Results showed that from the teachers' perspective, children's social skills did not decline between the 1998 and 2010 groups.## And similar patterns persisted as the children progressed to fifth grade.## In fact, teachers' evaluations of children's interpersonal skills and self-control tended to be slightly higher for those in the 2010 cohort than those in the 1998 group, Downey said.## Even children within the two groups who had the heaviest exposure to screens showed similar development in social skills compared to those with little screen exposure, results showed.## There was one exception: Social skills were slightly lower for children who accessed online gaming and social networking sites many times a day.## "But even that was a pretty small effect. Overall, we found very little evidence that the time spent on screens was hurting social skills for most children," Downey said.## Stay tuned...

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COVID-19: Sanjay Dutt pitches in to feed 1000 families
2249 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19: Sanjay Dutt pitches in to feed 1000 families

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) Actor Sanjay Dutt is pitching in to feed a thousand families in Mumbai at a time when the underprivileged are facing difficulty organizing daily income and food for themselves amid the COVID-19 pandemic.## "This is a time of grave crisis for the entire country. Everybody is helping each other in any way they can, even if it means just staying home and practicing social distancing. I am just trying to do my bit to help out as many people as I can," said Dutt.## Apart from social service, the actor is also focussed on fitness, among other things.## "Staying fit is very important especially during this time. So eat well, stay healthy & keep exercising. #QuarantineWorkout #HealthyAtHome #WorkoutAtHome #StayHomeStaySafe," he had recently tweeted.## While on his social service effort, Dutt has gone ahead to help the needy in these times of COVID-19 crisis by joining hands with Sawarkar Shelters. He has made sure that they cover the suburban area between Borivali to Bandra. "Sawarkar Shelters has been a great backbone to execute this plan. They have done much hard work and I thank them for it. I hope that by helping each other, we get through this difficult phase of our lives soon," he said.## Rupesh Sawarkar, Chairman, Sawarkar Shelters, shared: "It is so heartwarming to see people come forward to show unity in this fight against coronavirus. There are so many people who cannot get access to food right now. It is such a great initiative by Mr. Sanjay Dutt to step up and help these people out. His association with Sawarkar Shelters has been a positive one thanks to his generosity. His humanitarian efforts are a motivation for others to do whatever they can to support one another."## Stay tuned...

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Film body warns Indian musicians against working with Pak artistes
2249 days ago
Bollywood

Film body warns Indian musicians against working with Pak artistes

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has issued a circular warning Indian musicians and singers against working with Pakistani artistes. This comes after designer Vijay Arora and singer Harshdeep Kaur recently collaborated with noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan through a digital concert.## "We are pained to inform all members that despite being fully aware that FWICE has issued a total non-cooperation circular advising all members not to work in any manner whatsoever with all Pakistani artistes, singers, and technicians, some members are blatantly violating the non-cooperation circular by working in various mode and media of entertainment like a recent instance in which our musicians have worked online with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan of Pakistan which is being seen online. We have been informed that more such entertainment products and songs are being planned and made," the circular reads.## The film body warned all Indian musicians, singers, artists and technicians that "anyone found cooperating or working in any manner with Pakistani artistes" will be subject to "strict disciplinary action". The circular has been signed by FWICE chief advisor Ashoke Pandit, president BN Tiwari, general secretary Ashok Dubey, and treasurer Gangeshwarlal Shrivastav.## FWICE reminded everyone that while the entire world is battling the COVID 19 pandemic, "Pakistan is still busy killing our soldiers on the borders".## Sharing the circular on Twitter, trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote: "No working with #Pakistani artists, singers, technicians, no working on digital platforms too... #FWICE issues a stern warning... OFFICIAL STATEMENT."## Stay tuned...

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Raftaar pays homage to his roots with new album 'Mr. Nair'
2249 days ago
Bollywood

Raftaar pays homage to his roots with new album 'Mr. Nair'

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) Rapper Raftaar has come out with his sophomore album "Mr. Nair", and says the album gives him an opportunity to narrate his life to the world.## From working with his fellow Kalamkaar associates like KR$NA, Yunan, Deep Kalsi, Harjas, Rashmeet Kaur, KARMA; Bengaluru-based rapper Brodha V and Gully Gang signee Shah Rule to old-time collaborators Manj Musik and Bunty Bains, the 16-track album showcases several facets of Raftaar's persona whilst highlighting his passion for music.## "This album is an opportunity for me to narrate my life to the world. This is a curtain raiser of my story, my struggles, my success," Raftaar said.## "‘Mr. Nair' is an acronym I coined together that not only stands for my surname but also means ‘National Ambassador Of Indian Rap'. It's an epiphany of how my life has shaped up with all the struggles and how far I've traveled courtesy my modest middle-class upbringing," he added.## Looking back at his career, Raftaar said: "Since my initial years whether it was music, dance, painting, writing or whatever sort of creative outlet, I was exposed to; it has contributed to my story because there was a hint of the hip hop culture in everything I did from the start. In all honesty, I created ‘Mr. Nair' to break a psychological barrier that most artists create for themselves unconsciously which hampers their success story."## "I wanted to distance myself from the whole ‘what's trending and current rat' race. Take my example, for instance, as a teen I disapproved of my surname because it was difficult being a Malayali living in North India. But as soon as I realized that the name tag doesn't matter, I could focus more on my art. This album pays homage to my roots and pays respect to the family name that is built on the foundation of warriors and there is no better time than now," he added.## He thanked all the musicians who contributed to the album.## "Every individual who came on board to create this beautiful piece of art is very important to me. Without them, it wouldn't be the album I wanted to present. To every avid music enthusiast, this is my labor of love and I've tried my best to gift you something that's never been presented before as I have worked on this creatively for the past one year with a lot of technical experimentation," he said.## The 16-track album was released on Zee Music Company on April 13.## Stay tuned...

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Nupur Sanon gives 'Veer-Zara' touch to her grocery shopping amid COVID-19
2249 days ago
Bollywood

Nupur Sanon gives 'Veer-Zara' touch to her grocery shopping amid COVID-19

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) Singer Nupur Sanon braved the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday to step out of her home because she urgently needed to buy groceries. And she gave her brief outing a filmy touch.## Nupur posted a video on Instagram Story in which she is seen sitting in her car, strictly following all safety precautions as she heads for her shopping trip in a mask.## "Grocery shopping me do pal duniya dekhli," she captioned the video, with the "Veer-Zaara" song "Do pal ruka" song playing in the background.## On the work front, Nupur made her acting debut opposite Akshay Kumar in the music video of B Praak's song "Filhall" last year. She recently came up with a cover version of the soulful track.## Stay tuned...

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Hrithik Roshan shares workout video of 70-yr-old Rakesh Roshan
2249 days ago
Bollywood

Hrithik Roshan shares workout video of 70-yr-old Rakesh Roshan

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan is a fitness icon for the youth, but it turns out his 70-year-old filmmaker dad Rakesh Roshan is no less a health freak.## On Monday, Hrithik took to Instagram to share a video of Roshan senior sweating it out all by himself in the gym.## Lauding the septuagenarian filmmaker's enthusiasm and commitment, Hrithik wrote: "Alone. But at it! @rakesh_roshan9 #70running17 #whydidinotgethisgenetics #militaryman #fitnessmotivation #whenigrowupiwannabelikehim #daddycool. This seriously is more inspiring to me than anything else. My daily dose . Give him a shout guys."## Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan is providing 1.2 lakh nutritious cooked meals for the needy amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. The Bollywood superstar is doing this in association with the NGO Akshaya Patra.## Stay tuned...

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Shekhar Ravjiani unveils 'Maha Mrityunjaya' mantra amid COVID-19 crisis
2249 days ago
Bollywood

Shekhar Ravjiani unveils 'Maha Mrityunjaya' mantra amid COVID-19 crisis

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) Singer-composer Shekhar Ravjiani has unveiled his version of "Maha Mrityunjaya" mantra, which he describes as a prayer from him to Lord Shiva to protect everyone at a time when people are hit by the coronavirus pandemic.## "I've been listening to Shankar Sahney's version of the 'Maha Mrityunjaya' mantra since many years and it is a prayer that I really love and recite regularly," said Shekhar.## "During this lockdown period, I've been praying for the well-being of humanity with the hope that this difficult time will pass. Here's my version of 'Maha Mrityunjaya' mantra -- a prayer from me to Lord Shiva to protect all of us," added the artiste, who had earlier come up with his own rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa and Gayatri Mantra.## Shekhar's version of "Maha Mrityunjaya" mantra has been released by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series.## "We have been in the devotional market space since the time my father (Gulshan Kumar) started the company. With the blessings of Lord Mahadev, we are excited to release this version of 'Maha Mrityunjaya' mantra in Shekhar's voice," said Bhushan.## "We hope the mantra will bring about positive change during this tough time of the coronavirus pandemic that humanity at large is grappling with," he added.## Stay tuned...

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