BY IANS NEWS

Hyderabad, April 26 (IANS) South superstar Vijay Deverakonda took to the social media to make two important announcements.## He wrote: "None of us were prepared for this. But we are fighters. We shall survive this and come out of it strong. This thing hit me hard as well, but I am here now. I am here with my incredible team that never says no to a fight and we are happy to announce a Rs 1.30 cr fund to help as many as we can. All we need is some love, kindness, and support and I am sending you all, my love and strength."## He even posted an 11-minute video clip in which the actor assured that he will provide employment opportunities and take care of the immediate requirements such as groceries and medicine through his foundation.## He also revealed that he had started a project in April 2019 and wanted to help 50 boys and girls with employment opportunities.## They were given coaching by his team as well.## Vijay happily shared that two of the students have since received offer letters from a company and he is confident that the remaining 48 people will get their offers after the COVID-19 lockdown ends.## He also added that he will take care of the immediate needs of more than 2,000 families.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Filmmaker Karan Johar has "apologized profusely" after he was hit hard by a post showing a "privilege celebrities" have.## Karan took to Twitter, where he shared a video titled "Thank You Celebrities", which shows celebrities including A popular names like Ellen DeGeneres, Sam Arnitage and Amanda Keller among many others, who have been treating quarantine like a vacation from in their sprawling mansions by "common" people who are struggling during the pandemic.## "This hit me hard and I have realized many of my posts may have been insensitive to many...I apologize profusely and wish to add none of it was intentional and came from a place of sharing but clearly may have lacked emotional foresight ... am sorry!" Karan wrote alongside the video.## The Bollywood director has constantly been entertaining his fans and followers amid lockdown. The videos feature his twins -- Roohi and Yash poking fun at him.## However, social media users came in support of Karan's videos.## One wrote: "Ur kids are Angels in this hard time ..me and my daughter s are waiting for Yash Roohi videos.."## Another questioned as to why the filmmaker is apologizing.## "Why are you apologizing. Your videos are harmless to your kids. You are bringing joy to people like us and I am a healthcare worker in Chicago saying that. You aren't one of the celebrities showing off, so please don't apologize and keep posting and sharing joy," the user wrote.## A third user said: "Wish to thank your kids for bringing smiles to me as well as my family. Please don't apologize. And don't stop posting, we look forward to them."## A social media user lauded Karan's "sensitive side."## "Sorry bolne ke liye bohoth himmat chaheye (It takes a lot of strength to apologize. I have no idea what you apologizing for, lekin it feels good to know your sensitive side (It feels good to know your sensitive side)," the user said.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is elated as she's raised over 2,500 PPE kits for doctors and Rs 16 lakhs for those who are battling at the frontline to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 pandemic.## Vidya had also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar.## She took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon where she shared the good news.## "I've woken up to good news this morning. We've reached 2500+ PPE kits and raised over 16 lakh in just a few hours. A big thank you to each of you who has donated and made this possible. A load of gratitude and bless you. This is truly the unity and spirit of India..." she said in the video.## Alongside the video, Vidya wrote: "Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I'm elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs 16 lakh within a few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target.## "The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven't been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let's #UniteForHumanity #StayHome#StaySafe".## In an earlier post, the "Mission Mangal" star had informed that each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers.## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Laxmmi Bomb might not release in theaters now as some reports suggest that the movie can directly go to digital platforms due to coronavirus pandemic and extended lockdown in India. However, the official announcement yet to happen but it is highly to release on OTT platform.## Movie critic and trade analyst Joginder Tuteja also gives a hint that one of the most awaited movies of the year may not release in theaters. ## Yes, it is highly probable now that @akshaykumar and @advani_kiara starrer #LaxmmiBomb will release straight on OTT.Sad (for people like me who love to watch the smallest of films on the big screen) but true! pic.twitter.com/AbMAyhZpXN— Joginder Tuteja (@Tutejajoginder) April 26, 2020 ## Laxmmi Bomb was originally slated to release on Eid (22 May) along with Salman Khan's Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai but the coronavirus pandemic and the extended lockdown till May 3 in India has ruined all the plans of the makers to get an original release date.## Laxmmi Bomb is a Hindi remake of 2011 Tamil horror comedy Muni 2: Kanchana. Akshay Kumar plays the role of timid-natured Raghav, who suffers from a fear of ghosts and undergoes a personality transformation after being possessed by the spirit of a transgender named Laxmmi in the film. Laxmmi Bomb is directed by Raghava Lawrence who also directed and played a lead role in Tamil film Muni 2: Kanchana. ## Due to the pandemic, many film projects have been postponed indefinitely including Salman Khan's Radhe - Your Most Wanted Bhai which was slated to release along with Akshay's Laxmmi Bomb on Eid (22 May), 2020.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Actor Samir Kochhar, who appears in the second season of the web series "Four More Shots Please!", says that he always looks for an opportunity to prove his versatility.## "(I am) Really happy with the shows I've been a part of. I'm hungry for bigger, meatier roles, which I hope (will) keep coming along," Samir said.## The actor has lately appeared in web series like "The Test Case", "Sacred Games", and the digital film "Typewriter".## Samir stepped into the world of entertainment as a travel show host before becoming an actor. He believes in proving versatility, and he looks for subjects, genres, and roles that are completely challenging and diverse.## According to him, working with good directors like Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Nupur Asthana has helped improve his performances.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan shared a "breaking news" that a bat entered his home Jalsa here.## Amitabh took to Twitter to share the "news of the hour" with his fans and followers.## "Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury .. news of the hour .. BREAKING NEWS .. would you believe it .. A Bat, a (chamgadar) has come into my room .. in Jalsa .. on the 3rd floor .. in my Den..."## The thespian said that it was a tough job to take the bat out from the room.## "Badi mushkil se use bahar nikala (It as tough to take it out)... Corona peecha chodh hi nahin raha (Corona is not leaving)."## However, the tweet did not go down well with many social media users.## A user wrote: "Sorry to hear this from a reputed personality. Bats are not harmful and there is no need to fear. Kindly understand that they did not spread the virus to human. The reason is still debated. By nature, most animals have got virus in their body. Pls read this."## Another commented: "Not in good taste sir. You have millions of followers. Still we don't have exact process of human virus spillover. Demonising bat is last thing we want. Things we know for sure; They are pollinators. They help in pest control. Please revisit it."## "This is story of every uncle now days after limits on WhatsApp forwards," said a user.## On the work front, Big B will next be seen in films like "Chehre", Gulabo Sitabo", Brahmastra" and "Jhund".## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) "Aashiqui 2" turned seven on Sunday. The romance musical is one of the most successful films of actress Shraddha Kapoor, and she thanked its director Mohit Suri for the "gift of a lifetime".## Shraddha tweeted: "7 years of Aashiqui 2 today! Thank you forever @mohit11481 for this gift of a lifetime @VisheshFilms for believing @shufta20 for your exquisitely beautiful writing, Aditya for being an unbelievably amazing costar & the entire team who gave their everything to this precious film."## Mohit replied to her saying: "Love you even more chota !! Forever."## The blockbuster tells the story of a failing singer Rahul (Aditya Roy Kapur), how he meets her and falls in love with Aarohi (Shraddha), a woman who sings in a bar. He helps her in becoming a famous singer while he goes on a self-destructive mode.## Shraddha even changed her Instagram username to Aarohi and changed her profile photo taken during the film's shoot to celebrate the movie's anniversary.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) It is quite some time before people start flocking to cinema halls or other entertainment events. For now, they will stick to their stay-at-home lifestyle even after the lockdown is lifted, and even after the coronavirus crisis is over. And that's expected to have a ripple effect on the television industry with the trend of long format making a comeback on the small screen post-pandemic.## Signaling gloomy days for film business and live entertainment gigs, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned out to be a major inflection point for changing the way people consume entertainment content, registering fast pace growth of television and OTT platforms.## "Collective public experience will be replaced by collective family viewing, that too within the confines of their respective homes," producer-director Vivek Budakoti of banner Katha Kottage, told IANS.## According to a recent report by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), TV consumption continues to show a growth of 40 percent over a pre-COVID period now at 1.24 trillion minutes -- the increase led by both reach and average time spent. It also stated that the Hindi GEC in HSM (Hindi speaking market) is at an all-time high with 8.5 billion impressions with mythological shows leading the way.## "This trend will be there for time being before people go back to cinema halls. Web platforms will gain traction amidst TV and cinema. It may sort of work as a bridge between two seasoned mediums," Budakoti pointed out.## Actor Sharad Malhotra feels "even after lockdown is removed and the situation gets normal people" will think twice before stepping out for a film.## "Long-running shows will be in demand more than before," Sharad added.## To this, actress Vahbiz Dorabjee added: "There is a possibility that the trend of long-running shows will be back. This pandemic will stay in people's minds for a very long time. Even after it goes, it is going to take a long time to settle down because people won't be able to forget this deadly virus so soon."## The change has started reflecting already. At a time when limited series are in vogue, Disney+ Hotstar has commissioned 234 episodes of the animated series "Selfie With Bajrang".## One can say that television has always been a haven for long-running shows with popular "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah", "Kumkum Bhagya" and "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai" being the case in point.## Adaa Khan noted that "daily soaps are like dal chawal. Long-running hit shows like ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' already exist. You should have a constant story to tell and it should click with masses", with actress Jasmin Bhasin pointing out: "Long-running shows always existed depending upon being hit. If people love specific shows they continue seeing it. The story has to constantly hold the audience's interest."## But one can't overlook the fact that finite concept was fast seeping into the industry, with sequels and limited series becoming a new reality of the television landscape.## Benaifer Kohli, producer of the hit show "Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!", feels "even a finite show, if it works, can be converted into a long-running show."## "Because you don't want to close a show which is being loved by the public. So, you automatically tend to lend more stories and make it a long-running show...Long-running shows will be the order and trend of the day in the times to come," Kohli told IANS.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan lost his mother Saeda Begum on Saturday morning. She was 95 and a resident of Jaipur.## The actor is currently out of India and, owing to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, will not be able to fly back to the country for his mother's last rites, according to a report in SpotboyE.## "It's very sad. I have yet to talk to him, though. I will be calling him," filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, who worked with the actor in the 2015 film "Piku", told the website.## Irrfan'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. The actor was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor and has been under medical attention for the same.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actress Tamannaah Bhatia recently took part in the ongoing viral #pillowChallenge, and she pulled it off with the help of her Gucci belt.## The Pillow Challenge is one of the viral trends doing the rounds during the global COVID-19 lockdown. People taking the challenge have to tie a pillow to themselves like a dress using a belt and post a picture or video of the pose on social media.## Taking to Instagram, Tamannaah posted a picture in which she is seen lying on a floor while striking a stunning pose with a pillow. She accessorized with Gucci belt and red high heels.## "I'm off to club bed featuring DJ pillow and MC blanket! #feelingfancybutnowheretogo #weekendvibes #quarantinePillowchallenge #pillowchallenge," she captioned the post.## Reacting to Tamannaah's post, a user commented: "So hot."## Another one wrote: "Lucky pillow."## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actor Rajeev Khandelwal says his role in his debut play "Court Martial" is an ode to his father.## "Growing up in an army family, I've always seen my father and brother proudly don their uniforms and it's no news to people that I also had aspirations to join the army," Rajeev said.## "In my career, I've played characters in uniforms before and I decided to keep this one of Capt. Bikash Roy. My role in ‘Court Martial' I'd like to believe is an ode to my father," he added.## The Zee Theatre teleplay "Court Martial" follows the unusual trial of a junior-ranked army man convicted of murdering his senior officer. Rajeev plays the role of Bikash Roy, an extremely sharp defense lawyer who goes deep into the shocking truth behind the assault.## Written by Swadesh Deepak, the play also stars Govind Pandey, Bhagwan Tiwari, Saksham Dayma and Swapnil Kotiwar.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actor Vatsal Sheth will be making his directorial debut with a short film "Kahaa Toh Tha", in which he stars with wife Ishita Dutta.## The short film will release on April 28. It's a love story about a middle-class couple and the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic brings in their lives.## "This film 'Kahaa Toh Tha' is very close to me for a lot of reasons. I have turned director and producer for a film for the first time and I have launched Vatsal Sheth Films," Vatsal said.## "Ishita is a part of the film and I got to direct her. It's a very sweet film made at home by the two of us and the story is also very sweet and nice. It's a short film. I tried my best to make this as professional as possible with whatever limitations there. For example, we got the best music director. The music director of tanhaji has done the music. We got the best editor, poster designers for the film. This film is very close to me," he added.## Stay tuned...