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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

IIFA 2020 postponed due to coronavirus outbreak
2286 days ago
Bollywood

IIFA 2020 postponed due to coronavirus outbreak

Bhopal, March 6 (IANS) The International Indian Film Academy Award (IIFA) ceremony, which was scheduled to take place in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh by March-end, has been postponed due to coronavirus scare.## The organisers of the festival on Friday released a statement, confirming the changes in the festival''s dates.## "#IIFA2020 postponed ...With due regard to the growing concerns around the spread of the COVID-19 virus and keeping the health and safety of IIFA''s fans and the general community at large, after consulting the Madhya Pradesh government, the IIFA management, and stakeholders from the film industry it has been decided to postpone to a later date the much-awaited IIFA Weekend and Awards 2020 celebrations which were originally scheduled at the end of March 2020," it read.## Now, "fresh date and plans for hosting IIFA in Madhya Pradesh will be announced at the earliest," it added.## "IIFA is fully committed to ensure the safety of the citizens and legions of IIFA fans who travel from across the globe to attend and experience the magic of IIFA. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused, and hope that all concerned understand the sensitivity of the situation," the statement concluded.## The IIFA awards 2020 were to be hosted by superstar Salman Khan in his hometown Indore.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Allu Arjun to wife on anniversary: Love grows every day
2286 days ago
Tollywood

Allu Arjun to wife on anniversary: Love grows every day

Hyderabad, March 6 (IANS) Southern superstar Allu Arjun penned a heartfelt note for his wife Sneha on their ninth marriage anniversary. He said that the time is getting over fast but love grows every day.## Allu Arjun took to Instagram, where he shared a photograph from their wedding.## "Nine years of marriage. Time is getting over fast. But love grows every day," he captioned the photo.## On his Instagram story, he shared a photograph of the anniversary celebrations, which also features their son Ayaan, 5, and daughter Arha, 3.## He wrote: "Thank you for giving me the cutest gifts in my life, cutie."## The actor was last seen on screen in "Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo", an action drama directed by Trivikram Srinivas. The film also features Pooja Hegde, Tabu, Jayaram, Sushanth, Navdeep, Nivetha Pethuraj, Samuthirakani, Murali Sharma, Sunil, Sachin Khedekar and Harsha Vardhan.## For more and latest news about Tollywood, stay tuned with us.

Vishal's new film Chakra to release on May 1
2286 days ago
Kollywood

Vishal's new film Chakra to release on May 1

Chennai, March 6 (IANS) Tamil star Vishal's first release of 2020 is going to be 'Chakra', which will hit screens on May 1.## Directed by MS Anandan, 'Chakra' also stars Shraddha Srinath and Regina Cassandra. The pictures from the film were released recently, and it seemed to show Vishal and Shraddha in intense avatars. The pictures taken in a police station suggest that they will be playing sincere individuals, who are on a mission to unlock a mystery. It is said to be a cyber-crime thriller.## In November 2019, the title and the first look posters were released by filmmaker Gautham Menon on his social media handle.## Speaking to Times Of India, director Anandan shared how he pitched the film to Vishal "I was so nervous the night before meeting him. It was a big opportunity for me, and I didn't want to waste it. But the way Vishal treated me boosted my confidence. He quietly listened to the whole story and didn't even take a coffee break in-between'. He said, "The story is good and the characterizations are strong. Don't change anything for me." He believes in the script and doesn't believe in promoting the hero and downgrading the villain. I think both of them have to be equally strong if the face-off sequences have to come out well." Shraddha Srinath said "When I shot my opening sequence, I was so nervous. I thought it would look unnatural for me to do stunts. I was wondering if I was even physically fit to do it. But Anbariv masters were so good. I've seen the edited scene, and I''m so excited to see the film for my own action sequence!"## The team had completed a schedule in Coimbatore then in Chennai. "Chakra" is said to have Vishal playing the role of an army officer. The music of the film is by Yuvan Shankar Raja and cinematography by Balasubramaniem. Produced by Vishal, under his banner Vishaal Film Factory, the film also has Srushti Dange, Manobala and Robo Shankar in important roles.## For more and latest news about Kollywood, stay tuned with us.

Milind Soman: Don't want 'Made In India' to be remixed or recreated
2286 days ago
Bollywood

Milind Soman: Don't want 'Made In India' to be remixed or recreated

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) As remixes and reboots of old songs in new films become a fad, Supermodel, actor and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman turns serious when you ask him how he would feel if his iconic indipop video of 1995, 'Made In India', was remade.## "I cannot think that the song can be made in any other way, in any better way. It''s a lovely song that everyone loved. I really cannot imagine a recreation of that. I am not interested in a reboot or recreation, but if there is a composer who can come up with something interesting, I''d want to know, what it is. For me, it is a perfect song and I cannot imagine it differently. I am not against it but I cannot imagine a recreated version of ''Made in India''," he told IANS.## Soman recently released the aptly-titled "Made In India: A Memoir", which outlines his life story. It is apt that the book should be named after the song because its video, in which he appears with the singer Alisha Chinai, really made him a household name back in the day when DD Metro ruled, and satellite television was just making inroads into Indian homes.## The book is co-authored by Roopa Pai and it captures the journey of Soman who started out as a trained swimmer who represented Maharashtra at the National level, and went on to become a supermodel, and later a record-holder marathon runner. A jewell in his crown was when, in 2015 at the age of 50, Soman completed the Ironman challenge in 15 hours and 19 minutes in his first try. Two years later, the fitness enthusiast successfully completed the prestigious Ultrathon in Florida, the only participant to have completed the challenge barefoot.## At 54 today, the ultra-fit and dashing Soman still gets a lot of female attention. Talking of handling so much attention and validation from women across ages for years, he said: "How I look never mattered to me, but it was a part of my profession as a model. They said that I am handsome, I never looked into the mirror. Also, I was in a boys'' school. But I got my first validation at the age of 14 that I am ''good looking''."## In 1995, Soman made his acting debut in one of India''s first English TV shows, "A Mouthful Of Sky" and he would go on to appear in the first Indian sci-fi TV Series "Captain Vyom". Although he acted in several Bollywood films, he has been absent from the showbiz scene lately.## "I like acting but that is not my fulltime career. I also noticed that work is given to actors who are regular, who are visible in the scene as an actors. I am not ambitious to do so. I will not act in a film just to maintain visibility. I have other avenues for that. That is why I only work as an actor if the script or the director is interesting to collaborate with," said the actor, who has appeared in films like "Bheja Fry", "Tarkieb", "Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula", "Agni Varsha", ''16 December" and "Baajirao Mastaani".## In his memoir in one of the chapters, Soman shares an anecdote on how he left the shooting of an Aamir Khan-starrer because healthy food was not served on time.## "Oh my God! It is not like I was throwing a tantrum. My point is we all should eat healthy food, and eat on time. It is basic. Now the way you are saying it, (it) sounds like I intimidate people. Not at all! All I need is healthy food, whether during shooting or when I am travelling. I eat healthy," Soman laughed.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

COVID-19 shadow on IIFA, no positive case so far in MP
2287 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19 shadow on IIFA, no positive case so far in MP

Bhopal, March 6 (IANS) The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) award ceremony, to be held for the first time in Bhopal on March 21 and in Indore on March 27-29, is most likely to be postponed due to Covid-19 scare. The new dates would be announced soon, say state government sources.## Preparations have been going on in Indore and Bhopal. Recently the films to be nominated at IIFA have been announced, and its invitations were also released. The Madhya Pradesh government is fully backing the preparations for the gala event to take the state on the international tourist map. It is only for the second time that the event is to be hosted in India. The previous event was held in Mumbai.## Meanwhile, there is no positive case of coronavirus reported in Madhya Pradesh, according to Additional Director of Health Services Dr Veena Sinha. The Chief Minister and Health Minister held a review meeting on Thursday to monitor the measures being taken to check the occurrence of coronavirus in the state.## Dr Sinha said 484 passengers arriving from the affected countries have been screened for the virus as a precaution. Of these 107 have asked to stay in isolation at their homes. Samples of 15 suspected cases were sent to Pune for examination and all have been reported negative, Dr Sinha said. Airports at Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and Jabalpur have been equipped with screening facilities.## Two new suspected coronavirus patients have been identified -- a 23-year-old youth who has returned from Dubai and a 23-year-old girl from Italy. They have been admitted to a hospital for investigation.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Katrina Kaif: I don't believe in ego
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Katrina Kaif: I don't believe in ego

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Actress Katrina Kaif feels fortunate that biggies like Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, and Salman Khan are her friends, and says she respects them and ego doesn't come into friendship.## "I don't need to look at, 'why have you hurt my ego'. That's your problem. Disrespect is different. You must stand up and defend (against) that. What purpose does the ego serve? I'm just a person," Katrina said.## "Whether it is Shah Rukh or Hrithik, Akshay or Salman, I'm very fortunate to call them friends and they are important to me. I can talk to them at any time. I respect them and when you respect someone, the ego doesn't come into it," added the actress.## The actress will soon be seen in "Sooryavanshi" with Akshay and she says that the oft-repeated perception that she is a "blockbuster star but not a great actor" never bothers her.## She said: "My focus was to be a star. I wanted to be loved by people and seen by people. That came from when I was growing up. I have zero inhibitions about hiding and changing that. That's my journey and my story, and I have to own that. I did exactly what I set out to do. Every day I realise how fortunate I am to say that. I wanted to be known in every household, my idol was Hema Malini ji and that's what I was interested in being."## For Katrina, life is all about striking a balance. "There's a lot that you need to try and balance. A lot of changes, so it's very hard to talk about your career. It becomes a subconscious ingrained habit of whether I'm doing well. It's judged by the parameters of the film industry and media. Your sense of self and your sense of self-worth gets driven by that. Your sense of self comes from who you are. Whether a film is a success or not has to not weigh on your sense of self."## Talking about finding herself, the Britain-origin actress said: "I'm a huge believer of self-therapy and think everyone should do it. Try to get a hold and understand who you are. You will be crushed, your soul will be crushed if your sense of self is decided by the box office and your popularity. You have to decide where you stand, for you to be happy and satisfied and growing. You have to try and place yourself where you want to be. If you're trying to chase a number, that won't happen. You won't get the kinds of projects you are looking for."## Katrina asserts that she found her "identity of who I was in India".## "I took after my father in the sense that I had a connecting to this country. I felt like everyone was amazing and kind and loving and welcoming to me. There was no fear anywhere when I came here. I heard lots of things about the industry but I didn't feel it. I don't give too much importance to what people say about what we can and can't do," she said.## Katrina was speaking on the audio show "Kissa Khwaabon Ka", available on Audible Suno.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

It's a wrap for Chandigarh schedule of Aamir's 'Laal Singh Chaddha'
2287 days ago
Bollywood

It's a wrap for Chandigarh schedule of Aamir's 'Laal Singh Chaddha'

Chandigarh, March 6 (IANS) The Chandigarh schedule for the Aamir Khan-starrer 'Laal Singh Chaddha' has concluded.## Actress Mona Singh, who plays a pivotal role in the film, took to Instagram and shared a few pictures of the wrap-up party.## In the images, Mona and Aamir are seen sharing smiles.## "Worked hard and partied harder Chandigarh schedule wrap and now off to Amritsar. #laalsinghchaddha #bestteam #happiness #partymode #workmode #punjab," Mona wrote.## "Laal Singh Chaddha" is self-produced by Aamir, and directed by "Secret Superstar" maker Advait Chandan. The film, also featuring Kareena Kapoor, is an official adaptation of the 1994 Hollywood hit "Forrest Gump", starring Tom Hanks.## The film will release on Christmas this year.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Shama Sikander: 'Thappad' is the best movie on women's empowerment today
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Shama Sikander: 'Thappad' is the best movie on women's empowerment today

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Ahead of International Women's Day, actress Shama Sikander spoke about the evolution of female roles in Hindi cinema.## "Cinema has played a huge role in getting issues to the mainstream and the women have come and slayed the screen and how -- from ''Mother India'' to ''Arth to ''Kahaani'' and ''Queen. If we make a movie like ''Sholay'', Hema Maliniji had done a great job with the role of Basanti that we won't forget ever. The issues have been paramount for women and no point choosing to have a blind eye to it," said Shama.## She added: "We have to acknowledge the issues and as society moves towards a solution. ''English Vinglish'' was such a breakthrough performance from one of my greatest idols, the late Sridevi ji. They have done an enormous amount of great work and movies seem to be an apt representation of the modern Indian woman taking on the world. The performances have been fantastic by the girls for the longest time and it''s time we acknowledge the fact that nationwide we have to have the same level of empowerment of women in every sector and it will have to be one huge collective effort led by women and men."## She also urged everyone to watch Taapsee Pannu''s latest film "Thappad".## "It''s the best thing you can do on this Women's Day. It''s the best movie made on women's empowerment in today's time and all the ladies will take a stand for themselves after watching it," she added.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Patralekhaa: Women give birth, so they should be celebrated a bit more
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Patralekhaa: Women give birth, so they should be celebrated a bit more

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Actress Patralekhaa feels a woman gives birth to a child and that is the reason why womanhood need to be celebrated bit more compared to manhood.## At a promotional event ahead of International Women's Day, the actress was asked what she thought is the best thing being a woman. "That we can give birth," she replied, adding: "I feel we are equal. We go out and we earn. We are as good as men. But I also feel that there is no competition. I am not saying that we are better or boys are better. I haven't given birth yet but I know it is something else, so that''s why maybe we should be celebrated a tiny bit more."## The actress said that womanhood should be celebrated throughout the year and not just on a particular day. "I always wonder why do we need one particular day or week to celebrate womanhood. I just feel like we (women) should be celebrated throughout the year. You know we give birth. It''s a really difficult thing. I mean you can't explain it. One has to go through it to understand it. I think we should be appreciated and given a lot more than we actually deserve," she noted.## Talking about her Holi plans, Patralekhaa said: "I think I am just going to go to my friend''s place. We will play a bit of Holi and celebrate. Every occasion in India needs to be celebrated whether you play it or not. I don't like to burst crackers on Diwali but I love celebrating occasions."## Patralekhaa was last seen in Zee5 web series named "Badnaam Gali" along with Divyendu Sharma.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Manisha Koirala is a Parsi mom avatar in 'Maska'
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Manisha Koirala is a Parsi mom avatar in 'Maska'

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Actress Manisha Koirala will be seen in the role of an archetypal Parsi mother in the Netflix original film 'Maska'. She says her character tries to preserve the heritage of the Parsi culture.## The first look of her character, named Diana, from "Maska" was released on Friday.## Talking about her role, Manisha said: "I am playing an eccentric Parsi woman whose son has gone off-track. I am trying to preserve the roots and heritage of the Parsi culture. My character wants to preserve her Irani Cafe and restaurants as she wants to carry on her husband''s legacy."## An extremely passionate person about the family and culture, Diana is extremely protective of her son, Rumi and wants him to carry forth the family legacy. She is emotionally strong as she has faced several hardships.## The film, also starring Prit Kamani, Shirley Setia, and Nikita Dutta is a coming-of-age story that promises to take the audience through a "journey to understand the difference between dreams and delusions".## "Maska" is slated to release on Netflix in March.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Akshay Kumar owns Rs 5-crore villa in Goa
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Akshay Kumar owns Rs 5-crore villa in Goa

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who is one of the highest-paid actors in India, has a lavish villa in Goa. He often visits the beach state to spend quality time with his family.## According to gqindia.com, the house, which is located on a white-sand beach, was bought by the "Kesari" actor a decade ago.## "I like to go to Goa. I love it. It''s very chilled out. Everyone knows me there and they just say hi, but nobody bothers me as such. It''s the only place in the country where I can roam around and enjoy myself," Akshay said in an interview to a leading daily.## Akshay also spoke about how he ditches his early morning routine to sleep and relax in Goa. "Everything is so easy and you can get up late in the morning. My house is located in such a place that there is a network problem, so phones don't work. The beaches are also clean. I can go and take a dip in the sea and see the sunset," he added.## On the film front, Akshay is gearing up for the release of "Sooryavanshi", a cop drama. It is directed by Rohit Shetty and co-stars Katrina Kaif.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

Neeraj Pandey: Shooting in Delhi more expensive than some foreign locales
2287 days ago
Bollywood

Neeraj Pandey: Shooting in Delhi more expensive than some foreign locales

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey says shooting in Delhi is more expensive than shooting in some of the foreign locations.## Pandey traveled extensively while shooting for his upcoming spy action-thriller series, "Special Ops".## "We have travelled to locations where we felt the story needed to move. We travelled and shot in locations where we could tell the story better and these include places like Azerbaijan, Turkey, the UAE and Jordan," Pandey said.## "You won't believe -- shooting in Delhi was more expensive than shooting in some of the foreign locations. The story called for some heavy mounting and hence was shot at international locations," he added.## Pandey has directed the series along with Shivam Nair. The eight-episode Hotstar Specials spy action-thriller series is based on the role of Indian intelligence in a series of real terror attacks that India has faced over the last 19 years.## The series features Saiyami Kher, Kay Kay Menon, Karan Tacker, Divya Dutta, Vinay Pathak, Muzammil Ibrahim, Vipul Gupta, Sajjad Delafrooz, Parmeet Sethi, Gautami Kapoor, Sana Khan, Sharad Kelkar, and KP Mukherjee. It is slated to go live on March 17 in seven languages on Hotstar VIP.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.