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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

Big B compares human beings in lockdown to caged animals
2245 days ago
Bollywood

Big B compares human beings in lockdown to caged animals

Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Actor Amitabh Bachchan has compared human beings in lockdown to caged animals, in a new blog post. He added that once the lockdown phase is over, we might feel hesitant to step out of our homes.## "The process of �working from home' bears fruit each day.. and when the day arrives, for arrive it will, when the doors shall open.. there could be hesitant indulgence on whether to step out or not.. cage an animal for years and years and years , and then suddenly one day just open the doors and see its reaction.. it looks out the door, takes a hesitant step out.. glances up at it keeper with that puzzled expression.. what.. you mean I can actually leave.. seriously?" he wrote.## Big B further opined: "We are in the same syndrome.. all of us.. most of the initiation has already begun.. wire it , cut the paper work, draft it and mail, ConCall it na.. ya ya he'll be at home -- no one's stepping out.. etc., etc., etc..."## Not just his blog, the actor also shared some lighthearted humour about the situation on Twitter.## He tweeted in Hindi: "Achha ek aur baat taye hai, in dino, jab phone aye, toh yeh bhi nahi kaha ja sakta ki saheb ghar mein nahi hai..." (These days if someone tries to reach you via a phone call, then you cannot escape talking to that person by making someone else say saheb is not at home!)## Stay tuned...

COVID-19 effect: Taylor Swift pushes all 2020 concerts to next year
2245 days ago
Hollywood

COVID-19 effect: Taylor Swift pushes all 2020 concerts to next year

Los Angeles, April 18 (IANS) Singer Taylor Swift is pushing all her scheduled shows of this year to 2021.## "I'm so sad I won't be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision," Taylor said on Instagram Stories, addressing her fans, according to a report in eonline.com.## "Please, please stay healthy and safe. I'll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now, what's important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us."## This summer, she was scheduled to perform at select arenas as part of her Lover Fest.## Meanwhile, Taylor has been practicing social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.## "During this time I know that a lot of my friends and I have been doing a sort of weekly family FaceTime, which is always hilarious," Taylor said on a show.## "I think it's really important that we all stay connected because, you know, isolation doesn't have to be an all-encompassing thing. We may be all isolated physically but we can still keep in touch with people, we can still play games with our friends and families on our phones—that is one of the great things about modern technology."## "So I hope you guys are doing a lot of self-care in terms of staying connected to the people that remind you of home, even if the situation is strange and really confusing at this moment," she added.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

Big B is like a 'godfather' to singer Avitesh Shrivastava
2245 days ago
Bollywood

Big B is like a 'godfather' to singer Avitesh Shrivastava

Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Late composer Aadesh Shrivastava's son Avitesh, who recently unveiled his single "Yaadein", is super happy to receive praise for the song from Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan.## Taking to his Twitter, Big B wrote: "Son follows in his Father's footsteps #Yaadein encapsulates love and remembrance. In these trying times, a song with the hope that reminds distance & separation means nothing when someone means everything."## And Big B's wishes mean a lot to Avitesh.## "A big void after my father's death and I wish he was alive to see me succeed. I and my family I am forever grateful to have Amit uncle as a Godfather in our lives. Have known Amit uncle from the time when I was a little kid. My dad had a great equation with him. They used to be rolling in laughter when they both used to meet and always spoke in a certain lingo. They had great camaraderie," Avitesh said.## Avitesh was inclined towards music since an early age of 11 when he used to go to the studio along with his late father. His debut song was " Main Hu Tera".## Stay tuned...

Tarun Khanna: Playing Lord Shiva has brought changes in my life
2245 days ago
TV

Tarun Khanna: Playing Lord Shiva has brought changes in my life

Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Actor Tarun Khanna has played Lord Shiva multiple times, and he isn't tired of it. He says being Lord Shiva for the TV screen has made him more sensitive and compassionate in real life.## "I believe that playing a certain role does influence your life. And my on-screen character of Lord Shiva has definitely brought changes in my real life. I have become more sensitive and compassionate. My outlook towards life has become more positive," Tarun told IANS.## "Namah", "RadhaKrishn" and "Santoshi Maa" are some of the shows in which he donned the godly avatar.## Talking about his new show, he said: "The main reason for me to say yes to 'Devi - Aadi Parashakti', which airs on Dangal TV, was that yet again, I got an opportunity to essay the role of Lord Shiva.## "Earlier I did portray the character of Lord Shiva numerous times but those stories were focussed on other mythological characters. However, in 'Devi...', I finally got a chance to be the lead opposite the central character of Devi, which is essayed by my co-star Rati Pandey."## Asked if there were any restrictions or limitations in getting another type of role, he said: "Limitations are a part of an actor's life. But the power to overcome them lies within us. During 'Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev', where I portrayed the character of Ravan, I had expressed my desire to play the character of Lord Shiva. However, I was told by the casting head to not focus on playing Lord Shiva as my features didn't match the requirement. Later, the same person offered me the role of Lord Shiva in one of his shows."## He has no plans of taking a break from mythology shows. "If a good role comes, I wouldn't mind doing mythology again," he said.## Tarun has also played negative roles on screen.## "I always strive to be a versatile actor. I work hard on intricate details to add depth to my characters. For example, to add spice to a negative character, I trained myself in raising both the eyebrows separately for two years to achieve perfection," said the "Mere Sai" actor.## As of now, he is using the quarantine time to do many things.## "I am watching the performances of my fellow industry friends because that is the best way to learn and grow. To keep myself fit, I am working out regularly and ensuring that I spend good quality time with my family," he said.## Stay tuned...

'Extraction' director Sam Hargrave: Not much space for mid-budget action films
2245 days ago
Digital Media

'Extraction' director Sam Hargrave: Not much space for mid-budget action films

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) "Extraction" director, and popular Hollywood stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave feels cinema has space for either "super big-budget movies like superheroes" or smaller movies, saying that it doesn't leave much room for mid-budget action movies.## Talking about his upcoming Netflix action film, Hargrave told IANS: "It seems that there's not as much space in the cinemas for these kinds of mid-budget action movies. It seems that it's mostly the super big-budget superhero movies or the kind of the smaller stuff."## Hargrave is glad that his first movie will reach a wider audience through Netflix.## "Netflix has carved out space for itself for movies like these to exist, which I think is really great… Because there are a lot of great stories out there… These kinds of movies, now, have a place to be seen, be viewed and be enjoyed," he said.## With "Extraction", Hargrave is graduating from being Chris Evans' stunt double in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" for fight scenes and stunt coordinator in "Captain America: Civil War" to a feature director. Hargrave was an additional second unit director in "Avengers: Infinity War".## Hargrave continued: "I think that's a really great thing for audiences around the world. I'm happy that my first time directing (feature film) come out on a platform like Netflix where so many people can see this. It is a very unique experience and one that I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out when it comes out on April 24."## For his first film, Hargrave reunited with his "Avengers" family. He got "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth to lead the film, screenplay of which is done by Joe Russo. The film is produced by Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony Russo), Mike Larocca, Chris Hemsworth, Eric Gitter, and Peter Schwerin.## Originally titled "Dhaka", the film also stars Indian actors Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Priyanshu Painyulli, and Rudraksha Jaiswal. 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. It has been shot extensively in India, along with other places around the world.## Stay tuned...

Aditya Narayan: Promoting independent music is difficult
2245 days ago
Bollywood

Aditya Narayan: Promoting independent music is difficult

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Singer Aditya Narayan, who has come out with his own track "Main dooba rahoon", says the more he promotes his independent music the more he realizes how difficult it is to make a breakthrough.## "It's really difficult to make independent music. My heart goes out to all independent musicians, who are not known by a large chunk of people for me it has been a lot easier because I have been working for a long time and people know me. The more I promote my independent music the more I realize actually how difficult it is to (make a) breakthrough because In, a nutshell everything costs money and an aspiring musician obviously doesn't have a lot of it.## "I was also an aspiring musician when my songs in 'Ram-Leela' had released. The songs from the film and the songs did really well..."## Aditya said he did not sit back after that instead he did look for more opportunities that did not materialize.## "That's when I kind of realized that I won't rely on music for anyone or my career. If I get it good and If I don't get it then also good. But that's when I created music for myself. I created my own band. The A-Team," he added.## He said that his latest release "Main Dooba Rahoon" is actually a six-year-old song.## "We made this in 2014 just after I finished just 'Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela' released and I formed my band... I could always imagine a beach video because the song was "Main Dooba Rahun"... When I saw the budget I realized that budget was very high. But then soon TV started throwing a lot of offers at me. One needs to earn money..."## After hosting a lot of television shows, Aditya said he finally had enough money to make a music video for "Main Dooba Rahoon", which has currently over a whopping seven million views on YouTube in just five days of its release.## "I realized that I have enough money to fuel my dreams and make a few music videos and market it... Last year, I went to the Maldives and shot two music videos there...But 'Main Dooba Rahoon' was my priority video. It is a long 6-year-old dream coming true for me," he said.## Aditya shared that all proceeds of the songs go to charity.## "It goes to PM-CARES fund for the fight against COVID-19. I am not doing this for the money. So if you are watching my video or listening to the song on any app or YouTube, you're not just entertaining yourself. You're making a little difference. We are seeing such grey times right now so I thought let me do something good. It makes me feel good from within as I am not just pushing my song but it is also for a good cause."## Stay tuned...

Ayushmann Khurrana: Cinema can change mindsets
2245 days ago
Bollywood

Ayushmann Khurrana: Cinema can change mindsets

Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says art and cinema can do a lot to change mindsets.## He opened up on the subject in the context of his last-released film, "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan".## "This movie (�Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan') is very close to my heart. It has been a while since same-sex love was decriminalized. However, I believe we have a long way to go before society accepts it," Ayushmann said.## " �Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' is a lighter take on the reality of homophobia that exists in India and also an attempt to bring such unconventional stories to the fore. Art and cinema, in my opinion, can do a lot to change mindsets. With �Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' that was our intent -- to bring the conversation on same-sex love to all of India," he added.## Directed by Hitesh Kewalya, "Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan" is a love story between two young men in smalltown India, played by Ayushmann and Jitendra Kumar. The film also features Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta among many others. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on April 18.## "I am happy to have been a part of it and excited for the film to digitally premiere on Amazon Prime Video where it will reach a global audience," Ayushmann added.## Stay tuned...

COVID-19: Richa Chadha pitches in to provide meals for needy
2245 days ago
Bollywood

COVID-19: Richa Chadha pitches in to provide meals for needy

Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) The nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has been harsh on many, and actress Richa Chadha is doing her bit. She has taken to donating food to a Gurudwara here and has urged others to follow suit.## The actress came to know that the Gurudwara had been providing meals to the needy. Then she decided to offer help.## "It's the time when our humanity is being tested and I believe in the goodness in people. People have really come together. This pandemic is bringing out the worst and best in humans. While some are making racist, communal comments, civil society is going out of its way to care for animals, along with humans. It's not about the big gestures or who donated how many crores (of money). I am only talking about this, because I urge others to do the same, take baby steps," said Richa.## When she contacted the people at the Gurudwara, they said they will accept ration and not money.## "So I went with the number of groceries I could procure nearby, which was little, like 10-20 kgs. Now I have learned that they need as much as 250 kgs every single day, so I am figuring out a wholesale place that can get me food grains and pulses in that large quantity," she said.## She understands that many people can't afford to donate lots of money, but that shouldn't stop them from doing their bit.## "Even if you can support one person, or one family at this time, that's good. People may ask 'how does it make a difference? It's just one person'. But it makes a difference to that one person because that person is no longer hungry. We must be kind to each other in these times," she concluded.## Stay tuned...

'Chhota Bheem' to air on Doordarshan amid COVID-19 lockdown
2245 days ago
TV

'Chhota Bheem' to air on Doordarshan amid COVID-19 lockdown

Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) The popular children's cartoon series, "Chhota Bheem", is all set to be back on the small screen amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.## The animation, which has originally airs on Pogo and features the superhero Bheem, will go on-air on Doordarshan National from April 17 to May 3.## Currently, the Doordarshan channel is re-telecasting some of its old shows in order to keep people entertained amid the coronavirus lockdown. And with the return of over three-decade-old Hindu mythology show "Ramayan ", Doordarshan reportedly garnered over 170 million viewers in four episodes last week.## Announcing the partnership between Pogo and Doordarshan to rerun "Chhota Bheem", Siddharth Jain, managing director of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks in South Asia, said: "These are challenging times and we believe that POGO's fun-filled, relatable content will keep kids engaged and entertained. We are very pleased to collaborate with a platform as distinguished and popular as Doordarshan. The agreement ensures that an even larger number of young viewers across the country will be able to enjoy ‘Chhota Bheem'."## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

Shankar Mahadevan: Music can bring a sense of comfort
2245 days ago
Bollywood

Shankar Mahadevan: Music can bring a sense of comfort

Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) Singer Shankar Mahadevan feels there is too much noise amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and feels music can bring a sense of positivity and comfort.## "These are tough times for everyone, there is so much noise around the pandemic which instills a sense of worry and chaos," Mahadevan said.## "But, Music is one such source which has the power to make everyone see a silver lining in the dark clouds that have engulfed the nation. It brings a sense of positivity, a sense of comfort and maybe a song dedication could brighten up someone's bad day and some level of assurance that we will get through this together," he added.## Mahadevan will be performing live on April 19 through Asian Paints' #LiveFromHome initiative.## He said:" Me and my sons -- Shivam and Siddharth -- are glad to be a part of the #LiveFromHome initiative by Asian Paints where we can all come together, have a good time and truly connect even in this phase of social distancing."## On the initiative, Amit Syngle, MD and CEO, Asian Paints Limited said: "We believe music has a way of erasing distance, especially when our lives seem disorderly at the moment with the lockdown and social distancing. #LiveFromHome initiative will find a way to bridge the gap and spread positivity amidst the lockdown."## Stay tuned...

Am a blessed student of Neeraj Pandey: budding actor Abhilash Chaudhary
2246 days ago
Bollywood

Am a blessed student of Neeraj Pandey: budding actor Abhilash Chaudhary

Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) Actor Abhilash Chaudhary feels blessed to have worked with ace director Neeraj Pandey in the thriller web show "Special Ops".## "Working with Neeraj sir gave me a wonderful experience and I seriously look forward for a chance to work with him again. It was completely schooling for me and I'm a blessed student of him now.## "As an actor I got to learn many things from him. As of now I'm just writing all the pointers I got to learn from him and Salman khan sir in past. I'm using my free time to make me more fine actor. I'm blessed to have work in all the three mediums Bollywood, television and web respectively," he said.## "Special Ops" has Kay Kay Menon leading the cast as special agent Himmat Singh, who traces a pattern in terror strikes over the years, and draws the conclusion that one person is behind all the attacks. The story is inspired by several real-life espionage missions over the last two decades.## Abhilash has earlier featured in films like "The Zoya Factor" and "Dabangg 3".## Stay tuned...

Sidharth Shukla 'exempted' from cooking at home
2246 days ago
TV

Sidharth Shukla 'exempted' from cooking at home

Mumbai, April 17 (IANS) As a "Bigg Boss 13" contestant, actor Sidharth Shukla had to get his hands dirty by doing the dishes and other household chores including cooking. With the nationwide lockdown on, many have brought out the inner chef in them but Sidharth is not one of them.## The "Bigg Boss 13" winner engaged in some Q and A with fans on Twitter on Friday.## One of his fans asked him: "Do u still cook at home daily? "## "Well, fortunately, mom didn't like it much and thought it was better if she did the needful, so I am exempted," the actor replied.## There is one thing he likes to do the most during the lockdown period - "Sleep".## Although he is yearning to get back to work.## When one of his fans asked him where he would like to go after the lockdown ended, the "Balika Vadhu" actor said: "To some set for work."## He also gave his fans some advice.## When one asked the best way to overcome failure, Sidharth replied: "Is to know that after every night there is a day."## As for the driving force that made him who he is today, he gave credit to his "strong upbringing and the want to be different"## Stay tuned...