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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

AR Rahman: Not the time to cause chaos by congregating in religious places
2261 days ago
Bollywood

AR Rahman: Not the time to cause chaos by congregating in religious places

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman on Wednesday took to social media to make an appeal to all his fans that they must listen to the government's advice and maintain self-isolation, pointing out that "this is not the time to cause chaos by congregating in religious places".## Rahman's appeal comes in the wake of the news that the Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat held a congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area defying authority guidelines in mid-March, which has resulted in a rapid spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus all over the country.## The musician in his Twitter appeal also thanked "the doctors, nurses, and all the staff working, in hospitals and clinics all across India, for their bravery and selflessness". He also appealed for unity among all people and spoke of the beauty of humanity and spirituality.## Rahman wrote this on his official Twitter handle @arrahman:## "Dear Friends, This message is to thank the doctors, nurses, and all the staff working, in hospitals and clinics all across India, for their bravery and selflessness. It fills one's heart to see how ready they are to deal with this most dreadful pandemic. They risk their lives to save ours.## "It's time to forget our differences and unite against this invisible enemy that has turned the world upside down. It's time to bring the beauty of humanity and spirituality into action. Help our neighbors, senior citizens, the underprivileged and migrant workers.## "God is inside your heart (the most sacred shrine), so this is not the time to cause chaos by congregating in religious places. Listen to the government's advice. Self-isolation for a few weeks may give you many more years. Do not spread the virus and cause harm to fellow humans. This disease does not even warn you that you are a carrier, so don't assume you are not infected. This is not the time to spread false rumors and cause more anxiety and panic.## "Let's be kind and thoughtful, the lives of many millions are in our hands."## Rahman's appeal received ready to support on Twitter by many of his followers, including actress Shraddha Kapoor who used the platform to encourage people to contribute generously in the various COVID-19 funds.## "Your small contribution is also important to fight. Donate to poor people directly or donate to CM Relief Fund or PM Relief Fund," tweeted @shraddhakapooro.## Fans thanked Rahman, and appreciate his gesture.## "Let's fight this battle together! But by social distancing," wrote @amGSKsakthi.## "Thanks a lot, Sir for spreading positivity," tweeted @keerthi94rsk.## Stay tuned...

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Priyanka Chopra to donate $100,000 to women doing their bit in health crisis
2262 days ago
Bollywood

Priyanka Chopra to donate $100,000 to women doing their bit in health crisis

Los Angeles, April 1 (IANS) Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas has decided to donate $100,000 along with the organization BON V!V Spiked Seltzer to the women out there who are working for the betterment of society amid the coronavirus pandemic.## Taking to her Instagram Story, Priyanka revealed that she was supposed to launch a promotional campaign with the brand in the next few weeks, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, she decided to halt the plan. She will now use the resources for the four women who are in need.## She posted a video in which is seen requesting her users to nominate such women.## "Our worlds changed quickly, and needless to say, we couldn't go forward with our original plans to launch this campaign. Each week I'll go live with @BONVIVSeltzer to share the stories of four women who are overcoming the struggles of our new realities in their own powerful way. If you know a woman we should highlight, visit the link in my bio for the next steps. We are all in this together. #togetherwomenrise #partner," Priyanka wrote.## The actress also issued a statement, which read: "We will be donating $100,000 in total to women who are rising above everything during this crisis. If you know a woman we should highlight, share her story with us, whether she is in the service industry, from a large business, small business owner, or first responders on the front lines. We want to commemorate her. #TogetherWomenRise."## Priyanka and her husband Nick Jonas have also donated to organizations like the PM-CARES Fund, Unicef, Feeding America, and Goonj.## Stay tuned...

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Emma Watson is fascinated with kink culture
2262 days ago
Hollywood

Emma Watson is fascinated with kink culture

London, April 1 (IANS) Actress Emma Watson has confessed that she is fascinated with kink culture.## In an interview with Teen Vogue, the actress, 29, discussed her interests and explained why she coined the phrase 'self-partnered', reports dailymail.co.uk.## "I've also kind of become slightly fascinated by kink culture because they are the best communicators ever, they know all about consent," Watson said.## The "Harry Potter" star also discussed the debate -- which she sparked with the term "self-partnered" while talking about the pressures, about settling down and starting a family, by the age of 30.## Last year, the actress hit the headlines when she announced she is not single but "self-partnered".## Reflecting upon the term, Watson said: "There was no word for this kind of subliminal messaging and anxiety and pressure that I felt building up but couldn't really name, so I used the word self-partnered."## "For me, it wasn't so much about coining a word; it was more that I needed to create a definition for something that I didn't feel there was the language for, and it was interesting because it really riled some people up," she added.## The actress went on to say it was "less for me about the word but more about what it meant", and felt that the term allowed her to express herself.## She might insist that she is happy being 'self-partnered', but the actress was spotted kissing a mystery man outside a London bakery two weeks before her British Vogue interview last year.## The "Beauty and The Beast" star was last romantically linked to Dominic Piazza. She also had a brief fling with former Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe. Last August, it was also rumored that Watson was dating her former "Harry Potter" co-star Tom Felton, who played the villain Draco Malfoy.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' cast to entertain fans online
2262 days ago
TV

'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' cast to entertain fans online

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) The cast of the superhit TV comedy series, "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah", aims to continue spreading happiness by entertaining fans on the show's social media platforms.## Like many other TV shows, the family comedy show has been airing reruns during the ongoing nationwide lockdown. Now, the producers have come up with a plan to continue spreading joy and positivity in a unique way.## "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah" team will post a daily chore or activity that they are practicing at home including yoga, playing indoor games, cleaning up the home, watching their favorite movies or shows and reading books.## They will appeal and inspire their audience to post a video of their routine and the same will be streamed online on the show's social media platforms.## "We are at home for a week now and while it is nice to be spending quality time with the family, we are also missing our work family. This will be a great opportunity for us to keep in touch and share our lives at home with each other and also with our audiences. I have already created a set of videos that have me trying my hands at cooking, also a little bit of cleaning and not many people know that there's a 'Shayar' in me. So, for anyone who enjoys a little Shayari, I hope they will enjoy watching my videos," said Samay Shah, who plays the role of Gogi in the show.## Actor Mandar Chadwadkar, who is seen as Bhide in the show, shared that in over the last decade, there have been very few occasions when they haven't seen each other for so long.## "The set of 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' is like a second home for us and I am already a little nostalgic within a week of being away from the set. This opportunity to reconnect cheers me up and I am looking forward to reuniting even if from our own homes. I just pray that lockdown phase ends and we get to go back to work or as I see it, to having fun at work soon," he added.## The show is produced by Neela Film Productions Private Limited.## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

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Ayushmann, Tahira support Delhi women ragpickers amid COVID-19
2262 days ago
Bollywood

Ayushmann, Tahira support Delhi women ragpickers amid COVID-19

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) Actor Ayushmann Khurrana and his wife, author-filmmaker Tahira Kashyap, have come out in support of women ragpickers in New Delhi during the coronavirus crisis.## The two have for years supported a non-profit organization in Delhi named Gulmeher, a women's collective of waste-pickers turned artisans. The NGO works with about 200 women ragpickers and this contribution will help them look after themselves and their families.## "Coronavirus has impacted people from every strata of life. But it has hit the lower-income groups the hardest and it is our duty as citizens of this nation to come forward and support the people in dire need.## "Tahira and I have been associated with Gulmeher, a non-profit organization, for years and we are doing every bit possible to support these women who are absolutely distraught now," Ayushmann, who has already donated to PM-CARES Fund, said.## The actor, who has changed the way Hindi cinema is viewed, said his interactions with them taught him a lot about India.## "(It) taught me a lot about the existing caste divides and they are real-life inspiring figures. My interactions with them were my inspiration behind signing 'Article 15'. A crisis like these impacts people like them the most and we need to protect them. In this critical moment, Tahira and I are doing our best to ensure they have all the basic requirements to sustain and stay safe by being at home."## "Along with donating for PM-CARES, we are also doing our small bit to take care of these incredible women of Gulmeher," he said, without disclosing the total contributions made by the couple.## Tahira says that how Indians support each other in this moment of crisis will define us as a nation.## "While us Indians are impacted with COVID-19, for some people the impact will be much more destabilizing, especially economically. We have to protect the lower-income, daily wage-earning community like our brothers and sisters in this time of crisis."## She added: "How we support our fellow citizens of the country at this hour will define us as human beings and Ayushmann and I are doing our bit to support these wonderful women who are braving the coronavirus impact. We are doing whatever it takes for them to support their families and stay at home with them."## "Due to their financial instability, they are at serious risk because of even a single day without earning throws their life out of gear. Ayushmann and I are ensuring we stand with them and support them at this time."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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COVID-19 update: Idris Elba feeling better, but in 'limbo' amid pandemic
2262 days ago
Hollywood

COVID-19 update: Idris Elba feeling better, but in 'limbo' amid pandemic

Los Angeles, April 1 (IANS) Actor Idris Elba said he and his wife Sabrina are "asymptomatic" after testing positive for the COVID-19 virus, but are still feeling the effects of the global pandemic.## "We've passed the quarantine period, but we're a little bit in limbo -- we can't get a flight back home," he said in a video while sharing his health update on Twitter on Tuesday, reports etonline.com.## "So we just have to sit still for a little bit."## "Other than that, we're OK and we're so thankful that I think the worst of it is probably past," Elba added, noting that the worst thing for the couple at the moment is a bit of "cabin fever".## He was on location about to begin production on a movie when he learned he had coronavirus and has been quarantined ever since.## "We're both good mentally, just trying to stay optimistic. I hope you guys are too, keeping yourselves sane and not getting too worried and too panicked," he told fans.## "Take it from me, man, I thought I definitely was gonna see the worst of it, as an asthmatic, but I got through it. And you can too."## Elba concluded his message by sending a "big shout out" to everyone who is struggling at the moment and all the people helping to fight the global pandemic, "especially the doctors and nurses, and the healthcare people that are doing their thing. You lot are amazing, and you should be fully appreciated".## The actor was one of the first celebrities to announce he had tested positive for the virus.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Was Rishi Kapoor's cryptic tweet about Tablighi Jamaat?
2262 days ago
Bollywood

Was Rishi Kapoor's cryptic tweet about Tablighi Jamaat?

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor has posted a cryptic tweet on the uncertainty of what might happen tomorrow. Even though he did not mention any particular event or incident, his tweet has left netizens speculating if he is referring to the ongoing Tablighi Jamaat row in the wake of the escalating COVID-19 crisis.## "Aaj ye hua kal kya kya hona hai? That is why I said we need the military out. Emergency," posted Kapoor on Tuesday night.## A few days ago, the actor had insisted on Twitter that India needs to enforce Emergency in these times. In his latest tweet, he reiterates the stand.## Netizens interpreted that the actor might be referring to the large religious gathering at Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz, which happened earlier this month amid the coronavirus pandemic.## Commenting on Rishi Kapoor's tweet, a user wrote: "We need to have a lockdown on Muslims."## Another user commented: "Time to come heavily on #TablighiJamaat and impose BAN on it. Confiscate all its wealth and put behind bars all these errant mullahs incommunicado down south UTs. Needed Law against #ReligiousConversion (main foray of JAMAT). Enough of #Article14 excuse."## While a section of netizens supported the actor's idea of emergency rule, most opposed it.## One user wrote: "Why would you expose our armed forces to #coronavirus? They are not trained to fight their own civilians. What if the contagion spreads in the military?"## Another user opined that this is just the beginning of World War III. The tweet reads: "This is the beginning of the Third World War which China has started against the world and the whole world is suffering due to some foolish and illiterate people now India will start suffering. we all need to fight."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Badshah defends against 'Genda Phool' plagiarism charge: Am trying to reach out to original lyricist
2262 days ago
Bollywood

Badshah defends against 'Genda Phool' plagiarism charge: Am trying to reach out to original lyricist

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) After being deluged with plagiarism charges by netizens over his latest track "Genda Phool", rapper Badshah has defended himself saying he has been trying to reach out to the creator of the original track but to no avail.## Badshah's new song mixes rap with lyrics from an old Bengali folk hit, "Boroloker biti lo", created by Ratan Kahar and originally sung by Swapna Chakraborty. Clarifying his situation on social media, the rapper claimed that he has been trying to contact Kahar but has not managed to do so owing to the ongoing nationwide lockdown.## "After receiving so much information from the Bengali community, I have been constantly trying my best to reach out to him and connect with him and be able to do justice to the situation to all my might. However, the lockdown situation has not been very helpful, it has been difficult to get through to the village that Shri Kahar is in and I am still trying," Badshah tweeted.## The rapper has also requested anyone who might have any knowledge of how to contact Kahar to help him get connected. "I urge and request any of the representatives who have been speaking on his behalf, to help me connect with him so I can do whatever possible on my part on humanitarian grounds to put this right."## He further stated: "A couple of days after the song release, I started getting feedback on my social media that the Bengali lyrics are originally from a song 'Boroloker Beti Lo' that were penned by the veteran artist Shri Ratan Kahar."## Claiming the original creator of the 1972 song has not been given due credit in any of the previous versions, Badshah further wrote: "We had however done our due diligence before releasing the song, and nowhere on any copyright societies or on any of the previous reprises/versions of the song was Mr. Ratan Kahar credited as a lyricist. Information all across say that 'Boroloker Beti Lo' is a traditional/folk song from the Bauls of Bengal. Just for general information, traditional songs are open for recreations/reprises/sampling globally."## Meanwhile, veteran folk artist Ratan Kahar lives amid poverty in the town of town Siuri in West Bengal's Birbhum district.## "All I want is love from the people. I am a selfless person. I don't have any greed for money, food or anything else. But I live with a pain that even though many people sing my songs, they don't know the proper style of singing it, neither do they know the story behind why I created the songs. I want the artist Badshah to at least give me recognition for my song. I share my best wishes for him," Kahar told news18.com.## Talking about the inspiration behind his classic hit "Boroloker biti lo" the veteran singer revealed that in his initial days, he used to sing songs for sex workers of a brothel in Siuri, who admired his music. The story of one such woman inspired him to pen the melodious track.## Stay tuned...

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Dwayne Johnson confirms 'Hobbs & Shaw' sequel
2262 days ago
Hollywood

Dwayne Johnson confirms 'Hobbs & Shaw' sequel

Los Angeles, April 1 (IANS) Hollywood star Dwayne Johnson has revealed that a "Hobbs & Shaw" sequel is in development, and he is excited about it.## During a recent Instagram Live Q&A, Johnson confirmed the news about the follow up to "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw", which minted $759 million worldwide, reports dailymail.co.uk.## "We are developing now the next film, the next (‘Hobbs & Shaw;) movie and I'm pretty excited about it," said the 47-year-old star, who appeared in the successful "Fast & Furious" spin-off alongside Jason Statham last year.## "Just gotta figure out the creative right now, and the direction we're going to go," added Johnson when asked where he and producers are at in the pre-production process on the sequel.## "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw", also starring Helen Mirren, Eiza Gonzalez, Vanessa Kirby, and Idris Elba was well received by the audience and critics upon its release last August.## It is unclear when the movie will hit cinemas, especially as the latest film in the "Fast And Furious" franchise, F9, has been pushed back to 2021 due to the global coronavirus pandemic.## Johnson plays the role of DSS agent Luke Hobbs in the film series. He had previously recalled how his mother, Ata Johnson, wept on the set of the first "Hobbs & Shaw" movie as she heard her son speak in Samoan, the language of their family.## "She is incredibly proud of the movie. It's the very first time in the history of Hollywood that the Samoan culture has ever been showcased on this scale, so it's a big deal. Within the scene, she never heard me speak in Samoan to this degree. She hears me speaking in Samoan, calling on our ancestors to give us strength ... I look over and she is crying so hard," said the former WWE star, who spent part of his childhood in Hawaii.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Madhuri teams up with ace choreographers to offer free dance classes online
2262 days ago
Bollywood

Madhuri teams up with ace choreographers to offer free dance classes online

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) Madhuri Dixit Nene feels that dance is one of the best forms of workout. As most people are locked in their homes now due to the nationwide lockdown, the veteran actress has teamed up with Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj and choreographers like Saroj Khan, Terence Lewis, and Remo D'souza to offer dance lessons on DancewithMadhuri.com.## Madhuri's online dance academy will give away two popular dance classes every week for free.## "We want to provide people to relieve stress in the sanctity of their own home with an opportunity to relax and enjoy themselves. Dance is one of the best forms of workout, so it becomes a double bonanza to learn and get in shape," said Madhuri.## The audience can upload their videos to potentially win all-access subscriptions and even a chance to video chat with the dancing diva.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Anushka reflects on her realizations during COVID-19 lockdown
2262 days ago
Bollywood

Anushka reflects on her realizations during COVID-19 lockdown

Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) Actress Anushka Sharma has had time for some reflection in life during the nationwide lockdown and says that she has realized just having food, water, a roof over her head and the good health of her family are most important.## "Every dark cloud had a silver lining. And this time, while it may seem like the worst time and in so many ways it actually is, has also forcefully made us all stop and deal with things we might have been running away from because either we were ‘busy' or it was convenient to say we were 'busy'. If this time is respected for what it is, it will enable more light to shine through," Anushka said in a twitter post.## The actress is deeply pained seeing the sufferings of fellow countrymen.## "For me just having food, water, and a roof over my head and the good health of my family seems MOST important. Everything else is a bonus that I bow my head in gratitude for."## She added: "But, that which we call 'basic' is not so basic for everyone after looking at all the people who struggle for just those few things. My prayers with them and their families. May everyone be safe and secure."## She feels the time is delivering important life lessons to all.## "This time has surely made me more reflective. This need to stay at home with your loved ones has been forced upon the entire world but there is a deep lesson for us all. There is a lesson to strive for work and life balance (I've valued and strived for this dearly for many years now), there is a lesson to devote more time in things that actually matter," she said.## Anushka says she wants to help as many possible in her best abilities.## She said: "Today when I'm surrounded by all the blessings in my life, I just want to tell everyone how much compassion I feel for everyone who I see suffer. I want to help as many possible to the best of my abilities. I feel pride in our resilience to be better human beings. I can instinctively feel this in and around me.## "We will all have our individual and subjective lessons from this time and hopefully such lessons will continuously stay with us all."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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'Star Wars' actor Andrew Jack dies of coronavirus
2262 days ago
Hollywood

'Star Wars' actor Andrew Jack dies of coronavirus

Los Angeles, April 1 (IANS) Actor Andrew Jack, best known as the man who played Caluan Ematt in the "Star Wars" series of films, has passed away two days after contracting the novel coronavirus. He was 76.## Jack's agent Jill McCullough confirmed his death, reports bbc.com.## He died in a Surrey hospital on Tuesday. McCullough said she has been flooded with tributes to one of the acting world's "brightest and clearest voices".## She said Jack couldn't see his wife in his final days because she was quarantined in Australia.## The British actor, who was seen in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) and "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017), had appeared in over 80 films and was also a successful dialect coach.## Jack's fellow "Star Wars" actor Greg Grunberg said he was "devastated" to learn of his death, describing him as a "wonderful, talented, beloved gentleman".## "He is one of the kindest people I've ever worked with," Grunberg added.## Jack, who lived on a houseboat on the River Thames, had been "full of life", "funny, charming and a joy to be around. He was still working full-pelt, currently coaching on the new 'Batman'," his agent said.## The actor had been unable to see his wife and fellow dialect coach Gabrielle Rogers, who he was "madly in love with" because she was "stuck in quarantine in Australia, having just flown in from New Zealand last week," McCullough said.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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