BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) On Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar's 129th birth anniversary on Tuesday, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar recalled the time was fortunate to meet the Father of the Constitution of India in person.## Mangeshkar took to Twitter on Tuesday and paid her tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar, who was also a social reformer who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards untouchables.## "Namaskar. Bhartiya samvidhan ke janak mahamanav Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar ji ki jayanti par main unko koti-koti vandan karti hoon Main unko pratyaksh roop se mil saki yeh mera saubhagya hai (On the anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar ji, father of the Indian Constitution, I offer him a million prayers. I met him in person and that is my good fortune)," tweeted @mangeshkarlata.## Mangeshkar's tweet currently has 506 retweets and over 7.7K likes on the micro-blogging website.## Meanwhile, Mangeshkar earlier donated Rs 25 lakh to the Maharashtra CM Relief Fund to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.## The 90-year-old singer, fondly called Nightingale of India, joins a growing list of celebrities from the Hindi film industry who have extended support in the battle against the coronavirus.## Stay tuned...

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London, April 14 (IANS) Actor Kristofer Hivju, who shot to global fame playing Tormund Giantsbane in the blockbuster series "Games Of Thrones", is "fully recovered and in good health" after battling COVID-19.## The actor took to Instagram to share the health update, saying he and his wife, Gry, who he believes was "most likely" infected too, are finally "free of all symptoms".## "Hi! We are fully recovered and in good health after I was infected by the coronavirus, and most likely my wife @grymolvaerhivju… After several weeks in quarantine, and also a couple more indoors after being free of all symptoms, we are finally safe and sound," he posted, along with an image with his wife.## The actor feels they were "lucky to only have mild symptoms of the COVID-19".## "We send our love and thoughts to all of the people where the virus has hit much harder, and to everyone who has lost their loved ones due to the coronavirus. Thank you for all of your support, and please remember to stay vigilant and keep your distance, wash your hands, and most of all; take care of each other in this strange time. Lots of love from us," he added.## Last month, he had shared that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus through a post on his Instagram account.## "Greetings from Norway! Sorry to say that I, today, have tested positive for COVID-19, coronavirus. My family and I are self-isolating at home for as long as it takes. We are in good health - I only have mild symptoms of a cold. There are people at higher risk for who this virus might be a devastating diagnosis," he said.## Stay tuned...

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Los Angeles, April 14 (IANS) Hollywood actor Robert Pattinson's "Batman" may get lucky in love and be depicted as a married man with a child in the future "The Batman" sequels.## The portal We Got This Covered, who first broke the news about Batman's reported love story in the upcoming movie, claimed to have got the news from a reliable source, reports aceshowbiz.com.## According to the source, the first film in the planned new trilogy will establish Batman's romance with Catwoman, played by Zoe Kravitz.## Apparently, the sequel to the Matt Reeves movie will feature its version of the Joker taking center stage, along with the beginnings of a full-on love story.## The portal also added that the future sequels will see the pair getting married and having a baby.## It also said that the plot will be familiar to readers of the comics, though it remains to be seen if this will adapt the storyline directly from the comics, in which their first rooftop wedding plans were ruined when Catwoman jilted Batman.## In the comic-book, Batman #85, which was released in 2019, the pair eventually tied the knot in a low-key ceremony.## In the 1992 film "Batman Returns", the caped crusader's romance ended with Catwoman apparently dying in order to get revenge on her former boss.## Meanwhile, filming on Reeves' "The Batman" has been halted due to the coronavirus outbreak.## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Amid the coronavirus crisis, actor Amitabh Bachchan has penned his feelings on humans and humanity.## Big B shared a throwback image from his young days in which he was seen talking to somebody over the phone. In another image he posted alongside the old black-and-white picture, the thespian is seen signaling a phone with his hands.## "Of this, there is no doubt at all, that during this pandemic.. irrespective of caste color creed or belief.. friend, acquaintance or unknown... never before and perhaps never after has one human shown so much concern and sympathy for another... there is but one common refrain on every lip.. be safe, be protected," he captioned the image.## The image currently has 450K likes on Instagram.## On the work front, Amitabh will next be seen in films like "Chehre", Gulabo Sitabo", Brahmastra" and "Jhund".## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana is deeply disturbed after reading about the growing violence against police personnel in various cities across India amid coronavirus crisis.## Ayushmann took to social media to condemn such violent acts.## "I feel terrible reading about the heinous attacks on cops and security personnel that is happening across the country. The police force is risking their lives every single day to keep us, our families and our friends safe and I condemn such attacks on them," he wrote.## Lately, several incidents of violence against cops have occurred in many parts of India -- notably, a cop's hand being chopped off in Patiala while on duty to prevent people from stepping out of their homes. Mob attacks on policemen in Bhopal and Cuttack, Ahmedabad have surfaced in the last couple of days.## Ayushmann urged all Indians to appreciate the hard work that our police force is putting in.## "They are putting us and our lives before theirs and we should respect how they are fighting for us to keep us all protected. All Indians should celebrate the police force and salute them! Jai Hind!" he concluded.## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) The Chris Hemsworth-starrer digital film "Extraction" casts Priyanshu Painyuli as a drug lord. The actor feels nailing the look of the character is important, because the way you dress up for a particular role can make you behave in a certain way.## For "Extraction", Priyanshu has tried nailing the gangster look with chunky gold jewelry, gold neck-pieces, armlets, and bracelets. He wore a lot of local fabrics including kurtas and silk shirts, which are characteristic of Bangladeshi locals. His attire comes in deep-hued monotones.## "I have always felt the way you dress up as a character makes you behave in a certain way. For me, mainly my shoes matter a lot, what footwear I use to walk or sit changes my body language a bit," Priyanshu said.## "When Sam (Hargreave), my director, asked me how I felt with my costume and look, I smiled and said I was really enjoying the gold, but I especially loved my shoes -- shiny, pointed with hard heels. They made a presence when I walked, at least to me," he added.## Originally titled "Dhaka", the film also stars Indian actors Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, and Rudraksh 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. Hemsworth shot for the Netflix film in India in 2018. In India, he shot in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and informed citizens that the nationwide lockdown is being extended till May 3 in an attempt to battle the deadly COVID 19 pandemic. Bollywood celebs welcomed this decision and took to social media to urge people to cooperate with the government's decision.## Veteran actress-politician Hema Malini wrote: "We have completed 3 weeks of nationwide lockdown successfully &controlled the spread of the virus to a large extent. Let us follow our PM @narendramodi Ji's behest to the nation to observe the next 3 weeks also in strict lockdown. For our own welfare & benefit, we shouldn't break rules."## In a separate tweet, she also suggested people utilize their time finding out their hidden talents rather than getting bored at home.## "Find ur hidden talents! U might have an artist within u waiting to be encouraged. A dancer who has always loved to dance but too busy to take it up. A nature lover who didn't have time to even look at our own garden. A storyteller, a writer-the list is endless. Time to discover urself!"## Actress Nimrat Kaur also shared on Twitter: "These last 21 days stay valid and effective only with patience and discipline every single day of the next 19 coming up. Each decision at every individual level matters like never before. #TogetherAtHome #StaySafeStayHome #Lockdown2 #IndiaFightsCarona."## Urging citizens to cooperate in the extended lockdown period, Rajeev Khandelwal tweeted: "Let's respect what our Prime Minister just said. It is in the interest of the entire country. Stay indoors, stay safe. #CoronaUpdatesIndia"## Lyricist and censor board chief Prasoon Joshi tweeted: "#ModiMangalMessage Time to Stay firm&united. India under the leadership of PM @narendramodi has set an example of decisiveness, self-belief, and welfare in the face of the Coronavirus crisis. Let's keep staying responsible for the sake of all and not get distracted by any negativity."## Actress-politician Kirron Kher tweeted: "In order to ensure that India's fight against #COVID19 continues and we will be victorious, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi has decided to extend the lockdown by 3 May. Stay where you are, be safe."## Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri expressed: "Friends, You can achieve all this before 3rd May:## - lose weight/ be fitter## - learn about food## - learn a new skill## - throw away what you don't need/live light## - discover new ideas and be ready for #NewWorld## - discover your #CreativeConsciousness## - be successful## #Lockdown2"## Singer Adnan Sami, who became an Indian citizen a while back, tweeted: "#Lockdown2 #NoProblem #IndiaFightsCorona #IndiaFightsCoronavirus."## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) The Marathi show "Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Ek Maha Manav Ki Maha Gatha" has been dubbed in Hindi and will premiere on BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary on Tuesday.## Ambedkar was the architect of the Indian Constitution and the show narrates the story of the man who dedicated his life to eradicating social inequality in India.## Actor Sagar Deshmukh, who essays Ambedkar in the show, said: "I was honored and blessed to get the opportunity to play such an iconic character. The man who has done so much for the country in terms of removing untouchability, changing the working hours, support in women empowerment, a renowned scholar and much more."## "It took a lot of effort to get into the skin of the character. The efforts paid off when the audience liked my work. The show is dubbed in Hindi and will be coming on Star Bharat. I am nervous and excited again. I hope the audience will share the same love and support."## The Marathi version had premiered last year on Star Pravah. Now, it's coming in Hindi on Star Bharat.## "Babasaheb was a great social reformer, educationist and politician. The show has done well previously in Maharashtra and hence we at Star Bharat, felt that a story so inspiring deserves to be told to a larger set of audiences across the country," said a Star Bharat Spokesperson.## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Iconic actor Naseeruddin Shah recalls an incident from his early days in the city when he was a struggler, and how a moment of realization back then changed his attitude towards prayer forever.## "I can recall that day even now. I was very vulnerable back then. I had no work, no friends in the city, no money to buy my bread and it felt like all the doors were closed. I thought I would pray. While performing Wudu I began to think, what is prayer about? Is it �saudebaazi' (bargaining), where I say, �God please give me this and I will become that and I will offer you that'? No! That should not be the reason why we pray! That day and ever since, I never prayed to ask anything from the Almighty. My attitude towards prayer changed forever," the veteran actor told IANS.## "I only pray to express gratitude. When I was broken, I realized that the only solution is to get work and whoever offers me would appear to me as �God-like'. I have to hold myself strong until then. I think begging to God for things while praying is despicable," he added.## Shahj has recent;y appeared in the short film "Half-Full". Directed by debutant Karan Rawal, the film also features Vikrant Massey, and will premiere on the OTT platform ZEE5.## What made him sign up a short film directed by a greenhorn filmmaker? "I am very supportive of these short films that are made by young filmmakers. They have a voice that they express through storytelling and I think if the idea is good, it deserves support. I receive several scripts but I do not agree to work with all of them. You see, the idea, the story matters to me. I did not know this young man Karan before reading the script. That way, I did not know Shekhar Kapur before doing �Masoom', I did not know Neeraj (Pandey) before doing �A Wednesday'. For me, the story matters. When I came on board for this film, I found the script interesting," he explained.## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Arti Singh urges people to practice yoga during these times of COVID-19 stress.## The quarantine has given a chance to people to do the things that they didn't otherwise get time for, owing to their busy work schedules.## Apart from doing daily household chores, cooking and catching up on films and web-series, Arti has also been practicing yoga.## "I used to practice yoga daily when I was in Lucknow but I lost touch in between. Now that we are all home and have time in our hands, I have got back to doing it daily. Usually, I try to do it as soon as I wake up or in the evenings, depending upon how I am feeling that day," she said.## "Yoga has positively affected me as it helps calm down my mind. I encourage everyone to do a short session of yoga every day, as these are testing times we are all facing. Yoga will essentially keep you calm and patient," she added.## Stay tuned...

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Actress Akansha Ranjan Kapoor says she is utilising her lockdown days to catch up on some great movies. Akansha, who garnered acclaim for her debut role in the recent digital film "Guilty", wishes to be part of a film like "Thappad".## "I am utilizing this time that I am sitting home productively. I am one of those people who used to watch a lot of TV series rather than film, but now I have made a list of important films that I am watching to understand performance better. It is useful for me as an actor. I have watched 'The Platform', 'The Report' and 'Lady Bird'. I am watching more films -- for my acting purpose, these are important," Akansha told IANS.## Asked about if there is any Bollywood film she has watched that made her feel like she would want to be a part of it, and Akansha replied: "Every time I watch a film, I feel like I want to do this one! I wish I could get a chance to play a character like this! Recently when I watched 'Thappad', I was like 'I so want to play the part at Taapsee did'. I wish to be a part of that kind of film."## "There are films that I watch as an actress. When I watched 'Section 375' I was moved. I so wish to be part of a story like 'Udta Punjab'. I want to work with Anubhav Sinha, Shakun Batra, and Luv Ranjan. All of them are so distinct in their style of storytelling and I think working with them would help me to grow as an actor," Akansha signed off.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

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Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) Remember December 2017, when Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma tied the knot in an exclusive ceremony at Italy's breathtaking Borgo Finocchieto? Far away from paparazzi, the two exchanged garlands in a private affair and then had revealed the news on social media with a picture of the ceremony. Till date, their wedding videos make the fans ask for more.## The fairytale touch to Virushka's wedding nuptials was given by Vishal Punjabi, filmmaker and founder of the production company, The Wedding Filmer. He's the one who shot Virat and Anushka's destination wedding along with his team. It's been almost three years since he filmed the festivities, and he naturally considers it a career milestone.## "I didn't know it was their wedding until I got there!" Vishal told IANS, adding: "I was proud of the fact that they picked me for their wedding. It was a private affair and we respected their privacy as we wanted them to freely live their special moment. It was not that difficult to shoot their wedding. In fact, they made us so feel comfortable that I felt I was a part of their celebrations. Once the wedding was done, I realized that I had finally accomplished something big. I had covered one of the biggest and beautiful weddings in the world. Virat and Anushka taught me the difference between hope and expectation."## To make their marriage video special, Vishal decided to give it a musical effect. Instead of depending on Bollywood Shaadi songs, Vishal tried something original.## The Sufi song "Peer vi tu" was created for Virushka's wedding video. It was sung by Harshadeep Kaur and Mohan Kannan.## "Why go for Bollywood when one can create something original? It's so boring to use the same songs at almost every wedding. Every bride should feel special on her special day. So, I thought it was important to come up with original tracks," Vishal emphasized.## Apart from Virat-Anushka, Vishal has also captured the moments of Deepika Padukone-Ranveer Singh and Bipasha Basu-Karan Singh Grover's weddings.## Vishal also spoke about how the wedding industry has faced the brunt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.## "The wedding industry has taken a huge hit. Many wedding assignments that I was really excited about and worked really hard on have been pushed and there is nothing that can be done about it. At this time, the best you can do is help those around you, accept what is happening and stay positive by turning this around to improve your life and the lives of those you love. I am worried what if people start marrying online," he quipped.## Vishal is all set to come up with the streaming service Wedflix for people to watch wedding content directly at their homes.## "We coined the term Wedflix to encourage people to stay at home and watch their wedding films. A lot of couples we've filmed for -- who have children now or who are stuck at home with their families -- end up watching their wedding videos and relive their memories again.## "Your lehenga ain't gonna comfort you in times of distress. Your wedding film has the potential to remind you of why you got married in the first place. So, when life is going uphill, Wedflix and Chill," Vishal ends with a smart hard sell punchline for his trade.## Stay tuned...