BY SACNILK

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Weather change that is associated with common cold cases in India in the month of March-April has left millions of people who are down with seasonal cough or cold symptoms self-isolating themselves -- an exercise which is only creating unnecessary fear in the country, say health experts. ## Doctors are flooded with patients who have normal cold or flu - along with conditions like anxiety and stress -- in the OPDs. They are very fearful and assuming it might be new coronavirus (COVID-19) disease although they just have seasonal symptoms. ## "People having cough or cold symptoms are somewhat scared in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. Some might also fear disclosure in fear of being isolated. People with an anxious and oversensitive predisposition or hypochondriacal and obsessive symptoms are likely to worry a lot and engage in an unreasonably restricted lifestyle," Dr Sameer Malhotra, Head, department of mental health and behavioural science at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket told IANS. ## Despite the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) declaring there is no community transmission of the new coronavirus yet in the country, people in their sixties suffering from pre-existing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure are becoming paranoid. ## "They want to get themselves screened for it whether or not the symptoms fits the disease. At the same time, they're also worried about their family, especially the elderly," said Dr Mugdha Tapdiya, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj. ## Health experts are getting flu test, complete blood count and chest X-ray done wherever it is required. ## "Once results are not suggestive of possibility of coronavirus disease, patients are at peace. If there is breathlessness or there are findings in chest, we also suggest CT scan of the chest area to be done," said Tapdiya. ## Yes, there is a social pressure, admit doctors. ## "In fact, one girl who came to me from an NGO wanted to work from home because she had lots of elderly colleagues. ## "She said since I'm suffering from flu, they're asking me to take leave and sit at home, which will be without pay. So there is a lot of social pressure especially in the private companies where people are not getting paid if they're sitting at home, that's why they're hiding symptoms," Tapdiya told IANS. ## Our message to the society is that not every cold, cough and fever is COVID-19 disease. ## "We need to understand that we are still at the stage II phase of the disease. COVID 19 is still prevalent among the travellers who are from overseas. We need to just relax and not be fearful for our fellow colleagues and household members as well who have symptoms of cold, cough and fever," said Tapdiya. ## All with symptoms, however, must seek regular medical consultation without any fear. ## Malhotra said that it is important to follow the advisory issued by the government and doctors. ## "One does need to be cautious and careful. At the same time, there is a need for more ICU beds and hospitals to avoid any shortage of services. The place of isolation should be comfortable both to the body and the mind, and clean," her added. ## Even during the phase of isolation or restricted socialisation, one should try to engage in some constructive hobbies like reading, sorting one's paperwork and listening to music, etc to avoid excessive worry. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Government's aggressive social distancing pitch coupled with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) shutting all its protected sites from Tuesday has left Delhi's two iconic structures -- the Qutub Minar and Lotus Temple desolate, giving an eerie feeling. ## Qutub being an ASI protected site -- the only sight that greets you is a closed reception, few private security guards and an indifferent snack shop outside. ## "I have just opened it," said Ram Lal, who sells puffs outside the Qutub Minar. "This time of the year, it used to be peak season as its neither too hot nor cold. But corona has left us without business this year," he adds. ## A government employee present at the closed Qutub reception told IANS requesting anonymity, "Still we find 10 to 15 people turning up here unaware of the restrictions. Last year, mid-March, we had a tough time managing crowds. Such is the irony." ## To put things into perspective, in 2018-19, there were 2.9 million tourists who visited Qutub Minar. The data was shared by the Culture Ministry in Parliament. ## Ironically at one corner, "stand in queue" bird stands alone amid the deserted premise of the 14th century victory tower built Sultans Qutb-ud-din Aibak and his son-in-law Iltutmish. ## Though, the situation in Lotus Temple in South Delhi is not as haunting as the Qutub's, but the footfall has decreased by approximately 90 per cent, say the shops outside the structure, whose business too have taken a hit. ## When IANS visited the temple, barely a hundred people were scattered around the vast expanse of the temple premise. The main temple area was closed. ## Subhashish, who started working for the administration of the Lotus Temple barely a month ago told IANS: "I have seen long queues that would run into a few hundred meters. Today there is no queue in the first place. This is unprecedented." ## He added the footfall drastically dropped after this Sunday, around the same time when COVID-19 cases inched closer to 100 in India and touched 7,000 world wide. ## "Corona ka saya hai (It's the shadow of Corona)," said Bablu, who sells banta-soda outside Delhi's iconic structure that has often come to be synonymous with the national capital. He complained, "Dhanda band para hula hai (There's no business)." ## Fakhruddin Ali, a tourist from Kanpur, who had earlier visited the site sounded surprised. Said he could never imagine such an empty Lotus temple, ever. ## This eerie feeling is the result of the government aggressively pitching for social distancing and avoidance of public places to contain the spread of the deadly Coronavirus and bring down the graph that has so far killed two in the country, including an elderly mother from West Delhi and paralyzed all major institutions like schools, gyms, movie theatres, swimming pools. ## India may not have reached China's Wuhan-like shutdown, but the semi-haunted tourist spots of Delhi only speak volumes about how badly the capital has come under the corona-grip. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) DJ Diplo is practicing social distancing from his children until he's cleared of coronavirus. ## Although Diplo, whose real name Wesley Pentz, hasn't been diagnosed with COVID-19, the star told fans on Instagram he's following the advice of health officials and distancing himself from his close family, including sons Lazer Lee Louis, five, and Lockett, born in 2010, who he shares with ex-Kathryn Lockhart, to minimise the risk of them contracting it, reports aceshowboz.com. ## Alongside a video of the brothers behind a window as they held their hands up to their dad's from the other side of the glass, he wrote: "My (sons) are too young to understand the complexities of what's happening. But they aren't anxious and nervous like the rest of us." ## "They live in a house with their grandmother who is the most vulnerable. I have been in contact with hundreds of people in the past four weeks... And I'm staying away from the house until I am cleared of the virus," Diplo began the lengthy caption. ## The star went on to say that the separation: "Hurts because I miss them so much they are what makes me wake up every day and live and breath (sic), they are my ultimate joy, but this is my sacrifice to make sure everyone around me is safe." ## "I haven't had this much time home in years, and I wanted to build Legos and watch movies with them. But for now I'm just going to stay by the window and listen to them play drums and sing for me," he said. ## Diplo urged his followers to "think about others in every decision you make in the coming weeks" as the coronavirus continues to spread, following US President Donald Trump's declaration that the health crisis is a national emergency. ## "We already have enough news from Italy, Iran, Korea and China about the best ways to slow this… We need to be smart, going out and interacting with groups is cancelled, but kindess (sic) is not cancelled. Stay strong for the ones who can't right now." ## For more and the latest news about Holllywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) Hollywood star Jared Leto was on a silent meditation retreat and totally missed out on the coronavirus pandemic news. ## Leto tweeted early Tuesday that "12 days ago I began a silent meditation in the desert. We were totally isolated. No phone, no communication, etc," he wrote. "We had no idea what was happening outside the facility," reports cnn.com. ## The actor is known for marching to the beat of his own drum and told his followers he "Walked out yesterday into a very different world." ## "One that's been changed forever. Mind blowing -- to say the least. I'm getting messages from friends and family all around the globe and catching up on what's going on." ## The star had a message for us all as he continues to catch up. ## "Hope you and yours are ok. Sending positive energy to all. Stay inside. Stay safe." ## Leto was scheduled to be next seen in his starring role in the film "Moribus." ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Comedian Trevor Noah's maiden India tour, scheduled for April, has been postponed in view of the global coronavirus outbreak. ## Noah was set to bring his "Loud & Clear Tour" to India in April. BookMyShow was bringing the comedy star for his first ever performance in the country, with shows of the "Loud & Clear Tour 2020" to be held in New Delhi and Mumbai. In Delhi, the show was scheduled to be held at the Indira Gandhi Arena on April 11, and at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai on April 9. ## Now, an official statement on behalf of the artist about the postponement of the tour has been released. ## The statement read: "Due to the recent travel advisories and health concerns on account of the coronavirus pandemic, Trevor Noah's 'Loud & Clear' show in India will be postponed to a later date. ## "Our highest priority remains the safety of our customers, partners and everyone who has been working on the shows. We are actively working on rescheduled dates for the show and will announce more information at the earliest through BookMyShow's official customer channels. ## "All customers who have purchased tickets will get a full refund within 7-10 working days. We regret the inconvenience caused due to the unfortunate circumstances and look forward to bringing Trevor Noah for his India debut soon." ## The Emmy-winning "The Daily Show" host and comedian is known around the world for his insightful and authentic take on politics and current events. Noah has written, produced, and starred in eight comedy specials, most recently including "Son of Patricia" on Netflix. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) Actors Joel Edgerton and Toni Colette will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days after returning to Sydney, Australia this week. ## Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Australian government's new rules around self-isolation on Sunday, in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has seen more than 183,000 cases registered worldwide since it began in December (19), resulting in over 7,100 deaths globally, reports aceshowbiz.com. ## Edgerton and his girlfriend, Vogue Australia fashion director Christine Centenera, will now have to spend two weeks in isolation after returning home from Turks and Caicos Island on Tuesday, as part of the quarantine period. ## While the two didn't take any precautionary measures with masks or gloves, Toni, who arrived back on Monday, wore a surgical mask and carried a coronavirus information pamphlet with the government's insignia as she walked through the airport. ## In the past month, the "Muriel's Wedding" star has been filming her latest project "Nightmare Alley in Canada" and also attended the Berlin Film Festival in Germany. ## Her return to Australia comes after filming for Guillermo del Toro's latest horror "Nightmare Alley" was suspended indefinitely on Friday. Toni appears in the film alongside Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett and Willem Dafoe. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) Actress Vanessa Hudgens made her debut on the Chinese short video App TikTok as she shared a clip of herself recreating an iconic "High School Musical" scene. ## The actress starred as Gabriella Montez in all three instalments of the classic Disney Channel movies, alongside Zac Efron's Troy Bolton, and paid tribute to the franchise with her debut post on the video sharing site, reports aceshowbiz.com. ## Following in the footsteps of co-star and pal Ashley Tisdale, who shared a clip of her performing the dance choreography to "High School Musical's" "We're All in This Together", the 31-year-old actress shared a side-by-side post of the clips as she performed the song while pouring a glass of wine with it. ## "Well. It's come to this. Lol @ashleytisdale maybe I start getting into tik tok? Username is vanessahudgens not vanessahudgens0 okay byeeee," Vanessa wrote in the caption. ## The actress/singer's latest throwback comes after she thrilled fans last year by belting out the "High School Musical" classic, "Breaking Free", in a karaoke bar. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) A day after Hollywood star Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were released from a hospital in Australia, the actor shared "good news" and "bad news" from his house isolation. ## Taking to Instagram on March 17, the 63-year-old wrote: "Hey folks. Good News: One week after testing Positive, in self-isolation, the symptoms are much the same. No fever, but the blahs. Folding the laundry and doing the dishes leads to a nap on the couch." ## He then jokingly added: "Bad news: My wife @ritawilson has won 6 straight hands of Gin Rummy and leads by 201 points." ## In the post, the "Inferno" star also reacted to fans' debate over his vegemite consumption caused by his Sunday post. ## "But I have learned not to spread my Vegemite so thick," he noted before taking a jab at the typewriter he brought along for the trip which was ironically labelled "corona." ## He ended his post with positive message that read: "We are all in this together. Flatten the curve. Hanx." ## Hanks's update came just one day after his son Chet shared that Tom and Rita have left hospital to self-quarantine themselves in a rented house in Queensland. ## "Quick update on my folks: They're out of the hospital. They're still self-quarantined obviously, but they're feeling a lot better, so that's a relief," the 29-year-old said in an Instagram video. ## Reminding that "panicking isn't necessary," Chet also pleaded with others not to be selfish amid the pandemic. ## "I think if you went to the grocery store and hoarded all water and the toilet paper for yourself, you're the problem. You should just think more of others for once… I know this is crazy, but I'm just wishing everyone the best and we're gonna to get through this." ## Hanks, who is in Australia to film Baz Luhrmann's untitled Elvis Presley movie, came out with the announcement that he and his wife had been tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, March 11. ## "We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too," he shared at the time. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Actress Ananya Pandey feels that star kids have an advantage as they have easier access to people from the industry and that she considers "Dhadak" star Janhvi Kapoor her biggest competition.## Talking about the debate around nepotism, Ananya said: "I still agree that we have an advantage and we get to meet people. We have easier access to people from the industry as we have grown up around them. But now that I've got that chance, it's unfair for me to waste it. I want to make my father proud."## "There are so many examples of such talented people who have not come from the film background like Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma and then there are actors like Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt who have come from film families and done so well. So, it all comes down to the audience," added the daughter of Chunky Pandey.## The "Student Of The Year 2" star also recalled her first audition, and how she got rejected.## "I remember when 'Aladdin' had come to India, there were a bunch of people who auditioned. We had to record a video, which I did on my phone. I had worn this red outfit and had to read the dialogues for Jasmine. The scene went really well, but then they also asked us to sing and I can't sing to even save my life. So I really got rejected," she said.## The actress opened up about her journey in an episode of "Starry Nights GEN Y", which is aired on Zee Cafe.## Asked about three things that she would learn or swap with Suhana Khan, Ananya said: "I would like to learn her dancing and acting skills, and would love to swap my closet".## Further confessing her biggest competition, she shared: "Janhvi Kapoor is my biggest competition in this film industry."## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Actor Kay Kay Menon says his web series "Special Ops" offers a very unique perspective to the role of Indian intelligence.## Neeraj 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, including the 26/11 attacks. In a fictional take from the show, Himmat Singh (essayed by Kay Kay) is seen interrogating terrorist Ajmal Kasab.## "26/11 was a day when the entire country was awake. 'Special Ops' offers a very unique perspective to the role of Indian intelligence," Kay Kay said.## "Undercover agents are the true unsung heroes of our time. 'Special Ops' tries to bring forth the lives of these agents that try to capture the mastermind behind several unfortunate attacks. Indian intelligence is doing a lot for our country and we need to be indebted to them," he added.## The show also features Saiyami Kher, Karan Tacker, Divya Dutta, Vinay Pathak, Muzammil Ibrahim, Vipul Gupta, Sajjad Delafrooz, Parmeet Sethi, Gautami Kapoor, Sana Khan, Sharad Kelkar, KP Mukherjee, and many others. The show went live on March 17 in seven languages on Hotstar VIP.## For more and latest news about Digital Media, stay tuned with us.

BY SACNILK

Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh), March 18 (IANS) Streaming platform Hotstar has unveiled a unique out-of-home initiative through a massive billboard spanning 10,000 sq. ft in Mirzapur district. ## The billboard on the arterial road joining Shastri Bridge to Jaunpur trisection in Mirzapur, was completed within one week and measures 1,000 feet in length and 10 feet in height. It has an additional two feet tall cut-outs and stands on a solid framework of bamboos and iron frames to sustain extreme weather. ## Touted as the longest ever in India, the billboard is part of Hotstar's new 360-degree marketing campaign that says, "Hotstar ka vaada, free entertainment sabse zyada", and aims at reaching out to millions of viewers in Hindi-speaking markets in tier II and tier III cities. ## With cinema halls and multiplexes closing their doors due to the Corona scare, entertainment options have moved indoors and the brand provides viewers the convenience of sitting back and exploring its extensive range of high-quality free content through these uncertain times. ## The billboard showcases Hotstar's vast library of high-quality free content, including movies. ## Mandeep Malhotra, founding Partner and CEO, The Social Street, said in a statement, "Working with Hotstar is always brilliant and fun. The brand inspires us to unlock new ideas and create campaigns that push boundaries. With the longest billboard campaign, we wanted to create something that would send out the brand's message in a way that wows people." ## The new campaign by Hotstar aims at bridging this accessibility gap for its viewers, through fresh and innovative ways to spread the word about its vast library of high-quality free content. ## For more and the latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned to us.

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, March 18 (IANS) Model Gigi Hadid was recently interviewed by not one, but four of famous friends -- Serena Williams, Kendall Jenner, Blake Lively and Taylor Swift. ## In the interview that appears in Harper's Bazaar magazine, Gigi revealed several unknown facts of her life. Among interesting things her fans got to know is that the highflying model actually prefers rural tranquillity over life in the fast lane of the big cities. ## She said she enjoys being at her mother Yolanda Hadid's Pennsylvania property and how it reminds her of the "simple pleasures" of life. ## "The farm has really made me remember, and bring back to my life, my most simple pleasures. It's allowed me to fill my days off with the little things that make me happy, like art, gardening, yoga, cooking, being outside, and spending time with my loved ones and animals without having to worry about things like what I'm wearing or how my hair looks, or being photographed or seen that day. Being away from the city and the public eye makes me feel like a kid again, and that freedom has been really healing for me," said Gigi, according to a report in femalefirst.co.uk. ## In the interview to the new issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine, Gigi also spoke about herself. "I give a lot of credit to the fact that I'm a Taurus, whether that has anything to do with it or not... Haha... but I've always felt a connection to when people say that a Taurus is at peace with the timing of the earth. I trust that everything we go through, good or bad, is for the better," she said. ## For more and the latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned to us.