BY SACNILK

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) No househelp and no option to step out have made many feel like being locked up in the "Bigg Boss" house. But former "Bigg Boss" contestant Hina Khan says that participating in the reality show and experiencing the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown have nothing in common.## The reality show, an Indian version of international series "Celebrity Big Brother", features celebrities locked inside a house for months under constant camera surveillance, without any gadgets or luxury.## "The 'Bigg Boss' house and this quarantine phase are poles apart in regards to any kind of comparison. There is no tactic I am using right now," Hina told IANS.## Unlike the show where the contestants have to be away from their loved ones, Hina is living with her family in Mumbai right now and is feeling fortunate.## "I am so happy to have them by my side during these tough times," said the "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai" actress.## Like others, she is also doing household chores and keeping herself entertained with engaging content online.## "From cooking to cleaning to working out to watching stuff online, I have been diverting my mind with things that are positive and productive. Right now it's best doing what you like doing more than anything else, to deal with the home quarantine phase in a better way," she said.## The lockdown, which has been imposed since March, has been a learning experience for her.## "The art of patience is the biggest thing I have learned from the lockdown. Keeping calm, composed, and patiently passing through each day is what I am now getting much better at," she shared.## She doesn't have big plans after the lockdown gets over.## "I feel that even when the lockdown is over, getting back to the normal way of life like it was before this whole scenario began, is honestly going to take a lot of time. So even if there are things I want to do, it's all going to be done with keeping necessary precautions in mind first," she said.## While there is still time for the lockdown to be lifted, viewers can enjoy her recently released a short film titled "Smartphone".## "The short film has a great message. One is about never underestimating anybody else's abilities and there is a strong sense of women empowerment as well, so content-wise it is quite good. And right now I feel that good, meaningful, and interesting content is what people need to be given to watch, to help divert their minds from the stressful situation that we are all facing at the moment," said Hina.## She plays a rural woman in the short film.## "It was a challenging role with lots of nuances to keep in mind. From the desi accent to the language, dressing style, and even personality traits of the character, I had to ensure that every small detail was perfect! And challenges like these in my workspace are what I actually look forward to and enjoy working on, so this definitely is one of those amazingly challenging projects," she said.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Bollywood actress and former beauty queen Urvashi Rautela seems to be in a holiday mode and says amid lockdown a virtual vacation will do for now.## Urvashi took to Instagram, where she shared a photograph of herself in a sea green bikini. In the snapshot, she lies on a wooden plank beside the ocean. She completed her look with a pink flower in her hair and sunglasses.## "Sunshine is my favorite accessory. Close your eyes & imagine the beach... A virtual vacation will do for now," she captioned the image, which currently has 330K likes.## Urvashi on Sunday treated her fans to a dance video. In the clip, the actress is seen performing "heel choreography" on the Bollywood number "Aashiq banaya aapne" by Himesh Reshammiya.## Earlier this week, Urvashi's Facebook account was hacked. She warned fans not to respond to posts originating from the account.## On the work front, "Beat pe thumka", a peppy wedding number featuring Urvashi has just been released. The song is from her upcoming comedy flick "Virgin Bhanupriya".## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Amid lockdown strictures, Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor became nostalgic about spending time with his grandmother, saying he cannot wait to sit down and enjoy the "nonsense" of being a family together over a long slow Sunday lunch.## Arjun took to Instagram, where he shared a vintage photograph of his grandmother and late grandfather. Along with the post, he shared a heart-warming note about staying away from family due to the lockdown. "My dadu & dadi. I grew up with them in a joint family. Unfortunately, my granddad passed away just before I became an actor. He couldn't see me make a mark in the profession when he toiled to give our family our foundation. My dadi (she's on insta btw @nirmalkapoorbombay) who is too cool is hail hearty and lives in our family home about 5kms from where I stay but I can't see her for her own health."## He said he is missing visiting his grandmother Nirmal Kapoor owing to the lockdown.## "This post was just because I'm missing her and I'm certain a lot of u out there are worried and missing the elders in ur family and lives... eventually this will all pass and things will get better and when it does I can't wait to sit down and just enjoy the nonsense of being a family together over a long slow Sunday lunch.## "It is for that dream to be a reality we must sit at home and fight through this phase and chapter of all our lives. Here's to a Happy Sunday to everyone."## On the acting front, Arjun will next be seen in Dibakar Banerjee's "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar". The film also stars Arjun's "Ishaqzaade" co-star Parineeti Chopra.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Singer Aastha Gill has collaborated with Sukh E for a fun wedding song "Video bana de", and says she hopes that the track brings "much-needed cheer and optimism" amid the challenging times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.## "This is the first time I am collaborating with Sukh E. I have always loved his music, and working on this together has been super fun," Aastha said.## "It's a wedding song, a track that will definitely make you tap your feet. We created and shot the song before the lockdown, and in these tough times I hope Video Bana de brings in much-needed cheer and optimism," she added.## SukhE said: "‘Video bana de' is quirky, unconventional and bright. Aastha's vivacious energy just added to the whole experience of making the song. I hope this track helps in maintaining positivity during these tough times."## Sony Music India released the track on Monday. Since the song has a wedding theme, the duo recently announced a "Virtual wedding" as part of a promotional strategy. They posted an invitation card on their social media and the wedding functions were as follows: April 24 -- cocktail, April 25 -- sangeet, April 26 -- Mehendi and April 27 wedding.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) Actress Bhumi Pednekar will share health and nutrition tips to tackle emotional eating during the novel coronavirus lockdown.## "I have always strived to lead a balanced lifestyle and believed in the synergy of how nutrition, what we eat directly impacts our health and fitness. This lockdown, though extremely challenging for all of us because it has changed how we live life and exist, is also impacting our minds and that can throw off diet and nutrition in a big way," said Bhumi, who will initiate the effort with her nutritionist.## "What we eat has a lot to do with how we feel - it's connected and it's mostly emotional. This will create health and fitness issues and I want to share with everyone my nutrition journey through COVID-19 and I hope that people will find this useful."## The actress has maintained a routine and stuck to her nutritious way of life all through the coronavirus pandemic. She credits her nutritionist Dr. Siddhant for her fit body and will be doing a live chat with him to share health and nutrition tips with everyone.## "I have ensured that I'm mobile, I have been working out, I'm on a nutrition-rich diet and I have not resorted to binge and junk eating. My nutritionist Dr. Siddhant is a genius and has a wealth of knowledge which has helped me shape my life. I want him to share his knowledge with as many people as possible because he has kept me going despite the lockdown challenges," she said.## On the professional front, Bhumi will next be seen in the films "Durgavati" and "Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitaare".## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Hyderabad, April 27 (IANS) Telugu superstar Vijay Deverakonda has raised over Rs 40 lakh through his Middle-Class Fund and says he has "reset" the goal of his charity, what with such generous donation coming in from fans. While he had earlier planned to help 2000 families, Vijay now hopes to help over 4000 families.## The "Arjun Reddy" star took to Twitter, where he shared a spreadsheet showing the amount of donation that has come in, and how many households have so far been helped.## Alongside the spreadsheet, the actor also penned an emotional thank you note.## "Today what I saw was magical. Mass care, Mass love, and Mass generosity. Each one of you this missed class fund and its success belongs to you. I promise I will not let you down, we will reach out to each and everyone who reaches out to us and we shall all enjoy the happy smiles that shine back at us.## "In a day you made 25 lakhs into 40+ lakhs. Together we have now reset our goal of 2000+ families to 4000+ families. Today our team was 4, tomorrow we make it 34, so we can reach more people faster."## "Below is an update of day 1 broad numbers. Every day at 9 PM we will share with you a sautés update, so we can witness the impact of what we all are together doing. #TDF #MCF. Note- Households funded today were affected by our training session and 11 AM-12 Noon closure of stores. We will see a jump in families reached from tomorrow on."## Vijay also shared a tweet from a person, who donated Rs 1 lakh to The Deverakonda Foundation.## The actor replied saying: "Darling, 100+ Families will be reached with your support to #MCF. Bigg hugg"## On Sunday, Vijay took to social media to make two important announcements.## He wrote: "None of us were prepared for this. But we are fighters. We shall survive this and come out of it strong. This thing hit me hard as well, but I am here now. I am here with my incredible team that never says no to a fight and we are happy to announce a Rs 1.30 cr fund to help as many as we can. All we need is some love, kindness, and support and I am sending you all, my love and strength."## He even posted an 11-minute video clip in which the actor assured that he will provide employment opportunities and take care of the immediate requirements such as groceries and medicine through his foundation.## He also added that he will take care of the immediate needs of more than 2,000 families.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) Fun chat shows to informative sessions, actors like Kartik Aaryan, Sunny Leone, Shruti Haasan, and Rashami Desai are flaunting their hosting skills in the digital space to while away their lockdown hours and fans are loving it.## Kartik's talk show on YouTube, "Koki Poochega", is surely among the most popular efforts. On the show, he interacts with frontline warriors in the COVID-19 battle, including doctors and health workers, and also with survivors of the novel coronavirus pandemic.## Kartik's trademark humorous style, at the same time engaging and informative, has already won the show a huge fan base, including Bollywood stars such as Alia Bhatt and Janhvi Kapoor, who have heaped praises on Kartik's effort on social media.## In his first episode of "Koki Poochega", Kartik interviewed India's first COVID-19 survivor Sumit Singh. The interaction gave an insight into what a person with symptoms of the virus should do and not do.## Shruti, who has been sharing recipes along with hair and skincare tips on social media, also goes live on Instagram for interactions with select guests.## Ways to stay strong, maintain mental balance, and keeping patience have been some of the topics of discussion.## "I have a close group of women who are my friends, but I also have a larger circle of women whom I have been interacting with that have been inspiring me. They are from different walks of life," said Shruti.## "I thought it would be lovely to interact with them on various topics and I like that they are from different places, different topics, and different professions," she added.## Sunny Leone has also started her chat show on Instagram.## Titled "Lockdown with Sunny", it sees Sunny in conversation with several celebrities, including Daboo Ratnani and Mandana Karimi.## "It was my idea to just have fun with our fans and people on Insta. It is all about light-hearted conversations with funny things and details about the guest," Sunny said.## "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Rashami Desai has also started her own digital show titled "The RDShhow".## "It's not your regular chat show. It's being made with an intent to educate people on different fields of career. I'll be inviting eminent personalities from various fields as guests on my show. We'll be discussing each field, with its possible career opportunities and the skills required to be successful in those particular fields," said Rashami.## Also making good use of the digital platform, actor Karanvir Bohra has started a fun-filled and informative live series titled "Lockdown with KV".## "The idea right now is to keep people engaged, talking, and importantly listening and watching good content to keep their minds diverted from the ongoing stressful situation," he said.## "So that's what my second live series 'Lockdown with KV' is aiming at. The first main idea which is to just talk to people from different walks of life and understand their lives and routines and importantly coping skills during these trying and testing times" added the actor, who had earlier brought in his celebrity friends for a 21-question series on Instagram.## Actress-producer Dia Mirza's digital session, "#DownToEarthWithDee", features celebrity guests who share a common love for nature. The session is held every Wednesday.## Dia's first conversation with filmmaker Zoya Akhtar dwelt on a number of things, from their shared love for nature to how they are both dealing with the lockdown.## "I hope these conversations on '#DownToEarthWithDee' every Wednesday will help all those seeking ways to live in better harmony with nature despite living in cities. I hope they find some magic, inspiration, and solutions in our conversations,'' Dia said.## Joining the list is actress Urvashi Dholakia, who has a digital chat show called "Trending Now".## Through the course of the show, Urvashi will be seen chatting up with personalities from diverse fields.## She has interviewed celebrities like Tony Kakkar, Sriti Jha, and Sumona Chakravarti.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Actress Tisca Chopra is missing going outdoors but she says she is making the most of staying indoors.## Tisca shared a stunning photograph on Instagram of herself in a monochrome monokini. In the image, the "Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji" actress can be seen laying on sand.## "Lockdown diaries Day 29: 'Missing the outdoors but making the most of the indoors .. Made some #dimsums last evening and judging by the reaction they were good. Tara loves whatever little I cook and that is encouraging me be more adventurous (head to stories)," she wrote alongside the image.## She also mentioned she would be chatting with a psychiatrist on the photo-sharing website.## Tisca then took to her Instagram Stories, the actress is seen looking into her iPad and she captioned it: "#Backtoschool".## Recently, the actress dedicated her role of Dr. Mira Anand in the series "Hostages" to first responders and caregivers amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country.## "Hostages", a crime thriller, is directed by Sudhir Mishra. It is an official adaptation of an Israeli series of the same name. It also stars Ronit Roy, Parvin Dabas, Aashim Gulati, and Mohan Kapoor.## Amid lockdown, Tisca is using her time to hone her filmmaking skills. She has been taking online classes on how to direct feature films.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is elated as she's raised over 2,500 PPE kits for doctors and Rs 16 lakhs for those who are battling at the frontline to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 pandemic.## Vidya had also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar.## She took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon where she shared the good news.## "I've woken up to good news this morning. We've reached 2500+ PPE kits and raised over 16 lakh in just a few hours. A big thank you to each of you who has donated and made this possible. A load of gratitude and bless you. This is truly the unity and spirit of India..." she said in the video.## Alongside the video, Vidya wrote: "Thank you very much for your generous donations from all over the world. I'm elated to share that we have raised 2500+ kits accounting over Rs 16 lakh within a few hours. A load of gratitude for helping in donating over double our initial target.## "The campaign will run for some more time, so if you haven't been able to donate yet but want to help out, go to www.tring.co.in and donate whatever you can. Every single kit is helping protect a life. The #WarAgainstCovid19 continues, let's #UniteForHumanity #StayHome#StaySafe".## In an earlier post, the "Mission Mangal" star had informed that each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) It is quite some time before people start flocking to cinema halls or other entertainment events. For now, they will stick to their stay-at-home lifestyle even after the lockdown is lifted, and even after the coronavirus crisis is over. And that's expected to have a ripple effect on the television industry with the trend of long format making a comeback on the small screen post-pandemic.## Signaling gloomy days for film business and live entertainment gigs, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned out to be a major inflection point for changing the way people consume entertainment content, registering fast pace growth of television and OTT platforms.## "Collective public experience will be replaced by collective family viewing, that too within the confines of their respective homes," producer-director Vivek Budakoti of banner Katha Kottage, told IANS.## According to a recent report by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), TV consumption continues to show a growth of 40 percent over a pre-COVID period now at 1.24 trillion minutes -- the increase led by both reach and average time spent. It also stated that the Hindi GEC in HSM (Hindi speaking market) is at an all-time high with 8.5 billion impressions with mythological shows leading the way.## "This trend will be there for time being before people go back to cinema halls. Web platforms will gain traction amidst TV and cinema. It may sort of work as a bridge between two seasoned mediums," Budakoti pointed out.## Actor Sharad Malhotra feels "even after lockdown is removed and the situation gets normal people" will think twice before stepping out for a film.## "Long-running shows will be in demand more than before," Sharad added.## To this, actress Vahbiz Dorabjee added: "There is a possibility that the trend of long-running shows will be back. This pandemic will stay in people's minds for a very long time. Even after it goes, it is going to take a long time to settle down because people won't be able to forget this deadly virus so soon."## The change has started reflecting already. At a time when limited series are in vogue, Disney+ Hotstar has commissioned 234 episodes of the animated series "Selfie With Bajrang".## One can say that television has always been a haven for long-running shows with popular "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah", "Kumkum Bhagya" and "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai" being the case in point.## Adaa Khan noted that "daily soaps are like dal chawal. Long-running hit shows like ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai' already exist. You should have a constant story to tell and it should click with masses", with actress Jasmin Bhasin pointing out: "Long-running shows always existed depending upon being hit. If people love specific shows they continue seeing it. The story has to constantly hold the audience's interest."## But one can't overlook the fact that finite concept was fast seeping into the industry, with sequels and limited series becoming a new reality of the television landscape.## Benaifer Kohli, producer of the hit show "Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain!", feels "even a finite show, if it works, can be converted into a long-running show."## "Because you don't want to close a show which is being loved by the public. So, you automatically tend to lend more stories and make it a long-running show...Long-running shows will be the order and trend of the day in the times to come," Kohli told IANS.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actress Tamannaah Bhatia recently took part in the ongoing viral #pillowChallenge, and she pulled it off with the help of her Gucci belt.## The Pillow Challenge is one of the viral trends doing the rounds during the global COVID-19 lockdown. People taking the challenge have to tie a pillow to themselves like a dress using a belt and post a picture or video of the pose on social media.## Taking to Instagram, Tamannaah posted a picture in which she is seen lying on a floor while striking a stunning pose with a pillow. She accessorized with Gucci belt and red high heels.## "I'm off to club bed featuring DJ pillow and MC blanket! #feelingfancybutnowheretogo #weekendvibes #quarantinePillowchallenge #pillowchallenge," she captioned the post.## Reacting to Tamannaah's post, a user commented: "So hot."## Another one wrote: "Lucky pillow."## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Bollywood actress Vidya Balan is donating 1000 PPE kits for doctors and other medical staff who are battling at the frontline to keep us safe from the deadly COVID 19.## Vidya has also collaborated with celebrity shout-out platform Tring to raise donations to provide additional 1000 PPE kits, along with Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films and photographer cum film producer Atul Kasbekar.## Vidya Balan took to Instagram urging all to donate to the cause. She wrote: "Namaste, it is critical that we provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits to our healthcare workers for their protection in this #WarAgainstCovid19. I am donating 1000 PPE kits for our medical staff and have partnered with Tring to raise a donation for another 1000 PPE kits which are in immediate need across India for our doctors and medical staff."## The actress also announced a reward to whoever is donating. She wrote: "For your contribution, I will send you a personal thank you video message recognizing your generosity."## The "Mission Mangal" star also shared a video message on Instagram where she talks about the shortage of PPE kits in India's hospitals and explains why is it necessary to donate for the same.## In the video, Vidya says: "In the war against COVID 19, our healthcare professionals are like soldiers at the border fighting for our health and freedom. Just like we equip our soldiers for a battle, we must do the same with our medical staff."## "There is a critical shortage of PPE that is personal protective equipment for our senior doctors, residents, nurses, and ward boys in their daily work. They come into constant contact with affected patients and if one medico is affected, the entire unit of 8-12 healthcare workers is quarantined for 2-3 weeks. As a result, a lot of our hospitals are not functioning at full capacity. Join me in changing this now," she added.## Akshay Saini, co-founder of Tring stated: "We are very grateful to Vidya who has been very generous and has donated 1000 PPE kits in her individual capacity, in addition to the several other donations she is doing."## Each PPE kit worth Rs 650 consists of one coverall laminated and waterproof, nitrile gloves, goggles, face shields, 3-ply surgical mask, and shoe covers, informed the actress.## Stay tuned...