BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Actor Samir Kochhar, who appears in the second season of the web series "Four More Shots Please!", says that he always looks for an opportunity to prove his versatility.## "(I am) Really happy with the shows I've been a part of. I'm hungry for bigger, meatier roles, which I hope (will) keep coming along," Samir said.## The actor has lately appeared in web series like "The Test Case", "Sacred Games", and the digital film "Typewriter".## Samir stepped into the world of entertainment as a travel show host before becoming an actor. He believes in proving versatility, and he looks for subjects, genres, and roles that are completely challenging and diverse.## According to him, working with good directors like Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Sujoy Ghosh, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Nupur Asthana has helped improve his performances.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan shared a "breaking news" that a bat entered his home Jalsa here.## Amitabh took to Twitter to share the "news of the hour" with his fans and followers.## "Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury .. news of the hour .. BREAKING NEWS .. would you believe it .. A Bat, a (chamgadar) has come into my room .. in Jalsa .. on the 3rd floor .. in my Den..."## The thespian said that it was a tough job to take the bat out from the room.## "Badi mushkil se use bahar nikala (It as tough to take it out)... Corona peecha chodh hi nahin raha (Corona is not leaving)."## However, the tweet did not go down well with many social media users.## A user wrote: "Sorry to hear this from a reputed personality. Bats are not harmful and there is no need to fear. Kindly understand that they did not spread the virus to human. The reason is still debated. By nature, most animals have got virus in their body. Pls read this."## Another commented: "Not in good taste sir. You have millions of followers. Still we don't have exact process of human virus spillover. Demonising bat is last thing we want. Things we know for sure; They are pollinators. They help in pest control. Please revisit it."## "This is story of every uncle now days after limits on WhatsApp forwards," said a user.## On the work front, Big B will next be seen in films like "Chehre", Gulabo Sitabo", Brahmastra" and "Jhund".## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) "Aashiqui 2" turned seven on Sunday. The romance musical is one of the most successful films of actress Shraddha Kapoor, and she thanked its director Mohit Suri for the "gift of a lifetime".## Shraddha tweeted: "7 years of Aashiqui 2 today! Thank you forever @mohit11481 for this gift of a lifetime @VisheshFilms for believing @shufta20 for your exquisitely beautiful writing, Aditya for being an unbelievably amazing costar & the entire team who gave their everything to this precious film."## Mohit replied to her saying: "Love you even more chota !! Forever."## The blockbuster tells the story of a failing singer Rahul (Aditya Roy Kapur), how he meets her and falls in love with Aarohi (Shraddha), a woman who sings in a bar. He helps her in becoming a famous singer while he goes on a self-destructive mode.## Shraddha even changed her Instagram username to Aarohi and changed her profile photo taken during the film's shoot to celebrate the movie's anniversary.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

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 IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan lost his mother Saeda Begum on Saturday morning. She was 95 and a resident of Jaipur.## The actor is currently out of India and, owing to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, will not be able to fly back to the country for his mother's last rites, according to a report in SpotboyE.## "It's very sad. I have yet to talk to him, though. I will be calling him," filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, who worked with the actor in the 2015 film "Piku", told the website.## Irrfan's latest film is Homi Adajania's comedy "Angrezi Medium", the last-released Bollywood film before COVID-19 forced the complete shutdown of cinema halls. "Angrezi Medium" ran in theatres for just a day before halls all over India were shut down. The film has eventually released in the OTT space.## "Angrezi Medium" marked Irrfan's return despite his ailing condition. The actor was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor and has been under medical attention for the same.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

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 IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actor Rajeev Khandelwal says his role in his debut play "Court Martial" is an ode to his father.## "Growing up in an army family, I've always seen my father and brother proudly don their uniforms and it's no news to people that I also had aspirations to join the army," Rajeev said.## "In my career, I've played characters in uniforms before and I decided to keep this one of Capt. Bikash Roy. My role in ‘Court Martial' I'd like to believe is an ode to my father," he added.## The Zee Theatre teleplay "Court Martial" follows the unusual trial of a junior-ranked army man convicted of murdering his senior officer. Rajeev plays the role of Bikash Roy, an extremely sharp defense lawyer who goes deep into the shocking truth behind the assault.## Written by Swadesh Deepak, the play also stars Govind Pandey, Bhagwan Tiwari, Saksham Dayma and Swapnil Kotiwar.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Actor Vatsal Sheth will be making his directorial debut with a short film "Kahaa Toh Tha", in which he stars with wife Ishita Dutta.## The short film will release on April 28. It's a love story about a middle-class couple and the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic brings in their lives.## "This film 'Kahaa Toh Tha' is very close to me for a lot of reasons. I have turned director and producer for a film for the first time and I have launched Vatsal Sheth Films," Vatsal said.## "Ishita is a part of the film and I got to direct her. It's a very sweet film made at home by the two of us and the story is also very sweet and nice. It's a short film. I tried my best to make this as professional as possible with whatever limitations there. For example, we got the best music director. The music director of tanhaji has done the music. We got the best editor, poster designers for the film. This film is very close to me," he added.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

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...

BY IANS NEWS

Chennai, April 25 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Theatre And Multiplex Owners Association have threatened to ban films starring superstar Suriya, as well as the films produced by his production company 2D films. The decision comes after the news that the film "Pon Magal Vandhal", produced by Suriya and starring his wife Jyothika, will be released directly on a popular OTT platform, bypassing traditional theatrical release.## Suriya's decision to go direct digital with his new production was made public through a tweet by the social media page, Let's OTT Global: "Premier Alert Public address loudspeaker: First Tamil feature film to get a Direct OTT release, #PonMagalVandhal (Tamil) streaming rights bagged by @PrimeVideoIN. Streaming from 1st week of May."## Following this, the theatre owners association general secretary Panneerselvam released a video stating the decision not to release Suriya's films in theatres. He said that movies that are made for theatres should release in theatres first, and not on OTT platforms. He is further that if this decision is not revoked, there would be a ban on releasing films starring Suriya.## The decision, if brought to effect, could impact Suriya's upcoming film "Soorarai Pottru".## Although there has been no official announcement to the effect, a source in the film trade said, about Suriya's decision to release the modest-budgeted "Pon Magal Vandhal" on OTT: "Given the scenario, the chance of a small-budget film succeeding when theatres reopen is tricky. If producers are taking a decision that keeps them financially safe, then releasing the film on a streaming platform would work."## For Jyothika, this isn't the only controversy she has faced lately. A few days ago, a video of Jyothika's speech at an awards show received flak from religious groups.## In the video, Jyothika says while she was shooting for the film "Raatchasi", she visited a famous temple in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. She spoke highly about the temple, saying it looked like a palace. The next day, when she was shooting in a hospital in the same city, she noticed how badly maintained it was. She went on to request people to donate to hospitals the same way they donate to temples, as hospitals are more important for people to survive.## Ra Saravanan, who is directing her upcoming film that also stars Sasikumar, said that during her shoot in Thanjavur, Jyothika saw women in unhygienic maternity wards in the hospital, which affected her. The filmmaker added that the intention of Jyothika's comment wasn't to hurt anybody.## Suriya and Jyothika haven't released an official statement yet.## For more and latest news about Tollywood, stay tuned with us.

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Unconfirmed reports suggesting the upcoming Ranveer Singh-starrer "83" will be sold for release on an OTT platform before it opens in the theatres, have been denied by Reliance Entertainment, co-producers of the much-awaited film. The rumors started after the film's release was pushed from its scheduled date of April 10 owing to the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.## Lately, the trade circuit was abuzz with speculations that a global OTT giant with substantial reach in India has offered a whopping Rs 143 crore to the producers of "83" for the purchase of the film's release rights.## However, Reliance Entertainment has denied all such reports, claiming they will "evaluate" if the situation did not become normal even after six months, reports bollywoodhungama.com.## "There is no truth to these reports. '83' has been made for the big-screen experience. Right now, there's no intention or interest on the part of the directors or us as producers, to take these films to the small screen. If the situation deteriorates rapidly or there is no visibility of normalcy even after six months, we will evaluate then. But right now, we are all quite positive and I foresee that between the next four to six months, cinema halls will start operating. So that's the hope and mindset which we currently have," Shibashish Sarkar, Reliance Entertainment Group CEO, told bollywoodhungama.com.## Directed by Kabir Khan, "83" narrates the story of India's first-ever cricket World Cup victory in 1983. In the movie, Ranveer Singh stars as the then skipper Kapil Dev while Deepika Padukone plays Kapil's wife Romi Dev. The film also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Saqib Saleem, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Harrdy Sandhu, Ammy Virk, Jiiva, Sahil Khattar, Chirag Patil and Adinath Kothare in key roles.## For more and latest news about Bollywood, stay tuned with us.

BY IANS NEWS

Los Angeles, April 25 (IANS) Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson confessed that she was "rejected constantly" in her professional life, adding that she has "made a career out of being the second choice".## In an interview with Parade, the "Avengers" actress looked back at her career, reports dailymail.co.uk.## "Since a very young age, I've been rejected constantly ... the best call you can receive is after you are rejected for something and then you get it. You appreciate it more. I've basically made a career out of being the second choice," she added.## Johansson became a household name with her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but she wasn't originally cast in the role. She got the part after Emily Blunt had to drop out due to scheduling reasons.## In the past, the Oscar nominee has expressed frustration at roles she had to turn down. She also stepped down from the project "Rub And Tug" after criticism that a transgender actor should have been cast as the trans character.## At that time, in an interview with As If magazine in 2019, she said: "You know, as an actor, I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job and the requirements of my job. There are a lot of social lines being drawn now, and a lot of political correctness is being reflected in art."## Johansson's next release will be "Black Widow", which is slated to release on November 6.## Stay tuned...