BY IANS NEWS

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Irrfan Khan was one of the few Indian stars to seamlessly transition from Bollywood to Hollywood while breaking the stereotypical barriers reserved for brown people in the West with his unconventional acting skills.## From pivotal roles in big-budget tentpoles like "Jurassic World", "Inferno" and "The Amazing Spider-Man" to critically acclaimed and successful crossover dramas such as "The Namesake", "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Life of Pi", Irrfan was India's first and biggest export to Hollywood. And he did all this without making any clamor about invading the West, and instead let his work do the talking.## He was the actor who matched the Oscar-winning Tom Hanks' on-screen thunder. He was the star who turned down offers to work with Matt Damon, Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Nolan, and Ridley Scott without breaking a sweat. He was the actor who retained his identity as an Indian while escaping the stereotypical traps, sometimes as a police inspector in "Slumdog Millionaire", sometimes as a doctor in "The Amazing Spider-Man", sometimes as a powerful businessman in "Jurassic World" and sometimes as the head of an enigmatic international organization known as 'The Consortium' in "Inferno".## While promoting "Inferno", actor Tom Hanks said he wants to be cool like Irrfan.## "Here's what I hate about Irrfan Khan... I always think I'm the coolest guy in the room, and everybody's hanging on to every word I say and everybody's a little intimidated to be in my presence. And then Irrfan Khan walks into the room. And he's the coolest guy in the room," Tom Hanks said about working with Irrfan.## After carving a name for himself in Hindi cinema, he has gradually established himself in the West too. But there was a time in the 1990s when Irrfan was contemplating leaving the glitzy world of showbiz.## British filmmaker Asif Kapadia's "The Warrior" in 2001 gave a much-needed fillip to his career and exposure to the West that opened new vistas. From there on, there was no looking back.## In an interview with IANS in the past, Irrfan had shared how his move to tread the Hollywood path was initially met with criticism.## "When I entered Hollywood, most of my colleagues and industry people used to say that 'Hollywood mein kya hai', 'Taxi driver aur waiter ke role hi hote hain'. But fortunately, things have changed. Now, nationality is not important," he said, going on to use his character in "Inferno" to further elaborate his point. For me in 'Inferno', nationality doesn't matter, or like in 'Jurassic World', where I played the role of Simon Masrani -- he could have been an Indian Sindhi or an Italian. So that is how things are changing. Your nationality doesn't really become a limitation," the National Award-winning star had said.## He also starred in the 2017 film "The Song Of Scorpions", and 2007 movie "A Mighty Heart", which also featured Angelina Jolie, besides the Indo-German short film "The Cloud Door" (1994).## After working on the small screen, Irrfan made his film debut with a cameo in 1988 through Mira Nair's Oscar-nominated "Salaam Bombay". The actor passed away in Mumbai on Wednesday. He was 53.## The actor, diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor in 2018, was still recovering from the disease after extensive treatment in London.## The actor was taking baby steps back into the acting world. He recovered well enough to complete the shoot of "Angrezi Medium", which was incidentally the last film to hit the screens in India before the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.## Here's a look at some of his iconic work in the West## * The Warrior (2001)## Directed by British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, the movie featured Irrfan as a warrior in feudal Rajasthan and chronicles his journey to give up the sword. The 2001 film won a BAFTA that year.## * A Mighty Heart (2007)## In Michael Winterbottom's "A Mighty Heart", which narrates true story of the kidnap and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, Irrfan got on board for the role of a Pakistani intelligence officer known only as Captain, and impressed all with his skills.## * Inferno (2016)## In the thriller film, directed by Ron Howard, Irrfan is seen as Harry "The Provost" Sims, head of The Consortium, who is helping Zobrist in his mission to reduce the Earth's growing population. It also features Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Omar Sy, Ben Foster and Sidse Babett Knudsen.## * The Namesake (2006)## He collaborated with Mira Nair for the film based on the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri. The film narrates the struggles of Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli (Irrfan and Tabu) as first-generation immigrants from trying to find a place in the US while raising their children.## * Slumdog Millionaire (2008)## Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning film was a game-changer for Irrfan and propelled him into the big league. In the film, he featured as a police inspector who gets caught up in the main storyline -- about Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) who becomes a TV sensation after winning the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?".## * Life Of Pi (2012)## The Ang Lee film is about an Indian man named "Pi" Patel, who is narrating his life story to a novelist. It's about how at 16 he survives a shipwreck and is adrift in the ocean on a lifeboat with a tiger. He essayed the older Pi Patel in the adventure drama. The movie was a huge success both critically and commercially.## * The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)## In the superhero film by Marc Webb, he was seen as a super scientist named Rajit Ratha. He featured alongside Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans and others.## * Jurassic World (2015)## Irrfan joined Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in the sci-fi film to essay the role of Simon Masrani, CEO of the Masrani Corporation and the owner of Jurassic World. It was a commercially successful project and ensured more visibility for the actor in Hollywood.## * Puzzle (2018)## The drama film directed by Marc Turtletaub follows the life of a stay-at-home mother Agnes who enters a puzzle building competition. Irrfan starred as the puzzle partner of Kelly Macdonald's character Agnes.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Hyderabad, April 29 (IANS) Coronavirus has come as a blockbuster blow for the Telugu film industry, the second biggest in India after Bollywood, as films valued Rs 2,000 crore either ready to be released or in production have been stuck for over a month.## With no chances of an early end to the crisis, the industry is not only staring at massive losses but also fear the loss of over 70,000 jobs in production, distribution, and exhibition departments.## Like many other industries and every film industry in the world, the coronavirus outbreak and the resultant lockdown brought everything to a standstill in Tollywood, as the Telugu film industry is popularly referred to.## According to well-known producer Daggubati Suresh, 15 films which were ready for release and another 70 films which were under various stages of production are stuck.## "Production varies from a film like RRR which is Rs 400 crore plus film to many films which are in the hundred crore bracket and a lot of films in the Rs 20-30 crore bracket. There are many with a budget of Rs 3-5 crore. There is quite a big money stalled. May be in production alone projects worth Rs 2,000 crore are stalled," Suresh told IANS.## The big banner movies stuck include 'RRR' of S.S. Rajamouli of 'Baahubali' fame. Starring Ram Charan and Jr. NTR in the lead roles, it is expected to be another magnum opus from Rajamouli.## Superstar Chiranjeevi's 'Acharya' is another big banner movie stuck due to lockdown. Movies of leading stars like Balakrishna, Allu Arjun, Vankatesh and Ravi Teja have gone behind schedule. Most of them are Rs 30-40 crore movies.## Nani and Vijay Devarkonda's movies were ready for release. Ram Pothineni-starrer 'Red' was also scheduled for April release.## The lockdown has brought all the production, distribution and exhibition activities of Suresh Productions to a grinding halt. The company had four films under production 'Narappa', 'Virata Parvam', 'Crush' and 'Krishna and his Leela' and it had planned three other movies.## "It's not just filmed under production which is hit. All three studios and 250-300 screens all are shut. The losses are huge," said Suresh.## He pointed out that 1,800 cinema theatres are the worst affected by the lockdown.## The second-largest film industry in the country after Hindi, Tollywood makes 250-275 movies every year. About 175 films are made in Telugu while about 100 films are dubbed from other languages. The budget varies from Rs 1-2 crore to Rs 200 crore, pointed out the ace producer.## "Tollywood's most successful film 'Baahubali' proved to be the biggest hit in India. Now 'RRR' will be the biggest film. It is basically a Telugu film being dubbed into other languages. Somewhere we are making the biggest films of the industry," said Suresh.## Every year 25-30 Hindi movies are made with Rs 100 crore budget while the number of Tollywood movies in this bracket will be around 12. Tamil industry ranks third in this category with 3-4 films.## Suresh foresees plenty of joblessness in the industry even after it gets back to work. "The filmmakers will try to save cost and try to remove the unnecessary flab. There will be a lot of digital interfaces and there will be a lot more work from home attitude."## Many low-level non-technical jobs and even mid-level managerial jobs are likely to go. Things may change even for outdoor shootings with less number of people handling the work. Huge joblessness is also feared in distribution and exhibition with cinema theatres resorting to lay-offs.## The producer does not expect things returning to normal in the industry until the vaccine or drug is made for COVID-19. "I don't think too much is happening. It could be a low of 6 months to a high of 12-15 months."## "All depends on when the vaccine and medicine will come. That's when we are fully done. If the process of developing a vaccine or medicine is slow then some small shootings and some post-production work can happen. The films may have to be released through OTT (over the top) or some other platform."## Creative Producer Venkat Sidda Reddy believes that Tollywood will make a comeback. "The film industry has seen so many ups and downs and I strongly feel that there will be a comeback. The looming uncertainties of shooting schedules, theater occupancy and the competition with the OTT platforms are definitely going to be major challenges but every challenge is also an opportunity," Reddy told IANS.## "With this sudden downward trend, the budgets will become smaller. With smaller budgets, shoot schedules have to be very well planned and we will have to find ways to work with smaller crews and shorter shooting schedules. This is a good opportunity to use technology and device processes that are lacking in the industry," said Reddy.## He believes that the low budget films with genre-specific films will have worldwide reach on OTT platforms. There will be a lot of opportunities in the OTT platform for newer ideas.## "With theaters closed and everyone binging on OTT, the producers, distributors, and exhibitors now know the real impact of OTT on films. So there will be a huge paradigm shift and as a supporter of Indie cinema, these challenging times are going to open doors for more opportunities," he added.## For more and latest news about Tollywood, stay tuned with us.

BY IANS NEWS

Jaipur, April 29 (IANS) Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan who passed away on Wednesday had a strong love for the theatre world. He wanted to see new talents come out on the stage and theatre culture growing in India the same way as it has grown in developed countries. He also wanted folk tales from Rajasthan villages to be told in cities so that there could have been the right connections between rural and urban India.## During one of his scheduled visits to Jaipur way back in 2016, he had said, "Going to the theatre is not being looked down upon by anyone in other countries but in India, things need to be changed.## "Am glad to see scenario changing in India too. I feel happy to see people in Gujarat and Rajasthan visiting theatres regularly after taking out time from their busy schedules. The art and culture of different states are preserved via this medium and hence it should be promoted," Irrfan had said.## However, he was equally sad to see that the vast spread of folk tales and stories could not come out of Rajasthan villages to cities. According to him, this is the reason a real connect could not be established between rural and urban India which indirectly couldn't help theatres in this state to grow. Also, he felt sad to see that there are no more quality writers left in the industry. "There is a strong need of writers to pen interesting plays and I wish FTII starts thinking on this," he had said.## He strongly believed that true acting comes from the theatre.## Irrfan loved exploring wildlife. "I love getting lost in the thickness of jungles. Wildlife safari excites me, incites me and takes me back to the roots, You discover lot many newer perspectives of life during jungle walk," he said.## Being a family person, he loved spending quality time with his family in Jaipur. However, at times, he was engaged in different events on his short visit to his hometown, which did upset him sometimes but he still managed everything with an equal clan and was successful in keeping his family as well as his city folks happy.## He loved his family. Sadly, his mother Saeeda Begum passed away on Saturday and the actor paid his last tributes to his mother via video conferencing.## Irrfan's last film was "Angrezi Medium" which ran in theatres for just a day before cinema halls across India were shut due to the lockdown.## The movie is now available on Hotstar.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) It was Delhi's National School of Drama (NSD) that helped late veteran actor Irrfan Khan to find a footing in Indian cinema. In 1986, director Mira Nair had paid a visit to NSD to look for actors to cast in her film "Salaam Bombay". She picked the 20-year-old Irrfan for a small role.## Apart from letting Irrfan to explore the world of acting, his alma mater also played a crucial roles in his love story with his wife Sutapa Sikdar. Sutapa, who is a writer, was Irrfan's collegemate. The two fell in love during their college days and later tied the knot in 1995.## As Irrfan left for his heavenly abode on Wednesday, his alma Mater NSD paid tribute to him.## On the behalf of NSD family, Director-In-Charge Suresh Sharma tweeted: "The news of the demise of noted actor (alumnus NSD) Mr. Irrfan Khan is highly shocking. The NSD family pays a heartfelt tribute. Irrfan Bhai had contributed a lot to theatre. God bless the departed soul."## Irrfan was only 54. Earlier this week, he was hospitalised after being diagnosed with colon infection. He even battled neuroendocrine tumour for several months and returned to Mumbai a few months ago after being treated in London.## While remembering the versatile actor, a glance through his Twitter feed provided us with one of his precious pictures from his NSD days.## In 2016, Irrfan had posted a black and white picture in which he is having a fun conversation with his friends from NSD.## "Woh Bhi Kya Din the NSD ke," Irrfan had captioned the image that shows him sporting eyeglasses.## Before learning acting at NSD, Irrfan had pursued MA degree from one of the colleges in his home town Jaipur.## Stay tuned...

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Actor Irrfan Khan who played so many memorable roles nationally and internationally on screen died while battling rare cancer. He was admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital and was battling with a neuroendocrine tumor. ## Although a statement issued by his spokesperson in the early hours of Wednesday had dispelled rumors about his health condition, the confirmation of his demise came later in the day.## The sudden demise of one of the most versatile actors shocked the nation. Bollywood stars and others took to twitter and offer condolences and prayed for the peace of the soul## T 3516 - .. just getting news of the passing of Irfaan Khan .. this is a most disturbing and sad news .. 🙏An incredible talent .. a gracious colleague .. a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema .. left us too soon .. creating a huge vacuum .. Prayers and duas 🙏— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 29, 2020 ## Sad to hear the news of #IrrfanKhan passing away. He was one of my favorites & I’ve watched almost all his films, the last one being Angrezi Medium. Acting came so effortlessly to him, he was just terrific. May his soul Rest In Peace. 🙏🏼Condolences to his loved ones. ☹️ pic.twitter.com/gaLHCTSbUh— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 29, 2020 ## Big loss to the film industry, his fans, all of us n specially his family. My heart goes out to his family. May God give them strength. Rest in peace brother u shall always be missed n be in all our hearts.. pic.twitter.com/KFQ1RoC1H8— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 29, 2020 ## Deeply saddened by the news of #IrrfanKhan's untimely demise. A brilliant actor gone too soon. He will be truly missed... My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. RIP 🙏🏻— Mahesh Babu (@urstrulyMahesh) April 29, 2020 ## Such terrible news...saddened to hear about the demise of #IrrfanKhan, one of the finest actors of our time. May God give strength to his family in this difficult time 🙏🏻— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 29, 2020 ## The charisma you brought to everything you did was pure magic. Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues.. You inspired so many of us. #IrrfanKhan you will truly be missed. Condolences to the family. pic.twitter.com/vjhd5aoFhc— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) April 29, 2020 ## Saddened to hear the terrible news of Irrfan khan's passing away. An amazing actor who got global recognition.He can never be replaced.His intensity & charming demeanour will remain imprinted in our hearts.Dear Irrfan, we will miss you & you’ll be remembered forever. #IrrfanKhan— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) April 29, 2020 ## Heartbroken to hear about Irrfan’s untimely demise. It’s an irreparable loss for Indian cinema. Deepest condolences to his wife & sons. RIP Irrfan.— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 29, 2020 ## My friend...inspiration & the greatest actor of our times. Allah bless your soul Irrfan bhai...will miss you as much as cherish the fact that you were part of our lives. “पैमाना कहे है कोई, मैखाना कहे है दुनिया तेरी आँखों को भी, क्या क्या ना कहे है” Love u pic.twitter.com/yOVoCete4A— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 29, 2020 ## Saddened to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. What a phenomenal talent and dearly touched everyone's heart with his versatility. May god give peace to his soul 🙏— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) April 29, 2020 ## Indescribably saddened to hear that we've lost Irrfan Khan. I'll always be thankful to him for taking care of Sonam when they worked together & for being her guiding light at the time. He was an inspiration for everyone, a remarkable actor, unmatched talent & a great human being.— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) April 29, 2020 ## Very sad to hear about Irrfan sirs passing. 1 of our finest actors. A magician on the big screen; inspiring & igniting hearts! I was beyond excited to get the precious opportunity to share the screen with him in Haider. Will always be his fan & cherish those moments. RIP sir 💜 pic.twitter.com/DveCGVxvvu— Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) April 29, 2020 ## My first film. My first friend in Bollywood. Will miss you. pic.twitter.com/yMnuVSVmOd— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 29, 2020 ## Shocked to hear the demise of Irrfan Khan.. that’s a tragic loss to the ‘Artistic World'! How unpredictable is life! Rest In Peace!!— Sidharth Shukla (@sidharth_shukla) April 29, 2020 ## Truly Truly A Heartbreaker💔 ..Huge Loss.. An Actor Par Excellence He Lived it and left a Legacy for generations to be inspired 🙏 Sad Day! #ripirfankhan 🕯️ pic.twitter.com/ywQthSPPa3— AMRITA RAO (@AmritaRao) April 29, 2020 ## Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of #IrrfanKhan . Such a brilliant actor, gone at the age of 53. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May God give them strength to bear this loss. RIP Irrfan 🙏🌺 pic.twitter.com/XXsLswTjMm— Kirron Kher (@KirronKherBJP) April 29, 2020 ## Saddened by the untimely passing of #IrrfanKhan sir🙏 condolences to the family🙏🙏 gone too soon.— Tiger Shroff (@iTIGERSHROFF) April 29, 2020 ## A great actor and a great talent. Heartfelt Condolences to his family and well - wishers #IrfanKhan— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 29, 2020 ## THANKYOU for giving us the greatest cinema sir. I will always cherish my 3 days of working with you during suit suit and Patola song. Got my entry to Bollywood with you sir. Learnt too much from you sir.May God bless your soul sir.R.I.P sir @irrfank Love you always ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/9KIJe3a27d— Guru Randhawa (@GuruOfficial) April 29, 2020 ##

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Irrfan Khan, who won over millions of fans with his roles in numerous international and Indian films, is no more. A statement by his official spokesperson has confirmed the demise of the 54-year-old actor on Wednesday.## "'I trust, i have surrendered'; These were the some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It's saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, 'As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it," said the statement, confirming the news of the actor's death.## On Tuesday, Irrfan was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection. Although a statement issued by his spokesperson in the early hours of Wednesday had dispelled rumours about his health condition, the confirmation of his demise came later in the day.## Expressing condolences to Irrfan Khan's family, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar tweeted Wednesday morning: "My dear friend Irfaan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you.. we shall meet again.. condolences to Sutapa and Babil.. you too fought, Sutapa you gave everything possible in this fight. Peace and Om Shanti. Irfaan Khan salute."## Shoojit Sircar had directed Irrfan in his 2015 movie "Piku" which also starred Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan.## The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor a while back and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.## On the work front, Irrfan Khan was last seen in "Angrezi Medium", 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.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Actor Manish Anand, who has appeared in the web series "Pushpavalli", has turned to a ketogenic diet to prepare for his next series "Salt City.## "'Salt City' was one challenging experience. I had to look leaner for the part. I had to cut down on the weight. So I opted for a ketogenic diet which is a very low carb diet. The trick here is to do it right as more often than not it goes wrong and there are no results," he said.## Manish said he had to be "extremely careful and precise while doing it".## "It helped and I got the feel of the character soon after and I hope it has translated into my performance. 'Salt City' would be out soon and I can't wait for the feedback on that."## The actor will also be seen alongside actress Shamita Shetty in the upcoming film "The Tenant" The film has been directed by Sushrut Jain, who is based in Los Angeles.## Talking about his role, Manish had previously shared that his character is "complex" and has "got multiple shades."## Manish has signed up another movie for which he is learning Arabic online.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Rapper Badshah had fun working with actress Jacqueline Fernandez and says he learned a lot from her.## Badshah worked with Jacqueline on his latest single "Genda Phool".## "Working with Jaqueline was fun, I learned a lot from her, I think she is one of the most hard-working professionals I have had the pleasure of working with. We have been complimented a lot on how we look together on the screen which is a great thing," Badshah told IANS.## "We always had the concept of the music video very clear in our minds, the colors, the dance, the red and white sari to the alta, and when Sneha Shetty, the director, and my team and I sat down, we just knew what we wanted her to look like. The element has been appreciated and loved by the audience, there are actually tutorials that have gone viral to achieve the look and I am proud that we have been able to take the beauty of cultural ethnicity and presented it," he added.## "Genda Phool", which comes with a Bengali touch, is themed around Durga Pujo and is directed by Sneha Shetty Kohli. It has crossed over 228 million views and was Number 1 on Youtube worldwide charts for 3 weeks. The song also resonates with the international audience and has entered BBC Asian Charts at the #1 position.## Talking about the success of the song, he said: The response has been phenomenal. We were expecting the audience to connect to the song, but the sort of virality the song attained was not expected. It went viral, especially amongst the Bengali diaspora. People are recreating the look on Tik-Tok, it has become a phenomenon. I am extremely excited about how the song is performing, steadily moving to the top of the charts across Youtube, Radio, TV, and streaming platforms."## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) Singer Lisa Mishra described joining global superstar Lady Gaga's COVID-19 relief concert "One World: Together at Home" as an "absolutely beautiful" experience and says that it has made her realize the importance of music in global healing.## Over 70 artists and celebrities from across the world joined Gaga's concert to honor the frontline workers earlier this month. The virtual concert, organized by the WHO and Global Citizen, included performances and appearances from stars such as Lisa, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Taylor Swift, Elton John, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney.## "I think it was absolutely beautiful. A free concert, accessible from our homes, celebrating our healthcare workers, and raising funds for their continued safety while they are on the front-lines: an absolute dream," Lisa told IANS while looking back at the experience of the virtual concert.## Talking about her takeaway from it, she said: "I think it made me realize exactly how important music is for global healing. These are uncertain times and I've been leaning so much on music to carry me through the low points. I can only assume the rest of the world feels the same."## While many projects have been put on hold due to the global lockdown, Lisa has come out with new music. She has launched her first solo non-film single "Nai chaida", about a long-distance relationship. "Nai chaida" released on Tuesday on VYRL Originals.## The singer feels "music has always been the global language of healing in times of hardship".## "Songs of war, freedom, unity, have long-defined eras of tumult. Music will again be the art form that rejuvenates our spirits in this time," she added.## The Indian-American is best remembered for rendering the reprised version of "Tareefan". Most recently, she delivered hits "The wakhra song", "Naadaniyaan" "The Sky is Pink" and "Chandigarh means" from "Good Newwz".## She is utilizing her time amid lockdown by "Writing and recording".## "There were several pending projects when the lockdown happened, so I am busy finishing those and working on new songs," she said.## Asked if the uncertainty about the future makes her anxious, Lisa said: "Of course- it's less about the lockdown but more the human toll that makes my heart heavy. I am grateful for my health and family because we're seeing how badly this has ravaged the world. I am especially worried about those without the means or access to necessary healthcare and essential goods."## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Several mythological shows, including "Mahabharata" and "Ramayan", have been re-running on TV amid the lockdown, and actor Vinit Kakar is catching up with all of them to better his performance as Ashwatthama in the ongoing television show "Radha Krishn".## "I'm enjoying watching all the mythological shows.. as these old series turn out to be very epic and audience favorite. I'm watching them and learning about how actors used to convey their dialogues and how they used to carry those heavy outfits while acting. These things are going to help me to groom my acting skills. Once the lockdown gets over I'm going to shoot for the Mahabharata character Ashwatthama, which is an important character in the story...So, I'm not missing any episodes of Mahabharata," he said.## Apart from binge-watching mythological shows, Vinit is also taking proper care of his health amid lockdown.## "In my free time, I take proper care of my health and body. I enjoy being in shape. I'm eating more of raw veggies and I'm exercising six hours a day," Vinit added.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Soon after reports of Irrfan Khan's hospitalization became public on Tuesday, rumors started doing the rounds in a section of the media claiming that the actor had passed away. An official statement had to be issued on behalf of the actor at around 1 am on Wednesday to quash all such extreme rumors .## "It's really disappointing to know that there are extreme assumptions being made about Irrfan's health. While we are truly appreciative that people are concerned, it's disheartening to see some sources spread extreme rumors and creating panic. Irrfan is a strong person and is still fighting the battle. We really request you to not fall for rumors and not partake in these conversations which are fictional. We have always actively clarified and shared updates on his health and we will continue doing so," said the statement, issued on behalf of Irrfan by his spokesperson.## The 53-year-old actor had been admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection and was in the intensive care unit (ICU), as reported by IANS in an earlier report on Tuesday.## "Yes, it is true that Irrfan khan is admitted to ICU at Kokilaben in Mumbai because of a colon infection. We would keep everyone updated. He is under doctor's observation. His strength and courage have helped him battle and fight so far and we are sure with his tremendous willpower and prayers of all his well-wishers, he will recover soon," said the earlier report issued on behalf of Irrfan by his spokesperson.## The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor a while back and has been under medical attention for the same.## Irrfan is currently mourning the loss of his mother. The actor's mother Saeeda Begum breathed her last on Saturday in Jaipur where she used to stay. However, owing to the ongoing lockdown, the actor could not physically attend his mother's last rites and reportedly paid his last respect through video conferencing.## On the work front, Irrfan Khan was last seen in "Angrezi Medium", 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.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) National Award-winning south Indian actress Priyamani, who appeared in the new digital film "Ateet", says working with actors like Manoj Bajpayee, Rajeev Khandelwal, Sanjay Suri to Rana Dagubaatti in the recent time has surely helped her grow as an actress.## While she made her digital debut with the web series "The Family Man" last year, the film "Ateet" is her second outing in the OTT space.## "I shot 'Ateet' a little before the shooting of 'The Family Man' started. So, technically this was my first film in the Hindi language, and, being an actress in the South, it was quite obvious for me to have the support of co-actors to perform well. It is interesting that both Rajeev and Sanjay are very different in their style of acting. So it is interesting for me to work with them," Priyamani told IANS.## "Manoj sir, on the other hand, improvises a lot and comes up with something that creates magic. So as a co-actor if I am not alert, I might just miss out on the moment! So yes, when you work with Manoj sir, you are a student. I am lucky to have worked with these actors who are very sensible and skilled," she added.## Directed by Tanuj Bharma, "Ateet" is streaming on ZEE5. Priyamani plays a mother in the film, which revolves around the mysterious death of a soldier.## Stay tuned...