BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Actor Ali Fazal is thrilled to reunite with some of the team members of the hit web series "Mirzapur" for a romantic music video.## "The 'Mirzapur' team is home for me, and with (director) Gurmmeet Singh and (director of photography) Sanjay around, this was a reunion for us. Last few years, I have spent so much time working with Guru that we get each other's vibes and cues," said Ali.## The three have reunited for the music video of "Aaj Bhi".## "The direction that Gurmmeet brought in to this is a zone, he and I have never explored together. It was an experience that was truly enjoyable. In the span of 3 minutes, we've told an entire story," he said.## "As an actor, it's hard to pull this off. I have never been so excited about a music video but this song is so genuine. It evokes a feeling that everyone at some point or the other goes through. It's a unique take on unrequited love. There's a certain purity in how it plays out," he added.## For the video, he moved away from his gangster role in "Mirzapur" and turned a romantic hero. Ali woos his on-screen lady love played by Surbhi Jyoti in the music video of the song sung by Vishal Mishra.## Talking about the track, Ali said: "It's the first time that I am working with Surbhi and Vishal. It's been super interesting. I loved interacting with Vishal. He has such a mesmerising voice. He has a soulful singing quality. Vishal and I bonded over our Lucknow connect."## "Surbhi is super cool and we kept chatting about movies and food. The 4 days in Chandigarh was such a blast," he added.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey has confirmed the second season of his debut web series, "Special Ops". Season one of the espionage thriller show was launched on Hotstar earlier this year and became an instant hit.## "When we were discussing the show with Hotstar, we planned to make something that will have recall value, and we were clear about two things. First, we will conclude the story within the first season. I mean there would be nothing left, no loose ends. But at the same time, we wanted to create a brand and a franchise with which we can easily narrate some other stories. Once our lives are restored to normalcy, we will figure out what needs to be done," said Pandey in a telephonic chat, on the possibility of a second season.## "The amount of love that has come in, and there's the demand for the second season. There is an appetite for it. Now, it all depends on our schedules. Right now everything is thrown out because of the coronavirus pandemic -- schedules, work, lives, and timelines. Let things get back to normal and we will definitely explore the possibility," said the filmmaker, who has co-directed the series with Shivam Nair.## "Special Ops" has Kay Kay Menon leading the cast as special agent Himmat Singh, who traces a pattern in terror strikes over the years, and draws the conclusion that one person is behind all the attacks. The story is inspired by several real-life espionage missions over the last two decades.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Actor Vivek Dahiya, who met his wife Divyanka Tripathi for the first time on the sets of the TV show "Yeh Hai Mohabbatein", says he would love to work with her again.## "I know our fans are waiting for long to see Divyanka and me together on the screen... I also want to work with her again... It's just that I am waiting for some right project to come our way. If the project is right and script looks interesting, we would definitely give a heads-up," Vivek told IANS.## After dating each other for several months, the two got married in 2016.## Speaking of Vivek's acting projects, he recently wowed the audience with his role in the web series "State Of Siege: 26/11", which is based on the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.## On playing the role of Captain Rohit Bagga on the show, Vivek said: "It was quite challenging for me to do this show as it is based on a true event. I got goosebumps when I wore the uniform for the first time...It was an incredible feeling. I felt more responsible and tried my best to give my 100 percent."## Vivek's character captain Rohit Bagga was away on leave when the terror siege in Mumbai took place and the NSG Commandos were called upon. As soon as he learned of the development, the brave commando immediately called his senior and reported on duty. His senior tried to reason, telling him he was on personal leave and could avoid reporting to work, but Captain Rohit Bagga had insisted that he wanted to be a part of the operation.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Actress Tamannaah Bhatia tells you that she prefers to prove her versatility as an actor across different film industries as opposed to finding space only in Bollywood. She adds that people tend to think she is "out of work" because she is not visible enough in Bollywood.## Tamannaah is a phenomenal star in the southern industries with several successful films including "Kandein Kadhalai", "100% Love", the "Baahubali" franchise, "Ayan" and "Paiyaa", but she is yet to leave an impact in Bollywood.## "I have been making a conscious effort of multitasking between genres within the South Indian film industry. I have been away from Bollywood actively to ensure there's more versatility in my creative kitty and to ensure I'm not stereotyped into any particular genre. Versatility is the key to survival. I've always been passionate about cinema and I never wanted to limit myself to any one industry. There a lot of misconceptions about me, to be honest," she told IANS.## "The most bizarre piece of news I read recently was that I am out of employment! There are other stories of me not having a bright future in Bollywood, versus Tollywood. Just to clear the air, I'm working 365 days a year and hence I can't shuffle between multiple industries. I'm not part of the rat race and I don't want to prove a point to anyone. I want to make my mark on my own terms. For me it was only about acting, and not about the industry," Tamannaah claimed.## She also feels somehow her luck has favored her in the south than in Bollywood, and language was never a barrier for her.## "My thirst for excellence had to be quenched and the South accepted me. As an actor, I will always play my part with full dedication but the results are not in my hands," said Tamannaah.## The actress will be seen playing a Kabaddi coach in the upcoming Telugu film "Seetimaar".## Being a girl who never played any sport before, Tamannaah said that the challenge kicked her to take up the role.## Sharing an insight into her preparation for the role, she said: "I play the coach of the Telangana kabaddi team while Gopichand plays the coach of an Andhra kabaddi team. It is a very challenging and inspiring role. It is a huge tribute to the unsung heroes in sports. I had to prepare and work very hard for this role and it constantly motivated me to give my best. It's my first sports drama and I'm very excited. I did everything I could to look the part. I never imagined that I would get to play kabaddi in my life, let alone in a film."## She added: "I have undergone a complete transformation for this particular role, right from language, technical knowledge of the game, maintaining a good fitness regime, special training sessions and more. Kabaddi is a very disciplined Indian sport. I learned to be vigilant and focus on physical and physiological aspects such as strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility."## While the actress maintained a special vegetarian, gluten-free diet, she also learned a new dialect for the film.## "I had to get a hang of the Telangana dialect. I had to learn the Telangana slang. It's really challenging, but Sampath sir is helping me with the dialogue delivery," Tamannaah signed off.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Singer-composer Anu Malik has come up with a new track titled "Happy happy rehne ka please don't worry", urging people to stay happy amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.## "I came up with this song only to uplift the mood of everybody who is at home under lockdown due to the coronavirus. I want to make them happy and to tell them not to give up and keep fighting, "Anu said.## In the track's video, Anu can be seen happily doing household chores -- be it mopping a floor or making tea.## Anu also shared what went behind the making of "Happy happy rehne ka please don't worry".## "This song came to me in a flash...I was sitting at home ..Suddenly I thought that everybody is going through his or her depression/fear/frustration/helplessness and what not. All of sudden this line 'happy happy rehne ka please don't worry' hit me.## "I at once shared it with my lyric writer Kumaar who loved the line.. he sent me the lyrics of the entire song in 20 minutes and I composed it in 10 minutes. this tune just came to me just like that," Anu added.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Actor Sachiin J. Joshi, who is stranded in Dubai, has offered his hotel here to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to quarantine COVID-19 positive patients coming from abroad.## Sachiin's Beatle Hotel in Powai is a 36-room property.## "Mumbai being a densely populated city, there are not enough hospitals and beds to take measures to save our city. When the BMC approached us for help, we voluntarily agreed to help," Sachiin said.## "We've converted our hotel with the BMC's help into a quarantine facility for travelers," added the actor, who was last seen in "Amavas" opposite Nargis Fakhri and Mona Singh.## "The entire building and rooms get sanitized regularly with staff equipped with the necessary gear," he said.## Sachiin is also donating nutritious food boxes to policemen and municipal workers fighting the COVID-19 outbreak in India through his Big Brother Foundation.## "I'm glad that our hotel in Powai ‘The Beatle' has been given to the BMC for quarantining people. It's my husband's decision and I respect and support it," said Sachiin's wife Urvashi, adding: "We have been distributing food from our hotel to all officials and people stuck on the road. Our team has been selflessly doing it for almost two weeks now and will continue to give our support until we can."## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Los Angeles, April 7 (IANS) Singer Selena Gomez says having a boyfriend is "nowhere near the top" of her priority list amid the COVID-19 pandemic.## "Many of you know how excited I've been to release a song called 'Boyfriend.' It's a lighthearted song about falling down and getting back up time and time again in love, but also knowing that you don't need anyone other than yourself to be happy," she said on Instagram, reports femalefirst.co.uk.## Gomez added: "We wrote it long before our current crisis, but in the context of today, I want to be clear that a boyfriend is nowhere near the top of my list of priorities. Just like the rest of the world, I'm praying for safety, unity, and recovery during this pandemic."## Her new song "Boyfriend" will appear on the new deluxe version of Gomez's album titled "Rare", which will also feature two other new songs "She" and "Souvenir".## She is planning to mark the release of the record on April 9 with a donation to the PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund, as well as giving $1 from every order of the LP.## She wrote: "Because of that, I'm personally donating to the Plus 1 COVID-19 relief fund as well as donating $1 of every order in my official store to the fund starting now. Rare (Deluxe), featuring 'Boyfriend' is out April 9th."## For more and latest news about Hollywood, stay tuned with us.

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) After supporting COVID-19 relief funds, actor Arjun Kapoor is all set to go on a virtual date to raise money for daily wage earners of the film industry.## "There is a section of people in our country who have lost livelihood during this crisis and are in dire need to sustain themselves and their families. I am talking about the scores of daily wage earners – your favorite chaat wale bhaiya, construction workers, coolies, dhobis, rickshaw drivers and so many others. The lockdown means that they can't go out and earn a living," the actor said.## Five winners stand a chance to go on a virtual date with the actor.## "A special thank you in advance to everyone who is going to come forward and donate for this special cause. I will be meeting and chatting and chilling with 5 winners on April 11 and that night we will all be doing a video chat. I will be getting to know you, share a laugh with you, have a meal with you and just have a good evening together. Let's come together to help those in serious need," he said.## Arjun and his sister Anshula Kapoor have teamed up to raise money through the online fundraising platform, Fankind. "Fankind, GiveIndia and I have come together to provide cash in hand for these daily wage workers in serious need," the actor said, adding: "GiveIndia has identified more than 60 thousand families across India that need our help. All you have to do is log on to fankind.org/arjun and donate. Even Rs 100 will make a huge difference. Your entire donation amount will go in the hands of these people in need."## On the acting front, Arjun currently awaits the release of his next film "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar". It also features his "Ishaqzaade" co-star Parineeti Chopra.## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Badshah has kept his word. The rapper, who had promised to help out "Boro loker biti lo" original creator on "humanitarian grounds", has done his bit and deposited Rs 5 lakh to the veteran folk artiste's bank account.## On Friday, the rapper got in touch with the Birbhum-based folk singer Ratan Kahar via video call. The rapper's team noted down his bank details over the phone the same day, and on Monday Rs 5 lakh has been deposited to Ratan Kahar's account, reports news18.com.## After receiving the money, Kahar has reportedly called Badshah to thank him personally and has also invited the rapper to visit him at his residence in Siuri, a small town in West Bengal's Birbhum district.## In a recent interview with IANS, Ratan Kahar had mentioned: "I want Badshah to come over to my place and talk to me. I would first like to thank him for using my song. I am also eager to discuss music with him if he has the time." The veteran singer, who now lives in poverty-stricken condition, had also requested for monetary help from the rapper.## After being accused of plagiarism for using Ratan Kahar's song "Boro loker biti lo" in his latest video without giving him due credit, the rapper had issued a statement on social media where he had mentioned that he would like to do "whatever possible on my part on humanitarian grounds to put this right."## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Popular television actor Karan Tacker, who is being praised for his debut digital role in "Special OPs", says that TV and digital entertainment can be celebrated parallel to each other, and there is no point looking down upon television content.## Asked if he thought TV content was "regressive", Karan told IANS: "I believe that every content has its own audience. There are people who love watching TV and that is why there are so many television shows and channels that are doing exceptionally well, business-wise too. Otherwise, why would someone make TV shows? At the same time, there will be an audience that will go to the theatre and watch a film. Digital shows are mostly for personal viewing and we are building the audience there. I see these three medium are growing parallel."## The actor also explained: "If someone is tagging content on TV as ‘regressive', it is their opinion. It is the way they look at it or look down upon TV content. At the end of the day, all these mediums are viewership based. If there are no viewers, makers will stop creating. We all can see that every filmstar comes on TV shows to promote their films. Why? Because they know about the reach of the medium. Also, every award show is telecast on TV. How can we discount these facts? I think that says it all."## "Special OPs" is a spy-thriller, streaming on Hotstar. The series also features Kay Kay Menon, Meher Vij, Sana Khan, Saiyami Kher, Vinay Pathak, and Vipul Gupta.## "I have started my career on TV and I am proud of shows that I have appeared in. I am a proud TV actor," Karan signed off.## For more and latest news about TV, stay tuned with us.

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) Apart from social distancing, we also need to practice "fear distancing", suggests Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu. This is extremely necessary at a time when fake news and myths are circulating about the COVID-19 pandemic.## "Besides social distancing and maintaining good hygiene, there is something as important that needs our attention- #FearDistancing - Keeping ourselves away from people and news that creates panic and fear. Fake news is a real issue! Stay away from misguided information," Mahesh Babu tweeted on Tuesday.## Tuesday also being World Health Day, the actor lauded the health workers and Indian government. He wrote: "Two weeks of lockdown and we have been going strong. Hugely appreciate the united efforts of our governments. This #WorldHealthDay, let's take a moment to thank all those on the frontline of our battle against COVID-19 who ensure we remain in good health. Much respect and admiration for all the brave warriors on the streets and hospitals who've put our lives above theirs during this health crisis. God bless you all."## Sharing a message for his fans, the superstar wrote in a separate tweet: "I urge everyone reading this to spread positivity, love, hope, and empathy. We shall all sail through this storm together. #StayHomeStaySafe."## Stay tuned...

BY IANS NEWS

Mumbai, April 7 (IANS) On World Health Day, actor Sidharth Malhotra has stressed on the need to work on mental health along with physical health, saying everyone needs to remain "extremely positive, hopeful and appreciate all the basic things in life".## "This year on World Health Day, India and the world is going through a very crucial and very unfortunate time where we are fighting this virus which is extremely deadly. The only way to fight it is social distancing, hence the lockdown within the country and around the world," Sidharth said.## "I am hoping that everyone is following it because it is for their benefit and for the society. It makes us realize how important health is and the environment is. I am hoping that everyone appreciates the fact that they are healthy and can move around once they get out and are more conscious of what they do with their nutrition or the environment around them," he added.## The actor believes in having a holistic approach towards wellness and health, and that's what he hopes everyone tries to achieve during these testing times.## "Since all of us are practicing social distancing and are under lockdown, we do have a lot of time on our hands apart from all the agencies, medical staff, police and other people who are working day and night… This is the best time where you can spend maybe half an hour a day doing some kind of physical activity within the house. It could be walking, freehand exercise, playing sports, or skipping," he said.## The actor continued: "I look at fitness from a very holistic point of view. I won't even just say physical exercise. It is mental health as well, where we have to keep and realize that at times like these you need to be extremely positive, hopeful and appreciate all the basic things in life, workout aside. So, also look out for your mental health. We have all the time in the world to spend it with family and I am hoping people are making good use of the time."## The "Ek Villain" star also thanks to the "all the medical professionals who are working night and day without any break in such crucial and dangerous times for our benefit".## "Whatever, I say is less … They are the real heroes. Along with the medical staff, I would like to thank the police, cleaning staff and people who ensure that we get our essentials. They are doing a fabulous job. They are the real heroes."## Sidharth feels that the severe times have made him "realize that we are mere guests on this earth and not the master".## "Whenever we come back to our normal lives we need to realize that and remember that," he said.## Stay tuned...