After the tragic news of the demise of two of the greatest actors of the Indian film industry- Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor- the month of May began with another unfortunate news. Early on May 1, CEO of the Film and Television Producers Guild Kulmeet Makkar passed away after suffering a heart attack. 

Makkar was in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh during the lockdown. Makkar has been a part of the entertainment industry for more than three decades. He has worked with Sargama and Reliance Entertainment as founder CEO of Big Music and Home Entertainment,, He was also the president and CEO at Shreya Entertainment before becoming the Guild's CEO in 2010. 

Many celebrities from the film fraternity took to social media to express their grief: 

Kulmeet you were such an incredible pillar to all of us at the Producers Guild of India....relentlessly working for the industry and towards its enhancement and advancement... you left us too soon...We will miss you and always Remember you fondly.... Rest in peace my friend... pic.twitter.com/GUcapyjfMo

— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) May 1, 2020

Damn it... Now Kulmeet! RIP my friend.

— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) May 1, 2020

Sad to know about the sudden demise of our dear friend #KulmeetMakkar CEO- The Film and Television Producers Guild of India due to massive heart attack in Dharamshala (Himachal). Will miss you #Kulmeet.
Heartfelt condolences to d family.
ॐ शान्ति ! ???? pic.twitter.com/zEFPAGN07m

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) May 1, 2020

Just heard the terrible news of #KulmeetMakkar CEO Producers Guild of India passing away. What a wonderful man and a good friend. Very very sad ! pic.twitter.com/bWUrdXIJuh

— sanjay suri (@sanjaysuri) May 1, 2020

Makkar was working on setting up a trust- to which Netflix has pledged to contribute $1 million to help daily wage earners in the film and television industry. 

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Indian cinema lost another icon today. Earlier this morning, Rishi Kapoor breathed his last after his long battle with Leukaemia. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and returned to India in September last year after being treated for cancer in New York. His death was confirmed by his colleague and close friend Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Rishi Kapoor's body was taken directly to the crematorium ground close to the hospital. Owing to the lockdown restrictions in place, the Mumbai Police allowed 16 members of the family to attend the funeral.

The Mumbai Police has securely guarded the place to avoid breaking lockdown norms. Meanwhile, seen at the funeral were Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Saif Ali Khan, Armaan Jain, Abhishek Bachchan and Ayan Mukerji. Rishi Kapoor’s daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni who lives in Delhi has been given the permit to drive to Mumbai. However, it seems unlikely for her to attend the funeral.

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Irrfan Khan passed away on April 29, 2020, after battling with neuroendocrine tumour for two years. Irrfan has worked as an actor for a little over thirty years on different platforms. After his death, Doordarshan announced the rerun of the actor's first TV serial, Shrikant.

The show was directed by Pravin Nischol and it also featured Farooq Shaikh. Shrikant was based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's book. Tweeting about the rerun, Doordarshan took to their official handle and wrote, "Watch your favourite #IrrfanKhan in Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s #Shrikant, this afternoon at 3:30 pm on @DDNational.”

Watch your favourite #IrrfanKhan in Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's #Shrikant, this afternoon at 3:30 pm on @DDNational pic.twitter.com/7WzKoBlOQe

— Doordarshan National (@DDNational) April 29, 2020

Irrfan was rushed to a Mumbai hospital on Tuesday for colon infection and breathed his last on Wednesday morning. He is survived by his wife and two kids.

ALSO READ: “I’m pretending Irrfan Khan bhai is still with us” – Deepak Dobriyal

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While we mourn the going of one of India’s finest actors and the fact that we will never see him again, there is a smudge of sunshine in this year of darkness. Irrfan Khan has one film, and international project if you please, waiting for release. It is a film called Mantra – Song of Scorpions. It’s about a young woman-singer deep in the desert of Rajasthan, who sings and heals people. Due to certain circumstances, when she realizes that her life has been poisoned by the man in her life, she then has to go on a kind of mystical journey to find a song that will heal her.

The renowned Iranian actress, Golshifteh Farahani seen in the new Chris Hemsworth starrer Extraction, is cast in the protagonist’s role. Waheeda Rehman appears in a brief but important role. Anup Singh’s debut film Qissa in 2015 also featured Irrfan Khan and was hugely acclaimed.

This is what Anup had to say about Irrfan as an actor: “I believe as an actor he comes to a role in the same way that a refugee comes to a new country. Just like a refugee, Irrfan seeks to understand the complexities of the new circumstances and his relationship with it and his own growth within the new space. That is what makes him the immensely innovative actor that he is. For instance, let me tell you about how he learned for himself to speak the Punjabi dialogue of Qissa and developed his approach to the character of Umber Singh. At one point, Irrfan stopped learning the lines by rote. He began to hum for himself the feeling of the scene. He would hum a phrase and then another, seeking the inner, hidden emotion of the character at that moment. And, then, slowly, he would allow the words to emerge within the music of the moment he had created for himself. His quest remained to find the lilt and the rhythm of the language and then the words would rise spontaneously, and authentic within the scene.”

Also Read: 5 Unknown facts about Irrfan Khan

Amitabh Bachchan’s tweet announcing Rishi Kapoor’s death came as a bolt from the blue. Everyone knew Rishiji was very unwell and that he had a relapse in February. At that time a close family friend had told me, “He’s very unwell. But he’s in denial. He just won’t accept how unwell he is.”

That his condition would worsen so rapidly and that we would lose two brilliant actors first Irrfan and now RK, in just 24 hours, confirms that this year is indeed the worst year in living memory.

When I contacted one of Rishi Kapoor’s closest co-stars Juhi Chawla she said, “It’s too sad…just too sad. I’m devastated. I just can’t believe this…sorry don’t feel like being on the phone…sorry.”

Also Read: Juhi Chawla reveals her family took help of Indian High Commission in London to return home safely

A day after Irrfan Khan's passing, veteran actor Rishi Kapoor has passed away at the age of 67. His death was confirmed by his colleague and close friend Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Big B tweeted, "He's GONE .. ! Rishi Kapoor .. gone .. just passed away .. I am destroyed!"

Rishi Kapoor's brother Randhir Kapoor confirmed on Wednesday that the actor was in the hospital. He said that Rishi is not well and that Neetu Kapoor is by his side.

T 3517 - He's GONE .. ! Rishi Kapoor .. gone .. just passed away ..
I am destroyed !

— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 30, 2020

An official statement from family read, "Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last. He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him. He was grateful for the love of his fans that poured in from the world over. In his passing, they would all understand that he would like to be remembered with a smile and not with tears. In this hour of personal loss, we also recognise the world is going through a very difficult and troubled time. There are numerous restrictions around movement and gathering in public. We would like to request all his fans and well-wishers and friends of the family to please respect the laws that are in force. He would not have it any other way."

Rishi Kapoor had returned to India in September last year after being treated for cancer in New York for nearly a year. While he was in New York, his wife Neetu Kapoor was by his side throughout. His son Ranbir Kapoor and rumoured girlfriend Alia Bhatt would often visit the ailing Rishi Kapoor.

ALSO READ: Rishi Kapoor hospitalised in Mumbai

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After battling a rare form of cancer for two years, actor Irrfan Khan passed away this morning. The actor was recently rushed to Mumbai's Kokilaben hospital after a colon infection, and was kept in the ICU.

Irrfan's last rites took place at 3 pm in the afternoon. Present were his near and dear ones during his final journey. "Irrfan was buried at the Versova kabrastan in Mumbai at 3pm this afternoon soon after the news of his passing away was announced. In presence were his family, close relatives and friends. Everyone paid their final respects and mourned the loss of his passing away. We pray for his peace and we hope he’s in a better place today. He was strong in his fight, and we all have to be strong too in this loss," a statement issued by the family read.

Irrfan, who is survived by wife Sutapa Sikdar and sons Babil and Ayan, was last seen in Homi Adajania's Angrezi Medium.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought life to a standstill across the world. Several governments have put their countries under lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. People have been advised to practice social distancing and avoid crowded places. This has brought the theatre business to a halt. Several movies that were looking forward to a theatrical release are now considering releasing their films direct to OTT. Owing to the uncertainty on when the situation will be back to normal, film producers have been considering to release their films on streaming platforms.

While the Oscars usually nominate films that have theatrical release, this year owing to the pandemic the Academy Awards will be making an exception. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, streaming-only films will be eligible for the Academy Awards for the first time. And for one year only.

The Academy firmly believes there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theater,” academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson says in a statement. “Our commitment to that is unchanged and unwavering. Nonetheless, the historically tragic COVID-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules.”

Meanwhile, upcoming international film festivals like Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival are reportedly considering remote, digital viewing options.

In January 2020, it was reported that South Korean singer-songwriter Chen, real name Kim Jongdae, of the popular group Exo was getting married to his non-celebrity girlfriend. He also hinted that his fiance was pregnant when he mentioned a blessing came his way in his handwritten letter. Now, he has welcomed his first child with his now-wife.

It's a baby girl for Chen and his wife! Financial News revealed that Chen's wife gave birth to a baby girl at a hospital in Gangnam District on Wednesday, April 29.

Meanwhile, Chen was promoting with his group Exo during their comeback album 'Obsession'.

ALSO READ: South Korean group EXO’s singer Chen announces his marriage, reveals fiance is pregnant

As the world started binge-ing Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s new creation, the Netflix Original series Never Have I Ever that narrates the story of a first-generation Indian-American teen, British musician DJ Rekha hosted a special Instagram party to celebrate the show.

Rekha, along with the show’s cast member Poorna Jagannathan thought of a cool idea to throw a Bollywood party to promote the show. Joining the fanfare from Mumbai were Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, the only Bollywood stars who attended the Instagram party.

A source informs, “It was essentially what a lockdown party looks like. The show is coming at a time when everyone is seeking a respite. Richa and Ali were more than happy to join the party. Even Mindy Kaling joined in from the US; so did Oscar nominated actor Mahershala Ali. The show tells an authentic story about being a first generation Indian growing up in the US. Richa and Ali had both loved the trailer of the show and were happy to share their excitement. Shows like Never I Ever are a great step forward in making significant changes in popular culture and voice and both Richa and Ali echo that sentiment. They enjoyed good music of the party courtesy of DJ Rekha and loved interacting with about the fun theme of the show.”

ALSO READ: Ali Fazal speaks about his April wedding with Richa Chadha getting postponed; says everyone’s life has been postponed

After a 2-year-long battle with cancer, actor Irrfan Khan breathed his last today morning. The actor, who underwent a long course of treatment in New York, was back in India and was recently admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben hospital with a colon infection.

Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar took to Twitter to break the news. "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," he wrote.

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 (@ShoojitSircar) April 29, 2020

Irrfan's family released a statement, confirming the news too. "“i trust, i have surrendered”; These were the some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heart felt 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," it read.

In 2018, Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour, and has fought a brave battle ever since. He was last seen in Angrezi Medium, a film that only had a brief run at the theatres owing to the ognoing pandemic.

Irrfan is survived by wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons. We pray his roul rest in peace!

This is possibly the first quarantine love duet in India. Tamil actor Dhanush and his very lovely Mumbai co-star Aditi Rao have just crooned a duet together for a forthcoming Tamil film Jail.

Entitled Kaathodu Kaathaanen,the song composed by G V Prakash features the voices of the lead pair of the film Jail. Lekin mazey ki baat yeh hai ke, Aditi and Dhanush did not sing the “duet” together. A source in the know informs, “G V Prakash recorded with his friend Dhanush in Chennai. And then he recorded separately with Aditi in Mumbai.”

We wonder how the emotions of love can be expressed in absentia! But I guess the film’s makers would know better. Incidentally neither Dhanush nor Aditi is a trained singer, though Dhanush has sung a multiple times for G V Prakash. Aditi sang with Ali Zafar in London Paris New York. But to be able to sing in Tami, which India’s greatest singer Lata Mangeshkar describes as the most difficult language she has ever sung in, is no small achievement.

Also Read: Aditi Rao Hydari opens up on how she is coping with the lock-down

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The world has come to a standstill with the outbreak of coronavirus. Many online concerts have been organized by celebrities in order to raise money for those who have been impacted amid the global crisis. In the India edition, filmmakers Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar are organizing a fundraiser ‘I for India’ to raise funds for Give India Foundation. The online concert will feature a vast line up of celebrities.

Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Sidharth Malhotra, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi will be a part of it.

Asha Bhosle, Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjianii, Pritam, and Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa among others will also participate in the performances. Kapil Sharma is expected to share some fun gags and is currently working on the scripting part of it. Hrithik Roshan is set to perform Kishore Kumar’s ‘Tere Jaisa Yaar Kahaan’ whereas Alia will also croon some of her tracks.

Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar reached out to the stars and will be hosting the upcoming digital fundraiser concert on Facebook to raise funds. A donate option will be provided to raise funds from across the globe.

Amongst the international celebrities, Will Smith, Jonas Brothers and Bryan Adams have reportedly come on board for the concert too. Meanwhile, Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will also interact with the viewers!

ALSO READ: Karan Johar’s son Yash is fed up of being on camera, daughter Roohi wants to leave the house

Kanika Kapoor testing positive for Coronavirus was one of the biggest news this year. The pandemic has resulted in a nationwide lockdown and the internet was furious with the ‘Baby Doll’ singer for not following the protocol of self-quarantine after she returned from London. However, she was admitted soon enough in the hospital and tested negative after 16 days.

During her time in the hospital, she got herself tested four times to finally test negative for the fifth time. Now, Kanika Kapor is back home with her parents in Lucknow and had given her blood to test if she was fit for the plasma therapy to help out other COVID-19 patients. The doctors have the result and they say that Kanika Kapoor’s hemoglobin levels are lower than the average required and hence, she will have to wait till the levels come to normal.

Even though the samples are fit to donation, the doctor have decided to wait for a few days so that Kanika’s hemoglobin quantity is back on track.

Also Read: Kanika Kapoor is set to offer blood for the plasma treatment to other COVID-19 patients, awaits the test results

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Singer Zayn Malik and supermodel Gigi Hadid are reportedly expecting their first child together. The couple has been dating on-again/off-again for years now. It was only in January 2020 when they were first spotted together post-Gigi's mom Yolanda Hadid's birthday celebration. This confirmed that they were back together!

Now, TMZ reports that they are entering a new phase in their lives. “Family sources for the couple tell us…Gigi is 20 weeks along. It’s unclear if they know the sex of the baby yet, but both of their families are very excited. The supermodel shared some celebratory photos with the former One Direction singer this past weekend, but they weren’t baby related…they were birthday pics,” the report reads.

Recently, Gigi Hadid celebrated her 25th birthday with her boyfriend, singer Zayn Malik, younger sister Bella Hadid and her family at her mom Yolanda Hadid‘s farm in Pennsylvania.

 

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❣️????

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on Apr 25, 2020 at 5:49pm PDT

 

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Had the sweetest day celebrating my 25th birthday with my quarantine family, who made it so special for me, along with all the love I felt from all over the world! Thank you to everyone for the birthday messages, I carried you with me yesterday!! ???????? I am grateful and lucky that my family and friends -near and far- are healthy and safe, and although I missed loved ones I wish I could have celebrated with, know that these times will make us even more grateful for togetherness to be had in the future ! I will never forget my 25th bday! +++The icing on the perfect quarantine bday was finding out my surprise everything-bagel-cake was made by the one and only Cake Boss @buddyvalastro who I have watched for over a decade. I CRIED REAL TEARS! BUDDY! This is a dream come true. I can’t believe you made this cake for me while the bakery is closed. It means more to me than you know, and when we hopefully meet some day you will truly know that there almost isn’t an episode I’ve missed. 10/10 would be a Carlo’s intern whenever needed. ???? Grateful, honored, your biggest fan. ????????????????????

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on Apr 24, 2020 at 6:56pm PDT

ALSO READ: Gigi Hadid celebrates her 25th birthday with boyfriend Zayn Malik, sister Bella Hadid and family

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This one is an uncommon rooftop wedding. Actor Ashutosh Kaushik, who was the winner of Bigg Boss 2 and also won the 5th edition of MTV Roadies, got married amid the national lock-down. The rather simple marriage ceremony took place on the terrace of his Noida residence, in the presence of only four people. The wedding was scheduled on April 26 for a while now.

Speaking to a publication, Ashutosh called it a memorable day. He revealed that his mother and sister attended the wedding on his behalf, and two members from his wife Arpita's family were also present. He added that the money that was kept aside for his wedding ceremony will be donated to the PM-Cares fund to help the Government fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

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A post shared by Ashutosh Kaushik (@ashutoshkaushik_bigg_boss_2) on Apr 27, 2020 at 9:49pm PDT

Ashutosh has been a part of films like Zila Ghaziabad and Kismat Love Paisa Dilli in the past.

Kriti Sanon is quite a poet at heart, and keeps sharing her thoughts with us. Her latest one, however, is a major shift from her usual romantic poems. She took to Instagram to share with us a poem that was written by her when she was in 11th standard, after hearing how her domestic help was abused by her husband.

"It breaks my heart to read that the domestic violence cases have almost doubled up during the lockdown period! About 700 cases alone in Punjab! And these are just the ones Registered! Imagine how many are not reported!," Kriti wrote.

 

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It breaks my heart to read that the domestic violence cases have almost doubled up during the lockdown period! About 700 cases alone in Punjab! And these are just the ones Registered! Imagine how many are not reported! If you are going through any kind of domestic violence, PLEASE REPORT! ????????There are helpline numbers at http://www.ncw.nic.in/helplines . NCW whatsapp helpline for lockdown period: 72177135372 ONLY YOU can control your life.. so stand up for yourself! Its NOT OK for anyone to physically hurt you.. no matter what the reason is! ITS NOT OK! ????????????????????????

A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) on Apr 28, 2020 at 12:06am PDT

Her poem went like, “As the sun sets spreading blood all over the sky, my heart starts sinking once again, sweat goes down my neck strikes. Feet steady at the door, he’s gonna be late. Wait I can hear him come, the sound is not a stranger. I can hear the doorknob, I can smell the danger. The odour tells me he’s drunk again, full of frustration, ready to deliver some pain.” By the end of it, she emphasizes that a victim of abuse must put efforts to deal with such treatments.

In her post, Kriti also urged women to stand up against such crimes, and shared a helpline number where one could report a case of domestic abuse during the lock-down.

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