Curious Case: By Radhika Bhirani

Radhika Bhirani -- rbhirani@gmail.com -- In between the barrage of Whatsapp sermons wishing a 'good morning', photographs from the family members' personal gardens are a soothing wake-up sight for sleepy eyes every morning... errrrr.... for some! Shades of green bring serenity to a mind clouded by the complexities of life. And the pops of pink, purple, peach, red, orange and yellow pep up the heart with a hope of a better today and tomorrows. What green fingers my lovely family and their gardeners have! On days there were even pictures of pumpkins and strawberries from my mother's terrace garden, or guavas, tomatoes, brinjals, bottle guards and more from my aunts' and uncles' gardens, all signifying new life at a time when death talk filled the social media space. Flowers, I have realised especially since the lockdown saga happened to life in 2020, have a real effect on mood and on life. For me, a pink bougainvillea plant ...

Radhika Bhirani for Zenger News ~~ rbhirani@gmail.com ~~ A rescued mother cow, described as “drop-dead gorgeous” with “striking eyes” and “long, dark eyelashes”, has been named Kim Kowdashian, after reality TV star Kim Kardashian. The ode to the “ Keeping Up With The Kardashians ” star is to do with her turning vegan, animal rights organization People for Ethical Treatment of Animals ( PETA ) India told Zenger News. The organization rescued the cow, originally named Rani , back in 2019. Rani was being beaten, dragged, and pulled by her owner on a busy street in India’s financial capital Mumbai when onlookers complained to PETA officials. The onlookers said the owner was using her for begging in the middle of a busy street. The ailing cow — then lactating and separated from her calf — was rescued with the help of police officers. She was admitted to a veterinary facility, and then PETA moved a legal application to seek interim custody. Once PETA secured the custody, Rani was housed in ...

Radhika Bhirani for Zenger News ~~ rbhirani@gmail.com ~~ After months of waiting for an opportune time for a theatrical release amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic, a Bollywood film is taking the hybrid route to reach an audience. Come May 13, film star Salman Khan’s “ Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai ” will become the first big-budget Hindi extravaganza that will have a multi-format release. The movie will also have a wide theatrical release internationally, giving the audience the flexibility to watch it whenever they want. “The pandemic forced us to innovate,” Shariq Patel, chief business officer, Zee Studios, said in April. A Salman Khan Films spokesperson said in a statement they would support theater owners by releasing the film in “as many screens as they can, keeping in line with the Covid-19 rules laid down by the government”. “But considering the guidelines and safety measures, we also need to devise ways to ensure that the film reaches all of our audience. We don’t want to deny th...