Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has threatened to unleash his legion of fans on online trolls wishing him death from the coronavirus, after earlier speaking out about the stigma suffered by patients.
Bachchan and his actor son Abhishek have been in a Mumbai hospital for over two weeks with COVID-19, while his actress daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai and granddaughter Aaradhya were discharged on Monday.
They are the highest-profile family to contract the virus in India, the world's third most infected nation with almost 1.5 million cases.
The 77-year-old and his son are in an isolation ward, with the elderly actor dispensing regular messages to his millions of fans on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.
The megastar's messages usually focus on thanking fans and medical staff at the hospital, but in a blog post published overnight Monday to Tuesday, he wrote that some people had sent him vicious hate mail, praying for his death.
In response, Bachchan vowed to "exterminate" such trolls once out of hospital, by asking his millions of fans to turn on them.
Describing his fans as his kin, he wrote: "That extended family shall in the flash of an eye become 'extermination family'."
Bachchan also revealed that he was able to hug his granddaughter before she left the hospital, recounting his emotional reaction to the news that she and her mother could go home.
"The tears flow out .. the little one embraces and tells me not to cry ..'you'll be home soon' she assures .. I must believe her," he wrote.
A blog entry posted Saturday touched on the mental trauma and stigma suffered by COVID-19 patients.
Bachchan, idolised in India and affectionately known as "Big B", has worked for more than half a century in the film industry.
India's film and financial capital Mumbai accounts for over seven percent of all cases in the nation of 1.3 billion people.
The South Asian giant has lifted most lockdown restrictions to restart the struggling economy. But numerous states have had to reintroduce shutdowns amid local spikes in infections.
Late Tuesday authorities in the eastern state of West Bengal, home to about 90 million people, extended its lockdown -- only imposed for two days each week -- to the end of August.
"The goal is to prevent the circulation of the virus and create favourable conditions to gain time before the arrival of effective drugs and vaccines," West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said.
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Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner during the Knicks vs Pacers playoff game
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner spark buzz with courtside PDA at Knicks game
The New York Knicks may have won Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers, but it was Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner who truly stole the spotlight at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Sitting courtside among a sea of celebrities, the couple’s very public display of affection became the real talking point of the evening, with videos of their kiss flooding social media.
Cameras captured the duo leaning in close, whispering, kissing, and holding hands while seated next to actors Miles Teller and Ben Stiller. Chalamet, in a blue-and-orange Knicks jacket inspired by Patrick Ewing, looked completely at ease next to Jenner, who kept it sleek in a white top, leather trousers, and a Knicks cap. The two looked more like a couple on a romantic night out than high-profile guests at a tense playoff game.
Online reactions were swift and fierce. Some joked that Chalamet was whispering spoilers for Dune: Part Two, while others compared the couple to overly affectionate teens in a school hallway. Criticism also surfaced, with users questioning Jenner’s absence from her children’s lives during such outings. Still, many were amused and intrigued by their chemistry.
Chalamet, a known Knicks fan and frequent attendee, has been spotted courtside multiple times throughout the playoff season. Jenner joined him earlier this month for a game against the Celtics, though their PDA was more subdued then.
Their latest appearance marked Jenner’s return to MSG, and this time, the couple didn’t hold back. After the Knicks clinched the win, the two were seen celebrating in the Garden’s back hallways, high-fiving fans and soaking in the playoff energy. Jenner raised her arms in triumph as she ran past the Knicks dancers, while Chalamet cheered with fans along the tunnel.
The pair, who went public with their relationship in late 2023 after being spotted at a Beyoncé concert, have slowly become regulars at major events, walking red carpets and appearing at festivals together and their appearance at the Knicks game was no different.
And fans are now playfully noting a trend: the Knicks are undefeated whenever Jenner shows up. Coincidence? Perhaps. But it’s certainly working for now.