Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Bollywood star, Michelin chef come to the rescue of India's stranded migrants

It was past midnight on Sunday when tailor Faruk Mansoori, his last savings exhausted by the coronavirus lockdown, made up his mind to cycle from Mumbai to his village 1,500 kilometres away.

In a last-ditch cry for help, his friend tweeted actor Sonu Sood after seeing pictures on Facebook of the Bollywood star with migrant workers boarding a bus. Minutes later, Sood replied - promising that Mansoori would be going home by bus, not bike.


"I was desperate to leave as I had no money to pay my rent. I can't praise Sonu 'bhai' (brother) enough," Mansoori said by phone, still six hours drive away from his village in Uttar Pradesh state, on Tuesday evening.

Sood, who often plays the villain in films and is known for his six-pack abs, has emerged as an unlikely hero among India's stranded migrants during the coronavirus lockdown, helping thousands of them reach home on buses, trains and planes.

Millions of migrant workers, stuck without work or money in the cities, have walked hundreds of miles to get to their home villages. Many have died on the way in a string of accidents or from exhaustion.

Following outrage over their plight, authorities laid on hundreds of trains to ferry them home, but migrants have been struggling to get seats on the over-stretched services.

'THIS IS MY DUTY NOW'

But among countless charitable initiatives to feed the workers and get them home, Sood and well-known Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna - who is running a massive food aid programme - have become go-to helplines for migrants in need.

"The trigger for me were the images of migrants walking with their children on these endless journeys. I imagined a father telling his child home was not far when they had to walk hundreds of miles," Sood told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

About 20,000 migrants have already left on buses, but "there are many more on the list," he said.

The actor's project Ghar Bhejo (send them home), which he started with restaurateur friend Niti Goel, quickly turned his Twitter timeline into a stream of desperate appeals.

A friend, K.K. Mookhey, helped them set up a helpline and the online registration of migrants. Within four days, 40,000 people were signed up, Mookhey said.

Sood, who initially raised funds among family and friends before drawing support from further afield, said it had been "the most important time in my life."

"I thought I would help a few hundreds, then I thought a few thousands and then I thought I would help everyone... this is my duty now."

'ALL HANDS ON DECK'

On the other side of the world, holed up under lockdown in his New York home, Indian chef Khanna has turned his talents to helping ensure food supplies reach Indian orphanages, old people's homes and stranded migrants.

His efforts got off to a rough start when he was cheated of the money he wired to a grain wholesaler for thousands of kilos of lentils and rice to be supplied to a home for the elderly.

His mother got him back on track, he said.

"She told me that we trained you to feed people and not to make videos and TikToks," Khanna said by phone from New York.

Working in partnership with India's National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), he has since helped deliver more than 8 million meals in two months.

"The best part of the job is that people in orphanages and old age homes want to see your face on video calls," Khanna said, who is personally answering thank-you messages on Twitter.

Donations have flooded in, with fuel distributors and grains companies offering money and their infrastructure to help get food to needy people in various parts of the country.

For India's NDRF, help from famous names such as Sood and Khanna is welcome.

"It is a marriage of distress-management brands," said Satya Narayan Pradhan, NDRF's director general.

"COVID-19 has taught us that the only approach that works is having all hands on deck."

More For You

Aaradhya Bachchan

Abhishek Bachchan says Aishwarya Rai is fully responsible for Aaradhya’s upbringing

Getty Images

Abhishek Bachchan praises Aishwarya Rai for raising Aaradhya without phone or social media

Quick highlights:

  • Abhishek Bachchan credits Aishwarya Rai for taking the lead in daughter Aaradhya’s upbringing.
  • Says Aaradhya, now 13, has no phone and stays away from social media.
  • Calls Aishwarya “selfless” for prioritising parenting over everything else.
  • Slams online gossip surrounding their marriage as baseless and insensitive.

Actor Abhishek Bachchan has dismissed recent speculation around his marriage with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, instead shining a light on her unwavering dedication as a mother. In a recent chat, he spoke warmly about their 13-year-old daughter Aaradhya, revealing that she neither owns a mobile phone nor uses social media, something he attributes to Aishwarya’s hands-on parenting.

 Aaradhya Bachchan  Aaradhya Bachchan has no access to social media or a personal phoneGetty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
Nintendo Switch 2 demand exceeds

To address the ongoing demand, Nintendo is working to increase production

iStock

Nintendo Switch 2 demand exceeds supply globally, says company president

Key points

  • Nintendo Switch 2 demand outstripping supply in several countries
  • Over 2.2 million applications submitted in Japan’s lottery sales
  • Nintendo held four purchase draws, with a fifth scheduled for early July
  • Company aims to strengthen production and supply to meet demand
  • Switch 2 had the biggest launch in Nintendo history

Strong demand leads to shortages

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has confirmed that demand for the Nintendo Switch 2 has surpassed available supply in many regions. Speaking during the Q&A session of the company’s 85th annual general meeting of shareholders, Furukawa addressed concerns about ongoing stock shortages.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh in a still from Lootera that captured his most restrained performance

Twelve years of 'Lootera': 5 reasons Ranveer Singh’s most understated role still holds up

Quick highlights:

  • Ranveer’s subtle performance in Lootera marked a major shift from his usual high-energy roles.
  • The 1950s-set romantic drama became a career milestone for the actor.
  • His restrained, emotionally complex portrayal earned long-term critical acclaim.
  • The film showcased a successful collaboration with director Vikramaditya Motwane.
  • As Dhurandhar builds buzz, Lootera reminds us of Ranveer’s range.

Twelve years ago, Ranveer Singh surprised audiences with Lootera, a period romance that asked him to do something unfamiliar: stay still. Set in 1950s Bengal and directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, the film gave Ranveer the space to deliver one of his most subdued and mature performances. No outbursts. No spectacle. Just quiet heartbreak.

  Lootera released in 2013 and marked a stylistic shift for Ranveer Singh Prime Video  

Keep ReadingShow less
Ping Pong restaurant chain shuts all UK branches

The chain had also gained a following for its themed brunches

iStock

Ping Pong restaurant chain shuts all UK branches after 20 years

Key points

  • Chinese dim sum restaurant Ping Pong has closed all its UK locations
  • The chain made the announcement via social media
  • Founded in 2005, the brand thanked customers and staff for their support
  • Loyal diners shared memories and disappointment in the comments

All branches are permanently closed

Chinese restaurant chain Ping Pong has permanently closed all its branches in the UK, the company confirmed in a social media announcement.

Founded in 2005 by restaurateur Kurt Zdesar, the dim sum chain had become popular for its stylish interiors, creative menus, and Asian-inspired cocktails. The company did not provide prior notice of the closure but said the decision marked the end of an “unforgettable” 20-year journey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less