From writing about her battle against cancer to inspiring many lives with her motivational talks -- and even acting in films like "Sanju" and "Lust Stories" -- Nepal-born Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala has of late been keeping herself occupied. She says perhaps her fight against cancer has made her a better performer.


Winning battle against cancer has made me a better performer: Actress Manisha Koirala


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"Baahubali" writer Manoj Muntashir describes himself as a "born poet", but says coming out with a book was a scary experience.


I'm a born poet: 'Baahubali' writer


Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, conductor Martyn Brabbins and Swiss pianist Andreas Haefliger will perform at the 2019 spring season of the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) here from February 4 to 16.


Symphony Orchestra of India to be back for spring edition


The Income-Tax (I-T) department will soon hold a meeting with the Kannada film industry fraternity on the need for paying taxes and filing returns, a top official said on Monday.


I-T office wants Kannada film fraternity to pay taxes


Marking a new era of collaborations in Indian publishing, leading Indian publishing houses are all set to expand their bandwidth in 2019 by emerging as avenues of cross-language books - coupled with an increasing focus on translations.


Hindi-English publishing collaborations to climb a notch higher in 2019


Whatever the state of politics between India and Pakistan may be, the citizens of the neighbouring countries, separated at birth, are naturally drawn to each other and you cannot stop that, says Fatima Bhutto, niece of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and granddaughter of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.


Insist on Indo-Pak cultural exchanges, reject barriers : Pakistani writer Fatima Bhutto (IANS Interview)


Nicholas Sparks' romantic novel-turned-hit film "The Notebook" is now set to become a Broadway musical.


'The Notebook' to become Broadway musical


Asia's biggest electronic dance music festival - Sunburn - gave a booming start to 2019 as it downed its curtains earlier this week with astronomical fireworks, massive raves and overwhelming music by international and desi DJs.


Sunburn gives 2019 a booming start


As 2019 settles in, enrich your knowledge with a concise history of the 1,400-year-old schism between Shias and Sunnis; read 14 translated stories by a celebrated modernist Malayalam litterateur; learn if villains are born, made or made up through the character of Mahabharatas villain, Duryodhana; and finally, see what life lessons Chanakya can teach students.


Of Islamic history, Malayalam literature, villains and Chanakya's lessons (IANS Books This Weekend)


About 30 teams of the Income Tax department conducted simultaneous searches in the premises of four Kannada film actors and three producers across the city for alleged tax evasion, said an official on Thursday.


Tax raids on 4 Kannada actors, 3 producers in Bengaluru


Actor-producer Sanjay Khan's autobiography, "The Best Mistakes Of My Life", hit the stands last year only. It has been just few months, but he is ready to announce his next book on his birthday on Thursday.


Sanjay Khan to announce his next book on birthday


Title: Tamil Characters: Personalities, Politics, Culture; Author: A.R. Venkatachalapathy; Publisher: Pan Macmillan; Pages: 321; Price: Rs 399


When Tamil personalities, past and present, come alive (Book Review)


Ruskin Bonds ghost stories will be coming to life with web series titled "Parchayee - Ghost Stories by Ruskin Bond".


Ruskin Bond's ghost stories to translate into web series


Describing the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests's latest CRZ 2018 notification as a "death knell to the coastal communities", a Goa Church-backed NGO on Monday demanded its withdrawal.


Goa Church-backed NGO opposes new CRZ 2018 notification


One of Asias biggest electronic music festivals, Sunburn 2018, completed its first two days on Sunday with exhilarating visuals and tributes to Swedish legend Avicii, and EDM-pumped performances by international and Indian DJs like Armin Van Burren, Alan Walker, Nucleya and Axwell-Ingrosso setting the temperature high in the month of December.


Sunburn 2018: EDM pumped performances by big headliners, tributes to Avicii


Udyan Sagar - better known by his stage name Nucleya - turned the Bollywood music obsessed industry upside down with back-to-back hits like "Koocha Monster", "Bass Rani" and "Raja Baja "but at the back of his mind, classic ghazals by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ustad Ghulam Ali play on a constant loop.


Still love to listen to folk, classical music: DJ Nucleya (IANS Interview)


The king of southern cine music, 75-year-old Illayaraja, a Padma Vibhushan, is fighting a lone battle for royalty.


Music maestro Illayaraja fights lone battle for royalty


Actress Natalie Portman has mourned the passing of Israeli author Amos Oz, saying she is heartbroken.


Natalie Portman mourns demise of Israeli author Amos Oz


Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu on Friday clarified that he has no undisputed tax payable and that he is a law abiding citizen complying with all fiscal legislation.


I have no undisputed tax payable, says Mahesh Babu


Actress and theatre veteran Lushin Dubey feels that theatre has become more fearless over the years in terms of breaking the norms. She also calls the medium the father of films and stresses that it's best to participate in both and not treat either like a poor cousin of the other.


Theatre is the father of films and neither is poor cousin of other: Lushin Dubey (IANS Interview)


The year bore witness to a plethora of new material from various metal artistes. As they -- old and new, the famous and the underground -- decided on innovations and new ideas, it energised a whole genre.

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