Salman Khan recovering from dengue, Karan Johar steps in to host 'Bigg Boss 16'
Mumbai, Oct 22: Filmmaker Karan Johar will host the upcoming three episodes of the popular reality TV series "Bigg Boss 16" as Bollywood superstar Salman Khan recovers from dengue.
Salman, who has been hosting "Bigg Boss" since 2010, should be back in action post Diwali festivities, according to a source close to the actor.
"He was diagnosed with dengue last week and is recovering well. He should be fine after Diwali as he's resting," the source told PTI.
Karan has temporarily taken over the hosting duties of "Bigg Boss", the long-running Colors series. The filmmaker already serves as a jury member on the channel's ongoing dance show "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa".
"We have been informed by Salman's team that he is unwell. He didn't come for a shoot this Thursday. Usually, he shoots 'Weekend Ka War', the Friday and Saturday episodes, on Thursday itself.
"Karan Johar is filling in for Salman. He will shoot for three episodes for 'Bigg Boss' including the Diwali special, which will air on Monday, besides Saturday and Sunday episodes," the source had told PTI earlier in the day.
The "Bigg Boss" team will announce that "Salman is unwell" and Karan has taken over the hosting duties in his stead on the show's latest episode set to air on Saturday night, added the insider.
The 16th season of "Bigg Boss" aired on October 1.
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'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned', Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees.
Tharoo’s remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
“Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post.
Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president.
Murmu also appreciated Putin's support and personal commitment to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.
The Congress on Friday said that the leaders of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the banquet, and took a swipe at Tharoor for accepting the invite.
The party’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, accused the government of breaking protocols daily and not believing in democratic principles.
“There is no invite to both the LoPs, Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Mr (Rahul) Gandhi. This comes as a surprise, but I don't think we should be surprised. This government is known to be breaching all protocols. What else to say, ask the government,” Khera said on Friday.
Asked about Tharoor accepting the invite for the banquet, Khera said, "Ask Mr Tharoor. All of us who are in the party, if our leaders don't get invited and we get invited, we need to question our own conscience and listen to our conscience. Politics has been played in inviting or not inviting people, which in itself is questionable, and those who accept such an invite are also questionable."
“We would have listened to our voice of conscience,” he added.
Earlier, Tharoor had said that there was a time when the chairman of the external affairs committee was routinely invited, but that practice seems to have stopped some years ago.
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government tells visiting foreign dignitaries not to meet the leader of opposition due to its "insecurity".
His remarks came hours ahead of Putin's two-day visit to India.
