Your Weekend Planner February 7: Sadness from happy Bhutan, Shroff shocks Syria

Bollywood has a new favourite baddie, and the US will approve. But will the other Kunal Kamra be on the approved fly list? That, and more in this week's weekend planner.

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Your Weekend Planner February 7: Sadness from happy Bhutan, Shroff shocks Syria
Your Weekend Planner February 7: Sadness from happy Bhutan, Shroff shocks Syria.

Dear Reader,

Is it the worst time of the year? If you're single, pretty much. It is THAT time of the year when girls show off their teddies and guys go about brandishing their bouquets of roses. Yeah, Valentine's Week. If you're rolling your eyes at this consumerist nightmare, we get you. So forget the usual celebrations and sit back with a book on love. Many kinds of love. The Map of Us by Jules Preston is our pick for you this weekend. It will help you get over Tiger Shroff's newest attack on your senses, the Baaghi 3 trailer. He is fighting an entire nation this time around, battle tanks and bandooks included. At the movies there is another cocktail of madness called Malang, but Shikara shows promise. Not interested in getting out of your cosy homes? There's a lot on OTT this weekend. So chill. Let Sakura from Tokyo make you smile with her flawless Bangla before that.

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If you're taking a flight this weekend, and your surname says Kamra, take a moment and thank your parents for not naming you Kunal. Not everyone is as lucky, like this Kunal Kamra from Boston found out at the Jaipur airport. But not even Air India officials could do to Boston's Kamra what Trump and Pelosi did to the rest of the world. A full-fledged battle of insults that will make some seek refuge in the Hanuman Chalisa. Alexa will tell you why.

For now, we leave you with your weekend planner. Have fun!

YOUR INTERNET RECAP

WHAT'S TRENDING

Comedian Kunal Kamra got banned from 4 airlines including IndiGo, Air India, Spicejet and Go Air after a video of him and a senior journalist's on-air (not that kind of on-air) drama in an IndiGo flight went viral. But this ban on the comedian turned into a bane for other Kunal Kamras of the world, especially for the one from Boston, whose Air India ticket from Jaipur to Mumbai was cancelled just because of his name. The US-based Kunal Kamra had to go through a long ordeal proving he is not the comedian and it required two separate IDs.

Posing a tough competition to Kamra and the journalist's drama is US President Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi. As Trump decided to snub Pelosi's handshake, the House of Representative Speaker later reacted by deciding to tear a copy of his speech into pieces and toss it aside. The viral moments immediately started trending on Twitter and the internet had a blast turning the heated exchange into a meme fest.

Too much drama you need to ward off? The Hanuman Chalisa can help. The devotional mantra has been making headlines for quite some time now. It all started when the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal was asked if he could recite Hanuman Chalisa on national television, and he did so perfectly. But he is not the only person who is a pro at reciting the mantra. Amazon recently shared a list that revealed, Hanuman Chalisa was the most-requested song on Alexa going up to four times per minute in 2019. Alexa, play Hanuman Chalisa.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

Hanuman Chalisa not working? Here's a piece of news that's as sweet as the rosogolla, Bengal is so famous for. Meet Sakura Ishikawa, a Japanese girl, terribly in love with everything Bengali. Be it the culture, Shorshe-Ilish, Rabindranath Tagore or Satyajit Ray - Sakura is a Bangla fan. Currently employed with TCS Japan, Sakura studied Bangla at Kolkata's Jadavpur University and spoke about her love for Bengal in a video that has gone crazy viral on social media.

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Now it is THAT time of the year. Valentine's Day is just around the corner, guys. Now, we (singles) are not particularly fond of this day, and we have company in some cool dudes who just pulled off a hilarious prank on all the singles out there, with a fake website called Amazon Dating. Created by a group of content generators, the website looks eerily similar to Amazon and allows one to 'buy' the person they want to date. Those targeted ads on Facebook would now know just what to show us.

YOUR READING LIST

As Valentine's Week officially kicks off, it is time to (all the more) sit back with a book. Get yourself a copy of Jules Preston's The Map Of Us, a beautiful book on love, writing and the various kinds of love. The book is written in short bursts of chapters, and the Rashomonesque narration keeps you invested from the beginning to the end. The length of the chapters makes The Map Of Us an easy read. Just what you need this Valentine's Week.

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YOUR TRAVEL ITINERARY ENVY

Let us tell you about 5-year-old US-based Celina who has just started kindergarten but she has already been to six continents, 14 countries and 42 cities. If you thought your travel checklist is something to be proud of, let Celine give you a complex.

Can we make it worse for you? The Land of Happiness is making Indians quite sad this year. Indian passport holders thinking of travelling to Bhutan now need to shell out Rs 1,200 per day as Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), come July. If you're planning on visiting Bhutan any time soon, do it before July 2020.

YOUR GO-TO FASHION TREND

Celebs looks you can replicate this wedding season.

It's shaadi season all over again and Tinsel Town celebrated the wedding revelries of Armaan Jain and Anissa Malhotra this week. Of course, it was a high-on-fashion affair. Celebs turned up in their sartorial best and doled out some major wedding fashion inspiration for you. Right from glittering lehengas to elegant sarees and chic cape sets, divas rocked stunning outfits that are definitely steal-worthy for this shaadi season. What are you wearing to that next wedding?

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ON YOUR PLATTER

Corona or korbo-na, season change is as real as you being date-less on Valentine's Day. If you are down with a runny nose, aching throat and continuous cough, we feel you. And that's why we introduce you to a drink that not only treats common cold but also keeps it at bay. We're talking about Besan ka Sheera.

All you need is milk, ghee, besan (gram flour) and sugar.

Besan ka Sheera (Photo: Twitter)

Here is a quick recipe: Heat 1.5 tablespoons of ghee in a pan. Add 3 tablespoons of besan (gram flour) and roast until it turns light brown. Add a pinch of turmeric, ground black pepper and cardamom power. Pour 2 cups of milk while stirring it continuously. Add sugar (or jaggery) as per your taste. Stir it well for around 3-4 minutes until sheera thickens. Remove from flame and enjoy the delectable health drink.

AT THE MOVIES

Whatever the season, it is always movie time on a Friday. Here are our top picks.

Malang

Starring: Aditya Roy Kapur, Disha Patani, Anil Kapoor and Kunal Kemmu

Language: English

Release date: February 7

If you want to "unleash your madness", don't miss Malang in theatres this week. It stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Disha Patani in the lead, while Anil Kapoor plays Anjaaney Agashey, an angry cop. We're going to get us a ticket simply to find out if Mohit Suri is making a different film finally or sticking to his age-old template. READ OUR REVIEW HERE

Did you know?

Malang director Mohit Suri is reuniting with Aditya Roy Kapur after Aashiqui 2, a film which released seven years ago. Malang is also a reunion for Suri and Kunal Kemmu after 2005, when the two did Kalyug together.

Shikara

Starring: Aadil Khan and Sadia

Language: English

Release Date: February 7

If Malang is not your kind of fun, how about Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Shikara? The film is based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in 1990, which resulted in the "biggest forced migration" in independent India. Shikara marks the debut of Aadil Khan and Sadia, they will be seen as a Kashmiri Pandit couple. Now, if you still need a recommendation, Titanic director James Cameron called Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Shikara a "masterpiece". Okay? Okay. READ OUR REVIEW HERE

Birds of Prey

Starring: Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor

Language: English

Release Date: February 7

Margot Robbie returns to the screens as Harley Quinn, the iconic DC Comics' character who has long deserved a film of her own. The story of Birds of Prey is set after the events of the 2016 film Suicide Squad. After breaking up with her 'puddin' (Joker) and seeking closure in her own way, Harley puts together a team of super-heroines who must work together against Gotham City's most dangerous villain, Roman Sionis. The film has been directed by Cathy Yan and stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as The Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary and Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya. Ewan McGregor plays Roman Sionis.

Vaanam Kottatu

Starring: Vikram Prabhu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Sarathkumar and Radikaa Sarathkumar

Language: Tamil

Release Date: February 7

When legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam is associated with a film, you know it's got some potential. Director Dhana Sekaran's film falls into that category. The intriguing family-action-drama boasts an ensemble cast full of powerhouse performers. The film's promo seems intriguing. If you are in for a solid family drama, then Mani Ratnam's production venture Vaanam Kottatum could be your pick. READ OUR REVIEW HERE

Seeru

Starring: Jiiva, Varun, Navdeep and Riya Suman

Language: Tamil

Release Date: February 7

Jiiva has been struggling with his form for the past couple of years. With director Rathina Shiva's Seeru, he is hoping to redeem himself. Looking at the promos, Seeru looks like a proper action entertainer set in the rural backdrop with a proper story in place.

Jaanu

Starring: Samantha and Sharwanand

Language: Telugu

Release Date: February 7

Tamil film 96 starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha holds a special place in the hearts of the people. The Telugu remake, Jaanu, which features Samantha and Sharwanand is helmed by C Prem Kumar, who directed the original. The poignant love story traces the life of childhood sweethearts Ram and Jaanu.

ON YOUR OTT LIST

If none of the films excite you, Afsos not. Much OTT and chill ahead.

What to watch: Afsos

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

You will like it if you liked: Dead To Me (Netflix)

The 8-part dark comedy series stars Gulshan Devaiah in the lead. The suspense thriller revolves around a suicidal guy called Nakul (Devaiah), who after several failed suicide attempts, hires an assassin to do the job. However, problem ensues when Nakul changes his mind, as the delegated assassin Upadhyay never backs out from a given job. This leads to a cat and mouse game between Nakul and Upadhyay. The series began streaming from February 7.

What to watch: Life Is Good (Stand Up Special By Ashish Shakya)

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

You'll like it if you like: Wake N' Bake (Stand Up Special By Rohan Joshi)

Another AIB member Ashish Shakya is making his comedy-special debut with Amazon Prime's Life Is Good. In the one-hour long special, the stand-up comic will be making a joke on every theme possible. From millennials and porn to terrorism and Shashi Tharoor to Bollywood and Shaktimaan, you name it and it has a punchline on it. The special will begin streaming on February 7.

What to Watch: Locke & Key

Where to watch: Netflix

You will like it if you liked: Stranger Things, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Locke & Key is a new series based on Joe Hills comics. In the new show, a group of siblings go back to their family home after their father dies. They discover keys and a haunting spirit. Set during the time of American revolution, the show deals with a portal to another dimension, demons and everything spooky.

What to Watch: The Pharmacist

Where to Watch: Netflix

You will like it if you liked: Don't F**k with Cats

The Pharmacist is a documentary which examines the story of a New Orleans pharmacist who sought justice in the drug-related murder of his son. He later tries to seek change within his community. It is a rapidly expanding narrative of medical, corporate and law-enforcement corruption.

What to watch: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

You'll like it if you liked: The Nice Guys (2016)

Oscars 2020 will stream in India on February 10. There, you precisely have time until Sunday to tick off this Oscar-nominated film if you missed watching the Quentin Tarantino masterpiece Once Upon A Time in Hollywood in theatres. Now, it's available on Amazon Prime. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt in the lead, the film is set in 1968 Los Angeles and is based on the life of a Hollywood actor and his stunt double. It navigates the changing film industry and features multiple storylines. Interesting, right?

[Also watch Mardaani 2 on Amazon Prime. This is a sequel to Rani Mukerji's cop drama Mardaani (2014) and will be streaming from February 8.]

ON YOUR TELEVISION SCREENS

What to watch: Indian Idol 11

Where to watch: Sony TV, 8 pm to 9.30 pm

This weekend, veteran actors Dharmendra (on Saturday's episode) and Zeenat Aman (on Sunday's episode) will appear on Indian Idol 11. The Sholay actor will support the finalists and share some words of wisdom with them. Host Aditya Narayan will celebrate Valentine's Day on the sets and gift judge Neha Kakkar a teddy bear, a bouquet of roses and a bar of chocolate to celebrate Teddy Day, Rose Day and Chocolate Day, all in one. The viewers must be eagerly waiting for Neha and Aditya's speculated marriage on February 14, 2020.

What to watch: The Kapil Sharma Show

Where to watch: Sony TV, 9.30 pm to 11 pm

The Kapil Sharma Show will welcome the original Aashiqui stars Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal as guests on Saturday. The two actors along with Deepak Tijori will be on TKSS to celebrate 30 years of the musical love story, which was directed by Mahesh Bhatt. On Sunday, Love Aaj Kal stars Sara Ali Khan and Kartik Aaryan will appear on TKSS to promote their film, which is slated to release on February 14. Expect a lot of LOL moments on the show.

Happy Weekend!

(Compiled by Ananya Bhattacharya, Raya Ghosh, Krishna Priya Pallavi, Vibha Maru, Shweta Keshri, Medha Chawla, Janani K, Nisha Singh, Divyanshi Sharma)

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