Your Weekend Planner February 21: Litti-chokha breaks the Internet, Arijit helps fight coronavirus

Coronavirus threat is on the rise. All the more reason to stay(cation) home, listen to Arijit Singh and gorge on litti-chokha. For everything else, here's this week's newsletter.

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Your Weekend Planner February 21: Litti-chokha breaks the Internet, Arijit helps fight coronavirus
Litti-chokha and Arijit Singh broke the internet this week.

Dear Reader,

Howdy! If that reminded you of Donald Trump and Narendra Modi, you'd know why we greeted you with that. India is all set to host the US President and First Lady Melania Trump this Monday, and Ahmedabad is sprucing up for the big day. Will PM Modi treat his friend to some litti-chokha? Or will we find dhokla and khakhra on the menu for Trump? Anyway, we have a recipe of litti-chokha for you this weekend. On your reading list is former US First Lady Michelle Obama's bestselling memoir Becoming. You might want to go low on travelling because of all these corona concerns. Your go-to travel trend is bleisure and staycations, which you will find more on in our weekend planner.

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At the movies, we have two National Film Award winners locking horns: Ayushmann Khurrana with Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Vicky Kaushal with Bhoot Part 1: The Haunted Ship. In fashion, we have the Indian six yards taking over the London runway, as closer home Kareena Kapoor Khan brings some drama on the ramp. And if none of this is good enough for you, sit back with OTT and chill. There's a lot for you across digital platforms this weekend.

Happy weekending!

WHAT'S TRENDING

Yes, of course, we’ll tell you what trended over the week but before that, here’s a heads up. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will be landing in Delhi on February 24 and will travel to Gujarat along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi thereafter. More on that in the following week.

India is ready for Trump (Photo: PTI)

Now, for those subjects that made emphatic headlines.

PM Modi gorged on litti-chokha and enjoyed kulhad wali chai at the Hunar Haat at Delhi’s India Gate as pictures went viral. On the other hand, the Skullbreaker Challenge has left parents worried. Please don’t try it. Why? Because. Meanwhile, the internet was stumped after it noticed that a novel predicted Wuhan virus forty years before the Coronavirus outbreak.

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE

One particular instance of communal harmony in Kerala made us smile this week. A Muslim couple organised their Hindu foster daughter’s wedding at a temple.

Then there was a heartwarming video of a Bengali man Binay Kumar Sarkar, a crew member on the coronavirus-affected Diamond Princess Cruise doing the rounds on the internet this week. Hoping to get back home soon, he sang Arijit Singh’s Chal Ghar Chalen from the film Malang to lighten up the unpleasant and scary atmosphere on board. His optimistic message is winning the internet: "We should remain happy and calm in such situations. I want to thank Arijit Singh for singing many songs that bring hope and happiness."

YOUR READING LIST

As India gets ready to welcome US President Donald Trump and the First Lady Melania Trump, all eyes will be on the couple during their maiden visit to the country.

Becoming, book by Michelle Obama.

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If you are someone who would trade all this hullabaloo with getting a cosy read in your bed, it is time you pick up that copy of the bestseller Becoming. The memoir, written by former US First Lady Michelle Obama, is an emotionally packed book about her personal experiences growing up as a black-American woman and her time in the White House. The book talks about her roots, black history, her struggles as a woman, the power of female friendships and relationships and her love story with Barack Obama.

YOUR TRAVEL UTILITY

"I will be travelling, therefore out of network area," is an excuse you will soon need to do away with. For now, you will be able to enjoy broadband services on flights. Yes, you read that right! Vistara is planning to start in-flight broadband service by March-end this year. The airline has partnered with Tata group firm Nelco to turn this dream into a reality. Passengers would be able to access the service even at a height of 35,000 feet. However, the airline has not yet decided on offering voice calls.

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But if you'd rather skip the woes of flying and airports (hello, coronavirus), the rising travel trends - bleisure and staycations - are what you should be focusing your energy on. More on that here.

WORKOUT INSPO

Now that you have in-flight broadband, how about inspiring yourself by watching this video of Deepika Padukone? Dippy is known to be one of the fittest celebrities of Bollywood and the Pilates workout video that she shared on Monday worked as our motivation to hit the gym every day this last week. Deepika’s leg and butt workout further proved that a lot goes in to maintain those enviable curves. Check it out.

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FASHION, LAKME TO LONDON

A lot happened in the world of fashion too this past week. In India, the most coveted fashion event Lakme Fashion Week started on February 11 and ended on February 16 with a bang. The original fashionista of Bollywood, Kareena Kapoor Khan ended the show as she turned showstopper in a dreamy dark green gown for designer Amit Aggarwal. During the entire week, a lot of Bollywood celebrities including Tara Sutaria, Nora Fatehi, and Janhvi Kapoor walked the ramp for various designers.

(L-R) Nora Fatehi, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tara Sutaria at Lakme Fashion Week.

In a different part of the world, the Indian six yard was setting the ramp on fire at the London Fashion Week. The event that went on from February 14 to February 18 saw Indian sarees from all states on the ramp.

ON YOUR PLATTER

This week the dish that was on everyone’s mind - and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's too - is a delicacy which comes from the state of Bihar. Litti-chokha. It is only fair that we whip it up for ourselves, too this weekend.

Litti-chokha

To make this traditional dish, start by kneading a mixture of wheat flour, mustard oil, a pinch of salt and water in a bowl. Now make balls from the dough and fill it with a mixture of sattu, pickle masala, mustard oil, lemon juice, kalonji, ginger, coriander leaves, green chillies and salt.

Now bake the balls by setting them in a baking tray inside a preheated (at 180 degrees Celsius) oven for 2-3 minutes.

To make chokha, mash peeled and roasted brinjal and tomatoes with garlic, salt, mustard oil, lemon juice, green chillis and chopped green coriander leaves in a bowl. Once you are done, have it with the litti.

AT THE MOVIES

Not just on your plate, expect a lot of masala in theatres near you, too, this week. Also, with two National Award-winning actors - Ayushmann Khurrana and Vicky Kaushal - battling it out at the box office, it certainly will be a good Friday for cinegoers. Here's what's playing now:

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao

Language: Hindi

Release date: February 21

After 'gents problem' in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Ayushmann Khurrana wants to start a discussion on homosexuality. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is all about Ayushmann and Jitendra's homosexual love story with a dose of entertainment. The Neena-Gajraj jodi is also back. Don't miss Ayushmann and Jitendra kiss. Read our review here.

Did You Know?

Ayushmann and Jitendra took three takes for shooting the kiss in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.

Bhoot Part One: The Haunted Ship

Starring: Vicky Kaushal and Bhumi Pednekar

Language: Hindi

Release date: February 21

Vicky Kaushal's Bhoot Part One: The Haunted Ship is yet another attempt by Bollywood at horror, and your go-to film if you love this genre. If Ayushmann wants to make you comfortable with a kiss between two men, Vicky wants to scare you. Bhoot... also stars Bhumi Pednekar. It is loosely inspired by a real-life incident where a ship was stuck at Juhu beach in Mumbai, in 2011. Read our review here.

The Call of The Wild

Starring: Harrison Ford

Language: English

Release Date: February 21

The Call of The Wild is directed by Chris Sanders and traces the story of Buck the dog and John Thorton (Harrison Ford) as the two embark upon an adventure that changes their lives. The film also stars Omar Sy, Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan, Colin Woodell and Bradley Whitford. It is based on Jack London’s literary classic novel The Call of The Wild that was published in 1903.

Brahms: The Boy II

Starring: Christopher Convery

Language: English

Release Date: February 21

Brahms: The Boy II is directed by William Brent Bell and is a sequel of the 2016 horror film titled The Boy. The film stars Katie Holmes, Owain Yeoman, Christopher Convery, Ralph Ineson and Anjali Jay in pivotal roles. It tells the story of a young boy (Christopher Convery) who moves into the Heelshire Mansion with his parents, unaware of its frightening history. Things take a dark turn when the child finds a doll and names it Brahms.

Mafia

Starring: Arun Vijay, Prasanna and Priya Bhavani Shankar

Language: Tamil

Release Date: February 21

Director Karthick Naren's Mafia has managed to impress the audience with its promos. The trailer indicates that Mafia is an intriguing action thriller featuring two powerhouse performers, Arun Vijay and Prasanna. When two incredible performers are pitted against each other, you expect fireworks on screen. Read our review here.

Bheeshma

Starring: Nithiin, Rashmika Mandanna and Anant Nag

Language: Telugu

Release Date: February 21

Nithiin and Rashmika Mandanna's Bheeshma looks like a romantic comedy with substance. Director Venky Kudumula promises to showcase a cleverly woven commercial flick, that aims to entertain people.

ON YOUR OTT LIST

What to watch: The Chef Show: Volume 3

Where to watch: Netflix

You will like it if you liked: Street Food, Master Chef

Jon Favreau is back with his cooking adventures in Volume 3 of The Chef Show. In the show, Jon, along with chef Roy Choi, experiment with different recipes. Jon and Roy travel around the US and learn techniques of cooking from known chefs around the country. The show also features celebrity guests. It released on February 19.

What to Watch: Yeh Ballet

Where to watch: Netflix

You will like it if you liked: Step Up series, Black Swan

Sooni Taraporevala, the writer of films like Salaam Bombay and The Namesake, makes her directorial debut with Yeh Ballet. Unlike the usual hip hop dance sequences that we see in Bollywood films (Street Dancer 3D being the latest example), Yeh Ballet is the story of a couple of dancers in Mumbai who want to build a career in ballet. Apart from the newcomers, the show stars Jim Sarbh and English actor Julian Sands. It releases on February 21.

What to watch: Hunters

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

You will like it if you liked: Jojo Rabbit

After making noise with his performance in The Irishman, Al Pacino makes his television debut of sorts with the web series, Hunters. The show revolves around the lives of a group called Hunters, led by Al Pacino, who are on a mission to kill Nazis living in America. The show releases on February 21. Before you start streaming the show, catch what Al Pacino, Logan Lerman, creator of the show David Weil and executive producer Nikki Toscano have to say about Hunters.

[ICYMI: Catch Satellite Shankar and Commando 3 on Zee5 today in case you missed them in the theatres. But then, you probably missed it on purpose. So, scratch that. Instead, log in to Amazon Prime tomorrow (February 22) to stream Good Newwz and Darbar.]

ON YOUR TELEVISION SCREENS

What to watch: Khatron Ke Khiladi 10

Where to watch: Colors TV, 9 pm to 10.30 pm

Rohit Shetty is back with a new season of Khatron Ke Khiladi. The stunt-based reality show premieres this weekend, with popular faces like Karan Patel, Shivin Narang, Karishma Tanna, Adaa Khan, Tejasswi Prakash, and Amruta Khanvilkar as contestants. KKK10 replaces Bigg Boss Weekend Ka Vaar. The celebrities shot for the show in Bulgaria in August 2019.

What to watch: Indian Idol 11

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

This weekend Indian Idol 11 grand finale will be aired. The top five contestants - Sunny Hindustani, Rohit Raut, Adriz Ghosh, Ankona Mukherjee and Ridham Kalyan will be competing to win the coveted trophy. On Saturday, the team of Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan will appear on the show while on Sunday, Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, who are hosting India's Best Dancer, will be special guests on the show.

What to watch: The Kapil Sharma Show

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

This weekend, Kapil Sharma will welcome India's Best Dancer judges Malaika Arora, Geeta Kapur and Terrence Lewis. Bharti Singh, who is also a part of The Kapil Sharma Show, will be seen sitting on the couch as a guest. The comedienne is hosting India's Best Dancer with husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa. The dance reality show kick-starts next weekend.

Have a fun weekend!

(Compiled by Ananya Bhattacharya, Nairita Mukherjee, Raya Ghosh, Krishna Priya Pallavi, Vibha Maru, Jyoti Kanyal, Shweta Keshri, Medha Chawla, Janani K, Divyanshi Sharma, Nishtha Grover, Nisha)

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