Aishwarya Rai Tests Positive for Coronavirus as Bollywood’s Bachchan Dynasty Is Struck Down
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Indian actress Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and Aaradhya, her daughter with Abhishek Bachchan, were announced Sunday as having tested positive for COVID-19.
Their diagnoses follow the earlier revelation that veteran Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, one of the most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema, and his son Abhishek (Amazon Original series “Breathe: Into the Shadows”) had tested positive. The two men were admitted to Mumbai’s Nanavati hospital on Saturday.
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News about Aishwarya Rai, star of “Devdas” and “Jodhaa Akbar,” and Aaradhya appeared to be announced on Sunday by Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Twitter. He said that renowned senior actress Jaya Bachchan tested negative. However, his tweet was subsequently deleted. The information was subsequently confirmed to news agency AFP by local health officials, and then by Abhishek Bachchan on Twitter.
Aishwarya and Aaradhya have also tested COVID-19 positive. They will be self quarantining at home. The BMC has been updated of their situation and are doing the needful.The rest of the family including my Mother have tested negative. Thank you all for your wishes and prayers ????
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) July 12, 2020
“I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited ..,” Bachchan tweeted Saturday evening. “All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested !”
T 3590 -I have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited ..
All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested !— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) July 11, 2020
“Earlier today both my father and I tested positive for COVID 19. Both of us having mild symptoms have been admitted to hospital. We have informed all the required authorities and our family and staff are all being tested. I request all to stay calm and not panic. Thank you,” Abhishek tweeted.
Amitabh Bachchan’s last film “Gulabo Sitabo,” bypassed cinemas and bowed directly on Amazon Prime in June, as cinemas across India remain shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The news prompted an immediate wave of support from the Indian film industry. Sound engineer Resul Pookutty, Oscar winner for “Slumdog Millionaire,” tweeted: “That’s how a responsible citizen behaves… Sir, all our prayers to get well soon…”
Actors wishing Bachchan a speedy recovery included Mahesh Babu, Dhanush, Sonam K. Ahuja, Mammootty, Sarath Kumar and Bipasha Basu.
Bachchan is a giant of the Indian film industry, headlining influential films like “Sholay,” “Deewar,” “Don” and “Amar Akbar Anthony,” among many others in a five-decade long career. He had a cameo in Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” and has hosted several editions of “Kaun Banega Crorepati,” the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”
With 850,000 positive cases, India is now the third highest coronavirus affected country in the world, after the U.S. and Brazil. There have been 22,687 deaths so far, according to official figures.
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