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Avengers assemble to unveil Infinity Stone in Singapore
By Natalia Ningthoujam
Singapore, April 16 (IANS) Director Joe Russo along with “Avengers: Infinity War” cast members Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch and Karen Gillan revealed that the Soul Stone, which the supervillain Thanos is searching for to rule the galaxy, is here.
While the locations of five infinity stones — Time, Space, Power, Mind and Reality — are known, the Soul Stone is yet to appear. It turns out that it is in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands.
The team of the superhero ensemble, ahead of its release, assembled here on Monday to unveil the stone at an event where they met around 7,000 fans from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Malaysia, China and Russia.
The event was also attended by young critically ill “honorary Avengers”, who were sworn in by Downey Jr. on Sunday, in a ceremony organised by Make-A-Wish Singapore.
Then the Hollywood stars walked on the purple carpet, which was probably inspired by the colour of Thanos, to take selfies with the fans, who sported Avengers masks or were armed with their toys and posters.
“I know you have been waiting patiently for a few hours or more and some of you all day long,” Joe, one half of the Russo brothers, told the screaming fans.
The director, accompanied by his wife and daughters, seemed to be loving it as he patiently signed autographs and posed in front of thousands of cameras.
He was later joined by Gillan, who plays Nebula in the forthcoming Marvel Studios’ film.
“I shaved off all my hair which was very long. Marvel guys are amazing. They made me a wig of my own hair which I sometimes wear it for comedic purposes. It’s really creepy,” she said on the stage facing her fans.
Then a portal was created, just like the one in the Cumberbatch-starrer “Doctor Strange”. This time it was done without a sling ring.
Looking at it, the actor said: “That was truly terrifying.”
The British actor, whose love for India is not unknown, joined his hands in a ‘namaste” to greet the audience. This comes days after he was slammed by his Korean fans when he mistakenly bowed the wrong way twice during his stay in Seoul.
After praising “very generous and fun” Downey Jr., he spoke highly of the young Spider-Man — Tom Holland.
“Tom Holland is 21 years old but he is much wiser,” said Cumberatch, whose blue coat and pants matched his eye colour.
A few minutes later, fireworks and a loud cheer welcomed “Iron Man” star Downey Jr. on stage. It was his first time in Singapore so, the fans greeted him together and shouted “Hi Robert”.
As he shared the stage with Cumberbatch, he joked: “Sorry Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk) the science bro thing is over, it’s now about the Batch.”
The sweet bond between Cumberbatch and Downey Jr. could also be seen on the purple carpet when the British actor ran up to him with a fan’s artwork that featured the two “Sherlock” stars.
On who would defeat Thanos, Downey Jr. said: “Here’s my guess … because Jeremy Renner is not in the posters, I think he is the only one who can beat Thanos.”
Finally, Joe said: “As the director of the film I was able to influence the stone’s location.”
Then the fans raised their hands with Avengers bands and shouted “Avengers assemble”. A few seconds later, the Soul Stone, made with lights and water, appeared at the Marina Bay Waterfront.
To find out who wins the epic battle, watch “Avengers: Infinity War” in India from April 27 onwards.
(The writer’s trip to Singapore is at the invitation of Disney. Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at Natalia.n@Ian’s.in)
–IANS
nn/vd
Regards,
Natalia Ningthoujam
Principal Correspondent & Senior Sub-editor
IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.