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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Baywatch star David Hasselhoff was admitted to a hospital

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Former “Baywatch” star David Hasselhoff was admitted to a hospital Nov 27 after suffering a seizure.


Reports, the star’s daughter, Hayley, called emergency services when her father fell ill and he was taken to Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by ambulance for treatment.


“I asked one of the paramedics how David was doing and he told me his eyes were rolling back into his head, he was drooling and that he’d had a seizure. This isn’t the first time this has happened to him,” said Hasselhoff’s neighbour Christian.



Added a spokesperson for the LA City fire department: “Paramedics were called to (a house) in Encino for medical aid. Paramedics arrived at approximately 11:51 a.m. and later transported the patient to a nearby hospital.”


The 57-year-old, who has a long history of alcoholism, had allegedly been drinking in the past two days and saw one of his personal doctors Nov 25 after returning from a trip to Canada.


Hasselhoff was admitted to rehab in October this year amid reports he accidentally hit a doctor during a booze binge. He has also been hospitalised on two separate occasions this year, after reportedly suffering alcohol poisoning.


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Sonam Kapoor talks about her leading men Ranbir Kapoor

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The star daughter Sonam Kapoor managed to pick up accolades for her two performances and is being closely watched by the big daddies of cinema because she has talent in abundance… not to mention that ‘it’ quality to make her soar.


In one of those off-the-cuff interviews, Sonam talks about her leading men, and her varying chemistry with each of them… but we had all the interest on what she said for Ranbir Kapoor .



My chemistry with Ranbir is special. Ranbir will always be the most special co-star in my life because he is my first hero. After Saawariya I was offered a couple of films with him but if we haven’t worked together, it is because I’ve decided that when we do team up it must be for something sensational. I don’t want to do a multiple heroine project with him. Both of us must have equal parts.


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Friday, November 27, 2009

Abhishek Bachchan admitted to admiring his co-star Vidya Balan




During a recent promotional interview for Paa, Abhishek Bachchan admitted to admiring his co-star Vidya Balan, when they worked together for Guru.

He claims to be so wowed with her performance in one of the scenes in Guru that he almost forgot that he too had to act in the scene.



Vidya has also made her admiration for AB Jr. very clear by stating that he is a dream co-star. She added that when she looks into his eyes, something unplanned just happens which makes it all the more exciting for her to work with him.


Ash better not get jealous and possessive about hubby Abhishek after she finds this out!


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Shilpa Shetty Kundra going to the Bahamas for her honeymoon

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Celebrations are far from over in the Kundra household. After the elaborate wedding ceremonies and parties, Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty Kundra have exciting holiday plans even after their honeymoon.


Soon after the newly-weds are back from their honeymoon, Raj will take his as well as Shilpa’s family for a Mediterranean cruise.


Shilpa says, "Raj and I are going to the Bahamas for our honeymoon . Once we return, Raj will be taking our entire family, all the Shettys and the Kundras, on a Christmas Mediterranean cruise. He thinks that everyone needs a break."



When asked about dividing her time between Mumbai and London, Shilpa says, "Why are people presuming that I am moving to London? I’ll have two homes now and will be traveling to and fro."


The couple left for Tirupathi yesterday to seek divine blessings.


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U.S Air Force Capt won a new car in Jay Leno Show

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An audience member at "The Jay Leno Show " is especially grateful this Thanksgiving. He won a new car.


Air Force Capt. Tung Ngo (TUNG’ noh) was in the audience filled with men and women of the U.S. military when Leno called his name during Thursday’s special holiday program. It was taped at NBC studios in Burbank, Calif., just hours before airtime.


Ngo won a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid . He told Leno he was glad to get an upgrade from the 12-year-old car he drives.



The Lincoln, Neb., native is headed next week to a new assignment at Cape Canaveral, Fla.


His name was drawn from a bowl with names of Air Force audience members after that branch edged Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard rivals in several competitions during the show.


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Thursday, November 26, 2009

What is similar between Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra

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Want to know what is similar between Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra besides the fact that both are nursing a broken heart and are currently single?


Yes, they have tried and liked it ‘short’. Both the gorgeous females have said good-bye to their lustrous long mane to get a chic, uber cool look. If Priyanka has done it for fun, Deepika got this new look for her film Kartik Calling Kartik.


And this is probably also the reason why the gal is in hiding: it has nothing to do with her break up with Ranbir Kapoor. However, at first she wasn’t ready to cut her hair but apparently Adhuna Akhtar, stylist wife of Farhan Akhtar, and director Vijay Lalwani convinced Deepika to go for short tresses.



With this Deepika joins the gang of actresses like Bipasha Basu and also Lara Dutta who have gone for short hair and carried it with élan.


Though Deepika’s parents were amazed by her new look, the rest loved Deepu’s new hair style. If everyone is admiring her, what does she have to say about her own self? Well, she has to fit into the role of a stylish interior designer in the film and admits, “change is good” and why not, when short hair also helps one to look younger. The new look has worked for the gal.


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Aamir Khan had eaten his vada pavs lunch on film promot

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Aamir Khan has a sweet, caring side to him, which comes out sometimes.


Recently, when he was going about promoting his film, he got a few vada pavs packed for the day. He and his PR person went ahead in the SUV while his remaining staff followed in another car, where the vada pav bag was kept.



As the day proceeded, Aamir realized that while he had eaten his lunch, his PR person hadn’t eaten anything. He then asked his chauffeur to call the driver of the other car and tell him to stop.


He then asked the chauffeur to get the vada pavs and asked the PR person to eat away. They proceeded only after the girl finished her lunch. Now, isn’t that just sweet?


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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Director Anil Goyal is all geared up to make a film on 26/11 attacks

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Director Anil Goyal is all geared up to make a film on November 26 terrorist attack under the banner of R.T.M. Technologies. Interestingly, Goyal has decided to showcase his film titled ‘Crackers’ in an animation form. And actor Nikhil Dwivedi who is currently busy with Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavana’ will be dubbing for one of the lead roles in the film.


Why asked Anil Goyal on why did he chose such a sensitive subject to be made in an animation version considering the children’s fondness for animation films, he says, “I could not sleep for days after November 26 last year. And what made me more restless was the vulnerability of common man in this kind of an attack.



This is the reason why I decided to do my bit. I know that eventually common man has to be strong enough to stand up against any such barbaric act. In my film, it’s the youth that looks for the courage and power within themselves to tackle the monster of terrorism.”


“The USP of the movie is its great music and never-before-seen action sequences that are a first in history of Indian Cinema with 4D effects,” signs off Goyal.


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Angelina Jolie is a very strong opponent of Barack Obama

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Angelina Jolie is a very strong opponent of US President of Barack Obama . She doesn’t like his policies and detests him.


“She hates him. She’s into education and rehabilitation and thinks Obama is all about welfare and handouts. She thinks Obama is really a socialist in disguise,” an Angie insider has divulged. “Angie isn’t Republican, but she thinks Obama is all smoke and mirrors.”



Apparently Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie , who are probably the strongest couple of Hollywood, don’t see eye to eye on politics. As Brad Pitt is an ardent fan of the Obama administration and Angelina Jolie detests him with all her heart.


“They get in nasty arguments all the time about it,” the tattle adds. “She doesn’t respect Brad when it comes to politics, but, in the end, this won’t tear them apart”.


Despite their political affiliations, they are united at least in the charity side of their life. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie donated a whooping $6.8million to charity last year. They donated the whole sum of money that they got for the exclusive photo shoot of their biological children. Besides this, they are very committed about the orphaned children too, as they keep on adopting children from across the globe.


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Minissha Lamba signed for flagship brand 'EverYuth' cosmetic company

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The very name of Minissha Lamba not just reflects beauty and grace, but also poise and magnetism. After having glorified the silver screen with her presence in Bollywood and after having launched a thousand products merely by saying ’cheese’, the camera’s favourite girl is now all set to add yet another product in her kitty of endorsements.


This time round, it’s the cosmetic company Zydus Pharma who has signed her for their flagship brand ’EverYuth’. If the sources close to believed, then, the remuneration that Minissha has received is really something to rave about.



The source also went onto add that Minissha was very particular about the TVC that was shot featuring her promoting the brand. Hence, she sat throughout the making of the ad, which, incidentally has come out really well.


All in all, Minissha has now more than one reason to smile about. After all, she is someone who can ’for-Ever’ represent the ’Youth’. What say, Minissha!


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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Akshay Kumar is planning to acquire a Canadian passport

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It is believed that Akshay Kumar , who has been nominated as torch bearer of the 2010 winter Olympic Games in Canada, is also looking for better business ventures in Canada.


After enjoying stardom he is ready to explore avenues other than acting and producing films. Akshay, who got into film production by launching his banner Hari Om Productions, is planning to bury himself into business completely.


According to an industry insider, Akshay is investing big time in Canadian properties. He is planning to have malls and hotels in Canada.



It is also believed that Akshay is planning to acquire a Canadian passport. His Canadian citizenship will help him in business ventures. So while he is a seasoned actor now, he is slowly but surely trying to learn the tricks of trade, literally speaking.


We tried to get in touch with Akshay Kumar to confirm the news, but the actor chose not to respond.


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Aishwarya Rai all set to enter royal territory again

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After bringing princess Jodha to life in Jodhaa-Akbar with a beautifully restrained performance, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is all set to enter royal territory again by playing Mumtaz Mahal in a film based on the Taj Mahal.

The film will have a budget of 30 million US dollars and will get more international coverage than Jodhaa-Akbar as Sir Ben Kingsley will play her co-star, Emperor Shah Jahan. The film, called Taj is produced by Kingsley’s newly launched SBK Productions. It is an epic and will be shot on location in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri.


Co-incidentally, Aishwarya’s father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan has worked with the legendary actor in the upcoming Teen Patti and was blown away by his talent and knowledge of cinema. In fact, he was nervous about shooting with him.


Ben Kinglsey has spoken about the film in the international press. He is thrilled about the project which revolves around the building of the Taj Mahal. He had spoken to Ash about the film when they were shooting The Last Legion. The screenplay is being penned by British actor, playwright and novelist, David Ashton. The multi-million dollar film will also include Shah Jahan’s time spent in isolation. The film will go on the floors next year. Kingsley is really fond of India and its people and this movie will give him a chance to spend time in India and connect with the people and audiences.



Kinglsey is charmed by Ash’s pristine, universally-appealing beauty and couldn’t think of casting anyone else. It obviously helps that Ash is an Indian and the face of Bollywood cinema in the west, which is why it makes for apt casting of her in the role of the legendary beauty.Kingsley’s wife, Brazilian actress Daniela Lavender will play Persian princess Kandahari Begum.


As for those who are skeptical about an Englishman playing the Mughal Emperor, it is time to watch Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi. Not many people know that Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Bhanji in the UK. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji was of Indian descent. Kingsley won an Oscar for his splendid, nuanced performance and it was hard to tell him apart from the real Mahatma. He is best remembered for that role.


Bharat Bala Productions have wanted to make a film on the Taj Mahal with Aishwarya Rai since a very long time but the project hasn’t taken off. Earlier, Akbar Khan made the ambitious Taj Mahal with Sonia Jehan and Zulfi Sayed. The film also starred Kabir Bedi, Manisha Koirala, Kim Sharma and Arbaaz Kham, among others. After being stuck in the cans, it released in 2005 and flopped. Let us see how Kingsley’s film turns out. Will it be doomed like its predecessors?


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Bollywood veteran Vinod Khanna tribute to the victims of Mumbai terror

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It is not insensitive of filmmakers to bring the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks alive on the big screen, says Bollywood veteran and politician Vinod Khanna who features in such a telefilm himself because it was a tribute to the victims.


"I know and understand that the terror attack is a sensitive issue, but it`s not as if people haven`t seen it or heard about it. So where should be the problem in making movies about it? Filmmakers don`t and won`t make a movie to play with people`s emotions," Khanna told reporters.


"If at all films on 26/11 are being made, they should try and show what happened to those who lost their near and dear ones - how they coped up with life and what after-effects it had on the common man," added the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former MP.


The telefilm starring Khanna is titled "Unn Hazaroon Ke Naam" and has multiple stories - each a personal tale of tragedy running parallel to each other. It will be aired Thursday on STAR Plus at 10 p.m. with a repeat telecast Sunday at 8 p.m.


Asked why he agreed to do it, Khanna said: "This project was for a cause - a tribute to the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks. The production thought I was suitable for the role and I quite liked the project.



"I play a father whose son and daughter-in-law get shot at CST and how his grandson escapes the gunshot. The movie is about such people who lost their near and dear ones in the siege. It shows how many people were left traumatised after the incident and then how these people come in touch to face it and come to terms with it."


The 63-year-old, who is currently shooting in Mahabaleshwar with Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan and Dimple Kapadia for the film "Dabang", recalled his own whereabouts when 10 terrorists struck at key locations in India`s financial capital Nov 26 last year.


"I was at my house at that time. Usually I step out of my place around 10.30 pm but then I saw this whole thing happening and decided to stay in. I couldn`t imagine something like that could happen," he said.


He lost three close friends in the attack. "Three of my close friends were killed. Another person I know got shot at but god willing, he survived," added Khanna.


Khanna believes the terror attack and its extended duration was a "major intelligence failure".


"The whole incident was a result of an assured lack of preparedness. It took so long to take decisions and implement them. But I believe now security is being given much-required focus. I have been reading a lot about the changes in the security system and I hope it works well," he said.


A year after the dreadful incident, the actor says he treads the Mumbai streets without any fear.


"Mumbai always bounces back. The city has been through so much - bombs, riots, terror attacks. But the whole ethos of Mumbai lies in the very fact that life never stops here. There is no fear but always a concern - that`s why Mumbai always becomes a target all the time."


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Monday, November 23, 2009

Sameera Reddy would be playing a Punjabi girl in DE DANA DAN

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A South Indian by origin, Sameera Reddy would be going through a complete role reversal for her upcoming release DE DANA DAN. In the Priyadarshan directed laugh riot, she would be playing a Punjabi girl who goes by the name of Manpreet Oberoi. While she has always managed a good command over Hindi diction right throughout her career, did she have to go an extra mile to get the Punjabi accent, lingo and mannerisms right?


"Arrey nahi, koyi Punjabi accent nahi daalna pada mujhe film mein (No, I didn’t have to get any Punjabi accent for the film). I am playing a normal urban girl in the film who just happens to be a Punjabi and that’s about it", clarifies Sameera who had a successful 2008 in the form of RACE and ONE TWO THREE.



She is game for getting into the skin of a Punjabi girl though if an interesting enough script comes her way. "I can’t wait to get into those shoes", she says while imitating Punjabi lingo, "My name is Manpreet in the film but everyone calls me Mannu. It was fun."


Further elaborating on the fun element in DE DANA DAN , she says, "Katrina and I play girlfriends of Akshay and Suneil respectively and since we have money and they don’t, it leads to some really funny scenes. In their endeavour to make money, they steal a dog and what follows next brings in more than a couple of dozen characters together. The film is typical Priyadarshan cinema and has the kind of comedy which is completely situational."


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The Twilight Saga:New Moon could take a nearly $100 million bite

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Hollywood ’s "The Twilight Saga: New Moon " could take a nearly $100 million bite from movie theater box offices when it debuts this weekend. "New Moon," which debuts in the United States and Canada on Friday, is independent studio Summit Entertainment’s sequel to last year’s "Twilight," which surpassed expectations by making $69.6 million in its first weekend.


Jeff Bock, box office analyst with tracking firm Exhibitor Relations Co Inc, also believes the film could make nearly $100 million, and a source close to Summit said it could rake in nearly $85 million.



The film is slated to debut in 4,024 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, which is not a record but is far more than the roughly 3,500 theaters in which major releases normally open.


If "New Moon" reaches the $100 million mark, it will approach the record $102 million for "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," which debuted in November 2005 and sits atop the charts as the biggest opening weekends outside Hollywood’s blockbuster-heavy summer season of May to August.


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Kabir Bedis order to silence the voluble squabbling by photographers

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Kabir Bedi’s booming voice subdued chaotic babble from a group of photographers at the inauguration ceremony of the 40th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Panaji on Monday.


Bedi, who along with actress Divya Dutta was the compere for the function held at the Dinanath Mangeshkar auditorium at the Kala Academy complex, had to use his voice to good effect, in order to silence the voluble squabbling by photographers, jostling for vantage space near the stage.



"Can we have some silence please! Yeh kaun bol raha hai. Aap tameez rakhiye, you are on national television," Bedi said in his best baritone, as his narrative on Goa and the IFFI was interrupted by the noise.


Once the photographers were cowed down into silence, Bedi went on with his compering chore.


Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, legendary actress Waheeda Rehman and actress Asin were also present on the occasion.


This year’s IFFI was inaugurated with the Chinese historic film Wheat and will screen nearly 300 films from almost 50 countries.


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Sunday, November 22, 2009

Looks like love has come calling again for Nandita Das

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Looks like love has come calling again for Nandita Das . The winsome actress who has won much national and international acclaim both as an actress and director is now seeing Subodh Maskara, an industrialist based out of Mumbai.


Nandita married her long time friend Saumya Sen some years back but is now divorced from him. Subodh has been married earlier too.



The couple is looking to buy a home together and have been spotted looking at flats in the Madhuli Building at Worli, itself famous as the building in which Harshad Mehta had several flats.


The 40-year-old Nandita has always been unconventional in her choice of films and has never shied away from controversial roles like Fire (1996).



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Karan Johar will be coming in for a lot of flak for Kurbaan

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Karan Johar will be coming in for a lot of flak for Kurbaan , as some critics are pointing out to his version of terror as ‘designer terrorism’.But the man is unhindered by his conviction of what sells, and so he goes on to make his kind of cinema which he has recently claimed in an interview as ‘conditioning’ that the audience is treated to, and which is because of what the audience wants.


He expands on that theory by saying, India is like that. That we love Salman unconditionally, whether or not his private life validates his on-screen image. If he has a bad boy image in real life, he does not have to play a bad boy on-screen. He can redeem himself with a Prem image, and the audience just laps it up.


About Aamir he says, ‘Aamir just qualifies intelligence. He can validate anything. You watch Ghajini, and even if you don’t like it, you feel that he’s saying something in Ghajini also, because he’s Aamir Khan. You know? ’Somewhere he must be making a comment on violence.’ You’ll give it that kind of validation.’



Where there is talk of the Khans, how can he leave out SRK, after having commented on the other two?


On King Khan, and what kind of an impact he has had on Indian cinema, Karan told us, “First of all, I can never think of my films without SRK. With My Name Is Khan, we are trying to mould it into a more intense Karan Johar film. You have seen our combination making popcorn entertainment, but with this new project, I told SRK ‘look you have to play a mainstream hero,’ and the rest I will take care of. His image is such now, and particularly with my films, that I cannot detour too much from a commercial angle, so that means I will have to make his character in my film endearing. What SRK brings to Indian cinema is perhaps in my opinion, a great conviction of his part, which the audience is willing to associate with, whether it was his anti-hero era or his disciplinarian role in recent films.”


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Salman Khan recently averted a major accident on the sets of VEER

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Salman Khan recently averted a major accident on the sets of VEER when a fellow actor who was part of a horse riding chase was saved from a fatal fall by the actor.


The train robbery sequence which was being shot in Rajasthan came close to a near fatal climax when Salman was riding along with two men when one of them almost tripped off the ride.



According to eyewitness account, had it not been for Salman the chase would have resulted in a fatal accident. But Salman in his true filmy avatar grabbed the rider by the collar and saved him from falling off before any major tragedy could strike.


For his brave act, Salman has earned the admiration of all the crew members and the act surely shows that when it comes to saving life, Salman can go to any length to make that happen.



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Friday, November 20, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire triggered a change in the way of Indian movies



Danny Boyle`s Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire " didn`t just garner rave reviews and worldwide acclaim, it also triggered a change in the way Indian movies are being distributed.

The film was one of the first to be shown on the direct-to-home (DTH) platform in January barely a few days after its release in India, and sold more than 150,000 pay-per-views within the first three days.

"Slumdog made the industry sit up and take notice that DTH was a platform that could be taken seriously," says Vikram Mehra of Tata Sky, one of India`s leading DTH operators."After that, a lot of Bollywood films have hopped on to the bandwagon."

So far Bollywood, the world`s largest film industry, has followed a very traditional distribution model, with hardly any focus on alternative platforms such as web streaming or mobile embedding.Even though DTH reaches only 15 percent of India`s 220 million television-owning households, Bollywood is increasingly viewing it as the next big thing to launch movies.



"Home video sales are dropping, piracy is a threat to the industry and even a big movie doesn`t last for more than three weeks in theatres," says Amrita Pandey , vice president of international distribution and syndication for UTV Motion Pictures, one of India`s biggest production houses.

"In such a situation, DTH seems like a platform that will have to be nurtured."Pandey, whose company released "Main Aurr Mrs Khanna" on DTH within three days of its release in October, says figures from DTH sales have been "very encouraging."

Theater owners had protested against the trend of releasing films on DTH so soon, complaining that it would affect their business.But Mehra defended the platform, saying that it would serve a different audience.

"What a lot of people don`t understand is that the theater audience is totally different from the ones who will order for a movie at home. Perhaps I will watch three films at the theater in a month, but I will want to watch the fourth at home," he said."Going to the theater with your family is an expensive proposition and DTH makes it much easier."DTH subscribers in India are expected to reach 40 to 45 million by 2012, he said.

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Saif Ali Khan feel really rubbish for Kurbaans 'A' certificate

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Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan says it is "ridiculous" to think that his mother and censor board chief Sharmila Tagore gave an ’adult’ rating to "Kaminey" because it starred Shahid Kapoor."It is ridiculous to state that anyone had any personal bias against ’Kaminey’, " Saif told even as his own movie "Kurbaan" is about to release Friday with an A certificate.


"I know for sure that my mother is a great authority when it comes to the censors. My own ’Kurbaan’ has got an ’A’ certificate and I know where she is coming from."It was insinuated that Vishal Bharadwaj’s "Kaminey" was given an A rating - restricting viewership - as its lead actor Shahid was once in a relationship with Saif’s girlfriend Kareena Kapoor .



But Saif said: "Any talk of personal enmity are completely fictional. I don’t even know the actual people involved who spread such rumours and frankly I don’t care. Such things don’t even enter my radar.""It’s really rubbish if some people feel so. ’Kurbaan’ getting an ’A’ certificate is hardly a fitting reply. It’s a sad state of affairs when people start speculating about everything and anything. As someone who has been part of the industry for long, I don’t take such things seriously, " Saif told.


As for "Kaminey", he said: "I think Vishal (Bharadwaj) is a wonderful filmmaker and I liked everyone’s performance in the film." Saif himself came up with an award-winning act of Langda Tyagi in Bharadwaj’s "Omkara".Is it really easy to be oblivious to all talk that his mother may have shown bias?"I hear a lot of things in the 24 hours that I have in a day. This is why I just chuck out whatever is irrelevant. I don’t quite get into the ’why’ and ’where’ of affairs till it is absolutely warranted.


"I know one has to live with all the negativity around; after all it’s human nature to gossip and speculate. Guess what? Some people think that even Elvis (Presley) is alive today. So conspiracy theories will always remain, " he said. "Kurbaan" has been given an ’A’ certificate owing to its violent content and also because of erotic scenes picturised on Saif and Kareena. "Kurbaan", about global terrorism, stars Saif, Kareena and Vivek Oberoi in lead roles.


"Kaminey" also got an ’A’ certificate because of its dark and violent content.Has he ever spoken to Sharmila about the A certificates for "Kurbaan" or "Kaminey"?"No, I don’t talk about any particular movie per se but I do know of her general views and opinions when it comes to censoring a film, " said Saif. "She doesn’t have any problems with anything shown on screen. But, yes, she has problems with things that are shown to children. She will ban something if there is something which is inflammatory. "Of course, she is the right judge of things and may be I don’t know everything that she looks at in a movie during censoring. What I know for sure is that she is a good mother and follows the same caring attitude when it comes to censorship as well, " said Saif.


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Oprah Winfrey Show will end its run in 2011

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"The Oprah Winfrey Show ," an iconic broadcast that grew over two decades into a daytime television powerhouse and the foundation of a multibillion-dollar media empire, will end its run in 2011 after 25 seasons on the air, Winfrey’s production company said Thursday night.Winfrey plans to announce the final date for her show during a live broadcast on Friday, Harpo Productions Inc. said, bringing an end to what has been television’s top-rated talk show for more than two decades, airing in 145 countries worldwide and watched by an estimated 42 million viewers a week in the U.S. alone.


A Harpo spokeswoman declined to comment Thursday on Winfrey’s future plans except to say that "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will not move to cable television.Winfrey, 55, is widely expected to start up a new talk show on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, a much-delayed joint venture with Discovery Communications Inc. that is expected to debut in 2011. OWN is to replace the Discovery Health Channel and will debut in some 74 million homes. An OWN spokeswoman declined comment Thursday.CBS Television Distribution, which distributes "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to more than 200 markets blanketing the United States, held out hope that it could continue doing business with Winfrey, perhaps producing a new show out of its studios in Los Angeles.



"We have the greatest respect for Oprah and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors," the unit of CBS Corp. said in a statement. "We know that anything she turns her hand to will be a great success. We look forward to working with her for the next several years, and hopefully afterwards as well."Winfrey’s 24th season opened earlier this year with a bang, as she drew more than 20,000 fans to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue for a block party with the Black Eyed Peas.


She followed up with a series of blockbuster interviews - Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, exclusives with singer Whitney Houston and ESPN’s Erin Andrews, and just this week, former Alaska governor, GOP vice presidential candidate and best-selling author Sarah Palin.Over the years, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" grew from a newcomer that chipped away at talk king Phil Donahue’s dominance into a program that turned inspirational. The show covered a gamut that ranged from interviews with the world’s most famous celebrities to an honest discussion about her weight struggles."As that show evolved, it really kind of dressed up the neighborhood of the daytime talk show," said Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University. "There was a seriousness to it, as though what she was doing was a calling and not just a television show."


In 1986, pianist-showman Liberace gave his final TV interview to Winfrey, just six weeks before he died. In a widely viewed prime-time special aired in 1993, Michael Jackson revealed he suffered from a skin condition that produces depigmentation.Tom Cruise enthusiastically declared his affection for the much-younger Katie Holmes on the program in 2005 - and jumped on the couch to prove it.In 2004, Winfrey unveiled her most famous giveaway, when nearly 300 members of the studio audience opened a gift box to find the keys to a new car inside. The stunt became a classic show moment as much for Oprah’s reaction - "You get a car! You get a car! You get a car! Everybody gets a car!" - as its $7 million price tag.


The show also became a launching pad for Oprah’s Book Club, and authors whose books were selected became best-sellers. The titles ranged from "Song of Solomon " and "Paradise" by Toni Morrison to Wally Lamb’s "She’s Come Undone" and Elie Wiesel’s "Night."For others, the selection backfired. "A Million Little Pieces" exploded in sales after Winfrey chose the James Frey memoir in fall 2005. Soon after, it was revealed as a fabricated tale of addiction and recovery, and Winfrey later chewed out Frey on her show.


"She’s been a great inspiration, a great support for all the shifts in politics and social consciousness and consciousness in general," said hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. "I call her ’Queen of the New Consciousness’ because she did so many things to change lives, the books that she promoted."The loss of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" would be a blow to CBS Corp. because it earns a percentage of hefty licensing fees from TV stations that use it. On a conference call with analysts two weeks ago, CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves said the contract with the show ran through most of 2011 and "if there’s a negative impact, it wouldn’t hit us until ’12."


Talk of the show’s end often has accompanied impending contract negotiations for Winfrey. Before she signed her current contract in 2004, she had talked about quitting after the 2005-2006 season. As far back as 1995, she had called continuing "a difficult and important decision."CBS continues to sell several top shows into syndication, including "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy." But many TV stations are struggling with falling advertising revenue and were unlikely to pay the same fees as in the past for Winfrey’s show, which has seen ratings slip 7 percent from a year ago and saw its average viewership slip below 7 million last season.


Winfrey started her broadcasting career as a teenager in Nashville, Tenn., reading the news at WVOL. Two years later, Winfrey started co-anchoring news broadcasts on WTVF-TV in Nashville. In 1976 she moved to Baltimore to anchor newscasts at WJZ-TV before becoming host of the local talk show "People Are Talking."In 1984, she relocated to Chicago to host WLS-TV’s morning talk show "A.M. Chicago" - the show was became "The Oprah Winfrey Show" one year later. She set up Harpo the following year and her talk show went into syndication.


Powered by the show’s staggering success, Winfrey built a wide-ranging media empire. Harpo Studios produces shows hosted by Dr. Phil McGraw and celebrity chef Rachael Ray, and O, The Oprah Magazine was the nation’s 7th most popular magazine in the first half of 2009."I came from nothing," Winfrey wrote in the 1998 book "Journey to Beloved." "No power. No money. Not even my thoughts were my own. I had no free will. No voice. Now, I have the freedom, power, and will to speak to millions every day - having come from nowhere."Earlier this year, Forbes scored Winfrey’s net worth at $2.7 billion, even as the magazine knocked her from atop its list of the world’s most powerful celebrities. The honor went to Angelina Jolie, but Winfrey was still No. 2 on the annual Celebrity 100 list - and the top earner at $275 million.


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Thursday, November 19, 2009

Vivek Oberoi has been hailed as 'the real hero for all animals' by PETA

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Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi , who recently turned vegetarian has been hailed as "the real hero for all animals" by the animal welfare organisation PETA.


After learning that Oberoi has gone the veggie way members of the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India sent a gift to the actor thanking him for his kind choice.



"By going vegetarian, Vivek Oberoi has proved that he is a real hero for all animals", PETA `s Campaign Coordinator Nikunj Sharma said in a statement.


"Kicking the meat habit is the best thing that anyone can do for animals, their own health and the Earth," Sharma added.


Oberoi reportedly left eating meat after being persuaded by his `Kurbaan` co-star Kareena Kapoor who is a strict vegan.


Another Bollywood heartthrob, who prefers vegetables over meat, is Shahid Kapoor.



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Aishwarya Rai opted out Farhan Akhtars New movie

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Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s production Crooked is set to go on the floors from January 14 next year. However, the Abhishek Bachchan starrer has no lead actress as Aishwarya Rai , who was supposed to do the film, opted out citing date problems.


Her dates for Crooked were colliding with Vipul Shah’s Action Replay. Since Action Replay is inching towards completion, Aishwarya had to give it priority, leaving her with no choice but to opt out of Crooked, directed by Abhinay Deo. It is a thriller which will be shot at different foreign locales.



Meanwhile, Farhan’s other production directed by Zoya Akhtar featuring Hrithik Roshan , Farhan and Abhay Deol is also stuck as it has no lead actress. The film’s shooting starts from April 5 in Spain. Ritesh says, “We are now looking for a completely new face in Crooked, which actually requires three new girls. We also need a fresh face either from London or New York for Hrithik in Zoya’s film.”


Farhan says, “Hrithik has been a true friend. I start directing Don 3 from September 2010, so Zoya’s film had to be completed before that. Hrithik adjusted his dates accordingly.”



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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Italian directors were inspired by Indian cinema legend Satyajit Ray

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Italian directors Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel won the Best European Film award at Cannes this year and the filmmakers who repeated their win at the Mumbai International Film Festival, say they were inspired by Indian cinema legend Satyajit Ray .


Frimmel and Covi`s minimalistic offering `La Pivellina` (The Little One) won the Jury Grand Prize at the recently concluded Mumbai International Film Festival.


Frimmel, who hails from Austria and Covi from Italy, said they were motivated by the craft of Satyajit Ray and neo-realistic directors, particularly from India and Italy of Ray`s time, shunning big budget shooting.


The directors, who believe that it is important to be "minimalistic to portray reality around" said they greatly appreciated Indian filmmakers like Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Adoor Gopalkrishnan .



They are also keen to watch the works of some young directors of India and get familiarised with the film movement in the `land of ancient civilisation`.


"We are greatly enthused about the new age Indian cinema which, we have heard, is going through a productive phase with the coming up of multiplexes," Frimmel told reporters.


The director duo said that they stuck to natural sttings and shot the film with hand-held camera.
"Our shooting style has been minimalistic shorn of expensive sets, costumes and decor as we give more thrust on human values and sensibilities which are universal cutting across frontiers," Frimmel said.


The film has received ecstatic reviews in the festivals around the world. It was also awarded the Best European Film in the Directors` Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival this year.


The film depicts rigours of a Rome based circus people blending Austrian and Italian filmmaking styles. The characters in the film are portrayed by non-professional actors from the travelling circus milieu.


"The settings are grimy, makeshift encampments behind corrugated iron walls," said a spokesman of the independent film production company Vento Film, founded by the two.


Asked what they felt about their film nominated for a film festival in Mumbai where big budget films are churned out one after another, Frimmel said, "Yes, the irnoy is not lost."


"But in the end every film - small or big budget- mainstream or parallel, has a universal language, a universal appeal. And whatever is the film`s mount - big or small budget - it`s the audience response that matters."


Besides Cannes, La Pivellina got several awards including the Best Film Award and Audience Award in Valdivia, the Special Jury Award and Best Actress Award. It also won the Golden Gladiator for the best film in Durres and won the competition at 45th Pesaro International Film Festival.


The director duo`s other works are `That`s All` made in 2001 and `Babooska` in 2005.


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Mani Ratnam to walk the ramp for Save the Girl Child campaign

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Designer Sanjana Jon has now got something different up her sleeve for her show at the Chennai Fashion Week.


She is getting filmmaker Mani Ratnam and his wife Suhasini to walk the ramp for her Save the Girl Child campaign in December.


She had earlier done the Save the Girl Child campaign in Delhi and for the Chennai show, she is roping in some Bollywood celebrities and also some South Indian stars, as the show is in the south.



Hrithik Roshan is rumored to have agreed to walk the ramp.


Sanjana would love it if she could get Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen for the show, like she did in Delhi.



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Johnny Depp has been named the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ by People magazine

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Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has been named the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ in a poll by People magazine.


According to the Telegraph, the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star reclaimed the title he first won in 2003. He succeeded 2008 winner Hugh Jackman.


“Whether it’s onscreen in roles like Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise or at home with his family on their private Bahamian island, the 46-year-old father of two with 25 years in show business still reigns as Hollywood’s most irresistible iconoclast,” said the magazine.



Depp has joined the likes of George Clooney and Brad Pitt to have received the honour twice.


The magazine described Depp as “the king of cool with the killer cheekbones.”



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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Aamir Khan is involving the Fusion music band ‘Indian Ocean’

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Aamir Khan may be short in height but he always big on ideas. That’s why the actor, known as ‘Mr Perfectionist’ in the industry, doesn’t leave a single stone unturned to make his films a hit. Latest news has it that Aamir is involving the Fusion music band ‘Indian Ocean’ in his new film. "We are giving music in one of Aamir Khan Production. I can`t disclose the name of the movie but we are doing it," Rahul Ram, vocalist and bass guitarist of the band confirmed the news.


The band, renowned for hits like `Kandisa`, `Bhor` and `Jhini`, is also working in another Hindi film, which stars Seema Biswas, Shahana Goswami and Pawan Malhotra of `Black Friday`.


"We are also giving music to `Bhoomi`, a film shot by Aveek Mukhopadhya who had assisted Rituparno Ghosh as a cinematographer," Ram said.



The band was formed in 1990 and has been hit among the youth for creating a cross-cultural blend of music. Jazz-spiced sounds, rock, ‘shlokas’ and sufism with environmentalism, mythology and revolution - all feature in their music.


Their music is sure to enhance the appeal of the film. Small wonder then that Aamir has signed them for his new film! But we are still curious to know about the film - ‘Delhi Belly’ or ‘Dhobi Ghaat’?


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Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan will soon live his dream

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Believe it or not, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan will soon live his dream. Big B, who is one of the biggest fans of legendary actor Dilip Kumar, is gearing up to play the latter in Pritish Nandy’s upcoming venture ‘The Actor’. Not just that, buzz has it that none other than Lara Dutta will be seen playing his wife (Saira Banu) in the movie.


According to the latest news, in the flick, Big B will be playing a film star married to a much younger woman. Since Lara is about 35 years younger than Amitabh, grapevine has it that the two have been finalised for the same.


However, Nandy reportedly claims that there’s a unique twist to the trend of generation-challenged relationships. “The age factor is no consequence to the plot. They are just a happy couple,” he says.



Well, although this is not going to be the first time that Big B would be paired opposite a much-much-younger woman onscreen, but this one will surely be very special for him as Dilip Kumar has always been Bachchan’s ultimate role model.


Expectations are very high from Big B, as Dilip Kumar is one of those Titans of Bollywood who have transformed the Indian film industry from a theatrical stage to the engrossing screenplays of today. While Dilip made films realistic with his dynamic performances, Big B took it forward and perfected the form.


The role is enviable, only the Lara Dutta part makes one think - will Saira Bano be satisfied with the cast?


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Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar finally have an issue to disagree upon

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Best friends Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar finally have an issue to disagree upon.


According to reports, when SRK and KJo announced the release date (February 14) of their much-anticipated flick ‘My Name Is Khan’, many numerologists and astrologers told them that the date wasn`t favourable and since Karan is a firm believer of numerology, he expressed his reservations to SRK. But SRK shrugged off the debate and is insisting on releasing the flick on the date decided previously.



Industry sources suggest that KJo doesn’t want to take any chances as ‘MNIK’ is his most special project and person saying that the film might not do well at the Box- Office is perturbing the filmmaker.


Well, why does anyone have to think about numerology in Shah-Rukh and Kajol ’ s magical presence.


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Thursday, November 12, 2009

I could work harder and achieve success faster-Ranbir Kapoor

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With back to back successes of his last two ventures ‘Wake Up Sid’ and ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’ Ranbir Kapoor is certainly on a high, but the actor says he has no time to pause and enjoy the success as of now.


”I am in a constant rush and hope that days were longer so that I could work harder and achieve success faster. I have really waited for 24 years to be where I am today. I am a very hungry actor,” he states.


Ranbir says he is now looking forward to Prakash Jha’s ‘Rajneeti’, because this is the first time that Ranbir will get to play a character, which has shades of grey. “’Rajneeti’ is my first mature role. It is a dark political thriller and also my first character with grey shades,” he reveals.


Ranbir says working with a director like Prakash Jha was worth the experience. “It was really great to work with Prakash Jha. He is one of the great directors in the industry and has contributed a lot to Indian Cinema. I got to learn a lot from the director.”



After ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’, Ranbir has once again teamed up with Katrina Kaif in the movie. “Katrina is phenomenal. She is fun to work with and so professional not only that she works as team so it makes easier for other actors to work with her. From not knowing the language to becoming one of the biggest star, she has achieved a lot. I have tremendous respect for her as an artiste,” says Ranbir.


Apart from ‘Rajneeti’ the actor is now looking forward to ‘Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year’, where he plays a middle class Sardar. He has also grown a beard to shoot for the film. “Rocket Singh is about a real sardar. He has no similarity with our filmi sardar. It’s an underdog story. My character is a middle-class guy, who wants to be a salesman, it is his story. I wanted to look real in the character, hence I have grown a beard in the movie” he informs.


For now Ranbir says he is happy with the response he is getting from his fans. ”I am working really hard and I am concentrating on my career. My priority is the films that I am doing now,” he concludes.


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MAX Channel presents 10 hit films of Shah Rukh Khan

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MAX, the Premium Movies and Special Events Channel bring the Baadshah of Bollywood to your living rooms this November. While SRK has celebrated his birthday earlier this month, MAX handpicks the best of King Khan titles for his fans.


Starting 16 November, 8 PM block your seats to get absorbed into myriad shades of the actor’s high octane performances! Get ready for the treat of the year, as MAX presents a festival of 10 hit films of the undisputed, the charismatic Shah Rukh Khan.



As part of this film festival MAX will showcase films like Chak De (a story that motivated a compulsive losing Hockey team to emerge as a winner on the world platform), Om Shanti Om (a Farah Khan Bollywood spoof that can only result in spleen aching laugher).


The platter remains incomplete if Shah Rukh does not romance. To cater to fan demands, MAX dresses up the bouquet for the festival with some of SRK’s cult romantic hits like Veer Zaara and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.


Be prepared to loose yourself in pure, unadulterated entertainment, SRK style from MAX. Come, be a part of King Khan’s world of love, romance, emotion, comedy, fear, obsession, anger with the inimitable King Khan, only on MAX!



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'Kurbaan' is a thriller based on terrorism-Kareena

KareenaBollywood actress Kareena Kapoor said that people will like the character Awantika in her forthcoming film ’Kurbaan’. Kareena says that the film is a thriller based on terrorism.


Kareena Kapoor said in the film Love, passion and violence, everything is different but it is not at the scene despite obscenity. Kareena says that "Jab We Met" as the song people will also remember Awantika.


Karan Johar production and film directed by Rensil Disilva ’Kurbaan’ in the subject’s character says Kareena proceed with the story of the film’s many characters Awantika Prte are open. She says that Awantika has a decisive role in ’Kurbaan’.



A professor played by Kareena Kapoor in the film marries her colleague (Saif Ali Khan). After marriage she left New York the number of consecutive events, but Awantika and gets involved in a swirl of conspiracy. Kareena says,’’Actually, if you ask me technically ’Kurbaan’ is a girl’s story. I believe that people will cry with Awantika. Her character is very strong.’


Kareena was seen in "Jab We Met",’Main and Mrs. Khanna’, ’Kambaqt Ishq’, ’Tashan’ and ’Golmaal Returns’. ’Golmaal Returns’ succeed at the box office than o film not met. In addition to Kareena and Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri, Kiran Kher and Dia Mirza are there in Kurbaan. The film will be released November 20.


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Mohanlal play in film "Seven"

originaHow would Malayalam cinema’s God-like superstar Mohanlal Vishwanathan Nair look as Priyanka Chopra’s husband on screen? He’s 50, big, roly-poly and as Malayali as aapam and ishtew ; she’s 27, super-sexy and essentially a Bollywood hottie.


But filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, India’s Quentin Tarantino, in his wisdom has cased the two of them together in his ambitious film Seven .


That Priyanka will have seven husbands in Seven , is known, but news of Mohanlal being one of them comes as a surprise.



A source from Vishal’s office admitted that the Bollywood filmmaker had cast the Malayalam actor in such a role. And, to do so, Vishal had to spend two days in Kerala chasing Mohanlal whose fan following there is legion.


The Southie heavyweight, who was seen in Bollywood in Ram Gopal Varma’s Company and Aag, finally approved of Vishal’s script. Now the filmmaker is left with the task of casting six more heroes all of who will be wedded in his film to the gorgeous Priyanka.


But, after signing on Mohanlal - a four-time National Award winner - that should be easy for Vishal.


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Katrina Kaif married MLA

KatrinaThe Golden Girl of box-office, Katrina Kaif might get the shock of her life when she discovers that she has been married to an MLA called Ramesh Mendola.


Before you raise your eyebrows we tell you that this was a prank played by some prankster.


Reportedly, a fake marriage certificate was made that claimed the gorgeous actress is married to the MLA. Though the piece of paper certifies the marriage, the concerned authorities declared that the marriage certificate was fake.



The authorities have now confirmed that they would take suitable action against the culprits. Katz baby can heave a sigh of relief, and her fans too! Do you think we missed Salman’s name? We dare not!


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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Actor Nicolas Cage purchases $276,000 on a prehistoric dinosaur skull

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Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage once spent $276,000 on a prehistoric dinosaur skull.The 45-year-old outbid “Titanic” actor Leonardo DiCaprio for a $276,000 skull claimed to be from a prehistoric beast, reports contactmusic.com.


Cage’s other extravagant purchases include a jet, two yachts, three castles, two islands in the Bahamas and a number of mansions.



His most expensive car - out of a fleet of 50 - was a $495,000 Lamborghini whose former owner was the Shah of Iran.


Cage is also a superhero fan. He had to sell his comic collection in 1997 for $1.6 million and even named his son Kal-El, 4, after Superman’s real name.



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Minissha Lamba is the new victim of a crazy stalker

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After Katrina Kaif, it is Minissha Lamba who is the victim of a crazy stalker. The man has been calling and sending her lewd texts. He is an infamous stalker who has harassed popular actresses in the past and also a star wife.



The man started calling her early this month and harassing her. She blocked his number but he continued his notoriety by calling her from different numbers. When she didn’t attend his calls, he would send her extremely foul and abusive text messages asking her to pick the call.


Minissha has lodged a complaint at the Versova Police Station . She has asked them to simply call and threaten the stalker. They are ready to help her out in any way she needs.



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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Rapper Eminem is set to act in a 3-D hip-hop horror movie

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Rapper Eminem is about to give his rap career a new turn as he is set to act in a 3-D hip-hop horror movie named `Shady Talez`.


The 37-year-old performer will star in the film which is a horror anthology described as a cross between `Creep Show` and vintage TV programme `The Twilight Zone`, reported BBC.


Announced last year, `Shady Talez` will feature three stories offering a hip-hop spin to classic horror films.



The film is being produced by DJ Classicz, a division of Davis Entertainment, the US company behind the `Garfield` and `Aliens vs Predator` movies.


Since Eminem, also known as alter-ego Slim Shady, loves comic books and horror flicks, the project will also incorporate a four-issue `Shady Talez` comic book series, due out in 2010.


The rapper, real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III, topped charts on both sides of the Atlantic earlier this year with his latest album `Relapse`.



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Penelope Cruz so paranoid about protecting her voice of her musical debut

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Spanish actress Penelope Cruz has revealed she was so paranoid about protecting her voice before her musical debut in “Nine” that she became a recluse.


The actress felt the pressure of recording her vocals at London’s Abbey Road Studios and decided to lock herself away in her hotel room and speak to no one as she prepared to hit the high notes, reports.



“I thought it would be more responsible and professional if I didn’t talk to anybody before I had to record. So I was laying on my bed like Dracula , looking at the ceiling and waiting to go to the studio,” she said.


“I got so tense from trying to protect myself too much… The second day I was much more relaxed,” she added.



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Milind Soman giving tips to young aspiring models on a reality show

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Milind Soman has two Tamil movies, one Marathi and two Hindi films lined up. The supermodel-turned-actor, who is currently busy giving tips to young aspiring models on a reality show, says he loves to work with "different cultures and languages".


"I like acting and to me, the kind of film, where it is made, which language, is of secondary importance. I like working with different cultures, different languages, from all over India and all over the world," Milind said in an interview.


He says he has worked on "two Hindi movies, two Tamil movies and one Marathi film" this year. His regional projects include "Vithagan" and "Paiyya" in Tamil and Marathi film "Gandh"(smell).


In the past too, the actor has worked in Tamil films and also featured in Swedish film "Arn - The Kingdom at Road`s End" and Pan Nalin`s cross-over film "Valley of Flowers".


Now Milind is back to the small screen, which catapulted him to fame as popular sci-fi hero "Captain Vyom" in the late 1990s.



But this time, he isn`t acting. He is anchoring as well as judging a show "The Hunt For The Kingfisher Calendar Girl 2010". The reality series, on air for a week, is a hunt for a sexy model, who will be a fresh face in the annual calendar launched by business tycoon Vijay Mallya . The show airs every Friday at 10 pm.


Milind says he chose it over most other reality shows primarily because it was being produced by his own company Face Entertainment.


"The other work that I have chosen in the past has also been unique on Indian TV in purpose, content, style and format. I also have the experience of almost 20 years in the glamour and fashion industry and have been on juries that have given to India and the world some of our most famous faces."


Milind says he is on the show to "find some really unique talent and connecting with a new generation of potential stars with a whole lot of new ideas and attitudes".


Asked about the tips he plans to give to the young aspiring models, he said: "Among many other things, I would be encouraging them to understand their own potential, helping them recognise their strengths and weaknesses and, most of all, emphasising to them the professional importance of always being in the moment."


The reality show has many of the young women comfortably showing off skin and posing in swimsuits. Milind says the show reflects the changing mindset of young girls towards beach wear.


"Seeing the response from the aspirants, we can safely say that more and more Indian women are getting comfortable with the idea of wearing swimwear and being photographed as pin-ups. But, however comfortable you may be, there are some women who do carry off swimwear better than others and that is what the contest is about."


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Saturday, November 7, 2009

Sunil Shetty got the SAIFF Award

sunil_sSunil Shetty is a happy man these days. For his performance in the upcoming Red Alert, he has bagged the Best Actor award at the South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF), New York.


An ecstatic Sunil says, "It is a fabulous feeling. In all the reviews of my films till date, a majority have called me ’wooden’ or said ’gives a routine performance’. To win an award at a recognized film festival like the SAIFF in New York is a big high as an actor and makes me want to work harder and better."


Sunil goes on to add, "The film is on a Naxal setting and right now, is the right time for the film to come out."


His performance was appreciated by the Jury and the audiences’ too. The theme of the movie has a universal appeal. As everybody on planet earth is affected by Terrorism, External or Internal...



The film’s director Ananth Mahadevan says, "I am happy especially for Sunil because his performance is being appreciated at a global level. When I took this film to him, he had told me in his humble way, not to make the film with him in a solo lead. But I was sure he could pull off the character of Narasimha and he did."


T.P. Agarwal, Chairman of Producers Association IMPPA and Owner of Star Entertainment Pvt Ltd was present at the SAIFF function to receive the award and addressed to the media, "I am overwhelmed with the response I have received for the film and Sunil’s performance. Finally we have received an international platform to bring light to the burning issue of increasing intrastate conflicts."


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Saif and Kareenaa are madly love with each other

normal_Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor both are looking forward for Kurbaan, their first film as a couple. Saif Ali Khan and Kareenaa Kapoor are madly in love with each other.


So  how does that help them on the sets? Saif Ali Khan is proud about his lady’s selection in  movies. ‘I think Kareena Kapoor was brilliant in Jab We Met’ .


Saif Ali Khan says,�I love working with Kareena Kapoor and watching her on the sets. We know we are creating special moments in movies. We both are concerned about each other’s moods, as we are deeply involved with each other.



On the other side, we do want space from each other. I think working with Kareena Kapoor  is like working with my mother. We know everything about each other, and I cannot even impress her. She sees right through me.’


Saif Ali Khan added , “Kareena Kapoor looked stunning in Kambakkht Ishq, I saw a rough print of Main aurr Mrs. Khanna, which I found sweet.


I am no authority on films, but I think Kareena Kapoor does all kinds of roles to cater to all kinds of audiences. Now, she has equally different films like Kurbaan, 3 Idiots, the remake of Stepmom and Agent Vinod. So, she is always expanding her capabilities as an actress


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Amitabh Bachchan got Lifetime Achievement award

amitabhOrganisers of the 11th Mumbai Film Festival have given megastar Amitabh Bachchan a Lifetime Achievement award for completing 40 years in the entertainment industry.


Receiving the award from Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, Bachchan Thursday evening thanked the noted directors who recognised his talent and the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI) for giving him the award.


"I am thankful to every director like Manmohan Desai and Yash Chopra who helped me pave my way to where I am today. I am also thankful to MAMI for this honour," said Big B.


His oeuvre ranges from rib-tickling comedies to tearjerkers to subtle, nuanced performances in art-house films. It can be said without doubt that there is nothing in acting that Bachchan hasn’t tried.


"I have given almost two-thirds of my life to the Indian film industry. I remember in 1968 I had appeared for a screen test whose result never came out. Then in 1969 director Khwaj Ahmad Abbas gave me a break in his film ’Saat Hindustani’ and my journey started," added Bachchan.


Veteran Bollywood actor Dev Anand’s production house Navketan Films was felicitated for completing 60 years.


The prize distribution ceremony started with Mumbai Young Critics Jury Award, which was given to "Whisper With the Wind" directed by Sahram Alidi.



After a weeklong exposure to international cinema, 20 young critics viewed 27 movies from the two categories, International Competition and Above the Cut. After watching and re-watching the selected films, and with constant discussions, arguments and debates, "Whisper With the Wind" was finally selected.


In the category of Dimension Mumbai Competition, the Silver Gateway of India award was given to "Sagar Setu" directed by Chandni Arora and Archana Phadke.


Silver Gateway of India for the Second Best Film in Dimensions Mumbai-Short Film Competition was given to "Mumbai Lego" directed by Sahil Shah.


Bollywood director Yash Chopra and lyricist Prasoon Joshi awarded the Golden Gateway of India award to the director of "Dominic Murphy".


Danish actress Paprika Steen won the Silver Gateway of India award for the best actress for her performance in the film "Applause".


Greek director Theo Angelopoulos won the International Lifetime Achievement award. His film "The Dust of Time" closed the fest.


The audience choice award went to Amit Rai’s "Road to Sangam".


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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Bollywood Movie Review: Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

Movie Review: Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani; Star Cast : Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Upen Patel; Director :Rajkumar Santoshi; Rating: *** 1/2 - Ghazab Stuff.

The story begins with the showcase of ‘innocence tipping balance to foolishness’ of Prem (Ranbir Kapoor). That’s just the start of many Charlie Chaplinesque comical moments. Prem and his gang of good-for-nothing friends open up the Happy Club; read their hangout place where they try to solve their love problems or simply pass time. It’s when one of Prem’s friend needs to rescue his damsel in distress that his chance meeting of Jenny(Katrina Kaif ) happens.


What till now was expected to be a romantic comedy turns into a slightly emotional film. However, there are some splendid moments when literally your human brain doesn’t know how to react. That’s where we bow to director Rajkumar Santoshi. For one, there’s a scene where Jenny stammers because she is upset. When Ranbir tries to console her he stammers too because he suffers from the same problem. Oh but Katrina doesn’t know this. So what does she do? One tight slap! ‘For making a mockery of my sad situation’- as she puts it. You simply don’t know how to react. You feel sorry for Ranbir, sorry for the hurt Katrina…but then why does the snigger sneak up on you then? Because the situation IS funny. You’ll know it when you go watch it. Oh yes, you can empty your wallet for this one!



However, don’t forget the mindless adjective used to describe this movie. Because simply it beats everyone whatever happened between Jenny and Prem on the bridge. It so obviously gives the impression that Jenny accepts Prem’s proposal?! Even so, when Prem goes to Goa to rescue Jenny from her forced marriage to Tony, Jenny spring out ‘Rahul’s name out of the blue. Err…excuse me? Who’s this new fella? Yes…so while we’re thinking that Prem’s world comes crashing down because Jenny apparently is in love with Rahul(Upen Patel), her school friend who’s returned from Canada.


But Prem had promised himself that he’d love Jenny with ‘no complaint, no demand.’ So the boy sticks with her and helps her get married to Rahul. However, the interaction between Prem and Rahul gets a bit drab.


This part of the film has been beautifully used for the subtle sarcasm of our country’s failings. Right from Rahul’s politician father Pitamber (Govind Namdeo) who doesn’t want his son to marry a Christian girls ’cause he’ll lose out on all the Hindu votes, to the part where a mail train can easily be stopped over a bridge for the convenience of lover-girl, and yes, the slice of media which behaves like ‘hungry wolves’ for juicy stories!


Jenny eventually realizes that she can never be happy with Rahul and that her true love is Prem. And at the end Prem’s grammatically incorrect English prayer to Jesus God is answered and his photo gets permanently stuck on Jenny’s heart!


Advertisements have been strategically hidden in the screenplay with even Ranbir mouthing his youngistaan dialougue- ‘Chaaho Toh Kuch Bhi Hai Asaan’.


Salman Khan easily proves why he is the sweetheart of so many. His cameo is mind blowing and even his dialogues are painfully witty!


Pritam’s scores are good. Tu jaane na takes you into a trance, Aatif Aslam’s another gift to India. Prem ki naiyya would simply refuse to stop ringing in your heads. None of the songs seem out of place and they’ve been shot in some of the best places!


Action sequences are good with smart special effects. But they are neither gritty nor gory. Infact, the combination of Prem n Jen doing action makes you feel like you’re watching a fusion of Superman and Power Puff Girls! Kids are sure to have a blast!!


Ranbir’s many avatar’s are awe-inspiring. He perfectly brings out the rawness of an uneducated person as well as the sophistication of a gentleman. Katrina is an eye-candy in every shot and a goddess in Tu jaane na. The movie has been superbly peppered with antics from the supporting cast too. Thanks to them the faked quirky horniness of Prem’s mother Shalini(Smita Jaykar), Shankar’s (Darshan Jariwala) efforts to straighten out his son, and the laughter infusing frustration of the broke Don Sajin (Zakir Hussain)have been nicely brought out.


Ajab Prem… will make you laugh if you stop questioning it. Your lover may have many shortcomings but you will still love him because that’s love. That’s what makes it strange. That’s what makes it amazing! Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is a movie with many shortcomings but once you see it you can’t help loving it. That’s what makes it Ajab. That’s what makes it Ghazab!!


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