Hollywood Bollywood News & Gossips

New Delhi: While many Indians may not endorse PM Manmohan Singh's unilateral expression of "love' ' on their behalf to President George Bush, a similar wish for an ailing all-time great actor by President Pratibha Patil would hardly have anyone disagreeing. Moreover, Patil's wish of speedy recovery to Dilip Kumar, 86, seems to have worked because the thespian's condition is stated to be stable.

On Friday, the President called up Kumar at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and wished him speedy recovery. "We want you to get well soon,'' a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman quoted Patil as telling the actor.

Another Bollywood great, Shashi Kapoor, 70, was also admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital for a "routine' ' check-up . Kapoor, who has a heart problem, is expected to be discharged on Saturday.

source: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Celebrity disc jockey DJ AM has been released from hospital a week after he escaped a jet crash in which four people died, his spokeswoman has said.

The star and former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker were the only survivors when their Learjet crashed onto a road shortly after take-off last weekend.

Both suffered second and third-degree burns and were rushed to a specialist hospital in Georgia.

DJ AM's spokeswoman Jenni Weinman said he was "deeply saddened" by the events.

She added that the disc jockey was "thankful for all of the love and support he has been receiving from fans and friends".

A hospital spokeswoman would not say when Barker was expected to be released.

Sparks seen

Goldstein and Barker, who perform together under the name TRVSDJ-AM, had been playing at a free concert in Columbia before boarding the jet.

Air traffic controllers had reported seeing sparks coming from the plane as it tried to take off.

Officials said it left the end of the runway before coming to rest, engulfed in flames, a quarter of a mile away on the embankment across a five-lane motorway.

Two pilots and two other passengers who were close friends of Goldstein and Barker were killed in the crash.

The musicians apparently escaped the wreckage by sliding down a wing.

Safety officials have said that a cockpit voice recording suggested the crew tried unsuccessfully to abort take-off after hearing a probable tyre blowout.

The US National Transportation Safety Board has not said what caused the crash, but spokesman Peter Knudson said he expects the agency to release a preliminary report next week.

source: www.news.bbc.co.uk

Celebrity makeup artist Paul Starr was found dead in his L.A. apartment yesterday at the age of 48. Starr's A-list clients included Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Garner, and Jessica Alba. His extensive work in the fashion industry includes collaborations with Jean Paul Gaultier and Dolce & Gabbana.
In his 2005 book Paul Starr on Beauty: Conversations With Thirty Celebrity Women, Jolie says, "During the time we have spent in the make up chair, we talked about everything but the photo shoot; global issues, babies, human rights."

Police broke down Starr's door yesterday after he had been missing for days. The cause of death is still unknown.

source: http://www.nymag.com/

Reality TV star Jade Goody has spent her first night on the Indian version of Celebrity Big Brother.

It comes 18 months after the 27-year-old was accused of racism towards Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in the UK show.

Goody told Indian audiences before she went in to the house the incident with Shetty was "in the past" and that she was "not proud of it".

Shetty takes Davina McCall's role on the Indian show, known as Bigg Boss.

"I know I have behaved wrongly but that was my yesterday," Goody said.

"Today, I have changed for the better and I am here to prove it. I am determined to be myself and win everyone's heart."

'Sorry'
Goody arrived in Mumbai on Friday

So far on the show, Goody has learnt Hindi phrases and Bollywood-style dancing.

As the only non-Indian contestant and first international celebrity on the show, Goody is immune from nominations this week as a mark of hospitality.

Last year's British show attracted 45,000 complaints to media regulator Ofcom over the alleged bullying of Shetty by Jade Goody and fellow contestants, model Danielle Lloyd and singer Jo O'Meara.

It also led to a protest in the eastern Indian city of Patna which saw the burning of an effigy.

A month after leaving the house, Goody visited India and told the Indian community: "I am sorry for the hurt and pain that my actions caused."

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk

The Bachchan family’s Unforgettable tour is running to packed houses all over its venues in U.S.A, according to reports.

The tour, with a cast of other A-list stars dancing and singing live onstage in a spectacular musical production, is boasting sold-out venues with seating for about 10,000 people each, the Chicago Tribune reported .It mainly features Amitabh Bachchan, his son, Abhishek Bachchan and daughter in law Aishwarya Rai.
“It must be centuries ago that I did my last tour,”Amitabh Bachchan told the daily. “Many, many years ago I stopped doing shows. At age 66, it’s not advisable to get back on the stage, but the organizers, managers and other artistes involved, particularly Aishwarya, were very keen that I come along.”
But Amitabh Bachchan’s age has not been an issue and his performances have been electrifying for hungry fans. “What we do onstage is a reproduction of what we do on film, so obviously music, dancing and singing are an integral part.” Bachchan was quoted as saying. Some of the film favorites the show covers may include “Don”, “Kaalia”, “Bunty Aur Babli”, “Kabhi Kabhie” and “Silsila”, he said.
The show features splashy Vegas-style stage, backup dancers and spectacular costumes, the Tribune said. Asked if this will be his last tour, Amitabh Bachchan said,” “I have no idea if it is I thought of that 20 years ago, and I’m back, so one never knows. I’m just thankful people still consider me a performer. It’s very gratifying.”

source: www.newsline365.com

His film with the same name may not have worked, but he definitely possesses a lot of ‘Tashan’. These days our ‘chhote nawab‘ is more talked about his relationship with Kareena Kapoor than his own films.

Celebrated astro numerologist Bhavikk Sangghvi predicts what’s in store for the suave and sophisticated Saif Ali Khan and his ’size zero’ girlfriend ( pun intended ) !

Born on 16th August 1970, Saif is a Number 7 ( 1 + 6 = 7 ) in numerology ruled by Number 7 ( Neptune ), Number 1 ( Sun - Leo ) and Number 5 ( Mercury – 1 + 6 + 8 + 1 + 9 + 7 + 0 = 32 = 3 + 2 = 5 ). Being ruled by Number 7, he is also ruled by Number 2 ( Moon ) since Numbers 2 and 7 always go hand in hand.

Saif will be entering the 39th year ( 3 + 9 = 12 = 1 + 2 = 3 ) of his life which is definitely not amongst his lucky numbers, but the year 2008 ( 2 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 10 = 1 + 0 = 1 ) which adds up to Number 1 will do some damage control since it is one of his best numbers, predicts Bhavikk.

As far as his relations with Kareena is concerned, they are commonly ruled by No.5 Planet ( Mercury ) – the planet of speed & communication, which makes them both talkative, frank and outright honest in their conversations. No hidden feelings or secrets here.

Bhavikk continues “But as for the foundation level of their relationship is concerned, Kareena is doubly ruled by Jupiter ( Number 3 – 21st September, 1980 ) – the planet of wealth and prosperity, whereas Saif on the other hand, is under the influence of Moon and Neptune – planets of peace, creativity and spirituality”.

“This indeed is not a good combination as most of Kareena’s decisions will be too materialistic in it’s approach, while Saif will always listen to his heart first and will be rather emotional while taking his decisions ( although he will be very firm about what he eventually does ). Since their thinking patterns towards life are ’so different’ from each other, they are most likely to have a lot of ‘difference of opinion’ on almost everything at every step”, says Bhavikk.

In nutshell, these so called ‘love birds’ are not ‘that compatible’ and still if they culminate their relationship in to ‘marriage’ ( which seems nowhere in the near future ), then one more relationship will go ‘kaput’ in Bollywood.

“Wearing a Yellow Sapphire will help Saif from any difficulty in decision making, clarity of thought and delays in life whatsoever”, advices Bhavikk. -(SAMPURN)

source: www.realbollywood.com

Bipasha Basu is missing from the Bachna Ae Haseeno promotions in Salman Khan’s10 Ka Dum that has Ranbir Kapoor along with Deepika Padukone and Minissha Lamba. A birdie chirps that Bips must have stayed away due to obvious reasons Sallu has a problem with her beau John Abraham! But the Bengali bombshell says that as she was busy elsewhere due to a prior commitment and could not attend. Excuses, excuses…

source: www.gobollywood.com

MUMBAI: Responding to a petition filed by veteran actor Manoj Kumar, a city civil court ordered actor Shah Rukh Khan and director Farah Khan to ensure that their film, Om Shanti Om , was aired on television only after the deletion of certain scenes to which Manoj Kumar had objected.

Kumar's plea in court said he had taken offence to the manner in which he had been mimicked in the film, especially in a scene where a character, representing him, was shown trying to enter the premiere of a movie; the character was shooed away by guards and "even beaten with a stick", Manoj Kumar had said.

The court ordered that the screening of the movie, slated for Sunday by Sony Entertainment Television , would be allowed only if the objectionable scene was deleted. The order also said all copies and screenings of the movie in future should be done without this scene.

Shah Rukh's lawyer tried to argue that the scene was only a joke and no offence or defamation had been committed by the actor or the movie's director. However, the court did not agree with him.

Manoj Kumar now plans to file a defamation suit on Monday. "We will file a defamation case against the Shah Rukh-owned Red Chillies Productions and its director, Gauri Khan, for not keeping with their promise of deleting the scene before its release. The damages we are demanding is merely Re 1. No contemporary actor can match up with Manoj Kumar's calibre," Manoj Kumar's counsel, Ashok Sarogi, said.

Manoj Kumar's application said he was proud of his public image and reminded that he was also called "Bharat Kumar" because of "services he had rendered in the interests of the nation". The plea said that every actor had his own style of acting and the movie had copied him and ridiculed him.

Manoj Kumar told the court that producer Yash Chopra had apologised and assured him that the offensive portions would be deleted after he had objected to the scenes; Chopra tried to act as a mediator between director Farha Khan and Manoj Kumar when the row erupted.

Manoj Kumar sought a stay on the movie being aired on television, saying that the telecast would harm his reputation. He argued more people watched movies at home on television than they did in theatres and, therefore, wanted the scenes portraying him to be cut.

Thanks to timesofindia.indiatimes.com

You’re romancing three girls in your second film?
What can I say, I guess I just got lucky! (smiles)

What’s Bachna Ae Haseeno all about?
It’s a romantic comedy. It’s a journey of a guy from the age 17 to 30 and the relationships he has in his life at different phases and how each relationship teaches him about life in its own sweet, sexy, sassy way.

You didn’t get the girl in Saawariya. Similar fate in this one too?
No, here I do end up with someone. Love is such that God grants us one person who we can spend the rest of our life with. It rarely happens that we don’t. So it’s a happy ending.

When did you take up this film?
I signed this movie before the release of Saawariya. At that point, I wasn’t signing any movies then but then Siddharth Anand called and said he has a script for me. I was a little hesitant because I didn’t want to sign anything before Saawariya’s release but when I read the script, I fell in love with it. I told him I will kill anybody who does this role! It’s written for me.

Is it a deliberate effort on your behalf to move away from the lovelorn tragic image of your first film?
No effort at all. Every movie is different. Saawariya was my debut film. It will always be the most special film. I got to work with a master craftsman like Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Whatever I know about acting and cinema is because of him. Yes, I have moved from that phase to this second film. My third film will be different from my second film. I hope I can do cinema that sees a different side of me every time.

Is there a towel-dropping scene in this film too?
I can just promise you there’s more than just towel dropping!

Some feel that your chemistry with Bipasha Basu is more crackling than that with Deepika?
What can I say? Bipasha Basu is a sizzling lady and any actor has to just stand in the same frame to make the frame look hot, so I would give her the credit.

But does that bother you, since you and Deepika are seeing each other?
If they are saying that then I respect it. The chemistry of a pair on screen is known only when the audience reacts to it. This is moviemaking, it’s about the characters and not the personal life. I think enough has been spoken about it and I think it’s high time that our work is spoken about. I don’t want people to relate to me because of my personal life.

Would you say you’re a one-woman man?
I would like to believe every man is a one-woman man.

What’s next on your list?
I’m currently working on Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani which is a Raj Kumar Santoshi film I’m doing with Katrina Kaif. Then there’s a film called Wake Up Sid that’s produced by Karan Johar and directed by Ayan Mukherjee and it stars Konkona Sensharma and myself. I’m scared of working with her. She’s so immensely talented. I don’t know if I can match up to her but I’m really looking forward to working with her.

Thanks to http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif starrer Singh is Kinng had a record opening in theatres across the country on Friday.


The collections totalled to Rs 8 crores on day one and the weekend collections are projected to be anywhere between Rs2 8 to Rs 30 crores.


The highest first week collections for a Hindi film till date is for the Shah Rukh Khan Deepika Padukone starrer Om Shanti Om which earned Rs 37 crores.


Modest projections for the first week collections of Singh is Kinng is put at Rs 45 crores, which could be a new box office record.


Singh is Kinng a story about Haapy Singh played by Akshay Kumar who is brave, mischievous yet naive and accident-prone Sikh villager.

Fed up with his clumsy behaviour, the villagers send him to Australia on a mission that seems impossible to everyone. He has to bring back their fellow villager, Lucky Singh, who happens to be an underworld Don in Australia.


Accompanied by his best friend Rangeela, played by Om Puri, Happy goes on his mission half way around the world and somewhere in between he falls for a law student called Sonia, played by Katrina Kaif.


The other starcast of the movie includes, Ranvir Shorey as Puneet, Javed Jaffrey as Mika Singh, Kiron Kher as Rose Lady, Neha Dhupia as Julie, Kamal Chopra as Guruji, Yashpal Sharma as Pankaj Udaas and Sonu Sood as Lucky Singh.

Thanks to http://www.ibnlive.com

Sensuous-sexy-sultry Kareena Kapoor and her stardom are beyond limits. After the super success of Jab We Met and her super-glam look in Tashan, Kareena has become hot property for both Bollywood and Hollywood. There was a buzz couple of days back about Kareena signing a Hollywood project but Kareena’s spokesperson denied stories about her doing a Hollywood film.

Apparently, during the shoot of Kambakht Ishq, Kareena was in talks with Hollywood production houses. “It is true that Kareena was offered a role in Chamera which is to be directed by Daniel Silverman but she has not signed on the dotted lines,” said her spokesperson. So is Kareena doing any Hollywood film at all? “Kareena is busy for the next one and a half year with her commitments in Bollywood. Until then she isn’t doing any international film. Besides Chamera, Kareena was also offered two other Hollywood films which I cannot divulge much into.”

Kareena is definitely the most wanted actress currently. Surely, her lucky streak is on. Way to go Kareena!

Thanks to http://www.indiafm.com

After roping in Katrina Kaif as the ambassador for Nakshatra Diamond jewellery, Gitanjali Group has now appointed Bipasha Basu as its new brand ambassador for Gili.

Gitanjali Group chairman Mehul Choksi said, "In our effort to find the right brand ambassador for Gili - a brand of mass appeal, we have stumbled upon the gorgeous and vivacious actress Bipasha Basu to endorse her alluring personality on its products, which is a rhapsody of the traditional and modern. Not only were we enthusiastic about the brand fit, but also we feel that Bipasha lends a refreshing look to the brand. We are excited about having her on board as the new face for Gili."

Basu said, "It gives me immense pleasure to be associated with a prestigious brand like Gili. I personally endorse it as I can totally depend on the brand value. Diamonds are a girl's best friend and Gili offers a wide range of diamonds to choose from. I hope this association is amiable and mutually profitable."

Basu's upcoming film – Bachna Ae Haseeno from Yash Raj Films is slated to release this month. The movie also stars Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Minissha Lamba and has been directed by Siddharth Anand.

Thanks to http://businessofcinema.com

Hours after arriving in Sydney, Australia, for their first trip home with newborn Sunday Rose, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have asked the media for some “space.”

The couple, who arrived in Australia late Wednesday night, told Sydney’s 2Day FM on Thursday morning, that they wanted to show their four-week-old daughter their home without flashbulbs going off in their baby’s face.

“I suppose Keith and I are both appealing to the press and stuff just to give us a little space so we can walk around Sydney and show the baby our town,” Nicole told morning show hosts, Kyle and Jackie O.

Keith, who confirmed the couple would not be selling pictures of their newborn to any celebrity magazine, said he understands why the paparazzi come out in force, but said they should recognize when he is out with his child.

“I get it, I get whatever sort of interest there is in it… But at the same time it’s our little girl,” Keith said. “I think sometimes when people come right up in your face, you’re just going, ‘Good god.’ I mean, would you do that to anyone else’s child?”

Nicole noted that photographers have already scared little Sunday.

“She’s tiny, she’s not a doll,” the actress said. “Just not right in her face or our faces. It’s scary for her. She’s tiny, [a] tiny little thing.”

While Nicole’s mother, a midwife, and her sister, who has four children of her own, traveled to Nashville for the birth of Sunday Rose, the “Australia” star said the couple came home to give the rest of the family a chance to meet the baby.

“My dad hasn’t met her and Keith’s mum and dad are coming down,” she said.

And it appears when the grandparents do meet Sunday Rose, they will get to see which of her famous parents, the baby looks like.

“She looks like Keith,” Nicole said. “I think she does.”

“Well, she’s a bit of a mix I reckon,” Keith chimed in later. “I’m not looking forward to having to go on tour and having to leave.”

Thanks to http://www.accesshollywood.com

Kidnap is special for three reasons. It's Sanjay Dutt's first major release this year and Imran Khan's next release after the blockbuster hit Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. The movie is also Sanjay Gadhvi's immediate release after Dhoom 2.

The first promo of Kidnap, which will hit the screens with the prints of Singh is Kinng this Friday, looks astounding.

The trailer packs in a lot in its nearly three minutes of runtime. It has the edge of the seat feel, beautiful locations, rapid action, hot actors and most importantly, the confrontation between a boy and a man. Watch Imran fearlessly take on Sanjay Dutt head on, after the newcomer has kidnapped his daughter, Minissha Lamba.

Imran challenges Sanjay, 'everything you do - eating, sleeping, walking, talking - will be decided by me.' To which Sanju retorts, 'Go to hell.' From there the promo takes you on an action-packed ride with Sanju searching for his daughter relentlessly and Imran ending it all with, 'hell is already here'.

Imran Khan looks dashing in the new avatar (and with a tattoo on his neck). The role is a complete contrast from his debut film and he looks menacing on-screen.
Thanks to Sify.com

It seems like love in Bollywood can be expressed only by embedding tattoo on one's body. First it was the hunks of Bollywood doing it, now it's the ladies' turn. After Saif Ali Khan did it for Kareena Kapoor and Usman for Amrita Arora, it's Deepika Padukone's turn to do the needful (and painful too) in the name of her beau Ranbir Kapoor.

We recently noticed a tattoo embedded on Deepika Padukone's nape. The tattoo says R K (but obviously Ranbir Kapoor). Since it is hidden behind her hair, not many have caught sight of it yet.

We just hope Ranbir Kapoor doesn't have a 'D P' embedded somewhere or the other.

Anyways, great going guys, and pass the piece of (inspiration) to every one else in love too.

Ugly aur Pagli (comedy)
Cast: Ranvir Shorey, Mallika Sherawat
Direction: Sachin Khot

Ah! All those missed opportunities. This one could have been a laugh riot, but for a script that suddenly loses its nuts and bolts and winds up into irrational territory. The Sassy Girlfriend (Mallika Sherawat) suddenly grows senty, dives into the Mandovi river and leaves her petticoat boyfriend (Ranvir Shorey) hanging love-lorn notes on a tree. And when she re-emerges, she's ready to marry someone else who suddenly reminds her of her old flame and sends her scurrying back to him. Of course, she doesn't find him at the old address, but hey, what happened to the breezy first half and the outrageous bakwas between the odd couple: the he-girl and the she-boy?

The film begins on a promising note, despite being a re-take of a Korean film. Loser Ranvir meets a slobbered Mallika Sherawat trying to jump before a local train and ends up carrying her to a hotel and spending the night with her, until she sobers up. Of course, the loser ends up sleeping on the floor and falling deeply in love with a girl who slaps him hard and proper whenever she's not sloshed or demanding something bizarre. Like, walking in high-heels, riding a seat-less bike in a red petticoat, stealing red roses from a park or dancing with her while she's ekdum talli . Sometimes, he does get his moments too and dares her to play the superwoman she poses to be. But our Ms Sprightly is ready for any and every challenge, even if it means strutting in college (yes, Mallika is a college kid!) with her chhaddis over her jeans.

So these are the fun parts, where Ranvir actually wonders why he loves this girl who is an alcoholic, a snorer and a goondi . And Mallika maintains the mystery of why she hangs out with this guy who has failed four times in college and has neither looks nor spirit. But when the mystery is unspoiled, the magic wanes and the laughs dry down. Then, it's the performances that keep the film afloat, specially Ranvir Shorey who excels in portraying the perfect underdog. Mallika too displays a newfound restraint and creates a lively new image for the archetypal heroine. Wish the laughs hadn't petered away....Wish that Zeenat Aman hadn't been wasted in a fleeting cameo!

Thanks to http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

After thrilling people with his superb cricketing style, ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar is getting ready to make his debut in Bollywood.

Sachin, who is presently playing the Test series against Sri Lanka, will be seen in film titled ‘Vighnahartra Shri Siddhivinayak’.

The film to be directed Madhur Bhandarkar’s former assistant Yashwant Ingole stars Divya Dutta and Parmeet Sethi in lead roles.

Sachin is a great devotee of Lord Siddhivinayak, and he promptly agreed to be a part of the movie when the film’s producer Raju Sangvi offered him the role.

Raju said, “He told us that he was ready to do anything that we wanted in the film. We will not make him act. Acting is too small thing for a legend like him to do.”

“We are in the process of working out a small but significant role for him through which a strong, social message could be delivered. We would not like to reveal more details as his portrayal in the film is supposed to be a surprise for the audience,” he added.

While speaking about the movie, Sangavi told that it circles around a family, which is a devotee of Siddhivinayak.

“There are so many stories in Mumbai on how devotion to the lord has benefited the devotees," he also said.

The film is being produced by Vista Media together with the Siddhivinayak temple trust.

Sangavi also said that the temple trust has no financial involvement in the project. Some of the proceeds of the movie will go the trust, he added.

Australian ace cricketer Brett Lee is spending more time in India than in Australia now. After shooting a music video with legendary singer Asha Bhonsle, he is all set to make his Bollywood debut with the new shining star Harman Baweja in Victory. Speaking about venturing into films, Brett Lee remarks, "A few years ago, choosing the right film would not have been easy as the atmosphere wasn’t conducive. Now, times have changed."

In Victory, he is playing himself i.e. a professional cricketer and along with him his Aussie teammates Brad Hogg, Stuart Clarke and Mike Hussey will be seen playing some wonderful innings. A handful of Indian cricketers like Yusuf Pathan, RP Singh and Pravin Kumar will act alongside with Harman.

Lee shares his experience on working with Harman in the following words, "It was a lot of fun. We helped each other out throughout the movie. I taught him a few shots while he gave him me acting tips." Time will tell if like cricket, Lee shines in Bollywood too.

Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the highly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure "Quantum of Solace," announced today that multi-Grammy Award-winning and platinum selling recording artists Jack White of the rock band The White Stripes, and Alicia Keys, have recorded the theme song for the film, which will be released worldwide this November.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080729/LATU509-a)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080729/LATU509-b)

Their song, written and produced by Jack White, and titled "Another Way to Die," will be the first duet in Bond soundtrack history. In addition to writing the song, Jack White is also featured as the drummer on this track. The soundtrack to "Quantum of Solace" will be released by J Records on October 28, 2008.

Daniel Craig reprises his role as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in "Quantum of Solace," the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures release of EON Productions' 22nd adventure in the longest-running film franchise in motion picture history. The film is directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay is by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade as well as Paul Haggis and the film's score will be composed by David Arnold. Wilson and Broccoli said: "We are delighted and pleased to have two such exciting artists as Jack and Alicia, who were inspired by our film to join together their extraordinary talents in creating a unique sound for Quantum of Solace."

One of the most enigmatic figures in music, Jack White has built a reputation as something of a modern American renaissance man. When Jack White formed The White Stripes with his big sister Meg in 1997, no one could have predicted the journey they would take. A love of early delta blues inspired him to take a minimalist approach to the music, one which included a simple drumming style by Meg as well as a red, white and black color scheme for everything from their stage clothing to their record sleeves.

As lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, Jack has steered the duo to worldwide success. The White Stripes have released 6 critically acclaimed albums and picked up 5 Grammy Awards, including 3 for "Best Alternative Album": "Elephant" (2004), "Get Behind Me Satan" (2006) & "Icky Thump" (2008). They are also the recipients of 4 MTV Video Music Awards and 2 Brit Awards, including the 2004 award for "Best International Group". Their hit singles include "Fell In Love with A Girl" (2001), "Seven Nation Army" (2003), and "Icky Thump" (2007). The band is hugely popular all over the world and 2007 saw them perform at arenas across the U.S. and Europe, including a sold out stop at New York City's famed Madison Square Garden.

In 2005, White formed a second band, The Raconteurs, with Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler. Described as "a new band of old friends," The Raconteurs first single, "Steady, As She Goes" was an immediate success and their debut album, "Broken Boy Soldiers," went on to debut at #7 in the Billboard Album Charts and was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards.

The band toured the world and wound up their 2006 touring schedule playing dates across the U.S. with Bob Dylan. White and Dylan's mutual appreciation has resulted in several guest performances together. The Raconteurs' sophomore album, "Consolers Of The Lonely" (2008), also debuted at #7 and spawned the hit single "Salute Your Solution." White has managed to work with both of his bands simultaneously since 2005, currently working with each on an annual rotation.

While renowned around the globe as a rock performer and songwriter, White is also an award winning record producer and mixer. He has produced all of The White Stripes and Raconteurs recordings to date (the latter with Brendan Benson) and, in 2004, helmed Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose album. In addition to producing the album, White put together Lynn's band for the recording sessions (which included the rhythm section of The Raconteurs) and appeared himself on guitar and vocals, including the duet "Portland, Oregon" which won the 2005 Grammy for "Best Country Collaboration With Vocals." Van Lear Rose was awarded the Grammy for "Best Country Album."

White has appeared in a handful of movie roles, including the Academy Award winning 2003 film Cold Mountain. Director Anthony Minghella cast White as Georgia Thewes on the advice of musical director T Bone Burnett. White's role was a musical one and he performed several of the movie's Appalachian songs. In the same year, both members of The White Stripes appeared in director Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes.

Jack and Meg White played themselves in the vignette titled "Jack Shows Meg His Testla Coil." In 2006, the duo appeared again in an episode of The Simpsons titled "Jazzy And The Pussycats." In 2007, White made a cameo as Elvis Presley in the Judd Apatow produced comedy, Walk Hard, and in 2008, he performed on stage in New York City with The Rolling Stones for a scene in Martin Scorceses' documentary, Shine A Light. White, along with Jimmy Page and The Edge, are featured in Davis Guggenheim's forthcoming electric guitar documentary, It Might Get Loud, to be theatrically released later this year.

White is the head of his own record label, Third Man Records, which releases both The White Stripes and The Raconteurs around the globe.

Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist Alicia Keys has changed the face of popular music since she burst onto the scene in 2001. Keys third studio album, "As I Am," marked another milestone recording in the young entertainer's career with over 742,000 units sold during its first week of release. In addition, "As I Am" marks Alicia's fourth #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 chart and her biggest sales week to date. Upon the November 2007 release of "As I Am", Alicia held the prestigious title as the biggest debut for a female R&B artist in SoundScan history, and the highest selling debut for a female artist since 2004. "As I Am" spawned the hit single "No One" which won two Grammy Awards in 2008 for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Additionally, Keys received four awards at the 2008 NAACP Image Awards, was honored at the first annual BET Honors ceremony, and recently received the 2008 BET Award for Best R&B Female Artist. Enjoying one of the most successful periods in her career with over 5 million copies of "As I Am" sold worldwide, Keys kicked off the "As I Am" Tour presented by Lexus in February 2008 with sold out shows for both the European and US portions of the tour.

Keys will soon be seen opposite Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah in Fox Searchlight's adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's best selling novel "The Secret Life of Bees" which will release on October 17th. Keys made her motion-picture debut in Joe Carnahan's "Smokin' Aces" as Georgia Sykes, a stunning street assassin. She also appeared in the big screen adaptation of the best selling book "The Nanny Diaries," opposite Scarlet Johansson, Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti. Keys recently signed a multiyear first-look film production deal at Disney.

Keys first appeared on the music scene in June 2001 with her debut album, "Songs In A Minor", on Clive Davis' J Records. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 Chart, selling over 235,000 copies in its first week, and went on to sell more than 10 million units worldwide. Keys' critically acclaimed sophomore effort, "The Diary of Alicia Keys," was released in December 2003 and sold over 618,000 copies during its first week of release in the United States. The album is currently seven times platinum.

Throughout her career, Alicia has won eleven Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, three World Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, three MTV Europe Awards, three BET Awards, fourteen NAACP Image Awards, two Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards, seven Soul Train Music Awards, two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, one People's Choice Award, one My VH1 Award and more.

In 2005, Keys also became a New York Times Bestselling author when she released her first published work, "Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems & Lyrics by Alicia Keys."

She generously gives her time and energy as an Ambassador and spokesperson for "Keep A Child Alive," which provides anti-viral drugs to the millions suffering from AIDS in Africa. She also works closely with "Frum Tha Ground Up," devoted to equipping America's youth with the tools essential for achieving success on all levels, as well as "Teens in Motion," a non-profit organization created to offer teens the opportunity to develop their minds and bodies in a safe and secure environment. Born and raised in New York, Alicia graduated from the Professional Performance Arts School in Manhattan at age 16.

EON Productions

EON Productions/Danjaq, LLC, is owned by the Broccoli family and has produced twenty-two James Bond films since 1962, including QUANTUM OF SOLACE. The James Bond films, produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, make up the longest running franchise in film history and include the recent blockbuster films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough, Die Another Day and Casino Royale. EON Productions and Danjaq LLC, are affiliate companies and control all worldwide merchandising of the James Bond franchise.

About Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA: 1.27, +0.43, +51.18%), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 100 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution Inc, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit http://www.mgm.com

Steve Elzer Senior Vice President, Media Relations Columbia TriStar
Motion Picture Group (310) 244-7142 steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

SOURCE Columbia Pictures
http://www.sonypictures.com

Finally, the Kannada Film Chamber decided to allow Superstar Rajinikanth's Kuselan for a smooth screening in the Tamil dominated City Bangalore and other parts of Karnataka with limited number of prints. Now the film is going to release in 13 theaters in Bangalore City with 10 prints. The film will hit the screens in other parts like Mysore, Mandya, Hasan, Mangalore and Kollegal as planned earlier.

Kannada Rakshana Vedhike, one of the pro Kannada outfits in the state, threatened that they would never allow the film to screen in any part of Karnataka due to Rajinikanth's anti-Kannada statements in Hogenakkal water dispute. Some other organisations compelled the Film Chamber to order Kuselan distributor to release the film only after a seven week moratorium, due to Rajinikanth's anti Kannada speech during the fast organised by Tamil film Industry.

At a stage, the KRV chief Vattal Nagaraj demanded a public apology from the Superstar for the smooth release of Kuselan in Karnataka. But Rajini once again ruled out the possibilities and just keep himself as the silent watcher in the issue.

Finally, the film chamber decided to allow the film to screen in all the parts of Kannada, but with limited prints. The Film Chamber Chief Actress Jayamala told that the issue of Heganakkal should not be linked with Kuselan release.

"Both Rajinikanth and Balachander are very important to the industry. Vasu also contributing a lot to Kannada film industry. Moreover, one of our members purchased the rights to release in Karnataka. So keeping all in mind, we should allow the film for smooth screening. What we have advised is that he releases the film following all the restrictions about prints and the number of theatres it can be screened in," says Jayamala.

It is also said that many of Rajinikanth's close friends in the Kannada film industry are reportedly working overtime to ensure the movie has a frictionless release in the state. Remember, the Tamil Film Industry personalities just watching the situation silently and did not take any efforts to smoothen the issue.

Thanks to http://entertainment.oneindia.in

"It's the era of fast food," says ace director Aziz Mirza, who has made his latest Kismat Konnection shorter and crisper to cater to "today's sensibilities".

"No one is bothered about the delicacies of the eating ritual. Accepting change is important... I've to incorporate today's sensibilities into my own vision. The story remains practically unchanged. But the mode of narration has to change," Mirza, who started his career as a director with TV serial Circus in the ‘80s that shot Shah Rukh Khan to fame, said in an interview.

"One change I've made is to make my new film shorter. It's just two hours and 20 minutes long. My earlier films were longer. Today's audiences don't have patience to sit for leisurely narrations."

With his Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman in 1992, Mirza became known for his sweet, working-class romances and he has continued this trend with Kismat Konnection, though this time set in Canada.

Check out Shahid and Vidya's chemistry on the Kismat Konnection special

The director says that he is genuinely fond of his lead actor Shahid Kapoor and reveals that he was signed on before Vivah and Jab We Met.

Most of Mirza's films—whether it was Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Yes Boss or Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani—have starred Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla.

Asked about Shahid and Vidya Balan now being seen as the next Shah Rukh and Juhi, he said he would "leave that to the audience".

Mirza said: "Every actor has his or her own identity. Anyway, to be compared to Shah Rukh and Juhi isn't a bad thing. Shahid and Vidya look really nice together."

Excerpts from the interview:

Times have changed. How much has your cinema changed?

Change is inevitable. Nowadays it's the era of fast food. No one is bothered about the delicacies of the eating ritual. Accepting change is important. I've to make my cinema within the given parameters of change. If you notice Kismat Konnection even has a different kind of music. I've to incorporate today's sensibilities into my own vision. The story remains practically unchanged. But the mode of narration has to change.

One change I've made is to make my new film shorter. It's just two hours and 20 minutes long. My earlier films were longer. Today's audiences don't have patience to sit for leisurely narrations. I can't prolong moments in the narration any longer. And maybe the silences are not that pronounced.

Kismat Konnection is also the first film I've shot in Canada. But it doesn't matter where the story is situated. It could've been located in any vibrant metropolitan city.

Would you call it a compromise?

No I'd call it an acceptance of reality. One needs to work around the limitations. My son Haroun has contributed tremendously to Kismat Konnection and my previous film Chalte Chalte. Very soon he'll be directing a film and I'll be helping him out.

I had thought I'd make another subject. But I guess it was destined that I make Kismat Konnection. This kept coming back to me. I genuinely feel this film had to be made. Before I realised it, the film was complete.

Did you get the full co-operation of your team?

It becomes so much easier when you're working in an atmosphere conducive to productivity. When I work on a happy set, the happiness shows in the film. I do believe the positive vibes show up.

I must thank my film's producer Ramesh Taurani for signing Shahid Kapoor at a time when Vivah and Jab We Met hadn't been released. The film's commercial viability wasn't that high when we started making Kismat Konnection. But I had decided on Shahid.

To give the film a new look we shot it in Toronto. I haven't travelled much. We chose Toronto because it seemed less expensive than the US or London.

People in the industry look on Shahid Kapoor and Vidya Balan as replacements for Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in your cinema?

We shall leave that to the audience. Every actor has his or her own identity. Anyway, to be compared to Shah Rukh and Juhi isn't a bad thing. Shahid and Vidya look really nice together. I was very comfortable working with them. They've brought in their own dimension to their characters.

I've made a film about kismet. When I was 14-15 I remember my father telling me that at that age it was foolish to believe in destiny. But as you grow older you are a fool if you don't believe in destiny. Whatever I've achieved today is because of many forces that I had no control over.

In pictures: A preview of Kismat Konnection

But in Kismat Konnection I've shown my characters believe that they can make their own destiny. That's what being young is all about. I've a fortune-teller in my film. But I've made sure she remains an ambivalent character. You never know whether she's a fraud or not.

Do you watch Hindi films?

I do try to catch the important ones. If someone recommends a film I see it. Among the recent ones I liked are Madhur Bhandarkar's Page 3, Tigmanshu Dhulia's Haasil and Anurag Basu's Life in A… Metro. Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa-Akbar was a very sincere film. That's why it worked.

I've made a film after five years. After Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani I didn't want to over-intellectualise my cinema. Whatever I've done from television till today, I've nothing to be ashamed of. It may not be exceptional work, but it's decent work. I'm just happy making logical cinema. I'm not aspiring to greatness.

Thanks to http://sify.com

Ari Alexenberg's dream came true last summer. Now it's going to become a movie.

Alexenberg, 45, spent last summer pitching and coaching in the inaugural Israel Baseball League — a professional league formed by former Boston Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette to popularize the sport in a country dominated by soccer and basketball.

Alexenberg is by far the oldest player in the league. Despite being an avid fan, he didn't start playing organized baseball until he was 24. As an observing Orthodox Jew, his religion kept him from playing Little League because games were played on Saturdays, the weekly sabbath.

His chance came 20 years later when the league was created, and it almost passed him by. Though he loved baseball — coaching various youth leagues and playing on men's teams throughout the years — he decided to skip the tryouts in Massachusetts, thinking it was silly. But when his wife, Julie, found out, she booked him a flight to Israel for a tryout.

Not only was the 6-foot-1-inch southpaw offered a contract to play, but to coach as well. He was drafted by Petach Tikva Pioneers, where he coached alongside his one-time idol, ex-big leaguer Ken Holtzman, who was the Pioneers' manager.

When Steve Sanger, of Portsmouth-based Sanger Communications, heard of Alexenberg's story, he knew he had to meet him. It was clear from the beginning that not only was the story compelling enough to make into a movie, but Alexenberg's personality and obvious passion would translate perfectly to the big screen.

"It's not just the story. If you're going to make a film, they've got to be great on camera. I met Ari and he told me the story, and I was hooked," said Sanger. "He's a great story teller, and he's terrific on camera."

Sanger said what he found most compelling was that Alexenberg was a tremendous athlete who likely would've made it to the big leagues if he was allowed to play as a child.

"He's entirely self taught. When he was 24 years old, he was in his back yard, throwing at a folding chair, flipping through a book from the library about how you hold pitches," said Sanger. "Then, at 45, to have your dream come true — I think it's just a great story."

So great, Alexenberg said, he's been in discussions with a literary agent and author about a possible book.

Currently about halfway through the editing process, the movie is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The movie will premiere at The Music Hall and then be entered into movie festivals. Sanger said he plans to pitch the idea to Hollywood, as well.

"We may be rich and famous, or we may show it at The Music Hall. Who knows?" said Sanger. "Either way, it's been a lot of fun."

Alexenberg fared well overseas, despite a rocky first few starts, leading the league in appearances and shutting down opponents in his last 10 games. The league is on a brief hiatus for this summer, expected to return next season. Whether Alexenberg will be back is unclear.

"I don't think so. I don't know. Maybe," he said. "Who knows?"

For now, Alexenberg is plenty busy being a father of two, working as director of the Boston Israel Action Center and playing for three different city men's leagues. The entire experience, he said, still feels like a dream.

"If someone would've told me a couple years ago this would all be happening ... it's just so absurd," said Alexenberg.

"The whole thing was unbelievable."

Thanks to http://www.seacoastonline.com

Welcome to CraveOnline's weekly movie news roundup - a weekly rundown of all the breaking news in the film world, with an eye for what Tinseltown's got in store for us in the near future!

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BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. The Dark Knight - $75.6 million ($314.2 million)
2. Step Brothers - $30 million ($30 million)
3. Mamma Mia! - $17.8 million ($62.7 million)
4. The X-Files: I Want To Believe - $10.2 million ($10.2 million)
5. Journey to the Center of the Earth - $9.4 million ($60.1 million)
6. Hancock - $8.2 million ($206.3 million)
7. Wall-E - $6.3 million ($195.2 million)
8. Hellboy II: The Golden Army - $4.9 million ($65.8 million)
9. Space Chimps - $4.3 million ($16 million)
10. Wanted - $2.7 million ($128.6 million)

The Dark Knight's epic obliteration of the competition shows no signs of slowing, delivering the biggest second-weekend box office total ever with a massive $75.6 million (Shrek 2 previously held the record with $72.1 million), which is more than the following top six films combined. With a total domestic gross of $314.2 million so far, the film also became the fastest ever to reach $300 million, doing it in just 10 days and easily passing the old record of 16 days set by Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. The film also had the highest per theater average of any in the top ten with $17,322 per theater.

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The new Will Ferrell comedy Step Brothers debuted at #2 with $30 million, an impressive opening for a comedy in the shadow of the Bat. Two pathetic middle-aged slackers, one still living with his single mom, the other with his single dad, suddenly become stepbrothers when their parents marry, and find themselves forced to share a bedroom. Hilarity and Ferrellisms ensue for the next 90 minutes. Can't go wrong there... oh wait, forgot about Semi-Pro.

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The hottest topic at this year's San Diego Comic-Con was the upcoming Watchmen film, directed by Zack Snyder. Snyder treated the convention crowd to new effects-heavy footage of the ultra-violent superhero flick, including Billy Crudup as a huge, glowing-blue nuclear-fueled superbeing. Fans also got a glimpse of the mask on Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) morphing into symmetrical ink blot patterns, the psychotic Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) getting his scar from a broken bottle and Malin Akerman unzipping the front of her costume. Tasty.

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Speaking of Comic-Con, writers and producers unveiled plot points and stills from G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra at the convention. The filmmakers and Hasbro hope the film, which hits theaters next August, will be the "first of many to come" for the franchise. Writer Stuart Beattie mentioned a few of the key relationships in the film, some of which were spelled out in detail for attendees. Duke (Channing Tatum) and the Baroness (Sienna Miller) have a history together which plays out during the course of the movie. Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) and Scarlett (Rachel Nichols) have a romantic thread in the film, but it mostly consists of Ripcord trying to woo Scarlett to no avail. It was mentioned that there was a Snake Eyes/Scarlett dynamic, though the writers apparently struggled with the ninja's more dramatic moments since he can't speak. The third dynamic mentioned was that of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, who are even shown growing up together as children.

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Why bother? A remake of tranny musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show is headed for theaters next year. Because Tim Curry in garters and lipstick with a feather boa wasn't traumatizing enough.

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Peter Berg has officially signed on to produce and direct Hercules: The Thracian Wars, a feature adaptation based on Radical Publishing's five-issue comic series written by Steve Moore. Come on. A Clash of the Titans remake is one thing, but this has bomb written all over it.

The Top Fashion Cities of 2007 have been named by the Global Language Monitor (www.LanguageMonitor.com) in its annual global survey. Topping the list for 2008 are New York, Rome, Paris, Milan, London, Los Angeles, Sydney, Las Vegas, Berlin and Tokyo. Madrid (No. 15), Stockholm (No. 20), Cape Town (No. 23) and New Delhi (No. 24) broke into the Top 25. Falling off the list were Sao Paolo and Bangkok.

Other notable movement included Sydney moving up five spots to No.7 and Dubai jumping up twelve spots to No.12.

“Our yearly rankings clearly reinforce recent trends: the Big Five (New York, Rome, Paris, Milan, and London), far and away dominate the world of fashion, especially in the eyes of the print and electronic media, as well as on the internet. At the same time, the second tier of the cities in the world fashion rankings are coming on strong,” said Millie Lorenzo Payack, Fashion Correspondent and Director of the Global Language Monitor.

“And, by the way, money spent on media outreach can, indeed, make a difference; witness Dubai.” The world ‘rag’ business is estimated to be close to one half trillion USD. Regional rankings are provided below.

This exclusive ranking is based upon GLM’s Predictive Quantities Index, a proprietary algorithm that tracks words and phrases in print and electronic media, on the Internet and throughout the blogosphere. The words and phrases are tracked in relation to their frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets.

The Top Fashion Cities, 2008 ranking, last year’s rank, and commentary follow.

1. New York (1) - No. 1 for the fifth year running.
2. Rome (2) - The Eternal City, again, a strong No. 2.
3. Paris (3) - Perhaps No. 1 in the world’s hearts and mind - but not the media’s.
4. Milan (5) - Overtakes London in this survey.
5. London (4) - The Elite Five far outdistance the rest.
6. Los Angeles (6) - LA knocks on the door of the Elite Five.
7. Sydney (12) - Sydney makes a huge move, breaking into the Top 10.
8. Las Vegas (9) - The intense media spotlight improves Vegas’ ranking.
9. Berlin (11) - Berlin continues its very strong presence.
10. Tokyo (6) - Tokyo remains the capital of the Asian Fashion Industry.
11. Hong Kong (8) - Threatening to move ahead of Tokyo.
12. Dubai (24) - Massive marketing fueled by petrodollars can make an impact.
13. Shanghai (14) - Vies with Hong Kong for the lead in China.
14. Singapore (10) - Significant fashion infrastructure keeps its ranking strong.
15. Madrid (New) - Reasserts the Iberian fashion lead over Barcelona.
16. Moscow (16) - Firmly ensconces itself in the Top Twenty.
17. Santiago (19) - Leads Latin America.
18. Melbourne (15) - Takes a second seat to a high-flying Sydney.
19. Stockholm (New) - First Scandinavian on the list.
20. Buenos Aires (22) - Traditional leader in fashion continues to move up the rankings.
21. Johannesburg (23) - Joburg improves two spots.
22. Mumbai (18) - Mumbai again leads the Subcontinent.
23. Cape Town (New) - Joburg’s rival is new to the list.
24. New Delhi (New) - New Delhi makes the List, but still is outpaced by Bollywood.
25. Barcelona (13) - Still in the Top Twenty-five though Madrid has strong lead.
26. Miami (New) - Makes the list on its leadership in swimwear.
27. Krakow (25) - Shares the neo-Bohemian spotlight with Prague.
28. Prague (New) - No neo about this rising center of fashion.
29. Toronto (New) — First Canadian city on the list; Montreal just missed the rankings.
30. Rio de Janeiro (20) - Strong Latin American No. 3 outpacing Sao Paolo.

Others in the rankings included Copenhagen, Montreal, Sao Paolo, and Bangkok.

The Global Language Monitor

Thank to http://www.fibre2fashion.com

Aziz Mirza's Kismat Konnection is not even remotely connected to your entertainment needs. If Contract appears unrealistic in its starkness, this one is just as false in its glitz.

To cut it short, we're in an NRI world of Raj Malhotra who lives in Canada, only among Batra, Gill and Mehras. Everyone speaks Hindi, even if the character is gora. You get the picture. But it's another ball game to make this fun.

There is only joylessness around here, not just on the screen, but more importantly, on the screenplay, and in its dull writing.
Raj Malhotra, the stud-boy of his college, is now a failing architect. The boy talks to God and believes in kismet. He finds an occultist called Haseena Bano Jaan, or some such.

She guides him to a lucky charm. This is a girl he bumps into quite often, that's Vidya Balan. Theirs, you'll think, is supposed to be a romantic story, a love triangle where the third one is a hurtful philanderer. Except you can't tell any romance between the lead couple anyway.

The film you may believe is about the rise of this boy, as he takes up tough loans for his first design assignment.

All those portions are forgotten somewhere along as well. You then feel this film is probably about a mall coming up that will take away an old-age home.

This is a premise from Aziz Mirza's Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman or even Lage Raho Munnabhai. You learn that isn't the film either.

In fact there are very few movies such as these that have absolutely nothing to say, and take up so much of your time doing just that. Somewhere I think I even heard the words global warming too. What remains then are merely some fake moments!

Thaks to http://www.ndtvmovies.com

Shahid Kapoor has been linked to many lovely ladies ever since he broke up with Kareena Kapoor and his latest romantic tangle is with tennis sensation Sania Mirza.

While some sections of the press were busy delving into a Shahid –Vidya Balan angle, Shahid and Sania were enjoying time together. Recently, Sania and Shahid decided not to bother about gossip-mongers, and spent nearly eight hours together on the sets of director Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminay, which also stars Priyanka Chopra and Amol Gupte.

Says a source from the sets of Kaminay, “It was a 7 am shift. Sania and Shahid did not come together, but once Sania dropped by, Shahid and Sania were almost inseparable. What was surprising was that they were very open about their relationship. Their body language said it all. When Shahid was not facing the camera, he spent all his time with Sania. Sania spent a lot of time with Shahid in his vanity van.”

Apparently Sania was cheering Shahid in all the scenes and checking out the scenes on the monitor.The Shahid- Sania romance first came into light when the two spent some time together in a hotel in Bangalore, last year. Thereafter they have been spotted together many times.

Tanks to http://www.newsline365.com

After five years, director Aziz Mirza returns to the film world to tell the story of an architect struggling for his big break in Kismat Konnection, which is releasing this Friday.

Mirza's daughter Rahila has scripted the film that mainly talks about the role that luck plays in one's life.

In the film, luck plays an important role in shaping up Shahid Kapur's career. The film also has Vidya Balan who becomes Shahid's lucky mascot. Mirza's favourite Juhi Chawal too plays an important role.

Raj Malhotra (Shahid) is a bright young man who cleared his architecture course with flying colours. Despite a best-student trophy from his college, he's struggling for his big break. It's almost as though some negative kismat (luck) is following him around because whenever something good is about to happen, it seems doomed to fail.

Desperate to fight this cussed kismat, Raj meets a quirky oracle Hasina Bano Jaan (Juhi Chawla). She tells him that soon his stars will change and make everything work in his favour, but for all this to happen, Raj has first to find his lucky charm and never let go of it.

But she refuses to give details, leaving Raj mystified, trying to figure out what this charm could be.

But after his meeting with Hasina, Raj finds his life going on the right track. He not only manages to convince top builder Sanjeev Gill (Om Puri) to give him a prestigious project, he also meets Priya (Vidya), an idealist who sees life in black and white.

Shades of grey have no role for her. She will give her all to her causes, her people and her love and expect nothing less in return.

Raj manages to win her heart and also opens her eyes to her philandering fianc (Amit Verma).

Are all these positive things an indication that Raj has unwittingly discovered his lucky charm?

This is for the first time that Shahid and Vidya are working together. Their pairing has generated curiosity in the film circuit, which is going to help the movie.
Pritam Chakraborty has composed the music and some of the songs are already chartbusters.

Mirza's last venture Chalte Chalte with Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji was a big hit. So expectations from this maker of light-hearted romantic comedies are high.

Thanks to http://www.ndtvmovies.com

Many parents watch the news or other shows as children play nearby. But new research shows that even when the television is just background noise, it may be disruptive to a child’s normal development.
It’s estimated that 75 percent of very young children in the United States live in homes where the television is on most of the time, even though the kids often aren’t watching it. University of Massachusetts researchers recently studied how TV background noise might affect young children. The study, published in the current issue of the journal Child Development, looked at 50 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds. Each child came to a lab with a parent and was allowed to play for an hour with various toys. For half the time, a television was on in the room, showing an episode of the adult game show Jeopardy! as well as commercials. During the other half hour, the TV was turned off.
As expected, the children paid little attention to the adult television show, glancing at it for less than a few seconds at a time, and less than once a minute. Even so, the distraction of the background noise had a significant effect on how children at every age played. When the television was on, the children played for significantly shorter periods of time, and focused play was also shorter compared to how they played when the TV was off.
Researchers said that even though the children weren’t interested in the show, background TV is an “ever-changing audiovisual distractor'’ that disrupts their ability to sustain various types of play. The finding is important because many well-meaning parents who wouldn’t let their young children watch television may not realize that even adult programs that don’t interest children still can have an effect.
“Background TV is potentially a chronic environmental risk factor affecting most American children,'’ said Marie Evans Schmidt, a research associate at the Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital in Boston and lead author of the study. “Parents should limit their young children’s exposure.”

It seems like Miley Cyrus's controversial Vanity Fair shoot won't be her last foray into the world of sex. She wants to do it again, but a little tamer this time.

Miley told TV Guide, "I'd love to do a younger, cleaner version of 'Sex and the City.' "

She had admitted during her Vanity Fair shoot that HBO's series starring Sarah Jessica Parker is her favorite show, but later clarified that she only has watched the watered-down TBS version.

Even though the TBS run of "Sex and the City" cuts out all the really racy scenes and titillating language, it still refers to, jokes about, and constantly questions sex. So can a 15-year-old, who like each of the Jonas Brothers, wears a purity ring, make a show anywhere near the likes of "SATC"?

Well, Miley thinks she can, and she stands firmly by her virginal commitment.

"I like to think of myself as the girl that no one can get, that no one can keep in their hand," she said.

"Even at my age, a lot of girls are starting to fall," she continued, "and I think if [abstaining] is a commitment girls make, that’s great."

So even though this Vanity Fair girl may be a hottie, late night phone calls and flirtatious notes passed in class will probably be the bulk of her future dating series.

Thanks to http://www.nydailynews.com

Mumbai: Around 200 feature and short fiction films from around 40 countries are to be screened at this year's Osian Film Festival.

Filmmaker Mrinal Sen and author and screenplay writer Jose "Pete" F. Lacaba from the Philippines received the Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contribution to cinema and writing respectively during the grand opening of the Tenth Osian's-Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema.

The two received the awards from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee respectively in the presence of Osian's Connoisseurs of Art chairman Neville Tuli, Festival joint directors Latika Padgaonkar and Indu Shrikent, and festival founder Aruna Vasudev.

Sen said in his acceptance speech that he was receiving the award with quiet dignity. This was because he felt that he could still do a lot more to justify the honours bestowed on him.

Lacaba said after receiving the Aruna Vasudev Lifetime Achiement Award that it was very rare for a script writer to get acknowledged for his work, since the credit for a film went either to the director or the stars.

Members of the six juries were also presented to the audience during the ceremony. Three audio-visuals were shown on the occasion, on Osian's, the Mumbai festival last month, and on actor Shammi Kapoor who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award in Mumbai.

The opening of the festival at Sirirfort auditorium also marked the formal handing over of the responsibility of running of the festival by Vasudev, who had functioned as director until last year, to the two new Joint Directors.

Dikshit, who has been associated with the festival since its inception in 1999, declared the Festival open. She paid a tribute to Vasudev for running the festival until now and said she was confident it would grow from strength to strength.

In his welcome address, Tuli said the need today was to venture out into new projects without being too worried about the results, if the conviction was there. Paying a tribute to Vasudev, he said it was this conviction, which made her join up with him for this festival. Introducing the concept of Osianama film complex in Mumbai, he said there was need to synthesize art and cinema to give them respectability.

In the programme compeered by actor Rajat Kapur, Tuli presented Vasudev with a shawl as a mark of respect.

Vasudev said when she had launched the 'Cinemaya', the world's first film quarterly on Asian cinema in 1988 people had been skeptical. She later launched the Cinefan Film Festival of Asian Cinema in 1999 on a meager budget of Rs 600,000 given by the Delhi Government. Joining hands with Osian's did not mean a surrender of independence, but the coming together of minds.

The two joint directors, Padgaonkar and Shrikent, said the festival was expected to raise awareness about the best in Asian and Arab cinema. They said the Festival now has a new look and a new feel with several sections being introduced for the first time.

The awards for the films will be presented during the Festival being held at Siri Fort complex and Alliance Francaise in New Delhi from 10 - 20 July. The award money this year would be over Rs One Crore for the Competition Sections and Lifetime Achievement Awards. The winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award were presented Rs. 800,000 each.

Thanks to http://businessofcinema.com

Hollywood blockbuster Hancock, to be honest, did not leave me too impressed.

Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron
Director: Tony Smith
Genre: Action

The central character did, yes. Hancock is a black superhero. No one is better suited to play that role but the loved icon of the black community Will Smith. He plays the character with a very serious overtone, almost a brooder.

Hancock is ageless. He is also homeless. He can also be jailed. He gets drunk. He has self-doubts. Like all super-heroes, he may be there to save the world.

But unlike all super-heroes, this one needs an image makeover.
A PR man comes into the picture to do that job for him; teach him to say, "thank you" or "good job".

So, if you compare it to films of the genre, this one attempts to be more rooted to reality, as it were. It's also slightly funny.

The other thing I noticed were pictures of the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb on this film's posters. I was excited about an India connection to the movie.

As it turns out, that's a bit of a fraud to sell the flick. Well, there is an Indian corner shop guy here. But then, you have one of those in almost every other Hollywood movie these days.

It's the story of how Hancock came into being that is truly hard to understand. That wouldn't have been such a problem.

Except, almost the entire film centres on it. That aspect also deals with the female-lead in the movie, played by Charlize Theron.

I can't dwell on this more, since that would mean giving the movie's well-kept secrets away. Effectively, by the time the super character has been suitably introduced, the film ends abruptly. There may be a second part. This one leaves you dry.

It is nice to see super-hero stuff where there is a lot more than just things getting blown up all over the place. But then, if there has to be more, there better be a lot more. Just this much supposed in-depth thinking, for the sake of it, won't do.

Thanks to http://www.ndtvmovies.com

Movie : Mehbooba
Producer : Afzal Khan
Director Afzal Khan
Music : Ismail Darbar
Writer : Afzal Khan, Rumi Jaffrey, Javed Siddiqui
Lyrics : Anand Bakshi
Release : Date 11-Jul-2008

Producer : Pammi Baweja
Director : Harry Baweja
Music : Himesh Reshammiya
Writer : Harry Baweja
Lyrics : Javed Akhtar
Release : Date 04-Jul-2008

Movie Report
Love Story 2050 marks the debut of Harman Baweja, one actor who has been lapped up by industry bigwigs even before his debut vehicle has hit the screens. Harry Baweja has given a lavish launch for his son Harman. A lesson here for star-fathers wanting to launch their sons.

Karan (Harman) is a rich, spirited, sporty boy lives life off the rules. His mother passed away when he was very young and his dad is too busy looking after his business. He runs into Sana (Priyanka Chopra) a petite, shy girl lives life by the rules while on a jog. Fate sets up another meeting when Sana mistakes him to be her friend's boyfriend. One thing leads to another and the two are soon in love. Karan has an uncle who is a scientist (Boman Irani) who is experimenting with a time machine.
Once, Sana and Karan enter the time machine and 'enter' Mumbai 2050, as their destination, the place they want to be. However, the time machine is not ready and nothing happens, with the exception of a short circuit. One day when Sana and Karan are out for a drive, she meets with an accident and dies. Karan is shattered. Uncle meanwhile stumbles on the correct formula to set the time machine in motion. The two then set out to meet Sana in the future.

Sana in 2050 is now Zeisha, a very popular singer. She has no recollection of her past life as Karan once again tries to win her heart. He does manage, and dodges a cruel doctor to make it to the time machine seconds before it can take-off back to where it came from the year 2008.

Director Harry Baweja is letdown by the script. The idea is exciting, but what comes across is off-putting. Anu Malik's music is tuneful. 'Sach Kehna' and 'Milo Na Milo' stand out, also because Harman's dance movements are exceptional [kudos to the choreographer].

On the acting front, the film proves decent for Harman's much awaited launch. Harman surely impresses with his dance moves and style but he needs to concentrate on his dialogue delivery and needs to go a bit slower. Priyanka Chopra is clearly wasted here. Though she is there in most of the frames.
On the whole, Harry Baweja no doubts takes you into future and shows you the flying cars and 200 storey buildings. But somew how he fails at romance a bit. The script has no power. Harry gave more preference to special effects than the story of the film. In nutshell only Harman, his looks, and his dancing style is the life of the film.

The music of Farhan Akhtar’s acting plus singing debut ‘Rock On’ was launched on Monday at the Inifinity Mall in Andheri. The evening was marked by some truly rocking performances by the talented musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Farhan Akhtar.

Kicking off the evening, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's power packed performance left everyone craving for more. And soon the audience went crazy when Farhan Akhtar himself set the stage on fire two foot-tapping numbers from the movie, in his amazing rock star look. Farhan’s father Javed Akhtar, formally released the album at the live concert. The famous lyricist has also written the songs for son’s movie.

‘Rock On’ is about four members of a band who reunite after going their separate ways. The cast of the film includes Purab Kohli, Shahana Goswami and Luke Kenny along with Arjun Rampal and junior Farhan. Rock star Farhan plays the lead singer and sings a whopping five out of nine songs in the film.

Farhan’s ‘Rock On’ is slated for release in August.

Thanks to http://www.zeenews.com