LOS ANGELES: The slavery drama "12 Years a Slave" won the Academy Award for best picture on Sunday, making history as the first movie from a black director to win the film industry's highest honor in 86 years of the Oscars.
British director Steve McQueen's unflinching portrayal of pre-Civil War American slavery won two other Oscars, including best supporting actress for newcomer Lupita Nyong'o and best adapted screenplay based on the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free man tricked and sold into slavery in Louisiana.
"Everyone deserves not just to survive but to live. This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup," said McQueen in his acceptance speech.
"12 Years a Slave," prevailed over space thriller "Gravity" from Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, which nevertheless racked up the most Oscars of the night with seven, including the best director honor for Cuaron, a first for a Latin American director.
The film starring Sandra Bullock as an astronaut lost in space swept the technical awards like visual effects and cinematography, a reward for its groundbreaking work on conveying space and weightlessness.
Referring to the "transformative" experience he and others undertook in the four-plus years spent making "Gravity," Cuaron, whose hair is graying, said, "For a lot of these people, that transformation was wisdom. For me, it was just the color of my hair."
In one of the strongest years for film in recent memory, the 6,000-plus voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences scattered golden Oscar statuettes among the many acclaimed movies in contention.
It was a good night for the scrappy, low-budget film "Dallas Buyers Club," a biopic of an early AIDS activist two decades in the making that won three Oscars, including the two male acting awards.
Matthew McConaughey, in a validation of a remarkable career turnaround, won best actor for his portrayal of the homophobe turned AIDS victim turned treatment crusader Ron Woodroof, a role for which he lost 50 pounds (23 kg).
His co-star, Jared Leto, won best supporting actor for his role as Woodroof's unlikely business sidekick, the transgender woman Rayon, for which he also slimmed down drastically.
Australia's Cate Blanchett won the best actress Oscar for her acclaimed role as the socialite unhinged by her husband's financial crimes in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine."
"As random and subjective as this award is, it means a great deal in a year of, yet again, extraordinary performances by women," said Blanchett, who beat out previous Oscar winners Bullock, Amy Adams, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep.
The big loser of the night was director David O. Russell's 1970s crime caper "American Hustle," which walked away empty-handed despite earning 10 nominations, the same number as "Gravity." Martin Scorsese's tale of financial greed, "The Wolf of Wall Street," also failed to take home Oscars.
But it was also a night of predictable wins for heavy favorites.
The tale of Nordic princesses, "Frozen," won best animated film, a first for Disney Animation Studios since the category was introduced in 2002, and its girl-power anthem "Let It Go" won best original song.
For best foreign language film, Italy took its 11th Oscar in that category with "The Great Beauty," a visually stunning film about life in Rome and a writer in crisis.
Comic and talk show star Ellen DeGeneres returned as Oscar host on Sunday, bringing a deadpan affability, and pizza, to the Academy Awards show while still poking fun at Hollywood royalty.
In her easy breezy style, DeGeneres mixed with the crowd like she did back in 2007, taking a star-studded selfie with the likes of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie that broke the record for retweets on Twitter. And she largely avoided the ribald humor that landed her predecessor Seth MacFarlane in hot water last year.
Early reviews were broadly positive, but Variety's Brian Lowry noted that the opening monologue by DeGeneres "screamed of a desire to dial the show back to safer terrain."
Kenyan actress Nyong'o was one of the big stars of the night, not only for her winning pale blue Prada gown on the red carpet, but also for her touching speech.
In accepting the first award of the night for "12 Years a Slave," Nyong'o, 31, paid homage to her character, who picked more cotton than anyone else but suffered at the hands of her besotted yet evil master.
"It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's, and so I want to salute the spirit of Patsey, for her guidance," a tearful Nyong'o told the audience.
Sunday capped an unusually long awards season, extended by the Winter Olympics, and for "12 Years a Slave" it spells the end of six months of both high acclaim and uncertainty over awards stemming from the perception that it was a hard film to watch.
The film from studio Fox Searchlight compelled Oscar voters to go see the film with the ad 'It's Time," fearing that they might skip it and throw their weight behind "Gravity." It has earned nearly $140 million at the worldwide box office, a fraction of the $700 million for "Gravity."
Right to the end, McQueen and his fellow producers, including Pitt, stuck to his line that slavery was a theme that is not only historical but also current.
"We just hope this film remains a gentle reminder that we are all equal," said Pitt backstage.
Showing posts with label ENTERTAINMNET. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ENTERTAINMNET. Show all posts
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Delhi HC blocks release of 'Gulaab Gang'
DELHI:The Delhi High Court Wednesday stayed the release of forthcoming Hindi movie "Gulaab Gang", reportedly based on the life of activist Sampat Pal, who formed Gulabi Gang, a group of pink sari clad women vigilantes in Uttar Pradesh. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva stayed the release of the film, starring Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla, saying that if it is allowed to be released it will cause irreparable damage to the reputation of Sampat Pal. The film was set for release March 7. "Reputation once lost is lost forever and can not come back and even can't be compensated with monetary terms," the court said.
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Paris Picasso museum to reopen after five years
PARIS, (AFP) - Five years after it closed for a two-year renovation, Paris s Picasso museum -- which houses one of the world s most extensive collections of the Spanish master s work -- is to reopen its doors.
The final bill for the refurbishment of the 17th-century baroque mansion in Paris s historic Marais quarter now stands at 52 million Euros ($71 million), 22 million euros more than the original budget due to changes in the scope of the work.
The museum is scheduled to open to the public again in June, president of the gallery Anne Baldassari told AFP, adding that a more than doubling of the space available would allow curators to really "do justice to the collection".
Although the museum has around 5,000 paintings drawings, sculptures, ceramics, photographs and documents, previously only a fraction could be displayed at any one time due to the limited space available.
The renovations will boost the exhibition space to 40,000 square feet (3,800 square meters).
There will also be a corresponding rise in the number of visitors that can be admitted at once from 380 to 650, and annual admission figures are expected to jump from 450,000 to 850,000.
Baldassari said that if all went to plan most of the works would be brought out of storage at the end of April and arranged for display during May. The museum closed in August 2009.
"It s been a revolution," she said.
"Everything is new, everything has a fresh coat of paint, everything has been renovated, and everything works."
The museum will in future hold one major exhibition each year. The first in mid-2015 in collaboration with New York s Museum of Modern Art will take Picasso s sculpture as its theme.
The Paris museum opened for the first time in 1985 with most of exhibits left to the French state on Picasso s death in 1973. Others were donated by his family including his widow Jacqueline.
The final bill for the refurbishment of the 17th-century baroque mansion in Paris s historic Marais quarter now stands at 52 million Euros ($71 million), 22 million euros more than the original budget due to changes in the scope of the work.
The museum is scheduled to open to the public again in June, president of the gallery Anne Baldassari told AFP, adding that a more than doubling of the space available would allow curators to really "do justice to the collection".
Although the museum has around 5,000 paintings drawings, sculptures, ceramics, photographs and documents, previously only a fraction could be displayed at any one time due to the limited space available.
The renovations will boost the exhibition space to 40,000 square feet (3,800 square meters).
There will also be a corresponding rise in the number of visitors that can be admitted at once from 380 to 650, and annual admission figures are expected to jump from 450,000 to 850,000.
Baldassari said that if all went to plan most of the works would be brought out of storage at the end of April and arranged for display during May. The museum closed in August 2009.
"It s been a revolution," she said.
"Everything is new, everything has a fresh coat of paint, everything has been renovated, and everything works."
The museum will in future hold one major exhibition each year. The first in mid-2015 in collaboration with New York s Museum of Modern Art will take Picasso s sculpture as its theme.
The Paris museum opened for the first time in 1985 with most of exhibits left to the French state on Picasso s death in 1973. Others were donated by his family including his widow Jacqueline.
Friday, 14 February 2014
Mehdi to showcase at PFA 2014
LONDON:Mohammad Mehdi, a graduate of PSFD (affiliated with La Chambre Syndicate de la Couture parisienne, France) took up his passion for sculpture and pottery after completing his degree but decided to switch to fashion designing in 2002, by creating a small collection.
The success of that collection led to launch of the brand Mehdi in 2004.He is one of the top most brands of Pakistan, producing and delivering the most stunning and glamorous designs for the people in love with fashion. Mehdi has a loyal clientele and admirers of his work, both at home as well as abroad. Mehdi has done several fashion shows all over the world. His fashion shows met tremendous success in Lahore,Karachi, Islamabad, New York, Houston, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles,Portland, London, Romania, Mauritius, Manchester and Toronto.
He does not believe in what is in and what is out, he rather believes in statements. He always promises to create a silhouette what a perfect fit, alluring cut, a dreamy fall of the design and mouth watering colors that blend into the signature Mehdi embellishment style.
“Versatility is what he labels as his biggest strength”.
The success of that collection led to launch of the brand Mehdi in 2004.He is one of the top most brands of Pakistan, producing and delivering the most stunning and glamorous designs for the people in love with fashion. Mehdi has a loyal clientele and admirers of his work, both at home as well as abroad. Mehdi has done several fashion shows all over the world. His fashion shows met tremendous success in Lahore,Karachi, Islamabad, New York, Houston, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles,Portland, London, Romania, Mauritius, Manchester and Toronto.
He does not believe in what is in and what is out, he rather believes in statements. He always promises to create a silhouette what a perfect fit, alluring cut, a dreamy fall of the design and mouth watering colors that blend into the signature Mehdi embellishment style.
“Versatility is what he labels as his biggest strength”.
Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed injured in Lahore firing
LAHORE: Renowned playwright Asghar Nadeem Syed was injured Tuesday when unknown motorcyclists opened fire on his vehicle in Lahore, DawnNews reported.
According to sources, Syed was traveling in his car near Shaukat Khanum Hospital when unidentified assailants opened fire on him.
Upon hearing the gunshots, he ducked, however, he was hit in the right arm and shoulder.
Following the attack, the gunmen fled from the scene.
Meanwhile, Syed called Rescue 1122 from his cell phone and reported the attack.
The rescue personnel arrived at the scene and shifted him to Doctor's Hospital. Syed was being imparted emergency treatment.
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Legendary folk singer Reshma laid to rest
LAHORE: Reshma, known as Nightingale of the Desert was laid to rest here on Sunday.
Her funeral prayer was offered in Imamia Colony in Shahdara on Sunday. Relatives‚ artists and well wishers of Reshma attended her funeral.
Reshma passed away after protracted illness in Lahore on Sunday morning. She was sixty-six. She had been suffering from throat cancer and was in coma for the last two months.
Reshma was born in village Loha‚ Tehsil Ratangarh district Churu near Bikaner‚ Rajasthan to a Banjara (Gypsy) family around 1947. Her father Haji Mushtaq was a camel and horse trader from Malashi. She belonged to a tribe which had converted to Islam. Her tribe migrated to Karachi shortly after the Partition of India‚ when she was just one month old.
She did not receive any formal education and spent much of her childhood singing at the shrines of the mystic saints of Sindh.
When she was twelve years old‚ she was spotted singing at Shahbaaz Qalandar s shrine by a television and radio producer‚ who arranged for her to make a recording of "Laal Meri" on Radio Pakistan.
She became an instant hit and since that day‚ Reshma has been one of the most popular folk singers of Pakistan‚ appearing on television in the 1960s‚ recording songs for both the Pakistani and Indian film industry‚ and performing at home and abroad.
Some of her famous numbers are "Dama Dam Mast Kalandar"‚ "Hai O Rabba nahion lagda dil mera"‚ "Sun charkhe di mithi mithi cook mahiya meinu yaad aunda"‚ "Wey main chori chori"‚ "Ankhiyan no rehen de ankhyan de kol kol".
The last was used by Raj Kapoor in Bobby‚ "Ankhyon ko rehne de ankhyon ke aas pass"‚ sung by Lata.
Reshma’s fame had crossed the border‚ thanks to pirated tapes. She was able to perform live in India much later‚ during the 1980s when India and Pakistan allowed exchange of artists.
Subhash Ghai used her voice to great effect in the film Hero‚ which featured one of her most famous songs‚ "Lambi Judai".
During her career she was invited to meet Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In October 2002‚ Reshma performed at the Brunei Gallery in London to a packed fall of Pakistani expatriates.
In 2004‚ she recorded "Ashkan Di Gali Vich Mukaam De Gaya"‚ which was used in the Bollywood film Woh Tera Naam Tha‚ and was also a hit record in India.
In January 2006‚ she was one of the passengers on the inaugural Lahore-Amritsar bus‚ the first such service linking both parts of the Punjab since 1947. The bus had 26 passengers in total of whom 15 were Pakistani officials‚ and Reshma had booked seven seats for herself and her family.
Her last residence was in the area of Icchra in Lahore Pakistan. She was a vegetarian. Her younger sister Kaneez Reshma is also a professional singer.
Reshma was diagnosed with throat cancer in the 1980s‚ in later years her health deteriorated. Her health deteriorated to such an extent that she was hospitalised in Lahore‚ in Doctors Hospital on 6th April 2013. Reshma fell into a coma in October 2013 and died on 3rd November 2013.
She was also awarded with Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PTI chief Imran Khan and others expressed profound grief and sorrow over the demise of the renowned singer.
They prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and for the courage of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude.
Her funeral prayer was offered in Imamia Colony in Shahdara on Sunday. Relatives‚ artists and well wishers of Reshma attended her funeral.
Reshma passed away after protracted illness in Lahore on Sunday morning. She was sixty-six. She had been suffering from throat cancer and was in coma for the last two months.
Reshma was born in village Loha‚ Tehsil Ratangarh district Churu near Bikaner‚ Rajasthan to a Banjara (Gypsy) family around 1947. Her father Haji Mushtaq was a camel and horse trader from Malashi. She belonged to a tribe which had converted to Islam. Her tribe migrated to Karachi shortly after the Partition of India‚ when she was just one month old.
She did not receive any formal education and spent much of her childhood singing at the shrines of the mystic saints of Sindh.
When she was twelve years old‚ she was spotted singing at Shahbaaz Qalandar s shrine by a television and radio producer‚ who arranged for her to make a recording of "Laal Meri" on Radio Pakistan.
She became an instant hit and since that day‚ Reshma has been one of the most popular folk singers of Pakistan‚ appearing on television in the 1960s‚ recording songs for both the Pakistani and Indian film industry‚ and performing at home and abroad.
Some of her famous numbers are "Dama Dam Mast Kalandar"‚ "Hai O Rabba nahion lagda dil mera"‚ "Sun charkhe di mithi mithi cook mahiya meinu yaad aunda"‚ "Wey main chori chori"‚ "Ankhiyan no rehen de ankhyan de kol kol".
The last was used by Raj Kapoor in Bobby‚ "Ankhyon ko rehne de ankhyon ke aas pass"‚ sung by Lata.
Reshma’s fame had crossed the border‚ thanks to pirated tapes. She was able to perform live in India much later‚ during the 1980s when India and Pakistan allowed exchange of artists.
Subhash Ghai used her voice to great effect in the film Hero‚ which featured one of her most famous songs‚ "Lambi Judai".
During her career she was invited to meet Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In October 2002‚ Reshma performed at the Brunei Gallery in London to a packed fall of Pakistani expatriates.
In 2004‚ she recorded "Ashkan Di Gali Vich Mukaam De Gaya"‚ which was used in the Bollywood film Woh Tera Naam Tha‚ and was also a hit record in India.
In January 2006‚ she was one of the passengers on the inaugural Lahore-Amritsar bus‚ the first such service linking both parts of the Punjab since 1947. The bus had 26 passengers in total of whom 15 were Pakistani officials‚ and Reshma had booked seven seats for herself and her family.
Her last residence was in the area of Icchra in Lahore Pakistan. She was a vegetarian. Her younger sister Kaneez Reshma is also a professional singer.
Reshma was diagnosed with throat cancer in the 1980s‚ in later years her health deteriorated. Her health deteriorated to such an extent that she was hospitalised in Lahore‚ in Doctors Hospital on 6th April 2013. Reshma fell into a coma in October 2013 and died on 3rd November 2013.
She was also awarded with Sitara-i-Imtiaz.
President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PTI chief Imran Khan and others expressed profound grief and sorrow over the demise of the renowned singer.
They prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and for the courage of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude.
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Friendship with SRK not same as before: Juhi Chawla
MUMBAI (Web Desk) - Actress Juhi Chawla feels her friendship with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is not the same as before, primarily due to the busy schedule of the superstar.
"Whose friendship is the same as ever before anyways! And we are very, very busy people and Shah Rukh Khan is all the more busy than anyone, so where we have time for friendships? But of course we are friends, no doubt," Juhi told PTI in an exclusive interview.
"Not just him, anybody from the industry; where do I meet anyone as such? It just doesn't happen. We are all running around doing our work," she said.
Juhi teamed up with Shah Rukh in several movies, including 'Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman', 'Darr', 'Duplicate', 'Yes Boss' among others and most of them were hit. She is ready to pair up with him again on-screen.
"Of course I would love to do a film with him. Anybody will be interested in doing a film with him. But how, when, where... all this, maybe you should ask him only," she said.
Shah Rukh and Juhi were considered one of the best on screen pair in Bollywood.
According to Juhi, the secret behind their chemistry was the brilliant films they were offered. "We did wonderful films, we had great directors, I had a wonderful time but all that is history now. But I am so glad that it is a very good history," she said.
The actress, who still looks stunning says she believes in keeping herself fit. "I do yoga, I have started doing pilates. And talking about the secret for beauty, I don't feel I am all that beautiful. But, I eat healthy food, have healthy thoughts," she said.
Juhi will be seen next in 'Gulaab Gang', which is loosely based on Uttar Pradesh-based Sampat Pal's 'Gulabi Gang', which works for women's betterment. The film features Madhuri Dixit in the main lead and Juhi in a negative role.
"Whose friendship is the same as ever before anyways! And we are very, very busy people and Shah Rukh Khan is all the more busy than anyone, so where we have time for friendships? But of course we are friends, no doubt," Juhi told PTI in an exclusive interview.
"Not just him, anybody from the industry; where do I meet anyone as such? It just doesn't happen. We are all running around doing our work," she said.
Juhi teamed up with Shah Rukh in several movies, including 'Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman', 'Darr', 'Duplicate', 'Yes Boss' among others and most of them were hit. She is ready to pair up with him again on-screen.
"Of course I would love to do a film with him. Anybody will be interested in doing a film with him. But how, when, where... all this, maybe you should ask him only," she said.
Shah Rukh and Juhi were considered one of the best on screen pair in Bollywood.
According to Juhi, the secret behind their chemistry was the brilliant films they were offered. "We did wonderful films, we had great directors, I had a wonderful time but all that is history now. But I am so glad that it is a very good history," she said.
The actress, who still looks stunning says she believes in keeping herself fit. "I do yoga, I have started doing pilates. And talking about the secret for beauty, I don't feel I am all that beautiful. But, I eat healthy food, have healthy thoughts," she said.
Juhi will be seen next in 'Gulaab Gang', which is loosely based on Uttar Pradesh-based Sampat Pal's 'Gulabi Gang', which works for women's betterment. The film features Madhuri Dixit in the main lead and Juhi in a negative role.
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
'Diana' film opens despite criticism
PARIS (AFP) - The film "Diana" starring Naomi Watts, which received a critical drubbing after its premiere in London earlier this month, gets its first European general release in Hungary from Thursday.
Purporting to tell the story of the late Princess Diana s romance with UK-based Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, the movie has been dismissed by Khan as "based on hypotheses and gossip".
Some scenes in the film depict incidents already widely reported in British media such as Khan being smuggled into Diana s Kensington Palace London residence lying on the backseat of her car covered in a blanket or Diana meeting his mother in Lahore in Pakistan.
Others are either less well known or purely imaginary such as Diana accompanying Khan to a jazz club disguised in a brown wig and bedroom scenes such as one in which they are shown lying under a cover by a bed.
In the absence of testimony from Khan, the film is necessarily controversial as it draws on author Kate Snell s 2001 book "Diana: Her Last Love" with which Khan did not cooperate.
It suggests that Diana had been dating Dodi Fayed, who died with her in a car crash in Paris, in order to make Khan jealous following the break-up of the relationship, a claim disputed by many close to her.
Diana, who was divorced from Charles in 1996, died aged 36 alongside Fayed and Henri Paul, the French chauffeur of the car in which they were travelling, in August 1997.
Sixteen years earlier, as Lady Diana Spencer, she was catapulted to global fame when she married heir to the British throne Prince Charles in a "fairy tale" ceremony at St Paul s Cathedral.
But as the world s most photographed woman, she ultimately fell victim to an increasingly rapacious paparazzi.
After her death, then Prime Minister Tony Blair memorably described her as "Queen of People s hearts". Many thousands of people lined the streets of London for her funeral which was televised around the world.
The film generated controversy even before its premiere in London after Watts appeared to claim in an interview that Diana had in some way granted approval for the film from beyond the grave.
"I felt like I was spending a lot of time with her. There was one particular moment when I felt her permission was granted," the actress told Britain s Mail on Sunday newspaper.
The British-Australian actress later stormed out of a promotional interview with BBC radio, apparently offended by some the line of questioning.
Directed by Germany s Oliver Hirschbiegel, best known for his 2005 film "Downfall" about the last days of Hitler, the film has been officially ignored by the royal family.
One reviewer panned it as "atrocious and intrusive" with a "squirmingly embarrassing script".
For his part, Khan, 54, whom Diana supposedly called her "Mr Wonderful" continues to work in Britain and is also setting up a charity heart hospital near his parents home in Jhelum in Pakistan.
Played in the film by British-Indian actor Naveen Andrews, he has always refused to talk about the details of their relationship and said he has no intention of seeing the movie.
"It is based on gossip and Diana s friends talking about a relationship that they didn t know much about, and some of my relatives who didn t know much about it either. It is all based on hypotheses and gossip," he told the Mail on Sunday last month.
After Hungary on Thursday, "Diana" will be released in Iceland, Poland, Ireland and the UK on Friday, in Belgium on September 25 followed by France on October 2 and Italy October 3.
Purporting to tell the story of the late Princess Diana s romance with UK-based Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, the movie has been dismissed by Khan as "based on hypotheses and gossip".
Some scenes in the film depict incidents already widely reported in British media such as Khan being smuggled into Diana s Kensington Palace London residence lying on the backseat of her car covered in a blanket or Diana meeting his mother in Lahore in Pakistan.
Others are either less well known or purely imaginary such as Diana accompanying Khan to a jazz club disguised in a brown wig and bedroom scenes such as one in which they are shown lying under a cover by a bed.
In the absence of testimony from Khan, the film is necessarily controversial as it draws on author Kate Snell s 2001 book "Diana: Her Last Love" with which Khan did not cooperate.
It suggests that Diana had been dating Dodi Fayed, who died with her in a car crash in Paris, in order to make Khan jealous following the break-up of the relationship, a claim disputed by many close to her.
Diana, who was divorced from Charles in 1996, died aged 36 alongside Fayed and Henri Paul, the French chauffeur of the car in which they were travelling, in August 1997.
Sixteen years earlier, as Lady Diana Spencer, she was catapulted to global fame when she married heir to the British throne Prince Charles in a "fairy tale" ceremony at St Paul s Cathedral.
But as the world s most photographed woman, she ultimately fell victim to an increasingly rapacious paparazzi.
After her death, then Prime Minister Tony Blair memorably described her as "Queen of People s hearts". Many thousands of people lined the streets of London for her funeral which was televised around the world.
The film generated controversy even before its premiere in London after Watts appeared to claim in an interview that Diana had in some way granted approval for the film from beyond the grave.
"I felt like I was spending a lot of time with her. There was one particular moment when I felt her permission was granted," the actress told Britain s Mail on Sunday newspaper.
The British-Australian actress later stormed out of a promotional interview with BBC radio, apparently offended by some the line of questioning.
Directed by Germany s Oliver Hirschbiegel, best known for his 2005 film "Downfall" about the last days of Hitler, the film has been officially ignored by the royal family.
One reviewer panned it as "atrocious and intrusive" with a "squirmingly embarrassing script".
For his part, Khan, 54, whom Diana supposedly called her "Mr Wonderful" continues to work in Britain and is also setting up a charity heart hospital near his parents home in Jhelum in Pakistan.
Played in the film by British-Indian actor Naveen Andrews, he has always refused to talk about the details of their relationship and said he has no intention of seeing the movie.
"It is based on gossip and Diana s friends talking about a relationship that they didn t know much about, and some of my relatives who didn t know much about it either. It is all based on hypotheses and gossip," he told the Mail on Sunday last month.
After Hungary on Thursday, "Diana" will be released in Iceland, Poland, Ireland and the UK on Friday, in Belgium on September 25 followed by France on October 2 and Italy October 3.
Wednesday, 4 September 2013
Priyanka Chopra wants to balance life like Beyonce
MUMBAI: "I admire Beyonce a lot because she is an amazing performer and more than anything, she balances her personal and professional life very well," Priyanka said in Mumbai.
"She has a child, and at the same time, her professional life also, which is amazing! That s the kind of a person I would like to be - who can balance both personal and professional life together," she added.
Priyanka, who is charting her own singing career after becoming a successful actress, says it was her late father, who always wanted her to be a singer.
The 31-year-old has already launched two international singles - In my city and Exotic.
But it was a well-timed decision to get into the singing field, she believes.
"In the beginning of my career, I never knew acting. I have learnt everything in my career itself. When you have gone to acting school, when you are in the film industry, there is some familiarity, but I didn t have these familiarities.
"So it took some time and when I reached somewhere, I got this opportunity of music and that time I was little more comfortable in films and my dad really wanted me to do it," Priyanka said.
"She has a child, and at the same time, her professional life also, which is amazing! That s the kind of a person I would like to be - who can balance both personal and professional life together," she added.
Priyanka, who is charting her own singing career after becoming a successful actress, says it was her late father, who always wanted her to be a singer.
The 31-year-old has already launched two international singles - In my city and Exotic.
But it was a well-timed decision to get into the singing field, she believes.
"In the beginning of my career, I never knew acting. I have learnt everything in my career itself. When you have gone to acting school, when you are in the film industry, there is some familiarity, but I didn t have these familiarities.
"So it took some time and when I reached somewhere, I got this opportunity of music and that time I was little more comfortable in films and my dad really wanted me to do it," Priyanka said.
Friday, 30 August 2013
Irish poet Nobel winner Seamus Heaney dies at 74
DUBLIN (AP) - Seamus Heaney, Ireland s foremost poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995, died Friday after a half-century exploring the wild beauty of Ireland and the political torment within the nation s soul. He was 74.
Heaney s family and publisher, Faber & Faber, said in a statement that Heaney died in a Dublin hospital. He had been recuperating from a stroke since 2006.
The Northern Ireland-born Heaney was widely considered Ireland s greatest poet since William Butler Yeats. He wrote 13 collections of poetry, two plays, four prose works on the process of poetry, and many other works. Heaney was the third Irishman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, joining Yeats and Samuel Beckett.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins, himself a poet, led a torrent of tributes from political leaders and fellow writers from across the political divides, north and south, Irish Catholic and British Protestant. "The presence of Seamus was a warm one, full of humor, care and courtesy," Higgins said.
" We are blessed to call Seamus Heaney our own and thankful for the gift of him in our national life. ... There are no words to describe adequately our nation s and poetry s grief at the passing of Seamus Heaney," said Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
The eldest of nine children, Heaney went to Catholic boarding school in Northern Ireland s second-largest city,
Londonderry, a bitterly divided community that soon became the crucible of "the troubles," the quaint local euphemism for a four-decade conflict over the British territory that has claimed more than 3,700 lives.
Life in 1950s Londonderry, where Catholics outnumbered Protestants two to one but were gerrymandered from power, provided Heaney his first real taste of injustice and ambiguity Irish-style.
His early work was rooted in vivid description of rural experience, but gradually he wedded this to the frictions, deceptions and contradictions rife in his conflicted homeland.
In 1972, the most deadly year of Northern Ireland s conflict, Heaney left his academic post in Queen s University in Belfast to settle in the Republic of Ireland. That year, he published "Wintering Out," a collection of poems that offered only oblique references to the unrest in the north.
His follow-up 1975 collection, "North," captured the Irish imagination with his pitch-perfect sense of the evils of sectarianism.
One of its poems, "Whatever You Say Say Nothing," became a Northern Ireland catch phrase for the art of avoiding identifying one s religion to probing strangers.
Heaney s family and publisher, Faber & Faber, said in a statement that Heaney died in a Dublin hospital. He had been recuperating from a stroke since 2006.
The Northern Ireland-born Heaney was widely considered Ireland s greatest poet since William Butler Yeats. He wrote 13 collections of poetry, two plays, four prose works on the process of poetry, and many other works. Heaney was the third Irishman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, joining Yeats and Samuel Beckett.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins, himself a poet, led a torrent of tributes from political leaders and fellow writers from across the political divides, north and south, Irish Catholic and British Protestant. "The presence of Seamus was a warm one, full of humor, care and courtesy," Higgins said.
" We are blessed to call Seamus Heaney our own and thankful for the gift of him in our national life. ... There are no words to describe adequately our nation s and poetry s grief at the passing of Seamus Heaney," said Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
The eldest of nine children, Heaney went to Catholic boarding school in Northern Ireland s second-largest city,
Londonderry, a bitterly divided community that soon became the crucible of "the troubles," the quaint local euphemism for a four-decade conflict over the British territory that has claimed more than 3,700 lives.
Life in 1950s Londonderry, where Catholics outnumbered Protestants two to one but were gerrymandered from power, provided Heaney his first real taste of injustice and ambiguity Irish-style.
His early work was rooted in vivid description of rural experience, but gradually he wedded this to the frictions, deceptions and contradictions rife in his conflicted homeland.
In 1972, the most deadly year of Northern Ireland s conflict, Heaney left his academic post in Queen s University in Belfast to settle in the Republic of Ireland. That year, he published "Wintering Out," a collection of poems that offered only oblique references to the unrest in the north.
His follow-up 1975 collection, "North," captured the Irish imagination with his pitch-perfect sense of the evils of sectarianism.
One of its poems, "Whatever You Say Say Nothing," became a Northern Ireland catch phrase for the art of avoiding identifying one s religion to probing strangers.
Saturday, 10 August 2013
SRK's 'Chennai Express' breaks Bollywood records
MUMBAI (Web Desk) - The film broke the previous record set last year by Salman Khan s Ek Tha Tiger.
"Let s begin the day with a smashing news. Chennai Express smashes all previous records, collects Rs 33.12 cr on Friday. Creates history," confirmed Bollywood trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
The Rohit Shetty-directed action romance has also set new first day figures for a Bollywood film in the UK.
"Chennai Express is on a record-smashing spree in UK as well. Collects £ 258,598 on Friday. Highest opening day for a Hindi movie," posted Adarsh.
The project additionally broke previous records for Thursday night paid previews, previously held by Aamir Khan s 3 Idiots.
In the UK, the film has opened with a higher number of prints than most Bollywood films, releasing at a number of cinemas that do not typically screen Indian cinema.
Khan s film is expected to surpass 100 crores within 5 days of its release.
"Let s begin the day with a smashing news. Chennai Express smashes all previous records, collects Rs 33.12 cr on Friday. Creates history," confirmed Bollywood trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
The Rohit Shetty-directed action romance has also set new first day figures for a Bollywood film in the UK.
"Chennai Express is on a record-smashing spree in UK as well. Collects £ 258,598 on Friday. Highest opening day for a Hindi movie," posted Adarsh.
The project additionally broke previous records for Thursday night paid previews, previously held by Aamir Khan s 3 Idiots.
In the UK, the film has opened with a higher number of prints than most Bollywood films, releasing at a number of cinemas that do not typically screen Indian cinema.
Khan s film is expected to surpass 100 crores within 5 days of its release.
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
I don't believe in comebacks: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Bollywood: There were reports of Ash being approached for films with Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, but the actress isn't keen to divulge anything. "It is too early to talk about projects now. Nothing has been finalised yet," she said to the foreigh media.
Otherwise, she has been too busy with baby Aaradhya and Ash doesn't like to term her hiatus as a 'break.' "I don't believe in comebacks. When was I away from the industry that I have to make a comeback now? I was always involved in it, so there is no point, in terming it as a 'comeback'. Yes, I was enjoying a slight break with my daughter and I thoroughly loved it."
And, she surely is cherishing motherhood. "Motherhood is a whole book in itself. It has changed me and enhanced me as a person. I cannot put it simply in answer," she added.
Apart from her daughter, the actress treasures the loha (an iron bangle) given to her by her mom-in-law Jaya Bachchan. "I enjoy jewellery a lot. But the most treasured are the very simple pieces, which include my wedding ring, a Manglorean style bangle and my mother-in-law's loha, which I cherish," she added.
The Bollywood actress may or may not work in Bollywood movies and if she does, it wont be termed as a comeback.
Otherwise, she has been too busy with baby Aaradhya and Ash doesn't like to term her hiatus as a 'break.' "I don't believe in comebacks. When was I away from the industry that I have to make a comeback now? I was always involved in it, so there is no point, in terming it as a 'comeback'. Yes, I was enjoying a slight break with my daughter and I thoroughly loved it."
And, she surely is cherishing motherhood. "Motherhood is a whole book in itself. It has changed me and enhanced me as a person. I cannot put it simply in answer," she added.
Apart from her daughter, the actress treasures the loha (an iron bangle) given to her by her mom-in-law Jaya Bachchan. "I enjoy jewellery a lot. But the most treasured are the very simple pieces, which include my wedding ring, a Manglorean style bangle and my mother-in-law's loha, which I cherish," she added.
The Bollywood actress may or may not work in Bollywood movies and if she does, it wont be termed as a comeback.
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Sensuality is a part of human emotion: Shruti Haasan
NEW DELHI (Web Desk) - Actress Shruti Haasan, who plays a prostitute in her upcoming release "D-Day", shot some bold scenes with Arjun Rampal for the film. She asserts that sensuality is a key element of her character, and says it hasn t been used just for titillation.
Directed by NIkhil Advani, "D-Day" is an espionage thriller slated to release July 19.
"I m playing a prostitute in the film and sensuality is a key element. We ve not done it for titillation or unnecessary scandalising. The character is like that," the 27-year-old actress said in an interview.
"If you do it in a wrong way, then the audience and actors both don t like it as the conviction is lost. It s very much integral to the character (in the film). As an actor, I feel we get to express all the emotions, and sensuality is a part of human emotion so its very important," she added.
The film also features Irrfan, Rishi Kapoor and Huma Qureshi in key roles.
Directed by NIkhil Advani, "D-Day" is an espionage thriller slated to release July 19.
"I m playing a prostitute in the film and sensuality is a key element. We ve not done it for titillation or unnecessary scandalising. The character is like that," the 27-year-old actress said in an interview.
"If you do it in a wrong way, then the audience and actors both don t like it as the conviction is lost. It s very much integral to the character (in the film). As an actor, I feel we get to express all the emotions, and sensuality is a part of human emotion so its very important," she added.
The film also features Irrfan, Rishi Kapoor and Huma Qureshi in key roles.
Monday, 24 June 2013
Angelina Jolie urges world to end rape in war
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Actress Angelina Jolie is making her debut before the UN s most powerful body as a special envoy for refugees and urging the world s nations to make the fight against rape in war a top priority.
She told the Security Council Monday that "hundreds of thousands if not millions of women, children and men have been raped in conflicts in our lifetimes."
But Jolie said "the world has yet to take up warzone rape as a serious priority." "You set the bar," she told the Security Council.
"If the council sets rape and sexual violence in conflict as a priority it will become one and progress will be made. If you do not, this horror will continue."
She told the Security Council Monday that "hundreds of thousands if not millions of women, children and men have been raped in conflicts in our lifetimes."
But Jolie said "the world has yet to take up warzone rape as a serious priority." "You set the bar," she told the Security Council.
"If the council sets rape and sexual violence in conflict as a priority it will become one and progress will be made. If you do not, this horror will continue."
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Sanjay Dutt surrenders before court
(Web Desk) - Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has surrendered at a Mumbai court on Thursday. There was chaos at the court as hundreds of people, including cameramen, crowded his car. The actor was able to get out and make his way into the courtroom only after about 20 minutes and much difficulty.
The actor left his Bandra home on Thursday afternoon, holding wife Manyata s hand, and, accompanied by family and friends, visited the famous Siddhivinayak temple on his way to court. All through the morning many members of the film fraternity, which has stood steadfast by the actor, visited him.
At the trial court, Dutt will be taken into custody and sent first to Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where paperwork will be completed. He is then expected to be moved to Pune s Yerawada jail to complete his prison term of five years.
The Supreme Court had in March upheld Mr Dutt s conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case for illegal possession of weapons, including an AK 56 rifle. The court reduced a trial court sentence of six years to five years and ordered the actor to serve 42 months in jail. He has already served 18 months 20 years ago, at the Yerawada jail.
The police and jail authorities have promised adequate security for Sanjay Dutt, who had claimed this week that he had received threats from "fundamentalist groups". The celebrity convict is expected to be lodged in what is known as the "Anda cell" at the Pune jail, which is egg-shaped. Half of it is sunk into the ground and is considered one the most secure cells in the prison.
The 56 days since the Supreme Court upheld his conviction on March 21 have been dramatic. After the verdict, a stunned Dutt appeared with folded hands and bowed head and wept on camera saying he would not appeal against the order.
As the date for his surrender drew closer, however, the actor appealed that he be given six months more to complete his seven films on the floor since it affected the livelihood of many people. The court gave him a month instead to wrap up all work. That month ends today.
Two men, Keri Adajania and Yusuf Nullwala, who destroyed the AK-56 rifle, will also surrender with Mr Dutt today.
The actor left his Bandra home on Thursday afternoon, holding wife Manyata s hand, and, accompanied by family and friends, visited the famous Siddhivinayak temple on his way to court. All through the morning many members of the film fraternity, which has stood steadfast by the actor, visited him.
At the trial court, Dutt will be taken into custody and sent first to Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where paperwork will be completed. He is then expected to be moved to Pune s Yerawada jail to complete his prison term of five years.
The Supreme Court had in March upheld Mr Dutt s conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case for illegal possession of weapons, including an AK 56 rifle. The court reduced a trial court sentence of six years to five years and ordered the actor to serve 42 months in jail. He has already served 18 months 20 years ago, at the Yerawada jail.
The police and jail authorities have promised adequate security for Sanjay Dutt, who had claimed this week that he had received threats from "fundamentalist groups". The celebrity convict is expected to be lodged in what is known as the "Anda cell" at the Pune jail, which is egg-shaped. Half of it is sunk into the ground and is considered one the most secure cells in the prison.
The 56 days since the Supreme Court upheld his conviction on March 21 have been dramatic. After the verdict, a stunned Dutt appeared with folded hands and bowed head and wept on camera saying he would not appeal against the order.
As the date for his surrender drew closer, however, the actor appealed that he be given six months more to complete his seven films on the floor since it affected the livelihood of many people. The court gave him a month instead to wrap up all work. That month ends today.
Two men, Keri Adajania and Yusuf Nullwala, who destroyed the AK-56 rifle, will also surrender with Mr Dutt today.
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Artist captures dingy life of Australian troops in Afghanistan
SYDNEY (AFP) - Watching the solemn parade of special forces soldiers climb into their trucks, blessed by a priest, and drive into the grey Afghan night, Australian artist Ben Quilty wondered if they would ever return.
Quilty, winner of Australia s prestigious Archibald portrait prize, spent 24 days embedded with troops in Kandahar and Tarinkot as the nation s official war artist, sketching, photographing and filming life as a modern soldier.
It is an "often very mundane existence, spiked with these extremely horrific, terrifying moments all the time -- much more than we hear in the press, they re all engaged constantly," he told AFP.
"People say So tell me what it was like , and it s an impossible question to answer. (For the soldiers) after eight months of driving out there into the desert and being engaged by an enemy, being involved in deaths so directly, there s no answer."
The embed in 2011 led to a collection of works titled "After Afghanistan" that is currently touring Australia after being exhibited in Sydney s National Art School this month.
The portraits -- huge, thickly textured canvases of visceral flesh and dark tones -- show the human face behind the headlines about shootings, helicopter crashes and IED (improvised explosive device) strikes in Afghanistan.
Quilty said his journey to Afghanistan took him to the extremes of human experience, continuing his work s exploration of masculinity and what he described as its "self-indulgent" rites of passage.
He was invited on very short notice, given three days to accept the assignment and deployed six weeks later.
The pre-deployment training, which he described as "emotional preparation" for some of the worst possible outcomes, was in itself an inspiration.
"(It s) quite (a) confronting and very moving experience to sit in this big theatre in Sydney with all these quite often really young people who are listening to this stuff with very real reason -- they re going to Afghanistan."
Once deployed, Quilty said he tried to remain in the background, feeling out of place and way out of his depth as rockets sailed into Kandahar base at night and he lay "shit-scared" on a cot in an armoured shipping container.
The troops were intrigued by his presence, a welcome break from the monotony and adrenaline of their lives, and Quilty said he met "quiet, sensitive and normal" people.
The major question for Quilty, who shirks simplistic labels like "pacifist" or "anti-war" but was terrified as a young man about the prospect of conscription, was "why".
"They re 18 and they look like they can t even shave, (you want to ask) does your mum know what you re doing? What are you doing here? ".
Some were following the family tradition, others were attracted to the emphasis on fitness, physicality and hierarchy, or had flunked school and saw military service as more respected and better paid than learning a trade.
It was a sensitive topic -- they spoke freely about the sounds a wounded man made, about watching a comrade die or suffer horrific injuries, but the why was something they couldn t, or wouldn t explain.
"They ve just got to get through this experience," he said.
"A lot of them wanted to get out, but they don t talk about that, there s no way they want their friends to hear that. It s destructive, you ve got to keep your shit together for everyone."
The pressure can boil over -- once Quilty saw an all-in brawl break out over a hockey game in Kandahar and he was warned to stay away from the American quarters, where women walked around "wearing bra tops with M16s slung across their shoulders, the guys have tattoos and big chains and M16s and sidearms".
There were also profound moments: special forces soldiers doing a yoga class, farewelling a patrol with a priest s blessing of the trucks at 3:00 am.
"It s one of the most moving things I ve seen, the men climb in very quiet, very concentrated, and drive off into the desert," he said.
"Every time you see someone drive through those gates you wonder if they re going to come back."
Once back in Australia Quilty said he found it difficult to reconnect with the experience and asked some of the men and women if they would come to his rural studio and sit for him. Bleak, stirring tales emerged.
"It was impossible to make a bad painting of those people. They re unbelievably powerful subjects, broken sometimes," he said.
Several of the men have been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder; Quilty spoke to their psychiatrists to ensure he was doing the right thing by asking them to relive the events that scarred them so deeply.
"All of them said yes, it s been a really positive thing in an otherwise bleak year for these guys," he said.
Quilty was surprised by how philosophical the troops were: "The literature they re reading in Afghanistan predominantly is about the strategies of withdrawing from war and how wars end successfully," he said.
There was a particular conversation in the mess one evening that stayed with him.
"One of them said War follows politics and a much older man said No, you re wrong, politics follows war ," said Quilty.
"It s the extremity of human nature and there has to be participants, and they re it."
Quilty, winner of Australia s prestigious Archibald portrait prize, spent 24 days embedded with troops in Kandahar and Tarinkot as the nation s official war artist, sketching, photographing and filming life as a modern soldier.
It is an "often very mundane existence, spiked with these extremely horrific, terrifying moments all the time -- much more than we hear in the press, they re all engaged constantly," he told AFP.
"People say So tell me what it was like , and it s an impossible question to answer. (For the soldiers) after eight months of driving out there into the desert and being engaged by an enemy, being involved in deaths so directly, there s no answer."
The embed in 2011 led to a collection of works titled "After Afghanistan" that is currently touring Australia after being exhibited in Sydney s National Art School this month.
The portraits -- huge, thickly textured canvases of visceral flesh and dark tones -- show the human face behind the headlines about shootings, helicopter crashes and IED (improvised explosive device) strikes in Afghanistan.
Quilty said his journey to Afghanistan took him to the extremes of human experience, continuing his work s exploration of masculinity and what he described as its "self-indulgent" rites of passage.
He was invited on very short notice, given three days to accept the assignment and deployed six weeks later.
The pre-deployment training, which he described as "emotional preparation" for some of the worst possible outcomes, was in itself an inspiration.
"(It s) quite (a) confronting and very moving experience to sit in this big theatre in Sydney with all these quite often really young people who are listening to this stuff with very real reason -- they re going to Afghanistan."
Once deployed, Quilty said he tried to remain in the background, feeling out of place and way out of his depth as rockets sailed into Kandahar base at night and he lay "shit-scared" on a cot in an armoured shipping container.
The troops were intrigued by his presence, a welcome break from the monotony and adrenaline of their lives, and Quilty said he met "quiet, sensitive and normal" people.
The major question for Quilty, who shirks simplistic labels like "pacifist" or "anti-war" but was terrified as a young man about the prospect of conscription, was "why".
"They re 18 and they look like they can t even shave, (you want to ask) does your mum know what you re doing? What are you doing here? ".
Some were following the family tradition, others were attracted to the emphasis on fitness, physicality and hierarchy, or had flunked school and saw military service as more respected and better paid than learning a trade.
It was a sensitive topic -- they spoke freely about the sounds a wounded man made, about watching a comrade die or suffer horrific injuries, but the why was something they couldn t, or wouldn t explain.
"They ve just got to get through this experience," he said.
"A lot of them wanted to get out, but they don t talk about that, there s no way they want their friends to hear that. It s destructive, you ve got to keep your shit together for everyone."
The pressure can boil over -- once Quilty saw an all-in brawl break out over a hockey game in Kandahar and he was warned to stay away from the American quarters, where women walked around "wearing bra tops with M16s slung across their shoulders, the guys have tattoos and big chains and M16s and sidearms".
There were also profound moments: special forces soldiers doing a yoga class, farewelling a patrol with a priest s blessing of the trucks at 3:00 am.
"It s one of the most moving things I ve seen, the men climb in very quiet, very concentrated, and drive off into the desert," he said.
"Every time you see someone drive through those gates you wonder if they re going to come back."
Once back in Australia Quilty said he found it difficult to reconnect with the experience and asked some of the men and women if they would come to his rural studio and sit for him. Bleak, stirring tales emerged.
"It was impossible to make a bad painting of those people. They re unbelievably powerful subjects, broken sometimes," he said.
Several of the men have been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder; Quilty spoke to their psychiatrists to ensure he was doing the right thing by asking them to relive the events that scarred them so deeply.
"All of them said yes, it s been a really positive thing in an otherwise bleak year for these guys," he said.
Quilty was surprised by how philosophical the troops were: "The literature they re reading in Afghanistan predominantly is about the strategies of withdrawing from war and how wars end successfully," he said.
There was a particular conversation in the mess one evening that stayed with him.
"One of them said War follows politics and a much older man said No, you re wrong, politics follows war ," said Quilty.
"It s the extremity of human nature and there has to be participants, and they re it."
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Aamir Khan likely to feature in Bombay Talkies
Bombay Talkies is an upcoming joint venture comprising four short films directed by four prominent Bollywood directors - Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap and Dibarkar Banerjee.
"We are trying to do something with him for the film. But officially, he is not part of the film. By mid of April we would be in a better position to give out details regarding the same," producer Ashi Dua told PTI.
Reportedly, the 48-year-old actor will shoot for a special segment in the film.
Johar s film stars Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda and Saqib Saleem, brother of actress Huma Qureshi. Dibakar s film will have Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sadashiv Amrapukar.
While Zoya s film has Ranvir Shorey and Katrina Kaif and Anurag Kashyap s film will have megastar Amitabh Bachchan.
It was earlier rumoured that Ranbir Kapoor would play Sutradhaar in the film but Ashi denied all such talks.
"We are trying to do something with him for the film. But officially, he is not part of the film. By mid of April we would be in a better position to give out details regarding the same," producer Ashi Dua told PTI.
Reportedly, the 48-year-old actor will shoot for a special segment in the film.
Johar s film stars Rani Mukerji, Randeep Hooda and Saqib Saleem, brother of actress Huma Qureshi. Dibakar s film will have Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sadashiv Amrapukar.
While Zoya s film has Ranvir Shorey and Katrina Kaif and Anurag Kashyap s film will have megastar Amitabh Bachchan.
It was earlier rumoured that Ranbir Kapoor would play Sutradhaar in the film but Ashi denied all such talks.
Saturday, 16 March 2013
Post With Gallery
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Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Taapsee Pannu confesses her crush on Ranbir Kapoor
NEW DELHI (Web Desk) - Southern actress Taapsee Pannu, who is working with veteran actor Rishi Kapoor in forthcoming film ‘Chashme Baddoor’, confessed to him about her crush on his actor son Ranbir.
"While on the sets, Rishiji and Taapsee bonded well over food and films, their two favourite things. Taapsee blushed at the very mention of Ranbir," said a source.
"She confessed to him that she is a huge fan of Ranbir`s work. `Rockstar` is her favourite film," added the source.
Taapsee, a popular name down south, is making her Bollywood debut with ‘Chashme Baddoor’, a remake of Sai Paranjpye-directed and Farooque Sheikh and Deepti Naval-starrer buddy film of 1981 of the same name.
Directed by David Dhawan and produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, the film also features Ali Zafar, Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma. It is releasing April 5.
"While on the sets, Rishiji and Taapsee bonded well over food and films, their two favourite things. Taapsee blushed at the very mention of Ranbir," said a source.
"She confessed to him that she is a huge fan of Ranbir`s work. `Rockstar` is her favourite film," added the source.
Taapsee, a popular name down south, is making her Bollywood debut with ‘Chashme Baddoor’, a remake of Sai Paranjpye-directed and Farooque Sheikh and Deepti Naval-starrer buddy film of 1981 of the same name.
Directed by David Dhawan and produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, the film also features Ali Zafar, Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma. It is releasing April 5.
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Iran mulls suing Hollywood over 'Argo'
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iranian media say authorities are planning to sue Hollywood over the Oscar-winning "Argo" because of the movie s allegedly "unrealistic portrayal" of the country.
Several news outlets, including the pro-reform Shargh daily, said on Tuesday that French lawyer Isabelle Coutant-Peyre is in Iran for talks with officials over how and where to file the lawsuit. Coutant-Peyre is also the lawyer for notorious Venezuelan-born terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal.
The decision on the lawsuit came after a group of Iranian cultural officials and movie critics screened the film in a closed audience in a Tehran theater late Monday.
Iranian officials in February dismissed "Argo" as pro-CIA, anti-Iran propaganda.
The movie is based on the escape of six American hostages from the besieged U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
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