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Kareena is the Chhoti Begum: Saif
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 3:21 pm Surinder Kapoor honoured by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy
Veteran producer Surinder Kapoor was conferred the L.V. Prasad Phalke Award by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai today. Surinder's family, comprising of his sons Boney Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor and daughter-in-law Sridevi, were present on this grand occasion. Anil Kapoor, however, was conspicuous by his absence.
Not may are aware that Surinder first started his career as an Assistant Director to K. Asif on Mughal-E-Azam. He then went on to become a producer and produced many successful films. It was an emotional moment for the entire Kapoor family as Surinder was bestowed with this honour.
Other awardees includes Manoj Kumar, Ashutosh Gowarikar and composer Himesh Reshammiya's father Vipin Reshammiya.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 May 2009 | 3:07 pm Spotted: Saif and Kareena on the sets of Rensil D' Silva's untitled film
While the whole nation seems to be engrossed with the IPL matches, love-birds Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are far away in USA busy shooting for Rensil D' Silva's untitled film. Bollywood Hungama came across some interesting pictures of the duo on the sets of the film.
From the looks of it, the duo seems to be shooting for some carnival scene, what with all the balloons and festive atmosphere. The US flag can also be seen making it's presence felt as most of the film has been shot in USA. Also one can't help but notice Chhote Nawab and Bebo's chemistry on the sets of the film. The duo seems to be content in each other's company oblivious to the surroundings.
While there have been rumours that the film is titled Jihaad, both director Rensil and producer Karan Johar have denied the same. One will have to wait till the makers announce the title. Apart from Saif and Kareena, Vivek Oberoi also plays an important role in this flick though, he is nowhere to be seen during the filming of this scene.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 May 2009 | 2:57 pm Big B and Shah Rukh visit Adnan Sami's ailing father
The Big B's visit to Adnan Sami's ailing father at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital on Thursday evening has triggered off the industry's A-Listers' conscience.
On Friday, barely 24 hours after the Big B, Adnan's father Arshad Sami Khan was surprised to see another superstar-guest walk in. It was Shah Rukh Khan whom Adnan's father has almost adopted as a distant son in his heart.
Explains Adnan, "Shah Rukh resembles Dilip Kumar Saab so much. And Dilip Saab whom we call Yusuf Lala is not just a favourite of our family but also a relative. So to us Shah Rukh is a direct descendent of Yusuf Lala's heritage."
The frail ailing Arshad Sami could barely speak but uttered two words, "Veer Zara". This was the former Pakistani diplomat's way of recalling the SRK film that did its substantial bit to improve relations between the two countries.
Says Adnan emotionally, "I missed both Bachchan Saab and Shah Rukh by minutes. But at least my mother was there when Shah Rukh so graciously visited with his daughter. My father couldn't recall the names of all the Bachchan and SRK films he had seen except Veer Zara."
The hugest moment post- Mr Bachchan's visit was a call from Rajesh Khanna. Says Adnan, "I've seen his Prem Nagar at least a million times. When he called and spoke such wonderful words of consolation-'God is there for everyone I'm sure he's there for you too'-I was overwhelmed."
The other dream come true was a call from Saira Banu. "Mr Dilip Kumar whom I call Yusuf Lala and Sairaji are relatives. I envy Yusuf Lala for a wife who's so devoted and for so long."
The Kokilaben hospital is suddenly a beehive of Bollywood activities. On Thursday Mr. Bachchan dropped into see Karan Johar's mom who underwent neuro-surgery, Dimple Kapadia's sister Simple who's critically ill, Adnan's father and Prakash Mehra.
In fact Mehra is an ICU flank next to Adnan's father. When Adnan got to know that the man who created some of Adnan's favourite childhood celluloid fantasies with Big B was lying ill in the room next to his father, he did what any sensitive person would.
Says Adnan, "I walked into Prakashji's ICU to quietly take his blessings. But what do you know! He recognized me in that condition and did the popular hand movement from my song 'Lift Kara De' with the Big B. It was his utterly endearing gesture of acknowledging me and my love for the movies that he did with the Big B. At times like these, being in the hospital is no more an acknowledgement of mortality. It becomes a celebration of life."Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 4 May 2009 | 2:49 pm Asia's fastest supercomputer props up Indian animation
What can simulate crash tests for automobiles, aid designing of aircrafts, fasten the process of drug discovery, simulate oil fields for multi-nationals and help render high-end 3D graphics? It's 'Eka' (Sanskrit for 'the one'), a supercomputer in Pune, India.
Set up by Computational Research Laboratories Ltd. (CRL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons Ltd., Eka is the largest and fastest computational cluster available for commercial use in the world. Unveiled at the Supercomputing Conference in November 2007, it was ranked the fourth fastest in the world. The system has a peak compute power of 172 TeraFlops (one TeraFlops is the ability to do one trillion calculations per second) generated by 1800 compute servers working in unison.
Most recently used for rendering Yash Raj Film's Roadside Romeo - India's first international quality 3D animation film - over a span of just 5 months, Eka can be used to reduce rendering times for animation frames, computer generated imagery (CGI), visual effects (vfx) and compositing in the domains of high end 3D modelling, 2D & 3D animation and game asset development.
As opposed to rendering on conventional renderfarms, Eka gives an overall cycle time reduction by around 85%, according to internal tests. For instance, with Roadside Romeo's trailer, where every frame took 35-40 minutes to render on a renderfarm, the average rendering time came down to 5 minutes at CRL. No wonder that the vfx-heavy The Lord Of The Rings was rendered on the world's fastest supercomputer in New Zealand.
But what really is a supercomputer? It is essentially a number of servers put together talking to each other at high speeds, an environment where one can run multiple computations in parallel and therefore get more output. Spread over an area of 4000 sq ft, Eka is a supercomputer made up of 1800 servers - interconnected with high speed interconnect of 20 Gbps, plus a central storage capacity of 80 TeraBytes. The supercomputer is the nerve center of technology- temperatures are maintained in the range of 18-20 degrees, 25 engineers monitor its functioning and fire alarms and power backup are on standby 24x7.
So you have 32 servers per rack; each server with Dual Intel Xeon quad core 3 GHz CPUs with 16 GB of RAM and a total of 57 populated racks. If you are good at number crunching here's some more- essentially each server has 8 CPUs and each rack has 256 CPUs. The approximate length of cables connecting the whole thing is 14 km!
The making
Eka's establishment is historical for India as it is the country's first indigenously designed world class supercomputer. CRL started out as company in 2006 and the design was ready by August next year. In a show of technical ingenuity, the wizards at CRL assembled the supercomputer and made it functional in a short period of six weeks; ready for its first LINPACK test in October 2007.
Eka clocked 117 TeraFlops in October 2007 and was declared the 4th fastest supercomputer in the world and the fastest in Asia. In a subsequent test in June 2008, the cluster's speed was increased by 15 Teraflops, a feat accomplished by optimizing on the available hardware.
Remote rendering
Who can use the supercomputer? Basically anyone with a good broadband connection can use the system by firing jobs remotely and achieve good price performance. CRL provides a dual authentication secure virtual private network (VPN) tunnel for remote access and a secure FTP for file upload/download. Post completion of the initial setup, the job submission and monitoring process can all be done remotely. The central storage capacity of 80 TeraBytes is available to all the compute nodes and tape back-ups are taken on a daily basis to ensure redundancy.
CRL provisions a part of the infrastructure, which includes computer nodes, storage and shared internet bandwidth, as per the user requirements. The user is given complete control to his space to ensure security and integrity. Users have a choice of selecting between multiple operating systems including Windows and Linux. Since CRL has the ability to provide an on-demand bandwidth - ranging between 50-100 Mbps to enable customers to remotely upload and download huge data files - consumers can have access to a high performance computing facility practically from their desktops.
CRL's clients include Tata Elxsi VCL, Tata Motors, National Aerospace Laboratories, Advinus' Pharmaceutical, ISRO and others in the automotive, aerospace, life sciences and animation sectors. For animation, CRL supports Maya 7.0, 8.5 and 2008; Renderman; Studio 1.0.1 and ProServer 13.5.4; Smedge Job Manager; Mental Ray; Shave and Haircut; 3DS Max 2009 and XSi 7.0.
As more and more animation and production studios avail of Eka's high computational prowess, the future for Indian animation seems bright, technologically, at least.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 May 2009 | 2:19 pm Celina Jaitley denied entry in dad's Bangkok pubBollywood actress Celina Jaitley was denied entry in a Bangkok pub and restaurant owned by her dad, courtesy the short school uniform which she was wearing.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 1:57 pm The life of Shilpa Shetty
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 1:51 pm Celina Jaitley denied entry in dad's Bangkok pubBollywood actress Celina Jaitley was denied entry in a Bangkok pub and restaurant owned by her dad, courtesy the short school uniform which she was wearing.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 1:42 pm "I adopt anywhere between two to four cancer patients every year" - Dia Mirza
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Basically what is seen as a 'Social Service' is something that strays from the ordinary, something that is spontaneous and creative. Yet what one person sees as serving the needy may be seen as ridiculous by another, and don't ask 'Why'. Social Services really are a matter of personal taste, and the more geared to the subject of your affection the gesture is, the more likely you will hit the right side of the line. There are no hard and fast rules for getting it right, however, considering the following by Dia will at least steer you in the right direction: "Your life has deeper purpose than what you understand. There are two ways of living life. Either you just live day to day and let it unfold and discover it as it does or you believe that your existence has a deeper meaning than what appears to be and you make that meaning out of everything you do." Meet the very gifted and compassionate, Dia Mirza, who meets us just outside her Pali Hill apartment after this happened. Her maid opens the door and tells, "Memsaab ghar pe nahin hain, woh bahar gaye hain". With eyes wide open, we reply, "Haan lekin unhone bulaya hain. Kab aayengi woh? " The maid replies, "Pata nahin." The thought bubble then pops up saying 'This has never happened to us before. Pretty amateurish from Dia.' The lift door shuts and the ultra slim body with glowing face, wearing a yellow tee meets our eye with a professional welcome and greets with a handshake that is firm. Phew! Now that's timing girl. For those of us who are interested in the life and art of Miss Mirza, and how they manage to co-exist, there are many moments which you can witness the moment you enter her bright living room. A face with a generous upper lip and the dusky brown eyes. Her screen persona is seventies Bollywood, when young women came across as more mature and experienced than the more girlish females who populate post-nineties studio movies. To become two such different people in the millenium year in such a short space of time is almost sinister. And then Dia in flesh is so different again from her two latest turns. With the fan wafting around a smell of freshly prepared tea, it is surprising to find her sounding so normal and sensible and real on a hot summer afternoon, and with lots to chat about, the proactive, professional and profound actress gets the temperature soaring in this intimidating, self-contained and poised interview she gives in this summer special. UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent Devansh Patel gets all spiritual, philosophical, social and artistic with Dia, for after the interview got over, she showed an extremely beautiful painting - A pregnant angel looking up towards the sky seeing numerous shooting stars. It was Dia's unnamed creation. Though she did tell us, "If you find a good name for this painting, please feel free to let me know." We got one already - 'Starlet'
Who made the greatest impression on you growing up, as a mentor?
There are several influences. Of course, the first and the most important influences in any child's upbringing are the parents and what they do. I grew up hearing stories of my mother's childhood. There were these slum children around her where she lived and her sisters would tell me stories about the dirty little babies my mother would be carrying in her arms calling her a mad woman. I'd be like: 'That's so wonderful'. So you grow up hearing stories about what your parents have done and how effortlessly and selflessly they've done it and never made an issue out of it. Sunny Pillai, my dad's very good friend always said, 'Your life has deeper purpose than what you understand. There are two ways of living life. Either you just live day to day and let it unfold and discover it as it does or you believe that your existence has a deeper meaning than what appears to be and you make that meaning out of everything you do.' I think I absorbed that part better. I feel that human beings have a greater purpose on this planet.
I adopt anywhere between two to four patients every year
You're right. But the same human beings do crib about many things.
I really am amazed with some people of my generation who crib about the bad internet connections. I mean, aren't they just happy with the invention in the first place? You are sitting on an aircraft and complaining about the turbulence. There are so many wonderful things we are surrounded by in our everyday life that we should be filled with wonderment about it, respect and appreciate it.
You strongly support CPAA. Would you then adopt a cancer patient?
I have. I may not have taken one into my home but I adopt anywhere between two to four patients every year. I get feedback on their recovery and of course, this adoption is primarily monetary where we pay all the medical bills of this child. The kids are still with their parents and happy. I'd love to bring a child home but unless the child is an orphan, it doesn't make sense.
Has your experience with CPAA, CRY, Spastic Society of India, LIONS, Shiksha and many more made you more empathetic towards the society we are living in?
Actually, it makes me very frustrated and very angry because in India and the world over, there is a lot of unhappiness which is related to health issues like the basic sanitary issues. There is always a sense of empathy and it happens when you don't know things too closely. In fact, you feel anger and frustration when you see things on closer quarters because you are helpless. Spending time with these kids or being able to monetarily take care of them doesn't make a real difference. It might make a small difference but it's almost like a drop in the ocean as it brings you closer to the vastness of the problem. I mean, how many more people are suffering out there and it just makes you more and more insecure. That's the real truth.
A celebrity, a socialite, a multi-tasker and with looks people don't want to blink an eye for. Why don't you start your own talk show which is social in nature? More like an Oprah Winfrey one? Oh, I love Oprah. I have this huge and an incredible amount of respect for her. Simply because she is one of the single most committed people on this planet. The kind of compassion that woman has, the kind of heart she has and the kind of effort she puts into everything she does is incomparable. I don't know whether I would be able to find the kind of backing and support that she has found. But you never know, twenty years from now, you might just see me host one of such shows. It'll take me a good twenty years to garner the strength I need in the first place.
Seeing you talk, it feels as if you're going to weep in a second. You getting emotional? I am a very emotional person and if I do start my own show, I'd probably start crying from question one.
Were you a prodigy as a speaker? I don't know. I was very very shy when I was young. As I grew older, I became confident of myself. I think being a prodigy as a speaker, it's got a lot to do with the kind of school you go to and the kind of influence the teachers have on you. I read a lot and I was encouraged to speak because I made a lot of sense back then. Ever since I was twelve years old, I've always been told that I sound years ahead my age. I reckon it's a gift.
Do you look back sometimes and think that you've given a lot back as a citizen of the world more than just being an actress? I've given nothing. It's nothing in comparison to what I should be doing or what I would like to do. Of course, I can sit here and recount all the times I've helped people and feel really good about it but there is so much more to do. On an individual level, I will do whatever little I can. I am not over the moon for what I've been doing socially. I am happy to be in a position where I can give.
Anything we're missing? Yes. I have just recently been made a part of the advisory board of the Coca Cola Foundation of India which is set up to primarily take care of various areas in providing drinking water to rural India, to little railway stations, etc. There are also some very good people who are on board who've done remarkable work to support many of the causes like this one. I am looking forward to work for the foundation because you need somebody or something to guide your motivation and culminate it into something. I know I'm going to help. And I always help whenever people call me. But now I'm at a stage where I know I want to do certain things and I need to find the right avenues to take that forward. I think this board will help me do that.
What makes a busy woman like you juggle the time? There's always time. For good things there is always time.
Do organisations call you up to support causes or is it your decision to provide them with a helping hand? Fortunately, because we are actors, there are lot of people who approach us. But that approachability only happens when they know for sure that you will come forward. There are lots of actors in the industry but they don't call everyone. There are some actors whom they call because as an organisation they see them doing a certain amount of work. They see you work in one organisation and call you for another. It's like a chain reaction. A lot of the work I do is because these people have come to me.
Anything in particular you dream of doing to support a cause? I love children and one of the greatest and the most innocent victims of our society today are children. Whether it is lack of education, malnutrition, diseases, etc. There are several problems children face in India. I want to be in a place one day where I can take care of many of them.
I have just recently been made a part of the advisory board of the Coca Cola Foundation of India
Do you look up to Angelina Jolie then? Not just Angelina Jolie. There are people like Bono, Brad Pitt. Actually, we Indian actors have really done nothing in comparison to what celebrities the world over do. And I'm talking about them spending millions of dollars a year on charitable causes. I really disagree when people say - Our actors don't make as much. Fine, we may not make as much money as them but there are quite a few who are on par with few of the actors abroad. But it all boils down to one thing - personal choice. You don't have to do social work just because you're a celebrity. But when God has given you so much money, power and leadership, you should be able to use it for the well being of all. If I was making as much money as them, I swear, I'd be doing a lot more than what I'm doing now.
Have you been following the IPL? Anyone worth supporting? Last year, I was very disappointed with the 'Deccan Chargers'. I thought they were one of the strongest team. Now to see them hit the nail on the head is exciting. They are on top of the league table this year and my full support to them. 'Deccan Chargers' is the team I am looking at very closely.
Did you ever have to make that mistake in order to find what you do best in acting?
That's the only way you find what you do best in anything in life. The only and the best way to learn is to burn your fingers. When you get a little wiser, a little mature, you learn more. When I started out I was naïve. I was this regular kid from Hyderabad with no exposure to films and suddenly you see your life change overnight. My coming into the industry was made such a big deal and I don't think I was ever given that break or that chance to absorb or understand what actually is happening in the industry. A lot of choices I made in the interim of couple of years were completely haywire considering the kind of films I'm doing now. But I guess I had to make those choices in order to grow up on them and understand cinema the way I do today.
I was this regular kid from Hyderabad with no exposure to films and suddenly you see your life change overnight
Is it harder to be centered when you're well known? No. I guess a lot of people say it is. I was eighteen and was trying very hard. There was a sense of disillusionment and I didn't feel centered at all. There was a lot that could affect me and I could've swayed but I think it shook me up a lot. And then when my films bombed, I came back to ground zero. I've tasted the mud and realised that this is the job I respect, I have to give a lot to and nothing comes easy in life.
You aren't controversy's favourite child. Touchwood. But what's the balance between being confidently assertive and overly aggressive? I think it's very important to be confidently assertive. I have nothing to hide and my life is an open book. I am what I am. I've never been ashamed or embarrassed to admit if I've done something wrong. Not because as a public figure I owe people an explanation or where everybody needs to know everything about me. No. But if you ask me a breaking question, I'll give you a forthright answer. I will assert my right.
Any difficult aspects of your success, now that you've tasted the mud?
I think it can make you a bit precarious. I am a very given person. I do not hesitate to trust people and give in very easily. But sometimes you do that and you get smacked on your face. Honestly, with all the lessons I've learnt and have gone through, I don't think there is anything about myself or my life that has changed drastically, except for maybe, a few friends who I've lost along the way to this mad world and not being able to give enough time for my extended family. These are small prices you pay for your success.
Talk us through Johnny Mastana. I have great respect for Shoojit Sircar. I was actually jumping in joy when I got a call from UTV saying that Shoojit wanted to meet me regarding the film. It's actually Mr. Bachchan's journey and how every character who comes in his journey becomes an integral part of it. I play a girl called Manya in Johnny Mastana. It's a very beautifully scripted film and Mohanan is the DOP of the film. The film's canvas, the way it looks, is like a poetry in motion. The film is in post production stage and it's a romantic drama.
Any film you're looking forward to once the strike gets over?
Arshad Warsi Productions Kaun Bola. It's my first romantic comedy drama. Arshad has written the film too. The entire film is shot in Newcastle, UK. It's a very beautifully layered part. For the first time in my career I felt that Kaun Bola gave me the platform to go all out and show people what I'm all about. We had a blast because I had Boman Irani with me whom I call 'Pops' since Lage Raho Munnabhai. He is a sweetheart and my daddy. Sandhya Mridul too is a mad house and you know what Arshad is capable of doing. Kaun Bola is a Studio 18 film.
So is Kaun Bola too special for you? Yes, and I'll tell you why. I've never seen a shooting star in my life. I always wonder - Why have I never seen one. We were doing this last schedule of the film in Goa. I was sitting on the beach after pack up and was looking up towards the sky. Suddenly I witnessed two shooting stars one after the other and got really kicked about it because the film's production is called 'Shooting Star Production'. It may sound child like but it's the truth.
You're a very good painter too, we heard. Kind of yes. I use a medium called 'Gouch', a french name. Unfortunately in Mumbai, oil paintings don't dry properly because of the humidity level in the air. A lot of artists in Mumbai either use acrylic or water. I use Gouch because it gives you the result of oil and water. It's a magic paint.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 May 2009 | 1:10 pm Kate Winslet in a provocative photoshoot
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 12:27 pm Latest in Obama`s reading list: novel on 9/11!Every book that Obama reads gets tagged to with him sees a spurt in sales.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 12:22 pm Casanova Russell Brand turns down sex – with Susan Boyle!!In an atypical move, casanova Russell Brand declined the opportunity to have sex with one of the most searched women on You Tube - Susan Boyle.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 12:22 pm Kareena calls the shots in Saif`s personal and professional life!It seems Kareena has wooed Saif`s business side too.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 12:22 pm Possessive Shahid breathes fire over Priyanka`s proximity with Gerard!Shahid Kapur is fighting hard to keep his love Priyanka away from Gerard Butler.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 12:22 pm Kate Moss`s relationship with beau on the rocks?!Kate Moss` relationship with rocker boyfriend Jamie Hince is reportedly on the rocks again after he struck up a friendship with a PR girl on tour in Australia.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 12:22 pm `Madge shattered by reports of doomed adoption bid` !Madonna is reportedly shattered with claims that her bid to adopt a second Malawian child is headed downhill.Source: Zee News : Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 12:22 pm Sonam loses out to Katrina - IndiaGlitz
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:46 am I love calling Sushmita 'didi', says Kangana - Bollywood Mantra
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:32 am Akrandana, the murder mysteryPresented by Avusangi Shyam Sundar and produced by RS Vasu under the banner of Sri Venkataramana Creations, Akrandana introducing Rallabandi Srinivas as director, with all new faces in the cast, was formally launched at theproduction's office recently. Director Rallabandi Srinivas said,
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:24 am Hrithik wants Barbara in Mumbai to escape swine flu - Oneindia
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:23 am 18-20 Love Story an unusual love storyFinal touches are being given for 18-20 Love Story directed by debutant Radhakrishna, produced by T Nageswara Rao and Koppula Rameshbabu and introducing Manoj and Rinil Rout as young pair, while Sivaji, Vinod Kumar and Shraddha Das are playing the lead.
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:20 am Dil Raju celebrates his banner's successThe most successful producer Dil Raju of Sri Venkateswara Creations celebrated the success of his banner in Hyderabad recently. Speaking on the occasion, he said, "We have highlighted human relations and emotions among the family members in our films and hence
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:14 am Madge, daughter Lourdes 'loved' Lady Gaga's New York performanceNew York, May 4 (ANI): Pop queen Madonna and her daughter Lourdes were bowled over by Lady Gaga's performance during her show at New York City last weekend.
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:03 am Sting's daughter fractures skull in freak restaurant fallLondon, May 4 (ANI): Brit musician Sting's daughter Coco Sumner has fractured her skull in a freak restaurant fall.
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:03 am Hugh Jackman's 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' tops weekend box officeWashington, May 04 (ANI): Hugh Jackman's 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' has topped the weekend box office after raking in 87 million dollars.
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:03 am Pammie's ex hubby 'begs her not to marry for the fourth time'London, May 4 (ANI): Pamela Anderson's former husband Tommy Lee has been pleading her not to tie the knot for the fourth time, as per sources.
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:03 am Hrithik wants Barbara in Mumbai to escape swine fluHrithik Roshan really cares for his Kites co-star Barbara Mori. Hrithik who is allegedly in love with Barbara Mori has asked her to come to India along with her family to escape swine flu. The dreaded disease which is soon becoming
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 11:01 am Neil and Celina perform deadly stunts and blow up cars at a wedding
At an event that was a follow up to the wedding of builder Kanti Govani's nephew, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Celina Jaitly not just matched dance steps on stage but also blasted a few cars and then finally set the stage on fire.
"It was as action packed as it gets. Seriously, I have never been a part of an event like this so hats off to GS Entertainment who put together this show", says Celina Jaitly, who finally got an opportunity to kick her action boots. "I was required to take out my gun and shoot at seven cars filled with dynamite. Even though it was all choreographed and utmost care was being taken for the safety of people in and around the stage, it was quite fearsome at the end of the day."
There was a global technical team put in place for the choreography of this special segment that featured not just action and fireworks but also some thumping chartbusters from Dhoom and Golmaal Returns.
Informs a technician, who helped put together things in place for the show, "There were stuntmen from Australia, dancers from Russia, pyro-technicians from London, and of course a horde of other performers and technicians from India - it was a truly global event. The production values were of a scale similar to the kind that is seen in shows by Britney Spears and Michael Jackson. No wonder, Shah Rukh Khan too agreed to perform at the wedding."
Neil Nitin Mukesh too could hardly conceal his excitement, "This musical-action choreography was the first of its kind in India. I give all the credit for this great evening to Bunty and Jaspreet Walia who put this unimaginable show together. Not to forget Pappu and Malu, our choreographers."
"This was simply crazy", adds Celina, "I had to arrive on a bike which was being driven by a professional stuntman. He just made it jump so high and my heart was almost in my mouth. Add it to all the fire around me. The good part though is that even when I was scared at least at the beginning of the performance, the audiences thoroughly enjoyed the show."
Was Neil scared as well? "One is always scared when there are cars blowing up around you, especially so when you have to press the trigger", agrees Neil, "However, the good part is that a lot of safety precautions were taken during the act that made it a smooth flow of events. The icing on the cake was the last act that required me to blast the entire stage. Now that was something!"Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 4 May 2009 | 10:56 am Kate Moss shows off her spare tyreLondon (ANI): Gone are those days when Kate Moss had a waif-like figure. The supermodel was recently seen with a spare tyre around her waist. Moss, 35, who was relaxing on Topshop boss Sir Philip Green's yacht in Monaco, did not
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 10:53 am Get ready to see Parminder Nagra's sex-scenes with Ray WinstoneLondon, May 4 (ANI): After debuting as a girl from a conservative Indian family in Brit flick 'Bend It Like Beckham', Parminder Nagra has turned herself into one of America's hottest TV actresses and is now doing sex scenes with Ray Winstone for a new series.
Source: Oneindia.in - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 10:53 am Rahman launches 'Jai Ho' world tour with musical extravaganza - Press Trust of India
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 10:50 am A bet, MMS and frivolous youth - It's all happening in Sale Up to 50%You witnessed the MMS episode in Dev D. But there is more to come in a film called Sale Up To 50%, which has a love making MMS playing an integral part of the film's plot. Directed by Isshaan Trivedi, who is in news currently for his Himesh Reshammiya starrer Radio, Sale Up to 50% as the filmmaker insists, is about frivolous youth and not so frivolous side of them. "The lead protagonist in the film (Vinod Sherawat, who was last seen in Gafla - 2006) believes that he is a victim of his dysfunctional family. He tries to pretend that he is cool and happening but actually he is not happy with life." Apparently, the boy in question is not comfortable with girls but on being instigated by his friends, he takes a bet that he would sleep with a girl in one month flat. However, his friends demand proof and it is agreed by all that he would shoot an MMS while in the act. It is this very bet that changes the dynamics of his life. Director Isshaan denies though that the film is all about MMS and the episode has been incorporated in the film to promote sensationalism. "To be very honest, an MMS is not the focal point of the film", defends Isshaan who began his Bollywood career with 7 1/2 Phere [Irrfan Khan, Juhi Chawla], "Sale Up to 50% quickly goes beyond those lines as it is not a story about MMS. Instead, it picks on a point that while so many youngsters out there try to achieve their aspirations in a normal way, there are a few out there who adopt an abnormal route." The filmmaker also reveals that at the end of the day, the protagonist does feel regretful about the entire turn of events. "When you set targets for yourself that cannot be achieved through a normal route, it would only turn your life upside down", he says, "This is what happens to this character as well. He decides one fine morning that he would achieve something in a month which is against his basic nature and upbringing. No wonder, he is never at peace with himself as he is swimming against the tide." Isshaan isn't willing to talk much about the relevance of the title Sale Up To 50% to the film's basic plot. "For that you would have to watch the film. If I utter one word about it, it would give away the plot", smiles Isshaan. Sale Up To 50% is produced by Ravi Agrawal who is also the producer of Himesh Reshammiya's Radio. The film mainly stars new entrants in the industry with Gita Soto (who would also be seen in Veer) as the leading lady and Manish Chaudhary with Zakir Hussain and Lekh Tandon. The film has music by Bapi-Tutul and would be released in the second half of 2009.Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 4 May 2009 | 10:36 am Vidya comes closer to Shahid
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 10:31 am Madhu Mantena rushes to Mumbai due to swine flu scare
Mercifully, it was just a false alarm. But, for a while, it was touch-and-go for producer Madhu Mantena in London with director Abbas Tyrewala for the pre-production of 1- 800 Love when he contracted the common cold.
"Unfortunately, given the current swine flu scenario, the common cold is not considered common any more. For a while, I continued to function normally. But then, the cold grew into headaches and a fever" shudders Madhu. That's when Madhu pressed the panic button. "In the current scenario, any man sneezing and wheezing on the street is considered potentially deadly. It's a suspicious world out there. And if you are brown-skinned sneezer on Oxford Street, you're in serious trouble. At the moment, a bearded guy with gun is considered potentially less serious than an ethnic guy with a cold."
Cutting short his pre-production and leaving Abbas to attend to the nitty-gritty, Madhu rushed back on Sunday to Mumbai in a panic, only to be quarantined at the Mumbai airport briefly.
"Fortunately, mine is just an ordinary flu, nothing swinish about it," says Mantena.Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 4 May 2009 | 10:25 am Lata to do an 'Ae Maalik' for old timeÂs sakeLata Mangeshkar decided to renew ties with the family of her ÂMukesh bhaiya by agreeing to sing an anthem for the late singerÂs grandson, Neil Nitin, in Madhur BhandarkarÂs film Jail.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 10:10 am Priyanka throws Gerard Butler a bash to remember! - IndiaGlitz
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 10:04 am Jackman's Wolverine tops box office
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 9:59 am "It takes nothing less than four years to make a film like 'Aladin" - Sujoy Ghosh
'Aladin has been delayed'. 'It has gone over-budget'. 'Change of producers hit the film hard'. Aladin may eventually not release even this summer' - These are a few battles that Aladin is fighting ever since the release date of 24th July was announced.
Though Aladin is not new to controversies, such rumours coming in around the time when it is in it's final lap en route to its theatrical release is hardly inviting for filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh. He gets into a free wheeling conversation with Joginder Tuteja and dispels all loose talk about his most ambitious film till date.
First things first - Is Aladin finally releasing on 24th July?
Yes. 24th is the day.
There were plans for release late last year. Then it got moved to summer 2009. It was the Ghajini factor, right?
Yes and no. A family film like Aladin can only be released during a holiday period. When you put in so much effort in making a film it is absolutely essential that it is presented to the audience at the right time. So I get two windows in a year - If not winter then summer and if not summer then winter. And yes, Ghajini was a factor which actually helped us tremendously. It was a boon in disguise. Gave me six more months to play with the film!
A film like Aladin takes four years, if not more
But then there are speculations in the industry that the film has seen a massive delay over a period of time.
It's natural. I don't blame them. Nobody has seen anything of Aladin. So it's quite normal to think that a film which has taken four years to make has been delayed. But the fact is that for a film like Aladin, it takes four years, if not more, to make.
Where did these four years go away?
I had to prepare for almost a year and half, because of which I got away with not single re-shoot or patchwork. And that is only possible if you do your homework thoroughly. See, a film like Aladin is more of a Maths exam unlike a Jhankaar Beats which is more of an English exam where you can afford to be creative on sets. These shoots are very mechanical and formulaic; you have to shoot 'exactly' what you have planned else it goes haywire - both schedule and budget wise! And then, you need a lot of time for post. So, four years is not that bad given I had no clue where to start with a film like this.
Even though the film has been in the making for four years, the principal shooting was wrapped up in quick time, right?
Yes. That was so cool. We managed to wrap in 145 days. And in a film like Aladin, you get only 2-3 hours of productive shoot time in a day. But that whole credit goes to my team. They are such a bunch of talented people. Fatafat sab kaam kar diya!
Kishore (Lulla) always wanted to make Aladin, but, I, being an idiot never listened
No reference points within Bollywood, for making a film of this scale and genre would have been in hindrance as well, isn't it?
In the beginning, yes! But I am a very fast learner.
You also had a change in hands of producers. Did that also contribute to the so called delay?
Nah, that was all right. I was still prepping and searching.
What had really gone wrong with the Sippys (the film was earlier supposed to be produced by Ramesh/Rohan Sippy)?
I guess we could not agree upon some issues. Hence, the best was to part ways.
We made a movie in perhaps 1/10th the cost of a similar Hollywood film without any compromise on quality
How difficult was it to get another producer (Eros) with Sippys backing out?
Kishore (Lulla) always wanted to make Aladin, but, I, being an idiot never listened. For some reason, I just didn't listen. Then when the whole fiasco happened, I spoke to Kishore. He read the script, looked at the budget and agreed.
There have been questions raised around the budget of the film. Has Aladin actually gone overboard?
Not overboard. A little bit. May be 10-15%! But that could not be helped. They were matters beyond our control. But still we made a movie in perhaps 1/10th the cost of a similar Hollywood film without any compromise on quality. I guarantee you (and you can save this interview and beat me up later, if not true), you have not seen anything like this on Indian screens before. And I am so proud that we made the whole thing in India. In future, Hollywood should be asking India how to make cost effective films.Source: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 May 2009 | 9:48 am I miss Mona in Jhalak...: Rohit Roy
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 9:45 am I miss Mona Singh's chutzpah as co-host: RoyIf actor and anchor Rohit Roy had his way, TV actress Mona Singh would have been co-hosting the ongoing season of "Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa" like they did last year because the actor feels she has the "chutzpah" that very few in the industry can match.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 9:39 am 'Youth-centric shows don't represent real youth'Using 'F' words, pulling each other's hair on trivial issues and manipulative moves that we see on youth-centric reality shows like "Splitsvilla", "Sarkaar Ki Duniya" and "MTV Roadies" do not give the real picture of the country's youth, say psychiatrists and a majority of youngsters too.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 9:39 am The night Lata was outed as a film composerIndia's nightingale Lata Mangeshkar may have ended up as one part of a composer duo - a bit like Shankar-Jaikishan - rather than the singer of 27,000 songs had her brother not dissuaded her.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 9:38 am Madhavan signs films with directors of Manorama Six Feet Under and Strangers
There are good things happening for Madhavan when it comes to his Bollywood stint. He has now signed films with two young promising directors - Navdeep Singh of Manorama Six Feet Under fame and Aanand Rai who has earlier directed Strangers - and both the films are slated to go in floors soon.
"Yes, I have signed films with both Navdeep and Aanand. These are my kind of directors because for them what holds utmost importance is a concrete storyline. I saw that in 13B and this is why I worked with director Vikram Kumar. I got a similar feeling when Navdeep and Aanand narrated the scripts of their respective films to me. I was simply blown over and had no hesitation signing up for the films", says Madhavan from Bangkok where he is currently lodged for a business trip.
When released Manorama Six Feet Under [Abhay Deol, Gul Panag, and Raima Sen] had got terrific reviews but was a box office flop, mainly due to horrific promotional and marketing strategy. Same was the case with Strangers [Jimmy Sheirgill, Kay Kay Menon, Nandana Sen, and Sonali Kulkarni] which arrived at theatres sans any promotion though critics were much kinder. However, over a period of time, the films have been doing quite well on home video, especially Manorama Six Feet Under which has gained a cult status for itself.
While Aanand Rai's film with Madhavan is interestingly titled Tanu Weds Manu, the name is yet to be decided for the Navdeep Singh project which is produced by Mukesh Talreja and Nikhil Advani. In fact, this is the fourth film in which Mukesh Talreja and Nikhil Advani are collaborating after Salaam-E-Ishq, Chandni Chowk To China and Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai (which is currently under production).
"Once I wrap up Three Idiots, I begin shooting for the Navdeep Singh project in the month of August", informs Madhavan who also has Sikandar lined up for release. Incidentally, Sikandar was all set for release in March before the producers v/s multiplexes strike released in an array of releases in the same month, hence resulting in Sikandar to be moved ahead.
In addition, Madhavan has also wrapped up the shoot of Teen Patti which has been directed by Leena Bajaj (who had earlier made Shabd with Sanjay Dutt and Aishwarya Rai).
"I have just returned from the London schedule of the work. With legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Sir Ben Kingsley, it can't get bigger and better. I am so eagerly looking forward to the release of the film", states Madhavan.
Well, one looks forward to what more does Madhavan have to offer in months to come, what with his biggest film of 2009, Three Idiots (directed by Rajkumar Hirani and co-starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Sharman Joshi), being all set for a December 2009 release. Moreover, he has also been signed by Sahara and Shemaroo for a project each.
"All these projects should be getting on floors soon. 2009 and 2010 are certainly looking promising and I can't wait to begin shooting with Navdeep and Aanand. Hopefully, we should be having some good quality movie outings ahead", signs off Madhavan.Source: BollywoodHungama.com News | 4 May 2009 | 9:29 am Big B slams the crew of Teen Patti
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 9:16 am Producer Madhu Mantena detained for swine flu'Ghajini' producer Madhu Mantena was quarantined at the Mumbai airport briefly over swine flu fears, before it was found to be a false alarm.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 4 May 2009 | 9:01 am Celina Jaitley denied entry in dad's Bangkok pubBollywood actress Celina Jaitley was denied entry in a Bangkok pub and restaurant owned by her dad, courtesy the short school uniform which she was wearing.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 4 May 2009 | 8:30 am Amitabh not happy at rising budget of 'Teen Patti'Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan is miffed with the soaring budget of his latest film "Teen Patti" and has slammed the crew and unit of the movie.Source: Entertainment News | 4 May 2009 | 7:48 am Prakashji was a complete director: Amitabh - Times of India
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 6:57 am Guess Who? It's Monday morning and after a really long weekend its time to get back to the grind. To kick-start your week, we bring you a feature that you so eagerly wait for every Monday morning - Guess Who?
This week things get a little tougher as you really need to be a hardcore Bollywood buff to Guess Who this beauty is? For the benefit of the less enlightened, this babe's debut film was a blockbuster and soon catapulted her into the big league. However, after giving a few huge hits, her career took a back seat mainly due to the on-going tension within her family. Now, this bombshell is all set to bounce back with some really meaty roles in some big films.
Revealing anything more would spoil the fun so we leave it to you to scratch your brains and Guess Who this Bollywood beauty is?
To find out last week's answer click hereSource: BollywoodHungama.com Features | 4 May 2009 | 6:50 am Vidya comes closer to Shahid - NDTV.com
Source: Google News India - Entertainment | 4 May 2009 | 6:23 am Designer Sunaina Suneja loves experimenting with khadiEver since she turned designer, Sunaina Suneja has been passionately promoting khadi and says the time has come when every designer should promote 'responsible fashion' - to give something back to the society.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 4 May 2009 | 4:30 am Vijaykant - the black MGR of Tamil Nadu politicsTamil movie hero-turned-politician Vijaykant is known to have performed stunts in films without a duplicate. In these Lok Sabha polls too, he and his party DMDK are going solo. And all eyes are on the 56-year-old man known as 'Karuppu (Black) MGR'.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 4 May 2009 | 2:00 am 'Youth-centric reality shows don't represent real youth'Using 'F' words, pulling each other's hair on trivial issues and manipulative moves that we see on youth-centric reality shows like 'Splitsvilla', 'Sarkaar Ki Duniya' and 'MTV Roadies' do not give the real picture of the country's youth, say psychiatrists and a majority of youngsters too.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 4 May 2009 | 2:00 am I miss Mona Singh's chutzpah as co-host: Rohit RoyIf actor and anchor Rohit Roy had his way, TV actress Mona Singh would have been co-hosting the ongoing season of 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' like they did last year because the actor feels she has the 'chutzpah' that very few in the industry can match.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 4 May 2009 | 2:00 am Amitabh visit an ailing Prakash MehraWhatever the media might say about the rift between actor Amitabh Bachchan and veteran director Prakash Mehra, now that the filmmaker is ill, Amitabh was among the first to visit him. Mehras health went into a decline after his wife fell into a coma that lasted a few years. Later after the death of his wife, the filmmakers condition worsened. Hes currently in the ICU and on ventilator because oSource: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Rahman thrills to the helmAt least more than fifty thousand of the Keralites was mesmerised by a show of a life time, when Maestro A R Rahman came up with his pack of the best for premiere of the Jai Ho show, here at the Corporation Stadium, Kozhikkod. The euphoric atmosphere at the venue lasted for around four hours, with the crowd cheering with thunderous applauses for the maestro, his singers and his troupe in everySource: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Jihad continues shoot despite swine fluThe dedicated team of Karan Johars Jihad, directed by newcomer Rensil DSilva, continued shooting in New York despite threats of swine flu and warnings by health advisors to Indians travelling to the US.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Bollywood is keeping Madhavan busy!2009 looks to be a good year for Madhavan, who seems to have his platter full with promising movies and is looking forward to the realease of some projects with big names. The star recently signed with two young directors, Navdeep Singh and Aanand Rai, who have proved their mettle with the critically well-received movies Manorama Six Feet Under and Strangers.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Kangna is trading in tears for laughterThe waifish actress Kangna Ranaut will be taking a break from her usual high-intensity, damsel-drowning-in-alcohol roles to do a comedy role instead. Kangna has been cast alongside the stunning Sushmita Sen in Anees Bazmees comedy No Problem producedby Anil Kapoor.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Manjari @ Aashiq Biwi Ka TV Serial Launch [Gallery]Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Sonam loses out to KatrinaActress Katrina Kaifs thick British accents seems to be finally working in her favour! The slender beauty recently landed a role in Dibakar Banerjees next film, which Sonam Kapoor had her heart set on. Sources say that Sonam badly wanted to work with the director of the hit movie Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, and had approached him through actor Abhay Deol.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am What made Anurag Kashyap envious?It’s not often that successful film directors openly admire the work of their contemporaries.Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Shahrukh Khans Bash For Gerard Butler [Gallery]SRK hosts party for Hollywood actor Gerard butler.Present : Imran Khan, Avantika Malik, Amrita Arora, Shakeel Ladak, , Sanjay Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Adhuna, Maheep Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Source: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Priyanka throws Gerard Butler a bash to remember!We bet hollywood hottie Gerard Butler was more than impressed with India, especially since the lovely Priyanka Chopra threw him a party he wouldnt forget in a hurry! Reports are that Priyanka hosted a a special party for Butler on Thursday at her new residence at Raj Classic, Versova,on the pretext of a housewarming party. And apparently the actor kept going down on his knees to propose to the stSource: IndiaGlitz.com - News | 4 May 2009 | 12:00 am Kolhapur to host international film fest from June 3Kolhapur in Maharashtra will host its first international film festival from June 3-9 at the Sahuji Smarak auditorium.Source: Entertainment News | 3 May 2009 | 8:22 pm Shamita Shetty's room ransacked by baboonsBollywood actress Shamita Shetty's hotel room in South Africa was ransacked by baboons.Source: Entertainment News | 3 May 2009 | 5:16 pm Where were the stars at Feroz Khan's funeral
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 3 May 2009 | 2:30 pm Priyanka Chopra finds a friend in Deepika
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 3 May 2009 | 2:13 pm Tamil movie mogul K. Balaji is no more
Source: NDTV Entertainment News | 3 May 2009 | 12:21 pm Shamita Shetty's room ransacked by baboonsBollywood actress Shamita Shetty's hotel room in South Africa was ransacked by baboons.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 3 May 2009 | 11:32 am Tamil industry bids tearful farewell to movie mogul BalajiThe Tamil film industry bid a tearful farewell to 'remake-king' K. Balaji as he was cremated Sunday. Superstar Rajnikant along with other big names like Prabhu and Manorama paid their respects to the eminent filmmaker.Source: IndiaeNews.com: Bollywood News | 3 May 2009 | 11:30 am
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