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Showing posts with label Ranbir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ranbir. Show all posts

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

Hollywood & Bollywood News Updates 15th October

Shameless Product Plugs in Music Videos

story about product placement in music videos
We're aware the idea of "selling out" and the backlash it used to incur against artists doesn't hold the same weight as it did in the nineties, but if we wanted to watch blatant product placement in our entertainment we'd just stick to watching Bravo TV. Musicians have been shilling products since before Wayne and Garth held up a Pepsi can, but the product placement in music videos has gone from subtle to center stage. When music videos made the shift from TV to online (remember The BOX anyone?) record labels starting pumping out music videos as a source of revenue and not just an extension of the musician's "artistic vision." Pretty soon it's going to be Geico lizards singing backup while Gucci Mane raps with a Dairy Queen Blizzard tattooed on his face
Britney Spears – "Work B ** h"

While everyone was clamoring for Brit's latest comeback single, not much has changed since her Femme Fatale album of 2011. Tanned abs? Check. Flashy Underwear? Yep. Over-the-top product placement of her latest perfume? Absolutely! Just like her video for "Hold It Against Me," where she reportedly made half a million to hold product props, her latest single, "Work B ** h," is no different — except this time she's pushing her Fantasy Twist perfume instead of Radiance. Subtle product placement is one thing, but in this video we are literally gagged with it — as one of scenes features a dancer using a Beats by Dre speaker as an S&M ball-gag. In addition to plugs for the casino Planet Hollywood where she has a two-year residency performing, Britney proves if you want to make the big bucks with corporate sponsors… you better work, b ** h. Avril Lavigne – "Rock N Roll"

Avril Lavigne is a lot of things — but a rock star is not one of them. In her video for song "Rock Star," the product placement makes an appearance before the music even begins. Her gentle guitar strumming is interrupted by "her new Sony phone is ringing," making us cringe before she starts warbling about ripped jeans and "hipster bulls**t." She's obviously very cozy with Sony since their shiny electronics also make a star appearance in he video for "What the Hell." That's exactly what we were thinking. No Doubt – "Settle Down"

Here's another case of an artist plugging the brand they're a spokesperson for. As Gwen is on her way driving to the uber cool party in a shipping container, she carefully applies her L'oreal lipgloss to achieve her signature red lip and makes us all ill in the process. Maybe their next video can be her sitting by her vanity applying L'Oreal RevitaLift after their live gig? Does Tony approve of this?
Ke$ha — "We R Who We R"

Given her penchant for whiskey, we would have expected to see a Jack Daniels plug in Ke$sha's videos, but it turns out the party girl prefers Revolucion Tequila, which makes plenty of appearances in her single "We R Who We R." Not that we set the bar for artistic integrity for Ke$ha very high. The song's mantra could apply to her entire career, she's unapologetic about her image and "dancin' like we're dumb," lyrics; so good for her. Tequila and flashy watches naturally fit in the dance party concept of the video, but what's with the constant reference to the dating website 'Plenty of Fish' on the DJ's laptop? Turns out, the site had a partnership with Interscope Records. Now we'll forever wonder, is that guy is REALLY DJing at the bar or his he just cruising for dates?

Miley Cyrus: The Warning Signs Were There


 
A lot of people were left feeling confused, scared, and alone after the events of Aug. 25, 2013. We watched formerly beloved American icon Miley Cyrus quite literally fall (over) from grace into a bent position creating the twerk seen 'round the world. We were forced to ask ourselves, how did this happen? How did she so quickly transition from Hannah Montana to a sexually explicit teddy bear, singing about narcotics while suffering from an undiagnosed tongue condition? The truth is this progression has not been a quick one by any means, the warning signs have been there all along.
In 2008 (age 15), Miley caused controversy by posing for photographer Annie Lebovitz wearing only a bed sheet for her spread in Vanity Fair. Some called the image pornographic, while Disney maintained that she was manipulated and her parents insisted they weren’t present for the shoot.

At the 2009 Teen Choice Awards (age 16), Miley took to the stage for a mild but out of place pole dance, singing her single "Party in the USA." Dressed in short shorts, a tank top exposing her bra and high-heeled black leather boots, she shocked her young audience with a performance now modest in comparison.
Also in 2009 at a wrap party for her movie The Last Song, a then 16 year-old Cyrus was recorded giving a lap dance to 44 year-old Adam Shankman, a producer and judge on 'So You Think You Can Dance.' Though Shankman is openly gay, Miley's behavior was suggestive to say the least.
In December of 2010 (age 18), a video was released of Cyrus smoking out of a bong and giggling uncontrollably. Representatives claimed that she was smoking Salvia, a substance similar to marijuana that's legal in most states. Regardless of the claim and legality, Miley told Marie Claire magazine “I'm disappointed in myself for disappointing my fans.”
Between the various stunts pulled throughout her teens, shaving her head in 2012 and turning her online profiles into a veritable smorgasbord of explicit photos, it's no surprise that a now legal (and resentful) Miley Cyrus is still twerking hard to push the envelope. In all fairness, she told us with her single in 2010 that she "Can’t Be Tamed." Perhaps we should have listened.

Danny Boyle Adds Brit Marling to Cast of 'Babylon'


Brit Marling signing on to do Danny Boyle's new TV show
Brit Marling has joined James Nesbitt in director Danny Boyle's Babylon, UK cop drama about an American PR expert who attempts to bolster the image of the London police department. After her breakout in 2010's After Earth, Marling took a few parts in other films, but this will be her first starring role in a TV series. The show would look at every side of police work, like a (hopefully) more inventive Law and Order; with the American character there to bridge cultural differences, this could be the next British/American crossover hit. Boyle will be producing and directing while the show is written by Peep Show alums Sam Bains and Jesse Armstrong. And while Peep Show was a comedy, the amazing way in which it built moments and orchestrated the most elaborate possible embarrassment for its characters speaks to two great storytellers who should be able to transition well to drama.
Boyle seems determined to bring his signature visual style to both UK and American television, with projects developing on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to Babylon, over here he's working with Simon Beaufoy and Christian Colson, who helped write and produce Boyle's films Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, to beat Michael Bay to the story of the Norweigens who helped destroy Hitler's nuclear facilities. Their project is called Telemark and would appear on FX.
Boyle is confident that both Telemark and Babylon will be able to capture his unique filmmaking style, which is both visually ambitious and adrenaline-filled, despite the limited budget of television. So add Boyle to the list of talent who's stepping over to television from the world of film. Even if it's simply because he believes these two ideas are best suited for series instead of standalone stories, it does make it ever clearer that the move between the two mediums is a lateral one. And with Boyle's last film, Trance, underperforming at the box office, maybe he'll find that TV actually marks a better place for some of his ideas. Either way, it's a great gain for TV fans.

Lea Michele talks about Cory all the time, says friend


Los Angeles: Actress Lea Michele still talks about her late boyfriend Cory Monteith all the time but is being guided through her grief by her friends.

The `Glee` star is still coming to terms with the passing of her co-star and partner from an overdose of heroin and alcohol in July, and while things are still difficult, she is starting to make positive progress, reported People magazine.

"She talks about Cory all the time," said one of Michele`s close friend, adding that she still misses him every day.
The source also said the 27-year-old actress has been receiving lots of support from those around her.
"She really struggled. It was hard to get up every morning. But now, she`s doing ok," the friend added.
An episode of `Glee` in tribute to Cory and his character, Finn Hudson, called `The Quarterback`, aired in the US last week.
The episode included a tear-jerking rendition of Bob Dylan`s `Make You Feel My Love`, performed by Lea, who plays Rachel Berry in the show.

Theatre hosts 'wife-swapping party' to celebrate new play

New York: The `Looking Glass Theatre` is hosting a Halloween "key party" to celebrate its new play `The Goddess`.
The play, which is a comedy about open marriages written by Justine Lambert and Kenneth Nowell, will feature `Questions and Answers` on three nights with a panel of top relationship experts, followed by the wife-swapping party, the New York Post reported.

The panellists include psychologists, an organizer from the `World Sexual Health Day` and a diplomat from the `American Association of Sex Educators and Therapists.


Simon Cowell raps with fellow ‘The X Factor’ judges in new video!

Washington: Simon Cowell, Kelly Rowland, Demi Lovato and Paulina Rubio have collaborated for the first time in a new spoof video for the latest season of `The X Factor USA` Season 3.

The judges of the reality singing talent show performed their own version of a contestants` outlandish rap ` You Better Ask Me to Dance`, which went viral on the internet and garnered 1.2 million views after it started trending on YouTube , BIG CBS LOVE reported.

The video shows the 54-year-old music mogul flanked by his former girlfriend Rowland as he raps.






Lance Bass wants show on 'N Sync


Los Angeles: Singer Lance Bass, who recently reunited with former bandmates of ‘N Sync for performance at an award show, believes there should be a TV reality show to capture their chemistry on camera.

"We see each other a lot, but we never get to see each other all five of us in the same room. It`s such a dynamic, it`s hilarious. We need a reality show when that happens,” Website Gossip Cop quoted Bass as saying.
The 34-year-old denied rumours that the group was set to record new music because singer Justin Timberlake`s hectic schedule means it would be virtually impossible to get everyone in the studio together, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
"Especially with Justin, he`s not going to stop for a very long time. He hasn`t stopped since he was probably eight years old,” said Bass.
The band, which also consisted of JC Chasez, Joe Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick, was popular in the late 1990s. Some of their hits include ‘Bye bye bye’, ‘This I promise you’ and ‘Gone’. They disbanded a decade back.

Man Booker Prize 2013: Will Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘The Lowland’ win?

Man Booker Prize 2013: Will Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘The Lowland’ win?

The winner of Man Booker Prize is scheduled to be announced today. Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri is among the nominees for the coveted title.
Lahiri’s new novel, ‘The Lowland’, portrays the tale of two brothers set in the backdrop of Calcutta of the 1960s.
The author will create history if she wins the honour because the104 pages long ‘The Lowland’ will become the shortest novel to win the Booker prize ever.
Born in London, 46-year-old Lahiri, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, is the daughter of immigrants from West Bengal.
She has penned three other noted books. Her debut collection of stories, `Interpreter of Maladies`, won the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Hemingway Award.
Her novel `The Namesake` was a New York Times Notable Book and was selected as one of the best books of the year by USA Today and Entertainment Weekly, among other publications.
`The Namesake` was also adapted into a film of the same name by acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair.
Her second book of short stories, `Unaccustomed Earth`, was named one of the ten best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review.
In a review of her latest novel, the New York Times noted: "Jhumpa Lahiri first made her name with quiet, meticulously observed stories about Indian immigrants trying to adjust to new lives in the United States, stories that had the hushed intimacy of chamber music."
"The premise of her new novel, `The Lowland,` in contrast, is startlingly operatic," the influential US daily said calling it "certainly Ms. Lahiri`s most ambitious undertaking yet," that "eventually opens out into a moving family story."

Award Watch: Lizzy Caplan in 'Masters of Sex'


Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson in Masters of Sex (season 1, episode 1) - Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/SHOWTIME - Photo ID: mastersofsex_101_1057_NB
With only three episodes of Masters of Sex under our belt (get it?), is it too early to call an Emmy nomination for Lizzy Caplan?
It bodes well that Academy has a massive crush on premium cable dramas and starts rewarding them with nominations almost as soon as they hit our eyeballs. But Caplan, so far the standout in a series with massive potential, may not need that bias working in her favor. To know Lizzy Caplan's work is to love her, whether you prefer Janis Ian (Mean Girls) or Casey Klein (Party Down). Virginia Johnson, however, is the role that will prove wrong anyone who thinks her range stops at deadpan and sardonic.
It's a huge, juicy part — the kind that's unfortunately rare for actresses in their 30s, or frankly, actresses at all. We feel like we know everything about Michael Sheen's character almost from the minute we meet him. Dr. Masters is a workaholic; distant from his wife; so desperate to continue his work that he'll do anything to make that possible. But Virginia is an enigma. She's fearless and aggressive in pursuing her own life. Other women — like the admissions secretary at the college — resent her for it, and Caplan plays the swallowed anger of a person who realizes that it's best to politely demand than to fight back. She knows how to work people and their prejudices: in her interview with Masters, her words are bold, but Caplan softens her voice. She's not ashamed to enjoy sex, and doesn't believe that it always has to come with an emotional attachment. (In the pilot, this freedom seduces and then terrifies Dr. Haas.) But she's also warm to Bill's patients and his lonely, frazzled wife. She charms everyone who hits their exam table. We can see why the study would have failed fantastically without Virginia's bedside manner. Masters is afraid of her too, though, and he seems relieved when he can blame the leak of their couples studies on her. But the indomitable Virginia just hires herself right back.
The tension between Masters and Virginia is the main reason to tune into Masters of Sex so far, and we're looking forward to seeing how it plays out. What do you think of the Showtime series so far? Does Lizzy Caplan have your Emmy vote? Discuss in the comments!




7 Ways the 'Carrie' Remake Could Be a Better Adaptation of Stephen King's Book


Chloe Moretz (left) and Julianne Moore star in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Screen Gems' horror thriller CARRIE.
Brian De Palma's adaptation of Carrie ranks as one of the best film versions of a Steven King story. But while the 1976 version created some fantastic moments of cinema history (the splitscreens, the slow motion, everything Piper Laurie) the remake coming out at the end of this week still has plenty of untouched source material to work with. Here are afew suggestions of things that director Kimberly Piece hopefully considered adding to her version of the high school horror tale.
1. Actual Teenagers: While Sissy Spacek's performance was perfect for De Palma's heightened, surreal atmosphere (and even earned her an Oscar nomination), if the new Carrie is looking to be more faithful to the book, one thing they can do is cast actual teenagers. Chloe Grace Moretz is actually 16, so we're off to a good start.
2. "Flexing:" Much is made in the book of how hard Carrie has to work to channel her powers. She practices every night, slowly working her way up to moving heavier, bigger things, until she can flip cars with ease. That's what makes the climax so terrifying — she's making the conscious choice to torture everyone, and since this new films looks to be more of a horror and less of a suspenseful drama, anything that makes Carrie White more evil in the final act is a good idea. This also adds to the whole arc of the story: Carrie is a put-upon girl who would have been able to be accepted if only people had listened and gotten out of her way.
3. People Vote for Carrie: In the 1976 film version, the evil girl Chris replaces all of the actual Prom King and Queen votes with ones for Carrie. In the book, sure, Chris is scheming, but the student body also just seems to get on board with Carrie, who actually proves herself at the prom and has a good time joking and hanging out. It makes the ending that much better, and this a story where everything is in the ending, right?
4. Childhood: One mistake audiences often make is that Carrie's powers are activated in the beginning of the movie. Instead, she's had them since childhood, and her mother's control actually stems equally from fear that they will return. The book has a fantastic story, told from the perspective of a neighbor, about a four-year-old Carrie bringing a rain of stones down on the house after her mother punishes her.
5. They Are Going to Laugh At You: In the 1976 version, Carrie just imagines the prom guests laughing at her, but in the book, such is that they can't help themselves and really do. Because, if we're being honest, high school is really, really embarrassing and awkward. And Chris is, in the end, pulling a prank. A cruel prank, but still. The slowly mounting horror is even better when offset because the characters just can't help but laugh... until it's too late.
6. Sue At Home: There's probably not much time in a feature film for nicest-of-the-mean-girls Sue's entire arc, which includes worries about college, a pregnancy scare, and falling in love with Brad (the sap who ends up taking Carrie to prom). But in the book, the only reason she isn't murdered by Carrie is that she chooses to stay home from the prom, giving us a window into what's happening in the rest of the town. Which leads to —
7. Get Rid of the Whole Damn Town: In the novel, the carnage goes far beyond just the school gymnasium, enough that the premise of the book is an exploration of one of the greatest American tragedies. Given that technology is no longer a hindrance, hopefully we'll get to see the full range of what Carrie can do.

Mallika Sherawat accepts marriage proposal!


Mumbai: Actress Mallika Sherawat, who is seeking a life partner through a reality dating show `The Bachelorette India-Mere Khayalon Ki Mallika`, has accepted marriage proposal from one of the suitors.

During an impromptu act, contestants were asked to impress Mallika and that`s when Jashn Singh proposed her in a "filmy style" asking Mallika`s hand.
She was not only impressed but went all gaga over the proposal and promptly accepted it much to everyone`s surprise, a source said.
Recently, Mallika planted a kiss on model-actor Kiran Sagoo`s cheek.
He is amongst the 15 suitors who are on the show to capture her attention, the source added.
`The Bachelorette India -Mere Khayalon Ki Mallika` is a spin-off from the American competitive reality dating game show.
The series revolves around a single bachelorette and a pool of romantic interests, trying to impress her. The show is a journey to find true love for the actress on small screen.

Karan Johar’s Koffee date with Kapoor cousins

Mumbai: Speculations have been rife that Salman Khan might open the newest season of Karan Johar’s celebrity talk show ‘Koffee with Karan’.

But if the latest buzz is anything to go by, then Kapoor cousins- Ranbir and Kareena - might make an appearance in the show together.
The Kapoors were being considered by Zoya Akhtar to play siblings in her next but owing to date issues, she had to drop the idea of casting the real life brother-sister jodi.
Ranbir Kapoor is a superstar in the making while Kareena has already proved her mettle in the industry. Many from Bollywood’s famous Kapoor khandaan have made appearances in several films together.
‘Kal Aaj Aur Kal’ featured- Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor. Brothers Randhir and Rishi have worked in ‘Housefull 2’. And Abhinav Kashyap’s latest –‘Besharam’- starred Rishi, his wife Neetu and son Ranbir.
The audiences might have to wait longer to see Ranbir and Kareena work in a film together but who knows they might get to see them sizzle on KJo’s ‘Koffee with Karan’ soon!


Learning experience to work with Salman: Pulkit Samrat

Mumbai: Actor Pulkit Samrat, who will feature in a cameo in Salman Khan-starrer `Jai Ho`, says working with the star has been a learning experience.

"I had a great time to be a part of this film. It`s always a learning experience to work with Salman Khan. To be working with a star and see him performing his scenes is indeed a pleasure. I would only say I have learnt a lot from him. I am very excited about this film," Pulkit said.
The young actor was last seen in `Fukrey`.
Talking about his part in `Jai Ho`, he said: "It`s a guest appearance. It`s not a big role, but I come in during a crucial scene in the film. We have not finished the shooting yet. Some few portions are still left."
Directed by Sohail Khan, `Jai Ho` also features Tabu.



Shraddha Kapoor keen to move beyond romance in films

Mumbai: Actress Shraddha Kapoor, recently seen in successful love saga `Aashiqui 2`, says she wants to go beyond the genre of romance on screen, and try her luck at different roles, especially a grey character.

"The fact that people liked `Aashiqui 2` and my character (Aarohi) in it, they now want to see me in a lot more romantic films. I would like to do romantic films, but honestly I would like to do beyond that as well," Shraddha told reporters here at an event.
"I would like to do other genres also and it will be interesting," she added.
Shraddha, daughter of actor Shakti Kapoor, made her Bollywood debut with `Teen Patti` in 2010. But she earned popularity only with `Aashiqui 2`.
Asked about the kind of roles she wants to play, Shraddha said: "If I will get the opportunity to be a part of a very interesting character that has grey or white shades, then why not? I would love to play it."
Meanwhile, the actress will soon be seen in Mohit Suri`s next `The Villain`. Besides, she has also teamed up with director Rohit Shetty for his next project, which is expected to go on floors soon.


Does Elli Avram have a soft corner for Salman Khan?

Mumbai: Elli Avram has more foes than friends inside the house of ‘Bigg Boss 7’.

The pretty lass, who is all set to sizzle on the silverscreen with her debut Hindi film ‘Mickey Virus’ opposite Manish Paul, seems to be in awe of Salman Khan.
Inmates Kamya Punjabi, Tanishaa and Pratyusha often take a dig at Elli for her antics while Gauhar is the only one who has lend a helping hand to the foreigner.
The Swedish beauty, who is otherwise quite good at speaking Hindi, has irked many of her fellow inmates who think that Elli pretends that she doesn’t understand the language when the Bollywood hunk interacts with her on the show.
Elli comes across as someone who is quite a charmer and converses well in Hindi with the inmates of the house. Kamya Punjabi feels Elli acts naive in front of Salman, the host of the popular reality show.
This weekend, when the Bollywood heavyweight interacted with the inmates of the house, he too showed a liking for her. Elli too admitted that she would like to work with Salman, after Manish Paul, her first co-star, said that he has no reservations in letting Elli work with the superstar.
Are you looking forward to seeing Elli romance Salman onscreen? Let us know.

The Shah Rukh Khan column: Of balance, belief and hashtags


The superstar writes his first column in dna After Hrs on science and superstition. Tells us how he feels pressured by the 140-character Twitter limit and new words like twerking. Read on.
Just a few days back my friends at the dna paper called upon me to write a monthly column for their newspaper. A Common perception about actors is that they are incompetent at everything other than acting (and some are supposedly incompetent at that too). We aren’t exactly meant to have other interests (well, except of the controversial kind) but as it happens, I do. I like to write.
Of late I have spent time on twitter like we all do and on the internet in general. The combined pressure of 140 alphabet limit and reading new words like ‘Twerking’ (described aptly by someone on the net as ‘masquerading an ass seizure as dancing’), has made me believe that I could contribute to the all round well being of the society with my writings also.
What actually convinced me was, that if Hashtags # (a sign we earlier used for cuss words), can convey emotions, then my words on paper can also seem like pearls of wisdom and its about time my smart, genius side became public. So I decided to grab the axe and hack my foot myself by entering into 12 such potentially earth shattering observations of the world around me.
I have thus come up with the “brilliant” and “original” idea of writing about the 12 Sun Signs. But wait...This isn’t your usual weekly or daily astro prediction column. That is best left to Mr. Bejan Daruwala, Marjorie Orr or Linda Goodman. I just think it’s a good place to start. 12 Columns, 12 Sun Signs, 12 traits I can write about. So I will pick the traits of these 12 Sun Signs and choose one that stands out the most then I’ll write around it. I’ll write my personal experience, my point of view or just something I see happening around me. Confused. Ok, read on.
This month we begin with Libra.
Librans are known for balance and harmony. The word balance tends to convey stillness, but oddly I look at balance as something that we need in life to keep things moving. It’s something that we all have to do...everyone from a tightrope walker to an accountant requires balance. An accountant has to balance debit with credit, while a star has to balance a public life with a private life. Most people have to balance lies and truth, or right and wrong. In my years of experience, one of the most intriguing balances I have had to find is that between Science and Superstition.
In India we are intrinsically tied to Superstition. It’s a natural nuance of our lives. I am a science student (over 90 percent in Electronics if I may add). This does not mean that I can open up a piece of electronic equipment and put it back together again. On that front I am like everybody else in the world: left holding one little ‘gizmoic’ part of the equipment, scratching my head, wondering, “where was this supposed to fit?” but more about this in another column.
Being of a scientific bent of mind, I always take the scientific course of action. If a part of my body is disintegrating or broke, I am more than willing to change it at the hands of an expert, namely a Surgeon. I have had eight such removals and implants done over the course of 20 years.
Thankfully, so far, no surgeon has come to me post operation and quizzed, “Eh, SRK I have this little piece of green spleen left-over from last night’s procedure, can you tell me if it belongs to you or then it could be bed number 42’s.”
So I am a believer of science and its many benefits. Having said that, I would still not go for a bungee jump or do a skydive on Friday the 13th. Hashtag # Just Saying.
Some years ago I was faced with the balancing act of weighing my scientific bent against superstition. One evening I got to know my spine had a prolapsed disc and I had to go under the knife. It’s a big surgery. It’s considered equivalent to a brain surgery (from which I might just have benefitted more!) because it involves the spinal cord.
As it happens, it also proved to be one of the grandest acts of equanimity I ended up engaging in.
Everybody began to foretell doom. They listed all that could go wrong. They said I could be paralysed or rendered voiceless. Thoughts raced in my own head as well. The doctors advised surgery as soon as possible.
I was as scared as anyone might be at the thought of their spine being tampered with so I gave a year to those who said they could cure my prolapse through the prolapse of medical science.
Let me make it clear that I am not trying to undermine people’s beliefs or superstitions. Different things work for different people. If you believe in something then it works for you. A recent study has proved that people who believe in superstition get the job done better than those who don’t, so who are we to question the world of the unknown and its unkown-ness.
To me it was just intriguing that there was such a wonderful variety of cures and treatments on offer for a serious injury like mine.
My family and friends all suggested different treatments ranging from acupuncture to oil made from the sting of a scorpion. I am proud to tell you that because of the deep desire to keep the ‘BALANCE’ (in caps because that’s the topic) of things unperturbed I tried most of them.
What follows is an account of some of my escapades and misadventures up to the final day of surgery. These are excerpts from my yet unpublished book and as you will read, you will realise there is no stretching or exaggeration of factual happenings. The names of the protagonists have been changed to maintain their privacy and mainly to prevent them from suing or physically assaulting me in the near future.
……The doctor that I went to for, what I will call ‘pin therapy’ is a wonderful doctor. He’s among the leading doctors for this therapy in the world. He also spoke three words of Hindi taught to him by other Indian clients (obviously he didn’t know the meaning of those words, otherwise he would never use them, unless abusing your mom and sister was a part of his therapy).
The thought of him sticking needles in my neck was scary. But I need not have worried. He didn’t want to put needles in my neck, instead he wanted to stick them in my private parts to fix my neck!
As you can imagine it was an extremely hurtful prospect. I was shaken to the core of my being (not to mention, below it).
He was from the Far East and we didn’t understand each other well. He kept repeating, “Take off your clothes, take off your clothes”. So, I took off my shirt, but it didn’t seem to suffice. He continued his chant regardless: ‘take off your clothes.”
Soon I was lying naked on his table and he had these big, big pins in his hands. The rest is too graphic to describe. It was the most humiliating and painful experience of my life.
Ordeal over, I came back marred by blue welts. The only thing that had changed was that now the pain was between my legs and not in my neck. I can tell you it distracted me enough to make me forget my original complaint. Though once I recovered from the onslaught of the pin-pricks, my neck pain resurfaced with a vengeance.
Now and then I think of the good doctor and my upbringing tugs at my conscience. I never thanked him. Maybe I should have sent him a note…in Hindi…just the three words that he had been taught!
……The ‘Energy Experts’ meanwhile, had decided that the reason for my cervical disc prolapse was the direction in which I slept.
So the position of my bed had to be changed. Change is good. Novelty is invigorating; it’s the spice of life. I like change. There were a few problems that came up though. My plasma TV was affixed to the wall keeping in mind the original position of my bed. Taking out those brackets from the wall would have meant re-building it. So the TV stayed where it was and the only way to can watch it was to somehow stand on my head. My bedside lamp shed its light on my bathroom slippers instead of the book that I read in bed. The bathroom door ended up where the TV should have been. Though I must admit, the six episodes of the slightly swaying bathroom door, seemed more interesting than some of the stuff we are subjected to on the idiot box.
The headrest hung inexplicably in mid air without a bed to support it. If I could levitate 10 inches off the ground I might have been able to rest my head on it.
My AC remote did nothing remotely anymore. It needed to be directed towards the fridge to get the AC on. I guess the rays would bounce off the shiny surface and find their way to the infra red sensor on the AC. Strangely the rays did not follow the same reverse path and to switch the damn thing off, I’d need to swing to the bottom of the bed and point in random directions till I’d hear the AC stop breathing.
…I made a frantic call to my surgeon in England. I told him I was coming over to his hospital in the next few days. He was very concerned. He asked, “ Are you in pain’’. ‘No’, I replied, “ I am in my bath tub trying to sleep, apparently this area has the best energies.” Hashtag # Help!
...My friends requested me one last time to see their Panditji before I left for England. They felt his prayers would help me. I agreed because I believe in good wishes and good Karma. The Punditji looked educated and very modern. He asked me about the procedure of the Cervical surgery. I explained it to him in detail. He closed his eyes and said some mantra. Then he looked at me with warm and peaceful eyes, and said, “Are you sure they have to use a Titanium disc?” I said, “ Yeah, it’s the latest invention and really cool.” He sighed, “ Look it is your Karma that you have to undergo this surgery. You cannot escape it. But there is only one thing, Titanium is not your element, can you ask the doctor to use Moonstone instead.”
...The surgery was less painful. It took about an hour and a half. I was informed everything was excellent. As they say in our films… “The operation is successful.”
What was humiliating was the hospital dress code.
I believe a patient in a gown means that he or she is very ill and quite helpless. They need a lot of care and medical attention. It is a sort of uniform that tells you the person wearing it, is deserving of your sympathy and concern. No one expects a Stella McCartney, but at least...at least it should not make you dissolve into a merciless giggle.
Picture a hobbling and helpless patient crossing you, walking slowly away from you. You’re following him with your eyes, visibly moved, at this point your gaze misses his helpless expression entirely and lands unceremoniously on his butt. What purpose does this revealing and utterly humiliating outfit serve? I ask ye all fine people of the medical profession.
Even when I had gone for my knee and ankle surgery in Austria I was forced to wear this silly outfit. I could very well have been in shorts or Bermudas and got my knee operated on. It’s not as if my butt needs to be flashed for easy access to my knee. I think this aspect of clothing needs to be relooked at by the Medical Faculty around the world.
It requires immediate, scientific attention.
As I said, the complete collapse of everyone else’s attempts to cure me through their well meant suggestions, eventually lead me to my spinal surgery. This of course did not deter them from claiming credit for its success when I got home. The horseshoe nailed outside my room in my absence had apparently cast its magic spell on the surgeon.
The ‘Energy Expert’ was convinced that his switching my furniture around had filled the gap in my spine and my friends swore by their Panditji’s imaginary Moonstone too. Maybe it was the Energy Balancing, maybe it was the Surgery, or it could have been the shoeless horse; who knows?
Perhaps faith and science are deeply interconnected. Maybe we just don’t see the balance between them yet. Everything science proves today, it disproves tomorrow and faith in an idea often brings it to its empirical fruition. Superstition is the belief in a supernatural causality, we cannot completely abandon it unless we fully understand the complexity and vastness of nature.
I think it is safe to say that there are uncountable things in this world that will always remain beyond our understanding. Each of us chooses our own beliefs and lives by them and all of us are limited by our own condition. The trick is to respect each and every form of well meaning course of action, belief, superstition and still look up to man’s quest for knowledge (the yearning for scientific discovery), to back it up. That’s what I did.
I chose Titanium over the eeeww Moonstone and it worked for me….TOUCHWOOD!!!

Sidharth Malhotra works out hard for 'The Villain'

Mumbai: Actor Sidharth Malhotra is working out hard to build a bulky look for his next film `The Villain`.

A source close to the actor said: "He has been sweating it out in the gym to get a chiselled physique for his next. The actor has been undertaking rigorous workouts each day to achieve the bulky look."
Sidharth is reportedly also going through intense training sessions for the movie which will see him playing a baddie.
`The Villain` is directed by Mohit Suri and also features Shraddha Kapoor of `Aashiqui 2` fame.
Sidharth, a model-turned-actor made his Bollywood debut with Karan Johar`s `Student Of The Year`. He recently wrapped up shooting for the filmmaker`s new production `Hasee Toh Phasee`.

Thursday, 3 October 2013

Hollywood & Bollywood Updates 4th October 2013.

Hollywood Updates

Hollywood Needs to Stop Telling Jennifer Lawrence She's Fat



18th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards held at Barker Hangar - Arrivals    Featuring: Jennifer Lawrence  Where: Santa Monica, California, United States  When: 10 Jan 2013  Credit: Brian To/WENN.com
America — no, the entire world — is in love with Jennifer Lawrence. It's no secret, it's been reported on over and over. So, it's no surprise that in Lawrence's new interview, she once again captures our hearts and our heads when she speaks out against the over-the-top expectations in Hollywood, and how she refuses to conform.
In the November issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, Lawrence says she is still facing pressure from Hollywood to be stick thin. When she was just starting out, the first overweight comments began, but she brushed it off as, "It was just the kind of s**t that actresses have to go through." But Lawrence explains it quickly began to get more personal. "Somebody told me I was fat, that I was going to get fired if I didn't lose a certain amount of weight. They brought in pictures of me where I was basically naked, and told me to use them as motivations for my diet. They thought that because of the way my career had gone, it wouldn't still hurt me. That somehow, after I won an Oscar, I'm above it all." Lawrence goes on to explain that it doesn't matter what kind of compliments or awards you get, an insult is an insult. Thankfully, Lawrence tries to not let it bother her anymore, instead claiming, "If anybody even tries to whisper the word 'diet,' I'm like, 'You can go f**k yourself.'" Hallelujah Jen.
Lawrence goes to gain our eternal adoration by explaining her love of chips, Cheez-Its and on-set catering. "My bodyguard Gilbert, right before they call 'action,' I’m like, 'If there aren’t Cheez-Its here by the time they call cut, just go home.' And he’ll start running. It cracks me up how seriously he takes it…. It’s not my performance that is motivating me. I want to get the on-set catering."
While Lawrence is arguably the most vocal about her hatred of the Hollywood body standard, other actors have also refused to conform to the unrealistic demands. For instance, Jennifer Love Hewitt got serious backlash in 2007 when she was photographed on vacation looking normal, as opposed to airbrushed to "perfection," in a bikini. Hewitt spoke out saying, "I know what I look like, and so do my friends and family. And like all women out there should, I love my body. To all girls with butts, boobs, hips and a waist, put on a bikini -- put it on and stay strong."
Demi Lovato is another famous face that has publicly dealt with her body issues. At the age of 12, Lovato developed an eating disorder, and after going to rehab, Lovato has returned to the spotlight looking healthy and happy. She says she now knows, "It's OK to love your body the way it is and it's OK to reach out and ask for help."
We seriously hope this this trend of standing up for all body types will continue, and that other Hollywood actors will come forward to criticize the unreleastic Hollywood standards... or at least get photographed eating a burger once in a while. Until then, I'll leave you with this awesome clip of the refreshingly normal J.Law telling Ryan Seacrest she's "starving" on the Oscar red carpet. Check it out below.



Lady Gaga may pull out of 'The X Factor'


London: Singer Lady Gaga has reportedly threatened to pull out of her special performance on show ‘The X Factor’ after judge Sharon Osbourne`s crude remarks against her.

Osbourne is said to have called Gaga vile, a bully and a hypocrite in her new autobiography.

Osbourne has claimed that Gaga had encouraged her fans to torment her daughter Kelly, 28, with online abuse. This has not gone down well with Gaga, reports dailystar.co.uk.

Gaga, 27, reportedly hit back saying that she was "in no mood" to be in the same building as Osbourne, said the former`s friends.

"Sharon didn`t hold back in her comments and there is now a very real concern Gaga might just pull out of the show," said a source.
However, producers are ready to take extreme measures to keep Gaga`s performance on track.
"I am sure we will be doing all we can to make Lady Gaga feel welcome," said a source close to show bosses.

Sinead O'Connor pens open letter to Miley Cyrus


Los Angeles: Irish singer Sinead O`Connor has written an open letter to Miley Cyrus, warning her about the evils of music industry.

Cyrus, who was criticised for a naked video of track ‘Wrecked ball’, said that it was inspired from Connor’s 1990’s track ‘Nothing compares 2 u’.

In the open, letter O`Connor wrote: “I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way ‘cool’ to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos.”

“It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be p***ed, whether it’s the music business or yourself doing the p***ing,” she added.

Cyrus rose to fame by playing famous teenage singer ‘Hannah Montana’ in the Disney channel’s show.
O`Connor has shared with Cyrus that shedding clothes will not help her let go of her image of a child star.
“As for the shedding of the ‘Hannah Montana’ image, whoever is telling you getting naked is the way to do that does absolutely not respect your talent, or you as a young lady.
“Your records are good enough for you not to need any shedding of Hannah Montana. She’s way gone by now...Not because you got naked but because you make great records,” she added.

Helena Bonham Carter's partner cheating on her?


London: Actress Helena Bonham Carter`s longtime partner Tim Burton has been spotted embracing a mystery woman following a cinema date in Hampstead.

The ‘Edward Scissorhands’ director is dressed in jeans and a jacket as he follows the blonde, who looks younger than him, into the cinema, reported Showbiz spy.

Burton, 55, has been in a long term relationship with Bonham Carter for 12 years.

The couple were last seen together in public in March of this year when they attended an event with their children Billy and Nell, just days after they went to a Save The Children fundraiser.




Sneak Peek: Amy Poehler Disses Kristen Bell in 'Parks and Recreation' Clip

In the newest episode of Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler's fiesty Leslie Knope is ready to put up a fight against Kristen Bell's snooty Eagletonian. The clip shows Leslie slamming the guest star with insults upon insults, because as Leslie says, "Eagleton sucks."
Bell plays City Councilwoman Ingrid de Forest from Eagleton (the neighboring town that Leslie despises with a passion) who is "Leslie's equivalent, but richer and better dressed," according to Entertainment Weekly's interview with executive producer Michael Schur.

Parks and RecreationBell is only one of many guest stars that are slated to appear in this season of Parks and Recreation. Following Heidi Klum and Henry Winkler's appearances in the season premiere, we'll see Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Sam Elliott (The Big Lebowski), and Billy Eichner.


The 'Twilight' Effect: Teen Girls Attempt To Recapture That Box Office Magic



Twilight Eclipse
The Twilight trilogy has lovingly left its sparkle in Hollywood, leaving behind a trail of movies to proceed in its dust, sometimes shining bright and sometimes burning out. Achieving that sparkle, or promising to, is known as the Twilight Effect. Studios can’t seem to buy scripts fast enough hoping to cast the next Bella, taking young female leads to new heights.
Gone are the days of the popular football jock discovering the hot bod of the nerd under her big sweaters.
Now the adolescent girls roar their battle cry, “Give us blood! Give us guts! Give us the soulless creatures only we can save! Give us this or give us nothing at all!”
The hero, young Bella, gave grunge girls everywhere hope that they too might score an older, wise, charming, virtuous and strong, blood sucker that looked torn from the pages of a GQ magazine...admittedly, a lot to live up to.
Enter Katniss Everdeen. With her girl-next-door looks and badass attitude, she has come the closest to touching Bella’s allure. She isn’t just saving her sister when she volunteers for the annual Hunger Games, she is uniting her society that was previously hopeless.
Julie Grigio isn’t afraid to get her hands a little dirty. She doesn’t merely ignite a beating heart in the once lifeless body of R in Warm Bodies, she saves an entire race of people from being massacred by the ever disgusting-have-been-zombies-too-long Boneys.
Beautiful Creatures perhaps missed the beat on providing the strong female role Twihards have come to needBut the beautifully-woven story about a girl entering into puberty and facing the choice of good or evil can’t be completely dismissed, especially after seeing the lovely Emmy Rossum due her evil thing.
It isn’t just teenage girls being swooned by the sensational Twilight Effect. Studio executives are seeing the power behind the angst-ridden females. They are listening. “We just want to be loved...loved by dead, pale day-walking blood-sucking vampires who will carry us to the top of trees and beyond.”

All That Glitters: The Swarovski Vampires of Twilight



It’s been a weird decade for the undead. In the restless quest for new slants on vampirekind, bats and coffins have been ousted by day walkers and vegetarians. No worries, it's all good. Writers need to feel free to invent.
Besides, vampire orthodoxy has always been in flux. Debates still rage over whether Bram Stoker ever said daylight was lethal to fangsters, or if it was an idea cooked up by F. W. Murnau for Nosferatu. So vamp insiders know there is a lot of play between living in the sun and dying in the sun. But sparkling in it?
In the Twilight ethos, vampires glitter like diamonds, and that's why they avoid the day. They shimmer like disco balls, making male vampires even more irresistible to pubescent female mortals. What: tall, wan and handsome isn’t hot enough any more?
Ridiculous. And I blame it on the fact that the scrapbooking generation had barely been weaned off glitter when Edward Cullen went shirtless.
Me, I miss the days when vamps were vamps, and avoided bright light for the same reason any sensible adult does: when you’re over 100, you look better at night.




Celebrity-Inspired Halloween Costumes



This is a difficult time for adults everywhere, as many of us are faced with a very serious problem known as the super-cool, grown-up Halloween costume. Because, basically, once you're out of your teens it can look a little ridiculous if you're not careful. But we're here to help! Some of the best costumes are celebrity-inspired and we can think of a handful of celebs who are just begging us to dress up like them for Halloween this year. Here are a few costume ideas for the celebrity-obessessed.
Applause Lady Gaga
It's very simple. Step 1: Get some face paint. Step 2: Smear said face paint liberally all over your face. Step 3: Wear whatever else you want, just make sure your heels are six inches-plus. Step 4: Look really, really pleased with your personal, sexual, and artistic life choices at all times and voila! You are Lady Gaga promoting her "Applause" single!
Met Gala Kanye West & Kim Kardashian
Who can forget the moment Kanye West and Kim Kardashian hit up the 2013 Met Costume Gala? Nobody can, which means that when you and a friend/partner show up dressed like the most talked about celebrity couple of the year, you'll be a huge hit. This costume is also fairly simple -- one of you wears a tux (and an inflated -- though perhaps well-deserved -- sense of self-importance), and the other wraps a lovely floral curtain around themselves repeatedly. Or uses the actual floral fabric from an actual couch, since that's what everyone compared to Kim's Givenchy gown.
MTV Video Music Awards Miley Cyrus
Okay, here's what you do. First, you get bold enough to actually go out in public wearing nothing but nude-colored underwear (if you can get ahold of some plastic underwear, and you can bear the chafing, then go for it). Then you do your hair à la Cynthia doll from Rugrats. Next, get a giant foam finger and... well... you know what to do with it.
Great Wall Of China Justin Bieber
This is also an extremely simple costume to pull off, if you have two willing friends. Make sure your friends are bigger than you, although it's not necessary that they be as large as Justin Bieber's bodyguards. And then get them to carry you around on their shoulders for the entire night, including (especially) up and down any stairs. You could also wear a hat or name tag that says "Biggest Pop Culture Douche Ever," in case people need clarification.

'Scandal's Jeff Perry Talks Season 3 & the Inner Life of Cyrus Beene

Scandal
Scandal’s Jeff Perry is in real-life the co-founder of the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre as well as a film actor, TV director, and acting teacher. We talked to Perry about all things Cyrus and what we can expect as Season 3 of Scandal starts tonight on ABC








The 'Twilight' Effect: Teen Girls Attempt To Recapture That Box Office Magic



Twilight Eclipse
The Twilight trilogy has lovingly left its sparkle in Hollywood, leaving behind a trail of movies to proceed in its dust, sometimes shining bright and sometimes burning out. Achieving that sparkle, or promising to, is known as the Twilight Effect. Studios can’t seem to buy scripts fast enough hoping to cast the next Bella, taking young female leads to new heights.
Gone are the days of the popular football jock discovering the hot bod of the nerd under her big sweaters.
Now the adolescent girls roar their battle cry, “Give us blood! Give us guts! Give us the soulless creatures only we can save! Give us this or give us nothing at all!”
The hero, young Bella, gave grunge girls everywhere hope that they too might score an older, wise, charming, virtuous and strong, blood sucker that looked torn from the pages of a GQ magazine...admittedly, a lot to live up to.
Enter Katniss Everdeen. With her girl-next-door looks and badass attitude, she has come the closest to touching Bella’s allure. She isn’t just saving her sister when she volunteers for the annual Hunger Games, she is uniting her society that was previously hopeless.
Julie Grigio isn’t afraid to get her hands a little dirty. She doesn’t merely ignite a beating heart in the once lifeless body of R in Warm Bodies, she saves an entire race of people from being massacred by the ever disgusting-have-been-zombies-too-long Boneys.
Beautiful Creatures perhaps missed the beat on providing the strong female role Twihards have come to needBut the beautifully-woven story about a girl entering into puberty and facing the choice of good or evil can’t be completely dismissed, especially after seeing the lovely Emmy Rossum due her evil thing.
It isn’t just teenage girls being swooned by the sensational Twilight Effect. Studio executives are seeing the power behind the angst-ridden females. They are listening. “We just want to be loved...loved by dead, pale day-walking blood-sucking vampires who will carry us to the top of trees and beyond.”

                       Bollywood Updates

When Deepika Padukone visited an ailing Ranveer Singh


Mumbai: Deepika Padukone visited Ranveer Singh, who has been undergoing treatment for dengue in a hospital since Friday last week.

The lead actress of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Ram-Leela’, which is slated to release on November 15, had special permission to meet her co-star and dear friend.

Reportedly, even Deepika is not in the best of her health as she injured herself while shooting for a sequence of Bhansali’s magnum opus.
Ranveer was running with high fever while he was shooting in Durgapur near Kolkata for ‘Gunday’ last week. The actor apparently, continued to shoot despite fever in order to avoid any inconvenience and loss to the production, his official spokesperson said in a statement.
The actor underwent tests after returning to Mumbai and was diagnosed with dengue.
Here’s wishing the young and talented actor speedy recovery.

‘Besharam’ review: Ranbir Kapoor fails to impress!


‘Besharam’, Ranbir Kapoor’s latest release has a basic problem - it does not live up to its name.
When you watch Ranbir you do not expect an out and out ‘Besharam’ comedy. However you do expect some smart assery if that is what is projected in all its promos. Good performances, the Kapoor clan, and some good humour could not really create the magic that you expect from the entire crew. The young Kapoor is a teen heart throb, here he tries to be more, and doesn’t really do too well.
‘Dabbang’ was a great make of classic masala film making that came from Abhinav Kashyap, and was pulled off with élan by Salman Khan. Salman stood out in his archaic 1990s hero avatar, delivering loudmouthed-applause-inducing dialogues looking as if he spoke like this every day. Despite Ranbir’s refreshing acting skills, he falls short – probably because he looks just out of ‘Wake up Sid’ cuteness.
Humour is just spattered insufficiently and inconsistently. The parts where you end up enjoying the most are Rishi and Neetu Kapoor’s sequences, and by the end you are disappointed that they did not have as much screen time as you would have liked. It looks like Abhinav wanted to work with a plot that involved all three, but his ambitions stopped short right there. He did not bother with a plot line which was fantastical enough to accommodate all three of them sharing the screen space and make a compelling must watch blockbuster.
The story revolves around a good hearted orphan, Babli (Ranbir), who has grown up to be a car thief. He falls for the ‘beauty’ Tara Sharma (Pallavi Sharda). Rishi and Neetu play a slightly corrupt, cop couple - Chulbul and Bulbul Chautala. The movie has a predictable plot, atypical of masala flicks, using stereotypes of every kind. The love story between Babli and Tara is unconvincing. Not that you need a why and a how, but it doesn’t build up at all.
Also, one major grouse I had with the movie was that I was waiting to understand why Babli was called Besharam in the first place. By the standards of how Indian movie heroes are generally shown wooing ladies, Babli was quite a softy, giving flowers to the leading ladies mom, carrying her grocery. Apart from what you have seen in the promos, Ranbir never goes beyond pulling out socks from his pants.
The other two Kapoors are fantastic. Every time Rishi and Neetu appear on screen they manage to entertain. From the first chase sequence to the climax, the few minutes that they have, they have pulled off the chemistry that they were known for back in the 70s. Neetu Kapoor plays gutsy, stands on equal footing as Rishi, and has a good comic timing. She jibes and jokes with Rishi, who is equally cute with her whenever they are seen together. It’s like watching an old endearing couple still in love who have managed to keep the fire alive because of their romance infused in a sense of humour.
The first half of the movie is rather floppy, but the second half of the movie picks up the plot. But the climax is worth watching. Rishi, Neetu and Ranbir fight side by side; Rishi Kapoor takes the centre stage and you realise Kashyap probably made the movie only for this scene.
The music of the movie comes from Lalit Pandit who is the part of the 90s famed Jatin-Lalit duo. ‘Dil Ka Joh Haal Hai’ which is filmed near the traditional lahlahate sarso ke khet sounds like a track straight out of that decade. Another refreshing track is ‘Love ki Ghanti’ which reminds you of Kishore Kumar’s fun songs from the 60s. It has a conversation structure and sounds really fun! The title track and the other tracks, even though nothing to write home about are more or less enjoyable.
As Ranbir fan, one would not really mind the movie. But it does not make an impact as ‘Dabbang’ moment for the hero. The superstar in the making is probably is a much better actor than a masala entertainer and that’s something that he has proven in his previous movies. The filmmaker did not have a proper vision for an actor of Ranbir’s calibre and this one is certainly not the best for either of them!

If I ever have a child, I wish it’s a girl, says Salman Khan


Mumbai: Actor Salman Khan, who is busy shooting for his film ‘Jai Ho’, has managed to take out time to create awareness of the ‘Girl Child, Women Empowerment’ programme, and says if he ever has a child, he wishes it should be a girl.

"If I ever have a child.. Insh`allah I will... I wish its a girl. I want a girl child," Salman said at the press conference of the social cause.

Salman Khan is supporting the cause along with Miss Universe Olivia Culpo and Sanjana Jon who is in India for 10 days for the awareness programme.

Salman asks how can you kill the child even before its birth.
"How can you kill a child even before its birth... It’s not about awareness, its about your mentality. If you kill the girl child, eventually there will be no mothers and sisters and guys will have no women to marry. Women play a huge role in our lives."
The actor further revealed he is glad that he has two sisters who are taking care of his parents better than any of them.
"Women are ruling today... how can they be a burden. In my family I have two sisters and they takes care of my parents more than any of us. I am glad I have two sisters."

Ranveer unwell, 'Ramleela' music launch cancelled


Mumbai: The music launch of `Ramleela` has been cancelled as the film`s lead actor Ranveer Singh is down with dengue.

The decision has been taken by the film`s director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

A source close to the team revealed: "It was Bhansali`s decision to cancel the music launch as he felt there is no point in releasing the music of `Ramleela` without Ram (played by Ranveer). For Sanjay, Ranveer`s health is more important than anything else."

Ranveer, who has been diagnosed with dengue, was undergoing treatment in a hospital here. He will be discharged Thursday.

`Ramleela` will see Ranveer romancing Deepika Padukone.

Hrithik Roshan starrer 'Krrish 3' release date advanced


Mumbai: Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan Thursday confirmed that his much-awaited movie ‘Krrish 3’ will now release Nov 1 instead of Nov 4.

"It was a decision taken by the distributors and exhibitors that the film should come on Nov 1. I agreed with them, so now the movie will release on Nov 1," Rakesh Roshan said.

Diwali falls Nov 3, which is a Sunday.

"Diwali is coming on a Sunday, so it is good to release the film before that," he added.
‘Krrish 3’, the third film in the franchise that began with ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ in 2003, features Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut in key roles.

Don't want to join politics, says Salman Khan


Mumbai: Actor Salman Khan, who is actively involved in various social causes, says he will never join politics and would rather focus on some social issue.

"I don`t want to join politics but I will definitely join some social cause. Politics for me is social work... there is a man who takes care of the constituency. Its social work," Salman said.

Salman and his Being Human foundation have been actively involved with various social causes.

Monday, 30 September 2013

Hollywood & Bollywood Updates 1st October 2013.

Jennifer Lawrence Lands Her Dream Role In 'Dumb and Dumber To'
Not content with simply winning an Oscar and starring in two blockbuster franchises, Jennifer Lawrence is attempting to break into the world of comedy by earning herself a role in Dumb and Dumber To. The Hunger Games star filmed a cameo on her day off, when she and her Mockingjay co-stars stopped by to meet Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Lawrence will reportedly play a younger version of Kathleen Turner's character Fraida Felcher and will appear in a flashback. There's no word yet on whether Harry and Lloyd will also appear in the flashback, or who will play them.
Probably no one is more excited about this casting news than Lawrence herself, as she knows all the words to the original Dumb & Dumber film — a skill she showed off on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, which you can check out below. Considering her other two favorite films are Step Brothers and Anchorman, she's painting a pretty vivid image of her brand of humor. Let's also not forget that this is a girl who spent much of the press tour for the first Hunger Games film talking about how she pees when she's nervous, and detailing all of the gross habits she practiced during filming. She's essentially a Farrelly Brothers dream girl.

Dumb & Dumber To will pick up 20 years after the original, and will follow Harry and Lloyd as they journey to find Harry's long-lost daughter. The film is scheduled for a 2014 release; in the meantime, Lawrence will appear in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which will hit theaters on November 22, and American Hustle, which will be released in December.

3 Celebrity Beauty Lines Actually Worth Checking Out

Nowadays the celebrity beauty or makeup line is as common as the celebrity fashion line or fragrance. We all know that, typically, it just means that one particular celebrity was paid to put their name on something and voila! You have $265.00 Kanye West jeans for no particualr reason at all. But occassionally the celebs really do get involved with their products, and today we're highlighting three beauty lines that really do belong to the celebrities whose names are attached to the products. Get ready for some fab, afforadable face thanks to these ladies.
Drew Barrymore, Flower Beauty


Drew Barrymore describes a good makeup product as ‘an empowering personality shield’ for women, and she is seriously invested in her line. Rather than just throw her name on the brand, Flower Beauty is something that the actress was legitimately involved in on both the creative and business ends (her tutorials are also pretty bomb). One of the few beauty lines that does not spend loads of money on ads, the quality products are sold at Wal-mart, and they all give off that Drew Barrymore-esque vibe. From the concealers to the lip gloss, the products and shades inspire a super sweet, laid-back, and totally effortless beauty.

Miranda Kerr, KORA Organics
Miranda Kerr is a supermodel of many talents, but one of her coolest ventures has been KORA Organics. A makeup line specializing in organic, all-natural products, this beauty line caters to various skin types, with a focus on cleansing, moisturizing, and promotion of overall skin health. If Miranda’s flawless skin is any indication of whether or not this stuff works, then all signs point to ‘yes.’

Iman, IMAN Cosmetics
Back in 1994 Somali-born supermodel Iman created the first cosmetics and skincare collection designed specifically for women of color. Since then her work has been celebrated the world over. Another site where the tutorials are especially helpful, Iman clearly knows her audience. She caters to women looking for beauty products that both heal the skin and celebrate its natural beauty.

Kitten "Wrecking Ball" Makes All Other Miley Cyrus Parodies Obsolete




Ever since Miley Cyrus twerked at the VMAs, her questionable life choices have been seemingly everywhere in the news. Not helping her case was the video for her new single "Wrecking Ball," which found the former Disney princess riding the titular object without a stitch of clothing. Clearly it was ripe for parody.
There have probably been thousands of "Wrecking Ball" video parodies already. Many have been uploaded to YouTube, with a few Vine videos even resulting in the removal of a long-standing university statue.
Many of these parodies are hilarious, but we're going to claim a winner right now: no one is beating this kitten.
In the short Vine video (in which no kittens were harmed) our new favorite Miley joker had her kitten play the role of the wrecking ball. For its part, the kitten seems pretty relaxed about its new occupation.
So it's time to pack in the Miley Cyrus parodies, dearest Internet, because we've already seen the best. And it's starring a tiny kitten:



NBC and CNN Drop Hillary Clinton Projects



UPDATE: NBC has announced that it has canceled development on its Hillary Clinton miniseries, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The decision comes hours after CNN Films formally dropped its planned Clinton-inspired documentary after pressure from political parties and the Clinton administration.
"After reviewing and prioritizing our slate of movie/miniseries development, we’ve decided that we will no longer continue developing the Hillary Clinton miniseries," the network said in a statement Monday.
The four-hour miniseries, expected to be written and directed by Courtney Hunt (Frozen River), was to star Diane Lane as the former first lady and secretary of state.
EARLIER: CNN Films has canceled its planned 2014 Hillary Clinton documentary following director Charles Ferguson's (Inside Job) decision to drop out. Ferguson withdrew his name from the film after being stonewalled by political parties, according to the blog he wrote for The Huffington Post.
Even though CNN and NBC were recently banned from hosting or sponsoring the Republican Primary debates in 2016 by the Republican National Committee because of their Clinton-inspired productions, Ferguson claims that the decision to cancel the movie was not because of pressure from CNN. Instead, he felt that he would not be able to make a movie that he could be proud of because of the resistance from democrats, republicans, and the Clinton administration.
"When I approached people for interviews, I discovered that nobody, and I mean nobody, was interested in helping me make this film," says Ferguson in his blog. "Not Democrats, not Republicans -- and certainly nobody who works with the Clintons, wants access to the Clintons, or dreams of a position in a Hillary Clinton administration."
For now, we'll all just have to wait and see if NBC actually follows through with its Clinton-inspired miniseries in the wake of all of this CNN showbiz-turned-political drama.


Lois Wouldn't Have Put Up With Heisenberg

After the Internet went wild with predictions about the Breaking Bad finale, we thought we'd riff on one of our favorite theories. Fans were hoping that by some stretch of Vince Gilligan's imagination, Walt would be put into witness protection and become Hal on Malcolm in the Middle. This made us ponder how Lois (played by the incomparable Jane Kaczmarek), Hal's infamously intimidating wife and strict mother to four boys, would have put up with all of Heisenberg's b.s. The short answer is: she wouldn't. But let's explore this hypothetical crossbreeding of television further. Here's how we think Breaking Bad would have gone down if Walt had been married to Lois.
Walt's Little Meth Empire
Lois would be livid if she found out her husband was moonlighting as a meth cook. Unlike Skyler, Lois would have fished the truth out of Walt by the end of episode two of the first season. And she would have given him an earful and forced him to give back any money he had made. Like Lois tells her eldest son on Malcolm in the Middle, she'd say the same to Walt during his mid-life crisis, "Your boss is an idiot, your co-workers are incompetent, and you are underappreciated. Welcome to the working world." In other words, "Get over yourself."

Krazy 8
Once Lois finds Krazy 8 chained up in their basement, which she would intimidate Walt into telling her immediately, she would have made him clean up the basement before calling his mother and sending him home.
Tuco 
During Walt and Jesse's captivity at the hands of Tuco, Lois would have found his number somehow, and the first words out of her mouth would have been, "Now you listen to me, mister." Within the hour, Tuco would have hand-delivered Walt and Jesse to their homes.

Speaking of Jesse
Lois would have very little patience for Jesse Pinkman. Not only would she have lectured his ear off on the dangers of using drugs, she would have enrolled him in rehab and community college, which he would have to pay for himself by getting a part-time job, of course. He would also have to attend mandatory family dinners at her house, so he could report his progress to her and Walt.

Bogdan
Interestingly, Lois comforts Malcolm after he gets made fun of by another kid, "Any kid who makes fun of you is a creepy little loser who'll end up working in a car wash." Well, if she were on Breaking Bad, she would say the same to Walt, and she'd be right. Bogdan would never act condescending towards Walt knowing that he has a wife like Lois.

Gus Fring

VIA
Gus was a respected, civilized, and reasonable man . . . until he meets Lois. After meeting her, he goes and kills Victor for no reason.

Todd
Lois would have made Todd drop his sociopath act in a heartbeat, or more like an ear pinch. She's raised four often sociopathic boys, so she's got no time for his creepy antics.

Lydia
We imagine her showdown with Lydia would look something like this:



Walt Jr.
Lois would tell Junior one thing: "Stop trying to make Flynn happen."



Superheroes Take Over TV 

Look on the television: it’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s just another superero TV show. While the track record of superhero TV is spotty (for every one Smallville there are twoBirds of Prey), networks keep piling on to make new shows about earth’s mightest heroes.
The box office success of superhero films might have a thing or two to do with this small screen revolution. Still, if superheroes are your thing you’ll soon have plenty of viewing options during the week. (Unless your thing is female superheroes, and then you’re still screwed.)

The Current Shows:
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Coming on the heels of the box office-busting The Avengers, this drama by Joss and Jed Whedon has already resulted in huge ratings for ABC. Coulson lives!

Arrow
This CW drama about the Green Arrow filled the Smallville-sized hole in the network’s superhero programming. It was also one of the best dramas of last season and introduced us all to Stephen Amell.

The Upcoming Shows:

Gotham: The TV Show
Before Batman came on the scene the only one fighting crime in Gotham city was police commissioner Gordon. This upcoming show on FOX will take a look at Gordon’s early years, pre-Bat, and introduce some of the most famous villains in Batman mythology.

The Flash: The Show
Since Arrow is doing so well, it only makes sense that the CW network would want to capture a little more of that lighting in a bottle. Enter (speedily) The Flash. Based on the superhero with more than Olympic speed, the show will be helmed by the same showrunners who already found superhero success with Arrow.

Constantine
Perhaps a less-known property, John Constantine is still a long-running DC universe character. Now NBC is looking to develop a show around the Hellblazer character with Dark Knight scribe David Goyer at the helm. Will Constantine have enough name reconigition to give NBC the hit they so deperately need?







Movies About Movies: Netflix Documentaries About Your Favorite Films


You know that feeling when you've just watched an awesome movie, and you want it to continue forever? We do. Unfortunately for us, franchises do end, and we have to rejoin the real world eventually. But at least some filmmakers understand this dilemma, and they've created documentaries covering the films they love. Here are a few of the best film documentaries available for streaming on Netflix.

Full Tilt Boogie
This documentary about the making of action flick From Dusk Till Dawn gives an interesting glimpse into the creation of an independent movie.

National Geographic: Beyond the Movie: The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
This LoTR documentary includes a lot of fascinating details about the creation of the movies and the life of J.R.R. Tolkein.

Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007
This doc is as slick as its subject as it traces the history of James Bond from his obscure beginnings to ubiquity.
Lost in La Mancha
This documentary tells the story of a movie that was never made, Terry Gilliam's Don Quixote, which would have starred Johnny Depp but never worked out for a variety of fascinating reasons.

Best Worst Movie
For those obsessed with the ultimate terrible movie, Troll 2, this documentary is a must-see.
Indyfans
This film chronicles the fans and influence of the Indiana Jones movies.

Making the Boys
This doc discusses the iconic film The Boys in the Band, which was groundbreaking in its treatment of gay subjects.


Cheryl Cole trashes rumors of split with boyfriend Tre Holloway


London: Cheryl Cole has confirmed her relationship with Tre Holloway after rumors surfaced that they were on the verge of splitting.



The 30-year old English recording artist was spotted enjoying with her 28-year old US dancer boyfriend at Sushisamba restaurant in London, the Daily Star reported.

Sources revealed that the `Parachute` singer wanted Holloway to shift to the UK so she could get back into music, while he wanted to stay in the States where his career is taking off.




Adele 'set to play Dusty Springfield in new biopic'

London: Speculations are rife that Adele has been cast as iconic musician Dusty Springfield in a forthcoming biopic, based on the late singer`s life.

A source close to the star told the Daily Star that Adele is attached to a project, but it`s in the early stages of development.

Insiders have alleged that the film has been in the pipeline for years, with Duffy and Nicole Kidman both rumoured to be in line for the part.
Sources have asserted that the project will be set during the late 1960s when Springfield moved to Memphis to work with producers at Atlantic records.
It is understood that the 25-year-old mum-of-one, who has previously admitted that she is big fan of the late star, was chosen for the role because of her resemblance to the `I Only Want To Be With You` hit maker.
The movie will apparently be helmed by Nick Hurran and written by ` Boardwalk Empire ` screenwriter David Stenn.


Rachael McAdams wants to change past fashion choices

Los Angeles: Actress Rachel McAdams says if given a chance, she would travel back in time and change her fashion choices during her ice-skating days.



McAdams, 34, will be soon seen in time travel movie ‘About Time’ and was involved in the sport of figure-skating in college days.

"I was a figure skater. So, I would take back a lot of fashion choices on the ice. Lot of sequence, I would go back on the sequence a little bit. Maybe, the blue eye shadow," McAdams in a statement.

Directed by Richard Curtis, ‘About Time’ also stars Domhnall Gleeson and will release in India Oct 11.







More thrills in second motion poster of 'Dhoom 3'

New Delhi: Yet another sizzling motion poster of the forthcoming movie ‘Dhoom 3’ is out online and looks like a reminder to fans about what they are about to experience with the release of the movie.

While the first motion poster didn`t reveal much except Aamir Khan`s chiselled body, this one has more thrills and chills attached to it.

Aamir plays a negative role in the movie and the smirk on his face gets your attention.
The movie, which has always given bikes and villains a lot of limelight, has bikes jumping over cars and bridges in the second motion poster.
The focus then shifts to the four main protagonists- Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra and Katrina Kaif.
The leads pose in a heroic manner as a fire rages around them. The graphics are well done.
The sound of a bike racing adds to the thrilling feeling. The signature tune of the ‘Dhoom’ franchise takes the musical lead soon followed by the sound of the bike.
Aamir will be seen in a negative role in the third installment of the franchise while Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra reprise their role as ACP Jai Dixit and Ali respectively.
Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, the movie is set to release Dec 20.

Never whistled at Aishwarya while wooing her: Abhishek Bachchan

Mumbai: Actor Abhishek Bachchan Monday said his wife Aishwarya Rai is the beautiful woman but he had never whistled at her but courted her through his gestures, emotions, and words.

"I am used to people whistling at my wife... see my wife then you will know why I am saying this. I have never whistled at her to woo her... I don`t think its the right thing to do. I courted her through my gesture, emotions and words," said Abhishek.
Interjecting, Aishwarya said: "This is why I am married to him."
Abhishek, who has been married to Aishwarya for seven years now, says she is a wonderful cook and she makes good deserts.
"She cooks really well... in fact she makes good deserts. When we were newly-married, there is a Bengali custom where the girl has to make some sweet and she prepared halwa which was too good. More than anything else, it is the emotion and with love you cook that matters."

I am burdened by 'the star son' tag: Ranbir Kapoor

Mumbai: Actor Ranbir Kapoor feels strained by the tag of `star son` and wants to carve out his own identity which would make his parents feel proud of him.
Born in a family of cine-stars, Ranbir, the grandson of legendary Raj Kapoor and son of veteran actors Neetu and Rishi Kapoor, wants to create his own identity.
"I want people to recognise me by my work. I am burdened by this tag called `the star son`. People say I got everything easily, yes, I got my first film easily because people were curious about me. After that I have worked hard, experienced things. It is important to make an identity of my own," Ranbir said.
"My parents feel very proud when somebody calls them Ranbir Kapoor`s parents. Every father and mother wants that for their child. I hope that I make them proud and carry forward the legacy of my family in my own distinct way," he said.
Ranbir`s father Rishi Kapoor has created a new image with his performances of Rauf Lala in `Agneepath` remake, as Yoginder Vashisht in `Student of the year`, as an underworld don Goldman in `D Day` and others.
"He has made me realise one thing that stars fade and actors always remain. This is his second career as a character actor. The biggest thing is to have excitement and passion even at this age," he said.
Ranbir shared screen space for the first time with his parents in `Besharam` and found it intimidating to work with them, especially his father.
"I was very scared about how I will work with him (Rishi). I have never looked into my father`s eyes till now. I had to call him `mote`, `dharti pe bhoj`, I was like how will I say that. He gave me courage and never made me feel uncomfortable. I am very scared of him. But on a film set he becomes the character," he said.
"He has always been my favourite actor and now I finally got a chance to work with him. I can finally tell my children that I have worked with your grandfather," Ranbir said.
Ranbir is amazed that even after working for 40 years, his
father is still excited and passionate about working.
Talking about his soon-to-be-released film `Besharam`, Ranbir says there is action, comedy, romance, everything in the film but at the heart of it, it is a good story.
With this film, Ranbir is getting into the commercial space where actors like Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar have created a foothold.
"I think it is a very hard genre. When you do films like `Rockstar`, `Barfi!`, `Wake up Sid`, there is certain understanding, you work on a certain character. While when you are playing a larger than life character then it becomes a bit difficult to do," he said.
"It was hard but as an actor it`s important to challenge yourself. I don`t know, the audience might just hate me, hate the film but I think the risk factor of it is very important. I am trying a different genre, hoping I would be successful in it," Ranbir added.
Releasing on October 2, `Besharam` is directed by `Dabangg` director Abhinav Kashyap and also stars Pallavi Sharda.


Are Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar still at loggerheads? 

It certainly looks like the two superstars are in no mood to patch-up and let bygones be bygones


Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar have been sharing not-so-warm vibes ever since `Chennai Express` and `Once Upon Ay Time In Mumbai Dobaara` released. SRK’s `Chennai Express` got a wide release and dominated most cinema halls which left OUATIMD with a few screens. This indeed affected the box office collections of Akshay Kumar starrer gangster flick. That’s the reason behind their ‘we-don’t-see-eye-to-eye’ game which has been going on for months. And going by the recent events, we thinks this game isn’t going to end any time soon. Akshay and SRK attended Yogesh Lakhani’s birthday bash recently. The two actors would have come face-to-face but they avoided their meeting by arriving at different times at the birthday bash. Poor birthday boy, we hear, had to cut the cake twice.
We wonder why so much fuss over two films which have come and gone already, hai na? Also, some films do well, some don’t – that’s how it works in Bollywood. So time to let it go boys


Medium budget films fail to click at Box Office

New Delhi: Be it the city of Prague or the beauty of a Fijian island, the new films that released over the weekend failed to pull audiences into the theatres. Going by the performance of ‘Prague’, ‘Super Model’, ‘Warning’ and ‘Maazii’ so far, experts are doubtful about their survival.



"Opening of all the movies has been very poor. I don`t know if they will be able to survive the week or not,” trade analyst Vinod Mirani said..
Anubhav Sinha`s ‘Warning’, which has been labelled as a survival film has reportedly collected Rs. 3 crore in three days. Executive producer Ishaan Gupta had mentioned that it’s a medium budget film.
Rohit Khaitan`s ‘Prague’ was made on an approximate budget of Rs.6 to Rs.6.5 crore and he said that revenues have picked up, but he refused to share any data.
Directed and produced by Jaideep Chopra, thriller ‘Maazii’ is said to be made on an approximate budget of Rs.7.5 to Rs.8 crore. This film, amongst the ones which released Sep 27, has been labelled a “disaster” by trade analyst Amod Mehra.
The film featured Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Ashok Banthia and Manish Chaudhary.
Even Navin Batra`s ‘Super Model’ that stars controversial Pakistani actress Veena Malik and her alleged ex-boyfriend Ashmit Patel didn’t create any waves at the Box Office.
"All the movies are flops. `Warning` must have earned around Rs. two and a half crore and rest in just lakhs," trade analyst Komal Nahta said.

Ranveer Singh's condition stable

Mumbai: Actor Ranveer Singh`s condition has shown no improvement but it is stable, a source close to the actor has revealed.

"Ranveer`s condition is still the same ever since he was hospitalised. There is no improvement but his condition is stable and that`s how it happens with dengue," the source said, adding, "There is nothing to worry about."

The actor was admitted to a suburban hospital here Sep 27 following high fever. Doctors have diagnosed him to be a severe case of dengue.






Talking about 'Happy Anniversary' premature, says Abhishek Bachchan

Mumbai: Actor Abhishek Bachchan Monday said it’s premature to talk about ‘Happy Anniversary’ which reportedly starts him and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

"Prahlad Kakkar is an old friend of Aishwarya and I know him through her.... we have met him and we have the basic idea about the story. We have not read the script yet. It is too premature to say anything about `Happy Anniversary`. I can`t confirm anything right now," Abhishek told reporters at an event.

`Happy Anniversary`, to be directed by Kakkar, will be produced by Gaurang Doshi.

Waiting for Indian talent in American films to win Oscar: Kamal Haasan

Mumbai: Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, whose directorial `Vishwaroopam` was in the race with other films for India`s official entry to Academy Awards this year, is not disappointed at losing the opportunity.

Instead he feels it would be more sensible when Indian talent works in American movies and wins an Oscar.

"With due respect, my films have gone seven times to the Oscars but I think it will make more sense when the Indian talent takes part in American movies and wins an Oscar or it must be like the way Ray saab (Satyajit Ray) did for world cinema. Otherwise, we are just visiting America, we are tourists," Haasan told reporters here Sunday at the closing of the Jagran Film Festival.
Satyajit Ray, legendary filmmaker-writer, not only won an Oscar but also all the major awards, including National Awards. His film `Pather Panchali`, won a total of eleven international prizes, including one at the Cannes Film Festival.
This year, out of the over 21 Indian films competing to make it to the Oscars, Gujarati film `The Good Road` has been chosen as India`s official entry to the Oscars.
The other films that were competing in the category included `The Lunchbox`, `Bhaag Milkha Bhaag`, `Ship of Theseus`, `English Vinglish`, `Vishwaroopam`, Malayalam film `Celluloid` and Bengali film `Shabdo`.