Hollywood & Bollywood Updates 27th October

HOLLYWOOD UPDATES

Rachel McAdams to join Keanu Reeves in 'Passengers'

Los Angeles: Actress Rachel McAdams is reportedly in talks to star opposite Keanu Reeves in the sci-fi drama `Passengers`.

Brian Kirk, whose TV credits include `Game Of Thrones` and `Boardwalk Empire` is making his feature debut with the film whose script was written by Jon Spaihts.

`Passengers` is set in the future on a spacecraft with thousands of passengers making an interstellar voyage to a new planet with a single passenger (Reeves) awakening from cryogenic sleep 90 years before anyone else. He then awakens a beautiful woman, played by McAdams, reported Variety.
McAdams is currently starring in Cameron Crowe`s untitled romantic comedy.
McAdams came on-board after Reese Witherspoon left the project over a scheduling conflict.


Britney Spears goes topless for new album cover 

London: Britney Spears has gone topless for the cover of her "most personal record yet", `Britney Jean`.

The 31-year-old singer revealed the album cover, where she has posed topless, with the title ` Britney Jean` written in neon blue coloured writing inside a neon pink heart, Metro.co.uk reported.
While unveiling the cover, the `Toxic` hitmaker also penned a letter addressed to her fans thanking them for all their support.


Taylor Swift to sing for the British royals 

London: Singer Taylor Swift has been signed up by Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge to perform at the Kensington Palace for their Centrepoint Winter Whites charity gala next month.


Swift will perform for around 200 guests Nov 26 and the ticket prices start from 500 pounds, reports femalefirst.co.uk
“It`s a fantastic occasion and hopefully it will raise a lot of money for Centrepoint (British charity),” a spokesperson for Centrepoint told the Daily Mirror newspaper.

Swift will also be joined by fellow singer James Blunt at the exclusive event.




CBS Is Looking to Reboot 'Charmed'... Already 

Move on over, Murder, She Wrote. A new reboot is in the works. Just a day after news hit that NBC is bringing back everyone's favorite amateur sleuth (only this time starring Octavia Spencer), Vulture learned that CBS is looking to re-imagine Charmed.
Not much is set in stone, but what we do know is that Chris Keyser (Party of Five co-creator) and partner Sydney Sidner are penning the new version of the original WB drama that followed a sisterhood of witches who use their powers to battle against the forces of evil. CBS has only ordered a script for a pilot, and it has not promised to film anything as of yet.
Considering that the horror/fantasy/mystical genre is killing it in primetime right now, it makes sense that a show about butt-kicking sister witches would make a comeback (although, we're a little confused why it's happening so soon after the show ended).
The original show ran for eight seasons and 178 episodes, and starred Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan, Holly Marie Combs, and Shannen Doherty.
Power of Three, unite!

Horror Movie Remakes That Were Just Plain Scary (in Quality)

Once upon a time – back when Hollywood still came up with original ideas and wasn’t run almost exclusively by marketing departments – remakes were a rare bird. Once upon a time, audiences were treated to primarily original fare they hadn’t already seen in another guise. Once upon a time, a trip to the cinema was fresh and new; a wonderland brimming with thoughts, ideas and concepts perhaps viewers had never before imagined.
These, however, are not those times, particularly in the horror genre.
For fans over the age of 35 or so, it’s tough to remember any films from the '70s and '80s that haven’t yet made the list of do-overs. Thing is, for every quality redo (think 1978’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers or 1986’s The Fly) comes seemingly dozens more of absolute inferior (if not outright offensive) quality. Here are five of the most odoriferous.
Fright Night (2011)
Whereas the first Fright Night (1985) featured a nostalgic late-night horror host as protagonist, the remake opted for a sleazy Vegas magician. Bad choice. Roddy McDowall was sympathetic in his role. David Tennant was just greasy. Just not as fun as the first.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Torture-porn at its finest, this remake featured none of the social commentary of the first about the industrialization of American society. Instead, it substituted basic blood and guts simply for the sake of blood and guts (something lacking in the original which relied almost solely on atmosphere).
The Wicker Man (2006)
Go ahead. You know you’re thinking it. Me, too. Cue the truly horrific Nicolas Cage performance. Subtlety thy name is Coppola.

Nuff’ said.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
No one but Robert Englund will ever be known as Freddy Krueger – so, even if execs were hell-bent on a remake, why cast another actor in the role? Of course Jackie Earle Haley wasn’t as good, and of course, this remake was a shadow of its original self.
Psycho (1998)
The absolute poster child for pointless remakes – this one done in a shot-for-shot fashion, no less. It’s almost as if director Gus Van Sant lost a bet. How else to explain the Xeroxing of this Alfred Hitchcock classic? You tell me.

BOLLYWOOD UPDATES

Abhishek wants Aaradhya to appreciate her parents

Mumbai: Actor Abhishek Bachchan wishes that his almost two-year-old daughter Aaradhya continues to appreciate her parents the way he respects his.

the son of veteran actress Jaya and megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek married actress Aishwarya Rai six years back.

"I just hope that when my daughter turns a teenager, she continues to appreciate her mother and father the way I still respect, acknowledge and love my parents for all that they have been doing for me," said the actor here at the launch of the book ‘Teenage Blues’ Friday.
The 37-year-old will next be seen in ‘Dhoom 3’ and is currently shooting for Farah Khan`s ‘Happy New Year’.



Busy schedules in B'wood take toll on friendships, says Juhi Chawla

Mumbai: Actress Juhi Chawla feels her friendship with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is not the same as before, primarily due to the busy schedule of the superstar.
"Whose friendship is the same as ever before anyways! And we are very, very busy people and Shah Rukh Khan is all the more busy than anyone, so where we have time for friendships? But of course we are friends, no doubt," Juhi told reporters in an exclusive interview.
"Not just him, anybody from the industry; where do I meet anyone as such? It just doesn`t happen. We are all running around doing our work," she said.
Juhi teamed up with Shah Rukh in several movies, including `Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman`, `Darr`, `Duplicate`, `Yes Boss` among others and most of them were hit. She is ready to pair up with him again on-screen.
"Of course I would love to do a film with him. Anybody will be interested in doing a film with him. But how, when, where... All this, maybe you should ask him only," she said.
Shah Rukh and Juhi were considered one of the best on screen pair in Bollywood. According to Juhi, the secret behind their chemistry was the brilliant films they were offered.
"We did wonderful films, we had great directors, I had a wonderful time but all that is history now. But I am so glad that it is a very good history," she said.
The actress, who still looks stunning says she believes in keeping herself fit. "I do yoga, I have started doing pilates.
And talking about the secret for beauty, I don`t feel I am all that beautiful. But, I eat healthy food, have healthy thoughts," she said.
Juhi will be seen next in `Gulaab Gang`, which is loosely
based on Uttar Pradesh-based Sampat Pal`s `Gulabi Gang`, which works for women`s betterment. The film features Madhuri Dixit in the main lead and Juhi in a negative role.
"I loved working on `Gulaab Gang`. I enjoyed working with Madhuri and I think it was one of the reasons why I did the film, so that we could work together. It was a bit of a challenging role for me," she said.
It is for the first time that the two leading ladies have come together on screen for a film.
She will also do a film with Onir along with Prosenjit Chatterjee, but Juhi is not aware of its status as of now.
Despite being in the industry for over 25 years, the actress is still going strong in her film career and looking forward to do interesting roles.
"I am not looking to do younger roles, at the same time I am trying to do something interesting. There are not so many films being made that would have a role for me, filmmakers come to me when there is a role for me," she said.
"I like to do fun films, I enjoy it. At the same time if I did a `Gulaab Gang`, it was because it expanded my horizon as I had not done anything like it before. I don`t mind playing a character role. Today I don`t need to say that I need to be `the heroine`. I don`t base my choices on that," she added.


Ranbir, Gulzar likely to attend ICFFI's opening ceremony 

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and veteran filmmaker Gulzar are likely to attend the inaugural ceremony of the 18th International Children`s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) to be held in Hyderabad from November 14-20.
"It was felt that the association of Ranbir Kapoor would help a great deal in promoting the festival as he is quite popular among the younger audience," a senior Information and Broadcasting Ministry official said here.
"On the other hand, the association of Gulzar is invaluable. Some of his important work has been quite popular with the children," the official said.
The two special guests are expected to be present at Lalitha Kala Thoranam, Public Garden in Hyderabad for the opening ceremony, the official added.
The I&B ministry has also chalked out a detailed plan to promote the festival on social media platforms like Youtube, Twitter and Facebook.
"The I&B is keen to ensure that the festival is extensively on all the social media platforms which include Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and the official blog. A separate ICFFI playlist will be created on Youtube, which will be integrated with all other platforms," the official said.
About 200 high quality films from 48 countries have been selected for the festival out of 894 entries, and will be screened across 10 screens in Hyderabad.
There would be 30 shows everyday and a participation of 1,50,000 children is expected, the official said adding that special arrangements have also been made for specially-abled children in one of the theatres.
A combination of cultural programmes and screening of films is expected to be the highlight of both the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival.
`Gopi Gawaiyya Bagha Baiyaya`, a recently produced film
of Children`s Film Society of India (CFSI), will be screened during the opening ceremony.
The schedule for screening of award-winning films, information about award winners, festival posters, hoarding themes etc will be shared and spread through various social media platforms.
Special interview packages of the celebrities and award winners will also be uploaded and shared on all the platforms, officials said.
The 18th ICFFI is a collaborative effort between CFSI, the Andhra Pradesh Government and the I&B ministry.


This'll be my last season: Angry Salman tells 'Bigg Boss 7' inmates

Mumbai: Bollywood star Salman Khan was so upset with TV actor Kushal Tandol`s bad behaviour towards actress Tanisha Mukherjee on the show that he said it would be his last season with the reality show as the host.

The 47-year-old Saturday gave an earful to Kushal for insulting Tanisha last week.
"If you are thinking that you can clean your image, it`s a misconception," Salman told Kushal, and added he too had faced it and realised that one`s mistakes are engraved on people`s memories.
"Because of this episode, this might be the last season for me," he said Saturday.
On Sunday, Salman talked about the issue again on Tiwtter responding to queries from his followers.
He wrote that according to `Bigg Boss` fans both should have been out, "but there was a lot more than wat you saw".
"You see an hour, I see the whole deal. Guess some of you guys may not react when some one speaks to female members of your family or women in that manner," Salman tweeted.
"But I do not. Most of us men and women stand up against men who run them down," wrote the super star and added that if this is not the culture, "it better become".
The actor also said that people get carried away during the show, and praised the concept.
"It`s a good show to learn how to be physically and mentally strong. The tasks go on for 48 hrs and more. Without no proper sleep or food. Halwa hai kya (Is it a cakewalk?)," he wrote.
"I am only answering your question about BB (`Bigg Boss`) because you are following me. This is a game. It`s on TV so, I like to keep a check on it."
"The choice is yours if you want to watch it or not. Some times people do get carried away in fights. Everyone does and then they sort it out," he added.


Jimmy Shergill ok with Saif taking centre stage in 'Bullett Raja'

Mumbai: Actor Jimmy Shergill has no qualms about `Bullett Raja` being promoted as Saif Ali Khan`s film.
Jimmy will be sharing screen space with Saif in Tigmanshu Dhulia`s upcoming film `Bullett Raja`.
"It is Saif`s film... There is no big deal about it. He is a superstar, it is a fact, one has to face it and move on. I don`t think and worry about these things. I just try and do best work," Jimmy told reporters here.
The long shooting schedules gave Saif and Jimmy quite a lot of time on the sets as well as off it. The actors bonded with each other over their passion for gym and love for Lucknowi food.
"After the pack up we used to head to gym. We had lot of fun working together. He is a good actor," Jimmy said.
Both have earlier worked together in films like `Eklavya` and `Hum Tum`.
According to Jimmy, due to their hectic shooting schedules earlier, the two never really had a chance to be together for a long time and connect as co-actors.
Jimmy and Saif are playing friends in the film, which is scheduled to release on November 29.
The film is premised on fictional mafia based in Uttar Pradesh. The action-packed entertainer also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Vidyut Jamwal, Gulshan Grover, Raj Babbar and Chunky Pandey.
Jimmy has teamed up with Tigmanshu after the success of `Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster` and its sequel.
"Tishu ( Tigmanshu) felt I was the perfect choice for this role. I know the fact that he will cast me in his films if he would feel I can only play that part. This film (`Bullett Raja`) is a complete masala entertainer in comparison to the films I did with him," Jimmy said.
"We (him and Tigmanshu) are friends and we understand each other better. He is an intelligent guy who is well read and well versed with day to day happenings. I would be ready to do even one scene in his film," he said.


I want to take Gauhar away from Kushal: Ajaz Khan

New Delhi: Alleged couple Kushal Tandon and Gauhar Khan seem to be the target of many on the `Bigg Boss- Saath 7`. Model Ajaz Khan, who will be entering the `Bigg Boss` house Saturday, said that he won`t mind being the “devil” in their relationship.
“I want to take Gauhar away from Kushal. If they are in love, then I will be the devil,” Ajaz told reporters in a telephonic interview from Mumbai.
The model also added that the only way to survive in the controversial reality show was to play mind games.
“I am all okay to go in the show. The only way to survive is to play mind games. There are a lot of hypocrites in the house. I will play well, I am sure,” he said.
Ajaz has watched few episodes of the current season.
“I have seen a few episodes and then I got the call. I feel that Andy and Apoorva (Agnihotri) have the capability to win the show,” he said.
The existing contestants on the show also include Sangram Singh, Elli Avram, Kamya Punjabi, Armaan Kohli, Tanisha Mukherjee and Pratyusha Banerjee.

Hollywood & Bollywood Updates 25th October

HOLLYWOOD UPDATES

We weren't as sexual as today's stars: Emma Bunton

London: Emma Bunton has said that back in the days, their pop girl group was fun and sexy but not sexual, unlike current stars like Rihanna and Miley Cyrus.

The 37-year-old former Spice girl, also known as `Baby Spice` said that has admitted that fellow ` Spice Girl`, Mel B has probably kissed all of them but it was just an extension of their friendship, and not sexual , the Mirror reported.
She added that now people take the next step and put it out there a bit more as seen in their videos.
Bunton admitted that if someone is confident enough to bare themselves, then it`s their free will, but she personally would never be comfortable to do the same.

People don't find Selena Gomez sexy!

Los Angeles: Singer-actress Selena Gomez says she is everyday told that she is not sexy and cool enough.

The 21-year-old is currently on her Stars Dance world tour.

"Every day I get told I`m not sexy enough or I`m not cool enough or if I did this or if I did that, I would have people who love me," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Gomez as saying.
She was speaking at her sold out performance at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and added: "Look at this room! I don`t have to do any of that to have love."

Kanye West 'allowed cameras to film Kim K proposal' 

Washington: Kanye West allowed cameras to film his proposal to his baby mama Kim Kardashian, it has been revealed.

A source has said that the `Yeezus` singer "relented and agreed to have his proposal filmed," as a "trade-off because he wouldn`t allow his daughter North to be filmed in the days after her birth, Radar Online reported.

The source insisted that West would have the final say on the edit, as to what to show and how it`s portrayed on the screen.

The leaked video of the proposal to the `Keeping Up With The Kardashian` star show at least two E! cameras on hand at the AT and T Park to film it.

The insider added that the 36-year-old rapper considers this to be one of the handful of cameos that he will make on the show. 

Sharon Stone to receive Peace Summit award

London: ‘Basic Instinct’ star Sharon Stone is to be presented with an honour by Nobel Prize winners for her work with HIV and AIDS sufferers.

The actress is in Warsaw, Poland this week for the 13th World Summit of Nobel Peace laureates and she will be handed the Peace Summit Award today.

Stone, 55, has been involved with The Foundation For Aids Research since 1995, previously as their campaign chairman and now as global fundraising chairman.

A committee of Nobel Peace laureates decides on the winner of the Peace Summit Award each year, picking a figure from the world of culture and entertainment who have raised awareness of global issues.

Previous celebrities to receive the honour include Annie Lennox, Peter Gabriel and Bono.


Madonna sells Beverly Hills mansion

Los Angeles: Singer Madonna has sold her Beverly Hill mansion for $20million deal.

The singer had put the pad for sale in January this year. She had bought the house with her ex-husband Guy Ritchie in 2003 for $12 million, reports tmz.com.

The singer has pocketed a profit of $8million.

The new owner is said to be a wealthy Wall Street banker, who was attracted by the privacy the posh abode offers.

Shoulder injury as painful as child birth: Mariah Carey 

Los Angeles: Pop star Mariah Carey says her dislocated shoulder injury was similar to the pain she experienced when giving birth to her twins, Moroccan and Monroe.

The `Beautiful` hitmaker has been confined to a sling since July after taking a severe fall and dislocating her shoulder on the set of a music video, reported E! online.
"I feel like I have suffered the toughest experience of my life about several things; one was having twins and anybody who`s ever had multiples will know it is one of the most difficult experiences ever but the reward is just beyond," the 43-year-old singer said.
"I can`t even explain how rewarding having these babies is for me. But yeah, breaking my rib was not festive. Dislocating my shoulder was not a good thing, either," Carey said.



Tom Cruise, Joseph Kosinski to team up again

Los Angeles: Actor Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski will reportedly work together again in ‘Go Like Hell’.

The duo last worked together in ‘Oblivion’.
Based on author A.J. Baime`s book ‘Go Like H.ell’, the movie will talk about the true story of the competition between Ford Motor Company and Italian sports car designer Enzo Ferrari, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
The racing drama is set up at Fox Studios.

BOLLYWOOD UPDATES

Kareena Kapoor to do special song in Akshay Kumar's 'Gabbar'

Mumbai: Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan will be doing a special song in Akshay Kumar starrer film `Gabbar`.

There were rumours that Kareena would be playing the leading lady opposite Akshay in Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Shabina Khan`s `Gabbar`, but Shabina dismissed the report.

"She will only be doing a special song in the film. It is a two day song. We are yet to decide what kind of song it will be and when we will shoot for it. We are excited to work with Kareena again," Shabina told PTI.
This is Kareena`s second special song in Akshay`s film which is backed by Shabina. The first time they collaborated together was for a special song `Chinta Ta Ta Chita Chita` in `Rowdy Rathore`.
`Gabbar` is a Hindi remake of the 2002 Tamil blockbuster `Ramanna`. It revolves around a group of students lead by a professor, who opts for violent means to fight a corrupt system.
A major part of the film will reportedly be shot in different locations in Mumbai. It is slated to go on floors in January next year.

Nothing vulgar in 'Rajjo', says Vishwas Patil

New Delhi: Vishwas Patil`s ‘Rajjo’ is based on the life of a prostitute, but the director has ensured that no inappropriate dialogues or bold scenes are included in the film.

"I always wanted to make a family film, and you can see this in my film as well, although it is about a prostitute who tries hard to survive. I did not use any abusive language and hot scenes in the film," Patil said in a statement.
The director wanted his debut film to be a complete family entertainer.
"My priority was to make a family film rather than a film for a particular age group. I can assure you that you can watch this film with your family," he said.
At a time when item numbers seem to be an essential feature of films today, ‘Rajjo’ has none.
"Music director Uttam Singh decided to swim against the tide and resisted including such songs in the soundtrack of `Rajjo`," said a source close to the film.
Produced by Four Pillars Entertainment, ‘Rajjo’ stars Kangana Ranaut, Paras Arora, Prakash Raj, Mahesh Manjrekar and Jaya Prada. It will hit screens Nov 15.

‘Bigg Boss 7’: Link-ups, heart-breaks and lots more...

Mumbai: Weeks after its seventh edition began, popular show ‘Bigg Boss’ is fast turning more and more interesting to watch, mainly due to some of its famous inmates who have now supposedly become lovebirds.

Here, we are referring to lovebirds - Armaan Kohli and Tanissha; Kushal Tandon and Gauhar Khan.
Armaan’s alleged ‘real’ relationship status was brought out in public by fellow contestant Viveik Mishra, who revealed that the actor was indeed engaged to a girl called Tanya Singh just days before entering the show.
This shattered Tanishaa, who by then seemed to have had developed some warm feelings for him. Tanisha, who hails from a powerful filmi khandan, couldn’t restrict herself from maintaining distance from Armaan and superstar host Salman Khan too had to tell the two of them to stay away from each other.
Salman told the duo during a previous episode that cameras were closely watching them.
Gauhar and Kushal’s relationship status too might change after they come out of the house, for they seem to be really “in love”.
But the big question is- are they really serious?
‘Bigg Boss’ season 4 had seen love blossoming between Pakistani starlet Veena Malik and Indian actor Ashmit Patel. After their stints in the show, they were spotted together quite often. They may have parted ways now, but the house of ‘Bigg Boss’ has united the two hearts!
Last season, ‘Bigg Boss’ cashed in on estranged couple Rajev Paul and Delnaaz Irani, who couldn’t refrain from displaying their discomfort in each other’s presence.
However, real life couple - Apoorva Agnihotri and Shilpa Saklani - did not have much spice to offer! It will be interesting to see if the two alleged couples are able to confess their feelings for each other clear and loud, or will there be some twist to the tale!

What all does Aamir Khan have in store for us? 

Mumbai: Aamir Khan, considered to be one of India`s leading method actors, believes in quality and not quantity. And his choice is evident from the number of projects he undertakes each year.

In a career spanning over two and a half decades, `Mr. Perfectionist` as he is popularly known, has tried his hands at various genres.
As a director, Aamir stole the thunder with a thought provoking ‘Taare Zameen Par’, and as a producer, he won hearts with an offbeat ‘Peepli Live’.
Aamir is perhaps the only industry heavyweight whose films appeal the niche audiences and the masses alike. An out and out commercial flick- ‘Dhoom 3’ with Aamir playing the antagonist is all set to make a splash on the silver screen this December, a genre he has never tried before!
Apart from this much-awaited action thriller, Aamir is busy with Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Peekay’, which also stars Anushka Sharma and Sushant Singh Rajput.
The film has been in news for a variety of reasons - Aamir’s attire, his alleged onscreen lip-lock with co-star Anushka Sharma and a scene from the film, which had reportedly hurt religious sentiments of a certain community.
Nonetheless, Aamir has a lot more to offer as his TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’ may return to the small screen early next year. According to the latest buzz, Aamir may start working on his TV show soon.

Ranbir Kapoor's superhero film to be different from 'Krrish 3' 

Mumbai: Actor Ranbir Kapoor is excited to do a superhero film with director-friend Ayan Mukherjee, but clarifies that it is not on the lines of `Krrish 3`.

Ranbir will play a superhero in the yet-untitled project, making him the next actor after Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan to essay character with superpowers on celluloid.
"It is not like `Krrish 3`, it is something very different, it is going to be a fantasy film. It is going to be a trilogy which Ayan has just started writing. We share a great personal and professional relation," Ranbir told reporters.
"Till now we are in developing stage, he is going abroad for a post production course. Hopefully, we will try and make something path-breaking," he said.
This would be the third film of Ranbir and Ayan after `Wake Up Sid` and `Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani`. Both the films were hit at the box office.
Ranbir is also looking to explore himself by playing different roles in films.
"My next film is titled `Bombay Velvet`. I am playing a boxer in the film. Then I am working on Imtiaz Ali`s film and Ayan Mukherjee`s superhero film. I will start this film by end of next year. I am trying to do different characters, like in `Besharam` I played a vulgar, road type tapori character," Ranbir said.
He also expressed his desire to do an action movie, which is the current flavour of Bollywood.
"Since six years I have been trying to make my body but it is not happening. I can`t do a full fledged action film till I don`t have the body. But I do feel action comes from intensity in your eyes and the way you work for it," he added.

Ranbir Kapoor voted as most wanted bachelor

New Delhi: Actor Ranbir Kapoor has been voted as the most wanted bachelor in the country in a survey conducted by a matrimonial site, while Deepika Padukone has been declared the most sought after bachelorette.

The survey was conducted by matrimonial site Shaadi.com with over 7,000 men and women in the age bracket of 24-30 years taking part. This was part of the India`s Most Wanted Celebrity survey.
Ranbir, who has been part of hit movies like ‘Rockstar’, ‘Barfi!’ and ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, won the title after 31.4 percent women voted for him, read a statement.
He was closely followed by Salman Khan with 25.6 percent votes. Politician Rahul Gandhi and cricketer Virat Kohli filled the third and fourth positions with 21.98 percent and 21.02 percent votes, respectively.
When Indian men were quizzed about the most wanted bachelorette in India ‘Cocktail’ actress Deepika Padukone topped the list with 32.02 percent votes.
“The survey suggests that people are now looking at celebrities as real people with real qualities that would make them great partners in their relationships," said Gourav Rakshit, chief operating officer, Shaadi.com.
Actresses Katrina Kaif came second in the list with 29.76 percent votes and Anushka Sharma and Priyanka Chopra were on third and the fourth positions with 20.14 and 18.08 percent votes, respectively.
Actress Aishwarya Rai, who is married to Abhishek Bachchan, topped the list of favourite celebrity wife with 31.4 percent votes, while actor Hrithik Roshan leads the list of favourite celebrity husbands with 29.11 percent votes.
The ‘Krrish’ star was followed by Shah Rukh Khan with 27.4 percent votes, Sachin Tendulkar with 23.31 percent and Amitabh Bachchan with 20.18 percent.

'Mickey Virus' review: Cool, crisp and quirky

‘Mickey Virus’ is Bollywood`s first full-fledged film on the virtual world. The hero -if we may call Manish Paul`s languid lazy vagabondish character that - is a computer hacker, and one who likes to take his time over every punch of the keyboard.
Mercifully, debutant director Saurabh Varma`s film moves in a mood defiantly opposite to the hero`s indolent indiscretions. Tightly-scripted, cleverly-worded and arrestingly encrypted, ‘Mickey Virus’ drags the hackers` hemisphere into the hectic mode.
I am tempted to use computer jargon to describe the ultra-svelte moves that define the virtual progression of this slickly-executed cyber-drama. Alas, I am not as equipped as our debutant hero and his comp-friendly pals (with names like `Floppy` and `Chutney`) to throw around electronic jargon.
Even if your familiarity with the virtual world is minimal, ‘Mickey Virus’ makes for enjoyable viewing. It`s voguish, vibrant, vital and viral, and yet extremely fastidious about keeping the plot above the temptation of throwing virtual weight around.
First and foremost, this is a well-woven thriller about an average 20-something Delhi dude who falls in love and falls into a cyber-trap and hits his head into a scam that could destroy his life.
To reveal any more of the plot would be akin to giving away the film`s USPs. Suffice to say that Varma knows his cinema as closely as he knows his computer. He weaves cinematic elements into a kind of one-night-in-the-life-of ... tale that spins in dizzying motions.
Delhi, that favourite city of many recent, decent and indecent, dramas and thrillers, is again caught in sinister provocative postures. The roads and lanes, Nehru Place or a chowmein outlet, every outdoor location has a story to tell.
Strange, how Manish, switching effortlessly from his cocky on-stage antics on reality shows to a kind of languorous screen appearance that is dangerously close to Ranbir Kapoor`s Sid-meets-‘Besharam’ act, pulls out all stops to make Mickey look real to the point of being your next door neighbour`s son, much in the same way as Ayushmann Khurrana.
Only, Manish is goofier, more adventurous in his exploration of adrift urbanite. He is undoubtedly an interesting actor with an unpremeditated screen presence.
Let`s put it this way -- if over-instruction obstructs Mickey`s dexterity on the computer, then too many rehearsals are sure to spoil Manish`s camera-friendliness.
‘Mickey Virus’ gives the debutant a chance to romance the dark side of youngistan with unselfconscious fluidity. There is also a cutely written romance woven into the hacker`s tale. Eli Avram currently locked away in ‘Bigg Boss’ house shows up as a manifestation of ... well, Manish`s virtual fantasy named Kungfu Chameli. There is an endearing courtship plan blessedly not over-punctuated by songs. God Forbid! Manish`s Mickey probably doesn`t even watch Bollywood films!
For a newcomer to shoulder a thriller adeptly there must be some accomplished actors around him for support. Manish gets his namesake Manish Choudhary as a stern placid police officer who needs Mickey`s hacking skills to track an international gang. Choudhary is in fine (uni)form. But the very talented Varun Badola as Choudhary`s assistant is a scene stealer. Mouthing the film`s catchiest lines casually, Varun brings more to his role than what`s written for the character. The rest of the supporting cast too gets into the mood of the plot.
Undoubtedly, ‘Mickey Virus’ is Manish`s made-to-order vehicle. He casually invites us into his suddenly-troubled world and then persuades us to cringe at the progressive crisis built around Delhi`s cyber stratosphere. The uniqueness of the plot works effectively in covering up the loopholes and rather embarrassing coincidences that bridge various dramatic elements in the plot. It does get far-flung. But the leaps are made without fractured bones.
Quirky, colourful, agile and hectic, ‘Mickey Virus’ is a `virtually` interesting way for Manish and his director to start their respective careers. This is an oddball of a movie that tries to make sense of the senseless whirligig of urban internet-driven lifestyles.
What the `hack`! Just go out there and have fun.


What's wrong between Sushant Singh Rajput, Ankita Lokhande?

New Delhi: If the latest buzz is anything to go by then promising actor Sushant Singh Rajput was slapped by his ladylove Ankita Lokhande! Yes, you heard it right. According to a tabloid, the popular TV actress slapped her beau outside Yash Raj studio, where the actor was shooting for his next.
Reportedly, Ankita lost her cool after she checked Sushant`s phone. A heated argument followed thereafter and ended with the slap `act`!
“When Sushant came out, she asked him for his phone. He took it out from his pocket and handed it over to her. Visibly perturbed, she checked the phone for around two minutes or so,” the tabloid quoted a source as saying.
However, Sushant’s spokesperson denied the report and had a different story altogether to share.
“There is absolutely no truth to this story. Sushant had a hearty laugh when he was told about it,” Sushant’s spokesperson was quoted by the tabloid
Here`s hoping all is well between this cute couple.

Hollywood & Bollywood Updates 30th September 2013

Kim Kardashian jets to Paris without North West



Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are enjoying a romantic break in Paris without their daughter.
The couple, who welcomed their first child, North West, into the world in June, touched down in the French capital on Saturday (28.09.13) for Paris Fashion Week.
The reality TV star, 32, and her rapper boyfriend took a private jet from Los Angeles' Van Nuys Airport to San Francisco, California, on Friday morning (27.09.13), where they then transferred to a commercial flight, according to gossip website TMZ.com.
Their four-month-old daughter was nowhere in sight as they made their way through SFO airport with a small entourage.
An insider also told UsMagazine.com: 'Kim was sad to say goodbye. This is the first time she's been away from the baby.'
Kim was spotted applying for North's first passport last month but she has yet to take the tot out of the USA.
A source revealed that the couple opted to fly out of San Francisco as Kanye, 36, has been advised to avoid the paparazzi at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) by his lawyers.
The 'New Slaves' hitmaker is being sued by a photographer for criminal battery and his team do not want him to get into another confrontation with snappers.
Prosecutors are allegedly gathering evidence from four other incidents in a bid to prove that Kanye's first instinct is to attack when he sees a photographer.

Jennifer Lawrence to do a cameo in 'Dumb and Dumber' Sequel?

Los Angeles: `The Hunger Games` star Jennifer Lawrence is speculated to do a cameo in the `Dumb and Dumber To` which is the sequel to 1994 hit comedy `Dumb and Dumber`.

The 23-year-old Oscar winner, spent one day on the set, where she played a young version of Kathleen Turner`s character Fraida Feltcher for the sequel that stars the original duo Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, said the Hollywood Reporter.
Lawrence had previously said that "Dumb and Dumber" was among her favourite comedies.
"I know every word to Dumb and Dumber, Step Brothers and Anchorman," she had said.
The sequel to Peter and Bobby Farrelly`s comedy classic will follow the journey of Carrey and Daniels` as they embark on another road trip.

3 Surprisingly Affordable Stores Where All The Celebrities Are Shopping

There’s nothing more depressing, more financially damaging than trying to dress like a celebrity. Many of us have attempted such feats, splurging on the occasional Prada shades when we were in college. But as the years go by and real responsibilities start kicking in (like, ya know, apartments and diapers and whatnot) it gets to be more and more impossible to keep up with these celebs. However, occasionally, many of them leave the couture labels behind and hit up the kinds of stores that lots of us can afford — which is really nice of them. Rihanna, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Kate Bosworth, Julianne Hough, and even First Lady Michele Obama have all been spotted in beautiful threads from these three amazingly affordable spots. Which is awesome for those of us who want to dress just like them, on maybe 1/25 of their budgets.

ASOS

They’ve teamed up with the dopeness that is Azealia Banks, and they’re frequented by everyone from Michelle Obama to Vanessa Hudgens, to Kourtney Kardashian. ASOS is seriously the one-stop-shop for just about everything. The tops, the dresses, hell -- even their maternity wear is off the hook. While they do carry some high-end brands, you’d be shocked at how much cuteness you can find for under thirty bucks. #WINNING
Topshop
If it’s good enough for Beyoncé and Rihanna, it’s good enough for you! The British retailer is having a huge sale right now, and there’s a good chance that you can get yourself something fabulous, and still pay your cell phone bill. They’re a little pricier than ASOS, and cater to a slightly more sophisticated fashionista, but Topshop still offers a variety of styles for a good price. They’ve also got a pretty awesome beauty department to get you the total look.
ModCloth
This vintage-inspired online retailer has so much adorable stuff, it’s almost overwhelming. A favorite of bloggers, Taylor Swift, and fashionistas alike, ModCloth is a must-visit site if you’re into super-cute contemporary dresses with a 60s flare. They also have a brilliant system for customer reviews, where folks who recently purchased the item can upload photos of themselves wearing it. This is awesome because—let’s face it—it never quite looks the same as it does on the model, right?

Arnold Schwarzenegger clicked kissing new girlfriend

Los Angeles: Amidst rumours of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger dating Heather Milligan, photographs of the duo kissing each other have emerged.

The 66-year-old was photographed kissing Milligan Sep 20 after a romantic dinner at Fig Restaurant in Fairmont Hotel, Santa Monica, reports tmz.com.

They arrived separately, but before leaving the actor slipped into Milligan`s car to give her a goodbye kiss as she got into her car.

`The Terminator` was married to Maria Shriver, but they filed for divorce in 2011 to end their 25-year marriage.

Tracy Morgan says that he has plenty of action in bedroom

Washington: Funnyman Tracy Morgan has revealed that he gets plenty of action despite being a middle-aged man.

Morgan told People Magazine at the Emmy Awards that he and his lady love, Megan Wollover, don`t lack bedroom activity, People magazine reported.

The 44-year-old actor said that he can`t compete with his fiance Wollover as she looks stunning and he look like James Bond - a black James Bond - Jerome Bond.

Kate Upton dating Maksim Chmerkovskiy?

Los Angeles: Model Kate Upton has sparked dating rumors with dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy after the duo were spotted walking hand in hand.
The 21-year-old model and Chmerkovskiy, 33, were pictured looking relaxed and happy while strolling down the street in New York City`s West Village
neighborhood, reported E! Online.Earlier in July, the duo were spotted in NYC going on a dinner date together after an event.
"The two did not want to be photographed together and did the best they could to avoid the cameras. They left the event around midnight and went to Catch sushi bar, that turns into a club. The two partied until the early hours," a source said.
Chmerkovskiy shot to fame by being one of the professional dancers on the American television series `Dancing with the Stars`.
Upton has previously been linked with Blake Griffin, Mark Sanchez and Justin Verlander.

Marital Rape? 'Real Housewife' Melissa Gorga Says 'Okay!'

The Garden State has a lot to explain after Melissa Gorga of Real Housewives of New Jersey released a marriage advice book titled Love Italian Style. Her advice can easily be reduced to one word: SEX. Normally sex itself would be a problem, but just how Melissa's husband Joe Gorga gets it is where the controversy lies.
Despite Melissa sometimes feeling "exhausted" or "not really in the mood," she just can't seem to say "no" to her husband. If she does, well...here's what Joe thinks what "no" really means:
"Men, I know you think your woman isn't the type who wants to be taken. But trust me, she is. Every girl wants to get her hair pulled once in awhile. If your wife says "no," turn her around, and rip her clothes off. She wants to be dominated.Women don't realize how easy men are. Just give us what we want."
Not convinced that sounded a bit rapey? Well, here's a passage that essentially tells women to submit and become sex slaves for their husbands.
"[A] woman needs to keep herself in shape. She has to be seductive. She must be willing to try new things for her husband's pleasure and her own. And, most important, she has to be available for sex.
There's real passionate sex and maintenance sex. You need them both for a healthy marriage. Maintenance sex keeps the wheels greased, the lines of communication open, and the fights to a minimum."
Sex keeps "lines of communication open?" Well, Joe's Neanderthal brow does clearly indicate he is probably most expressive in an act of carnal fornication.
Occasionally, Joe does manage to squeeze enough power out of his prehistoric brain to chime in with more of his misogynistic gems. Here's an example of the man's attempt to mask his profound insecurities (which basically echoes what Pat Robertson said months ago):
"Refusing to initiate is a Top Three reason men cheat. The ugliest girl in the world could come on to a man in that state of mind, and he might have to go for it. He thinks, At least someone wants me."
It's fairly clear that Melissa is in an abusive relationship. Here's a snippet that clearly shows she's just a punching bag for Joe's insecurities.
"If he gets one ounce of flack from me, he flips a switch and goes off. I know it's not really about me, so I don't get riled up. I supposed I could get angry back him for getting the bulk end of his problems. But then again, that's what a spouse is for. You get to release your stress on someone you trust, who you know won't hold it against you. He' like to yell at a colleague, client, or employee. But he yells at me and doesn't screw up a business deal. I can take it."
What's sad is there's 256 pages of this drivel. While the book's subtitle is "The Secrets of My Hot and Happy Marriage," it's hard not to shake off the feeling that she's simply a broken woman who has given in:
"I used to want to hold onto my independence, even after we got married. I didn't want to need anyone, not even Joe. Now, I know that it's arrogant to think you don't need anyone. Need is only a four-letter word if you don't accept it as another one. F-A-C-T."

'Paranormal Activity 5' to be directed by Gregory Plotkin

Los Angeles: Gregory Plotkin, the editor and co-producer of the last three installments of ‘Paranormal Activity’, is on board as the director for its fifth instalment.

‘Paranormal Activity 5’ will mark the directorial debut of Plotkin while scribe duo Jason Pagan and Andrew Deutschman will write the script, reported Ace Showbiz.

The next ‘Paranormal Activity’ is slated to hit theaters in the United States on October 25, 2014 preceded with ‘The Marked Ones’ on January 3. The Latin-themed spin-off is directed by Christopher Landon, who wrote the last three ‘Paranormal Activity’.
Landon will leave the horror franchise to direct a new Paramount scary film called ‘Boy Scouts vs Zombies’.

Would Hollywood Remake 'The Golden Girls' After Betty White Passes?

What will happen when four becomes none? That's the sad inevitability that will occur when Betty White passes, since she is the last surviving Golden Girl following the deaths of Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty. Of course, Hollywood, which is known for being such a sentimental place, may have a schmaltzy tribute for the life of White. She'll certainly get a good long remembrance at the Emmys - I'm thinking that at least one of the Hot In Cleveland cast would go up and talk, or maybe even Mary Tyler Moore. Then they might go about doing a reboot of The Golden Girls.

Hey, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Please put down your Sophia Petrillo coffee mug. It wouldn't be instantaneous, Maybe a few years or so down the road. They'd be thinking about how a more modern version of the show might play...see how Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia handle a new world with smartphones and the Internet. They might even make a movie. Look at 21 Jump Street. They made a movie of that and all the principal actors from the TV show are alive! Of course, they changed some of the premise and basically had a whole different type of plot and vibe with the name 21 Jump Street plastered on it.
It could be decades, actually, since older shows always seem to get a re-imagining. Look at The Transformers, Garfield, and The Smurfs now. Those were hit shows in the '80s and they have all had the movie treatment fairly recently. Once Lifetime and all the other channels finally stop showing Golden Girls re-runs in syndication and the show fades from people's minds, maybe my son will take a date to see this Golden Girls movie (he's 3 now, so you imagine the time frame here).

I'd love for the faces of Arthur, McClanahan, Getty and White to be associated with this show forever, but it wouldn't surprise me to see a film version with the four women somehow wackily becoming drug mules for Walter White or something like that.

Ranbir Kapoor dodges query on Katrina Kaif

Mumbai: Actor Ranbir Kapoor, who turned 31 Saturday, refused to reveal what gift he received from actress Katrina Kaif, who is reportedly dating him.

"There is a phrase in English `Mind your own business`," Ranbir told reporters at an event here.

Recently, the rumoured lovers made headlines when their pictures while holidaying together in Spain were published.
There are reports that Ranbir and Katrina will go on a holiday again, but he chose to keep mum on this too when asked. "Jab pictures chhap jayenge, tab tum log hi bata dena yaar. What should I say? (When pictures get published, you only inform)..."
The actor is currently busy promoting his next film `Besharam`.

Kareena Kapoor's priorities in life are clear: Soha Ali Khan

Mumbai: Actress Soha Ali Khan says her sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor has set her priorities right on personal and professional front.

"We are very much ourselves and what I love about her is in spite of being a huge star, she is a very down to earth person. Physically also she is without make up, chilled out and naturally very beautiful as a person. I know how difficult it is to be an actor and work and then have to look after your personal life," Soha told reporters.
"I respect the fact that she is clear in her priorities about work and my brother. So I have lot of respect for her as a person and we get along very well... She likes me because I am like my brother," she said.
Soha feels Kareena and Saif are good influence on each other. She and Kareena don`t live together, but whenever they meet they do not talk much about films and work.
"If you sit with four actors you will realise no actor is interested in another actor`s work. They will immediately switch off. We are more interested in talking about what is happening off set, we indulge in gossip all the time but I am not telling you (who all we gossip about)," she said.
On work front, Soha seems quite excited about her upcoming film `War Chhod Naa Yaar`, being promoted as India`s first war comedy film, where she is playing the role of a war correspondent.
"This particular representation at border is unique. I always wanted to go to the border and I was looking to get an opportunity to go to Kargil. Sharman Joshi and I went to Wagah Border when we were shooting for `Rang De Basanti`. I always had this imagination of going there after seeing `Border`, `LOC` and to know as to what happens there," she said.
"I am doing live reporting in the film for some time and interacting with Army officers. She is like a normal girl and has a normal romantic healthy interest. She meets Sharman Joshi, who is a good looking Army officer," Soha said.
`War Chhod Na Yaar` is directed by Faraz Haider, who assisted Dibakar Banerjee on `Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!`. The film also stars Sharman Joshi, Jaaved Jaffrey, Dalip Tahil and Mukul Dev. It releases on October 11.
Asked if there was any sibling rivalry during childhood with Saif or her sister Saba, Soha said, "I did not have fights with Bhai (Saif) but with my sister Saba, because there is a ten-year gap between Saif and me, while me and my elder sister have a gap of two-and-half years or so."
"My sister and I shared a room and we had actually made a border, if anyone crossed it, it was like infiltrating in the area. We had horrible fights as children," she said.
Though Soha is the youngest in the family, she thinks she was not pampered as much as Saif was.
"I don't think I was pampered, my sister feels I was. My brother was pampered because of the mother-son relation. Bhai was allowed to get away with everything, while my mother was strict with us," she said.
"But none of us were spoilt. We came from a position but we were asked to follow basic things like switching off lights, not to talk on phone much often and we were given an allowance," Soha added.

Dipannita, Arunoday in Bejoy Nambiar's next

Mumbai: Actors Dipannita Sharma and Arunoday Singh will be seen in Bejoy Nambiar`s Tamil remake film `Pizza`.


Nambiar is set to produce Hindi remake of Tamil film, which revolves around a pizza delivery boy and how his life takes a turn after one particular delivery.

"I am shooting for two films. I am doing a special appearance in a film of Bejoy Nambiar. It is a south remake film. There is Arunoday Singh with me," said Dipannita, who was earlier seen in `Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl`.
The film will also have Miss India 2008 Parvathy Omanakuttan and Akshay Oberoi, who was last seen in `Isi Life Mein`.
Dipannita only said that `Pizza` is a thriller and refused to divulge any other details about it.

Get 'Besharam' this week

New Delhi: With no other big films releasing this Friday, Abhinav Kashyap`s `Besharam` has a clean week as far as competition goes. The Ranbir Kapoor-starrer is hitting theatres Oct 2.

The film will be a litmus test for both actor Ranbir after superhit `Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani` and Kashyap post `Dabangg`.

"Our expectations are huge. We have made a good film and have promoted it well," Kahsyap said.
The film, produced by Himanshu Mehra, Sanjeev Gupta and Reliance Entertainment, had a shooting budget of Rs.60 crore plus the cost of promotions, marketing and advertising.
"We have locked about 3,600 screens in India and 700 screens overseas," said the director.
Whether the audience will accept Ranbir in deglam role or not, will only be revealed once the movie releases.
"It is a big film and there is no other film releasing in the same week. We have to wait and watch how it unfolds and whether the audience likes it or not," trade analyst Taran Adarsh.
`Besharam` also stars Ranbir`s actor-parents Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh. Actress Pallavi Sharda, a newcomer who hails from Australia, plays the female lead in the film.


Surrogacy case: Shah Rukh Khan seeks dismissal of plea.

Mumbai: Actor Shah Rukh Khan has sought dismissal of a petition filed by social activist Varsha Deshpande seeking early hearing of the complaint filed by her in a magistrate court seeking action against him for sex determination of their third surrogate child.

Shahrukh`s lawyer Pranav Badhekar on September 26 requested the Bombay High Court to dismiss the petition on the ground that neither Deshpande nor her lawyers were present in the magistrate court when the matter was posted for arguments on September 24.
Deshpande had filed a complaint in the magistrate court seeking action against Shahrukh Khan, his wife Gauri, Jaslok hospital and its doctor and officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act.
Deshpande had alleged that the star couple had conducted pre-birth sex determination tests of their surrogate son AbRam.
Deshpande had approached the High Court seeking an early hearing into her complaint on the ground that the Supreme Court had said that all cases under the PCPNDT Act should be heard and decided within six months.
"In the magistrate court all the respondents filed their replies on September 20 and the matter was kept for arguments on September 24. However, on that day no one was present on behalf of the complainant and the matter was adjourned," Shahrukh`s lawyer Badhekar told the court.
Seeking dismissal of the petition, Badhekar and BMC lawyer M P S Rao said that the petition has become infructuous and need not be entertained.
Justice Jadhav directed Badhekar to file a short affidavit by September 30 bringing this on record and also the order passed by the magistrate court on September 24 adjourning the hearing.
The civic body had earlier told the court that it had conducted an inquiry into the allegations of sex determination and found it baseless.

Never used my father's name to enter industry: Javed Jaffrey

Mumbai: Noted actor Javed Jaffrey says he has never used his father Jagdeep`s influence to get work.

Javed, son of veteran actor-comedian Jagdeep, is known for donning various hats - that of an actor, dancer, singer, choreographer, VJ, ad filmmaker, among others.

He made his acting debut with `Meri Jung` in 1985 where he made a huge impact in a negative role. He has been part of many hit films like `100 Days`, `Fire`, `Earth`, `Salaam Namaste`, `Singh is Kingg` and `3 Idiots` and others.
"Being the son or daughter of a legendary film personality you get more respect. But I have never used that (my father`s name) as an influence to enter industry. It is not that I got work because of him. My father did not do a film for me or launched me, he wanted us to do things on our own," Javed said.
"Rather I never thought I will enter the film industry, it happened all by chance. Destiny played a part and brought me here in this industry," he said.
Javed has played a variety of roles, from negative to positive, but he has a penchant for comedy.
"I like to play all kind of roles. You can`t do same stuff every time as it becomes boring. Comedy is my soft spot. But I love doing action, thriller, drama and negative (roles). I am not comfortable with sexuality, intimate scenes," he said.
The actor will be seen next in debutante director Faraz Haider`s `War Chhod Na Yaar`.
"I am playing captain Qureshi from the Punjab region of Pakistan. So my tone (language) in the film is Punjabi-Urdu. The film establishes relationship in an interesting way. I had great fun doing this film," he said.
Javed will also be seen alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor in `Besharam`. The actor has a few scenes with Ranbir and a climax scene with Neetu and Rishi Kapoor.
"We did interact on sets. I am a big fan of Rishiji, he is the best actor. Neetuji is fantastic. Ranbir is a fine actor and he is very focused about his work. They are humble and nice people," he said.
Javed will also be seen in Hrithik Roshan starrer `Bang Bang` and `Jo Bhi Karva Lo` with Arshad Warsi.

Fire on set: Lata Mangeshkar, SRK offer help to Kapil Sharma

Mumbai: Popular comedian Kapil Sharma has been overwhelmed at being offered help from legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and superstar Shah Rukh Khan after his show set was damaged in a fire.
A massive fire had broken out recently on the sets of hit show `Comedy Nights With Kapil` at Goregaon Film city. However, there were no casualties in the mishap.

The show is hosted by Kapil and often sees Bollywood celebrities like Shah Rukh, Rohit Shetty, Deepika Padukone, Sushant Singh Rajput, Parineeti Chopra, Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, Anil Kapoor and others using the platform to promote their upcoming films.
"I got a call from Lataji and she asked if I need any kind of help, whether monetary or anything. She asked what can I do for you... Her call was a big thing," Kapil said.
"Also Shah Rukh Khan, Rohit Shetty and lot of people from the industry called me and said `hum tumhare saath hai, batao kitne din mein set khada karna hai` (we are with you, tell in how many days the set has to be put up). The industry is like a family," he said.
Kapil says the exact cause of the fire is yet to be scertained as investigation is still on.
"We will come to know the exact loss... The figures only after the police verification," he said.
He rubbished rumours of a conspiracy behind the fire.
Kapil felt disappointed as he was unable to shoot with singer Sonu Nigam due to mishap.
"We were even planning to shoot with Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan for the promotion of their forthcoming films. But unfortunately due to the tragedy, we are trying to work out things," he said.
However, Kapil is quite happy that people are loving his show and he hopes it to continue. Two episodes supposed to be aired on this weekend have already been shot. But, for the upcoming episodes they will be shooting on the sets of `Bigg Boss` show.
"It`s not an easy job to reconstruct a huge set in such a short time. The channel is also trying to get the best floor to reconstruct a new set. We have a huge set up and we don`t want to compromise with it," he added. 

Hollywood & Bollywood Latest News Updates 21st September 2013

Hollywood News Updates

Natalie Portman confirms Marvel's female superhero film is coming

Los Angeles: ‘Thor’ leading lady Natalie Portman has revealed a new Marvel movie led by a female superhero is on the way.

"There are definitely many strong women, but it will be exciting when there is a central female character which I think is coming - I have heard is coming," the actress said in an interview with SciFiNow to promote ‘Thor: The Dark World’.

"And, of course, also a central non-white character will also be exciting. Title characters. But they do definitely have strong female characters in them and I think it`s a testament to the people who run Marvel, their respect, their just normal human respect for women, the way they want to characterize them; you can tell when men talk to you, as just a person or as a `woman`," she added.

Portman also expressed her disappointment when the ‘Thor’ sequel lost female director Patty Jenkins.

"I was very upset because Patty is a wonderful woman. I was excited to work with her but I understood why she chose to leave and Alan Taylor is really wonderful, so it was bittersweet." 

Cate Blanchett to make directorial debut with 'The Dinner'

Los Angeles: After two decades of performing in front of cameras, Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett is now stepping behind the scenes for her first directorial job.
The 44-year-old `Blue Jasmine` star is set to helm a physiological thriller titled `The Dinner`, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The film, set at a dinner in Amsterdam, will explore the story of just how far some parents might go to protect their loved ones.

Two brothers, one running for prime minister of the Netherlands, must make a tough decision regarding their teenage sons who have committed an unspeakable crime.

Based on Herman Koch`s best-selling novel of the same title, the project will be produced by Cotty Chubb. It is unclear if Blanchett will star in the film or not.

Blanchett is not a complete stranger to directing. She has been serving as a co-artistic director of the Sydney Theater Company along with her husband, playwright Andrew Upton.

She once directed playwright David Harrower`s `Blackbird` and Joan Didion`s memoir `The Year of Magical Thinking`.

Blanchett was last seen in Woody Allen-directed dramedy `Blue Jasmine`. Her role as a New York socialite who scrambles to put her life back together after a series of shocking events puts her on the list of nominee candidates for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Her next projects include `The Monuments Men`, `The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug` & `The Hobbit: There and Back Again` and `How to Train Your Dragon 2`. 

Pink's husband more in love with daughter than her

Los Angeles: New mother Pink fears that her husband Carey Hart is more in love with their daughter, Willow, than her.
The `Raise Your Glass` hitmaker, who welcomed her first child with husband in 2011, said she believes he has more of a fondness for their daughter than for his wife, reported OK! magazine.

"He`s a sucker. I`m the bad cop. I watched him just fall in love the day we brought her home. It`s like watching the person you love fall in love for the first time (with someone else). I`m not jealous.

"Our love is complicated, but (Willow) brings us closer together. We`re a good little team. We go all over the world and we`re together every day. It`s just so yummy. Everyone around us is fighting and it just brings us closer together because we get to laugh at them," she said.

Pink and Hart have had a rocky romance ever since they began dating in 2001, but their on-and-off relationship finally came to a head when they decided to tie the knot in 2006.

"We`ve been married for eight years this year... We might have to break up again soon!" she added. 

Una Healy to host TV show

Los Angeles: Singer Una Healy has landed her first presenting role on a new kids` TV show in Ireland.
The 31-year-old Saturdays singer will launch `Una`s Dream Ticket` in her hometown which will show her trying to make young people`s wishes come true, reported OK! magazine.

"This will be a really good experience for me and I wouldn`t rule out more presenting in the future. All of us girls have enough experience now that we can go off and work on other projects, but our main focus is the band," she said.

The show is set to air on Irish network RTE. 

Chris Hemsworth found onscreen nudity hard in 'Rush'

Los Angeles: He lost weight and learned to drive fast but actor Chris Hemsworth, who plays Formula One race car driver James Hunt in `Rush`, found filming his first nude scenes most daunting.
The Australian actor, 30, said he also found it difficult to watch his nude scenes in Ron Howard-directed film but his wife, Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, liked it, reported People magazine.

"It was more daunting than the racing! To take your clothes off in front of 100 people and cameras was something I wasn`t comfortable with. To be honest, it was embarrassing," Hemsworth said.

"It was more uncomfortable for me to see than her. I think she enjoyed it."

Another challenge for Hemsworth was to lose weight to play Hunt.

"It was brutal. I`ve said this before, but my wife was pregnant when I was preparing for the film and I had more symptoms of a pregnant woman than she did. I was hungry all the time and moody," he added. 

INTERVIEW: Michael Bay, Coen Brothers and Reese Witherspoon Were In Line for ‘Showgirls 2’ Sleazquel, Rena Riffel Reveals

At last, Showgirls 2: Penny’s From Heaven is out on the guilty pleasure-friendly format: DVD. (While original Razzie favorite Showgirls belly-flopped on the big screen, it’s still one of the highest grossing DVDs of all time).
Rena Riffel, star of Showgirls and Mulholland Drive turned camp icon, has been pulling the g-strings on her directorial oeuvre since the original wrapped back in ’94 and is celebrating the release this week.
We spoke to her about the movie’s journey from Michael Bay blockbuster to DIY erotic ‘trashterpiece’ for this Hollywood.com exclusive.
Hi Rena, thanks for talking to Hollywood.com. So, why do you think Penny/Hope - your character in Showgirls and the star of your sequel - resonated so much with fans?
She means well and wants to succeed, but everyone just thinks she's a dum-dum. She’s like the underdog we can cheer her on to make it to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She’s kind of Marilyn Monroe in Gentleman Prefer Blondes or Some Like It Hot: very innocent, but she’s like a piece of meat in a lair of wolves.

What's the AA-cup version of the movie storyline?
Penny Slot drops everything and hitchhikes down the road to her dream of finally being a famous dancer on TV show Star Dancer. She finds herself in danger, running from the law and ultimately has a near-death experience.
This sequel's been in the pipeline for a long time - can you run us through its odyssey briefly?
In my late thirties, I realized I was getting too old to play myself – so I better do this now! I wrote for a year, for 12 hours a day. I wrote 28 very different drafts. I had people contact me, but nothing worked out. I went through some unfortunate drama and turmoil.  On a good note, I sent my script to Paul Verhoeven [who directed the original] who said he liked it very much and gave me his blessing.

I was trying to raise millions of dollars, but towards the end of the uphill battle, I settled on going for a lower budget of 8 million. They read my script and did the Hollywood thing: “Reese Witherspoon will play Penny, they will bring in a big director like Michael Bay, and hire a big writer (the Coen Brothers) to come on board,” and I said, “Wait a second, then what would I do?” So, that's when I just threw in the towel and decided to make it the way I made Trasharella. All by myself, with the help of friends.
Showgirls is still in the top highest-grossing MGM DVDs of all time. Are you expecting similar wildfire sales?
I wish!  It will be interesting to see how this turns out. If it doesn't make money, it's not like I’m 100 million in debt on it!
You've referred to this project as 'pulling a Barbra' - please elaborate?
Showgirls 2: Penny's From Heaven is my Yentl (which was nominated for Oscars AND Razzies).  Yentl was Barbra's directorial debut, but it took 15 years for her to get it made.  She also dealt with everyone thinking she was too old to play the lead role.
The critics had a field day with Showgirls, but it’s won some high-profile fans since. What’s your dream review for this?
I guess it would be like, “Showgirls 2 is perfect imperfection. A job well done by Director/ Writer/ Producer/ Editor/ Dancer/ Craft Service/ Key Grip and star, Miss Riffel. Two "thumbs" up, all "stars" clicked, we "like" buttoned it, etc.!”

Where My Girls At? The Most Supportive Rom-Com Best Friends

The job of a romantic comedy best friend may look easy. But these ladies (and dudes) have the difficult gig of supporting every scheme, participating in every song and dance number, and occasionally ending up with the romantic hero's less dashing compatriot, all while doing their best not to steal the leading lady's spotlight. Here are a few of the BFF performances that are a credit to the genre.
Kit in Pretty Woman
Vivan gets all the "hooker with a heart of gold" credit. But what about Kit (Laura San Giacomo) who, instead of being jealous of her best friend's luck, encourages her to go live her fairy tale?
Becky in Sleepless in Seattle
Becky (Rosie O'Donnell) gives Annie a reality check when she expects her real life to play out like a movie, but will still be sitting next to her for every hundreth viewing of An Affair to Remember, sharing a box of tissues.
Marie in When Harry Met Sally
Sometimes the role of the rom-com sidekick is to make the heroine feel more together by comparison. Before getting together with Harry's best friend, Marie (Carrie Fisher) is stuck on a married guy who she, Sally, and pretty much everyone knows is never going to leave his wife.
Kate in Only You
It's helpful for a leading lady to have the kind of friend who has no qualms about making snap decisions that most normal people would find insane, like when Kate (Bonnie Hunt) drops her entire life to tag along with Faith on an impromptu trip to Italy.
Penny in The Wedding Planner
Cute, spunky, and high-strung, Penny (Judy Greer) is there to take care of business when Mary runs off in search of love, or whatever.
George in My Best Friend's Wedding
George (Rupert Everett) doesn't know he's the sidekick and steals every scene he's in. But all is forgiven when he shows up at Michael's wedding and quite literally sweeps a defeated Jules off her feet.

Cecily Strong: The Sketches That Have Us Feeling Confident in Our New 'Update' Co-Host

Seth Meyers announced his new Weekend Update co-host this week, and we're feeling pretty good about this choice. Cecily Strong joined the Saturday Night Live cast just last year, and this high-profile gig surely came her way because of the huge impact she's made in her short tenure on the show. She excels at creating memorable characters; the common element in most of the successful recurring sketches that were established in the '12-'13 season was Cecily. She's already visited the Update desk as several characters; and no matter who she's playing, she and Seth have great comic chemistry.
Let's look back at Cecily's greatest hits from Season 38 and know that our fake news fate is in good hands.
The Girlfriends Talk Show
Cecily taps into our childhood insecurities with this one. She plays peppy Kyra, who hosts a teen talk show with her less-cool best friend Morgan (Aidy Bryant). She and her new, "awesome" girlfriend (Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway, so far) continually undermine poor Morgan until she's practically seething. Remember high school? That was fun.
"We're not porn stars anymore!"
The former-porn-stars-do-a-commercial sketch never fails, mostly because Strong and Vanessa Bayer have perfectly the ladies' signature garbled delivery ("Aff-lence. lux-ry. Mo-ey Chamben.") and blank-eyed stares. It's also an opportunity for the writers to trot out their best one-liners ("One time I did a weird shoot in Mexico. Two of the girls died, but I'm alive. Thanks, champagne!") and for hosts like Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck to put on some short-shorts and tap into their Boogie Nights fantasies.
Dana and Niff
Dana (Strong) and Niff (Bobby Moynihan) are sure that they're getting fired (from McDonald's or Barnes and Noble, depending on the episode), so they take that opportunity to air their personal greivances with all their co-workers. ("I know you copied those Mad Libs, Beverly. Ain't nobody that funny.") It kills, because the two deliver every insult with panache and committment and because we all, especially on our worst days, daydream about doing the same.
The Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started a Conversation With at a Party

The one and only downside to having Cecily as a Weekend Update co-host is that we will likely say goodbye to her most popular character, who cares too much about humankind's greatest problems to even find out what they are. Who will remind Seth to "learn a book" or ask the tough questions like, "What are we even doing? And like, don't"? Our world will be a much poorer, less socially-conscious place, but it's the price we'll have to pay.

Bottoms Up! On-Screen Watering Holes That Really Exist

The secret behind most television and film locations is that they don't exist in real life. All those Central Perks, Paddy's Pubs and [insert New York street here] live on a Hollywood back lot or set. From wholesome sitcoms to dramatic noirs, each story can benefit from a good old fashioned bar scene — a local watering hole where characters can act up, commiserate or drown in their misery. Lucky for us, some of these storied drinking establishments are real locations where you can down a pint of your own. Check out our list of our favorite watering holes immortalized on screen. We're still reeling from the fact we'll never get to visit the Peach Pit After Dark.

The Book Thief' First Look: How Markus Zusak's Novel Became a Likely Oscar Contender

Markus Zusak didn’t expect for his 2006 novel The Book Thief to get published. Let alone become a New York Times #1 Bestseller. Let alone receive a major movie adaptation by 20th Century Fox that’s already getting Oscar buzz two months before its Nov. 15 release. “I thought no one would read it,” Zusak says. “I mean, how would someone describe it to their friends? ‘Well, it’s set in Nazi Germany. It’s narrated by Death. There’s a high body count. And it’s 580 pages long. You’ll love it!’”
Anyone who’s read The Book Thief — and it turns out many, many people have — knows it’s the staggeringly ambitious story of Liesel Meminger, a ten-year-old girl separated from her communist mother and forced to live with foster parents Hans and Rosa Hubermann in the small German town of Molching. The year is 1939. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party control Germany and are about to begin marching across Europe. It’s appropriate, then, that the novel is narrated by Death. But this isn’t any skeletal Grim Reaper with sickle or scythe. He’s a wry, relatively good-natured chap with a job to do. Death shows us Liesel’s experiences leading up to and during World War II: how her foster father Hans teaches her how to read a book she stole, the way she settles in to life in Molching, interacts with other kids her own age, and helps hide the son of a Jewish man who fought alongside Hans in World War I in the cellar of her foster parents’ home, just as the full savagery of the Holocaust begins. What Zusak conjures is truly unique: a panoramic view of life in a German town during World War II, a Mrs. Miniver story set on the other side.
The Book Thief is the stuff of great drama, but let’s face it…most movie adaptations of novels about adolescent girls these days feature vampires, werewolves, and witches, not Nazis. “The Book Thief was always at the forefront of my mind,” producer Karen Rosenfelt says. “I really wanted to get this made even while I was working on other projects like Twilight.” Rosenfelt has produced some of the highest-grossing movies geared to young people in recent years, including all five of the movies based on Stephenie Meyer’s vampire saga. But The Book Thief became a true passion project for her and she wanted its movie adaptation to share two qualities of the book: authenticity and honesty.
Zusak’s book is incredibly detailed, and it’s easy to see why: his parents grew up in Germany during World War II before eventually emigrating to Australia. “The best research for the book was my whole childhood, really,” Zusak says. Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, who Rosenfelt tapped to play the loving Hans Hubermann, adds, “It’s such a personal story, because Markus developed the idea for The Book Thief from the stories his parents told him about living in Nazi Germany. So even though it seems like such a different world, there’s this level of detail he brings to it that makes it feel lived-in enough that anybody can relate to it.” Zusak’s parents also peppered their conversation with hyperlocal insults like the word “saumensch,” featured prominently in the book. In fact, Zusak even based Liesel’s personality in part on his mother’s. “I think it’s very fresh,” Rush says. “I wasn’t aware of the book when I was sent the screenplay, then read the book after having read the screenplay and thought [screenwriter] Michael Petroni did a really honorable transposition of it. It has such a whimsical, sardonic, poetic, existential sensibility…and it’s very blunt.”
So to match the book’s level of authenticity, Rosenfelt hired director Brian Percival, who’s worked on much of Downton Abbey, and insisted on shooting the movie in Germany. But there were still many challenges for the filmmakers to unpack. First, there was the matter of the book’s length. “It’s close to 600 pages, so it was tough to figure out what to leave on the cutting room floor,” Rosenfelt says. Among the things that have been changed from the book to the movie, Hans and Rosa are now childless. In the book, their son was a pretty fanatical Nazi. “One thing we couldn’t cut? Death’s voiceover,” Rosenfelt says. “We knew we wanted that from the start. But voiceover is a tricky thing. You never want too much of it or for it to take you out of the film. It should be seamless.” Producer Ken Blancato adds, “You shouldn’t be going ‘Wait, is that Morgan Freeman?’” The voice actor for Death still hasn’t been announced yet, but it’ll be the critical thread to link the many years of the story together.
There’s also the challenge of aging Sophie from a 10-year-old to a 17-year-old over the course of the movie. Thousands of girls auditioned for the role, but it was 13-year-old Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse (Monsieur Lazhar) who won out. The Book Thief makeup team then worked to shade her face in such a way to convey Sophie aging. “I wanted to go for the full Benjamin Button effect,” Nelisse jokes.
However, figuring out the basic challenges of adapting the book and casting one actress to inhabit Liesel as she grows from a child into a young woman was just the beginning in creating The Book Thief.

10 TV Looks Suited for the Red Carpet — GALLERY

When the stars of our favorite TV shows walk down the red carpet at the Emmy Awards this weekend, they're sure to look so good that we can hardly remember the neurotic, terrifying, or goofy personas they adopt every week.  But a few times this year, the characters looked as good as the actors who play them. From Leslie Knope's wedding dress to the impressive follicles of one Jessa Johansson, here are 10 looks that were so unforgettable that they'd be right at home on the red carpet.

Five Horrible, Horrible Ways 'Breaking Bad' Could End

Right now there's only two more episodes of Breaking Bad left, and everyone who is watching the show is feverishly trying to guess how this is going to end. Will Walter White die? Will Skyler? Jesse? People are doing mental gymnastics trying to guess what is going on in show creator Vince Gilligan's head and surmise what the best possible outcome is. Gilligan, for his part, seems convinced that he has done it in a way that will please nearly everyone. He's done great so far, but what if he stumbles and winds up having the show lurch towards the finish line, like Hank trying one final time to reach the gun in the desert. Well, here are some of the ways that this show could just completely blow it:
Writer's Block
After the final carnage ends... the screen goes black, just like the ending of The Sopranos. There's blackness... and then just a closeup of the White matriarch's eyes. She's sitting at her desk, writing. The computer monitor shows "and then Walter reached for his gun, coughing as the cancer threatened to finally kill him before he could reach his goal... ) She clicks 'Save" and then Hank walks in, grinning with a mug of coffee. Yup. Skyler's really married to Hank and Walter's married to Marie and Flynn is their child.
Meth Dreams
Same scenario as above...all blackness...and then suddenly Walter's eyes snap open. He's been asleep the whole time. He sits up, gasping for air. Slowly, he takes stock of his surroundings. Skyler is peacefully asleep next to him. The White home seems in pristine condition...and then, gingerly, he reaches up, and feels his head. His hair's all there, a thick mane like he had in the first season. There's no baby Holly. He hears Walter, Jr. moving around in the kitchen, making his breakfast, of course. He wryly smiles...it was all a dream. Then the phone rings. He lets the machine pick up. "Yo Walter, it's Hank! Wake up! Let's go for a ride on a drug bust!"
The Walking Dead
Walter stares down Jesse. The bodies of Lydia, Todd and the neo-Nazi crew are strewn about them. Before Jesse can say a word, Walter snarls, "You REALLY think I came back to save you? After everything I said before?" Jesse looks down in mute disappointment, and then closes his eyes, waiting for that inevitable final shot. Walt raises the gun...and then there's a moan in the background. He freezes and glances around. None of the bodies around them stir. Moonlight is beginning to stream through the window. Walt looks at Jesse, "That you?" he asks. "What do you think...b**ch?" Jesse spits. Yeah, he's got a little spark left. Walt steadies the gun...and just as he is about to shoot, a hand reaches out of the darkness and grabs his arm and slams him against the wall. Suddenly, shuffling feet. Walter looks up to see the zombie forms of Hank and Jane closing in on him...the last scene of the show is closeups of the two zombie faces, covered with blood, moving towards the camera.
"My Name Is Flynn. Say My Name."
An old warehouse.Walter lays gasping his last breaths as his son looks on. Jesse is curled up in a ball, in shock that he is still alive. Soon, it is over. Skyler is nowhere to be found. Walt. Jr. looks around, eyes wide in shock. He looks at Pinkman. His eyes go flat...reptilian. "It's about time..." he says as his speech suddenly becomes perfect. The braces he used suddenly clatter to the floor and Walt, Jr. straightens his body to its full height. Pinkman looks on in mute shock. "You just gonna stand there, Pinkman? We've got cooking to do." "W-Walt, Jr.?" Pinkman quavers. "My. Name. Is. Flynn." The show goes dark.
One Goodman Standing
Jesse and Walt lay dead. Skyler is sitting on the ground holding Holly and Walt. Jr. look on in shock. Saul stands over the bodies, his nose having not reset as well as he might have liked after Jesse pistol-whipped him earlier. He has a gun that he holsters. His eyes flick over to Huell, who immediately begins to haul both bodies away. Goodman looks over at the three remaining Whites, and for once, says nothing. He walks away while whistling the "Better Call Saul" jingle. The screen goes dark.

Autobiographical Films That Keep It Real

SXWS

Every day seems to bring news of another biopic film in the works. What can we say; audiences can't get enough of famous dead celebrities — and presidents, for that matter. While J.D Salinger might roll over his in grave over the latest Salinger documentary, the autobiographical film puts the power and story into the hands of the filmmaker with deeply personal results that blend fact with fiction imperceptibly. Here's a sampling of some memoir-cum-movie picks.
Short Term 12

Screenwriter and director Destin Cretton took his time spent working at a foster care facility and turned it into one of the most moving films of this year. His first-hand experience shapes the film and prevents it from veering into after-school special territory, while making the audience feel like they experienced it with him.
50/50

When faced with a grim diagnosis such as spinal cancer, it helps to have Seth Rogen as your best friend to help you cope through comedy. After being diagnosed at the age of 24, comedy writer Will Reiser wrote a screenplay with Rogen about what happened to their friendship after the diagnosis and all the awkward interactions that illness can bring.
Tarnation
Jonathan Caouette made indie film history when he made his autobiographical documentary for only $218.32. Then again, most of the film is made up of family movies and personal footage from age 11 and up. While it may not be familiar to a large audience, Caouette's story is equally troubling as it is fascinating — thanks to his manic mother and schizophrenic storytelling.
Almost Famous
This movie just further proved that none of us would ever be as cool as Cameron Crowe. At the ripe age of 16, he finagled a job reporting for Rolling Stone, toured with the Allman Brothers Band, lost his virginity to three groupies AND made a highly successful movie out of it. Also, rest assured; Penny Lane is real.
Tiny Furniture

Lena Dunham's commitment to rooting her HBO series Girls in reality is well documented; as anyone who's seen the Q-tip episode can attest. Before she mined her real life experiences of gay ex-boyfriends and British ex-pat artists as best friends, her first feature laid the groundwork for all the creative-nonfiction that was to follow. If it's hard to separate Dunham from her onscreen personas, than that means her job is done.

If J.J. Abrams Wants an 'Emotional and Authentic' 'Star Wars', He Should Turn to 'Empire Strikes Back'

It seems like every day, there's a new tidbit of information about J.J. Abrams' Star Wars reboot. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Abrams stated that his main goal for Episode VII is to create a Star Wars film that feels "emotional and authentic." However, when asked which of the previous films in the saga would have the closest feel to the upcoming one, Abrams refused to pick, saying "Whatever your favorite Star Wars movie is and how to compare it is really sort of subjective." Well, with all due respect to Mr. Abrams, there really is only one Star Wars film that would be the ideal inspiration for the reboot: The Empire Strikes Back.
Episode V is the most iconic film in the franchise, and is both critcally acclaimed and a fan favorite. For those reasons alone, Abrams would be smart to use this film as his guide, as it would provide the best insight into the tone of the saga, and would allow him to connect the reboot to the original films in the series. And besides, channeling the original trilogy would most likely help Abrams avoid creating another Jar Jar Binks. However, even if he's not looking to replicate the tone of the first half of the saga, Empire Strikes Back exemplifies the balance of fantasy and autheticity that the director says he's after.
If Abrams wants emotional, Empire is the place to turn. First, there's the moment where Han Solo is frozen in carbonite moments after he and Leia have declared their love for each other. Not only would the poignancy of this moment help Abrams to strike the right chord with audiences, but the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia is the ideal basis for any sort of romantic element that might be included in the reboot.
In addition, Episode V contains the most iconic Star Wars moment of all: Luke discovering that Darth Vader is his father. This moment is the kind of plot twist that manages to both surprise the audience and have emotional ramifications for the characters. After all, Luke not only finds out that his father is still alive, but he's the one person he's thought of as the enemy... not to mention the fact that Luke lost his hand in the big reveal. That's going to take a toll on anyone, and it perfectly sets up many of the important plot and character elements of the next film. If Abrams is able to channel this moment, he will not only get the kind of authentic emotion he's aiming for, but he will also be able to create a plot twist that wipes whatever he was attempting to do with Khan from everyone's mind.
With all of the negative press and feelings still surrounding Star Trek Into Darkness, fans are apprehensive about the upcoming Star Wars sequels, and Abrams needs something that will seem comforting. Drawing inspiration from Empire Strikes Back would be a good sign that he understands what made the saga so compelling and entertaining in the first place, and would give fans hope that they don't have another Attack of the Clones headed their way. In short, it's the perfect way to ensure that Abrams gets to execute his vision without alienating a devoted audience.

Things You Need To Know About ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Scandal’ Creator Shonda Rhimes

Mark Sullivan/WireImage
Fans of the popular ABC shows Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal often find themselves wondering who comes up with the fictional plot twists and love affairs that keep them up at night. While she obviously does not work alone, the simple answer is Shonda Rhimes. The Emmy-nominated writer and producer created both shows, but that’s not all she contributes to the universe. Here are a few things you might not know about the genius behind the curtain.
She Knows How To Handle Drama On And Off The Screen
This past year  Rhimes came under  criticism for the treatment of her lead character Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington). Some folks (including Star Jones) accused her of glorifying marital affairs, and even felt that the interracial relationship on the show was problematic. Rhimes has brilliantly responded to such accusations by defending her art as just that — art, and not a political or social platform. And she often takes to Twitter to remind people who get a little too caught up that her shows are, in fact, fictional.
Oprah Winfrey Is Obsessed With Her
When Oprah Winfrey and former President of the United States Bill Clinton watch your show (they both love Scandal), it’s kind of a big deal. But Oprah and Shonda are so close, their Twitter exchanges are well-documented, and when Shonda made TIME Magazine’s 2013 list of 100 most influential people in the world, Oprah even wrote the powerful accompanying essay.
Halle Berry Kinda, Sorta Owes Her

Halle Berry got her start long before her role in the television biopic Introducing Dorothy Dandridge. Still, her performance in the Shonda Rhimes-written script was one of her best and most well-respected, as she (along with Rhimes) brought to life the important story of the first black movie star to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.
She Was a Candy Striper in High School
This woman is living proof that volunteer work truly pays off in the end. Rhimes volunteered at a hospital during high school, and attributes that experience to her interest in such environments. Grey’s Anatomy and its spin-off series Private Practice are a direct result of her candy striper days in Chicago.
She’s an Inspiration to Unemployed Writers Everywhere
After Rhimes got her Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California, she was just another unemployed scriptwriter in Hollywood. She worked odd jobs to pay the bills, but eventually got her big break as a research director for a documentary on Hank Aaron. See? We all gotta start somewhere.

Bollywood News Updates

Happy birthday Kareena Kapoor Khan!

New Delhi: Kareena Kapoor Khan, who tied the knot last year with long time beau Saif, will be celebrating her 33rd birthday today in London.

It will be her first birthday celebration post marriage. This time, Kareena will be joining hubby Saif in the English capital, where he is shooting for his next film.

Although Bebo’s personal and marital life is rocking, at the professional front too, she has been grabbing lot of meaty and promising film projects. The newest film to fall in her kitty is Karan Johar’s ‘Shuddhi’ co-starring Hrithik Roshan.

This year she will back on screen with her ‘Ek Main Aur Ek Tu’ co-star Imran Khan in Punit Malhotra’s ‘Gori Tere Pyaar Mein’.

Kareena made her presence felt at the launch of her debut book ‘Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva’ and also sizzled in Prakasha Jha’s multi-starrer ‘Satyragraha’. And we certainly hope to see more of her on screen in the months to come. Here’s wishing the beautiful Kareena a super duper birthday!

‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’ review: Watch it if you are a Shahid Kapoor fan!

After rom-com ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’, Rajkumar Santoshi’s ‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’ comes across as a simple childlike Hindi film that now is a rarity. The film starring Shahid Kapoor and Ileana D’Cruz is one of its kinds because the audiences have now matured and expect more than what has already been delivered.

Santoshi’s previous film- ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’- had laughter elements scattered across the film evenly. But that’s not the case with ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’, where the audiences are left to wonder whether to laugh or cry!

That’s certainly doesn’t mean that the film isn’t worth a laughter. A number of thoroughly entertaining comic sequences are sporadically placed in the film. Nonetheless, some clichéd filmi scenes peppered on the top somewhat dilute the true essence of the film.

The story is about a small town mother’s aspirations and her dream to see her son becoming an honest police officer. Savitri (Padmini Kolhapure) wants her son Vishwas (Shahid Kapoor) to join the police force. But her son is a wannabe actor who cannot think of anything beyond films.

Savitri, raises her son with great difficulties and instils good values in him. She doesn’t want him to indulge in anything that is unethical. But her son has other plans.

The acting ka keeda in him tempts him to opt for a different route to build a career- yes a career in films. He dreams of becoming a superstar.

The wannabe actor gives a miss to his enrolment in the Mumbai police for his Bollywood aspirations. His chance encounter with real goondas while he is wearing a fake Police uniform helps him meet his ladylove Kajal (Ileana D’Cruz).

Kajal, who is a socially responsible young woman, is stumped by Vishwas’s daredevilry as he accidentally becomes a catalyst in rescuing an innocent girl from the clutches of the goondas.

And the silsila of Kajal’s misunderstanding continues. In the meanwhile, Vishwas gets the shock of his life when he is informed of his mother’s arrival to the city. And the troubled son looks for ways to keep pretending to be a Police Officer.

But how long will Vishwas be able to keep his mother’s Vishwas in him intact. The remaining part of the film answers the question.

Coming to the acting- ‘Phata Poster Nikhla Hero’ is an out and out Shahid Kapoor film. The actor delivers applause worthy performance in the film which has him in the limelight from the start to finish. ‘Barfi!’ girl Ileana has very little screen space yet manages to impress. And ‘fabulous’ is the word for veteran Padmini Kolhapure.

The songs in the film are a treat to the ears. The picturisation of the song ‘Mere Bina Tu’ will certainly remind you of ‘Tu Jaane Na’ featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif from Santoshi’s ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’. And the song ‘Main Rang Sharbaton Ka’ by Atif Aslam and Chinmayi Sripada is truly melodious.

PPNH in totality doesn’t have too much to offer apart from Shahid’s flawless performance. The screenplay was good but the story failed to hold the attention of the audiences.

The first half of the film promises sheer entertainment. But the film goes flat in the latter half. Santoshi’s idea was good but perhaps he failed to implement it well.

If you want to take your kids for a movie, then ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’ is definitely a good choice this weekend. And even otherwise if you still want to watch the film, do not go with great expectations.

Aamir Khan supports Hansal Mehta's 'Shahid'

Mumbai: Actor-producer Aamir Khan, who saw the trailer of Hansal Mehta`s ‘Shahid’, has decided to support the film and has posted the trailer on his official Facebook page.

"We are really happy that our next, `Shahid`, is touching the heartstrings ofthe entire industry. It`s a proud moment for team Shahid that Aamir decided to back the trailer by hosting it on his Facebook page. This is truly a warm gesture from him and we are proud of the film and the trailer and truly thankful to Aamir for having supported it.

"`Shahid` is surely a film to watch out for and with people like Aamir supporting the film, it will give the film that has been acclaimed the world over, the attention it thoroughly deserves," said Shikha Kapur, executive director, marketing, studios, Disney UTV.

Starring Raj Kumar, ‘Shahid’ is based on the true story of human rights activist and lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was killed in 2010 by unidentified assailants in his office.

From attempting to become a terrorist, to being wrongly imprisoned under a draconian anti-terrorism law, to becoming a champion of human rights, ‘Shahid’ traces the inspiring personal journey of a boy who became an unlikely messiah for human rights.

Directed by Mehta, ‘Shahid’ has been acclaimed across film fests in the world.

It has travelled to several film festivals including Toronto, Dubai and Mumbai and has wowed audiences the world over.

Mehta won the best director at New York Indian Film Festival and at the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart.

‘Shahid’ had a world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2012 (TIFF 2012), and a centerpiece at New York Indian Film Festival and the Chicago South Asian Film Festival.

Produced by UTV Spotboy, Sunil Bohra and Anurag Kashyap, ‘Shahid’ is set to release in the country Oct 18.

Deepika, Ranbir team up for another film

New Delhi: Ex- love birds, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone have let bygones to be bygones and have moved on.

The duo who sizzled on the silver screen with Box-Office blockbuster- `Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani`, their first film after their publisised break-up are reportedly doing another film together.


According to a leading daily, Ranbir and Deepika, who were first seen together in ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’, will star together once again in talented filmmaker Imtiaz Ali’s next project, which is tentatively titled ‘Window Seat’.


However, the director is tight-lipped about his next film, but Kapoor, seems to have no qualms divulging information about the same.


With time, the dimpled hottie as well as her former beau have tasted success. Ranbir is now touted as the next superstar while Deepika has been quite successful at the Box Office with ‘Chennai Express’ to her credit.


But for the moment, Ranbir and Deepika are busy promoting their films ‘Besharam’ and ‘Ramleela’ which are scheduled to hit the silver screen on October 2, 2013, and November 15, 2013 respectively.

'Grand Masti' mints Rs.66.48 crore in first week

New Delhi: Adult comedy `Grand Masti` has generated Rs.66.48 at the box office within the first week of its release.

Directed by Indra Kumar, the bold movie, which released Sep 13, opened with Rs.12.51 crore. It stars Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani along with six actresses.

The film went on to clock Rs.13.21 crore and Rs.14.46 crore on Saturday and Saturday, respectively, via single screens as well as multiplexes.

The week remained strong with Monday collection at Rs.7.5 crore, Tuesday Rs.7.25 crore, Wednesday Rs.6.30 crore and Thursday Rs.5.25 crore -- taking the tally to Rs.66.48 crore.

`Grand Masti` is co-produced by Ashok Thakeria and Indra Kumar, presented by Bharat Shah and distributed by Eros International Worldwide.