Hrithik's red-hot new girl,"Esha Gupta"

It seems like searching for Hrithik's leading lady in Krrish 2 has become a game of musical chairs that will not end. A role which has some grey shades to it had been offered to Kangna Ranaut and Sonakshi Sonakshi at first but both of them refused to be part of the film.

Eventually, Chitrangda Singh accepted it only to walk out suddenly citing date problems (read tiff with the Roshans). And finally, when we heard the news of Jacqueline Fernandez pairing up with Duggu little did we know she'll depart soon as well making way for a newbie and a popular model Esha Gupta.

Esha won the Miss India International title in 2007, and represented the country in the Miss International 2007 contest. She has also featured in the Kingfisher calendar.

Her sex appeal had earlier won her a role in Bhatt's Jannat 2, which Prachi Desai and Paoli Dam were considered for.

Buoyant with her recent project fishing Esha considers herself as a serious contender for THE next Bollywood babe title.

"I think I'm going to make it really big. So I don't need a back-up plan. I might model till the age of 34 or 35, but by that time I will be already settled and have a family," she told a leading daily.

But when asked about how she plans to tackle the competition from star kids, and other models crossing over into B-town, she said: "I enrolled in an acting school and have been brushing up on my dancing skills. Fortunately, I have a good handle on my Hindi diction. But times are changing - on one hand we have models who have done really well onscreen and then there are actors who can't act."

"I guess it's easy to break into the industry, but not easy to make it big. I've been lucky because I got the best project," she added.

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Spielberg confirms 'Jurassic Park 4'

Hollywood director Steven Spielberg has confirmed that he is working on the fourth instalment of "Jurassic Park" and that the sequel will be an improvement from the last one, which was released in 2001.

"The screenplay is being written right now by Mark Protosevich. I'm hoping that will come out in the next couple of years. We have a good story. We have a better story for IV than we had for III, " contactmusic. com quoted the 64-year-old as saying.

Based on the best-selling Michael Crichton novel, "Jurassic Park" was a cult in itself and went on to gross $350 million in the US when released in 1993.

Starring Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, the movie spawned two sequels.

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Rakhi seeks Anna Hazare's help for her 'Choos Le' song

When Rakhi Sawant is angry, not many in the country can have the guts to stop her! The latest to face the ire of Bollywood’s biggest firecracker, is none other than the Censor Board, for having bleeped out the words ‘Choos Le’ (suck) from her song ‘Jawani Ki Bank Loot Le’ in her upcoming film Loot.

Rakhi insists that though the words could be controversial in nature when singled out, in her song, they have been used aptly and with the right connotations, without any vulgar or offensive meaning.

“If the Censor Board can pass songs like ‘Bhaag D.K. Bose’ (Delhi Belly) and ‘Jhak Maar Ke’ (Desi Boyz), why should they have a bias towards my song ‘Jawani Ki Bank Loot Le.’ Why am I being targeted by the Board, whereas John Abraham, Deepika Padukone and Imran Khan can get away with it,” Rakhi questions.

But since the Censor Board is in no mood to listen, Rakhi has decided to march straight up to India’s most famous anti- corruption crusader Anna Hazare with her plea.

Confirming this, her publicist Dale Bhagwagar says, “It is true that Rakhi has decided to approach Anna Hazare. She is currently doing her research on songs which she considers vulgar and objectionable.”

He adds, “She plans to carry their videos and CD’s to Mr Hazare’s village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar. Rakhi wants Mr Hazare to judge for himself, whether her song ‘Jawani Ki Bank Loot Le’ is vulgar compared to the others passed by the Censor Board.”

Just for the record, the lyrics of Rakhi’s song read, “Main russ malaai hoon, jannat se aayee hoon, saamne parosi hoon, aake choos le… hey… saiyaan jawani ki bank loot le.”

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Celebrities: Caught on camera

With every appearance watched and noted, celebrities have to live their lives appearing at their best — both physically and morally — or they risk a backlash as adulation turns to demonisation. However, more often are the times when standards slip and some surprising behaviour comes through.

One such case risking the wrath of his fans is Omar Sharif. The 79-year-old veteran actor was caught on video apparently slapping a persistant fan at an awards show in Qatar, revealed British newspaper the Daily Mail. Sharif, present at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, rebuked a woman for queue-jumping. “My dear!” Sharif exclaimed in Arabic, as translated by the Washington Post, “I told you I’d get to you afterwards! I just said that and you’re standing here. Put something in your brain!” While his alleged blow was not seen from the camera’s position behind the woman’s head, celebrity gossip website TMZ quoted an unnamed journalist present as tweeting “Omar Sharif just hit a woman. Very stupidly, in front of a camera.”

Afterwards, however, Sharif became calmer and posed with the embarrassed looking — but still smiling — fan. The incident has led to much reflection on Sharif’s past bursts of violence — in 2003, he was convicted of violence towards a police officer in France, and in 2007 pleaded no contest to charges of battery against a parking attendant in the US.

Also catching attention for his behaviour — albeit ending up on the receiving end of aggression — was American singer Usher. He was confronted by an angry woman after apparently parking in a disabled bay, according to TMZ. Like the incident with Sharif, Usher’s confrontation was captured on video by an onlooker.

The R&B singer was accosted by a woman at a shopping centre in Atlanta near a Halloween parade after he took the liberty of parking his SUV in a handicapped spot. The video reavealed that the woman, apparently angered by the (able-bodied) singer’s illegal parking, approached his car and reportedly sprayed beer from a can at Usher while he was still sitting in the driver’s seat with the window down. Usher retaliated and splashed the woman with his water bottle, which prompted her to kick his driver’s side door until he exited the car, TMZ said. The woman angrily shouted, “You don’t belong here!” and repeatedly lunged at him, before being pulled away by her husband.

However, while Sharif and Usher would undoubtedly prefer their fans not seeing them in less-than-ideal situations, Hollywood actor Demi Moore went the exact same way. Moore has been accused of lashing out at a photographer, who followed her on a trip to a nail salon in Los Angeles, reported aceshowbiz.com.
On October 28, while exiting Jessica Nail Clinic in West Hollywood’s Sunset Plaza, Moore lashed out at a photographer when he approached her for a picture. She is said to have hurled obscenities at him before reportedly lunging at his camera, stunning on-lookers recalled.

An eyewitness disclosed to aceshowbiz.com that the paparazzo “physically jumped in front of [Demi], basically entrapping her, pushing his body and camera into her so she couldn’t walk or move.” The photographer also added, “Demi was crazy; she was totally losing it. I was just standing on the sidewalk, trying to get a few shots of her and she was going completely mad. She tried to jump on me and swipe my camera.” The actor, it’s said, is in stress following reports that her marriage to Ashton Kutcher is falling apart.

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'The Adventures of Tintin' gets mixed reviews overseas

LOS ANGELES: "The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn," Steven Spielberg's 3-D take on Georges Remi's treasured comic books, is already a hit overseas with audiences. But what about the critics?

Overseas opinionators vary wildly in their assessments, with some heaping on the praise and one British critic reacting violently against it.

In Belgium, where the comic books originated, the newspaper Le Soir, takes a positive view of the film -- we think. According to the translation program we ran their review through, "The Adventures of Tintin" is "a popular and general public film, which alternates in a tasty way the exotic film of adventure, play of track Hitchcockian and the picaresque comedy."

So ... it's eclectic?

Alas, the film earned a huge thumbs-down from the Guardian's literary critic, Nicholas Lezard. A self-professed lifelong Tintin fan, Lezard likens the film to a sexual assault.

"Coming out of the new Tintin film directed by Steven Spielberg, I found myself, for a few seconds, too stunned and sickened to speak; for I had been obliged to watch two hours of literally senseless violence being perpetrated on something I loved dearly," Lezard writes. "In fact, the sense of violation was so strong that it felt as though I had witnessed a rape."

In France, Spielberg's interpretation of Tintin appears to be considered tres bien. L'Express lauds the filmmaker for crafting an adaptation that isn't afraid to break with Remi's vision, but remains lovingly faithful in its own way.

Spielberg allows to reinvent certain sides of history, and to make some winks," the paper notes. Even so, the review adds, "One feels all the affection which it carries to its characters."

France's Cinema Teaser praises the film's "sublime" opening-credits sequence, as well as the much-ballyhooed technology behind the film. It says that "The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn" proves "that the performance capture can definitively cause life when it is used by a large scenario writer."

England's Empire Online also makes special note of the film's performance-capture technology, noting that it lends itself to "endless chase sequences." However, the review concludes that it's the heart beating underneath the bells and whistles that makes "The Adventures of Tintin" a captivating read.

"You have a job keeping up, but never at the expense of the sheer goodwill," the review posits. "While luxuriating in its pre-existing universe, here is a film imploring you to join in. It would take a hard heart to resist."

Overall, Empire concludes, "The Adventures of Tintin" is "action-packed, gorgeous, and faithfully whimsical." (Reuters)

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Kareena Kapoor’s wax statue unveiled

LONDON: Bollywood superstar Kareena Kapoor finally came face to face with her brand new wax figure at Madame Tussauds Blackpool on Thursday, October 27th.

The unveiling marked the launch of the attraction’s all new Bollywood exhibition, which will be at Madame Tussauds until January 2012.

The look of her wax statue, which was widely discussed in the industry and amongst fans, is from the popular song ‘Mauja Mauja’ from Jab We Met, a film that changed Kapoor’s career.

The actress arrived on the red carpet with her mother Babita Kapoor, a former Bollywood actress to unveil her statue.

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Tell Me O Kkhuda is a dull fare (Movie Review)

The story of Tell Me O Kkhuda, revolving around a girl, who upon discovering she was an orphan goes in search of her parents, immediately reminds you of the Hollywood film, Mamma Mia.

In Mamma Mia, however, the central character (played by Amanda Seyfried) is only looking for her father while her mother (Meryl Streep) is by her side.

There are three candidates as the potential papa in the Hollywood flick, and there are three potential fathers in this one too. But hold it, that's where the comparison ends. While Mamma Mia was a delightful musical, with stellar performances, Tell Me O Kkhuda is more or less a drag.

Tanya's (Esha) search for her parents also reminds us of Hema Malini's earlier direction, Dil Aashna Hai. After 26 years of being wonderfully brought up by her adoptive parents (Farukh Shaikh and Deepti Naval), novelist Tanya discovers that she is an adopted child. So her quest to find her 'real' parents begin and this leads her to Rajasthan, Turkey and Goa.

She has two friends (Arjun Bajwa and Chandan Roy Sanyal), who seem unemployed enough to accompany her wherever she goes.

In the course of her self-searching trip, she meets potential dads in the form of royalty (Vinod Khanna), a doting husband (Rishi Kapoor) and a don (Dharmendra).

A wonderful way to bring together three of the best looking yesteryears actors only if they had been utilised better. And of course, it is nice seeing Farukh and Deepti back together.

But only the feel-good factors (there are plenty) don't make a movie worth watching.

The story is outdated and not really exciting. I liked the first part better, because it deftly deals with the issue of female foeticide and also because of a gripping camel race.

The protagonist Tanya is largely a weepy character, even though she shows some gumption in parts. So there is not much that Esha Deol could do. Even then she could have done better.

Largely insipid, with some rare exciting moments, makes this film a dull fare.

Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

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Ra.One makes highest ever Diwali collections

While all movie buffs were anticipating the release of SRK’s Ra.One & been dying to know the shape of its fate, there are mixed views about how the movie has actually faired.

Released on 26th October, worldwide, on the auspicious day of Diwali celebrations, we barely expected unbeatable numbers due to the generic festive mood.

However, Shah Rukh Khan's Ra.One did surprise the people when the official numbers came out. So, the film grossed Rs. 26.5 crores with a net of Rs. 18.5 crores on Wednesday 26th October making it the highest ever Diwali day collection in the history of Indian cinema especially in the last 14 years.

The second day collections on Thursday 27th October were even more impressive with the film raking in Rs. 36 crores gross with a net of Rs. 25.10 crores net making it the highest collection ever for a single day for an Indian film.

What is to be seen is whether this is just another number game or this movie has managed to raise the bar for Indian Cinema with its vfx, marketing & a new story to tell.

For now, looks like the crab mentality of Indian cinema is about to breakfree.

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Lady Gaga surprises India with tricolour hairdo

Simple yet elegant - Lady Gaga chose to leave her bizarre dressing style back home for her first formal appearance here Friday. She wore a one-shoulder gown by an Indian designer, added the desi twist with a tricolour hairdo, and greeted the audience with a confident "Namaste".

"Namaste everyone! I am so glad to be here. I could never even imagine that I would get to come to India and perform and meet my new, amazing fans that are here in India. So I would like to say thank you to all of you. My deepest gratitude," Gaga told reporters.

The 25-year-old global pop icon, who is here to perform at the F1 after-party in Greater Noida Sunday, made a stylish entrance wearing a pair of black shades.

She wore a sparkling neckpiece with simple earrings to match, but what attracted was her bouffant, which had streaks of saffron and green - colours of the Indian flag.

"Today I am wearing a dress by Naeem Khan, an Indian designer based out of New York," she said.

Best known for songs like "Poker face", "Just dance", and her latest hit number "Born This Way", Gaga says she may be known for bizarre sense of style, but she is like any other girl.

"My personal style is like any girl really...I wake up and I put on whatever makes me feel good....quite often I end up wearing my old leather jacket with a pair of fishnets," added Gaga, who feels "the sights in India are beautiful, but the most beautiful sight is that of the people".

Though she is excited about performing for her fans Sunday, she is already looking forward to coming back to India soon, as she said: "I can't wait come back...to see more of India and to get to know more of the fans here."

My performance will have Indian influence
She claims to have been "dying" to come and perform in India, and now that she will finally take centrestage at the F1 after-party Sunday, international pop star Lady Gaga says fans will get a taste of her modern touch but with an Indian influence.

"I want to surprise you all...I've been working with the House of Gaga for a month now to make it beautiful. There will be some Indian influence (in my performance), but I have modernised it in my way. It will be a hybrid between my vision and the vision in India," Gaga told reporters here Friday.

The singer, who has made it big in the international music scene with her albums "The Fame" (2008), "The Fame Monster" (2009) and "Born This Way" (2011), is looking forward to the D-day.

The F1 after-parties, to be held as part of the Airtel Grand Prix of India, will take place at a special, 20,000 sq ft construction at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort in Greater Noida. They are being hosted by lounge bar Lap, co-owned by actor Arjun Rampal and restaurateur A.D.Singh.

Gaga has special plans for her India gig.

"I worked very hard. I have built a special stage for this show - it is unique for India...it has never been done anywhere else in the world, and I will be incorporating also, the collaborations with some of the Indian DJs into the performance.

It will be shown on television here in India. And as I said, I have been working very hard on this, and I have been dying to come here and perform. I am excited about it," she added.

Her show is totally sold out, despite a whopping ticket price of Rs.40,000. But those who will miss the joy of watching the pop star live, can catch the action on UTV Stars in November.

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Shah Rukh Khan 'to interview Lady GaGa in India'

Actor Shah Rukh Khan will interview Lady GaGa during her visit to India this weekend.

The Hindustan Times reports that the two stars will meet for an exclusive face-to-face interview at Arjun Rampal's Delhi nightclub Lap on October 30.

Keith Alphonso, business head of UTV Bindass, said: "For the longest time we have felt that Lady GaGa personified the spirit of our channel and her trip to India to perform live during the F1 grand finale gave us an opportunity to fix a one-on-one interaction between the global popstar and Shah Rukh Khan, who is our own global rockstar.

"Her concert is only for a limited audience but for this encounter, which is an initiative of UTV Bindass, we have got her nod for having 25-40 of her young fans on board. This is the only time in India when she will be interacting with a real audience."

Khan reportedly wanted Lady GaGa to record a song for his superhero film RA.One, but they were unable to coordinate their schedules.

Khan previously said that he was inspired by Lady GaGa.

The interview will be aired on UTV Stars and UTV Bindass in November.

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Lady GaGa: 'I love Bollywood'

Lady GaGa has arrived in Delhi for a three day tour of India.

The singer will perform after the Formula One Indian Grand Prix, which is taking place in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to NDTV, the Born This Way singer said: "Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. India is so beautiful and even more beautiful are the people. I am so excited to be here and I feel so welcome. Thank you."

When asked about her rumoured collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan, the singer said:

"There is nothing in the works right now, but I love the culture and I love Bollywood."

GaGa, who has previously met Priyanka Chopra, said that the Don star is one of her favourite Bollywood actresses.

"I love Priyanka. She's very beautiful and lovely. I'm very excited for her musical career. I don't think Priyanka needs any advice from me."

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Sir Jimmy Savile dies, aged 84

Sir Jimmy Savile has died at his home at the age of 84.

The DJ and TV presenter, most famous for his show Jim'll Fix It, was just two days away from his 85th birthday.

Police were called to his address in Roundhay, Leeds at 12.10pm, where they discovered his body. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

Last month, it was reported that Sir Jimmy had been taken to Leeds General Infirmary after suffering a bout of pneumonia. It is as yet unknown whether the illness was the cause of his death.

Friend and fellow DJ Dave Lee Travis paid tribute to Sir Jimmy, saying: "For some unknown reason, with Jim, you couldn't anticipate that he wasn't going to be around anymore - he was such a powerful presence.

"He was one of the first DJs that actually became a personality."

Born in 1926, Sir Jimmy was the youngest of seven children, and worked in the coal mines during the war.

He became a Radio 1 DJ before fronting the original series of Top of the Pops in 1964. In 1975, he landed his own family show, Jim'll Fix It. At its peak, the show attracted 20,000 letters every week from children and adults who wanted the host to grant their wish.

Renowned for his trademark tracksuits, gold chains and cigars, he was also extremely charitable, and is thought to have raised more than £40m for good causes in his lifetime. A long-time friend of members of the royal family, he was knighted by the Queen in 1990.

Former Radio 1 DJ Mike Read said: "He was an exceptional character in a world that's got greyer, more normal, more dull. He was a one off. He was the first to go into halls and clubs and play records. You knew it was Jimmy, he stood out in the crowd. He was pure, pure showbiz."

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James Cameron unveils scenes from Titanic 3D

Hollywood director James Cameron has unveiled an 18-minute footage from his new 3D version of the 1997 mega-blockbuster hit 'Titanic'.

The new version of the Oscar-winning film will arrive in theaters on April 6 next year, said the Hollywood Reporter.

Eight scenes were screened so far, including footage of Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater's (Kate Winslet) encounter on the Titantic's grand stairwell, their kiss on the bow of the ship and its sinking.

"There are certain films that aren't being brought back to the theater. There is a whole generation of people who haven't seen it at all," Cameron said.

The 1997 disaster epic is being converted into 3D at a cost of USD 18 million and the process, which is ongoing, is expected to take 60 weeks.

Titantic grossed USD 1.84 billion worldwide and won 11 Oscars, including those for best picture and best director.

It is the second highest grossing film of all time, behind Cameron's own Avatar, which grossed nearly double that amount.

Cameron also said that while he is typically very much against converting traditional films into 3D, he believes the conversion enriches the film.

"I totally believe 3D is an enhancement for the dramatic scenes not just the big action," he added.

The director said that there would be no changes to the content of the film.

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Shah Rukh Khan to collaborate with Lady GaGa?

Shah Rukh Khan is reportedly still keen on working with Lady GaGa despite failures to co-ordinate schedules for recording a Ra.One track.

The science fiction superhero film features music from Grammy nominee Akon, as well as cameos from Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinkanth.

A source told The Times of India: "Either Shah Rukh was busy with the post-production of RA.One or Lady GaGa's dates couldn't be worked out.

"The song couldn't be shot for the film, although composers Vishal-Shekhar had already composed a tune for Lady GaGa to record."

Director Abuhav Sinha confirmed that the Bollywood veteran had been in touch with the international pop icon.

"Shah Rukh was very keen on working with Lady GaGa," Sinha said. "In fact, we were supposed to shoot them together for a song that would have been used with the end titles of Ra.One.

"However, we couldn't co-ordinate Shah Rukh and Lady GaGa's dates. The idea of bringing them together is still very much alive. We're working on something."

In September, Khan said that he started listening to Lady GaGa in order to reinvent himself.

The actor also reportedly planned an international tour with Akon, who sings title track 'Chammak Challo'.

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Lady GaGa's Delhi concert sold out

Bollywood star Arjun Rampal has said that all tickets for Lady GaGa's concert in Delhi are sold out.

The Ra.One actor is hosting the Indian Grand Prix F1 after-party event on Sunday, Mid-Day reports.

"The maximum capacity for the party is 1,000, and GaGa's show is completely sold out," said the former model.

Lady GaGa has already arrived in India ahead of her first concert in the country.

"I am finally here + what a dream come true. Performing at Formula 1 in INDIA, and my first day here I reached #15millionmonsters (sic)," she posted on Twitter on Thursday.

Rampal defended the high cost of tickets to the gig, which went on sale at Rs40,000 (£533).

"One has to understand that the costs are very high. Maybe if we had a bigger venue with capacity for more people, we could have gone easy on the price," he explained. "But with less people, it becomes difficult to lower the price. After all it's business, and we have to break even."

DJ Roger Sanchez and Edward Maya will also be performing during the F1 three-day event.

GaGa's 'Born This Way' and 'Judas' have both released in Bollywood remix versions.

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Egyptian actor Omar Sharif slaps fan

DOHA: Egyptian veteran actor Omar Sharif lost his temper at a film festival in Qatar and angrily slapped her fan right on the red carpet.

Sharif was at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival for a screening of one of his movies ... when a woman approached him on the red carpet ... and tried to take a picture with the 79-year-old actor.

Sharif -- who was nominated for an Oscar in 1962 for his role in "Lawrence of Arabia" -- lashed out in Arabic ... telling the woman to wait her turn ... and then slapping her.

Moments later, the woman smiled and posed for a photo with Sharif like nothing ever happened.

Watching from the video, it's unclear if Sharif made contact with the woman's face -- but one reporter who was at the scene tweeted, "Omar Sharif just hit a woman. Very stupidly, in front of a camera."

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Justin Timberlake goes rogue for "In Time"

LOS ANGELES: Justin Timberlake may be riding a new wave of movie stardom as his new film, "In Time," sees its release in theaters on Friday, but the singer-dancer-actor still thinks he's an ordinary man.

Timberlake takes the lead role in the sci-fi, action thriller in which director Andrew Niccol takes audiences into a world where time has become the monetary currency.

"I found it (the movie) to be very provocative and it made me ask a lot of questions about myself, some of it which I still haven't come up with the answers for, but I like when a movie does that," "The Social Network" actor told Reuters.

In a world where everyone stops physically aging at 25, Timberlake's character, Will Salas, often finds himself with just 24 hours to live, in which he must find ways to earn time in order to prolong his life. (Reuters)

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Ra One breaks single day box office record

MUMBAI: After failing to break the opening day box office record, Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Ra One’ has managed to make history by breaking the record for highest ticket sales in one day.

In India alone the movie took in Rs23 million on the second day of its release. ‘Ra One’ which had the largest release of any movie to date can be seen in 5,000 theatres across the world and is the most expensive India movie in history.

The movie fell short of breaking Salman Khan’s ‘Bodyguard’ opening day record.

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Indian models out of fashion overseas

NEW DELHI - For top Indian model Apoorva Vishwanathan, the difference between success on the catwalks of her own country and an international modelling career can be measured in inches - two of them.”I wish I had endless legs. I could be cat-walking with the Heidi Klums of the world,” said the Bangalore-based Vishwanathan who stands five feet nine inches in her bare feet. “But you’ve got to be at least 5’11” for any international fashion house to come near you,” she told AFP during the recent New Delhi Fashion Week.

Compared to the West, career modelling is still in its infancy in India, although it has made huge strides on the back of rapid economic growth and the growing profile of Indian fashion designers. Only a handful of Indian models have tasted success abroad, with the likes of Lakshmi Menon and Ujjwala Raut modelling for Gucci and Yves Saint-Laurent. The financial pay-off for those who do break out of the relatively low-paid domestic scene can be enormous, and Raut is quite frank about why she is no longer seen working the Indian fashion shows. “They can’t afford me,” she said.

Whispered allegations of racism have been made by some who tried and failed overseas, but Vishwanathan believes the main barrier is the natural body shape of Indian women. “We are genetically more voluptuous and curvaceous,” she said. “Agencies abroad want girls who are really thin, almost skinny. It is tough for us to fit into their requirements.” Another factor is that Indian models tend to start their careers much later than their Western counterparts, with parental pressure often keeping them in college until their early 20s.

Once frowned upon in conservative India as an immodest career choice, modelling grew in popularity - and acceptability - in 1994, the year former Indian models Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai took the Miss Universe and Miss World titles respectively. Both went on to successful and lucrative film careers, fuelling the aspirations of millions along the way. More recently, the launch of Vogue India in 2007 heralded the start of a new fashion era and an overhaul of wardrobes of the nouveau riche.

Rikee Chatterjee, a 24-year-old up-and-coming model said her family fully supported her decision to take up modelling even before she finished her college degree. But there are some limits. Indian models generally hesitate to do lingerie work, or other shows that involve baring a lot of skin, and most lingerie ads in Indian fashion magazines use foreign models. There are also complaints of a bias against darker-skinned models in India where a light complexion is widely considered synonymous with beauty

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Prince Harry Spends A Night With Waitress

England’s Prince Harry apparently spent a night wioth a cocktail waitress in the US.
Harry is three weeks into an advanced weapons training course in California, apparently invited brunette Jessica Donaldson to his hotel room after a late-night drinking session.

According to staff at the Marriott hotel in Solano Beach, near San Diego, the pretty 26-year-old wasn’t seen leaving until 10.30am the next day.

Despite insisting that it ‘must have been some other girl’, Jessica, who lives with her boyfriend of three years, burly nightclub promoter Brandon Thomason, was positively identified by at least two independent sources.

The 27-year-old prince, who is third in line to the throne, met Jessica, who has a rose tattoo running across her midriff, when he visited the Ivy nightclub in San Diego, a two hour drive from his base on Friday, October 7.

She works there as a ‘bottle girl’, selling over-priced vodka to tables of wealthy punters at £350 a time.

Harry, who was with a large group of army air corps colleagues as well as his Scotland Yard security detail, bought two bottles and began chatting to Jessica.

At the end of the night, a man she believed was one of his bodyguards asked for her number and said the prince would like to meet her for brunch the next day.

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People think I am gay: Clarkson

Singer Kelly Clarkson finds it tough to return home and meet friends and family in her native Texas because people there think that she is a gay.

For the 29-year-old, it is hard to find a boyfriend because of her busy career, but friends back home don't understand the fact and ask questions about her sexuality.

"I'm from a small town, so everyone's, like, married with children, having children or about to have children, so it's a little hard when you go home... and that's why people think I'm gay,? femalefirst.co.uk quoted Clarkson as saying.

"They're like, 'I don't understand why you're not married.' And I'm like, 'Well, it's not like that, it doesn't happen for everyone.' For Burleson, in Texas... I'm an old maid!" she added.

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Actor Ronit Roy Arrested

Actor Ronit Roy was arrested here Thursday after his car rammed into another car injuring three of its four occupants, including a woman who is in critical condition. A court later granted him bail.

The incident occurred on the Link Road near Amboliin the Andheri West suburb around 6.30 a.m. The other car was thrown off the road and overturned.

The 42-year-old actor was driving his Mercedes at a high speed when he rammed into the oncoming car in which a family was travelling.

The victims have been identified as Deepak Darera, 60, his wife Kanta, 55, and their daughters Pooja, 24, and Sneha, 28, police said.

Three of the four members of the Darera family from Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri were injured. One of them is reported to be critical at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital.

Following a complaint by the victims, Roy was arrested and presented before a holiday magistrate in Bandra.

Charged under Indian Penal Code Section 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous injury endangering lives), Roy was released on bail of Rs.12,000 in the afternoon.

Police are awaiting his medical report to ascertain whether he was drunk at the time of the accident.

While Sneha escaped with negligible bruises, Pooja received a few cuts on her head which had to be stitched, while their father sustained hand injuries. Kanta Darera suffered severe injuries on the back and is undergoing treatment.

At the time of the incident, Roy was returning from a Diwali party and the Darera family was on way to spend the weekend at the Matheran hill station in adjacent Raigad district, police said.

Moments after the accident, Roy got out of his car and helped the victims by taking them to hospital in a cab, and left without informing police.

The police acted only after the victims complained and arrested Roy.

Pooja told mediapersons outside the police station that Roy was zooming at over 100 kmph speed and hit their vehicle.

The usually crowded Link Road, one of the main thoroughfares linking north-south suburbs from Borivli to Bandra in the city, was almost deserted on account of the festival holidays at the time of the incident.

The actor started his career with the movie "Jaan Tere Naam" in 1992 and later featured in "Kisna". Last year, he acted in film "Udaan".

He earned popularity on television with shows like "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", "Kasautii Zindagi Kay" and "Bandini". Currently he stars as a successful lawyer in the weekly show "Adaalat".

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Hot Esha Gupta to endorse international swimwear line?

If all goes well, popular model Esha Gupta, who will make her acting debut with "Jannat 2", might become the face of an American lingerie brand in India.

The bold and beautiful girl is rumoured to have been offered the chance to be endorse the swimwear line of the lingerie label, details of which have been kept under wraps.

"The brand people want to shoot as soon as possible. But Esha is currently shooting for 'Jannat 2'. So she has asked them to wait till April 2012, " said a source close to Esha.

Esha won the Miss India International title in 2007, and represented the country in the Miss International 2007 contest.

She has also featured in the Kingfisher calendar.

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Lewis Hamilton confirms Nicole Scherzinger split

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed his split with Nicole Scherzinger.

Speaking for the first time following reports of the pair's break-up, the Formula One driver told PA that despite ending their four-year romance he will remain close with the singer and X Factor judge.

Hamilton said: "Yeah, we're friends at least and we can move forward. It's never easy going through tough times.

"It's these kind of times that are sent to try you, and it's about how you pull through them. I've my family who are helping, so I feel pretty good."

The 26-year-old added: "I've many more days coming up with my family over Christmas and all that, so I'm really looking forward to it.

"I'm just trying to look forward now, and we've three good races coming up, so I'm just trying to keep my mind focused on business."

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Working with Shah Rukh Khan on Ra.One was a pleasure'

Kareena Kapoor has spoken about her experience of working on Ra.One.

Talking to Digital Spy, the actress said that she was grateful to be a part of such a landmark movie.

"Just the fact that's it's India's biggest and most ambitious film, and it had me in it, is an absolute honour.

"I've known Shah Rukh and Gauri [Khan] for years and they are very, very dear friends of mine, so just working with [Shah Rukh] is the most pleasurable experience," she said.

Kapoor, who plays Khan's wife in the film, explained that, unlike the other members of the cast, she was not called on to do any stunts.

"That was my condition to signing on for this movie, that I didn't do stunts. I just wanted to be pretty and look glamorous. It was different playing the role of a wife, especially when my last film was as a college student. I love acting. I live for it. I like to play real people," she added.

The 31-year-old star is also due to travel to Blackpool tomorrow (October 27) for the unveiling of her waxwork at Madame Tussaud's touring exhibition.

Speaking about the unveiling, she said: "I'm very happy that my fans in the UK and all the Asian fans wanted me in Madame Tussaud's. It's such an honour. My mum is coming in tomorrow, so she will be there."

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Vidya's 'jhatkas' catch attention

The television campaign for The Dirty Picture has taken a full frontal approach (pun intended) with Vidya Balan's brazen act crossing even those boundaries that seemed unassailable when the first theatrical promo came out recently. While the makers seem to be pushing the envelope with every passing juncture, the latest being her song 'Ooh La La', many in the industry are questioning if Vidya's moves are justified for a film that boasts of such an A-grade setup.

"This is unbelievable," says a prominent director on condition of anonymity. "I understand that the makers of The Dirty Picture are attempting celebrating the life of a sexy screen diva, but what we see is beyond imagination. I guess what we saw so far in true terms was 'just a trailer'. I suppose it will take a while before we come to terms with Vidya Balan's daring new avatar."

A trade guru points out, "The tantalizing promos have done the initial trick. The makers have clearly shown that they have an eye on the box office run. And the fact that something so different is coming from Milan Luthria and Vidya Balan, who are known for a different kind of cinema, has also added to the shock and curiosity value."

"It is a conscious call," says Milan sounding surprisingly cool. "There is always a handful of people trying to become self-appointed moral crusaders and creating issues when there are none. This handful is not even representative of the Indian audience at large so no one takes them seriously. We have the Censor Board whose decision we will follow. In any case, when the audience watches the final film, all this talk will be put to rest."

He adds, "We have made a progressive film here. So much is changing on television that it's shocking. I am merely moving ahead with the times and exploring different genres. I could have gone ahead and made another gangster movie after Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. However, I chose to change genres. I have done that even earlier in my career when Kachche Dhaage and Taxi No. 9211 worked. With The Dirty Picture, I thought it was finally time to come out with something that hasn't really been attempted before."

Milan concurs that the film has generated sufficient interest substantially in advance of its release. "I understand that people are floored, more so because it is Vidya on screen. However, I know the path I have followed. Some language and visuals might seem brazen but while certain directors may have kept it way too carnal and others way too subtle, I have found my own way."

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Singer Amy Winehouse poisoned by alcohol: inquest

LONDON: Singer Amy Winehouse was more than five times over the legal British drink-drive limit when she died, an inquest heard Wednesday, as a coroner delivered a verdict of death by misadventure.

Winehouse, 27, was found dead at her London home on July 23 following years of alcohol and drug addiction.

The inquest, in London, was told she had drunk heavily after abstaining from alcohol for three weeks and was poisoned by alcohol.

The singer had 416 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal drink-drive limit is 80mg.

Coroner Suzanne Greenway said: "She had consumed sufficient alcohol at 416mg per decilitre (of blood) and the unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels was her sudden and unexpected death."

Her father Mitch Winehouse has said that his daughter made repeated attempts to quit alcohol but without any medical supervision.

Following her death, Winehouse's 2006 album "Back to Black" has become the Britain's highest-selling album of the 21st century. (AFP)
She rocketed to fame after winning five Grammy awards off the back of "Back
to Black" and famously sang about her refusal to seek treatment for her
addiction in her single "Rehab".

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Jolie's 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' trailer revealed

HOLLYWOOD: The trailer of Angelina Jolie's debut movie as director 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' has been released. The movie depicts a troubled relationship spanning the divide of the war in Bosnia

It is set against the backdrop of the Bosnian war, caused outrage when the media reported that the plot revolved around a Bosnian rape victim falling in love with her Serbian attacker.

According to the synopsis, the movie is a wartime love story between a Serb guard in a prison camp and his former girlfriend, a Bosnian Muslim detainee and does not contain any rape scenes. Jolie said that she was the victim of "unfair pressure based on wrong information" and eventually had her filming permissions restored.

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Don 2 trailer released

MUMBAI: Bollywood producers Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani unveiled the first look of their forthcoming sequel film 'Don 2: the Chase Continues’.

Akhtar, who is also the director of the film, interacted with media on the occasion. He admitted that he was not in favour of a sequel to his earlier gangster film, 'Don: The chase begins again' but the incredible fascination he had for the character finally did him in.

"A really fun, challenging, yet at the same time an extremely satisfying journey so far, to make this movie. I was guilty of saying that I probably won't do a sequel to Don when the first one was released. But my obsession with this character got the better of me. And of course, with amazing help and support and almost a sharing of vision with Ritesh and with Shahrukh Khan, and the rest of the team, we are here today and showing you the trailer and I hope that you do enjoy the film and do watch it," Akhtar added.

When asked about the decision to release the film in 3D computer graphics, Akhtar said that it was not pre-determined, and was decided much later after many brainstorming sessions with the cast and producers of the film. (Reuters)

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British beauty reveals ‘votes for sex’ ordeal

An international pageant turned out to be an ordeal for British beauty queen, Amy Willerton, after she was asked for sex in exchange for votes. Willerton, 19, was forced to flee Miss Asia Pacific World contest in South Korea after three ‘shambolic’ days.

She also claimed that she was sexually assaulted by organisers and sponsors, was fed just one meal per day, and was made to stay in a room with no bed.

“It was absolutely horrendous,” the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

“I had two of the organisers sexually assault me - one tried to pull my top down.”

“When we posed with sponsors they also tried to stick a hand somewhere inappropriate.”

Willerton was completely aghast to see the atrocious conditions prevailing at the venue.

“Girls were pulled aside and told they knew what they had to do if they wanted to win - we all knew they meant sex.”

When she reported the matter to the police, she was shocked to see officials openly bribing local officers with cash.

After arriving home Amy was disgusted to learn that the eventual winner of the 12,700 pounds first prize was none other than the local entrant, Miss South Korea.

Amy is now looking to launch legal action against the competition organisers.

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Veena Malik plays real-life sex worker

After all the controversies in "Bigg Boss 4" and shooting an item song, Pakistani model Veena Malik has bagged the biographical role of a sex worker.

Veena will be playing the role of sex worker Madhuri, who has been moonlighting for years to support her family.

The actress has been very quietly meeting sex workers here, particularly Madhuri, for the film "Zindagi 50-50".

"This film has changed my life and my attitude to women and sex workers in particular.

"I insisted on playing Madhuri. Koi connect hai (some connection is there)... I don't know what it was. But I instantly empathized with Madhuri's responsibilities towards her large family," Veena said.

"Maybe because I come from a family of five daughters and one son. But I understand what it feels like to be a woman in a male-dominated society. I've always supported myself, been on my own since adulthood," she noted.

Veena spent hours with Madhuri to know about her dual life.

"In the daytime she's a normal middle-class girl. In the night she puts on her burqa and goes to work in the red-light area, just like any normal working girl," Veena added.

"I loved the dignity that Madhuri brings to her life and her work. I hope I am able to convey the same dignity in my performance," Veena stated.

"Who cares about sex workers? I am appalled by the way they live in the red-light areas, not just in India but across Asia. These women deserve a much better life," felt Veena.

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Be-Careful - Don't watch this movie!

High on testosterone and low on IQ, "Be-Careful" is an eyesore. Inspired by films like "Masti" and "No Entry", this comic drama is the story of two promiscuous and wanton husbands Sameer (Rajneish Duggal) and Anand (Zaid Hamid).

The movie begins with Sameer, a businessman, interviewing a prospective employee. "What's your name?" he asks. "Meri lele," comes the reply. Sameer pounces on the woman, she resists. Following the commotion, Sameer's business partner Anand enters the cabin, only to repeat the sequence.

Later, the candidate clears the confusion that her name is Mary and she is married to one Mr. Lele, hence her name in Mary Lele.

Fed-up with the antics of their husbands, their wives -- Anjali (Tanisha Mukherjee) and Kiran (Kiran Rathore), along with their fathers-in-law Asrani and Tiku Talsania, try to teach a lesson to the wannabe studs.

The men are banished without money to a Thailand hotel with several restrictions that would even put a monastery to shame. But Alas! They are hard to reform.

All the comedians in the film, right from Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Asrani, Tiku Talsania to Shakti Kapoor are wasted. With a wafer thin and a shoddily put script, non-energetic performances and a jarring screenplay, the film gives a jolt to one's sensibilities.

The film tilts heavily on done-to-death scenes, puns and linguistic errors. With heavy punning on names like - Lele, Bure Lal (Shakti Kapoor), Kujlee, U-ganda, this film is no laugh riot by any imagination. Also with dialogues like, "Hey, smart, dashing, handsome, awesome, how have you changed the mausam?" This film is sheer trash.

On the technical front, though Najeeb Khan's cinematography is decent, the visual impact is lost due to the various special effects, making the film look gimmicky.

The music is nothing to write about. The item number "Will you be my Maahiye" starring Tulip Joshi is run of the mill. The loud screechy background score and hollow audiography is another sore point of the film.

A word for director Chandrakant Singh. He has not improved since his first film "Rama Rama Kya Hai Drama".

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Paranormal Activity 3 rules US box office

NEW YORK: "Paranormal Activity 3" vanquished the box-office ghosts this weekend, taking in a whopping $54 million upon its premiere in the US, according to studio estimates.

The other two new films in wide release this weekend, however, flopped. An expensive 3-D version of "The Three Musketeers" grossed a disappointing $8.8 million. And "Johnny English Reborn," a comedy starring British comedian Rowan Atkinson, did not resonate with American audiences. While the film is a hit overseas, it collected a weak $3.8 million in the US this weekend.

Still, the results for Paramount Pictures' third "Paranormal" made for the first truly stellar box-office weekend of the fall, which has been characterized by middling performances from high-profile releases. Even past weekend winners such as "Contagion," "Real Steel" and "The Lion King 3-D" had failed to open much beyond $30 million.

"Paranormal's" opening, on the other hand, was the highest-ever October debut, and helped power the top 12 movies to their highest total, $110.3 million, since the middle of August. Analysts had anticipated $40 million to $45 million for the third instalment in the supernatural franchise.

The numbers for the Paramount release represented a significant increase over other horror films, which have struggled of late, and demolished the opening of "Paranormal Activity 2," which drew $40.7 million in its premiere on the same weekend last year.

"Horror fans came out in very large numbers this weekend, and that's a testament to the filmmakers and the enduring power of this franchise," said Rob Moore, Paramount Pictures vice chairman, alluding to the movie directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

While Moore declined to elaborate on future plans for the franchise, the numbers all but assured there will be a fourth "Paranormal" film, and solidified "Paranormal's" status as the Halloween heir to the "Saw" series, which reliably yielded a hit every October for the past seven years.

In keeping with the general pattern for horror pictures, "Paranormal" drew a higher proportion of women, who came out to see "Paranormal Activity 3" at a ratio of 54% to 46% compared with men. About 53% of the total audience was under age 25.

The movie grossed an additional $26 million upon its debut in international territories, which included France, Australia and Russia, Paramount said.

Still, it remains to be seen how the movie will perform in the coming weeks. While filmgoers came out in sizable numbers to see the horror prequel, they didn't necessarily like what they saw: The film notched an average grade of C+, according to market research firm CinemaScore. The first "Paranormal Activity" took in $107 million in the U.S., while the second film garnered about $85 million. (Reuters)

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Salman, Katrina safe in Turkey

MUMBAI: Actors Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, who are in Turkey shooting for Kabir Khan's film 'Ek Tha Tiger', are safe.

A source close to the unit said, "They are shooting in Istanbul which is far away from Van, which has been hit by a massive earthquake."

Salman Khan, who was in India for two days to shoot for Bigg Boss, landed on the morning the quake-hit Turkey. Kabir Khan, who earlier tweeted, "Every city has its own energy and character and I love capturing that.''

Salman will be shooting in Turkey for nearly a month and then flies to Iraq to shoot for the same film. A source said,

"Some portions of the film will be shot in the northern border of Iraq and some other middle east countries.''

'Ek Tha Tiger', which will be Salman's next Eid release is a spy thriller shot in five countries. A source said, "One will get to see a different kind of action not like Bodyguard or Dabanng. It is on the lines of Bourne Identity."

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Aamir Khan to make TV debut with his 'most ambitious project'

Aamir Khan is preparing to make his TV debut in what he has described as his "most ambitious project" yet.

The show will bring the real-life stories of people across India to the small screen, and will be broadcast in eight different languages.

"This show is my most ambitious project," Khan told NDTV. "This began as a dream some three-four years ago. Uday [Shankar, CEO of Star India] coaxed me with the idea that I should think of dominating television now. That is how the spark ignited. After that meeting I actually started thinking about it passionately.

"I have been offered game shows before, but I didn't find them very exciting... Not that they were not good but personally doing the same thing every day didn't excite me much. So that is how I started to think and brainstorm for an innovative concept.

"Moreover, I have realised in all these years that TV is a very strong and powerful medium and I should make use of this platform to reach [a] larger audience."

Shankar said: "It's a pan-India show. The show has been woven around Aamir, it is his vision. He did not want language to act as a barrier, he said 'I want all your regional channels for this show'."

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Poorna Jagannathan stars in Hollywood comedy

Delhi Belly's Poorna Jagannathan has signed up to star in Hollywood comedy drama Thanks For Sharing.

The movie has an ensemble cast of Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Gad and Joely Richardson. Poorna is currently shooting scenes for the film in New York.

Speaking to The Hindustan Times, Jagannathan said: "It's eerie. I had mentioned in a magazine interview that I would love to work with Mark and this offer came along. I have known Gwyneth for a long time now. And Tim Robbins is an icon. I couldn't have asked for more.

"This movie's a great black comedy: it's right up my alley. I thought The Kids Are All Right was one of those rare films that you can never forget and I feel so lucky to work with Stuart [Blumberg, director] and be part of such a talented cast."

The story of Thanks For Sharing revolves around a support group for sex addicts, who try and beat their addictions and form meaningful relationships for the first time.

Jagannathan will also be seen alongside the legendary Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener in Bruce Beresford's upcoming comedy Peace, Love & Misunderstanding.

Speaking about the experience of shooting with Fonda, the actress said: "I learnt a lot working with them. Every take Jane did felt different in a subtle way. She watches you like a hawk and reacts to anything you give her. So her acting always appears fresh."

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gets Madame Tussauds revamp

The wax figure of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been redesigned in preparation for a world tour of Madame Tussauds attractions.

The Devdas star will now be seen in an outfit which has been inspired by her Cannes appearance earlier this year.

"I think fans will be blown away by the beautiful Aishwarya Rai Bachchan," said Matthew Titherington, General Manager at Madame Tussauds Blackpool.

Rai Bachchan was seen in a white, embroidered, one-shouldered outfit from Lebanese designer Elie Saab.

The actor's original waxwork had earlier been dressed in a traditional red saree.

Rai Bachchan made her Cannes red carpet appearance as brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris. Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto were also in attendance at the festival to promote the cosmetics firm.

The Madame Tussauds Bollywood collection includes Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Salman Khan.

Kareena Kapoor is expected to unveil her new statue at the attraction on October 27.

The global Bollywood tour will travel to London, Hong Kong, Bangkok and sites in Europe and the US.

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Asha Bhosle enters Guinness World Records

Asha Bhosle has achieved a Guinness World Record for recording the largest number of songs.

The 78-year-old was awarded the honour at an awards function held in London on Thursday, PTI reports.

"Now I feel I am a recognised singer in the world. I thank my fans and hope they will continue to love me," Bhosle said.

The legendary Bollywood playback singer has recorded up to 11,000 solo, duet and chorus-backed songs in over 20 Indian languages since 1947.

Bhosle thanked music researcher Vishwas Nerurkar for helping her claim the coveted title.

The singer will soon make her acting debut with Maaee. Directed by Mahesh Kodiyal, the film features Padmini Kolhapure as Bhosle's daughter.

"I wish they will appreciate my acting skills as much as they enjoyed my songs," Bhosle said.

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Peaches Geldof 'caught shoplifting from Boots'

Peaches Geldof was reportedly caught shoplifting make-up from a branch of Boots on Friday.

The TV presenter was followed around the Central London store by a plain-clothes security guard, who watched her allegedly put around £70 worth of mascara, foundation and eyeliner into her pockets and shopping bags.

She was taken to a back room and asked to return the items, but staff decided not to involve the police, according to the Sunday Mirror.

A witness said: "I noticed her browsing in the make-up aisle, just the normal ­cosmetics like Rimmel and L'Oreal. I was really surprised to see her openly picking stuff up - foundation, mascara, eyeliner - and putting them in her coat pockets and in her Selfridges bag.

"She looked around a bit but didn't seem ­bothered, just dropped them in like it was a normal thing to do. When she left she went right to the back of the store so she didn't go past the tills. A store detective followed her outside and brought her back in. I heard him say, 'Do you know why I've brought you back?'

"I didn't hear her response but she was ­completely cool. You'd think someone would be embarrassed or upset, but she was totally casual as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. He took her into a back office and five minutes later she came out and left the store, calm as you like again."

A staff member later confirmed to the paper that Geldof had been banned from the store and wasn't arrested because she gave the products back.

Geldof refused to comment while Boots said it cannot comment on individual customer circumstances."

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Freida to ink $7m ad deal?

Actor Freida Pinto, 27, is strengthening her foothold in the international celeb world.

Buzz suggests that the Slumdog Millionaire actor has inked a two-year endorsement deal with a high fashion apparel brand for $7 million. She is expected to get $3.5 million a year. “Since it is a two-year deal, it makes it a $7 million deal. In Indian rupees, it is approximately R35 crore. It is higher than what any Indian female celebrity has ever been paid,” said a source close to the actor.

When contacted, Anirban Das Blah, managing director, KWAN, the agency that handles Freida’s endorsements in India, said: “It’s a policy never to comment on brand deals. We’ve witnessed Freida’s phenomenal growth in such a short span, and that too on a global platform. Brand Freida stands for very rare, unique and irreplaceable values and imagery, making her the ideal choice for a brand with a global appeal and an Indian focus.”

Freida made it big globally post her appearance in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. Thereafter, she featured in films like You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

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Shahrukh and Kareena promote Ra One

MUMBAI: Bollywood actors Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor enthralled the audience as they promoted their upcoming film 'Ra One' by dancing to the tunes of the movie's popular numbers 'Chammak Challo' and 'Criminal'.

Hundreds of audience gathered to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars at an event in Mumbai.

Khan and Kapoor enticed the audience and distributed the film's merchandise such as tennis caps.

"I think she has been one of the biggest strengths in the film," said Khan.

Khan was all praise for the child actor Armaan Verma who essays the role of his son, Prateek Subramanium in the movie.

The story of Ra One revolves around Khan, who plays the lead protagonist, turning into a superhero in order to fulfill his son's expectations.

The movie takes a turn when Khan's character designs a videogame that has an impact on the lives of the characters, in both negative and positive ways.

Besides Khan and Kapoor, actors Dalip Tahil, Satish Shah and Shahana Goswami also essay key roles in the thrilling movie.

The music of the film is composed by musician duo Vishal-Shekhar.

The action-packed science-fiction film, directed by Anubhav Sinha, is slated for October 26 release. (Reuters)

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Lindsay Loahan handcuffed in courtroom

LOS ANGELES: An angry Los Angeles judge on Wednesday revoked the probation for Lindsay Lohan because she failed to perform community service, and admonished the troubled actress for failing to treat her sentence seriously.

At a progress hearing for Lohan, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner called her previous ruling of probation on a theft charge a "gift" and told Lohan, "there's something called looking a gift horse in the mouth."

Lohan's attorney Shawn Holley tried in vain to argue that her client had complied substantially with other portions of Judge Sautner's sentence, including psychological counseling and attendance in a program for shoplifters, and should be allowed to continue uninterrupted on probation.

But Judge Sautner said she was troubled that Lohan had "blown off" the court's order to work at a downtown Los Angeles women's detention center, and instead was reassigned by city officials to work in a Red Cross program without court approval.

Sautner noted that in the past six months, Lohan had completed only a tiny fraction of her community service.

"Nobody has the power to change my sentence," Judge Sautner said, then later pronounced, "I am revoking her probation."

Lohan, 25, dressed demurely in white, spent much of the court session shaking her head as she was admonished by the judge. She was led from the courtroom in handcuffs, then posted bail of $100,000 and was allowed to go home.

Judge Sautner ordered Lohan to appear at a November 2 hearing at which court officials and attorneys will present evidence as to whether Lohan did, in fact, violate her probation. If so, she could be returned to jail.

TROUBLED LIFE AND CAREER

Earlier this year, Judge Sautner sentenced the actress to 360 hours community service at the women's detention center, and another 120 hours at a morgue as part of a punishment for stealing a gold necklace from a jewelry store. The "Mean Girls" actress also served 35 days under house arrest and was ordered into a shoplifter's counseling program and psychological therapy.

Holley pointed to "glowing" reports from Lohan's probation officer, her therapy counselor and the shoplifting program as proof that Lohan was trying to comply with the court's order.

She noted that Lohan still had six months to complete the community service portion of her sentence and pleaded with the judge to allow her to do so.

But judge Sautner was unyielding. She cited a letter from the detention center in which Lohan was said to have decided she didn't want to work there because it was not "fulfilling."

The judge scoffed at the idea that probation was supposed to be a "fulfilling" experience, and hammered Holley on the fact that Lohan has only performed about 21 hours service.

Her excuse, the judge said, was that she was working overseas in cities like Paris and Milan. Holley shot back that Lohan can find work only overseas and not in the United States. She said there seemed to be a "rallying cry" to send her client to jail, but judge Sautner said she had taken many steps to keep Lohan out of jail.

The day's appearance proved to be another low point in the career of actress who rose to fame as a star in Disney movies like "The Parent Trap," but has seen her career derailed by multiple trips to jail and rehab since 2007.

Lohan's publicist, Steve Honig, said in a statement that the actress was hoping the matter would be resolved at the November 2 hearing "and the Court will reinstate probation and allow her to continue fulfilling her community service." (Reuters)

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Emma Watson starts classes at Oxford

LONDON: Actress Emma Watson has started her classes at Britain's Oxford University.

The 21-year-old, best known for playing witch Hermione Granger in the " Harry Potter" franchise, is a student at Rhode Island's Brown University but has transferred to Oxford's Worcester College for a year "abroad".

In a post on her official blog published Sunday, Watson told fans that she will be out of the spotlight for a while as she continues her English literature classes.

"You might not hear from me for a while because I will be really busy studying but I wanted to just say hi and bye... Love Emma xx," Watson posted on her blog.

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Rihanna treats journalist to a saucy onstage lap dance

Rihanna stunned a London newspaper reporter when she was invited to join the pop singer onstage during a concert at the O2 Arena and was treated to a very public lap dance.

ES Magazine commissioning editor Lotte Jeffs found herself lying on a circular bed in the middle of the stage with Rihanna thrusting about on top of her wearing nothing but a black leather bikini.

“It was a night I will never forget. Global superstar Rihanna dragged me on stage and gave me a lap dance in front of 20,000 screaming fans,” the Daily Star quoted Jeffs as telling Evening Standard newspaper.

She became the envy of Rihanna fans the world over when the saucy superstar insisted she fondle her breasts for all to see.

“I wanted to put on a bit of a show… but I couldn’t possibly take liberties with Ri Ri. So I pretended to run my hand up and down her sweat-dripping, semi naked body… Rihanna, however, was up for it,” she said.

“She grabbed my hand and slammed it on to her left breast. That gave me all the permission I needed to, as Rihanna would say ‘Go hard’. I grabbed her waist and tossed back my head as she knelt over me, two fantastic breasts in my face. We started slowly spinning, there was a loud ‘kerthunk’ and I suddenly realised the bed had dropped down under the stage,” she added.

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