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Monday, April 27, 2009

Pussycat Dolls feud in public

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Popular girl band "Pussycat Dolls" may be on the verge of breaking up as two of the band members, Melody Thormton and Nicole Scherzinger, had a public showdown on stage during a show in Arizona. 

Thornton made a sarcastic remark about Scherzinger while on stage, which resulted in the latter storming off, reported ‘Sun online’. Sherzinger had created "massive tension" within the band when she insisted that their last two singles be released under the name 'Pussycat Dolls featuring Nicole Scherzinger'. The name change reportedly infuriated other group members, prompting Thornton to shout to fans while on stage, "Thank you for supporting me, even though I'm not featured. Don’t let anyone stomp on your dreams!" while giving Nicole a dirty look. The entire episode happened as other group members Ashley Roberts, Kimberly Wyatt and Jessica Sutta looked on. 

Though the show continued, the rest of their performance was "majorly awkward" and as soon as the last song was over, the girls ran off stage looking furious, a concert goer told the newspaper.The 30-year-old Scherzinger is reportedly set to quit the girl group in a bid to become a solo star.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Eminem to return to big screen

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Rapper Eminem is all set to return to the big screen, seven years after his bio-pic ‘8 Mile’ earned him rave reviews. 

The Grammy winning artiste, who proved that he possesses the emotional range most musicians-turned-actors lack in his successful debut, said that he has done a cameo in a big film this year but refrained to tell which one. 

"Can't tell you what movie it is, or what I did in it, but last year (I filmed) a cameo," he said during an appearance on Sirius' Shade 45 radio show. When prompted by his manager Paul Rosenberg, that the film is "kind of a big deal," Eminem jokingly said, "It's a murder-mystery, comedy, epic, drama, Disney movie." 

Eminem's onscreen comeback coincides with the rapper's return to the music scene with 'Relapse', his first album since his 2004 hit 'Encore' which will hit stores this May.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Brangelina to battle ex bodyguard

ANI
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are drawing plans to combat their former bodyguard, who is planning to pen his experiences while working with the couple. 

The pair is said to be furious that Mickey Brett, with whom they once entrusted their lives and those of their kids, was planning to bring their private lives into the public domain with a tell all book. The two have roped in top lawyers in the US and the UK to keep Brett from spilling the beans. Their American litigator Marty Singer dubbed Brett as a “pathological liar” who held a history of legal troubles. 

According to Singer, Brett was banned from entering the US after lying to Immigration officials, and had even fooled his former celebrity employers into believing that he was a British SAS commando while in fact he had never served in the military. 

He said Brett was also interrogated in the murder of British tycoon Donald Urquhart in 1993 though he was later cleared, and had been taken into custody for attacking a restaurant owner in Namibia in 2006. Singer continued that Brett, who had been convicted 11 times for several crimes, was bound by a confidentiality agreement over his book and TV proposals. He added that Brett had said that he never inked the pitches and that his ghost writer, Robin McGibbon, embellished many of the stories, a claim denied by McGibbon. 

"Our client disputes what has apparently been said by Mr. Singer, but is not in a position to comment further at this stage," the New York Daily News quoted Brett's attorneys as saying.

Source: http://www.news.google.com

Madonna begs Kabbalah leader to pray for Mercy

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Pop superstar Madonna has reportedly begged Kabbalah leader Eitan Yardeni to pray for her success in adopting four-year-old Malawian girl Mercy James. 

Madonna, whose plea to adopt the girl was turned down by a Malawian court last month, has filed a fresh appeal in the country's Supreme Court. The hearing has been fixed for May 4. 

"They have been praying at every waking hour. The adoption process has been stressful for Madonna. She's been telling pals it felt as painful as childbirth," a source told 'News of the World' newspaper. The spiritual leader of the the Kabbalah centre in Toronto has reportedly flown in to New York at Madonna's request to pray for superstar's success on May 4. 

The 50-year-old star who already has a three-year-old adopted Malawian son, David, as well as her daughter Lourdes, 12, and eight-year-old son Rocco was devastated by the ruling last month.

Source: http://www.news.google.com

Feroz Khan wanted to remake 'Qurbani' with Fardeen

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Feroz Khan wanted to complete his dream project, the remake of his most successful film 'Qurbani' and the legendary filmmaker was still working on the film during his last days. 

Khan's son, actor Fardeen Khan, was to reprise his father's iconic role in the new version. The 69-year-old filmmaker had already recorded three songs for the film with music composer Anand Raj Anand but with his death, his last wish remains unfulfilled. 

The 1980 blockbuster is one of the most successful films of Feroz Khan. The film, a love triangle between Vinod Khanna, Zeenat Aman and Khan, is still remembered for its stylish treatment and hit songs like 'Aap jaisa koi...', 'Laila Mein Laila' and the title track 'Qurbani qurbani'. 

"Ferozji wanted to remake Qurbani with Fardeen in lead and he was in the process of rewriting the script. It is one of his most successful films and he wanted to recreate the same magic in a bigger way," Feroz Khan's manager Rajkumar Tiwari told a reporter over phone from Bangalore. 

"He had already recorded two songs for the film with music composer Anand Raj Anand. This project was very close to his heart and he was putting all his energy into it before falling ill," Tiwari added. 

Khan had announced the remake of 'Qurbani' as 'Kurbani' at the 2006 International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) event in Dubai. The actor-filmmaker died at 1:30 am at his farmhouse in Bangalore. He was diagnosed with cancer a year ago and was being treated at a Mumbai hospital. His son and actor Fardeen Khan besides some other family members were at his bedside when the end came. Khan last acted in comedy film 'Welcome' with Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. Anees Bazmee, who directed the iconic actor in his last film, said, "I will always be grateful to him for giving me the oppurtunity to work with him in 'Welcome'. 

"He was initially reluctant to work in the film but I convinced him because the role was written with him in mind," said Bazmee. 

"He enjoyed acting after a long time and became friends with Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar. I remember how he had become very emotional during the last day of the shoot and threw a party for the entire cast and crew," Bazmee added.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Knightley's anti-domestic violence ad banned in UK

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

The anti-domestic violence advertisement starring British actress Keira Knightley has been banned by British censors. The advertisement has been barred from British television after it was branded too violent by advertising censors, reported ‘Contactmusic.com’. 

The advertisement depicts 'The Pirates of the Caribbean' star as an actress returning home from a film set who is confronted by a violent boyfriend accusing her of having an affair with a co-star. Knightley is then shown getting knocked down and kicked multiple times. Advertising censor body Clearcast rejected the promo on the ground of the violent scene in the end where Knightley is being repeatedly kicked on the floor. The advertisement 'The Cut' was made for UK charity Women's Aid and was launched in British cinemas this month and has been an instant success on YouTube with one million hits. 

"The reason we are still in conversation with Clearcast about it is because it is too violent. Part of the campaign is to raise awareness about domestic violence, and spark debate, which the advert has done, even if it doesn't make it on television," said Chris Hirst, MD of Grey London Advertising Agency which created 'The Cut'.

Source: http://www.news.google.com

Sharmila and Soha to star together in an English film

BollywoodHungamaNewsNetwork
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

It's always a pleasure to see Bollywood's current generation of star kids share screen space with their real life parents on screen. So, after the Deols who created some frenzy courtesy Apne, it's now the turn of mother-daughter duo of Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan to be seen on the big screen together for the first time. 

Sharmila and Soha will be seen in an English film directed by Sangeeta Datta (erstwhile assistant to Rituparno Ghosh). We got in touch with Soha who confirmed the news. "Yes Mom and I are doing a film together. It's an English film by a British production company and directed by Sangeeta Datta. It's an absolutely lovely script and shooting starts in May in London." 

The as yet untitled film is not your typical boy-meets-girl love story and is in fact a family drama revolving around a father and his three daughters. Besides Sharmila and Soha, the film also stars Girish Karnad, Om Puri and a bunch of British actors. 

It may be recalled that Sharmila and her son Saif Ali Khan starred together in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parineeta. Now it will be interesting to see Sharmila along with her daughter Soha in this flick. We simply can't wait to see the mother-daughter jodi on the silver screen!

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

RGV signs Vivek Oberoi for ‘Rakta Charitra’

BollywoodHungamaNewsNetwork
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Ramgopal Varma has signed Vivek Oberoi for the role of Paritala Ravi in his new film ‘Rakta Charitra’. Here's what RGV has to say: 

"After thinking hard on every actor both known and unknown, I have finally zeroed in on Vivek Oberoi as the most ideal choice to play Paritala Ravi. He has remarkable intensity in his eyes which I noticed in the making of ‘Company’, a voice which commands attention, an arrogance in his demeanour, an enormous power in his stance, and also a certain vulnerability which makes one instantly warm up to him, which is what is needed to fit in a role of Paritala Ravi's profile. 

"After a rough look-test done and when I saw the approximation of how Vivek could look like in different phases of Ravi's life, from being a rebel in the jungles to a political strong-arm man, I was absolutely convinced that my search ended." 

RGV talks about the film at length: 

"This is the name of the film I am intending to make as my next after ‘India 24/7’. It's inspired by the story of Paritala Ravi from Andhra Pradesh who got assassinated in January 2005. Even though the actual incidents of the story happened and the related characters existed in South India, I decided to make it in Hindi because I strongly felt that the sheer uniqueness of the story deserves to be told to a much wider audience. 

"Paritala Ravi was arguably the most feared individual ever in the history of the blood-ridden faction politics of South India. He was a prime accused in innumerable murder cases and also survived numerous assassination attempts, the most brutal of which happened on a quiet Friday afternoon in November 1997 when a road near Rama Naidu Studio in Hyderabad was turned into a death field by a bomb which killed 26 people, but failed to get its intended target Ravi. 

"I, in the course of my life, have read biographies of various people and have also come to know through various sources the life stories of many highly dangerous men including that of Velupalli Prabhakaran, the LTTE Chief to Pablo Escobar, the Columbian drug lord to our very own Dawood Ibrahim, but all those stories pale in comparison to Ravi's life story. 

"How Ravi, a soft-spoken shy guy, under a force of certain circumstances retreated into the jungles, became a rebel and how he mounted a volcano of violence to avenge his father's and brother's deaths and how in time he became a folklore legend and eventually a minister in N.T. Ramarao's Cabinet reads more grippingly than any fiction writer anywhere in the world can ever imagine. 

"Ravi's name sent shivers up the spines of not only his rivals, but even the law enforcement agencies. He was a rebel, a feudal lord, a robinhood, a killer of hundreds and saviour of thousands till the day he was gunned down by a death squad allegedly put together by his arch rival Suri, who wanted to avenge his father's and brother's deaths, in a bizarre déjà vu. 

"I have been following Ravi's rise to power since long, but I first heard of Suri only after the bomb explosion at Rama Naidu Studios. I was both amazed and chilled to see that even after being confined to a prison cell, how the fire of Suri's vengeance continued to burn unabated for 7 long years till he finally succeeded, armed with nothing but a severe desire to kill Ravi as his one and only weapon. 

"In my research for the film, I have met various associates of Paritala Ravi and Suri and also their family members. I have also met Suri, who is presently lodged in Anantpur jail on trial for the killing of Ravi and what I finally managed to piece together from all the various police records and eye witness accounts is the most fascinating story I have ever heard or could hope to hear in my life. This is the story of a man's phenomenal rise to power and a story of the most intense blood curdling conflict ever heard of between two individuals and it is also the ultimate statement on the oft-heard disastrous consequences of a fatal mixture of caste, crime, family feuds and politics. 

"I decided to film this story at one stretch and release it in 2 parts about 3 months from each other, a first of its kind ever attempted in the history of Indian cinema. I want to call the films ‘Rakta Charitra’ - I and ‘Rakta Charitra’ - II. Why I want to make it in two parts is because the sheer drama and content the story possesses is so incredibly rich and of such high magnitude that it is not possible to do justice to do it in a film which is lesser than 5 hours. Also, Ravi's life can be broadly divided into 2 parts from the time how circumstances created his rise to how he created circumstances that felled him. 

"I believe that ‘Rakta Charitra’ is going to be the most defining film of my career not because of how well I will make it, but sheerly because of the material I have at my hand. To put it simply, I don't have to work hard to make it well, but I have to work hard to spoil it."

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Courtney Love slams Pamela Anderson for being poor

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Courtney Love, who is better known for being the widow of 'Nirvana' frontman has slammed former friend Pamela Anderson for being poor. 

"Pam Anderson doesn't even have a credit card. And she lives in Paradise Cove, which is in Malibu, but it's a trailer park in Malibu," said Love about the former Bay Watch star, reported ‘New York Post’. 

Courtney Love who was left with a fortune of USD 320 million after the death of her rocker husband, had been friends with Anderson, but her latest statement points at a fall-out between the two. Anderson who shot to fame with her role in the hit 90's series 'BayWatch' lives in a trailer park in the posh locality of Malibu, California where a house costs more than a million dollars. 

Anderson who has two sons from her marriage to rocker Tommy Lee, is known to be worth millions with her bestselling tell-all book deal and revenue from her acting career. The actress' manager declined to comment on the statement made by Love.

Source: http://www.news.google.com

Actor Feroz Khan dies

Agencies
Posted: Apr 27, 2009

Bollywood actor Feroz Khan, who made a place in the hearts of film lovers with his romantic portrayals in blockbusters like 'Qurbani' and 'Janbaaz,' died after battling cancer for a year. 

The 69-year-old actor-filmmaker died at 1:30 am at his farmhouse here. He was diagnosed with cancer a year ago and was being treated at a Mumbai hospital. His son and actor Fardeen Khan besides some other family members were at his bedside when the end came. 

The actor's mortal remains would be buried at his farm house later in the day as per his last wishes Born and brought up in Bangalore, the Bollywood actor first made his mark in 1965 when his film 'Oonche Log' clicked with the audience. He then went on to woo the audience with the mushy musical 'Arzoo' where he played a sacrificing lover. But the biggest hit of his career was 'Qurbani' opposite Zeenat Aman. 

In 1986, he directed and starred in 'Janbaaz' which was a box office hit. After he directed and starred in 'Yalghaar' in 1992, the charismatic actor took a long break from acting and took to producing and directing films. 

He launched his son Fardeen Khan with the 1998 film 'Prem Aggan,' which bombed at the box office. He was last seen on the screen in the 2007 hit 'Welcome'.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Salma Hayek weds Francois-Henri Pinault - again

By Issie Lapowsky

Monday, April 27th 2009

It's "I do" part deux for Salma Hayek.

The actress and her billionaire French husband François-Henri Pinault renewed their vows Saturday as part of a two-day celebration in Venice, People magazine reports. 

The couple originally wed during an intimate Valentine's Day ceremony in Paris, but this weekend's nuptials featured a guest list of some of the entertainment world's hottest celebrities, including Penelope Cruz, Stella McCartney and Bono.The celebration began Friday at a masquerade ball/rehearsal dinner at the Punta Della Dogana, followed by Saturday's wedding ceremony. 

The 42-year-old bride wowed the 150 wedding guests in a Balenciaga gown, accompanied by a bouquet of orchids, stephanotis and crystals. The couple's 19-month-old daughter Valentina and her eight-year-old step-sister preceded Hayek down the aisle as flower girls, while the groom's 10-year-old son acted as a page boy. 

A reception was held at the Palazzo Grassi, where the couple first met in May 2006. Guests wore black tie and took advantage of the invitation to wear Venetian masks. 

Over the course of the night, revelers such as Woody Harrelson and Charlize Theron accompanied Bono on stage, seranading the crowd with a chorus of "Stand by Me." There was certainly no shortage of celebrity couples in attendence - Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith, Hayek's ex, Ed Norton and his producer-girlfriend Shauna Robertson, and Cruz and Javier Bardem were all on hand. They danced the night away with fellow A-listers Gael Garcia Bernal, Lucy Liu, Ashley Judd and David Blaine, among others. 

Hayek and Pinault's first wedding at City Hall came as a surprise to many; they'd called off their engagement just months before. Reportedly, the couple had found it too difficult to conduct a relationship across the Atlantic. Pinault owns the Paris-based firm, which owns Gucci, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent, while Hayek lives in Los Angeles.

But the twosome reconciled, and by December's Dubai Film Festival, a mutual friend told People they were "very evidently in love with each other."Though rumors have surfaced that this weekend's festivities cost a grand total of $2 million, Hayek has denied she'd ever foot such a large bill for her nuptials. 

"I think spending millions of dollars on a wedding is ridiculous and it has never been my dream," she said. "I would never do that."

A honeymoon may be next on the happy couple's to-do list. After the wedding, Hayek and her family were spotted en route to the Marco Polo airport.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com

Aerosmith play for unhappy fans

Rock stars Aerosmith are to hold a free concert in Hawaii to placate angry fans who brought a legal case against them.

BBC NEWS 

Monday, 27 April 2009

The Walk This Way hitmakers cancelled a sold-out show in Maui two years ago, leaving hundreds of fans out of pocket. 

They filed a class action case, which claimed the band had pulled out in favour of a bigger gig in Chicago and a private show for car dealers in Oahu. Lawyers for the would-be concert-goers said Aerosmith had now agreed to put on a new show, and would pay all expenses. 

"Everyone who bought a ticket to the original concert will receive a free ticket, and all out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed regardless of the amount," said Brandee Faria. 

Cost claims 

Aerosmith's lawyer, Jay Handlin, said the band were happy to have reached a settlement. 

"The band is about the music," he said. "So they are glad to be able to resolve this in a way that really focuses on connecting or reconnecting the people of Hawaii with the band and its music." 

No date has been set for the rescheduled gig, but it is likely to take place as part of the band's recently-announced North American tour. It could prove to be a costly gesture, however. The original legal case said ticketholders were between $500,000 (£343,394) and $3m (£2.06m) out-of-pocket once travel fees, handling charges and other expenses had been taken into account. 

Fronted by the Jagger-esque Steven Tyler, Aerosmith are one of the USA's biggest rock bands. The Bostonians have won four Grammy awards in their 39-year career, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in 2001. 

In the UK, they are best known for later-period commercial hits such as Love In An Elevator and I Don't Want To Miss A Thing.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk