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Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Anne stuffs her pants with socks!

By ANI

Hollywood actress Anne Hathaway has been stuffing her pants with socks to prepare herself for the role of a man in her upcoming theatre production titled the ‘Twelfth Night’. 

The American actress is due to take to the stage as part of the New York’s Shakespeare in the Park series, which kicks off later this month (Jun09). 

Hathaway is preparing herself for her role as Viola, a girl who disguises herself as a man called Cesario, by strutting around her Manhattan apartment with an extra prop in her trousers. 

"I'm having a fun little time with Cesario right now,” the Daily Star quoted her as saying. 

“My character is a girl who's shipwrecked and she arrives on a strange shore where she doesn't know anyone, and it occurs to her that the best way to take care of herself is to pretend that she's a boy. 

"I'd be lying if I said that I haven't walked around my apartment with a sock shoved down the front! All of a sudden, you just understand. You stand differently and it's just like, yeah!" she added.

Source: ScreenIndia.

Madonna hires top DJ to train Jesus

By ANI

Madonna has reportedly roped in a top DJ to teach her toyboy lover Jesus Luz how to spin the decks. 

The Material Girl is allegedly using the services of Eric Jao, a.k.a DJ Enferno, to train the Brazilian model. 

The 50-year-old was also said to have shelled out 30,000 pounds on equipment for her 22-year-old boyfriend. 

“She spares no expense with Jesus — he’s really spoiled,” the Sun quoted a source as saying. 

The source added: “She hopes he’ll get into old-school hip hop but he’s into techno.”

Source: 

Film producers condemn attacks on Indians in Australia

By Agencies

Condemning the attacks on Indians in Australia, a top body of film producers has warned that such incidents may affect shootings of films Down Under. 

The Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA) has written a letter to the Australian High Commission voicing concern over the spate of racial attacks on Indian students in that country. 

The assaults are "alarming" and have "shocked not only Indians but also people in other parts of the world", IMPPA Vice-President Sushma Shiromanee said here. 

She warned that such attacks may hinder shootings of films in Australia.  As a 72-year-old body of film producers, "we have to safeguard the interest of our producer-members", she said. 

Australia is known for its scenic beauty and its exclusive locales are explored by the Indian film industry for shootings, Shiromanee noted. 

"Shooting of films not only boosts revenue for your Government but also indirectly boosts the tourism industry, thus generating employment. The ill-treatment meted out to the Indians is a disappointment for tourism and film industries. Film industry is always inter-related with tourism," she said. 

The recent happenings in Australia are a setback to the tourism and film industry, Shiromanee said. 

"We request you to adopt necessary steps to avoid such incidents and remove the hindrance on entry of tourists and film personalities in Australia," the IMPPA letter said. 

"Persons from the Asian community visiting Australia should be given enough protection and film personalities in particular should be safeguarded," Shiromanee added. 

IMPPA, set up in 1937, is the oldest association of film producers in the country and has over 10,000 members.

Source: ScreenIndia.

Slumdog kids meet Cong chief, ask for houses in Bandra

By Express news service

Days after the demolition of their homes, Slumdog Millionaire stars Azharuddin and Rubina Ali met Mumbai Congress president Kripa shankar Singh at his residence on Tuesday to seek his help for getting a low-income group MHADA house in Bandra since they study in a school in that locality.

Although they have been allotted houses in Malwani under the MHADA housing scheme, the parents have shown their reluctance to taking it citing the education of their children.

The child stars and their parents met Singh in his sixth-floor residence at Vile Parle with their pleas. Singh assured them that he will try his best to get them a house in Bandra either through the government or through some NGOs or developers.

Singh, however, pointed out that MHADA has LIG houses for accommodation only in Malwani, Sion and Ghatkopar for the time being. Meanwhile, Singh’s wife Malati Singh, who is a social worker, has pledged her support to fund the children’s education in future.

While leaving the building premises, Azhar was seen asking Rubina if the whole building belonged to Singh. “If so, they can give us a flat here,” the children were heard saying. However, it was soon pointed out to them that only one floor belonged to Singh.

Singh had earlier approached the Chief Minister for getting houses for the children and their parents.

Rubina and Azhar were on the streets after their homes in the Garib Nagar slum in Bandra were pulled down by Western Railway officials last month.

“I’ve spoken to a developer today to see if they can give a house on ‘no profit no loss’ basis,” Singh said.

“I’ve also spoken to the corporation to rehabilitate them since their shanties were built before 2000. BMC said they will look into it after the nullah work is over,” Singh added.

Source: ScreenIndia.

I am a very irritating actor: Mithun Chakraborty

By Agencies

Mithun Chakraborty may have won millions of fans across the country with his endearing performances on screen but the actor feels that he can be very "irritating" to the directors as he asks too many questions. 

"I am very irritating actor. I keep on asking questions until I get satisfied with the answers because when you play a certain character you need to learn every aspect of it and it can be difficult for directors," Mithun said. 

The national award-winning actor was in the city to promote his upcoming film 'Zor Lagaa Ke...Haiya!' along with his son Mimoh. Mithun plays a vagrant in the movie. 

The film is based on the issue of deforestation in urban India and the actor considers it one of his most challenging performances. Mithun said that he decided to become the part of the film by debutante filmmaker Girish Girija Joshi because of its inherent message. 

"It touched my heart and despite being new Girish has made the film with great understanding. You really need a heart to make a movie like this at a time when people don't want to take risks," the actor said. 

The movie also stars seasoned actors like Seema Biswas, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Gulshan Grover and Riya Sen apart from Mithun and five children. 'Zor Lagaa Ke...Haiya!' has won international awards like Silver Palm Award at Mexico International Film Fetival and Silver Remi Award at Houston Film Film Festival. 

The movie is expected to hit the theatres on June 12 depending upon the end of the stand off between Bollywood producers-distributors and multiplex owners. The story revolves around five children, who are involuntarily pitted against a mean looking beggar, played by Mithun, who lives in a small hut on a tree, outside their housing society. 

All is thrown off balance when a builder plans to cut the tree for making an access road. The children and the beggar unite to battle the money hungry builders. 

"I play a very interesting character, who has left his family to become a beggar because he does not want to compromise but these children teach him the need to change and adapt with time," said the actor. 

When asked whether 'The Murderer' will be Mimoh's relaunch, the actor said, "There is nothing like relaunch. He has been launched once and that's it. It is a different matter that the film did not work. But he has a long way to go." 

Mimoh made his debut in the industry with 'Jimmy' last year but the film did not do well at the box office.  However, Mithun is confident about his son's future and hopes to star with him soon. 

"You will see both of us in a film soon. We have some scripts in mind but it would not see us as father-son because ultimately we are actors," Mithun said. 

Asked about his plans to team up with Amitabh Bachchan after a long time, the actor said, "There is still a question mark on it. I like the idea but he (Vivek Sharma) has to come up with the script. So, let us see what happens."

Source: Screen India.

Kate Hudson dating Yankees star A-Rod

Source says things are getting ‘somewhat serious’ for actress, ballplayer
By People.com

Kate Hudson and Alex Rodriguez were spotted getting cozy last month at a restaurant in New York City, and now a source confirms they are dating.

"It's somewhat serious," the source tells PEOPLE in its upcoming issue. "He introduced her to a bunch of his friends."

For her part, Hudson followed Rodriguez on the road late last month to Dallas, when the Yankees played the Texas Rangers in a three-game series. The actress and son Ryder, 5 (dad is Chris Robinson), stayed at the same hotel as Rodriguez, and the couple "worked out together in the fitness center," says an eyewitness.

For one of the games, she sent Ryder and his nanny to the ballpark while she "stayed behind and watched the game from the hotel," adds the eyewitness. "She remarked several times about what a big baseball fan she is!"

Will their relationship last past the season? Another source says it's too early to tell: "You never know with Kate."

Source: MSNBC Interactive.

Pregnant Rudolph knew what to expect in 'Away'

By Olivia Barker

NEW YORK — There's something about a pregnant belly that invites hands — you know, unsolicited, typically strange hands palming it like a basketball.

But in the movie Away We Go, which opens Friday, a different, arguably more alarming body part gets intimate with Maya Rudolph's swollen stomach: Catherine O'Hara's ear.

Rudolph plays thirtysomething, six-months-pregnant Verona; O'Hara is Gloria, the mom of Verona's boyfriend, Burt (John Krasinski). After Burt's parents announce they're moving out of Colorado, where the entire gang lives — and after Gloria gives her future grandchild a good listen — away Burt and Verona go on a journey to find a new hometown in which to start their family.

Verona experiences life as an accidental "billboard for pregnancy," as the ex-Saturday Night Live star puts it. And an unwanted ear is just one of her problems.

There are the airline employees who don't believe Verona is only six months pregnant, not eight, and refuse to let her fly. There are those who tell Verona her face looks fat. And there's Burt's childhood friend ("cousin") LN, formerly known as Ellen (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who nurses her children through preschool, promotes "continuum" living (no separation, sugar or strollers for her kids) and insists that she, not Verona's obstetrician, knows the true sex of Verona's baby.

Many of the eye-rolling elements of pregnancy were familiar to Rudolph, 36, mom to Pearl, 3, and another due this fall. The movie, written by parents (and literary heavyweights) Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida and directed by parent (and Hollywood heavyweight) Sam Mendes, covers the tricky terrain of second and third trimesters "so well," she says.

"It's about people's feeling of wanting to be connected," says Rudolph, who, sitting in the Mercer Hotel lobby in Soho, is only just beginning to show. "It just doesn't come out the way it's supposed to: 'Oh, God, you're huge.' I think the last person who wants to hear they're huge is a pregnant lady."

Although the ear-to-belly contact is extreme, "I used to get the hands," she says, demonstrating. "This weird hand just coming at me." And, living in Los Angeles, she's quite familiar with "crunchy judge-y" LN types. "By the way, they don't go away when you have a baby: 'What kind of diapers are you using? You're not using gDiapers?!' " (the flushable, compostable brand Julia Roberts recommends).

Away We Go's humor is far subtler than the slapstick we saw Rudolph revel in for seven years on SNL, as, say, the blond-wigged, baritone-voiced Donatella Versace and Bronx Beat's gum-smacking co-host Jodi Deitz.

In fact, Rudolph had to turn on the tears in the film. "It was hard because I felt a lot of pressure. I knew that the emotions were there and I understood the character, and I really wanted to cry. But there were a lot of cameras in the room and there were people waiting, and it was really hard and I was trying to, like, literally squeeze them out of my eyeballs." Some "weird goo, probably like Karo syrup or something," helped. "I had to ramp it up." And then, floodgates.

Her big goal, however, was to avoid an "ugly cry": "open mouth, flared nostrils, 'Waaah!' That's not cute."

A "pretty cry," however, "is like Demi Moore in Ghost. I mean, that's like a perfect cry."

Source: USA TODAY.

Oscar-winning ‘Smile Pinki’ director eyes change through film

By Reuters

A short film about a poor Indian girl with a cleft lip fetched filmmaker Megan Mylan her maiden Oscar this year, and now she can't wait to do more films that could help improve people's lives. 

Her 39-minute ‘Smile Pinki’ documentary shows how the life of its outcast heroine, Pinki Sonkar, changes after she is taken to a hospital that provides free surgery to fix the deformity for thousands of children. The film also helped increase awareness about the condition, gave Sonkar the chance of a better education and brought improvements to her remote village. 

The documentary premieres on HBO channel on Wednesday and director Mylan told Reuters from San Francisco that she is planning a limited release of the film in five Indian cities. 

Q: How has life changed for you after the Oscar? 

A: "It has sort of turned it upside down but probably not in the way people would expect. Career-wise it's not a game changing thing. Documentary film making is such a small field anyway. I'm not swamped with offers and I'm not terribly surprised either - it's a wonderful recognition of the fact that I'm not lousy at what I do." 

Q: How did people react after you won the Oscar? 

A: "I have had people reaching out who I've known from all walks of my life. I feel like I had this tremendous embrace from people reaching out to say 'we're so happy for you'. I'm still in the afterglow period." 

"The film has been embraced by Indians and Indian Americans who have really been so proud of the Oscar and taken the story as their own when it would have been so easy to write off as a foreign director telling the story of an impoverished child." 

Q: Have you been in touch with Pinki since? 

A: "I haven't spoken to Pinki just because of the logistics of the phone problems. There is no phone line or electricity in her village, but Dr. Subodh (Subodh Kumar Singh, the plastic surgeon who corrected Pinki's cleft lip) and I talk every week about Pinki and Ghutaru, the other protagonist in my film and he keeps me updated." 

Q: So where is Pinki now and how has her life changed? 

A: "One of the great things that happened was that she was offered a scholarship, as was Ghutaru, just to help them go to a slightly better school away from their village than the one-room schoolhouse close by." 

"The district government made their village a model village and brought an automated water pump and new housing with corrugated roofs to stand the monsoon rains. There's talk of electricity coming soon. You couldn't ask for a film to do much more." 

Q: Do you have plans to come to India? 

A: "We have plans for India to do what I have been referring to as a "boutique" theatrical launch. We will probably do five cities -- Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, maybe Bangalore most likely in late August and followed by a national television broadcast. 

"One of the things about the story is that in a simple and emotional way it helps families who might have children with this affliction that can be helped. After the theatre premieres and television broadcasts we will work to get DVDs out to every clinic and hospital and school and everyone who wants to use it." 

Q: Will we see more of your work on India in the future? 

A: "I would love to. It will be a matter of stumbling across the right story. Mostly my subjects seem to find me. I love stories about people that make a positive impact in the world. I could imagine it would be another story of social change, there are so many stories. I feel very privileged to be the person to tell the story of Pinki."

Source: Reuters.

Paris Hilton looks for a friend in Middle East

By Reuters

LOS ANGELES - Celebrity heiress Paris Hilton is bringing her reality show search for a new best friend to Dubai, where her hard-partying style will be reined in a notch to accommodate Middle East sensibilities, the production company behind the series said on Tuesday.

Production on the latest version of "Paris Hilton's My New BFF" will begin later this month in Dubai and take 17 days, Ish Entertainment said.

As in the U.S. and British versions of the program, the show will revolve around a group of contestants trying to win Hilton's affection and the title of her "best friend forever," or "BFF" to use text-messaging lingo.

"We're very aware we are not making the same show we would make in Los Angeles," said Ish co-founder Michael Hirschorn. Despite the high alcohol content often found in similar reality shows, Hirschorn said that to respect the local mores of Dubai, alcohol may be nixed from the program.

He added that the idea for the show intrigued him.

"I was excited about the sheer, 'Oh my God, what's going to happen' factor," Hirschorn said.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp will distribute the show internationally, and the program will likely air in Arab countries and possibly in the U.S. on cable channel MTV or on the TV Guide Network, which is owned by Lions Gate. No air date has been set for the show starring Hilton, who has never before been to Dubai.

Hilton, 28, is the daughter of Rick and Kathy Hilton of the Hilton hotel family, and is a favorite of the paparazzi everywhere. Her show "Paris Hilton's My New BFF" began last year on MTV and was soon followed by a British version.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Jill Serjeant)

Source: Reuters.