East Sider keeps MTV film awards show fresh & funky

By Mark Ellwood

What viewers won't see is the born-and-bred New Yorker behind the extravaganza - MTV executive producer Lee Rolontz, helming the show for the second year. 

She executes fateful decisions such as when "The Hills" finale will air (before the awards) and how the red-carpet arrivals will be shown (interspersed with commercials). 

This year's show, airing at 9 p.m., is set to be a blockbuster. Online balloting hit 3 million a week before the event - six times last year's awards. 

Rolontz credits a smackdown between the two frontrunners. 

"It's the 'Twilight'-'Slumdog' slug-it-out year," she explains. 

While "Slumdog Millionaire" dominated the Oscars and has seven MTV nominations, Rolontz is excited about the focus on "Twilight," the vampire love story with six shots at the MTV statuette known as Popcorn Man. 

"It's courageous of MTV," she says. "'Twilight' is not an Oscar movie. It's a movie that audiences can rally around that hasn't been anywhere else." 

Winners in 11 categories - from Best Movie and Best Comedic Performance to Best Kiss and Best Villain - will be announced live. There are two new categories: Best Song from a Movie and Best WTF Moment. 

"On the production side, we said, 'OMG, there were all these crazy moments,'" Rolontz says. "So we looked at the movies of the year and sifted through for more examples." 

WTF nominees include a naked Jason Segel in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," one of the "Slumdog" kids jumping in an outhouse, Amy Poehler using the sink as a toilet in "Baby Mama," and Ben Stiller licking a decapitated head in "Tropic Thunder." 

Speaking of Stiller, the former host will be a recipient this time around. The 43-year-old comedic actor is taking home the MTV Generation Award. 

The host this year is "Saturday Night Live" fave Andy Samberg. "His ease at creating short-form films was a real plus," Rolontz says, noting that Samberg has already churned out a dozen short-film promos. "It's a lot more fun with him." 

Soft-spoken and genial, Rolontz quarterbacks every aspect of the mega-production. 

At a staff meeting 11 days before the big night, she discussed whether stars would bring reality-show crews on the red carpet and if there was room for MTV staffers at scaled-back post-show parties. 

Unlike the Oscars, the MTV show is more than a celebration of the past - it has a forward-looking component, too. 

A resurgent Eminem and rockers Kings of Leon will perform their new songs. There will be previews of new "Transformers" and "Harry Potter" movies. 

Straddling the two mediums isn't hard for Rolontz, who has roots in the music and film business. 

She grew up on the upper East Side, the daughter of an Atlantic Records executive. She got her big break following Wham! to China for a rockumentary. 

"All George Michael worried about was how to get his hairdryer working, the director broke his leg and the trumpeter in the band had a breakdown," she recalls. 

She spent 15 years producing music videos for the likes of Mariah Carey, then segued into longer form TV events like "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." 

In the days before the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, Rolontz was spending most of her time in L.A., where the show is held - mingling with presenters like Sandra Bullock, Cameron Diaz and Shia LaBeouf. 

Make no mistake: she's a hardened Manhattanite who will come home to the upper West Side when all the Popcorn Men have been handed out. 

"I've been to Studio 54 when I was 15. I remember the East Village when it was full of smashed-out cars," she says. "I'm a real New Yorker - even if I can drive."

Source: NY Daily News.

Fuzon, Habib rock Dhaka audience

By Cultural Correspondent

Bangladeshi singer Habib and Pakistan’s band ‘Fuzon’ with their popular numbers enthralled the audience at a live concert held at the Dhaka Sheraton’s Winter Garden on Friday evening.

Country’s music heartthrob Habib first came on the stage with his popular numbers including ‘Hridayer Kotha’, ‘Bhule Jeona’, ‘Krisna’, and ‘Dwidha’ delighting his audience, as usual, with the fusion of melody and romantic lyrics.

The Pakistani music band Fuzon, which has by now earned quite a reputation in the subcontinent, also rocked the audience with their popular tracks including ‘Malhar’, ‘Suna Suna’, ‘Madhubati’ and ‘Terebina’.

The event management organisation Maccom informed the media that they had plans to arrange similar concerts in future to build a cultural bridge between the two countries.

Source: NewAgeBD.

Acting is like mathematics -- Bipasha

By Cultural Correspondent

When I was a child I had a cassette player on which I would listen to “Shesher Kobita” by Tagore every single night before going to sleep. I thought I understood the theme. I listened to that cassette after 15 years again and suddenly realised I hadn't understood a word of it. Acting is like that. Even after 20 years, I feel that I have a lot more to learn." Such is the humility of a household name in Bangladesh -- Bipasha Hayat.

Highly influenced by her father, well renowned actor Abul Hayat, Bipasha always wanted to be an artiste. Her father's sincerity, love and respect for his work enthralled and attracted Bipasha to work in the same line. She wanted to give the audience the flavour of the same simplicity her father managed to present. The motivation to be a famous face was never the guiding force in her taking up the profession of acting.

"Acting is like mathematics," explains this self-critic of her evolution as an actress. "You need to know the theory as well as its application. Practice, concentration and dedication are quintessential." Since the initial years, she has done extensive research and studies on acting and attended numerous workshops. Elaborating on the correlation between acting and mathematics, Bipasha says "How much an eyebrow should be raised for a shot in relation to the facial expression, how many degrees should a head be aligned in a particular direction, these all have to be calculated. It's all very arty and complicated."

Not only has Bipasha been the leading tele-serial actress for years, but she has also emerged into playwriting. Her first brush with writing came when she wrote the serial “Shudhui tomake jani” in 1997. Using a pseudonym, she took the script to three leading artistes of the time. After the serial was telecast it was a raging success and Bipasha was confident that it was her talent and not the "Bipasha name tag" that got appreciated. However, it took her seven more years to take the prospect of writing seriously. This born perfectionist never felt she was ready until her husband Tauquir Ahmed insisted that she start writing. "Writing is like a spark of genius. A thought comes suddenly and I get so engrossed with it that I feel the characters haunting me until I have done each one justice."

An innovative writer, sketching the lead character with shades of good and bad is her specialty. "Every human has a good and bad side, why should heroes be different and be larger than life?"

Her husband has been like a rock foundation in all her projects. In her own words, "Tauquir has always been there for me. We respect each other's work tremendously and are always there for each other.”

A complete woman, Bipasha Hayat is a lover of ancient civilisations and connoisseur of art. With a Master's degree in Fine Arts from the Institute of Fine Arts, DU, someday she wants to hold a solo exhibition. "I am my own critic and I know the time is not yet ripe for a solo exhibition," explains Bipasha.

Source: TheDailyStar.

Big B turns down honorary doctorate by Oz university

By Agencies

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has reacted to racial attacks on Indian students in Australia by rejecting an honorary doctorate offered to him by an Australian university. 

The Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane had offered the 66-year-old veteran a doctorate for his contribution to the world of entertainment and Bachchan had earlier accepted the title.  The honour was to be conferred on the star in July as a part of celebrations to commemorate a retrospective of his films to be inaugurated in the city. 

"I have been witnessing with great dismay and shock, the recent violent attacks on Indian students in Australia, on the electronic media the entire day," Bachchan wrote on his blog. 

"I mean no disrespect to the Institution that honours me, but under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen," he added. 

Australia has recently seen a series of attacks on Indian students, the most serious being the assault of Shravan Kumar, a 25-year-old student from Andhra Pradesh who is battling for life in a hospital here after being stabbed by a screwdriver by a group of teens in a weekend attack that also left three of his friends injured.

Source: ScreenIndia.

New drama serial Dorakata goes on air

By Cultural Correspondent

A new drama serial, titled " Dorakata", is set to go on air from tonight on Rtv. Jointly scripted by Aminur Rahman Mukul and Mahfuza Hilali and directed by Sumon Anwar, the serial will be aired Sundays and Mondays at 9pm. 

The serial revolves around the friendship between five fun loving university students: Shojol, Nirob, Anindyo, Jisa and Hena. The friends plan a trip to Rangamati. En route they encounter a shady character named Abir, also a university student. The friends try to avoid him. On reaching Rangamati, they discover that Abir is staying in the same hotel. The group decide to take no notice--until they discover that he is stalking them.

When the group hire a boat to go to Longduur, Abir persuades them to take him along with them. In the evening, the engine fails, stranding the friends on a desolate hill. Now they come face to face with the stark reality that there are different shades to their characters-- greed, suspicion and the like.

Joyonto Chattopadhyay, Fazlur Rahman Babu, Mir Sabir, Richi Solaiman, Naznin Naz, Raunak Hasan, Shojol, Chandni, Nadia, Nova, Shahriar Shuvo and Sanjida Preeti, among others are the actors in the serial.

Source: TheDailyStar.

Kareena’s footwear fetish

By EXPRESS FEATURES SERVICE

A lot of your personality is revealed through the kind of footwear that you wear. No wonder Kareena Kapoor is very particular about her footwear. We hear that she sticks to YSL and Christian Louboutin. 

The slippers that she wears at home are from Hermes. Kareena bought six pairs of slippers of the same pattern from Hermes recently. “Kareena likes to have the same slippers but in different colours,” says a friend of hers. 

Looks like Kareena’s gearing up to do a bit of foot flirting.

Source: Screen India.

SRK to play baddie in ‘Dhoom 3’

By Agencies

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan who redefined the Bollywood villain by playing the bad guy in films like 'Baazigar', 'Anjaam' and 'Darr' is set to do a negative role once again for 'Dhoom 3', reports said. 

Khan has been approached by Yashraj Films to play the villain in the third edition of Dhoom series and the star has reportedly accepted the offer, Femalefirst reported. 

"Shah Rukh had been approached by the banner to play the main villain in the most successful franchise of Bollywood - the Dhoom series and he has immediately given the nod," a source told the website. 

Last few days there has been a lot of buzz that Saif Ali Khan has signed the dotted line for the same role but it seems they were just plain rumours, the source added. 

'Dhoom 3' is slated to go on floor early next year, but the director is yet to be decided. Reports suggest that either Sanjay Gadhvi or Aditya Chopra might direct the the third edition of the franchise. 

"The shooting of Dhoom 3 may start early next year. However, it is not yet clear who is going to direct the film as the original director of the film, Sanjay Gadhvi, after the first two films hay moved out of the YRF camp," the source added. 

The superstar will follows in the footsteps of John Abraham and Hrithik Roshan who have both played villains in the Dhoom series opposite cop Abhishek Bachchan.

Source: Screen India.

Buddhadev enchants audience with esraj

By Rahad Abir

The eminent Indian instrumentalist, Buddhadev Das, delighted music aficionados in Dhaka by playing the esraj at Bay’s Galleria, Radius Centre, in Gulshan in the city, on Friday. Shadhona, a centre for advancement of South Asian music and dance, organised the function.

At the beginning of his recital, Das talked about the instrument and introduced his esraj. After paying his respects to his guru Ranadhir Roy, Das said that the esraj he played was a little different from the usual ones and that it was especially made for him, by his guruji.

He further described the history of esraj, which is about 200 years old, considered a new instrument in the history of the Indian music. Rabindranath Tagore preferred the use of this instrument in his music.

At the function, Das started his recital by playing the Raag Emon. The audience gradually became captivated and enjoyed the playing in pin drop silence, at the hall. Later, he played Raag Desh. The recital was concluded with Raag Khamba. Das was accompanied by Swarup Hossain on tabla. A large number of music lovers, including locals and foreigners, enjoyed the two-hour recital.

At the end of the programme, Sadaf Saaz, on behalf of Shadhona, thanked Das for his brilliant performance. Salauddin Ahmed, a patron of Shadhona, greeted the instrumentalist with a bouquet of flowers.

Expressing his feelings, Das said, ‘I actually came to Bangladesh to see my friends and to spend a good time. I have many friends here, such as Luva Nahid Choudhury, Mridul Kanti Chakraborti, Lily Islam, Chayan Islam; we all studied together at Santiniketan. My friends arranged the programme and that is why I played. But it was not the main reason for my visit to Bangladesh.’

Das performed his esraj recital twice before in Bangladesh, in 1994 and in 1999. Bengal Foundation will organise a recital of him at 7:00pm on June 4 at Bengal Shilpalaya in Dhanmondi.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

The new and improved Abhishek Bachchan-17 Kgs lighter!

By EXPRESS FEATURES SERVICE

Abhishek Bachchan is 17 kgs lighter and flaunts a newly acquired Mediterranean tan, thanks to the Cannes sojourn with wife Aishwarya Rai. It’s just the right physique to take on Ram’s army, he jokes, about his title role in Mani Ratnam’s Ravana. 

Bachchan made a quick stopover at Delhi’s Emporio Mall where he attended Louis Vuitton’s one year anniversary in India on Tuesday. “Fans will be pleased that I have lost my baby fat,” he says before talking about the diet and exercise regimen he has been on for the past six months.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Jolie suffers head injury on set

By BBC

Actress Angelina Jolie was taken to hospital on Friday after suffering a head injury while on set for her latest film, movie bosses have said.

The 33-year-old was shooting an action sequence for upcoming thriller Salt in New York when she suffered "a minor bump to the head". 

Columbia Pictures spokesman Steve Elzer said Jolie was taken to a local hospital as a "precautionary measure". 

He added she was back on set later that day and production had resumed. 

Salt sees Jolie star as a CIA officer who goes on the run after being accused of being a Russian sleeper spy. 

It had been reported last year that the role had been initially earmarked for Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, and that the script and title were reworked after Jolie became involved in the film. 

The movie, which also features X-Men Origins: Wolverine star Liev Schreiber and British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, is due to be released in cinemas in the summer of next year.

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

Deepika Padukone more beautiful than Angelina Jolie

By Agencies

Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie is facing competition in the looks department by none other than Bollywood starlet Deepika Padukone. 

Padukone who made headlines by debuting opposite superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, has been hailed more beautiful than Jolie by 'The Fast and the Furious' director Rob Cohen, FemaleFirst reported. 

"Deepika Padukone is gorgeous and is more beautiful than Angelina Jolie," Dohen said. 

Cohen, whose credits includes 'The Witches of Eastwick' and 'The Fast and the Furious', 'Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story' has even indicated that he is interested in casting the the Indian beauty for his next film project, the website said. 

Padukone is a favourite in the world of fashion, having endorsed International brands like Maybelline and Levi's in the past. 

She was also the most searched celebrity on Yahoo! India in 2008, surpassing Bollywood favourites Aishwarya Rai and Shilpa Shetty.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Transformers 2: New Info & Pic For ‘The Fallen’

By Rob Keyes 

Of the many new Cybertronian characters we’ll finally see next month, making their big screen debuts in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the title character is the one we’ve seen the least of and know the least about. MTV sought to address this by speaking with Shia LaBeouf who revealed some new info on the character and an exclusive still from the movie featuring The Fallen.

Back in February, we got our first look at The Fallen character design but this new image is the first clear shot of him in action from an actual scene in the movie. LaBeouf had quite a lot to say about the character and revealed quite a bit about him that we’ve not heard others who are involved with the film talk about yet:

“He is the king bee… He’s the patriarchal figure, he’s the main dude. He’s what all of this came from.”

“Basically, the Fallen is to them what cavemen, Neanderthals were to us… He’s the ancestor, the first version of this exoskeleton. He’s the first version of this sentient being. That’s what he is. He’s the origins of what they came from.”

While fans of the Transformers universe know the general stuff about the character, Shia then went on to talk about the more organic and demonic alien-like live-action adaptation of The Fallen.

“It’s the design of the Transformer you see in the symbol, almost — at least, that’s where the jump-off point of the idea was spawned from… That was the initial spark of his look, the actual Decepticon logo — which is cool.”

As for what role The Fallen will play in the movie, especially knowing that Megatron will be back in the sequel, Shia had this to say about their relationship and the Decepticon leadership structure:

“It’s the Emperor and Darth Vader — it’s that kind of situation… [The Fallen] is the main villain, so two and two makes four. He’s a badass. He has to be.

“The Fallen, his transportation method is really unlike any other robot’s transportation method… The way he fights is also very different. It’s spectacular, visually stunning, really incredible.”

It all sounds intriguing to me and I’m excited for this movie to finally debut. With the crazy rushed schedule of the film’s post-production and most notably, the special effects work, I really hope the film looks finished (unlike X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and the robots don’t come off looking too fake.

He certainly does look very organic compared to the other characters we’ve seen so far. Since he is one of the original Transformers, does that make him primitive in terms of his power and abilities? Doubtful. I’m thinking he’ll be more god-like in power and I’m curious about what he’ll transform into to travel as Shia referenced.

The star of the films also says the film is definitely of a darker tone compared to the first and he has yet to see the finished version of the character as we all know director Michael Bay is working some very long hours to get the film done in time for its release a mere few weeks away. He’ll be seeing it for the first time at its official premiere.

What do you think of the image and of what Mr. LaBeouf had to say about the character?

Source: http://screenrant.com

Paris Hilton Slipped Into Jail After 2007 MTV Movie Awards

Heiress used awards show as a diversion for her paparazzi-free prison entrance, in 'MTV Movie Awards Confidential.'

By Eric Ditzian

Paris Hilton: Jailbird, sure. Savvy media player, absolutely. If anyone had any doubts about Hilton's talent for turning a personal nightmare into a PR win, the hotel heiress' appearance at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards laid those doubts to rest.

Even though Hilton was due at any moment to check in to prison as a result of a parole violation, she still attended the show and walked proudly down the Los Angeles red carpet. "Everybody thought because she's going to jail really soon, she's going to drop off the radar," executive producer Mark Burnett said. "But Paris Hilton's very smart. She did the opposite and showed up." 

If the paparazzi wanted to trail Hilton everywhere she went, hoping to catch a coveted glimpse of the reality star slinking shamefaced into prison, Hilton's strategy was to step into the eye of the storm. Plus, she just wanted to have a good time. 

"I decided to do something nice before I went off," she told MTV News.

Inside the Gibson Amphitheatre, Hilton settled into a prime seat near the stage as host Sarah Silverman came out for her opening monologue. Any question about whether the acerbic comedian would go after Hilton were dismissed when Silverman launched into an off-color joke involving male genitals and prison bars. But while Paris was sitting there taking a beating, she had her own plan in the works. 

After staying for almost the entire show, she headed off — not to some glitzy afterparty, but to jail. Meanwhile, the paparazzi were busy chasing celebrities at the Movie Awards. The end result was that all the photogs missed the money shot of Hilton slipping into prison. 

"She knew Sarah Silverman would go after her and make it a big, uncomfortable moment," Burnett said. "But she was willing to deal with that because she knew afterwards, when the paparazzi least expected it, she checked herself into jail."

Source: http://www.mtv.com

Ram Gopal Varma and Gul Panag at war?

By BollywoodHungamaNewsNetwork

If trouble makers had their way; the sets of Rann could well have become a 'ranbhoomi' of sorts for Gul Panag and Ram Gopal Varma to indulge into some verbal and possibly electronic battle. Reason? A few days back, Gul received a comment from Ram Gopal Varma on one of the blogs on her website. The comment was quite harsh and below the belt as Ramu apparently blasted Gul for the way she had written the blog, both structurally as well as thematically. 

"I was literally dumb founded as Ramu was otherwise so nice to me on the sets. I never expected him to express his outburst in such a manner and that too in a public forum. I read his comment not just once or twice but multiple times. However, it was difficult for me to get out of it for days at stretch", reveals Gul who still shudders with the very remembrance of the comments that came her way. 

Though she continued to shoot for ‘Rann’, at the back of her mind she always remembered the verbal thrashing that she received from her director. Moreover, to her surprise, Ramu seemed absolutely normal and business like while explaining scenes to her on the sets. 

"I was continuing to be quite upset though since I expected him to be a gentleman in his approach. I was in two minds to get back to my laptop and give him back by replying to him on the blog. I guess I have been quite prominent on the literary circuits and believe that I have a good command over the language. There was no way I was going to take anything like that lying down", Gul goes back down the memory lane.  However, enough was enough for Gul and instead of keying her thoughts on the blog, she decided to have a conversation with Ramu. 

"I thought it would be in the best of everyone's interest if we talk it out rather than getting into an electronic duel", says Gul, "So I walked up to Ramu and asked him what he felt about my blog and what exactly did he mean by those comments that he posted. Imagine my horror though when it was his turn to be shocked now!" 

Why, what happened? "Well, he was completely ignorant about any such incident and stated that it wasn't him who had posted a comment. I too got red faced but then pretty much relieved. As it turned out, it was some impostor who just wanted his silly moment of fun and attempted breaking a professional tie. It's so stupid actually since he/she almost got me on the edge. But yes, now I too would be more careful about assessing a comment coming from a real v/s a fake contributor", smiles Gul.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Twilight lovers reunited for steamy kiss in New Moon sequel

By Daily Mail Reporter

Despite denying any off-screen romance, it appears Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are doing a good job of convincing the world they are in love.

The reunited Twilight stars shared a steamy kiss when filming scenes for film New Moon today - leaving onlookers wondering if the passionate display was genuine or just for cameras. The young cast have been living 'la dolce vita' in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano since they arrived this week to film for the upcoming sequel.

No doubt Kristen's boyfriend Michael Agnarano, who joined the co-stars at a local pizzeria for lunch yesterday, will find the fiery scenes painful to watch. Pictured leaving his hotel for lunch, English heart-throb Robert waved at the dozens of adoring female fans waiting outside for a glimpse of their idol.

While the crew have been setting the scene in the medieval town, Robert and Kristen have been enjoying the food and sights of Tuscany. With temperatures reaching a balmy 33 degrees yesterday, the cast were hopefully covering in suncream to make sure their skin stays ghostly white to play vampires.

Clearly feeling the heat of the midday sun, their 22-year-old co-star Ashley Greene, who plays vampire Alice Cullen, stripped off to a pink bikini to enjoy a dip in the hotel pool. New Moon reunites Robert, 23, and Kristen, 19, as vampire Edward Cullen and his human girlfriend Bella Swan in the latest saga in the Twilight series.

The town of Montepulciano is standing in for Volterra, the ancient Italian city where the Volturi vampire coven live. The young actors were catapulted to international fame last year when they were plucked from obscurity to star in the big screen adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's book.

Moving on from the Twilight movie, which saw newcomer Bella adjust to life in Forks, Washington and falling in love with vampire Edward, the couple find their relationship threatened by his vampirism in New Moon. The sequel sees the species-challenged couple taking a break and Bella gets an education in the world of wolves from her friend and Edward's love rival Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner).

In the film, Bella's life hangs in the balance when she is attacked by a vampire named Victoria, from the rival vampire coven and is seeking revenge for her partner James's death in the Twilight film. Fans of the book will already know if Edward comes back to save Bella and resumes their relationship, but film audiences will have to wait until November when New Moon hits cinemas.

While all the Twilight cast are back for New Moon, there are also some new co-stars, including Michael Sheen as Aro, leader of the ancient Italian vampire coven of Volturi , who employs Dakota Fanning as one of the guards. Meyer's Twilight books have sold over 25million copies worldwide and a further 20million copies in the U.S. and have been translated in 37 languages.

When the Twilight movie was released in the U.S. on November 21st, it took an amazing $69million on its opening weekend. New Moon is expected to be released in the UK on November 27.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Zainul Abedin’s death anniv today

By Mohiuddin Alamgir

The 33rd anniversary of the death of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin will be observed today.

Several socio-cultural organisations have chalked up various programmes, including discussions and drawing competitions for children, to mark the occasion. Zainul Shishu Niketan and Desh TV will hold an art camp for children at the fine arts faculty in Dhaka University today.

The programme, Desh Shishu Kishore Art Camp, will begin at 2:00pm and it will continue till 6:00pm. About 500 children have been selected for the competition, said the organisers. Actor Assudzzaman Nur, artist Hashem Khan, Shishir Bhattacharya will attend the camp as guests.

Zainul Abedin was born on December 29, 1914 in Kishoreganj. His father, Tamijuddin Ahmed, was a police subinspector. In 1930, Abedin left home without informing his parents and went to Kolkata with his friends to visit the Government School of Arts.

He got himself admitted at the school in 1936 before completing his matriculation. He stayed there in one of his relation’s housel, but after some days, he left the house and spent two nights in a mosque. Later, he managed a place in a boarding house on Wellesley Lane in Kolkata.

As a student of the Government School of Arts, he studied the western academic style of drawing, watercolour, oil and printmaking. Then he drew the picturesque views of Dumka in Bihar and Mymensingh of the then East Bengal, now Bangladesh.

Zainul was recruited as a teacher when he was a student of the final year of the school in 1938. He received the governor’s gold medal for his landscapes in the All India Art Exhibition held on the school premises in the year. His drawings on the Bengal famine, in 1943, were displayed, first, in an exhibition on famine in Kolkata in 1944. The Communist Part of India organised the exhibition.

He took part in the art exhibition by Muslim students at the Islamia College in Kolkata in 1946. He also attended the exhibition of Indian artists at Burlington in London. After the India’s partition in 1947, he migrated to Dhaka and joined as an art teacher the Normal School at Armanitola in Dhaka. He worked for the establishment of the Government Institute of Arts and became its ‘principal designated’ in 1948.

After the India’s partition in 1947, he migrated to Dhaka and joined as an art teacher the Normal School at Armanitola in Dhaka. He worked for the establishment of the Government Institute of Arts and became its ‘principal designated’ in 1948. Most of the pieces of the famine series are kept in the Bangladesh National Museum at Shahbagh and other works of Zainul are on display at the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala in Mymensingh.

Zainul was involved in all stages of the movement that led to the creation of Bangladesh. He was in the forefront of the cultural movement to re-establish the Bengali identity, marginalised by the Pakistan government. In 1969, Abedin painted a scroll using Chinese ink, watercolour and wax named Nabanna. In 1975, he founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon, near Dhaka, and Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala, a gallery of his own works, in Mymensingh. ‘Two Faces’ was his last painting, done shortly before his death.

Abedin had suffered from lung cancer and died on May 28, 1976 at the PG Hospital (now BSMMU) in Dhaka.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Kylie Minogue taking drama lessons for Bollywood

By Agencies

After shooting for an item number with Akshay Kumar, Australian singer Kylie Minogue now wants to have a full fledged career in the industry famed for it's song and dance extravaganzas. 

And Minogue is now taking acting lessons to prepare herself for an acting career, reported Mirror online. 

"I would quite like to do some comedy or rom-com roles. And I think it will be fun to do a Bollywood movie," said the pint sized pop star who had began her career with an Aussie soap in the 80's. 

The 41-year-old Minogue who is currently dating Spanish model Andres Velencoso is scared at the thought of auditioning for a role and therefore is taking acting lessons to boost her confidence. 

"I'm taking some acting courses to brush up on my skills.They are going well, but the thought of going in front of an audition panel again scares the life out of me," said Minogue.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

'Slumdog' filmmakers meet poor kid stars in Mumbai

By ERIKA KINETZ (AP)

MUMBAI, India — The makers of "Slumdog Millionaire" met the film's two impoverished child stars on Wednesday and reassured them they will soon have new homes. But the father of one of the children stormed out, saying the filmmakers have not done enough to help.

Rubina Ali, 9, and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, 10, both lost their homes this month after city authorities demolished parts of their slum in Mumbai. Rubina has been staying with relatives and Azhar has been living in a makeshift shanty of tarps and blankets with his parents.

"We've been trying for a long time to move them into legal accommodation," director Danny Boyle told reporters at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on the outskirts of Mumbai, where he and producer Christian Colson met the children and their families. Relations between the filmmakers and the children's families have grown tense since the phenomenal success of the film, which grossed more than $326 million.

The filmmakers set up a trust aimed at ensuring the children get proper homes, a decent education, a monthly stipend and a nest egg when they finish high school. They have pledged to spend up to $100,000 to buy the two families new apartments and have donated $747,500 to a charity to help slum children across Mumbai.

Colson has described the trust as substantial, but will not tell anyone how much it contains — not even the children's parents — for fear of making the youngsters vulnerable to exploitation.

Nirja Mattoo, who helps oversee the children's trust, said a new home has been found for Azhar's family near to his school and neighborhood. "We are finalizing the deal. Next week it should be done," she said.

The hunt for Rubina's house continues, she added.

But Rafiq Qureshi, Rubina's father, said Boyle has not done enough.

"It's no big deal for them, this kind of money. It's been five or six months we've been living in such difficulty. They should help us," he said in an interview after he cut the meeting short in anger.

"After the Oscars they forgot about us," he added. "For two months we didn't get any money."

Mattoo declined to comment on Qureshi's behavior.

"We're trying our best to get it (a house) as soon as possible," she said by phone.

Boyle said he planned to make two more films set in Mumbai.

Additional reporting by Gautam Singh and Rajanish Kakade in Mumbai.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

Source: http://www.google.com

Documentary on Shah Abdul Karim screened

By Rahad Abir

The launching ceremony of ‘Bhatir Purush’, a documentary by Shakoor Majid featuring the life and music of the legendary folk singer Shah Abdul Karim, was held on Wednesday at Shahid Zia Auditorium of the Bangladesh National Museum. The programme was organised by Laser Vision.

Minister for Education Nurul Islam Nahid was present as the chief guest while noted actor Mamunur Rashid and eminent music personality Professor Mridul Kanti Chakrobarty were present as special guests. The chairman of Laser Vision, A K M Arifur Rahman, presided over the event. The function started with the screening of the documentary ‘Bhatir Purush’. A boy named Abdul Karim was born in a low land area in Sunamganj of the then greater Sylhet district of Bangladesh almost hundred years ago. His parents could not afford to send him in a school. But the boy had started to learn from his surroundings—water, boat, nature and people and in course of time, the boy turned himself into a living legend named Shah Abdul Karim.—this was the beginning of the documentary.

Praising the documentary of Shakoor Majid, the chief guest Nurul Islam Nahid said, ‘I hope Shakoor will continue this type of work.’ Mamunur Rashid said that Sunamganj was once rich for its traditional cultural activities but unfortunately the richness has gradually been declining. He also said that Shah Abdul Karim is an example of the cultural richness of the area. ‘I congratulate Shakoor on his work on Shah Abdul karim because this is the first work on him.’ said Dr. Mridul Kanti Chakrobarty.

Shakoor Majid started making of the documentary in 2002. To express his feelings Shakoor said, ‘I feel proud because I can screen the film which is a result of six years’ hard work.’ He also told the media that he would make an international version of the film under the title of ‘Saint of Water’.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Kate Gosselin’s hair looks gr‘8’ on anyone

By Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa

We are officially obsessed with the “Jon & Kate Plus 8” drama. Did Jon cheat with the teacher? Did Kate cheat with the bodyguard? Who gets custody of all those adorable quarter-Asian babies???

Every day it’s a new scandal for the Gosselins: Kate gave Jon a $5-a-day allowance and raised hell if he overspent. Jon’s a deadbeat Octodad who stays with Kate for the dough. Kate wouldn’t let Jon talk to his brothers at his father’s funeral. There’s no end to the turmoil! The tabloids and celebrity rags have relentlessly chronicled the family circus and apparently they are running out of revelations. Because yesterday, Us maggie - which has been leading the Gosselin charge - was reduced to putting Kate’s infamous hairdo - aka “The Volcano” - on an assortment of celebrity heads.

Kate’s coif, as you may know, has been getting nearly as much attention as Jon’s nocturnal wanderings. The spiky-in-the-back, sloping-in-the-front punk cut has been slammed by stylists who say it looks like it was done with a salad spinner. “It’s not going to work for everybody,” Kate warned. “I have very, very thick hair . . . I’ve seen people come through the book line with thin hair and it just won’t work.”

No, obviously not. And since we aren’t above sinking as low as Us maggie, take a look at some of our local celebs in full Gosselin . . .

Source: http://www.bostonherald.com

Brangelina ‘at each other's throats’ over Jennifer Aniston

By Agencies

Is Jennifer Aniston, the 'other woman' in the Brangelina story? If latest reports are to be believed Hollywood's 'It' couple are "at each other's throats" over Pitt's renewed closeness to his ex-wife. 

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had quashed rumours that their relationship is in trouble by putting up a united front at the Cannes premiere of 'Inglourious Basterds' with Pitt claiming that he has never been happier in his entire life.  But latest reports claim that the show of togetherness was just a facade and the couple are heading towards splits-villa as Jolie is upset over Pitt's renewed friendship with 'Friends' star Jennifer Aniston whom he had divorced in 2005, reported Daily Mail online. 

"Angie doesn't want to be a laughing stock because the world knows how close he and Jen are right now and how often they talk. But Brad wants to remain friends with Jennifer and told Angie he wouldn't cut off contact," a source told the newspaper.  The couple have been at the centre of split rumours after reports that he secretly met with Aniston last month infuriating Jolie. The actress had reportedly even threatened to cancel her Cannes visit unless Pitt promised to cut all ties with his ex, but Pitt refused to do so. 

Onlookers at the Cannes premiere said that once the cameras stopped clicking, Jolie's smile disappeared and she furiously ran up the stairs of the theatre leaving a flustered Brad to run after her.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

'Drag Me to Hell' will get your pulse racing

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

The best horror movies, like the best amusement park rides, should elicit equal parts screams and laughter. Drag Me to Hell fits that squirmy bill and then some.

Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man movies) has fashioned a slick, old-school scarefest that combines the best of schlocky fright flicks with classic supernatural thrillers. Raimi returns triumphant to the genre where he cut his teeth, so to speak, with 1981's The Evil Dead. (Speaking of things dental, there are some outrageous moments involving a toothless old lady and her menacing dentures.)

The movie centers on a contest between this geriatric meanie (Lorna Raver) and Christine (Alison Lohman), a damsel in distress who fights back. A bank officer angling for a promotion, Christine rejects an extension on the old lady's defaulted home loan. How timely that the mayhem is kicked off by someone facing foreclosure.

The elderly woman, whose vaguely Slavic accent conjures up images of gypsies, does more than give Christine the evil eye, though eyeballs do figure prominently.

Evoking the black comedy of his early horror films, Raimi has fashioned a cathartic thrill ride that seems almost innocent by current horror standards. He relies on shadows and ominous sounds to make the audience jump and recoil, rather than grisly violence, blood splattering or bone-crunching special effects.

Drag Me to Hell is horror light. Jokey and playful, it's far from the torture porn of such fright flicks as the Saw and Hostel series. Instead of gruesome weaponry or mass slaughter, there are insects and a ghostly séance.

For witty one-liners, there's Justin Long as Clay, Christine's devoted boyfriend. Most of the roles are caricatures, but intentionally so.

Drag Me to Hell is unlike any scary thriller in a while: frightening, frenzied and fun.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com

Terri Seymour gets restraining order

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Court records show Terri Seymour has received a temporary restraining order against a woman accused of choking her outside the "American Idol" finale.

Seymour, who is the ex-girlfriend of "Idol" judge Simon Cowell and a correspondent for "Extra," requested the protection on Tuesday.

Police arrested Janice Thibodeaux (TI'-bo-doh) last week after officers say they saw her try to choke Seymour outside the Nokia Theater where "Idol" is produced.

Seymour says she remains scared of Thibodeaux because she has been released from jail.

In an interview with RadarOnline.com Thibodeaux says she didn't regret her actions and explains that they were in retaliation for Cowell playfully choking fellow "Idol" judge Paula Abdul on the show.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.google.com

Adriana Lima expecting first child

By Agencies

Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima is expecting her first child with basketball star Marko Jaric. 

The Victoria's Secret model married the Memphis Grizzlies basketball player on Valentine's day this year and now the couple is expecting their first child, ‘Contactmusic’ reported.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Jordan caught in sex tape storm

By ANI

Katie Price a.k.a Jordan has found herself embroiled in a sex tape storm. 

Big Brother star Billi Bhatti claims that the former glamour model had a 10-month "cyber-affair" with him.  He said the two spent months dabbling in steamy web-sex talk behind her hubby Peter Andre's back. 

Bhatti has released a scandalous one-minute home video, which according to him shows a naked Jordan.  He also revealed explicit details of his alleged 10-month online "fling" in an interview. 

"She was pretty dirty," the Daily Star quoted him Bhatti as saying. 

"She sent me a load of images exposing herself, as well as a video," he added. 

The 27-year-old has already been dubbed ''Billi Liar'' after he wrongly boasted of bedding BB babe Chanelle Hayes, 20.  Meanwhile, mum-of-three Kate, 31, spent an afternoon with top media lawyers following the allegations. 

Sources have revealed that the tape appears to be doctored to stitch her up. One photo appears to show Jordan on her back, naked with legs apart.  Bhatti said that his "online affair" with the star initiated after meeting her in London's Embassy Club in August 2007. 

"I didn't think I'd hear from her, so when she found me on MySpace three days later, referring to the conversation we'd had in the club, I was quite surprised," he said. 

"I knew it was her because she was talking about the conversation we had had. That's when we started talking and exchanged e-mail addresses. She gave me hers so I could contact her on MSN. 

"I even got myself a webcam because she wanted me to. 

"I started using Facebook to speak to her as well," he added. 

And their conversations gradually became "fruity" and sexually explicit, he said. 

The allegations, however, have been dismissed by the troubled Jordan's friends - and by her estranged husband Andre.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Jessica Simpson plans new reality TV show 'The Price of Beauty'

By Cristina Everett

Jessica Simpson is coming to a television set near you. 

The singer, who has repeatedly faced public scrutiny for her fluctuating weight, has reportedly visited TV networks to pitch a reality series titled “The Price of Beauty.” 

The show will be based on society’s outlook of women’s bodies, Us Weekly reports in its upcoming issue. 

"She and a friend set off on a road trip around the world in search of what people find beautiful and why," says a source. 

Simpson, whose first attempt at reality television was with ex-husband Nick Lachey on MTV’s “Newlyweds,” will be working closely with the show. 

The 28-year-old will even try some of the "shocking things that women do to make themselves beautiful. Picture 'Fear Factor.'" 

The singer's rep tells Us, "Jessica is indeed working on a new show, but network details have not been finalized at this time."

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com

Jolie gorges on chocolates

By Agencies

Actress Angelina Jolie is famous for her skinny frame but that doesn't stop her from relishing on chocolates.

The 33-year-old actress, who has been frequently branded underweight, was spotted gorging on chocolate cake to celebrate the birthday of Simon West, the director of her upcoming thriller 'Salt' on the New York set, ‘Daily Mail’ online reported.

Wearing a sleek black wig, smokey eye-makeup, and a set of handcuffs dangling from her left wrist, the star was back to work after a break to join partner Brad Pitt in Cannes.  Jolie has been constantly filming the spy drama in and around the New York and the couple have rented a house in Long Island for brood of six children.

'Salt' sees the actress playing CIA officer Evelyn Salt who is on a mission to clear her name after being accused of being a Russian sleeper agent.  The film features several action-packed scenes which the actress has reportedly executed herself without a stuntwoman.

The film was originally earmarked for actor Tom Cruise, before being rewritten for Jolie and is due to be released next year.

Source: 

Robert Pattinson: Fans pay $20,000 for kiss -- on the cheek

By Mandi Bierly

At amfAR's annual Cinema Against AIDS charity event in Cannes Thursday night, Robert Pattinson auctioned off two kisses* -- at $20,000 a pucker. Commendable definitely. But the kisses were only on the cheek. UNACCEPTABLE! Unless he lingered and whispered something sweet in my their ears like "You're lovely." 

Honestly, how much money would you be willing to drop for a kiss from Pattinson? Which celeb's kiss would get you to open your wallet the quickest? (It's Friday. Play along.)

* Neither went to Sharon Stone, who hosted the auction.

Source: http://popwatch.ew.com

Clinton's sax sold at auction for AIDS research

By JILL LAWLESS (AP)

CAP D'ANTIBES, France — Bill Clinton's saxophone and Robert Pattinson's lips have helped a star-studded charity event raise money to fight AIDS.

An alto sax signed and donated by the former U.S. president was one of the star lots at the Cinema Against AIDS benefit on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival, selling for euro130,000 ($180,000). There was also keen bidding on two kisses from "Twilight" star Pattinson, which raised euro20,000 ($28,000) each.

Sharon Stone hosted the 16th annual event late Thursday at the exclusive Hotel du Cap on the French Riviera. Annie Lennox entertained about 800 guests who included Paris Hilton, model Claudia Schiffer, director Terry Gilliam, rapper 50 Cent and scientist James Watson, one of the discoverers of DNA.

Stone urged people to give generously despite the global economic slump. "Looking down at the price of my own shoes, we in this room cannot pretend that we have nothing to give," she said.

Like the Cannes Film Festival itself, the event was more muted than in recent years, with just a smattering of A-list stars and some lots selling for below their estimates. Organizers said the event raised a total of $4.5 million, compared with $10 million last year. Proceeds from the event go to the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), a nonprofit organization that supports HIV/AIDS research.

Guests had to pass through police checkpoints to get to the event, where they drank champagne in the hotel grounds overlooking the Mediterranean before dining on smoked salmon and roasted sea bass. "Everybody knows there is a global economic slowdown of epic proportions," said Clinton, who supports AIDS research and treatment through his William J. Clinton Foundation.

He noted that $30 trillion in wealth had disappeared around the world between September and March, "and a lot of it came out of some of your bank accounts."

"I'm here with people who tell stories for a living," Clinton said.

"You don't need to read many novels or make many movies to realize that everybody has a story. ... Every time a child dies of AIDS somewhere in the world, the light goes out of a story."

Items on the auction blocks included a Fiat 500 car customized by Diesel, which sold for euro80,000 ($110,000); tennis lessons from pros Monica Seles and Jelena Jankovic, which raised euro35,000 ($50,000); and a handmade Karl Lagerfeld guitar case filled with Dom Perignon champagne, sold for euro50,000 ($70,000).

The offer of a special screening of Quentin Tarantino's World War II revenge caper "Inglourious Basterds" raised euro60,000 ($84,000).

Amid the auctioneering, Lennox entertained guests with songs including "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves." The singer dedicated "There Must be an Angel" to amfAR supporter Natasha Richardson, who died after a skiing accident in March. Stone said amfAR was setting up a fund in Richardson's memory for research on a cure for AIDS and donated $50,000 to help it along.

"Natasha said that she would go on until a cure was found for AIDS," Stone said. "I believe that she will."

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

Source: http://www.google.com

Nothing left for me to do but...DANCE!

By Lindsay Soll

The Wayans Brothers and MTV Films' comedy Dance Flick opens tonight, and we've gotten all nostalgic just thinking about all the toe-tapper movies Flick could possibly parody. Know what might be just as good as the movie? Today's EW.com photo gallery of 30 Classic Dance Scenes! My personal favorite by far: Center Stage's Cooper's Dance. I know, I know, the film is kind of considered a guilty pleasure, but in all seriousness, I think it's a great movie. And by great, I mean that I can pretty much watch it over and over again and never get sick of it. (Admit it: every time you catch it on ABC Family and such, you get sucked in too!) I love getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of super-competitive dance, but the best part of Stage is the finale performance in which Jody (Amanda Schull...um, wonder where she is these days?) sheds her good-girl image -- literally -- and busts a move in a fiery red costume to Jamiroquai's "Canned Heat." 

What about you, PopWatchers? Which dance scene puts canned heat in your heels?

Source: http://popwatch.ew.com

Spiderman star commits suicide

By Agencies

British actress 'Lucy Gordon' who was being touted as the 'next big thing' in international cinema after getting her break in 'Spiderman 3’ was found dead at her apartment in Paris. 

Gordon, 28, committed suicide at her central Paris apartment yesterday and her body was found by her boyfriend who then alerted the police, reported Sun online.  The suicide was confirmed by a spokesperson for the police who said, "We confirm the death of Lucy Gordon in an apparent suicide."  Her agent Jean-Louis Diamonika also confirmed that Gordon had taken her own life. The actress who was just days away from her 29th birthday had recently finished shooting for a yet-untitled-film where she portrayed Jane Birkin, the actress wife of French cultural icon Serge Gainsbourg.  

A spokesman for the ongoing Cannes film festival called Gordon "a hugely promising young actress" while saying, "We are devastated by this news. All those attending the festival had been hugely impressed by Lucy's work. She was a star in the making."  The Oxford-born actress, who had recently moved to France, had a leading part in the romantic comedy 'The Russian Dolls' in which she co-starred with Amelie star Audrey Tautou. 

She had also starred in the recent film Perfume, and had a role in a new French comedy Cineman, due out later this year.

Source: http://www.google.com

Anupam Kher to host premiere of 'Saaransh'

By Agencies

To celebrate completion of his 25 years in the film industry, noted actor Anupam Kher will host the premiere of his debut film 'Saaransh' on Sunday. 

The premiere could not take place 25 years ago because of the Bhiwandi riots. Now, 25 years and 380 films later, Anupam wants to celebrate the beginning of his journey in films and relive the moments of a first time actor. 

He has invited the film's director Mahesh Bhatt and co-stars Rohini Hattangadi and Soni Razdan for the premiere. According to the actor, 'Saaransh' gave him, a 28-year-old struggling actor then, a fresh lease of life. "I feel humbled and thankful to God that hard work and honesty had paid off," he said. 

'Saaransh' is not just a film but a philosophy of life. Some films are timeless and 'Saaransh' is one of them, Anupam who played a 70-year-old character in the film, recalled fondly. "For 16 more years, I will be younger than my debut screen character," he said. 

On the high and low points of his film career spanning a quarter of a century, Kher said both meant a lot to him.  "As you grow older, you mature as a person and that is most important," he said. 

Anupam said out of the 380 films he had done, he was proud to be a part of at least 50 movies, "Saaransh", "Lamhe", "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge", "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara" and "a Wednesday" to name a few. 

The actor said he was also proud of his acting school – Actor Prepares – and the new breed of actors coming out of the Institute.  "Being a teacher has given me tremendous satisfaction. I still have the same enthusiasm for life and cinema," he said. 

On criticism he received for being seen in mediocre films in the recent times, he said, "If one does good work, there is also mediocre work."  Anupam will be next seen in Yash Raj Films' "Haddippa" and Karan Johar's "Wake up Sid" apart from films like "Hawai Dada" and "Sankat Stiti". 

Kher, who turned director with the film "Om Jai Jagadish", said he was writing the script of his next film which will go on floors next year.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

How will 'Jon & Kate' deal with their marital fate? Gosselin family addresses cracks in marriage

By Richard Huff

TLC launches its new season of "Jon & Kate Plus 8" Monday at 9, and how it handles the couple's marital problems on-air could make or break the show. Promos pitch Monday's show as the first time Jon and Kate Gosselin come together face-to-face since they've gone public with their troubled marriage.

"They're now in a really interesting position," said Syracuse University Professor Robert Thompson, who heads the school's Center for Popular Culture. "They're in the news, people are talking about them, and there's a story surrounding them that's got some real buzz other than having a litter of children."

But there's risks with that, too. Since it launched, "Jon & Kate Plus 8" has been a show that draws families because it focused on the daily lives of the couple and their eight kids - and everything from poop to parties. Now, however, with Kate admitting to People magazine that she was unsure of their marriage, and Jon being photographed out late with someone other than his wife, the story may change. A promo for Monday's show includes the couple's sextuplets' fifth birthday party, and clips of Jon and Kate, looking a bit beleaugered, doing rare interviews alone.

"The world isn't about ratings, and TV," Jon says. "It's about happiness and love, family and God. I think we all get caught up in everything. Too much of anything is bad. Because I love my kids, and I love my family, and that's what it is. Kate and I, obviously, have been going through a lot of stuff. And discussing what's best for our kids ... what do we say in the beginning \[of the show\], it's a crazy life, but it's our life."

Therein lies the challenge, though. Because of the troubles in their marriage, and the tabloid tales following them, the audience potential for Monday's show is enormous. Perhaps the biggest ever for a show that generated its largest audience with the fourth-season finale, when the scandal was just surfacing.

In the finale, which was watched by 4.6 million people, the couple discussed the challenges that being on TV presented and how Jon was having trouble with a loss of privacy. TLC won't discuss the show beyond a prepared statement saying production on season five was moving foward, and the network was supporting the family through this challenging time.

"This show has always been about a real family dealing with real-life situations, and that will continue to be the case for the new season," the network said.

The risk, Thompson said, is if the show gets too much into the personal problems, it could turn off families watching together. "It goes from being a [show] about cute kids," he said, "and makes it into 'Knots Landing.'"

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com

SRK starrer Dulha Mil Gaya to release on 18 Sep

 By BollywoodHungamaNewsNetwork

It's confirmed. Dulha Mil Gaya would be releasing all over on 18th September. This would give the film a four day extended weekend since the festival of Eid falls on Monday, 21st September. Producer Viveck Vaswani is certainly heaving a sigh of relief as for the first time ever; he goes on record with the exact date of release. 

"I had always maintained that it is producer's prerogative to announce the date of his film's release. Over last so many months, there were so many out there announcing the film's arrival on my behalf. It was annoying initially but later it just started amusing me. There were so many different dates floating around even when I had never gone on record to talk about the exact date", says Viveck who is still not resting after the completion of a hectic final schedule of Dulha Mil Gaya. 

He goes on to add, "So now let me state on record that 18th September is the day when my film arrives. I can assure that it's going to be one BIG festival movie. Dulha Mil Gaya is about celebration and the release timelines for the movie should further aid that." 

Directed by first timer Muddassar Aziz, the film was 95% complete till a few months back and was held up for completion since Shah Rukh Khan couldn't shoot for a 'qawalli' sequence. Battling a shoulder injury, Shah Rukh finally managed to complete the film's shoot by working non-stop for three days earlier this week. 

"Correction – it wasn't three days but three days and three nights. Even though he was in acute pain throughout and I suggested that we reschedule the shoot, he said that 'let's finish the shoot; it's already too late'. What more can one say about the commitment of a man like this", says Viveck with admiration in his tone.  With the shooting of the 'qawalli' track, Dulha Mil Gaya is now 100% ready w.r.t principal shooting. 

Smiles Viveck, "In any case we had already begun work on post production in parallel so there hasn't been waste of time, resource or energy. The film's dubbing too is 50% complete. Sushmita should be having her dub soon though for Fardeen, I will hold on for a while till he starts feeling a little more composed after his father's demise. As for Shah Rukh, he is dubbing for the movie next week. So yes, I can claim that the team of Dulha Mil Gaya is up there with the progress of the film."

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

McCartney's house removed from Google street view

Agencies - May 22, 2009

Beatles legend Paul McCartney's home has been removed from Google Street View after he made a complaint. 

The singer was reportedly furious when he discovered that fans could google his multi-million-pound home online, the Sun reported.  McCartney's house in St John's Wood, North London, was photographed along with others on the posh street as part of Google's ground-level views of the city. 

The 66-year-old star's security team, which monitors access to the house 24 hours a day, complained to the web giant as McCartney has been careful about security since bandmate John Lennon was murdered in 1980.  "He was unsettled when he heard Google users could get a 360-degree view of the property," a source said. 

A Google spokesman said anyone could now remove their house from the site by clicking a button.  The star penned classic tracks 'Penny Lane', 'Getting Better' and 'Hey Jude' in the town house which he bought in 1965 for 40,000 pounds.

Source: http://www.mtv.com

Rise of the Turbanator on the big screen

Priyanka Pereira - May 22, 2009

The turban is on a high these days. This unique piece of headgear has broken the mould of the typical heroes of Hindi cinema and, in turn, increased the number of turbanators on the silver screen. It was the commercial success of Singh is Kinng that brought the good old turban into the foray and, ever since, directors and producers have been following suit. “It is a case of following a trend that’s popular. When a movie or serial witnesses success, the others try to imitate the key elements,” says Anees Bazmee, the director of Singh is Kinng, who revolutionised Bollywood by portraying Akshay Kumar as a Sikh protagonist. 

Although Sunny Deol, sported the Sikh headgear in a couple of movies, it was Akshay Kumar’s colourful turbans that paved the way for more lookalikes. Bazmee, who is riding high on success, feels that an old Bollywood fear has finally been overcome — that of risking a Sikh as the protagonist of a film that is meant for mass audiences. “The entire crew thought it was a bad idea to have a Sikh hero, especially romancing a pretty girl like Katrina Kaif. But my script demanded that. And today, it seems like the turban has repositioned itself in the larger scheme of things. Jaspal Bhatti, the much-loved turbaned artiste, feels that it’s the maturity of both directors and audiences that has led to this revolution. “Earlier, when Sikhs wanted to work in Bollywood, they first got rid of their hair because turbaned actors weren’t deemed fit to play the lead. But now, with increasing Punjabi population across the world, the trend seems to have picked up. And with Manmohan Singh as our Prime Minister, Sikhs have gained visibility and achieved a distinct identity,” says Bhatti. 

For a long time, however, the turban was used for some slapstick comedy routine. And at other times, to portray the Good Samaritan. The turban may have stepped into the arclights now but a few popular stereotypes are yet to fade off completely. “The stereotypes can be blamed on the popular portrayal of Sikhs who were shown as innocent people with some amount of flashy loudness,” says Bazmee. “With Singh is Kinng,I portrayed Happy Singh as a loveable, helpful and sacrificing character, which hadn’t been shown on the big screen earlier.” Bhatti seconds his thoughts. “With Border and Gadar – Ek Prem Katha, the trend had slowly come in, but the clear portrayal of the Sardar in Singh is Kinng, brought about a revolution.” 

Such has been the impact that Saif Ali Khan has decided to play a Sikh in his first home production Love Aaj Kal and Sohail Khan will be seen sporting a turban in his own, Kissan. So isn’t there going to be some amount of overlapping? Dinesh 

Vijan, Khan’s partner and co-founder of Illuminati Films, responds, “Saif didn’t play a sardar in Love Aaj Kal, he became one, and that’s the difference. There’s no Saif in Veer Singh. He changed everything — his posture, mannerisms, language. Even the staunchest of Sardars in Patiala gave their approval when they saw him walking on the set.” 

The current fad seems to have impressed the newbies as well. With Ranbir Kapoor portraying the role of a Punjabi salesman in Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, it seems like this trend is here to stay. “Creating a Sikh character is easy. To state the purpose of it will be the difficult part,” says Bazmee.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

In Pictures: 'Red Carpet at Cannes Film Festival 2009 21st May'

By James Wray - May 22, 2009

French actress Anne Parillot arrives for the gala screening of the film 'A l'Origine' by French director Xavier Giannoli in the 62nd edition of the Cannes film festival in Cannes, France, 21 May 2009.

Source: http://www.monstersandcritics.com

Will Smith to portray real-life Hurricane hero in new film

By ANI - May 21, 2009a

‘Hancock’ star Will Smith will portray a real-life Hurricane Katrina hero in a new film written. 

The film will be written and directed by The Rookie screenwriter John Lee Hancock, reports ‘Contactmusic’. 

It will be about ex-Marine John Keller, who helped rescue more than 200 of his neighbours in Louisiana, New Orleans, when they were left stranded by the devastation of Katrina in 2005. 
Meanwhile, Smith has joined the likes of stars vying to become the first black James Bond, and has claimed that he’s the best choice for the iconic spy-role. 

Rap mogul Diddy and Jamie Foxx have already forwarded their names as a possible replacement for the current 007, Daniel Craig. And recently, ‘Obsessed’ star Idris Elba had claimed that he would be a better choice because he was British. 

However, the ‘I am Legend’ star, considered to be the most bankable star in showbiz, has said that he can be the best choice for producers. 

He said: "Puff probably lives the most like James Bond and Jamie Foxx got the swagger for James Bond. He can sing too, so he can add a new element to Bond, wooing the ladies.” 

He added: "But I think I can guarantee the box office!"

Source: http://www.google.com

I could not leave shooting in London to vote: Salman

Agencies - May 21, 2009

Actor Salman Khan said that he was shooting in London for Anil Sharma's 'Veer' on April 30, the polling day in Mumbai, and hence could not cast his vote. 

"It was not possible for me to take a flight from London just to show that I voted," Salman said when asked why he failed to cast his vote when he had extensively campaigned for some candidates.  When pointed out that his contemporaries Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan had specially flown down to Mumbai from their foreign destinations to perform their duty as a citizen, Salman said, "They have the time and money to do so which I do not have." 

To a question on whether he felt voting was not important, Salman in his inimitable style said, "The Government should make voting mandatory by punishing people who don't do so and giving incentives to citizens to vote. I would come for that extra money."

Source: http://www.screenindia.com