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

Lohan is self destructive person, say friends

Agencies
Posted: Apr 26, 2009

Actress Lindsay Lohan's gaunt frame has shocked some of her closest friends who admit that the star is in a self destructive mode, wanting attention. "She is a self-destructive person," a source close to the 'Mean Girls' star told People magazine. 

"It's all part of her cry for attention. She wants Sam (Lohan's ex-girlfriend) to see how bad she's hurting and she wants Hollywood to see her as a 'tortured artist' who is wasting away. This is a symptom of something much bigger a desperate need to be noticed," the source added referring to Lohan's recent pictures. The star was photographed wearing a creme halter dress which revealed star's ribcage and sinewy arms. 

"When Lindsay is off-balance, she'll pull out every issue you can imagine," said a source close to Ronson. "She doesn't eat. She stays up all night and sleeps all day, so she misses meals. When she is doing good, when she is happy, her appetite is healthy and her weight is healthy," added the source. 

The cry for attention seems to have worked as Lohan reportedly rekindled her romance with with DJ Samantha Ronson just weeks after very dramatic break-up.

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

Sunburned crowds become a happy community at Jazz Fest

By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY

April 26, 2009

NEW ORLEANS — Veterans, lathered in SPF 30, clutching a daily lineup with scribbled priorities and lugging nothing heavier than a folding camp chair, can always spot the newbies. They're the ones with sunburned limbs, stiff footwear and iPods. The common ground? Mile-wide smiles, ringing eardrums and grease-stained T-shirts.

Both groups were in abundance at this weekend's 40th New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which wraps up Sunday night before cranking up again for a closing blowout Thursday through May 3.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com

Get Latest Headlines Rihanna: $1 million in borrowed jewelry remains in LAPD evidence

By Michael Slezak,                                                                                                                                       Apr 25, 2009

An attorney for pop star Rihanna filed a court request this week seeking the return of around $1 million worth of borrowed jewelry and accessories that have been in LAPD evidence since the evening on which she was allegedly attacked by Chris Brown, reports People.com. In late March, the singer began efforts to return the items in question -- a pair of earrings and three rings -- to four separate jewelers, and to get back a borrowed Gucci gown she was wearing at the time of the alleged incident, but court documents show her queries have not yet been responded to by the prosecutor on the case.

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

Shah Rukh's smoking at IPL draws protest in India

Agencies
Posted: Apr 25, 2009

The National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), has protested against Shah Rukh Khan who was shown on the TV screen smoking during an IPL match on April 21 in South Africa. 

NOTE has asked the South African National Council Against Smoking (NCAS) to consider the issue seriously and stop smoking in the stadium during Indian Premier League matches. 

"I chatted with them and sent details and motivation to the supersport. They are the broadcasters. I am soliciting an agreement that they will not show anyone smoking," Peter Ucko from NCAS has informed NOTE. 

NOTE General Secretary Shekhar Salkar told PTI that they had contected NCAS to explore possible advocacy that can be coordinated in South Africa after King Khan was shown puffing on a television screen. 

The NCAS in their reply has said that the Act which will ban smoking in sport stadium is not yet in force. He said that smoking is not permitted in an enclosed area and if Khan does it again I am asking management to tell him that if he fails to comply they will remove him from the grounds, he said.

Source: http://www.screenindia.com

Madonna is the hardest working Hollywood mom: Forbes

Reuters
Posted: Apr 25, 2009

With earnings of $110 million in 2008, Madonna topped Forbes' list of Hollywood's hardest working mothers, followed by actresses Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow. 

The pop singer, who is mother of three, was recently turned down in her bid to adopt a second child from Malawi, grossed $105 million on her tour and sold nearly a million albums in the United States. Madonna also signed several lucrative endorsement deals last year, according to Forbes.com. 

"She had an incredible year in 2008," said Lauren Streib who helped to compile the list that was released on Friday. 

"She had the top tour of any musician...The tour sold out around the world. So it wasn't surprising as much as it is a commentary on how successful her year was," she said. 

Witherspoon, who earned an estimated $24 million last year, was second on the list, followed closely behind by Paltrow with $20 million in earnings. In addition to her film career and raising daughter Ava and son Deacon, Witherspoon, who is divorced from actor Ryan Phillippe, is also the international spokeswoman for the cosmetics company Avon. Paltrow's role in the blockbuster comic book film "Iron Man," which earned $580 million worldwide, and her endorsements for Estee Lauder and shoe and handbag maker Tod's propelled her to the third spot. 

Streib said the list is based on estimated earnings of Hollywood mothers with at least one child. Earnings include album sales, salaries, box-office grosses and endorsements and licensing deals. 
She added that for many of the women on the list endorsement deals are a significant part of their earnings.

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