World Star Gosip

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Mumbai: Actor-producer Uday Chopra on Wednesday broke his silence on reports around his romance-gone-sour with Nargis Fakhri, saying ‘all reports are untrue’ and clarified that the ‘Rockstar’ actress is still his close friend.

Several reports have mentioned that Nargis was all set to announce her wedding with Uday, but he called it off. Rumours were also rife that Uday broke up with Nargis over Whatsapp.

Reacting to the rumours, Uday said in a statement: ‘I normally don’t respond to gossip, but the press has been reporting a lot of fiction disguised as fact. I would just like to clarify that Nargis and I have been and still are very close friends.’

He added: ‘The press has done a wonderful job of creating stories out of thin air and I applaud their creativity. However, these are all untrue.’

There were also reports that following their 'relationship' hitting rock bottom, Nargis had a 'nervous breakdown' and left the producers of all her upcoming films in the lurch. However, her spokesperson had cleared the air saying that she is ‘out of country to address her health issues’.

Category: articles

New Delhi, June 8, AP

A Bollywood film producer took his row with India's censor board to a court Wednesday, challenging dozens of cuts and changes to a film that depicts the menace of drug abuse in the northern state of Punjab.

Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalini said in a newspaper interview that the movie wrongly depicts 70 percent of people of the state consuming drugs and defaming them. He told reporters that the censor board has approved the movie for screening in theaters with the cuts ordered.

He accused producer Anurag Kashyap of whipping up a controversy to create interest in his film.

Compared to Hollywood, movie norms in India are extremely strict. Censorship authorities often order filmmakers — both Indian and foreign — to chop scenes deemed offensive. Films with graphic content can be barred completely.

Last year, India's censor authorities ordered that kissing scenes in the James Bond movie, "Spectre," be shortened before it was released in the country.

Kashyap asked the Mumbai High Court to overrule the cuts ordered by the censor board. The court is expected to take up the petition later Wednesday. It could reject the matter or order reconsideration.

Kashyap said the censor board chief Nihalini demanded 89 cuts to the film and even asked him to drop the name of the state from the title, "Udta Punjab," or "Flying Punjab."

Bollywood producers and directors rallied behind Kashyap in his fight with the censor board. "The job of the censor board is to certify films and not suggest cuts."

Producer-director Kabir Khan regretted that the censor board was putting pressure on the film producer to accept cuts or whatever it suggests 10 days before its release.

Punjab state borders Pakistan, and most of the drugs trafficked in the region originate from Afghanistan and are processed in Pakistan's tribal areas. The Taliban control cultivation of opium poppies and smuggling routes, particularly in the south of Afghanistan.

Kashyap said on Twitter: "There is no film more honest than 'Udta Punjab'," and that opponents of the film were promoting drugs.

The controversy took a political twist with state legislature elections due early next year. Opposition Congress and Aam Admi Party accuse leaders of the ruling regional group, the Akali Dal, of providing patronage and shelter to the drug mafia in return for money.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is an ally of the regional group. Modi's government appointed Nihalini as the censor board chief last year.

Category: articles

Celebrated actress Jaya Ahsan, who has been passing busy schedules for the big screen, has recently made her debut in a short film, says news agency UNB.

Jaya ventured into the shorter version of the film through ‘Bhalobashar Shohor’ (The City of Love) directed by noted Indian director Indranil Roy Chowdhury.

Jaya fans will find her in the leading role of the film. She will be seen sharing screen with Indian actor Ritwik Chakrabarty.

Unifox Entertainment, presenter of the film, has already released the trailer of the film on Youtube.

Besides, Jaya shared a poster of the short film on her Facebook page for her fans.

In her Facebook status, Jaya said although ‘Bhalobashar Shohor’ is a short film in length, it will present a full story to the audience.

Jaya collected a huge number of Indian fans for her outstanding performances and bold appearance in Indian film Rajkahini (2015), directed by Srijit Mukherji.

Recently, she has finished shooting of Tollywood film ‘Ami Joy Chatterjee Bolchhi’ directed by Monoj Michigan.

The actress is currently busy with ‘Peyarer Subash’, directed by Nurul Alam Atique.

Jaya received the Tele-Cine Award for the 2nd time in Kolkata as the Best Supporting Actress in 2015.

She was also awarded National Film Award of Bangladesh twice for her role in the films ‘Guerrilla’ and ‘Chorabali’.

Category: articles

Singer Christina Grimmie, who starred in NBC’s “The Voice”, was shot and killed at a concert in Orlando, Florida late Friday by an unidentified gunman, who then fatally shot himself, police said.
“With deep regret, we have confirmed Christina Grimmie, @TheRealGrimmie, has died from her injuries,” the Orlando Police Department said on its Twitter account.
Grimmie had performed with the group Before You Exit at Orlando’s Plaza Live and stayed after to sign autographs.
A man walked toward her and shot her, police said.
“Christina’s brother immediately tackled the suspect, who shot & killed himself,” the police said.

Category: articles

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who is throwing surprises one after another in her international journey, has now featured in a video with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Cristiano Ronaldo. What’s more, the song is by Enrique Iglesias.

The song, titled “Don’t you need somebody”, has been primarily sung by “Hero” singer Iglesias, with bits of it crooned by R City, Serayah and Shaggy.
Priyanka, a former Miss World title holder, is pleasantly not in a a blink-and-you-miss appearance. Instead, she features in a number of frames as she is seen grooving to and lipsyncing to the number.
The video also features international celebrities like Akon, Mila Jovovich, Ryan Seacrest, Mesut Özil, Lopez and Ronaldo among others.
Released on YouTube on Friday, the video has Priyanka in a hair updo and a beige-hued jumpsuit. Her wine coloured lipstick stands out.
Priyanka’s journey on foreign shores first began when she released her English single “In my city”. She launched two more tracks before landing a lead role in American TV show “Quantico”, and now she has even shot for the “Baywatch” movie with Dwayne Johnson.

Category: articles

Friday, June 10, 2016

Love from abroad. this Bollywood couple shows that distance can never hinder love...

Maybe it’s time our B-Town couples learned from these actors and their firangi better halves about love and relationships. At a time when most Bollywood couples are heading for a split, here's one who have managed to make sure that the distance doesn't pose any problem in their happily-married life.

Radhika Apte got married to her London-based musician husband Benedict Taylor four years ago after a live-in relationship with him and has never looked back since.

Says a B-Town birdie, “Sincerity, honesty and compatibility form the basis of this long-distance relationship. Though they are based across different continents it doesn’t make their love less. Nor do they hide it. They go trekking together, consider the other one as their best friend and have a relationship based as equals.”

We believe most Bollywood couples today need to learn a lesson from these two. Don't you agree?

Category: articles

A few hours back, we heard stories about how Salman Khan's team has been relentlessly helping girlfriend Iulia Vantur find a nice house for herself in Mumbai. While the news was doing the rounds, we heard something fresh and even more juicy!

According to Bollywoodlife.com, Salman and Iulia are probably living in together. Well, according to the website, the Romanian model was spotted bidding everyone a goodnight on Instagram with a picture that seems to be clicked at Salman's Galaxy Apartment residence.

Why we say so? The curtains are exactly the ones we see at Khan's Bandra house. So does this mean that the lovebirds are now living in as well? We'll wait for the announcement.

There are also strong speculations about Salman getting married to Iulia on his birthday this year. Also, recent appearances together have somehow helped make all such rumours seem even more concrete.

Salman Khan has just returned from Budapest after wrapping up the schedule of his much anticipated upcoming flick, Sultan. Reports suggest that his rumoured Romanian girlfriend, who had flown with him earlier, also returned with him last night.

According to Movietalkies.com, Iulia straight away went for flat hunting with Salman's bodyguards instead of taking rest after the long flight. Reportedly, she went to see some flats near Carter road in Mumbai. Sources reveal that Iulia plans to settle down in Mumbai and hence wants to take up her own place near Salman's residence- Galaxy Apartments, reports Mlovietalkies.com.

Certainly, we can see signs of Salman and Iulia coming out in the open about their relationship. Will Salman really get married this year-end? These signals are definitely giving us a clearer picture now.

Category: articles

Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra is gearing up for her Tollywood debut now. The actress has bagged a film opposite Mahesh Babu and it will be helmed by none other than AR Murugadoss, the popular filmmaker who has delivered hits, such as Ghajini and Thuppakki. News it that Parineeti has charged a whopping sum for doing the film.

It is being said that the untitled project will be Mahesh Babu’s most expensive film ever. A leading daily reported that Parineeti has charged around Rs 3.5 crore for her Tollywood debut. This is the first time the Bollywood beauty has got an offer from the South Indian film Industry.

Deccan Chronicle’s report also claims that the Mahesh Babu starrer will be a 90 crore film. It is a bilingual project and will be shot in both Telugu & Tamil at the same time. The makers are also planning to dub the film in Hindi for wider audience reach. Telugu actor Mahesh will dub for the Tamil version too. Since the actor has been in Chennai for few years, he has a good hold over the language and can speak it fluently too. SJ Suryah will be seen in the role of villain in the upcoming movie. He impressed the audience with his brilliant performance in Iraivi.

Back in Bollywood, Parineeti is busy shooting for Meri Pyaari Bindu. The movie stars Ayushmann Khuranna as her male lead. The actress plays a singer in the film. A really interesting teaser of the film was released on the day when the movie went on floors.

Category: articles

The actor had escaped the clutches of his captors and had filed a police complaint.

Hyderabad: The Jubilee Hills police on Thursday arrested 11 persons for kidnapping Tollywood actor Kale Srinivas including the managing director of a regional news channel and a home-guard deputed with the CID. The actor had escaped the clutches of his captors and had filed a police complaint.

Cops said the accused had targeted the actor after taking permission from Shiva Kumar, MD of the channel, to use the channel’s name to extort money from him. Posing as journalists and cops, they had kidnapped Srinivas.

Police seized Rs 74,000, two cars and a gold chain from the gang. Those arrested were T. Shiva Kumar, MD of Studio 9 News, Md. Jaleel, crime reporter,
G Raju, cameraman,

E. Jagadeeshwar Reddy, a home-guard with CID, T. Sanjeeva Reddy, N. Kanti Madhu, Shaik Saleem and sex workers Vijaya Durga, Gowri, Raji and Vijaya. Two others are absconding.

West Zone DCP A. Venkateswar Rao said that Jaleel, Raju and Jagadeeshwar hatched a plan to extort money from the brothel house organisers and those who visited these places. They shared their plan with Shiva Kumar, who allowed them to use the channel’s name and extort money in exchange for a share.

Jagadeeshwar, posing as a CID officer and the others as journalists, went to Srinivas’ residence and threatened him by saying that he was running a brothel and would be booked for the same. When he pleaded innocence, they kidnapped him and drove across the city.

“They then contacted the sex workers and threatened them with the uploading of their profiles online and carried out a fake sting operation at the residence of Srinivas and extorted Rs 84,000 cash and a gold chain. They gave Rs 20,000 to Shiva Kumar,” the DCP said.

Later they forcibly withdrew Rs 2000 from Srinivas’ debit card. Srinivas somehow managed to escape and lodged a complaint with Jubilee Hills Police. The arrested persons were produced before court on Thursday. Cops are on the lookout for Laxmi Durga and Priya who were part of the operation.

Category: articles

Sources say the actor, while returning to India from the US, hurt her leg.

The actress was supposed to attend the recent SIIMA event but did not show up. It was later known that she injured her leg and had postponed travel for two days.

Rakul had gone to the US for an entertainment event organised by a local association and was supposed to return to India on Saturday.

“The actress, who was in a rush to board her flight, fell and sprained her leg,” says a source, adding, “It will take a few days for the sprain to heal.”

Category: articles

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

The originality of classical dance forms is getting lost because of the influence of Bollywood and alteration of the conventional patterns, according to noted Kathak exponent Vaswati Misra .

"The authenticity of the forms is getting lost because of Bollywood and dilution (from the original). People are chasing Western forms and they don't know about the hard work that has been put in to take these forms to such a high level. Nobody has the right to deface them," the classical dancer said.

Misra appreciated the efforts by students of Pandit Shambu Maharaj Academy who performed at "Aadi- Anant", saying: "In today's world, so filled with distractions and easy access to amusement, I am filled with wonder that there are so many young children and young adults who with great passion have devoted themselves to the classical arts."

She talked about the classical forms having originated to develop aesthetics and why they deserve a lot of importance and value.

"Classical forms were established to develop aesthetics among the people. Performing arts/classical art forms have the power to change the entire perspective of life."

"That's why I always say that no matter if anybody takes it professionally or not, but everybody should be familiar with it as it develops a perspective towards life," Misra said, adding: "Nobody has the prerogative to ruin such a rich heritage and its greatness."

Misra, who has collaborated with a variety of people from world music and literature, felt that it was all about keeping a balance.

"It is about giving the correct space to every form and using the form without de-forming, keeping it intact and fusing and making it look aesthetically beautiful.

"I don't believe in the kind of classical forms used in reality shows and I find the entire field disturbing," she said.

"We need to create the confidence in the next generation that these are your forms. You are the ambassadors who have to keep them intact," she added.

"I don't have complaints against anyone because I have so much of confidence in our work. I see people from families who have no connection with classical dance coming to us. Not just the child who learns the form but the whole family's perspective gets changed because of the classical form.

"Our (Dhwani's) intention is to document and to pass over the authenticity of the forms to the next generation and to create interest in every student. Whether it is a child or an adult, the learner should be so passionate about it and learn out of sheer passion not out of compulsion," Misra concluded.

Category: articles

Hillary Clinton wins six primaries, including delegate-heavy California, and Kerala construction firm files suit against Sonia Gandhi for non-payment of dues.

Here are the biggest headlines right now:

1. 'Udta Punjab' makers move Bombay High Court against censor board: Members of the film industry have backed the film and its makers.

2. Democrat Hillary Clinton wins big in six primaries, Donald Trump the clear victor for Republicans: Both presumptive presidential nominees clinched the delegate-heavy state of California.

3. Kerala construction firm files suit against Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders: Heather Constructions, which built the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Development Studies, has alleged that the party did not clear its dues.

4. Files related to the Rs 900-crore fodder scam in Bihar go missing: BJP leader Nitin Naveen accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of shielding ally RJD's chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was convicted in the case.

5. Narendra Modi arrives at Capitol Hill, to address the US Congress: The prime minister met President Barack Obama on Tuesday and when the two countries signed deals related to climate change and other matters.

6. Exam board chief resigns after government issues show cause notice on Bihar cheating row: FIRs have been filed against three Class 12 toppers in the state, and four people have been detained in the case.

7. Superintendent of children's home in Delhi arrested on molestation charges: Several girls at the facility alleged that Ram Sahay Meena had taken them to an isolated room and tried to physically abuse them.

8. Monsoon arrives in parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, says Met department: According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the southwest monsoon will move into the remaining southern states in the next few days.

9. India remains on growth track, though World Bank cuts global forecast to 2.4%: India will grow at 7.6% to 7.7% over the next three fiscals, the agency said, down three percentage points from its last prediction.

10. India will have 810 million smartphone subscribers by 2021, predicts report: Swedish firm Ericsson said users in the country find activities that consume data more important than mere voice calls.

Category: articles

With the onset of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Bollywood celebritites sent out good wishes to their friends and fans.

With the onset of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Bollywood celebritites like Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and many others sent out good wishes to their fans and friends on Monday.

Here’s what they had to say on Twitter:

Amitabh Bachchan: Ramadan greetings. Peace…Ramadan starts and we wish all a peace and prosperity.

Category: articles

Actress Shilpa Shetty , who has several Bollywood hits, including 'Dhadkan' and 'Baazigar', to her credit, turns 41 today and warm birthday wishes are pouring in for her. Her husband Raj Kundra took to his Twitter handle to wish his gorgeous wife and wrote, "Wishing my adorable gorgeous age defying super positive fantastic hot & sexy wife a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Love u." Shilpa's sister Shamita tweeted, "Wish u Loads of love peace,happiness,joy n positivity bigggggg huggggggg @TheShilpaShetty .. Love ya Munki."

Wishing the actress, Abhishek Bachchan tweeted, "@TheShilpaShetty happy happy birthday munnia. Have a super year." Karan Johar too took his Twitter handle to wish the actress and wrote, "To the eternally hot @TheShilpaShetty ....happy birthday!! Have a blessed year...."

"Happy birthday to the most beautiful and humble lady in Bollywood @TheShilpaShetty. God bless you:)," tweeted singer Mika Singh. Actor Arshad Warsi tweeted, "Happy birthday to the lovely lady I admire & love @TheShilpaShetty have an awesome year."

Hrithik Roshan, Riteish Deshmukh, comedian Manish Paul, film critic Taran Adarsh, Celina Jaitly and Sophie Choudry were among the other celebrities, who wished the actress. Shilpa, who made her Bollywood debut with 1993 hit 'Baazigar', is the recipient of several awards, including four Filmfare nominations. Shilpa, who is also the co-owner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team Rajasthan Royals, was last seen in 2008 film 'Dostana'.

Category: articles

Prominent Bollywood filmmakers today threw their weight behind Abhishek Chaubey's Udta Punjab, which is fighting for a certificate from the CBFC.

In an unprecedented show of unity, prominent Hindi film directors and producers came together to put their weight behind Udta Punjab, young director Abhishek Chaubey's take on the drug menace in Punjab. The Bollywood fraternity, often accused of not standing for each other, held a press meet on Wednesday afternoon because as Mukesh Bhatt put it, what was happening to Udta Punjab was 'unprecedented'.

The Abhishek Chaubey-directed film is currently waiting for a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Earlier today, the producers of the film moved the Bombay High Court seeking a copy of the order of the Censor Board Review Committee report on the film. Kashyap has also appealed to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal.

Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said, "We can't turn into a Saudi Arabia where there is opulence but no free thought in society."

Shahid Kapoor, who plays the lead role in Udta Punjab, was also present at the press conference. He said, "We all need to support the message this film is sending."

The filmmakers also spoke on Pahlaj Nihalani's comments on television today. Nihalani had accused Kashyap of taking money from the Aam Aadmi Party to portray Punjab in a negative light in Udta Punjab.

The association demanded an apology from Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani for his comment.

The Association, led by president Ashoke Pandit, a BJP supporter, demanded the apology after Nihalani suggested that Kashyap might have taken money from the Aam Aadmi Party to show Punjab in a poor light through his co-production.

AAP is a major player in Punjab, which will see elections next year.

"We condemn the statement (by Nihalani). We demand an apology as soon as possible. This is not just an insult to Kashyap but to the film industry as a whole," said Pandit, also a member of the Central Board of Film Certificate (CBFC) which Nihalani heads.

Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt, Satish Kaushik and Sudhir Mishra represented the veteran generation while new-age directors Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar, Rahul Dholakia were there too to stand by fellow filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Vikas Bahl, who are producers of the film, along with Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Films.

Zoya said the film should be released as it is. The CBFC has demanded 89 cuts and a title that doesn't mention Punjab.

Mukesh Bhatt said, "I'm exposing a vicious system that is prevailing in the CBFC today. This has to be rectified ASAP. The film industry doesn't want Pahlaj Nihalani as the CBFC chief."

Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali said, "We don't know what is in the film. Anything that attacks the freedom of speaking is very frustrating and I don't think we have to tolerate it."

Udta Punjab is slated for a June 17 release.

Category: articles

NEW DELHI (AP) — A Bollywood film producer took his row with India's censor board to a court Wednesday, challenging dozens of cuts and changes to a film that depicts the menace of drug abuse in the northern state of Punjab.

Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalini said in a newspaper interview that the movie wrongly depicts 70 percent of people of the state consuming drugs and defaming them. He told reporters that the censor board has approved the movie for screening in theaters with the cuts ordered.

He accused producer Anurag Kashyap of whipping up a controversy to create interest in his film.

Compared to Hollywood, movie norms in India are extremely strict. Censorship authorities often order filmmakers - both Indian and foreign - to chop scenes deemed offensive. Films with graphic content can be barred completely.

Last year, India's censor authorities ordered that kissing scenes in the James Bond movie, "Spectre," be shortened before it was released in the country.

Kashyap asked the Mumbai High Court to overrule the cuts ordered by the censor board. The court is expected to take up the petition later Wednesday. It could reject the matter or order reconsideration.

Kashyap said the censor board chief Nihalini demanded 89 cuts to the film and even asked him to drop the name of the state from the title, "Udta Punjab," or "Flying Punjab."

Bollywood producers and directors rallied behind Kashyap in his fight with the censor board. "The job of the censor board is to certify films and not suggest cuts."

The Press Trust of India news agency quoted Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as saying: "Don't try and kill creativity. We all must have the freedom to create because we are in this field and all we have is our soul to create."

Producer-director Kabir Khan regretted that the censor board was putting pressure on the film producer to accept cuts or whatever it suggests 10 days before its release.

Punjab state borders Pakistan, and most of the drugs trafficked in the region originate from Afghanistan and are processed in Pakistan's tribal areas. The Taliban control cultivation of opium poppies and smuggling routes, particularly in the south of Afghanistan.

Kashyap said on Twitter, "There is no film more honest than 'Udta Punjab'," and that opponents of the film were promoting drugs.

The controversy took a political twist with state legislature elections due early next year. Opposition Congress and Aam Admi Party accuse leaders of the ruling regional group, the Akali Dal, of providing patronage and shelter to the drug mafia in return for money.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is an ally of the regional group. Modi's government appointed Nihalini as the censor board chief last year.

Category: articles

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Yesterday was Nutan's birth anniversary, but apart from Sonam Kapoor, hardly anyone has spared any thought for this brilliant. And what Sonam did was simply exceptional.

It was the birth anniversary of the legendary actress yesterday…

Nutan was an actress par excellence. She was perhaps the one woman who did more women-oriented, author backed roles than anyone in the industry. Seema, Bandini, Sujata, Saraswatichandra and others have been some of the gems that this lady had worked in. Bollywood is yet to repeat such prolific films. All of them talked about a cause and social stigma and all were simply brilliant. She has also been part of commercial films like Anari, Paying Guest, Tere ghar ke saamne and others. Versatility was in her genes because she was the daughter of the legendary Shobhna Samarth. Yesterday was her birth anniversary, but apart from Sonam Kapoor, hardly anyone has spared any thought for this brilliant. And what Sonam did was simply exceptional.

Sonam Kapoor posted a picture of her recreating the famous Nutan pose from Saraswatichandra where the yesteryear actress was seen lying on a bed with upper body propped up on her elbows with a letter in her hand. There’s a lot of beauty and charm on her face. Sonam writes, “This was an ode to #nutanmy favourite actress from the golden era of Indian cinema besides #Waheedaji .. It’s her birth anniversary today and I just want to say I’m grateful for the legacy she left behind through her brilliant work, Bandhini, Saraswati Chandra, Milan, Sujata, meri Jung to name a few. You were the flag bearer for strong female roles… #flashback #nutan #hero#heroine.”

Category: articles

Amitabh Bachchan revealed his granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda's Bollywood plans.

Amitabh Bachchan's granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda is nothing less than a star as far as social media is concerned. The young diva pretty much owns Instagram, thanks to her numerous pictures on the photo-sharing site.

Navya just graduated from the Seven Oaks School in London, and there has been much speculation about her Bollywood debut. So when Navya's grandfather Amitabh Bachchan was asked about her plans of stepping into Bollywood, the veteran actor was pretty surprised.

Big B was at a media interaction for his upcoming film TE3N when he was asked this question.

"I have no idea, I am hearing this from you. I don't think she will work in Bollywood any time soon. She is still studying," Bachchan was quoted as saying by Deccan Chronicle.

Amitabh Bachchan's TE3N is all about a grandfather's struggle to find his missing granddaughter. The film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vidya Balan apart from Bachchan. Directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, TE3N is slated for a June 10 release.

Category: articles

Friday, June 3, 2016

The Lonely Island triad (Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Andy Samberg) have officially been a comedy crew for more than 15 years, but before they turned pro they were just really good friends growing up together in Berkeley, Calif., making themselves crack up for no good reason.

Forming the official group in 2001, their popular website and videos eventually got them involved with Saturday Night Live in 2005, where Samberg became a featured cast member, drawing in a whole new crowd of fans raised on viral videos and pitch-perfect mockery. They have since produced dozens of videos, comedy albums, and now, a second feature film that finds the trio back to their old tricks, skewering the pompous and egomaniacal charlatans in the music industry, always a favorite target.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping is set up, as the genre practically demands, as a mock documentary, with a young, wildly successful Justin Beiber-like figure, Connor4Real (Samberg), showcasing his lifestyle and wild times on the eve of the release of his latest album and the subsequent world tour that is meant to carry him even farther into the stratosphere ("I want Connor to be everywhere," his publicist, played by Sarah Silverman, explains, "like oxygen, or gravity.").

As the film begins, Connor, who started his career along with best pals Owen (Taccone, dubbed Kid Content) and Lawrence (Schaffer, Kid Brain) in a hip-hop boy band called The Style Boyz, has already gone solo to massive success and stands poised to release his next, hotly anticipated record. He magnanimously allows Owen to tag along with him on tour as his increasingly marginalized DJ, but has a massive falling out with Lawrence, who leaves Los Angeles and turns to farming. Naturally, following the traditional mock-doc music arc lifted from This Is Spinal Tap, what was meant to be a further coronation of Corey's unstoppable success instead becomes a cataclysmic series of pratfalls and self-sabotage that leaves him in the previously uncharted waters of massive unpopularity.

Produced by Judd Apatow, who has a pretty good track record with films that let comedians actually be funny, the shaggy, thrown together vibe of the film allows Lonely Island to liberally pepper it with the kinds of shorts and videos that made them so successful in the first place. There's utterly tone-deaf commercials ("White Butt Jeans," one of Connor's many endorsements), preposterous music videos (including the hilarious "message" video for a song called "Equal Rights" that ostensibly is about embracing gay marriage, but with every verse ending with Connor assuring us confidently "I'm not gay"), cutaway cameos and several comically delicious set pieces, such as when Connor, trying to regain his popularity after a series of mishaps, disastrously proposes to his girlfriend (Imogen Poots) in a staged outdoor event with cherry blossoms blowing in the wind and a pack of live wolves that run amok after being driven nearly mad by Seal singing in the background.

At their best, the Lonely Island boys create memorably catchy nonsense hits, skewering many of the staples and pretensions of the pop music genre (with titles such as "Turn Up the Beef" and "Things in My Jeep") that work precisely because they clearly maintain a genuine affection for the music and the artists they're poking fun at (the reason, one assumes, why everyone from Usher, Carrie Underwood, Nas and Questlove, to a hiding-in-plain-sight Justin Timberlake agreed so readily to appear in the film). The boys have their fun, but they're not trying to crack heads so much as calling attention to the ridiculousness of the entire entertainment complex.

As much as they enjoy poking fun at pop culture, there's a genuine sweetness to their work that keeps things from spilling over into straight denigration (with the possible exception of a TMZ spoof that re-creates the awful "spontaneous staff meetings" of the notorious channel by having all the characters laugh hysterically and nonsensically at anything any of them says). Connor might be dimwitted and a braggart -- one of the film's early showcases features a song he wrote called "I'm So Humble" (#sohumble) in which he lauds himself for his unassuming nature (topped off by a quick cameo from Mariah Carey saying, "I'm the most humble person I know") -- but he's also a slightly goofy, sweet kid whose megafame has twisted him around. When we first meet him, flush from his wild success, he has a posse of yes-men and hangers-on whose job is to pump him up at every turn; by the end, estranged from the other Style Boyz, his beloved turtle deceased, his former fiancee dumping him for Seal, Connor finally sees the error of his ways and begins to make amends.

Despite its silliness, the film does have a mildly centered emotional spine, one that Apatow watchers should well recognize: the importance of staying true to your friends, despite all the pressures that may stand in the way, including Connor's skyrocketing fame, which shoved a wedge between them. In fact, embedded in the film's subtext, it doesn't take much of a stretch to note the similarities between Connor's break-out dominance in the Style Boyz and Samberg's individual rise to fame on SNL. Whether or not the Lonely Island kids ever had this sort of reckoning is unclear -- though doubtful, as they've never stopped working together, even as they've pursued separate projects -- but it's pretty obvious to see how such success can end up alienating you from everything that is most important. As Hunter the Hungry (Chris Redd), a rising hip-hop star, puts it after breathlessly meeting Connor for the first time: "Have you ever met you?"

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SINGAPORE — Fans of Fiona Xie, rejoice! Seven years after leaving Mediacorp, the (now formerly) retired actress is set to make her television comeback as a psychiatrist in Left Behind, which debuts on Channel 5 in August this year. She is currently in the midst of filming the seven-episode series.

“The stars were aligned, Family Commitments and a Nostalgic Heart,” she shared in an abstract statement, in typical Fiona Xie fashion.

The 34-year-old was one of Mediacorp’s 7 princesses during her tenure with the company, and racked up a long resume of both acting and hosting gigs in the eight years she was there. One of her most iconic scenes involved her running down Orchard Road in a skimpy bikini for 2004’s The Champion, but she was also known for other roles such as a tomboyish night market hawker in 2008’s Just in Singapore and a ghost in 2006’s Maggi & Me, which earned her a nomination at the 2007 Asian Television Awards. She was crowned Best Newcomer for My Genie at the 2001 Star Awards, and made it into the coveted Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes list in 2001 and 2006.

In December 2009, she confirmed that she was leaving Mediacorp – and Singapore – to pursue her own interests (photography, art and fashion) in Hong Kong and New York. She previously made headlines for bowing out of Channel 8’s Together at the last minute, because her boyfriend was unhappy with the intimate scenes she would have to film for the show.

Despite her long absence from the scene, Fiona maintains a strong following of over 107,000 on her Instagram account, which she uses to post abstract, artistic shots, as well as the occasional selfie. Her last role was opposite Taiwanese heartthrob Mike He in 2012 rom-com The Golden Couple.

More information on Left Behind will be available at a later date, so stay tuned for more! TOGGLE

The original story first appeared in http://www.toggle.sg/en/.

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TODAY reports: Aw’s win denied veteran actress Zoe Tay a chance to claim a second Best Actress award.

SINGAPORE: After last week’s dramatic instalment, with Rui En’s public apology stealing the show, one would think that Sunday's (Apr 24) second part of the Star Awards ceremony would be markedly more staid. After all, the show producers had scrapped the red carpet segment (having moved it to Part 1), so there was less to ogle over, with Part 2 kicking off with a dance segment.

But, as it turned out, it wasn’t a boring show at all.

The big winner of the awards was The Dream Makers 2, which swept most of the big categories. The series, which looks at the lives of people working in a television station, picked up the prize for Best Drama Serial, while one of its stars, hot favourite and seven-time nominee Jeanette Aw, finally snagged the Best Actress award for her role as the tortured Zhao Fei Er in the drama.

Looking visibly elated, Aw, 36, gave a speech with a bite: “To this Mediacorp senior executive who said ‘fat hope’ when asked to predict my chances, well, hope has always been slim or even non-existent for me. But I guess today, against all odds, there’s still hope,” she said, before thanking everyone who supported her. “Your blessings were a bright light to me and gave me hope.”

Aw’s win denied veteran actress Zoe Tay a chance to claim a second Best Actress award, after her 1996 win for The Golden Pillow, but Tay, ever the queen, gave Aw a tight hug when her name was announced. Backstage, Aw explained how the veteran actress gave her encouragement.

“A lot of people showed their support for me and that made me very nervous,” she said. “Zoe Tay was sitting next to me and holding my hand and saying, ‘Whatever the results, whether it’s you or not, you just have to smile okay? When you go on stage, just take your time and talk.’

“She made me feel at ease and she’s actually very generous. I feel that through this all I’ve got her blessings ... I’m very grateful that she was right next to me,” she added. “I think my parents will be the happiest because every year they would always hope that their daughter would win.”

On whether this was a long time coming, Aw disagreed. “I don’t think it is. I think it’s an opportune time.”

Qi Yuwu, who received the All-Time Favourite Artiste Award last week, took the Best Actor award for his role as an executive producer in The Dream Makers 2. This is his second Best Actor win, his first having come in 2011. Qi later said that while he felt there he had a chance of winning, he had not thought much of it.

“I don’t need an award to make myself feel confident about my acting,” he said. “Although I wasn’t born here, my career began here. I hope Singapore’s TV and movie industry will prosper.”

Last week’s Rocket Award winner Julie Tan also had something to celebrate: The 23-year-old grabbed the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as a red-haired a villain hell-bent on destroying her sister (played by Aw) on The Dream Makers 2.

Incidentally, it was the first time she departed from her usual sweet or tragic-laden roles to play a villain.

Backstage, Tan revealed her grand ambitions for the next steps in her career: The Best Actress award, Taipei’s Golden Horse - and then the Academy Awards.

“I will still strive hard,” she said.

“I didn’t think a lot (about winning) tonight and I didn’t prepare a speech. I don’t feel any stress yet. I just feel very blessed,” added Tan, who appeared a lot more composed this week.

The Best Supporting Actor award went to Tan’s co-star Zhang Zhen Huan, for his role as a scheming veteran; while the Young Talent Award went to Damien Teo, his second consecutive win in this category.

The spotlight was also on the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes awards, in which self-professed “brothers” Xu Bin and Aloysius Pang finally got their wish to stand on stage together as recipients in this category. It was Pang’s first nomination and win, after watching his best friend claim it for the past two years.

Joining the duo were Zhang Yao Dong, Dennis Chew, Zheng Geping, Shane Pow, Lee Teng, Zhang Zhen Huan, first-time nominee Jeffrey Xu. Elvin Ng also took home the award, the 10th time he has done so. And next year, Ng - who look relieved to be included among the top 10 - will join fellow artistes Joanne Peh and Quan Yifeng on stage to receive the All-Time Favourite Artiste Award.

“Thank you for accepting an imperfect Elvin Ng, so that he can walk bravely and be the unconventional person that he is," Ng said.

“To those who always break into a cold sweat for me during this category, you don’t have to worry anymore ... This is my last thank-you speech for the Top 10. I know you will miss me,” he added.

Previous popular entries Shaun Chen and Romeo Tan missed out on the prize. However, the best line of the show went to host Pornsak, who didn’t get a spot on the Top 10 list.

“If you loved me, why didn’t you vote for me? Do you know who I am?” he exclaimed as he and fellow show hosts Lee Teng and Dennis Chew closed the show — obviously a reference to the accident involving actress Rui En days before last week’s show.

The camera panned to the actress, who raised her hands in mock defeat, which perhaps was a fitting end to this year’s edition.

The full list of winners at Star Awards 2016 are:

TOP 10 MOST POPULAR MALE ARTISTES: Aloysius Pang, Zheng Geping, Shane Pow, Dennis Chew, Xu Bin, Zhang Yao Dong, Zhang Zhen Huan, Lee Teng, Jeffrey Xu, and Elvin Ng

TOP 10 MOST POPULAR FEMALE ARTISTES: Rebecca Lim, Felicia Chin, Joanne Peh, Jayley Woo, Jesseca Liu, Julie Tan, Carrie Wong, Belinda Lee, Kym Ng and Quan Yi Fong

BEST ACTRESS: Jeanette Aw (for The Dream Makers 2)

BEST ACTOR: Qi Yu Wu (for The Dream Makers 2)

BEST DRAMA SERIAL: The Dream Makers 2

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESSS: Julie Tan (for The Dream Makers 2)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Zhang Zhen Huan (for The Dream Makers 2)

ALL-TIME FAVOURITE ARTISTE AWARD: Rui En and Qi Yuwu

BEST PROGRAMME HOST: Lee Teng (for Love On The Plate 3)  

ROCKET AWARD: Julie Tan

YOUNG TALENT AWARD: Damien Teo (from The Dream Makers 2)

BEST THEME SONG: Finally from The Dream Makers 2 (performed by Kit Chan, composed by Wu Jiahui, lyrics by Li Xinyi, arranged by Terence Teo)

TOP RATED DRAMA SERIAL: Tiger Mum

TOP RATED VARIETY PROGRAMME: GeTai Challenge

BEST EVERGREEN ARTISTE AWARD: Chen Shu Cheng

SOCIAL MEDIA AWARD: Carrie Wong

BEST VARIETY SPECIAL: GeTai Challenge: The Ultimate Battle

BEST VARIETY PROGRAMME: GeTai Challenge

BEST INFO-ED PROGRAMME: Tuesday Report: Where The Home Is

Read the original TODAY report here.

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Obviously we adore the customary lehenga and we likewise realize that you can't turn out badly with kurta–pajamas when you pick indian wear. Yet, there's this new child on the piece that we think needs some genuine consideration.

Enter the long kurta worn over a lehenga style skirt or wide-legged sharara style pants. This new-age, combination style in Indian wear is the thing that we think needs to get on a great deal more than it as of now has. It's so particular thus marvelous that numerous big names have taken to this turn in conventional wear. Here are a few illustrations.

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It would appear that Ranbir Kapoor is in for an astonishment from his sister Riddhima Kapoor. The last mentioned, who is an adornments originator, uncovered that despite the fact that Ranbir is not a gems individual, she has as of now begun outlining something for him which she trusts he will like.

She told Pinkvilla:

I am currently planning something cool for him. In spite of the fact that he's not an adornments individual but rather we should trust he loves what I give him.

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Bigg Supervisor 9 challenger and Kya Kool Hai Murmur 3 performing artist Mandana Karimi, is good to go to get married with her long-term sweetheart Gaurav Gupta. As indicated by Mumbai Reflect the model/on-screen character was purportedly hitched to show Lalit Tehlan for some time (he who dated Rohit Bal just before he met Mandana), she then went ahead to date with government official Ajit Pawar's child Parth. In any case, it would seem that her present sweetheart is the one, an indication of their earnestness was his nearness at the Bigg Manager 9 house. Gaurav, who has been hitched before and Mandana are presently as of now holidaying in Japan, alongside their guardians. This trek is evidently similar to a meeting of sorts for their particular families and marriage is unquestionably in the offing! Congrats both of you.

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He's dressed any semblance of Michelle Obama, Eva Longoria, Sonam Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut to give some examples and it doesn't stop there for New York based originator, Bibhu Mohapatra. He was nearby this week to dispatch his first ever adornments line, in a joint effort with Forevermark, and this is what he needs to say in regards to the accumulation… A show was held to dispatch the gathering, and the models strolled down Bibhu's runway wearing his most recent A/W '16 accumulation, embellished with gems from Bibhu and Forevermark's The Artemis Gathering. Examine… a more critical take a gander at masterpiece, Athiya Shetty's outfit… In the wake of garments and now adornments, Bibhu says he'd like to work on a menswear line – we're thinking about whether the President will be wearing his outlines ;)

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