Wednesday, March 30
Well, this is called celebrity madness for cricket. And nothing can match the scintillating claim of hot Indian model Poonam Pandey who says that she will bare all in front of the whole stadium if India lifts the World Cup! Poonam, a self-confessed cricket fan and die hard supporter of Indian cricket team has decided to go unclothed if India becomes the world champion this year. The beauty who is one of the most downloaded model on the net said that she is just doing this to cheer the team and to keep up their spirits. Poonam Pandey follows the likes of lingerie models like Larissa Riquelme of Paraguay and Luciana Salazar of Argentina who had vowed to go without clothes if their football teams win the FIFA world cup. The sexy model said that this is her way to show her support to the Indian team. Poonam has expressed her wish to contact the Indian team and strip for them in the dressing room. Poonam Pandey has also said that she won’t even mind stripping in front of the whole stadium, with the permission of the BCCI and the law of the country. Poonam is confident about her body and said that she is not doing this for publicity or to grab attention and just wants to motivate the Indian team.
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ star Freida Pinto, who raised eyebrows last year (2010) with a series of hot shots for the US version of GQ, is now defending the photoshoot. Rumours suggested that the photoshoot for the men’s magazine was a deliberate attempt to shake off her ‘nice-girl’ image, but Pinto has now spoken out to stress that she was not manipulated into taking part and it was entirely her decision to pose for the pictures. "The decision to do those pictures was mine. I definitely knew how I wanted to look. A stylist may have chosen the clothes but the decision to wear them was mine. I would hate to feel that I was being objectified,” said Pinto. "I have always said that a woman’s feminity should not be used in a way that is demeaning to her. But, you know, I don’t think this is a sexist issue any more because actors are strutting their stuff in photoshoots just as much as actresses now," she added.Tuesday, March 29
Tennis ace Serena Williams is all set to release her own collection of nail polish in collaboration with O.P.I. Williams plans to release the Glam Slam! France collection - which comprises two shades, Spark de Triomphe in glittery silver and Rally Pretty Pink - in time for May’s French Open competition. "Whether I’m on or off the court, style is important. In addition to watching the runways for the latest trends, I think it’s important to add my own unique elements," said Williams. "With the new White and Red Shatter, I can customize my nails for a high-fashion take on the classically elegant silver and sunset shades in the Glam Slam! France collection." In 2009, Williams made debut in fashion industry by launching her own clothing collection on television channel HSN. "First of all, everything in the collection is under $100. And everything you get from me is great quality. I think for those prices and this quality, it is a no-brainer," she said. She created her first collection of nail polishes last year.Monday, March 28
Hollywood actress Renee Zellweger has found a buyer for her two NYC apartments, in indie actress Leelee Sobieski. The 41-year-old actress who recently split with the 36 year old ‘Hangover’ actor Bradley Cooper, has got Sobieski to buy both her Upper East Side homes. With the properties estimated at USD 8.95 million, one of the apartment boasts of three bedrooms and three and a half baths, while the other is a more modest one bedroom. After she made the purchase, it is now being speculated that perhaps Sobieski (28), and fashion designer husband Adam Kimmel who married last August and have a one-year-old daughter, Louisa Ray Kimmel are planning to expand their family once again.
Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez is enjoying the perks of being on the judging panel of ‘American Idol’ and indulges in shopping sprees as soon as she gets her hands on the weekly cheque. The 41-year-old actress is happy with the regular income and indulges in a lot of retail therapy, said a source. "Jennifer always had money, but this is the first time in years she’s getting a weekly cheque. She’s a girl who loves to shop, and she is enjoying her riches and spending it on herself," added the source. The ‘Maid in Manhattan’ star who joined the show after the departure of comedian/talk show host Ellen Degeneres, is rumoured to have spent money on branded luggage, jewellery and presents for her husband Marc Anthony, and twins Max and Emme. "She is a style icon who is expected to look great 24/7. And she does," added the source. Lopez has also been signed on as the new face of ‘Tous’ jewellery and is fronting their Sping-Summer 2011 ad campaign, in addition to being a spokesperson for Venus razors.
Actress Vanessa Hudgens is reportedly enjoying being single again after splitting from actor Zac Efron. "She has been having a blast hanging out with friends. She isn’t really missing him," said a source. Hudgens was recently spotted stocking up on cases of beer at her local store, allegedly telling the store owners she was in the mood for a party. "She said she was having a party and she was really excited", the source added. The 22-year-old actress separated from Efron in December after five years of dating.
Renee Zellweger, who ended her relationship with Bradley Cooper last week, has moved out of the ‘Hangover’ star’s home. The 41-year-old ‘Bridget Jones’ star stopped by his place to collect her things. Zellweger, who’d been living in the Pacific Palisades, California house for months, spent about an hour in the house to collect her things. The ‘Limitless’ actor (36), wasn’t home at the time. But the move didn’t seem to upset the Academy Award winner at all. "She seems to be handling the breakup well. She had a big smile on her face and a skip in her step!", a source said. Zellweger recently bonded with Sandra Bullock post her split. "Her friends feel bad it ended, but Renee’s okay. She tried to make it work, but in the end it was too hard," the source added. Earlier, it was reported that Cooper’s career came into the way of their two-year-old relationship.
Bollywood actress Padmini Kolhapure feels she has a role of a lifetime in debutant director Mahesh Kadiyal’s film ‘Maaee’, in which she plays singing diva Asha Bhosle’s daughter. Said Padmini: "When the director came to me with this offer I had this strange feeling that it would be Ashaji who plays my mother. My hunch was proven right when the director told me Ashaji had been signed to play the mother." Padmini is especially happy since she is very close to the Mangeshkar family. "I grew up in front of Lataji and Ashaji. I used to sing as a child, though now I’ve lost practice. So, to be facing the camera with Ashaji is a dream-come-true," the 45-year-old actress said. "When we met up about ‘Maaee’, Ashaji teased me: ‘You’ve to give me tips on acting for this film.’ I turned around and told Ashaji: ‘Fine I’ll give you tips in acting, if you teach me how to sing’," Padmini said. Padmini is getting ready for what she calls the role of a lifetime. "There aren’t too many such opportunities for actresses these days. And definitely not too many opportunities for anyone to play Ashaji’s daughter. She is a great mother in real life and has tremendous nurturing qualities," the actress said. "So I don’t think playing a mother would be difficult for her," she said. Padmini has also completed her first Malayalam film, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s "Hamlet", set in Kerala. "These are not conventional roles. I guess this is a good time to be an actress of a certain age in Hindi cinema," she quipped.Sunday, March 27
Actress Reese Witherspoon, who has long been the face of Avon, is releasing a set of three new fragrances with the cosmetic company this year. The actress will unveil ‘Love to the Fullest’ in April, followed by ‘Laugh Often’ in May, and ‘Live Without Regrets’ in August. "One day, she feels joyful and playful. The next, optimistic and modern. And sometimes, she exudes a sensual and sexy attitude. The Avon woman isn’t defined by one mood - her emotions change from day to day. And now, her fragrance can too," said Reese. It is not the first time Witherspoon is releasing a fragrance through the brand. She also created ‘In Bloom’ when she first joined as the face of Avon.
Megan Fox’s has shot a steamy advertisement for Emporio Armani’s lingerie collection, showing off her bare-faced beauty that needed little touching up. The footage has been shot on location in Mallorca. Sizzling in the Spring and Summer underwear collection, the ‘Transformers’ star strikes a seductive pose. But while some shots show her looking extremely toned and healthy, other angles show her looking extremely thin – which sparked rumoured about her weight when the campaign was launched earlier this month. She is seen lying across a couch and at points prominent stomach muscles are clearly visible. Earlier this month Megan’s personal trainer put her slim frame down to her ‘fast metabolism’ and denied claims she is suffering from anorexia.
Hollywood actress Katie Holmes has collaborated with Italian design house ‘Valextra’ to create luxury bags. The 32-year-old actress has designed a calfskin tote bag with Valextra, which will be retailed for USD 3,950. "Their quality is exceptional. There’s such integrity in their work – they’re artists," said Holmes. The actress and her ‘Holmes & Yang’ fashion label co-founder Jeanne Yang is expected to launch two versions of the calfskin tote, one in white and navy and the other white and black, which will be retailed for USD 3,950, this July. The design process was completed in just two weeks after Holmes met with the Valextra team when she visited Milan for a Fashion Week in February.Online game players may put attention here, especially from USA region. I came across a site that is meant to help the online casino lovers. Here one can find the details and related information about casinos like which are based in USA. For the easy use of the players and users casino details have been categorized like Online Casinos accepting USA players, Online Casinos for USA players, Best USA online casinos, Most popular USA online casinos, USA flash casinos, USA casino promotions, USA land casinos etc. Apart from these some free software that is needed to play online games at the comfort of home. Interested players can find some useful information about Italian casinos, French casinos, German casinos, Spanish casinos, Swedish casinos and Danish casinos as well. It seems to be a good place to get information about Online Gambling.
Saturday, March 26
Pop singer Kylie Minogue has apparently forked out almost 10 million pounds on designer costumes for her latest tour. The singer, who kicked off the UK leg of her Aphrodite world tour in Cardiff, was dressed by Dolce and Gabbana. She wore gold costumes encrusted with Swarovski crystals and real pearls, a chiffon gown so sheer it “looks like smoke” and a chain-mail Barbarella-inspired dress covered in priceless vintage brooches.All her backing dancers and singers have also been decked out by the Italian designers.
“Kylie’s petite but perfectly proportioned and looks stunning in whatever she wears,” said a D and G spokeswoman.
Friday, March 25
Elizabeth Taylor’s ‘White Diamonds’ remains the world’s best-selling celebrity fragrance of all time - 20 years after it first launched. It is estimated that the global sales of the scent, which is manufactured by Elizabeth Arden, reached 61.3 million pounds in 2010. The Oscar-winning actress, who died on Wednesday at the age of 79, was one of the first stars to launch a signature fragrance with any success.Follow-up perfumes, which include ‘Diamonds and Emeralds’, ‘Diamonds and Rubies’ and ‘Black Pearls’ also continue to enjoy retail success, with sales of 76.9 million pounds in 2010.
‘White Diamonds’ sold for 200 pounds an ounce when it first launched in 1991 at the Marshall Field and Co department store in New York.
A private tea with the actress was on offer to the first 150 customers who bought a 300-an-ounce pounds limited edition.
Elizabeth Arden chairman E. Scott Beattie reassured consumers that the perfume range would not be discontinued.
“White Diamonds remains a best seller almost 20 years after its 1991 introduction, a testimony to her transcendent and enduring appeal,” he said.
“Our best tribute to Elizabeth Taylor will be to continue the legacy of the brands she created and loved so much,” he added.
Boasting 10 fragrances, Taylor launched her first ‘Passion’ in 1987 and released Violet Eyes in 2010.
With no major acting work in the last 10 years, the star’s fragrance sales enabled her to give generously to charity and maintain her lavish lifestyle.
A year after its launch, ‘White Diamonds’ won Women’s Fragrance of the Year and Best National Advertising TV Campaign for a Women’s Fragrance at The Fragrance Foundation’s FiFi Awards.
In 2009, it came first in the Fragrance Hall of Fame along with ‘Davidoff Cool Water’.
Actress Amber Heard of ‘Pineapple Express’ fame is the new face of popular jeans wear brand Guess. She will follow in a long line of big names like Claudia Schiffer, Anna Nicole Smith and France’s first lady, Carla Bruni, as the face of the brand when she appears in an ad campaign for the same later this year.Guess’ creative director Paul Marciano says he is excited about the collaboration and chose the blonde actress for her "all-American good looks".
Amber said: "I’ve been a huge fan of Guess for a long time and to be the new face of the Fall 2011 campaign is very exciting. It was such an amazing experience to have been able to work with some of the most creative talents in the industry, such as brand co-founder Paul Marciano and Ellen Von Unwerth, who have collaborated on some of the most iconic campaigns in Guess history."
Thursday, March 24
TV mogul Oprah Winfrey’s trip to Queensland has boosted tourism in the disaster-ravaged state. For the first time since June 2010, the number of US inbounds passengers increased in January and February, with almost 10,000 entering Brisbane International Airport.The modest growth of 1.1 per cent each month was in contrast to falls at Sydney and Melbourne airports of 0.2 per cent and 0.5 per cent.
The Brisbane Airport Corporation’s Rebecca Masci said it was encouraging to see the US market making a comeback.
"The increase in visitors from the US is potentially related to Oprah’s promotion of the region, and is a positive sign that international guests are receiving the message that Queensland is open and ready for business," said Masci.
The talkshow queen travelled to Australia last December, accompanied by 302 "ultimate fans", visiting Cairns, Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays and Hamilton Island.
The programs aired in late-January, shortly after the devastating Queensland floods.
Daniel Gschwind from the Queensland Tourism Industry Council said it may be too early to attribute any improvement to the "Oprah effect", but the positive growth was welcomed.
"I totally expect Oprah’s promotion of Australia to have a significant impact on visitor numbers from the US and given that it’s already showing signs of improvement, that puts us in a strong position," he said.
He said Winfrey's popular show was the "most effective word of mouth" imaginable.
"Oprah is the ultimate distribution model. She speaks to millions of people and most importantly, millions of people listen to what she has to say," he added.
Bollywood actress Preity Zinta is once again sporting the permed hair look that she popularised in her 2001 film ‘Dil Chahta Hai’.For a long time, the bubbly beauty had been flaunting straight hair. But when Preity took up the role as the host of new tv show ‘Guinness World Records - Ab India Todega’, she opted for the permed look.
"Preity loves to experiment and can carry off almost everything with style and panache. She has now permed her hair and it won’t be too long before the trend catches on since she is a trendsetter in her own right. She has been receiving compliments and everyone is raving about her new look," said a source.
British royal bride Kate Middleton has expressed a desire to wear former Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham’s evening dresses during her honeymoon with Prince William.The 29 year old, Middleton, called up Victoria to say she loved her outfits after Victoria sent her a selection of her spring-summer collection. The bride-to-be also asked Victoria for general advice on evening wear during the romantic break after her April 29 wedding.
"Victoria is thrilled Kate loved her dresses and was only too happy to give her fashion tips. The ladies get on very well and Victoria can’t believe she is helping to dress the future Queen," said a source.
Victoria, who is expecting her fourth child with ace footballer David Beckham, had earlier spoken about how she admires Middleton’s dressing sense.
"She is a beautiful young girl, she has a wonderful figure and I think she wears clothes beautifully. I would be honoured if she were to wear my designs," she had said.
Wednesday, March 23
Singer Nicole Scherzinger has been offered to host US version of ‘The X-Factor."Never has there been so much behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing as with ‘X Factor’ USA. Having lined up Nicole as a potential judge, Simon decided to try something different and unexpected, and have a non-mainstream presenter present," said an insider.
The 32-year-old beauty originally tipped to join the judges’ panel, but her natural ability in front of the camera convinced Simon Cowell, who is brain behind the talent hunt show, to make her the host.
Singer Cheryl Cole is likely to take the judge’s seat along with Cowell on the show.
R&B singer Rihanna is planning to launch her own fashion and make-up lines."I want to have my own fashion and make-up lines - just experiment with the things that I love," said Rihanna.
The 23-year-old singer says she is also looking forward for a deal with a ‘well-known high street store’.
Kate Middleton has been given a 500,000-pound fleet of luxury cars so that she gets to the church on time for her wedding, after the British royal bride said she does not want to arrive in a horse-drawn carriage.Palace officials have taken delivery of seven new Jaguar XJ limos for the wedding scheduled for April 29.
The British-made cars were dispatched from the company earlier this month.
Kate had said she does not want to arrive at the Westminster Abbey in a traditional horse-drawn carriage.
Palace officials said the royal Rolls-Royces and Bentleys would be "too stuffy" for her and her groom, Prince William.
"When the Prince of Wales was attacked by students in his Rolls-Royce, it sent a message out about what people think is acceptable," an aide said.
Tuesday, March 22
The Indian media and entertainment industry logged an 11-percent growth in 2010 to touch $14.5 billion (Rs.652 billion) and is projected to expand at a higher rate of 13 percent this year, says a report released by a leading industry lobby.
"While television and print media continued to dominate India’s media and entertainment industry, sectors such as gaming, digital advertising and animation grew at a faster rate and show tremendous potential," said the report prepared by consultancy KPMG.
"Overall, the industry is expected to register a compounded annual growth of 14 percent to touch Rs.1,275 billion ($28.3 billion) by 2015," said the report, commissioned by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The full report is scheduled to be released during the FICCI-Frames annual conclave on media and entertainment, scheduled in Mumbai March 23-25 at the Renaissance Powai, with Canada as the partner country.
Key speakers include News Corp’s James Murdoch, film makers Yash Chopra, Ramesh Sippi, Vikram Bhatt and Karan Johar, directors Shyam Benegal, Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra, actor Kamal Hasan, Hollywood director Michael Fink, and a host of Indian media personalities.
Interestingly, the report said, unlike other markets in the world that continued to witness an erosion of the print industry, India saw this sector witness a 10 percent growth and would continue to log a similar expansion over the next five years.
"The key industry highlights are growing potential of the regional markets, increasing media penetration and per capita consumption and increasing importance of new media driven by changing consumption patterns," said FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra.
"Going forward, it will become imperative for media companies to reset their business models and build greater focus on profitability and changing consumer preferences," added Rajesh Jain, head of media and entertainment with KPMG.
Following are the key highlights of the report:
Television:
* Television households to surge to 156 million by 2015
* Digitization and addressability to go mainstream
* Advertising revenues to touch $4.5 billion
* Subscription revenues to touch $9.25 billion
Print:
* Overall print industry to see annual growth of 10 percent
* Revenues to touch $6.9 billion in five years
* Regional print expected to grow at a higher rate of 12 percent
Radio:
* Scale of industry expected to increase manifold
* New regulation expected in regulation and royalty structure
* Industry expected to grow at 20 percent per annum and become profitable
Films:
* Past year challenging for the industry
* Correction expected with multiplexes, research and cost rethink
* Industry expected to grow to $2.9 billion by 2015.
The report also highlighted a strong recovery in advertising spend as a key driver for growth. The advertising spend grew 17 percent to $5.9 billion and accounted for 41 per cent of overall industry size, it said.
Looking ahead, the report said mature players will increasingly look at build scales across the media value chain and explore cross-media synergies.
"In addition, existing foreign players are looking to expand their Indian portfolio and several other are expected to make and entry into India. Inorganic growth is likely to be a preferred route for many of these players," it said
"With increased digitization and accountability, Indian media companies are also expected to generate greater interest from private equity players."
"While television and print media continued to dominate India’s media and entertainment industry, sectors such as gaming, digital advertising and animation grew at a faster rate and show tremendous potential," said the report prepared by consultancy KPMG.
"Overall, the industry is expected to register a compounded annual growth of 14 percent to touch Rs.1,275 billion ($28.3 billion) by 2015," said the report, commissioned by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The full report is scheduled to be released during the FICCI-Frames annual conclave on media and entertainment, scheduled in Mumbai March 23-25 at the Renaissance Powai, with Canada as the partner country.
Key speakers include News Corp’s James Murdoch, film makers Yash Chopra, Ramesh Sippi, Vikram Bhatt and Karan Johar, directors Shyam Benegal, Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra, actor Kamal Hasan, Hollywood director Michael Fink, and a host of Indian media personalities.
Interestingly, the report said, unlike other markets in the world that continued to witness an erosion of the print industry, India saw this sector witness a 10 percent growth and would continue to log a similar expansion over the next five years.
"The key industry highlights are growing potential of the regional markets, increasing media penetration and per capita consumption and increasing importance of new media driven by changing consumption patterns," said FICCI secretary general Amit Mitra.
"Going forward, it will become imperative for media companies to reset their business models and build greater focus on profitability and changing consumer preferences," added Rajesh Jain, head of media and entertainment with KPMG.
Following are the key highlights of the report:
Television:
* Television households to surge to 156 million by 2015
* Digitization and addressability to go mainstream
* Advertising revenues to touch $4.5 billion
* Subscription revenues to touch $9.25 billion
Print:
* Overall print industry to see annual growth of 10 percent
* Revenues to touch $6.9 billion in five years
* Regional print expected to grow at a higher rate of 12 percent
Radio:
* Scale of industry expected to increase manifold
* New regulation expected in regulation and royalty structure
* Industry expected to grow at 20 percent per annum and become profitable
Films:
* Past year challenging for the industry
* Correction expected with multiplexes, research and cost rethink
* Industry expected to grow to $2.9 billion by 2015.
The report also highlighted a strong recovery in advertising spend as a key driver for growth. The advertising spend grew 17 percent to $5.9 billion and accounted for 41 per cent of overall industry size, it said.
Looking ahead, the report said mature players will increasingly look at build scales across the media value chain and explore cross-media synergies.
"In addition, existing foreign players are looking to expand their Indian portfolio and several other are expected to make and entry into India. Inorganic growth is likely to be a preferred route for many of these players," it said
"With increased digitization and accountability, Indian media companies are also expected to generate greater interest from private equity players."
Monday, March 21
'Jersey Shore' star Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola is ready to make her mark in the jewellery industry. The reality star, who already has her own perfume line, has collaborated with jewellery brand RichRocks to launch a new collection of bling. The line will reportedly have a ‘sweetheart’ theme - based off of Giancola’s nickname - that will include heart-shaped pendants, crystal bracelets and stone-encrusted hoop earrings. And unlike some high-priced celebrity lines, the 22-year-old’s new collection will appeal to a more affordable market. "I love that the RichRocks brand and my collection retails for just under 100 dollars," said Giancola."It was very important for me to keep all of the pieces affordable for my fans so they can purchase more than one piece and add to the collection. I have created some great fun and flirty pieces to wear day into night,” she added.
Elizabeth Hurley has sparked rumours that she is joining the cast of hit TV show ‘Desperate Housewives’, after she was spotted dining with Teri Hatcher in Los Angeles recently. The two actresses enjoyed a business meal at exclusive restaurant Little Door, where they were joined by Hurley’s lover, Aussie cricket star Shane Warne. The exact purpose of the meeting is unknown but fellow diners claim the two women appeared to be deep in conversation throughout the meal."Either they were talking about Desperate Housewives or sharing tips about how to play opposite TV superheroes,” said an onlooker.
According to the latest buzz, Mariah Carey could soon be joining Simon Cowell on the US ‘X Factor’. The 40-year-old singer has said that she was leaving Universal to rejoin Sony, who has close ties to X Factor. Apart from that, Carey’s former boss and mentor LA Reid has already quit a subsidiary of the label to hook up with Simon.“Mariah and Simon have been in talks about US X Factor for a while. He’s very fond of her. She’d certainly bring the pop diva card to the table,” said a source.
Saturday, March 19
Actress Eva Mendes has replaced Naomi Watts as the face of Thierry Mugler’s Angel fragrance. A statement from the company has revealed the 36-year-old actress was chosen because they hope to play up the fragrance’s "sultry" qualities. "While Naomi Watts’ ethereal beauty embodied the angelic aspect of the fragrance, Thierry Mugler chose to reignite the enticing and explosive dimensions of the fragrance with the sultry Mendes, though her obviously flawless physical beauty is in perfect harmony with the fragrance," said a statement.Mendes was previously the face of Calvin Klein’s Secret Obsession perfume, and now she will begin appearing in advertisements for Thierry Mugler from September.
Actress Katie Holmes and her business partner Jeanne Yang have created a fashion range under their banner Holmes & Yang for working mothers. "Sometimes when life gets really busy and you don’t want to have to think about what it is you’re going to wear, and you just want to have certain pieces that you know you can just depend on - what are those pieces? And so that was kind of our challenge," said Yang."Both of us are working moms, so we’re pretty busy, and, having a line, being moms and then having our careers is quite a lot. It’s so rare, unfortunately, that I actually know people who are into crafting and doing stuff like that," she added.
Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai will present a memento to Hollywood star Hugh Jackman at the FICCI-FRAMES 2011 annual convention on the business aspects of the entertainment and media industry on March 23-25. The 37-year-old star will honour Jackman on the final day of the event. Aishwarya, an internationally known actress, was asked by FICCI and its entertainment committee’s co-chair, filmmaker Karan Johar, to attend the function and present Jackman with a memento of appreciation.The 42 year old, Jackman, has played a variety of roles in Hollywood and is well known for his role as Wolverine in the popular "X Men" series.
Friday, March 18
Vidya Balan may not be happy with this news. Rumours have it that Vidya’s ‘boyfriend’ and UTV’s head honcho Siddharth Roy Kapur is very keen to make a film with Aishwarya Rai. The story of his film is reportedly very similar to his girlfriend’s film. Vidya and Siddharth have been an item for sometime now. So it is expected that Sid would cast his girlfriend in his film. But being the professional that he is, he feels Aishwarya and not Vidya would be apt for the film which is to be directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. Said a trade source, “Madhur Bhandarkar had almost shelved Heroine. He even told this to a senior journalist over a cup of coffee on March 2 that he wasn’t keen to make this film because Milan Luthria’s making The Dirty Picture(starring Vidya in the lead) that’s also set against the backdrop of the film industry.Madhur felt it would be a bit much to have two films releasing around the same time with similar subjects." However UTV bosses, Ronnie Screwvala and Siddharth Roy Kapur, were of the different opinion and want Madhur to continue working on Heroine. The team has earlier produced superhit film ‘Fashion’. Sources have added, "It is Siddharth who even spoke to Aishwarya Rai asking her whether she would meet Madhur for a basic narration of Heroine."
Now, with Aish and Vidya playing similar roles, one has to wait and watch which film would do well at the box office. And more importantly, which film would Sid like to watch, his own film or his girlfriend’s film.
Thursday, March 17
Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore has signed up to direct her second feature film which is a romantic comedy ‘How to Be Single’. "It is expected to have a feel similar to “He’s Just Not That In To You” and “Valentine’s Day” with a large ensemble cast and a multi-layered story about the love lives of a number of New Yorkers over 10 years," the actress said.However, no star cast has been announced yet. The movie is an adaptation of a novel of the same title by Liz Tuccillo.
Actress Sienna Miller thinks her fashion line is for people of all ages and shapes. She and her sister Savannah Miller created the brand Twenty8Twelve, now in its 11th season. The British beauty confesses that she has learned a lot since its inception. "When we started this brand I had never done a complete collection. We have learned about creating diversity in the range to suit different ages, bodies and budgets whilst still maintaining the essence of our brand in every piece," she said."We very often have three generations of women come into the store at once and all buy. I think there really is something for everyone and age these days isn’t what it used to be," she added.
Wardrobe malfunctions come as a part of fashion events and performances. And Katrina Kaif has added another wardrobe malfunction to her list. The Bollywood diva, who was recently performing at a music award function, escaped an awkward fashion faux pas. She was wearing a red top that kept slipping off her left shoulder during her performance. However, Katrina managed to finish her performance in style and not letting the wardroble malfunction deter her even a bit. Said a source, "Clothes to be worn at the event are made in a very short period of time. Although stars do have dress trials and Katrina had one too, it was a mere accident of her strap giving way. Wearing an outfit and standing is different from wearing an outfit and performing. ”We know Kat is blessed with a sizzling hot body to flaunt. But our advice to her is to be more careful in the future with her selection of costumes.
Actress Emma Watson was chosen to become the new face of cosmetics firm Lancome because she brings "fresh spirit" to the brand, company’s bosses have said. "Thanks to her charm, romanticism and her incredible modernity, Emma Watson has become the icon of her generation. We are delighted by this new collaboration with Emma, who brings a fresh spirit to Lancome," said Youcef Nabi, president of Lancome international. The campaign is being shot by legendary photographer Mario Testino. Watson, who was earlier the face of Burberry, said she can’t wait to get to work."It’s so exciting, I can’t wait to start shooting. Although I don’t wear much make-up, I’m a big fan of Lancome products, especially their mascara," she said.
Recently, Watson has launched her own ethical clothing range for People Tree.
Wednesday, March 16
Saturday, March 12
Bar Rafaeli recently sizzled in a bikini photo shoot for Agua Bendita’s new range of swimwear. The Israeli supermodel looks seductive in a variety of colorful bikinis leaving little to imagination. The 25 year old has been in a relationship with Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio since November 2005. And the actor is a lucky man for sure, to have a smoking hot lady in his life.
Elizabeth Hurley, who is 45 years old, has proved she’s still got it after she left for a party in a very sexy satin leopard-print dress. The beauty stepped out for the bash with her dependable best friend Patrick Cox. The Canadian designer, who now owns trendy Soho patisserie Cox Cookies and Cake, was a dapper stand-in date for Hurley, in his tailored charcoal suit. Hurley, in London for a 40th birthday dinner for the KIDS charity at Battersea Power Station, teamed her provocative dress with some nude peep-toe heels and a gold clutch. She was sporting and admirable golden glow, just over a week into spring, and flawless hair and make-up. Hurley has primarily remained close to home since arriving back in the UK from her ill-fated trip to Australia last month.While she has not confirmed an official split from cricketer Shane Warne, their silence speaks louder than words.
Ranbir and Katrina tried all possible things to keep their relationship under wraps. But as they say, there’s no smoke without fire, their secret public appearances did give the shutterbugs all the reason to conclude that they were indeed dating! But that is a thing in the past. Rumours have it that the couple has split. While many cite Nargis Fakhri as the reason behind the break up, sources indicate that there were other reasons behind the breakup. Sources state that Katrina wants to tie the nuptial with Junior Kapoor but the sexy young man is hell bent on avoiding marriage. Incidentally, Nargis is Ranbir’s ‘Rockstar’ co-star, with whom RK is having a gala time. And his proximity to the newbie created a lot of issues for Kat.A source revealed, "It was only incidental that Ranbir’s fondness for Nargis increased recently. However, what has really distanced him from Katrina is her demand that they get married, by March 2012, if not December 2011. She clearly told him that they should tie the knot in a year’s time."
But Katrina is in no mood to admit that she is desperate to marry Kapoor kid. Denying this news, the hottie said, "These rumours are embarrassing, ugly, a million miles from the truth, beyond fiction. The so-called people close to me who are saying these things actually have no proximity to me. Ranbir is a friend, but there is nothing beyond. So there is no question of my breaking up with him or asking for marriage."
Eva Longoria was caught on camera locking lips with her rumoured beau singer Eduardo Cruz. The ‘Desperate Housewives’ star gave the 25-year-old singer a smooch when they enjoyed a romantic lunch at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles recently. However, the duo remain tight-lipped about their relationship status.Eva was previously married to basketball player Tony Parker but they divorced in January.
Paris Hilton has announced that the 35-million-dollar lawsuit filed against her has been dropped. The 30-year-old hotel heiress said that hair-extension company HairTech has admitted that it got its allegations wrong and dropped the case it filed against her in LA last August. HairTech International principal Chris Volek had complained Hilton was seen out wearing competitors’ hair extensions and that she missed a launch party for its product when she went to jail in 2007, costing the firm 6.6 million dollars in lost revenue. Hilton had strongly denied their claims and filed a 1.7 million dollars countersuit. The socialite, however, insists no money has been paid to HairTech to drop the suit."It is certainly not unusual for businesspeople to have their disagreements, but I am glad that Chris has acknowledged the hard work and dedication I put into promoting his products,” said Hilton.
Volek said in a statement, "The information I received from others and on which I based the lawsuit was not accurate."
Julianne Moore has been cast to play former US Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin in HBO’s new flick ‘Game Change’. Based on the best-selling book of the same name by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, the film is about the 2008 US elections and follows Senator John McCain’s presidential bid from his selection of then Alaska Governor Palin as his running mate to their defeat in the general election. This film will be directed by Jay Roach, director of the "Meet the Parents" movies as well as the HBO film "Recount." And the scriptwriter is Danny Strong who has won an Emmy for his screenplay of "Recount," about the 2000 presidential election.Jay Roach will direct the film from a script by Danny Strong. They previously worked together on HBO’s ‘Recount’, which followed the aftermath of the 2000 presidential election.
Friday, March 11
Singer Christina Aguilera is set to launch a new fragrance named Secret Potion. Aguilera who also has a series of other perfumes, including Christina Aguilera, Christina Aguilera by Night and Royal Desire, took part in a photo shoot for the latest fragrance last week and brought her three-year-old son Max along. "He wasn’t feeling good, so she wanted to take care of him and make sure they were together. She’s trying to spend as much time as possible with him while she works, so Max brought his toys and played with his little cars while she did the shoot," said Christina."Growing up, I used to play with all the fragrances in my mother’s vanity. She had a taste for musky, sensual scents." Her previous scents have been inspired by her mother’s love of "sensual" fragrances.
Actress Sienna Miller has finally talked about her second split with actor Jude Law and says their relationship had run its course. She says they were nowhere near marriage when they broke up for the second time, reports a website. "We weren’t re-engaged. I think, it happens in everyones lives: you get back together, you try and make it work, and it doesn’t," she said. Miller and Law began dating in 2004, but broke up following his affair with his children’s nanny in 2005.The couple rekindled their romance last year and the actress admits she was "astounded" by the way people were "angry" or "disappointed" that things between them didn’t work out this time.
"It’s not acrimonious. It had run its course," she said.
Kate Winslet is looking like Madonna in a new French cosmetics ad. The Oscar winner is the face of Lancome, and stars in the latest advertising campaign shot by Mario Testino. Her flawless complexion may owe a little to the airbrush, as Winslet admitted in an interview that she is beginning to show the signs of ageing. “I’m more aware of things like wrinkles on my face. They’re becoming much more pronounced, because that’s the muscle I use most when acting,” she said.The 35-year-old also said that her svelte frame surprises people who encounter her in real life. “It seems to me I look very different from how people expect me to be. Clearly they think I’m a great big fat Viking!” she said.
Queen of bollywood Aishwarya Rai has finally pipped Katrina Kaif and won the lead role in Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Heroine’. It is believed that Madhur has already met Aishwarya along with his UTV producer Siddharth Roy Kapoor. Buzz has it that Aishwarya loved the subject and the rest of the modalities are being worked out. After Kareena Kapoor refused to do the film, Katrina Kaif and Aishwarya Rai were the top two contenders for the lead role in the film. Said a source, “Madhur Bhandarkar is known for his realistic cinema and has been fairly successful at that. He had finalised Kareena Kapoor for the lead role of ‘Heroine’ however Kareena had some reservations about the love making scenes and she opted out of the film. Ever since there has been speculations that who will star in the film. Recently there were talks that Madhur is speaking to both Katrina and Aishwarya Rai for the film but it is Aishwarya Rai who was always on the director’s mind.”Added the source, “Madhur has also reworked on the script to suit Aishwarya Rai as it has been a long unfulfilled dream of Madhur to work with her. The meeting happened last evening and the deal has more or less been sealed. The finances have to be worked out with UTV who are co-producing the film with Madhur.”
Thursday, March 10
Supermodel Kate Moss has put her luxury London mansion on sale for 11 million dollars. The 37-year-old is reportedly struggling to sell the massive property despite the sleek renovation and even slashing 1million dollar from the asking price to tempt would-be buyers. The five-bedroom house features such essentials as a neon-lit party area, raised roof terrace and two guest cloakrooms. Moss is said to have paid 12 million dollars for the place back in 2007 before the UK housing market hit the skids. But it hasn’t all be plain sailing for her since buying the property. The house has been burgled with thieves making off with a 115,000-dollar portrait of the supermodel by graffiti artist Banksy; flooded by sewage causing 140,000 dollars worth of damage; and needed to exorcised after she became convinced that malevolent spirits were haunting the place.Meanwhile the model and her rocker fiance Jamie Hince are said to have set their sights on a 13 million dollars nine bedroom property in the ultra exclusive suburb of Highgate.
Wednesday, March 9
Singer Katy Perry has been named as the global brand ambassador of hair styling brand ghd. The ‘Firework’ singer will promote a range of products - including their sought-after hair straighteners - in a new campaign, shot by renowned photographer David LaChapelle. "I’m so excited to be working with ghd, especially using their tools on my ‘California Dreams’ tour to get me stage ready. ghd products have a reputation of being the best products in the biz, and I like being associated with that. I’m very excited to reveal the styles I did with legendary David LaChapelle in the upcoming ghd campaign. Keep your eyes peeled for it," said Katy.Paul Stoneham, ghd Chief Executive Officer, said: "Katy is the epitome of modern fashion and styling. Her unique, ever changing looks are the envy of style devotees around the world. Katy completely embodies ghd’s spirit of female transformation and empowerment, as she is seen as a cutting edge style icon unafraid to push fashion and beauty boundaries. Sassy, stylish and sexy, Katy is the perfect partner for ghd."
Actress Michelle Rodriguez says she’s ready to show all for the cameras if a good steamy role comes along. The ‘Avatar’ star has started looking at sexier parts after her best pal joked about what a ‘prude’ she is in front of camera. "She was making fun of me. I was focused on being kind of like, an example for Latinas; I didn’t want them to be thinking that sexy is the only way to be powerful,” said Michele. “But, y’know man, I’m gonna wrinkle up and lose it one day, and she reminded me of it, so I was like, ‘I might as well put it to some use and go do the sexy thing for a while. Why not?’”The actress admits she wouldn’t do anything too extreme, but she’s "open to some romantic comedy stuff".
It has emerged that the editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman urged Kate Middleton to choose a wedding dress designed by the Alexander McQueen label. The recommendation has apparently added to the speculation that Sarah Burton, the fashion house’s creative director, will design the royal bride’s gown. Buckingham Palace began canvassing for guidance on behalf of Middleton shortly after her engagement was announced in 20110. Stylists and editors were asked to name their ‘top choice’ for the coveted commission. Fashion industry sources confirmed that Shulman had been approached and had recommended the McQueen label. "She was asked for her first choice and that choice was McQueen," said a source.However, Buckingham Palace has refused to comment and McQueen insiders have strongly denied they have won the assignment.
Five Indian women, including high-profile author Arundhati Roy and rights activist Jayshree Satpute, figure in the list of 100 of the world’s most inspirational women prepared by The Guardian. The list also has a fair sprinking of women of Indian origin like PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi and director Mira Nair. The five Indian women who have made it to the exclusive group are Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy; Jayshree Satpute, a human rights advocate working to help poor women in India at risk of dying in childbirth; ecofeminist Vandana Shiva; Aparajita Gogoi, who is coordinator of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood in India and Sampat Pal Devi, leader of an all women vigilante force called Gulabi Gang.The Guardian released the list March 8, being celebrated as International Women’s Day. Roy, who authored ‘The God of Small Things’ and calls herself a ‘natural born feminist’, is described as one of India’s most important polemicists. The Guardian report said that she has not published a second novel and has instead shone the spotlight on the dark side of the subcontinent.
Sampat Pal Devi, who leads the Gulabi gang in northern India, is listed in the section of Activists and Campaigners. The all-women force dressed in pink saris wields bamboo sticks. One day she saw a man beating his wife in India’s Uttar Pradesh state and she begged him to stop. He didn’t. She returned the next day with a group of women and beat him like he had beaten his wife. The Gulabi gang had been formed, the report said.
She has a list of criminal charges against her but the number of gang members is growing. It now has around 20,000 members. "Village society in India is loaded against women," she says.
Vandana Shiva, a renowned name in global circles who believes feminism and environmentalism are inseparable, is quoted as saying: "Women who produce for their families and communities are treated as ‘non-productive’ and economically inactive. The devaluation of women’s work, and of work done in sustainable economies, is the natural outcome of a system constructed by capitalist patriarchy. This is how globalisation destroys local economies and destruction itself is counted as growth."
Indian-origin filmmaker Mira Nair is there in the list. She made ‘The Namesake’, ‘Amelia’ and ‘Monsoon Wedding’ and her movie ‘Salaam Bombay’ won awards at Cannes, and led to her setting up a children’s charity. She went on to become the first woman to win the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival.
In the field of business, Indian-origin PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi finds mention. Nooyi is keen to help women up the business ladder. "If you are a woman and especially a person of colour, there are two strikes against you," Indra Nooyi had said. "Immigrant, person of colour, and woman, three strikes against you. So I would work extra hard at it. More hours, yes. More sacrifices and trade-offs, yes. That has been the journey." She grew up in what she calls a "humble middle-class" environment in South India and worked hard to reach a pay-packet of $10.66 million last year.
Another Indian-origin woman on the list is Pragna Patel, founding member of Southall Black Sisters, which the media report described as a landmark organisation in the history of black and Asian feminism. The charity campaigns for and offers practical support to women escaping domestic violence and forced marriages.
Britain-based Jasvinder Sanghera, director of Karma Nirvana, which is a charity helping victims of forced marriages and ‘honour’ violence, also finds mention in the list. She had run away from home at 15 to avoid a forced marriage and set up the charity after her elder sister, who was afraid of her abusive husband and killed herself in 1987.
The ‘Dabangg’ hottie Sonakshi Sinha has confirmed doing a film with South superstar Kamal Haasan. Said Sonakshi, “I’m happy that an actor of his caliber has noticed my performance and wants me to share screen space with him.” Junior Shotgun, who has grown up watching the Tamil superstar’s films, is ecstatic about the film offer. She will be flying to London shortly to shoot for the film. " I’ve grown up watching films of his like ‘Sadma’, ‘Ek Duje Ke Liye’, ‘Appu Raja’ and ‘Chachi 420’ and have immensely appreciated his performances. Things always manage to fall into place for me as has this. I landed up with this film during a break after the first schedule of ‘Joker’ so it was all very convenient for me,” said the actress.Reportedly, Sonakshi will be playing Kamal’s wife! The actress, who is playing Akshay Kumar’s love interest in Shirish Kunder’s ‘Joker’, will be romancing Kamal, who is almost her father’s age. And the beauty is a year younger to Kamal’s daughter Shruti.
It was a big day for Meiyang Chang. The Chinese Indian dentist-turned-singer-turned-actor Tuesday won dance reality show ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4’ and won Rs.50 lakhs, which he will share with his choreographer Marischa Fernandes. He outperformed TV actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was a consistent performer, and Yana Gupta, the Czech-born model-actress, who wowed everyone with her graceful dance moves. "It’s been a very nice journey. I never thought I’ll stick around till the end. With such a good partner and the judges encouraging us so much, along with some hard work, we reached here. I’m very happy to be the winner and to be here," said Meiyang, whose forefathers lived in China’s Hubei province, after the win.The 28-year-old’s brush with fame began with his singing prowess and he participated in music reality show ‘Indian Idol 3’ in 2007 but couldn’t win it. He then returned to ‘Indian Idol’ as the host of the fourth season, but his anchoring skills were recognised when he was given a chance to be a presenter for the second season of the Indian Premier League in South Africa. As an actor, he got a major break with Yash Raj Films’ ‘Badmaash Company’, but the film didn’t do well.
This is his first major victory. During his stint on ‘Jhalak....’, Chang, a non-dancer, showed tremendous improvement and finally belled the cat.
Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit judged the show with Malaika Arora and choreographer Remo D’Souza. The highlight of the finale was Madhuri’s superb performance on ‘Que sara sara’ and ‘Tamma tamma’ choreographed by Remo.
"All three were my favourites and any of these guys winning wouldn’t have been a surprise for me because all of them are very good, especially Chang, because the show is all about people who turn into dancers from being non-dancers. So Chang was a great example of that," said Remo.
"There was this thing when Sushant was performing brilliantly episode after episode but in the last episode, Chang scored more than him. This is a competition, a race, the person who plays the last shot brilliantly is the star and Chang did brilliantly in the finale episode," he added.
Tuesday, March 8
Just a few months back Sonakshi Sinha’s morphed bikini picture made rounds on the Internet, and now it’s the turn of the most graceful lady of the bollywood, Vidya Balan. A few days ago, Vidya was shocked to learn that a doctored picture of hers in a teeny-weeny bikini for a magazine cover had been posted online. The photo has been morphed on the cover of a men’s magazine for its annual 2011 edition. According to sources, Vidya was completely shocked and denied shooting for the magazine. It is believed that actress is contemplating a legal action against those behind this misdemeanor.Vidya said, “First Sonakshi and then me. When I heard there was a picture of me in a bikini on a magazine cover, I thought someone was being mistaken for me because I haven’t done a shoot like this. But I was shocked when I saw it. I will be taking proper legal action against the people who are responsible for this.”
If rumours are to be believed, then Scarlett Johansson is getting back to Broadway to romance Jon Hamm and John Krasinski in a new production of ‘The Philadelphia Story’. According to Variety, the three actors all appeared at a recent reading of the play in New York, hosted by Drama Desk Award-winning director Alex Timbers. The report has sparked speculation the trio will take on the story in a new production of the play, which was made famous by the 1940 Oscar-winning film adaptation starring Katharine Hepburn as a scheming socialite opposite Cary Grant and James Stewart, reports a newspaper.Johansson bagged a coveted Tony Award in 2010 for her Broadway debut in ‘A View From The Bridge’.
