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Mumbai, April 1 (IANS) He is one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood, but for now Irrfan Khan has stopped signing on new assignments because he wants to focus on the role of a steeplechase runner in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s “Paan Singh Tomar”.

“This is the most physically and mentally demanding film of my career. If I give attention to anything else, I won’t be able to do justice to this role,” Irrfan, who has proved his mettle in films like “Maqbool”, “The Namesake” and Oscar winning film “Slumdog Millionaire”, told IANS.

“You see, steeplechase is a far more complicated form of marathon. It demands a continuous rhythm as one runs and jumps. It’s the most difficult task I’ve ever undertaken as an actor,” he added.

Unable to cope with the heavy demands on his body and mind, the 46-year-old Irrfan has stopped work on all other projects.

“I’ve steeplechase experts constantly working on me. I’m trying to stretch my body to its limit. I have to look convincing as this long-distance steeplechase runner. Otherwise, the film falls flat. I can’t afford that risk at this stage of my career.

“There’re lots of talks for new projects, both national and international. But I’m not signing anything. I have to devote all my time to getting the steeplechase right.”

London, March 31 (IANS) Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry is keen to expand her family with boyfriend Gabriel Aubry but fears she’s too old to have more kids.

The 42-year-old star has a one-year-old daughter, Nahla, with model and bar owner Aubry and admits she’s keen for more, but she insists that, at her age, she can only try and leave the rest to nature, reports contactmusic.com.

“My mind says yes, but the rest isn’t up to me, so we’ll see,” she said.

But she insists she isn’t interested in following in the footsteps of mother-of-six superstar Angelina Jolie and filling her home full of babies.

“I hope I don’t have, like, 14 more! That’s all I hope,” she added.

London, March 31 (IANS) Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen has peeled off her clothes for the cover of the latest issue of Vanity Fair magazine.

Apart from baring all in the pictures, the 28-year-old has also related how she was teased as a child by classmates who called her Olive Oyl after Popeye’s stick-thin girlfriend, The Sun online reports.

She has also spoken in the magazine interview about her life with new husband, Ameican football star Tom Brady, and given out her thoughts on motherhood, ex-boyfriend Leonardo Dicaprio and adoption.

It’s not just Freida Pinto who seems to be getting a lot of attention (some of it undue) post ‘Slum Dog Millionaire’.

The child actor Rubina Ali Qureshi who played the youngest version of Latika in the movie of course performed much better than Pinto and is getting the much needed attention as well. The nine-year-old was plucked from the slums of Mumbai to star in the much acclaimed Danny Boyle movie.

She sashayed down the ramp in designer clothes recently and has now shot for a TV commercial with none other than Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman.

The advertisement, for a soft drinks company, was produced by ‘American Gangster’ director Ridley Scott and directed by Shekhar Kapur in Udaipur recently and also has Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal.

According to contactmusic.com, her father hopes that her rising profile could lead to a better life for the family.

Rubina’s father Rafiq Ali said, “We are very proud of her and hope she continues to become a big star. Maybe then, we will be able to live in a proper house. She was paid more for the ad than the movie”.

Well, this kid really deserved to be the part of a rags to riches story. This one seems really justified.
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London, March 31 (IANS) Teenage star Miley Cyrus has disappointed her young fans by insisting she won’t be starring in any more “Hannah Montana” movies.

Cyrus shot to fame on the hit kids’ TV show with the same name in 2006 and after shooting for three seasons of the show, the 16-year-old is set to take the role to the big screen with the launch of “Hannah Montana: The Movie” in April.

But she has urged fans to see the movie as she won’t be making any more big screen appearances as the show’s schoolgirl-turned pop star, reports contactmusic.com.

“We were really lucky to have enough material to make one movie. To do another one takes away a lot of the reality. Normal high schoolers see Hannah’s blond wig and say ‘That’s not reality’,” she said.

“We didn’t make (the plot) in a way that makes another season unrealistic. We’re all doing a season three, and we all wish to do a season four. So I don’t know if I would do another film, but we would love to do another season,” she added.

Washington, March 31 (IANS) Seven Indians, including Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, industrialists Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani and media mogul Ronnie Screwvala are among the finalists in Time magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People of 2009.

Time would publish the final list later in the year. But in a continuing online poll on Time’s website, the list of 203 finalists is currently headed by “moot”, the founder of 4chan.org, a website for posting images and discussions anonymously. Barack Obama, the first African-American president of the US, is ranked 13th.

Gandhi, who is leading the ruling Congress party’s bid for re-election in the parliamentary polls, is ranked 43 – ahead of Tata (102), the maker of the world’s cheapest car Nano, and Ambani (169), who the publication referred to as “petrol prince”.

The other three Indians in the finalists’ list are Pepsico chief executive Indra Nooyi, public face for Washington’s Troubled Asset Relief Programme Neel Kashkari, and Harvard-educated management consultant Ram Charan.

Screwvala is currently top-ranked among Indians at 33rd overall place, Nooyi is at 89, Kashkari 187 and Charan 193.

“Slumdog Millionaire” fame British filmmaker Danny Boyle, who hit the headlines with the Oscar-winning movie shot in Mumbai’s slums, is also among the finalists.

On Gandhi, 62, who has figured on Time’s 100 Most Influential People list twice before, the publication said that the “the Italian-born head of India’s most influential political party is beloved by her constituents, not only because of her family history (she entered politics after her husband Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated) but also because of her efforts to combat poverty”.

However, in a negative for her, the Congress party president “has been bogged down by a public spat with one of her rivals,” it said, without specifying who the rival is.

Among the Indians, Ratan Tata, who has been on Time’s annual list once before, has been described as having “introduced the Tata Nano,the world’s first $2,500 car. Set for release in India this spring, the ‘people’s car’ could be a boon for low-income communities”.

On the negative side, Nano’s low price could make the car too accessible, flooding streets with even more CO2-spouting vehicles, Time said.

Naming 51-year old Mukesh Ambani as the “petrol prince”, Time said the billionaire chairman of Reliance Industries steers one of the biggest conglomerates in India, with interests in not only oil, but also clothing and kitchenware.

However, he is still mired in a public spat with his billionaire brother, Time said, while advising him to “duke it out using pillows stuffed with $1,000 bills”.

About PepsiCo CEO Nooyi, who has twice made to its annual list, Time said that as head of one of the world’s most far-reaching food conglomerates, “she has pledged to steer the US away from junk food and toward healthy eating…(however) profits took a hit last year. And while healthful snacking is nice and all, there ain’t nothing wrong with Funyons”.

Mumbai-based UTV Group CEO Screwvala “is hoping to export his Bollywood know-how to the US, partnering with such companies as Fox Searchlight and Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment,” the magazine said.

Mumbai, March 31 (IANS) Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt were not on talking terms for a long time but the two have finally buried the hatchet. The two are planning to team up for an international project.

“Anil Kapoor wanted to meet Sanjay Dutt for a long time. But both of them seemed to be too tied up. Finally on Thursday Anil said he wanted to come over to discuss a very serious matter. Sanjay insisted that he would go over to Anil’s home since he hadn’t visited him for a long time,” a source told IANS.

Sanjay spent a good hour at the Anil’s residence.

“Anil seems convinced that after ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ the West was ready for much more of India. During their conversation he also said Sanjay and he were the only two stars who could come together to give the international market a run for its money,” said the source.

The Anil-Sanjay international project could happen by the end of this year. Danny Boyle, who directed Anil to global recognition in “Slumdog Millionaire”, could be roped in to direct.

“Danny Boyle’s name was mentioned. He could direct the two stars. Together,” said the source.

Anil also formally wanted to sign Sanjay for his home production “No Problem”, said the source.

“He gave Sanjay a signing amount of Rs.10 million which Sanjay refused to take saying he can never accept money from a dear friend. But Anil insisted. He said, ‘I let you get away with working free for me when you did the item song in my production ‘Short Cut’. But now you’re a full-fledged actor in ‘No Problem’. Let’s be professional about money matters at least.’ Sanjay declined at least five-six times and then relented.”

And there ends one of the longest-lasting feuds in filmdom.

Many years ago Anil had apparently made some remarks about Sanjay’s family. Sanjay hadn’t liked his remark and had sworn never to see Anil’s face let alone work with him.

Now Sanjay has done a jig with Anil in “Short Cut”, will do a full-length comedy “No Problem” together and also co-star in an international project.

Washington, Mar 31 (ANI): Comedian Jamie Kennedy is said to be on the mend after he fell ill due to kidney stones, and is also recovering fast with his girlfriend actress Jennifer Love Hewitt being there by his side.

Kennedy, 38, had fallen ill on March 24 while holidaying with Hewitt, 30, in Mexico, and as soon as they arrived back in Los Angeles on March 25, he headed straight for the hospital.

“He had comedy shows scheduled in Boston, but he cancelled them because of his kidney stones,” People magazine quoted a source as saying.

“He felt better later in the day and went home, but on Thursday he started hurting again and he went back to the hospital,” the source added.

The source also revealed that Kennedy was “on the mend” with Hewitt by his side, and that he was looking forward to returning to work.

“He’s just home and feeling better,” the source added. (ANI)

London, Mar 31 (ANI): The DJ at the Winter Music Conference at the Fontainebleau hotel nightclub in Miami, Florida, has blamed Paris Hilton and her entourage for the pub brawl.

While Hilton claimed that her beau Doug Reinhardt was left black-and-blue after stepping in to defend her when she was shooed away by DJ Steve Angello’s bodyguards, the beatmaker claimed that it was actually the hotel heiress’ guards who started the fight by punching him in the face when he turned down her song request.

‘Paris’s story is a joke. She kept demanding I play hip-hop, not Madonna, Daft Punk or anyone else – I’m not a hip-hop DJ. I don’t have a bodyguard either. Her guy punched me first and I defended myself. No-one else was involved,” the Daily Star quoted Angello as saying.

“She might be used to people saying yes to her 24/7, but she’s not going to get that from me. The Winter Music Conference is about the music, and that’s the reason people travel to it from all over the world. It’s not about spoilt girls getting what they want,” Angello added. (ANI)

London, Mar 31 (ANI): Angelina Jolie is believed to have told Azharuddin Mohammed, young star of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, that she may soon adopt a child from India.

At last month’s Oscars, the ten-year-old asked the actress if she planned to adopt an Indian orphan, reports the Sun.

She reportedly replied: “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon.”

She met Azharuddin and Rubina Ali, nine, backstage in Los Angeles after ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ won eight Oscars.

According to onlookers, Jolie was very impressed by the pair and talked freely with them.

The 33-year-old actress and her partner/actor Brad Pitt already have three adopted kids: Maddox, eight, from Cambodia; Pax, five, from Vietnam and Zahara, four, from Ethiopia.

They also have three biological kids — Shiloh, two, and eight-month-old twins Vivienne and Knox. (ANI)

No, he’s not playing such a role in a movie. Actually Abhay Deol’s having the time of his life in the US. From being a welding student, he’s now giving lectures too there.

Reportedly he wooed the audience with his speech at the prestigious Wharton business school of the University Of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

He talked about topics like multiplex versus single screen films to the new economy to Bollywood going global and on various aspects of avant-garde cinema

He said of the March 21 speech, "It was a fun experience. The audience was very receptive and excited. I didn’t go with any theme in mind. I was asked questions about Bollywood. A lot of them were to do with how the industry has been up till now and about how it is changing rapidly."

He also added, "We spoke of the ‘multiplex’ film versus the ‘single screen’ film, of the new economy, the new generation of film watchers, the possibility of Bollywood going global, and talent out there which is yet to be tapped."

From day one he’s acted in films like ‘Socha Na Tha’, ‘Ahista Ahista’ ‘Manorama Six Feet Under’, ‘Oye Lucky Oye’ and more recently ‘Dev D’. So much so that now he’s being seen as the voice of a specific kind of niche avant-garde cinema in Bollywood.

He added, "A lot of the questions had to do with my choice of films. The hall was packed and we got asked many questions. One person even asked me about how some of the sequences in Dev D were shot, primarily the ones where I was rigged with the camera."

He also talks about how happy he’s in New York. After ‘suddenly rising’ Freida Pinto, he’s another star who loves the city.

He informed, "I love this city. I feel at home here as the people are very much like they are in Mumbai and I have my own place. I do cook, but I mostly eat out and I keep my place clean. Once in two weeks I have a maid who comes and cleans the apartment."

He will only return to Mumbai to shoot for Anil Kapoor’s ‘Ayesha’ with Sonam Kapoor after his dates are sorted out.

He’s also been linked up with Soha Ali Khan in the past, and now Sonam and ‘Miss Great Britain’ Preeti Desai and Abhay simply says: "The Indian press would link me with a pizza if I was spotted carrying one with me."

This guy sure is doing pretty well in life, his own unconventional way. -

London, March 30 (IANS) After drawing acclaim for the multiple Oscar winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire” and sashaying down the ramp in designer clothes, child actor Rubina Ali Qureshi has shot for a TV commercial with Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman.

The nine-year-old was plucked from the slums of Mumbai to star in the Danny Boyle movie, and her father hopes that her rising profile could lead to a better life for the family, reports contactmusic.com.

“We are very proud of her and hope she continues to become a big star. Maybe then, we will be able to live in a proper house. She was paid more for the ad than the movie,” said Rubina’s father Rafiq Ali.

The advertisement, for a soft drinks company, was produced by “American Gangster” director Ridley Scott and directed by Shekhar Kapur in Udaipur recently. Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal also stars in the commercial.

First Look : BRIDE WARS

Cast: Anne Hathway and Kate Hudson

Release Date: 24th April, 2009

Banner: 20th Century Fox (Fox Star Studios India)

Director: Gary Winick

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Story: Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) are best friends who since childhood have planned every detail of their respective weddings. At the top of their bridal “must have” list: a ceremony at New York’s ultimate bridal destination, the Plaza Hotel. Now, at age 26, they’re both about to get married; they’re about to realize their dreams; and they’re about to live happily ever after. Or maybe not…

When a clerical error causes a clash in wedding dates – they’re now to be married on the same date! – Liv, Emma and their lifelong friendship are put to the ultimate test. Liv, a successful lawyer who is used to getting what she wants, including the perfect job and the perfect man, won’t settle for anything less than the perfect wedding she has dreamed of for years. Emma, a schoolteacher who has always been good at taking care of others, but not so much in looking after herself, discovers her inner Bridezilla and comes out swinging when her own dream wedding is imperiled.

Now, the two best friends who’d do anything for each other, find themselves in a no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners struggle that threatens to erupt into all-out war.

CREDITS:

Story by

Greg Depaul

Produced by

Julie Yorn

Kate Hudson

Alan Riche

Executive Producers

Arnon Milchan

Jay Cohen

Tony Ludwig

Matt Luber

Jonathan Filley

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London, March 30 (IANS) No one in the “Slumdog Millionaire” film crew predicted its Oscar success – except for one of the child actors, director Danny Boyle has said.

“When things like this happen, it’s always unexpected really because that’s what makes them so extraordinary,” Boyle said at a glittering Empire award ceremony Sunday night, where he picked up the prize for outstanding contribution to British cinema.

“It’s amazing and a delight for everybody who was on the film,” Boyle said about the eight Oscars awarded to “Slumdog Millionaire” in February.

“None of us suspected this would happened – apart from one of the kids,” the director said.

“One of the kids said to me when I first cast him… he predicted almost, very very seriously. And every week that went by he kept reminding me of it and I used to just kind of like [ignore him]….

“And then all of this stuff started to happen, and he kept saying ‘I told you so’,” the British director told BBC.

The award was presented by players from Boyle’s favourite football team, Bury FC, after Boyle told Empire magazine in an earlier interview he would rather Bury FC won the FA Cup than he win an Oscar.

Accepting the award Boyle said: “It’s a lovely feeling getting all these awards but you’ve got to get back on the bicycle at some point.”

However, the award for Best British film did not go to “Slumdog Millionaire” after film fans voted for the gangster film “Rocknrolla”.

Other winners, who are voted by Empire magazine readers, included: The Dark Knight (best film), Christian Bale (best actor, The Dark Knight), Helena Bonham Carter (best actress, Sweeney Todd), Christopher Nolan (best director, Quantum of Solace), Gemma Arterton (best newcomer).

Russell Crowe was named ‘actor of our lifetime’ to mark Empire’s 20th birthday and Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings, was declared the Empire Icon.

London, Mar 30 (ANI): Jennifer Aniston’s hairstylist for the last fifteen years will no longer be cutting her widely imitated locks, for he now wants to build his celebrity clientele.

Ever since Chris McMillan has created Aniston’s ‘Rachel’ haircut on sitcom Friends in the 1990s, the two of them have become very good friends.

And the actress is so particular that she doesn’t let any other hairdressers touch her blonde locks.

In fact, she reportedly paid a whopping 40,000 pounds for McMillan to accompany her on a weeklong promotional trip across Europe earlier this month.

But now, the duo has reportedly parted ways as McMillan is training another guru how to style her hair, so he can work on other clients.

‘Chris is instructing someone else on how to do Jen’s hair because he’s not on set. Chris is focused on building his celebrity clientele and Jennifer wants to experiment with her look,” the Daily Express quoted a source as telling the Mail. (ANI)

London, March 30 (ANI): Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, High School Musical 3, claimed victory at the 22nd Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

A new record was set when more than 90 million voted online to choose winners for the event, which honours the year’s biggest television, movie, and music acts, on March 28.

While Cyrus choked up during her acceptance speech after receiving the Favourite Female Singer award, her former beau Nick Jonas, and his brothers were handed out the Favourite Music Group trophy, reports The Daily Star.

The ‘High School Musical 3: Senior Year’ was the Favourite Movie, while its star, Vanessa Hudgens was credited with the Favourite Movie Actress title.

Other frontrunners included Will Smith, who won the Favourite Movie Actor prize, while a bronzed Leonardo DiCaprio was honoured with the inaugural Big Green Help crown for doing his bit for the environment.

And this time around, the show’s signature green slime stunts targeted Favourite Male Singer Jesse McCartney who got slimed while talking to host Dwayne Johnson.

Hugh Jackman and Sandra Bullock were also left green as they opened a briefcase to declare the winner of the Favourite Book award which went to the Twilight series.

Complete list of the winners at the Kids’ Choice Awards

Favourite Movie – High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Favourite Animated Movie – Madagascar: Return 2 Africa
Favourite Voice from an Animated Movie – Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda)
Favourite Male Movie Star – Will Smith
Favourite Female Movie Star – Vanessa Hudgens
Favourite TV Show – iCarly
Favourite Reality Show – American Idol
Favourite Cartoon – SpongeBob SquarePants
Favourite TV Actress – Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place)
Favourite TV Actor – Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody)
Favourite Song – Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) by Beyonce
Favourite Music Group – Jonas Brothers
Favourite Male Singer – Jesse McCartney
Favourite Female Singer – Miley Cyrus
Favourite Male Athlete – Peyton Manning
Favourite Female Athlete – Candace Parker
Big Green Help Award – Leonardo DiCaprio
Favourite Video Game – Guitar Hero World Tour
Favourite Book – Twilight series (ANI)

London, Mar 30(ANI): Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali is said to have been paid more than the Oscar winning film for a drinks commercial with Hollywood superstar Nicole Kidman.

According to the nine-year-old slum dweller’s father, the money Rubina is receiving for doing the ad is more than the total she got for the film.

‘The Slumdog Millionaire people haven’t kept all their promises despite all the media attention. We have no information about the supposed trust fund and the 21pound-a-month that they were giving for her studies has stopped coming,” the Telegraph quoted Rafiq Ali as saying.

“The money she is receiving for doing this ad is more than the total she got for Slumdog,’ he added.

He hopes that Rubina’s rising profile could lead to a better life for the family.

“We are very proud of her and hope she continues to become a big star. Maybe then we will be able to live in a proper house,” he said. (ANI)

London, March 30 (ANI): Actress Angelina Jolie is said to have told her pals that she is planning her seventh and eighth babies.

According to reports, one of the two children will be adopted and one natural.

The reports also suggest that Jolie has told one of her close friends that she has already started looking for a fourth baby to adopt.

It is said that Jolie now wants a girl of similar age and background to her adopted daughter Zhara, 4, from Ethiopia.

The actress will later try for a fourth natural baby with her partner Brad Pitt, says her friend.

‘Angelina is absolutely loving the joys of motherhood and is keen to expand her family this year. At the moment she is renting a house in Long Island while shooting Salt. As soon as that’s over she is planning to fly abroad to find a new baby,” the Mirror quoted Jolie’s friend as saying.

‘When that is all sorted she has discussed finding somewhere new and interesting to live to start trying for a fourth natural baby.

‘She is very keen to get pregnant again,’ the pal added.

Jolie has already decided to work less in favour of her family, and she aims to make one film a year. (ANI)

London, March 29 (IANS) Hollywood couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are to extend their multinational brood with a child from India, reports contactmusic.com.

The pair already has three adopted children Maddox, seven, from Cambodia, Pax, four, from Vietnam, and Zahara, three, from Ethiopia as well as a biological daughter Shiloh, two, and their seven-month-old twins Vivienne and Knox.

Jolie recently revealed plans to adopt a child from India when she met the child stars of Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire”.

When ten-year-old Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail asked the “Tomb Raider” star why she hadn’t adopted from his home country, she replied, “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon.”

The couple originally showed interest in adopting from India when they visited the country’s Priyadarshini Orphanage in 2006, but were too busy to finalise the details.

“They filled out all the paperwork but had to put the adoption on hold because of all their other commitments,” said an insider.

London, March 29 (ANI): Paris Hilton was spotted openly showering kisses on beau Doug Reinhardt in the Miami surf.

The 28-year hotel heiress, wrapped in a bright wraparound top, tiny sarong and silver headband, reportedly displayed her playful side to 23-year-old Reinhardt.

She was later seen posing for the camera while the reality star went for a dip in the pool, reports the Daily Express.

Doug had previously revealed he wanted to start a family with the socialite, insisting he would love to have “some mini Parises one day.’

The couple had allegedly started dating shortly after Paris ended her relationship with rocker Benji Madden. (ANI)