Veena Malik regrets ‘tragic’ nude photo shoot

Mumbai: Pakistani starlet Veena Malik, who made a splash in the Indian showbiz industry last year with her sleazy stint in reality TV ‘Bigg Boss 4,’ regrets the latest controversy that stirred her nation.

The actress from across the border has confessed that she has made a mistake by posing topless for the magazine but has categorically denied going nude. She had indeed covered her modesty with her arms and was wearing a bikini bottom while shooting for FHM magazine.

However, according to her, the magazine cheated on her by tampering with her images.

Talking to a daily, Veena said, “Yes, of course, both the images were morphed. My upper portion was covered with tattoos. I think if I could rewind this time, I would like to delete. I feel cheated.”

“But we all make mistakes, I have made a mistake, learned from it and want to move on,” she added.

Reportedly, Veena’s father had disowned her following the news that shamed him utterly and also called in for severe action against her. Her subsequent participation in ‘Swayamwar’ forced many Islamic bodies to issue ‘Fatwa’ on her for disrespecting their community.

“It has been tragic and traumatic, really sad. It has been very difficult,” the tainted actress said.

Most of her actions have made news and it is believed that she is a desperate publicity seeker!

Well, we really wonder if you sincerely repent for the controversy Ms Malik!

Read more...

Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' named greatest music video of all time

Michael Jackson's revolutionary 'Thriller' has been named as the greatest music video of all time, almost three decades after it was created.

The creepy video that has the late singer transformed into both a werewolf and a zombie got the maximum votes; narrowly beating Lady Gaga's raunchy Telephone in the poll.

Another classic promo, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, which dates back to 1975, was voted third by musicians' website musicradar.com.

'Thriller', made by John Landis, the director of An American Werewolf In London, is credited with turning pop videos into an art form of their own.

The 14-minute film was the most expensive video of its day, when it was first shown in 1983, and cost half a million dollars to create.

Gaga's violent Telephone is another epic, the nine minutes film was created by Jonas Akerlund, who was behind Prodigy's controversial Smack My B**** Up, which is seventh in the list.

"Lady Gaga ran Thriller very close, but it still seems right that the promo that saw the birth of the pop video as a cultural event should hold the top spot - for now," the Sun quoted Will Groves, editor-in-chief of Music Radar, as saying.

Top 10
1. Michael Jackson - Thriller
2. Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce - Telephone
3. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
4. Johnny Cash - Hurt
5. Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
6. Aphex Twin - Windowlicker
7. The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
8. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
9. Foo Fighters - Everlong
10. Nirvana - Heart Shaped Box

Read more...

Salman Khan spoils Sanjay Dutt's New Year plans for his own party

As Sallu will party away in Dubai, Sanju, his co-host on a reality show, will cut short his Bali vacation to make up for his absence 

Work commitments have thrown a spanner in the holiday plans of Sanjay Dutt. The star along with wife Maanayata and twins Shahraan and Iqra left over the weekend for a vacation in Bali.

But now he has been summoned back for a special shoot on December 31 for the reality show he hosts.

As co-anchor Salman Khan has kept himself away from the shoot, Dutt has no way out but to return by December 30.

Says a source, "Sanjay had planned the family trip around Christmas and had planned to return only after January 1.

He waited for his flick Agneepath's trailer launch on Friday and the show's shoot on Saturday and planned his departure only after these events.

But the makers of Bigg Boss planned a special episode shoot on December 31 and the channel authorities requested Sanjay to be present for it."

Adds the source, "He decided to return on December 30. He will fly in a chopper to Karjat on December 31 for the special episode shoot."

As Salman is not shooting for the show, there was no other option left for Sanjay or the channel. "As a result he decided to be professional and not let personal reasons overrule." Dutt now plans to usher in 2012 in Mumbai.

Last year, Salman who was in Dubai for his birthday (December 27) as well as New Year celebrations had flown into Mumbai in the wee hours of December 31 to shoot for the episode and returned to Dubai in the evening.

But this time, the star who is slated to be in the desert Emirate again is in no mood to fly down for the shoot.

Read more...

Gauri Khan indeed!

Guess how much Gauri Shah Rukh Khan makes just for attending an event? 

Even without being a Bollywood star, Gauri Khan commands a significant brand value. The wife of King Khan is apparently a darling of event organisers. Buzz is that Gauri is paid around Rs 15 to 17 lakh for a half an hour appearance at events, thanks to being Shah Rukh's wife.

Speaking about her brand value, a source from a top event management company says, "Even though Gauri Khan has no films to her credit or any big achievement to boast of, being the wife of the Bollywood superstar comes with its own benefits.

SRK's huge popularity has brought Gauri in the spotlight too and has got her a huge fan base. If Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest brand names, how can the brand value of his stylish wife be anything less?

Gauri has turned producer for most of SRK's films. Moreover, her unique sense of style has made her quite famous among young women."

According to the source, Gauri even beats other star wives like Twinkle Khanna and Sussanne Roshan in terms of her brand value. So, while Gauri is paid less than the Katrinas and the Kareenas of the world, her brand value is at par with the middle-rung actresses.

Vijay Subramaniam, from a celebrity management agency says, "Being SRK's wife makes her very aspirational in the urban as well as rural areas.

Shah Rukh himself has positioned her as a producer and she is thus not seen as a passive partner to him but as a celebrity in her own right. She has also leveraged her status and image perfectly and comes across as the backbone of SRK's set-up, making her a cut above the rest."

Are other star wives (non-actresses) considered as strong in terms of appearing at promotional events as her? "Gauri Khan and Sussanne Roshan are the only two non-actress wives who have a strong demand in the appearance space.

Other star wives like Maria Goretti, Mehr Jessia, etc have all been in front of the camera at some point in time, thereby making them choices by virtue of their own positioning along with that of their partners. If tomorrow, Kiran Rao decides to do appearances, I'm sure she'll be in great demand too."

Rate card

Approx Charges per appearance
Kareena Kapoor - Rs 50 lakh
Katrina Kaif - Rs 50 lakh
Priyanka Chopra - Rs 45 lakh
Deepika Padukone - Rs 25 lakh
Sonam Kapoor - Rs 25 lakh
Bipsha Basu - Rs 25 lakh
Anushka Sharma - Rs 18 to 20 lakh
Vidya Balan - Rs 15 to 20 lakh
Neha Dhupia - Rs 5 to 6 lakh
Prachi Desai - Rs 4 to 5 lakh

Read more...

Agneepath set for Rs100 crore box office splash

Why Hrithik Roshan and KJo's film is the most awaited release of 2012

Hrithik Roshan in 'Agneepath'

There's just about a month to go for the release of Karan Johar's 'Agneepath' remake, and it looks set to be the movie to beat in 2012. Reportedly, tracking among audiences as well as trade analysts indicates that the Hrithik Roshan starrer will, in all probability, cross the Rs100 crore mark.

The film, produced by KJo, has also been voted the most awaited release of 2012 in a poll by Ormax Media.

In the poll, 'Agneepath' was followed by Yash Chopra's directorial project starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma; on the number three spot was Salman Khan's 'Ek Tha Tiger', next came Sallu's 'Dabangg 2', and number five was Akshay Kumar's 'Rowdy Rathore'.

The buzz is that the satellite rights of 'Agneepath' have already been sold for a jaw-dropping Rs41 crores, believed to be the highest ever for a Hindi film.

Hrithik is still riding high on the success of 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', and this movie, where he's the sole hero, will give fans that much more of him. But will he deliver an opening that will blow Bollywood's collective mind? Watch this space for updates!

Read more...

Salman Khan's Birthday Predictions

Check out what the year has in store for Bollywood superstar Salman Khan

 

Salman Khan

He might be temperamental but nothing can take away from the fact that ‘Dabangg’ Salman Khan is still Bollywood's most loved ‘Bodyguard’ and people are ‘Ready’ to accept him any avatar.

It is Salman Khan's birthday today (December 27), and our in-house expert and celebrity astro numerologist Bhavikk Sangghvi shares what’s in store for the charismatic star in 2012.

“Salman was born on 27th December 1965 which makes him a Number 9 (Mars) person in numerology. He is a Capricorn (ruler Saturn – Number 8) and his destiny number adds up to Number 6 (Venus)” explains Bhavikk.

“Being a ruled by Number 9, Salman is a tough person. He is firm with his decisions but can be impulsive at times which he should be wary of. Being ruled by Number 8 (Saturn) he knowingly or unknowingly gets himself in trouble most of the time. But this is the same ‘Shani’ which has given him tremendous success, popularity and love of people all around the world. With the right balance of mind and looking at things more rationally, he can actually improve his personal life more as Number 6 (Venus) indicates a good married life with his family loving nature” says Bhavikk.

“The coming year 2012 adds up to Number 5 (Mercury) and Salman will be entering in his 47th year which indicates unnecessary delays in his life," predicts Bhavikk.

He continues “His work assignments may not get completed on time and schedules might go haywire, sometimes due to his own fault and at times due to other reasons."

"Even his love life will remain more or less quiet with no signs of a concrete relationship happening anytime soon.”

“But on the film front, his next release ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ in 2012 will prove to be a profitable venture as the film's title (sums up to Number 32) vibrates well with the year."

Bhavikk adds, “Number 5 is usually not lucky for Number 9 people and so the film may not exceed the collections of ‘Dabangg 2’ which will turn out to be a bigger hit in comparison when it comes to pure box office figures.”

Read more...

Mahek Chahal is back in the 'Bigg Boss 5' house

We've got pics of Mahek Chahal as she made a festive re-entry on the reality show

Mahek Chahal

Two weeks away from the finale, 'Bigg Boss 5' has a wild card entry – Mahek Chahal is back in the house!

When Mahek was asked to leave a fortnight ago, the Norway-returned celeb promised herself that she would take a flight back only after she had met every contestant of the house face-to-face.

Mahek had thought that her wish would be granted only after the show ended, but things turned out differently. She was back in the house, dressed in a Santa Claus costume, ready to surprise her friends and shock her foes.

While Mahek convinced herself to get back with a bang on the show, her return also turned out to be a rude shock for all those contestants who had never expected to see her in the house again.

From being insulted about her jaw displacement to being knocked down about her character, Mahek has seen it all and faced it all. Now, it looks like this Santa has plans of making every contestant’s Christmas a memorable one.

Mahek had said earlier about returning as a wild card entry, "I have been out for more than a week and in this time all that I have done is viewed the episodes of the 10 weeks that I was in the house. I was quite shocked at most of the footage I saw and know the realities of so many people who are still in the house. I seriously want to enter the house and teach them a lesson for back-stabbing especially when I thought of them as friends. I want to settle scores with Sky and make sure the audience knows about the planning that he and Pooja Bedi did against me to get me out of the house."

She'd continued about being targetted because of her connection with Salman Khan. "Each week I fought for my position and I was falsely implicated of being close to Mr. Khan just because I have done two films with him and knowing him was taken as a crime. Also, I have got so much support from people outside that I want the world to know that it was my fans (who call themselves Mahekians) and not influence that was saving me."

Read more...

Poonam Pandey sizzles yet again in bikini

Very few can beat bomb shell diva Poonam Pandey, when it comes to taking the Twitter world by storm.

After wishing her fans Christmas in typical Poonam Pandey style by posting a sizzling hot picture of hers on Twitter, she is not ready to sit down and relax.

The model has goneone step ahead and posted a hot new picture of hers.

“The correct tempreature at home is maintained by warm hearts & cool heads.. Not by good ventilation, fans & aircoditioners.. & for u guyz my Pix r enough!!! :) (sic), ” wrote the model on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Clad in a yellow black bikini, Pandey has definitely raised the temperatures in the new pic.

Pandey is going all out to make her website a hit world wide, by posting either a video or a picture of hers every now and then. No wonder, Why she is the most downloaded model on the internet.

Read more...

Salman turns 46, Bollywood tweets wishes

The heartthrob of millions of hearts, one of the country’s most eligible bachelors, and the ‘original’ macho man of Bollywood Salman Khan turned 46 on Tuesday.

The actor who made fictional characters of Chulbul Pandey and Lovely Singh (among others) almost come alive; will apparently celebrate this special day in a close family affair in Panvel, Maharashtra.

A national daily quoted his brother-in-law, Atul Agnihotri as saying that like every year, the celebrations will be with close family and friends only.

Earlier, there were speculations that this Bollywood hunk will celebrate his birthday in Dubai. However, reports now suggest that the actor altered his plans keeping in view his health concerns.

The list at the ‘quiet’ birthday bash includes his parents, siblings along with some good friends Sajid Nadiadwala, Bhushan Kumar, Mahesh Manjrekar and Shirish Kunder.

A friend of the Khan was quoted in another daily as saying that after the birthday celebrations in Panvel on Tuesday, they will head to Dubai for New Year, adding that health wise it wasn't a great year for Salman and so everybody feels that he should spend time with family on his birthday.

The year has been one-of-a-kind for the actor with two of his ambitious flicks- Ready and Bodyguard-breaking all records at the box office.

It was also expected that the ex-girlfriend of the actor Katrina Kaif will join him for the party but she is currently holidaying in London.

B-town took to twitter to express their love and fondness for Salman, who entertained his fans this year with movies like "Ready", "Bodyguard" and will continue to do so next year with "Dabangg 2" and "Ek Tha Tiger".

This is what the celebs had to say:

Sonakshi Sinha: Happy birthday Pandeji.

Sonu Sood: Wishing my bro Salman Khan a very happy birthday. Will see you today at the farmhouse bhai. Keep ruling..

Preity Zinta: Hey Salman, Here's wishing you a very very Happy Birthday ! May all things wonderful big and small always come your way. Love ya

Dia Mirza: Happy birthday!!! May you continue to further your dreams and help others realise theirs health, peace, happiness always

Farah Khan Ali: Happy birthday to one of the most misunderstood person I know. Happiness, health, wealth success, and lots of love.

Sophie Choudry: Wishing one of the most amazing people I have the privilege of knowing a very happy birthday Love you. Wish you health, happiness always.

Read more...

Roundup: Hottest Hollywood celebs in Bollywood

Actors, singers, models, DJs -- 2011 saw a barrage of international celebrities like Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, Shakira and Paris Hilton making inroads into India, reaffirming the blurring lines between the Hollywood and Bollywood worlds.

Shutterbugs kept clicking throughout the year, as celebrities kept trickling in one after the other, either for business or mere leisure.

The actors footfall started with "X-Men" star Hugh Jackman's visit in March 2011, and Tom Cruise rounded up the year with his "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" co-star Paula Patton in tow, here. Jackman attended the FICCI-FRAMES 2011 and Cruise became one of the first international A-listers to attend his movie premiere in the country.

Among other actors, names like Judi Dench, Rowan Atkinson, Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Josh Hartnett, Elizabeth Hurley, Heather Graham and Michelle Yeoh, and Patton came cruising down to India for work commitments.

In March, Hartnett came down on a 30-day schedule for "Singularity", which happens to be Indian actress Bipasha Basu's debut Hollywood project. They shot around Bhopal.

"Inception" director Nolan was here in May to shoot at Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort for his movie "The Dark Knight Rises".

Veteran actress Dench, who now plays M in the James Bond franchise, too was among the international entourage that came and shot in the country. She shot in Jaipur with Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy for "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel".

Commenting upon her India visit Dench told an international magazine: "I'd never been to India before, but, my God. I want to go back. I'd read E.M. Forster saying once you go to India and your life is never the same and I wrote it in the back of my diary. I didn`t know how much that would apply."

British actress-model Elizabeth Hurley accompanied her latest beau, cricketer Shane Warne to support him at the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. While American actress Camilla Belle was here to promote her film, Indo-Canadian venture "Speedy Singhs", produced by Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar.

"Mr.Bean" Atkinson was spotted at the Formula 1 event, and was even seen in the Pink City.

In November, Schreiber and Sutherland couldn't escape shutterbugs despite a hush-hush shooting schedule in old Delhi, for filmmaker Mira Nair's movie based on Mohsin Hamid's novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist".

Schreiber's partner, actress Naomi Watts, visited Jaipur with her mother Miv, her two kids and friend Georgia.

Yeoh came to India with director Luc Besson for the screening of her film "The Lady" at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), and Graham was also seen at the film extravaganza. Yeoh later attended the inaugural F1 Indian Grand Prix.

While many see the cultural exchange as a promising trend, actor-filmmaker Rajat Kapoor feels the visits of foreign stars is a wee bit over hyped in India.

"Oh My God Tom Cruise is coming to India, OMG Gerard Butler loves Priyanka Chopra, OMG Imogen Heap thinks Hindi is a melodic language.......Oh my God white people love us. White people love Bollywood! We are blessed! We have arrived!! Oh please.. ," Kapoor once tweeted.

But actor Kanwaljeet Singh said: "People have watched their films since childhood, and some people watch more of foreign cinema..so for them, they are stars.

What's the problem in that? Now if someone like Robert De Niro comes to India, of course we will try to go and meet him and try to shake hands with him. What's so bad about it? We admire them."

Socialite heiress Paris Hilton too came down to launch her line of handbags in the country, and said: "I had been wanting to come to India for a very long time because it is an incredible market. But I just didn't get time before."

Singers and musicians were not far behind either.

In March, Senegalese-American singer Akon regaled his desi fans. Akon, who joined hands with superstar Shah Rukh Khan for the Hindi chartbuster "Chhammak challo", brought in his birthday at a huge "party" full of fans in Gurgaon, and later performed in Bangalore.

American rapper and singer, Flo Rida, best known for the chartbuster single "Right round" from the movie "The Hangover" was here for a quick visit, and performed for fans in Pune and Bangalore, in September.

In October, several other musicians thronged the nation. If international DJs Roger Sanchez, Edward Maya and Tom Navy performed at the after-parties of the Formula One after-party of the Airtel Grand Prix of India, the cherry on the top was Grammy award-winner Lady Gaga's performance on the day of the finale.

Gaga also promoted her album "Born This Way" in the capital, and made her first appearance before the media in a tricolour hairdo, and sported Indian designer Naeem Khan's outfit.

What also created buzz was the first-ever performance by heavy metal band Metallica. For most fans, the event in Gurgaon turned out to be a dampener after the concert was cancelled last minute due to "technical issues".

However, for those who caught the show in Bangalore, had no reason to complain.

In the following month, "Hips don't lie" singer Shakira flew all the way to perform at a private birthday bash of a real estate tycoon K.P. Singh in Udaipur. British musician Imogen Heap was also here to perform for fans in New Delhi and Pune.

American rapper Pitbull came down on his maiden tour, a three-city affair, in December, and others who added jazz to the nation was Bob Sinclar.

Read more...

MMS hit Ruslaan doing a film on infamous sex MMS of 2004

Ruslaan Mumtaz was indicted in an MMS scandal not too long ago, will act in a film based on the infamous sex MMS of 2004 

Ruslaan Mumtaz, who a few months ago, was embroiled in an MMS scandal with Salma Agha's daughter Sara, is now shooting a film based on the infamous 2004 MMS scandal that involved two school-going children from New Delhi.

The incident shook the nation and brought to light the heightened use of technology among the youth. It also served as inspiration for two films -- Anurag Kashyap's Dev D and Dibakar Bannerjee's Love Sex Aur Dkha.

The new film, called I Don't Love U, is being directed by ad man Amit Kasaria. It will however, recreate the events of the 2004 scandal.

Speaking from Delhi where the film is being shot, Ruslaan says, "It's a college love story with an MMS as the conflict point. It is inspired by the 2004 MMS scandal, where a video of two school goers having sex was leaked on the Internet."

Model-turned-actress Chetna Pandey plays Ruslaan's co-star in film, and the movie, we hear, will leave little to imagination.

Says Ruslaan, "It isn't a scandalous film. But we will shoot the MMS-clip sequence carefully. You see, the boy had shot the clip without showing his face. We will shoot it exactly the same way. My face won't be visible. But we will be caught in the act."The original clip is easily available on the Internet.

The story will be told from the point of view of the children, who will be portrayed as victims. The boy's phone is shown to get misplaced, and the MMS is leaked all over the net. "It's not about the scandal. It's about the trauma, " says Ruslaan.

What about the trauma that Ruslaan went through when he was accused of leaking an MMS clip?

"That wasn't me in the clip. But yes, I am no stranger to MMS scandals, " he replies.

Read more...

Bollywood mourns Satyadev Dubey's death

Stars pay tribute to theatre veteran Satyadev Dubey who passed away at the age of 75

 

Satyadev Dubey

Noted theatre personality Satyadev Dubey passed away on Sunday (December 25) leaving a huge void in the world of Indian arts and drama. He was 75.

Dubey slipped into a coma after suffering a massive epileptic attack. He had been in hospital since September 2011.

Bollywood paid rich tributes to the man, who had assisted many actors through his theatre workshops. Here is what the stars had to say.

Anupam Kher: The Giant of Hindi Theatre Satyadev Dubey is no more. He was ruthlessly brilliant in his commitment to theatre. Great loss. RIP.

Neha Dhupia: "Saddened to hear of Dubeyji's demise. Will miss him. RIP."

Mahesh Bhatt: "Satyadev Dubey, the icon of the theatre world has passed away! Fond memories of our days of wandering invade me. Alvida Dubeyji! Love."

Madhur Bhandarkar: "A brilliant theatre actor and extraordinary screenplay writer, Satydev Dubey's demise is a huge loss to the industry. RIP!"

Ranvir Shorey: "Saddened to hear of Dubeyji's demise. Will miss him. RIP."

Ken Ghosh: "Sad to hear of Satyadev Dubey's demise. He had very kindly conducted an acting workshop with the all new cast of Ishq Vishk."

Born in Chhattisgarh, Dubey had initially wanted to become a cricketer. Later, however, joined a theatre group headed by Ebrahim Alkazi. After Alkazi left, Dubey took over the theatre group.

Some of his major plays include Yayati, Aur Tota Bola, Hayavadana, Badal Sarkar, Aadhe Adhure andKhamosh!

Read more...

Akshaye is very upset with Farhan Akhtar

Akshaye Khanna says he is upset with filmmakers like Farhan Akhtar and Abbas Mustan for not offering him new movies even after giving them hits

Akshaye Khanna is quite candid when it comes to admitting his anger towards certain filmmakers in the industry. He is miffed with the directors who didn't further offer him films, despite him giving them hits for their previous project together.

Ask him about Farhan Akhtar and Abbas-Mustan, who're making films without him in the cast and Khanna reiterates, "Of course, I'm angry with all of them." However, when probed about the reason, the actor smiles and simply says, "That's something you should ask Farhan and others, instead of me."

He, however, is quick to admit his fondness for the men in white. "Abbas-Mustan are my favourite directors because I've done more films with them. If you ask me whether I'm doing a cameo in Race 2, the answer is no.

But yes, I do terribly miss being involved in the Race sequel. When any filmmaker I've worked with, doesn't cast me again, I do get angry, " he reiterates.

Character calling

Nonetheless, Akshaye is looking forward to Rumi Jafry's Gali Gali Chor Hai, in which he is cast as Bharat, a bank cashier who also plays Hanuman in the local Ram Leela.

Recalling his fascination with the "slice of life story of the simple guy caught in the system" he says, "What appealed to me was the beautiful and entertaining way this story is narrated.

The poor fellow loses everything for no fault of his, but it's told in such a funny manner as the system sweeps him off like a tidal wave and he can't put up any defence against it is a superb achievement of the writing."

Interestingly, Khanna modelled Bharat's shocked and surprised look on noted cartoonist RK Laxman's Common Man.

"When I heard the script, I told producer Nitin Manmohan and Rumi that the expression on my face throughout the film should be similar to Laxman's popular character.

He's always peeping from behind, shocked at what is happening around him. Because Bharat is as shocked by what the system does to him, as he's too small to fight against it, " explains the actor.

At a time when younger actors like Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan are talking about their filmmaking aspirations, Khanna confesses that he doesn't have any.

"I'm not interested in directing or producing movies, " he asserts, adding, "Acting is enough to satisfy my creative urges. I'm more than happy sticking to it than venturing behind the camera."

Read more...