Bloggers are like my extended family: Amitabh Bachchan
He calls them his extended family, shares his day-to-day life with them and is now looking forward to see the faces of those who regularly visit his blog. Superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who completed a year of blogging April 17, doesn't want to tag his online friends who enrich his life as 'faceless'.
' 'Faceless' is a harsh term. I refer to them as my 'extended family'. They confide in me. They show affection and concern. They get upset at times and reprimand me... they miss me when I am not there on time. Are not all these wonderfully domesticated attributes?
'And now Big Adda (the website that hosts his blog) is developing software and my readers will be able to put up their photographs on the blog against their name. So they shall no longer be 'faceless',' the Big B told IANS in an interview.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Blogging seems to have become a leading interest in your life. When and how did you develop an interest in it?
A: It is not a leading interest, but I can safely say blogging seeks my involvement every day. I had heard of the concept but had no idea what it was and what it entailed. I heard of Aamir (Khan) having one and during a discussion with Big Adda (team), who were designing my website, I enquired about it. They happily put the whole concept together - within days trained me on some essentials ... and I made a soft beginning. It has been most enlightening since.
Q: Did it occur to you that you may not have the time to pursue blogging seriously?
A: No. That didn't bother me. What worried me was my absence from it, once having started it... To me, it is a wonderful medium to be able to connect with my fans and well-wishers.
Q: What is it about blogging that you like best?
A: The ability to convey individually and personally my feelings to the reader, secure in the thought that it shall reach them without any corruption.
Q: You are an extremely private person. And yet you seem happy sharing your day-to-day activities with your bloggers' community. How and why did that happen?
A: I think this is a completely erroneous notion in the minds of those that form opinions on me. Every day of my life for the last 40 years I have been going in front of the camera and exposing every possible emotion or attitude that I possess. Actors are indeed as transparent as they can possibly be when in front of the lens. You come to know how they speak, how they laugh, how they cry, how they dance and run and emote and.... What more would you want to know about them to declassify them from privacy?
Q: How close do you feel to these faceless friends who visit you regularly on the blog?
A: 'Faceless' is a harsh term. I refer to them as my 'extended family'. They confide in me. They show affection and concern. They get upset at times and reprimand me. They share their dreams and ambitions with me... they miss me when I am not there on time. Are not all these wonderfully domesticated attributes? And now Big Adda is developing software and my readers will be able to put up their photographs on the blog against their names. So they shall no longer be 'faceless'.
Q: You've certainly enriched their lives by your presence. How have your blogging buddies enriched your life?
A: Brilliant question! And one that I am so happy to answer. They enrich my life by their honesty and frankness. By pulling me out of my closet at times and showing me a mirror. By critically analysing events and moments. By educating me on my faults.
Q: How much time do you devote to blogging? Is it now a mandatory part of your daily life?
A: I blog whenever I get the time. Sometimes I convey rapidly, most of the time not. But I do convey every day...And may I have the strength to continue in this fashion.
Q: Do you feel liberated of the need to put your thoughts and voice across on the media?
A: Yes, I do. Liberated to give my expression as opposed to that which is perceived. Liberated to contradict a mischievous accusation. Liberated to be able to inform in the correctness of things... Liberated to share a private moment with those that understand and show sympathy... And finally, liberated to stand up to 'wretched' puerile kindergarten rhymed opinion makers and be able to exercise the constitutional right of every living Indian; the freedom of my expression.
Q: Finally, has blogging freed you of the inhibitions regarding your privacy? Are you now more inclined to write an autobiography?
A: I'm incapable of writing an autobiography.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Suresh Gopi in a double role
National Award winning Malayalam filmmaker T.V. Chandran, known for off beat films, Thursday screened his 13th film 'Bhoomi Malayalam' that has action star Suresh Gopi in a double role and hopes that it appeals to his fans.
'The film is produced by my wife and a friend. After bad experience in the past, we decided to produce it on our own. It was really tough doing it all on our own. I hope people will receive it well,' Chandran told reporters here after the screening of the movie.
Chandran's 'Bhoomi Malayalam' tells the tale of seven women who fight against chauvinistic and unsupportive society.
'These women are employed in various professions and the film traces events that happened in the state in the past five decades. These women live in fear due to circumstances and some fight to win and some loose,' said Chandran, who won National Award for his 1994 film 'Ponthan Mada'.
Actress Samvurtha Sunil plays a factory worker, Priyanka an aspiring athlete, Padmapriya a bold TV journalist and Lakshmi Sharma a house wife.
Also in the cast are Navya, Kripa, Roselin, Lekshmy Priya, Jasna Jayaraj and Charulatha.
The other highlight of the movie is Suresh Gopi who for the first time appears in a Chandran film.
Right now Malayalam film industry is going through a crisis. The Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA), that includes 19 organisations representing people associated with the industry ranging from spot boys, drivers, technicians to directors, has threatened to go on strike to protest what they call the 'callous attitude' of the movie producers association on discussion of workers wages.
Chandran shied away from commenting on it saying: 'At the moment I do not want to take sides. There is no doubt that the present salary structure has to be revised, but please I have just completed my new film and it has come out after lot of efforts. I made it on my own. My only aim now is that my film does well at the box office,' said Chandran.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Court annuls Tamil actor Prashant's marriage
A family court here Thursday annulled the marriage of Tamil film star Prashant and his polyandrous wife and granted custody of their daughter to the latter.
A family court annulled the marriage between Prashant and his estranged wife Gruhalakshmi following allegations of polyandry on her part.
The court, however, turned down a plea from Prashant for custody of their child saying the actor had no locus standi to seek the offspring from a marriage that has been annulled.
Gruhalakshmi had sued for divorce alleging dowry harassment.
Actor Prashant had wed Gruhalakshmi amidst great fanfare in 2005. The divorce petition began soon during the pregnancy on charges of dowry harassment.
Prashant denied the charges saying his in-laws were attempting to hide their daughter's earlier marriage.
Meanwhile, a divorce petition filed by another man whose 1998 marriage with Gruhalakshmi has been established in court is pending.
In a career spanning over 18 years, Prashant has been featured as a leading man in 40 films so far that include 'Jeans' (1998) an Indian entry to the Oscars in which his female co-star was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Deepa Mehta's brother makes documentary on Indian widows
Inspired by Deepa Mehta's Oscar-nominated film 'Water', her brother Dilip Mehta has done a documentary on the lives of widows from across India and says unlike his sibling he didn't face any problem in making it.
Entitled 'The Forgotten Woman', the documentary moves from the dying derelict widows of Varanasi to the young widows of the soldiers who died in the 1999 Kargil war.
' 'Water' certainly galvanised me to make this feature length documentary. The inspiration came entirely from the widows themselves,' Dilip, whose documentary was screened at the Dubai International Film Festival in December last year, told IANS.
In 2000, when Deepa planned to shoot the plight of abandoned widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi, radical political activists drove her out of the country. Deepa finally made her film in 2003. She shot it in Sri Lanka with John Abraham, Lisa Ray and Seema Biswas in the lead roles.
Making the documentary was a smooth ride for Dilip. 'There were no obstacles whatsoever. The only obstacle was my own state of mind which was emotionally churned each and every time I focussed on the tragedy of the women - women who for no fault of theirs were marginalised by tradition, society and their own families,' he said.
Dilip says he had no problems in getting these abandoned women to talk.
'On the contrary every widow whom I filmed and who agreed to speak on camera was forthright. There was invariably an outpouring of their souls of emotions that were scarred, of feelings that were suppressed, of hopes and dreams that remained unfulfilled,' said Dilip, who has just completed a comedy, to offset the mood of deep melancholy which 'The Forgotten Woman' evoked within him.
'The documentary for me was mirror to my soul, to my fears and to my own ignorance of the enormous social injustice. The feature drama required delving into a different level of myself.
'Although 'What's Cooking Stella?' is a light comedy dealing with the disparity between the haves and have-nots and the inequality of the 'upstairs downstairs' syndrome, it still required inventiveness, sincerity and a lighter approach to life,' he added.
Dilip doesn't deny his sister's hand in his creativity.
'Deepa's guiding hand has been present in my entire life. For both my films, she made suggestions - some were taken and some were not. Since her guidance comes with deep sincerity and good intention, it never sticks in the throat. I consider myself fortunate,' he said.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Anil Kapoor Says Kangana Can Do Comedy..?
After a string of films where she portrayed a troubled woman, Kangana Ranaut is all set to change audience perception about her with a comedy film 'No Problem' and she thanks Anil Kapoor, who is producing the comedy, for giving her the opportunity.
'I had decided whenever I do my first comedy it would have to be either with Anees Bazmee or David Dhawan. Everyone thought I was wrong for the part in 'No Problem'. No one was convinced I could do comedy, not after playing all those traumatised roles. But Anilji convinced everyone that I could,' Kangana told IANS.
The film is being directed by Anees Bazmee and also stars Sushmita Sen.
'So far I've never had fun on the sets. All the characters I've played have been introverted and troubled. So I've been in my shell. During 'Fashion' Madhur Bhandarkar used to scold me for being in a shell all the time. But if I play insecure, paranoid characters, I can't be laughing and playing around. But it was the nature of the characters.
'For Anees Bazmi's film I'm changing completely. I'm going to organise parties on the sets, constantly crack Santa-Banta jokes and, most important of all, I will bond with Sushmita (Sen). Hopefully our bonding will last beyond one film,' she said.
After signing a film together, Sushmita has taken the lovely Kangana under her wings. Always known to be warm towards her co-stars, Sushmita has taken a special fancy to Kangana because of her facial resemblance to Sushmita's daughter Renee.
'On the first day that we met, we struck a special chord in each other's hearts. I was standing at a premiere and she came up to me. She held my face in her hands and said I've hair exactly like her daughter. And that whenever she saw me she was reminded of her daughter.
'From that moment onwards we bonded. Luckily, I play Sushmita's sister in the film that we're doing together. I love calling her didi,' said the actress who won best supporting actress Filmfare award for her performance in 'Fashion'.
Kangana, who starred in films like 'Woh Lamhe' and 'Gangster - A Love Story', is pleased to be finally doing comedy.
'I was really hurt when people said I was destined only to play tragic roles. I wanted to do comedy for the longest time. And that I've Sushmita playing my sister in the film is an added bonus. We'll have a ball playing sisters,' she said.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Amanda Peet to star in Gulliver's Travels
Hollywood actress Amanda Peet has joined the cast of Fox's adventure caper Gulliver's Travels opposite Jack Black.
The film, an adaptation of Jonathan Swift's classic story, also stars Jason Segel and Emily Blunt in key roles.
Monsters vs Aliens co-director Rob Letterman is helming the project, which has been written by Nicholas Stoller and Joe Stillman, reports said.
The film's story follows travel writer Lemuel Gulliver played by Black, who heads to an assignment in the Bermuda Triangle only to end up on the secret island of Lilliput, home to a population of industrious tiny people.
Peet will play Black's editor and potential romantic interest. The shooting of project began last month. Peet's last film was The X-Files: I Want to Believe. She next stars in Roland Emmerich's apocalyptic thriller 2012 set to hit theaters this November.
OSCAR 2009
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
When Miley Cyrus feels insecure
Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus says she often feels insecure about her "terrible skin" especially when she has to struggle with pimples on her face.
"I think even though people always see me with makeup, I still break out, even though everyone thinks I don't," the 16-year-old actress said.
"And I hate it! I'm the worst at dealing with zits. And I get in such a bad mood when I break out and all I can think is that people are only looking at my skin!," the teen sensation revealed.
Cyrus has now started using "all organic products." to avoid having skin problems, reports said.
"I think just getting all those chemicals out of your body is the best thing," the actress said.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Sean Penn files for divorce
Oscar winning actor Sean Penn has filed for legal separation from Robin Wright Penn, his wife of 13-years after failing to work out differences.
The actor and Robin, who played Jenny in Forrest Gump, had earlier started divorce proceedings in Marin County Superior Court in December 2007 after 11 years of marriage but got back together in April last year.
Penn, who won the Best Actor Oscar this year for his performance in Milk, looks all set to divorce Robin this time.
According to court papers filed last week in Marin County, near San Francisco, the 48-year-old actor seeks a legal separation from Robin on grounds of irreconcilable differences.
He has also sought joint physical and legal custody of their children, 18-year-old daughter Dylan and 15-year-old son Hopper, reports said.
Penn has also requested the court not to award any spousal support to Wright Penn, 43. The papers show the couple separated on April 23.
The actor, who stepped out with Robin at the Oscar award ceremony in February this year, raised eyebrows by failing to mention her name during his acceptance speech after winning the trophy for Best Actor.
Penn started dating Robin in early 90s, following his divorce from popstar Madonna in 1989.
He married Robin in 1996.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
SRK sends back cheerleaders
Nothing is going right for Shah Rukh Khan. Not only is his IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders facing one humiliating defeat after another, now he has to send back the cheerleaders who had been selected to encourage his team during matches.
Sourav Ganguly and a team of judges had zeroed in on six girls who would travel with the team to South Africa and be the cheerleaders for KKR. This selection was done through a reality TV show on NDTV Imagine called Knights and Angels.
Therefore, Sanna, Samyukta, Ritika, Ananya, Sunanda and Rupali went all the way to Cape Town, hoping to show off their talent to the entire world. But like everyone associated with Kolkata Knight Riders, they were in for disappointment.
Reports say that security personnel disallowed any outsiders to be on the field, and as a result, only South African girls could be cheerleaders for the tournament.
It is reported that SRK tried every possible manouver to get these girls their due, but all attempts failed. Now that KKR's fate in the IPL looks shaky, the girls are being sent back home.
To make things worse, it seems there might be some payment issues involved and the contract these girls signed may also be null and void.
The only consellation was that the girls got to share SRK's VIP box to watch the matches. But after weeks of gruelling routines and competition, this isn't very much.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Mallika high on international honours
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Is Dhoni ignoring Big B?
In between casting his vote and his regular hospital visits for check-ups, superstar Amitabh Bachchan
makes sure that he doesn't miss out on the IPL matches.
In his recent blog he writes, "The IPL was interesting. Some predictable results, others not so. It is warming up in South Africa for the semi final positionings and the coming days shall see heart stopping action and play."
But there is something about cricket that is troubling him these days and it's not the Mumbai Indians' loss to Rajasthan Royals. In fact, Big B seemed upset with the Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
He writes, "I complained to John about Mahi (MS Dhoni) not responding to the message of greeting I had sent him on his decoration of the Padma Shri. He said he shall connect me immediately to Dhoni. I stopped him and asked him to look up at the TV - Chennai was playing Royal Rajasthan and Dhoni was very much on the field - IN SOUTH AFRICA."
"I had wished Harbhajan too on his Padma Shri and we had spoken to each other about my message to Mahi. He had even graciously passed on my greetings to him. But still no response. Must have been busy. John has given me his mobile number now and said he shall have a word with him on this. No sweat. So long as Dhoni keeps whacking the hell out of the opposition, I am fine," he added.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Fardeen still in shock over father's death
"They've chosen a hotel and not a place of worship because of the large crowds that are expected to gather to pay their last respects to Feroz Khan," said the source.
Sanjay Gupta, who was planning to do the Qurbani remake for Feroz Khan with Fardeen in one of the lead roles, is now planning a biography on the late actor.
"But I wouldn't like it to be a routine biography. I want to style it on the lines of Hunter Thompson's Gonzo. I want to re-construct the great man's life through the people he knew through various stages in his life from childhood to adolescence to adulthood to his later years.
"There are two things one can never forget. The first time one has sex and the first time one meets Mr Feroz Khan. He was awesome," said Gupta.
Gupta's homage to Feroz Khan is in his next film Acid Factory where Fardeen has been projected exactly like his father. "We never intended it. But when we saw the rushes we were stunned by how much like his father Fardeen walks, talks and acts in Acid Factory. It's uncanny."
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Shah Rukh to replace Aamir?
If reports are to be believed then Shah Rukh will soon have his vendetta on Aamir.
According to industry insiders, SRK is replacing his archrival Aamir Khan in Farhan Akhtar-Ritesh Sidhwani's next.
Apparently Ritesh approached Aamir with a film idea on the sets of 3 Idiots. Riding high on his new market value, Aamir refused to agree to whatever Sidhwani offered. He demanded a whopping fee for acting in the film and on the top of that, wanted a percentage share from the movie's profits. There was no love lost between the producer and the actor, and eventually Sidhwani walked out on Aamir, which is quite ironical since their last venture together with Farhan had delivered the super hit cult film Dil Chahta Hai.
Meanwhile, Ritesh did confirm that talks with Aamir had failed but refused to reveal who exactly is going to replace the actor. But since the incident, rumour mills haven't stopped buzzing that in all probability it's going to be Shah Rukh Khan
. Shah Rukh is anyways a favorite with Farhan , who made Don with King Khan and now plans to make Don 2 with him.
Well, the people in Aamir's camp insist that the perfectionist Khan didn't disagree over the cost rather it was the quality of the script that disappointed him. Aamir is currently finishing Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots where Aamir is co-starring with Kareena for the first time.
Looks like for once it's going to be Aamir's loss, and Shah Rukh's gain in this war of mighty Khans.
OSCAR 2009
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Christian Bale hopes Christopher Nolan takes up third Batman film
Welsh born English actor Christian Bale has revealed that he hopes 'The Dark Knight' director Christopher Nolan signs up for the third Batman film.
Bale, 35, said the reason he wants Nolan, 39, to direct the next movie, is because nobody would be able to do as good a job.
The actor is contractually obliged to star in a third film, but he is worried about the future of the franchise if Nolan refuses to take charge.
"It's got to be the right story. You can't make something like The Dark Knight and then come out with something disappointing," the Daily Star quoted him as telling Total Film magazine.
"The fact is, I have to (make a third movie). I've signed up! Chris doesn't. So I'm in a bit of a fix if he says he doesn't want to!" he added.
Bale was directed by Nolan in 2005's Batman Begins and reprised his role as the caped crusader for last year's (08) box office smash, which grossed more than 69 million pounds worldwide.Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Beyonce's Vienna museum look-a-like tour was a radio prank
After the humdrum over a look-a-like of American R and B singer Beyonce Knowles doing a VIP tour of Vienna, staff of a radio station in Austria have come forward to own up and apologize for it.
Knowles, 27, had come under fire from bosses at the Austrian capital's Albertina art museum, after they accused her of shunning a planned visit on April 28, and sending a body double instead.
But now the incident has been revealed to be a prank set up radio station Kronehit Radio, and the museum chiefs were among hundreds of people fooled by the stunt.
Staff at the radio station had hired a Beyonce look-a-like to coincide with the singer's Vienna concert, and they took her to various tourist attractions and famous locations in the city.
They even sent her on a shopping trip, and then phoned the Albertina posing as her management to arrange an exclusive visit.
Andrea Hilber, marketing manager at Kronehit Radio, has confirmed the station was responsible for the stunt.
"We'll call the Albertina to say we meant no harm. It was a great museum tour," Contactmusic quoted her as saying.Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
New York exhibition to honor John Lennon
Late musician John Lennon will be honored with an exhibition in New York.
The exhibition titled the 'John Lennon: The New York City Years' will include Instruments and handwritten lyrics belonging to the former Beatle mate, reports Contactmusic.
The incredible items belonging to Lennon will go on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in the Big Apple later this month.
The exhibition will also include personal photographs and a self-portrait of the late celebrity.
A fraction of the proceeds from the exhibition will go towards Spirit Foundations, a charitable organization created by Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono.Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Nicole Richie's rapping dreams
Nicole Richie has revealed her childhood ambition: to become a rapper.
The Hollywood socialite revealed that as a kid she was totally into hip-hop and she and her two pals had formed a band.
"When I was 10 years old, I was in an all girl hip-hop/rap group. Our name? get ready... CAUTION! It was me and my 2 girlfriends; but they were 13 so they made me audition. I was soooo excited when I got in!" Contactmusic quoted Nicole, as saying.
Nicole divulged that she was keen to get noticed as a musician and even asked her parents Lionel Richie and Brenda to see her perform and find her band a manager.
"All I can think of is the 3 of us going up to my mom and singing her our first song. We were dead serious. And I even remember part of our rap. The rap lyrics I remember were: Caution! Walking down the street./You better watch out, and step to the beat/Playing our music from town to town/Rockin' and Rollin' were gonna get down! My poor mom had to sit there with a straight face and watch us perform. We asked her to find us a manager," Nicole added.(ANI)
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
'Cocky' Dominic Monaghan put to shame by Thai kickboxing champ
Lord Of The Rings star Dominic Monaghan was left red faced after he tried to fight a kickboxing champion at a recent action vacation in Thailand.
The actor confessed his encounter with man-eating tigers, a killer octopus and venomous snakes was nothing compared to his time in the ring with the boxing ace.
"I went to this thai boxing place for, like, a day and a half training... and in the middle of the session, the guy says to me, 'The 19-year-old champion of Thailand is here and he wants to meet you and train with you,' Contactmusic quoted him as saying.
"I swung a couple of kicks at him and I think I got a little too cocky... He grabbed my leg and just walked me to the corner of the ring and I knew at any given point he could have snapped my ankle, but instead he just dropped me on my face and kinda waggled his penis in front of me," he added. (ANI)
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Kirstie Alley wants to lose 80 pounds to wear bikini again
American actress Kirstie Alley has revealed that her one desire right now is to lose 80 pounds so that she can wear a bikini again.
Alley, 58, said in an interview on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" on April 30 that she is ready to work out, and is sorry for the people she had let down.
As per a report in People magazine, she would like to have arms like US First Lady Michelle Obama.
"Don't you look around and see what you want to look like?" Fox News quoted her as asking Winfrey.
"Im like, 'Look, Michelle Obama's guns. I could have those arms," she said.
Alley attributes her weight gain, after a drastic weight loss that included an appearance on "Oprah" in a bikini, was a result of a lack of urgency. (ANI)
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Nicole Kidman felt she was always in ex-hubby Tom Cruise's shadow
Aussie actress Nicole Kidman has revealed that being Mrs. Cruise has never been a happy time for her, especially when she was always in Tom Cruise's shadow.
Kidman, 41, now married to Keith Urban, was never at ease in the marriage, and always felt that she was there only for him.
"I felt I became a star only by association. I would always cower in the background," the Daily Express quoted her as telling Easy Living magazine.
"I thought: 'I don't deserve to be here.' We would go to the Oscars and I would think, 'I'm here to support him.' I felt it was my job to put on a beautiful dress and be seen and not heard," she added.Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Mel Gibson's Russian lover's past revealed
Mel Gibson's Russian lover Oksana Grigorieva had set her sights on fame and fortune in the West, even when she was still at school, it has been revealed.
People who know the 39-year-old musician and singer have revealed that she was determined to escape her impoverished upbringing in Ukraine and become famous.
Valentina Yeltsova, 55, who taught Oksana for four years recalled her a beautiful, precocious teenager who was always determined to get to the West.
"Oksana used to like English at school. It seemed like she was preparing herself for a better future and aiming to study as much as she could to escape from this country," the Mirror quoted Yeltsova as saying.
"Her prestige was enormous, boys were sort of scared to fall in love with her.
"They knew she was not like other girls - she knew that herself.
"She always took parts in school shows. It was obvious that she was destined for some extraordinary life. She knew that and worked on herself to become more beautiful and better," Yeltsova added.
Oksana has been married twice - once to a 41-year-old graphic designer when she was just 22 - and she had a 10-year romance with Bond star Timothy Dalton (they have a son, Thomas, 12).
Her other lovers include a vicar's son from Kent and a 60-year-old ballet dancer.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Secret to Britney Spears' fit body - pole dancing!
The secret behind Britney Spears' fit body has been revealed - pole dancing.
The 27-year-old star has installed an eight-foot metal pole in her 1,100 pound-a-night penthouse suite at London's posh Dorchester hotel, when her Circus world tour begins its UK leg.
"Britney has a huge fan base in the UK and really wants her shows here to be a hit," the Mirror quoted a source as saying.
"Pole-dancing is an excellent cardio and fat-burning workout, and Britney has had private classes in her studio gym in LA.
"She wants to keep up her exercise regime on tour. Luckily, the hotel was happy to accommodate her needs.
"She can swing around her pole while watching TV or listening to music. Climbing up it requires real core strength. It really is hard work.
"In addition, she'll have a treadmill and stepper brought to her suite, as well as a sit-up machine. By the time Britney takes to the stage, her six-pack of old will be back!" the source added. (ANI)
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Nicole Kidman wants to adopt Katie Holmes' baby
Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman's adopted children are desperate for a baby brother and she's calling on ex-husband Tom Cruise's wife Katie Holmes to give them one, reports contactmusic.com.
The Australian actress and Cruise adopted Isabella, 17, and Connor, 14, before their 10-year marriage ended in divorce in 2001.
Kidman subsequently married country singer Keith Urban and had a daughter Sunday Rose in July 2008, while the 'Top Gun' star wed Katie Holmes in 2006, seven months before welcoming daughter Suri together.
Although the two teenagers dote on their younger sister, Connor is desperate to have a brother and Kidman is hoping Holmes will step up and provide a new tot for the family.
'Connor and Isabella are very adoring of Sunday Rose. They're used to having a little one around because of Suri. Isabella is very maternal. Connor would like one of us to have a boy. Katie?,' she said.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Geri Halliwell to give speech at Commons on Zambia
Former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell is to give a speech in the House of Commons in Britain.
The diva, who has been an ambassador for the United Nations for more than a decade has just returned from a fact-finding trip to Zambia and Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife Sarah Brown has invited her to talk about her experiences there next week to an audience of 200 people, reports the Mirror online.
'It's a little bit nerve-wracking! I mean, I'm just a girl from Watford from quite humble beginnings! But I have to remind myself it's not about me, it's about everything I saw and heard in Zambia, it's for those women,' she said.
Halliwell was in Zambia in her capacity as a UN goodwill ambassador and maternal health care campaigner.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
'Big Brother' to air tribute show for Jade Goody
'Big Brother' bosses have announced they will air a Jade Goody tribute show.
Femalefirst.co.uk reports, a two-part documentary will celebrate the life of the late reality TV star, who lost her battle with cancer in March aged 27.
Bosses of the Channel 4 show initially said they would not give Goody her own memorial show, but changed their minds following the public outpouring of emotion when she died.
'We weren't going to do a dedicated show on Jade because she had only just died and everyone was a little overwhelmed by it all. It took a few weeks for her death to truly sink in,' said a channel insider.
'But it was clear from the support Jade and her family got from the public that there is great affection for her. We are planning a series of shows to mark our tenth anniversary and it would be a real shame not to give Jade her own show, separate from the others. It will be a celebration of her life, rather than a sad look back,' the insider added.
The documentary will feature memorable clips of Goody's time inside the 'Big Brother' house, as well as other footages. It will be aired in June.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Prince Harry hasn't washed his hair for two years
Prince Harry has reportedly owned up to his friends that he has not washed his hair for two years.
The Mirror online reports, the 24-year-old is said to have made the startling admission on a night when he was out drinking with his army mates.
'It's been two years since I last washed my hair,' he blurted out.
He was out celebrating at the Tally-Ho pub in Sleaford, Lincs, with fellow trainee pilots after completing the first stage of Army Air Corps training at RAF Barkston Heath.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments
Rani hopes to set screen on fire in 'Hadippa'
'She is not believing that it is her body. She even jokes and calls herself the female version of Aamir (Khan) in 'Ghajini' now. She was even telling me that like his body set the screen on fire, her looks in 'Hadippa' will leave no stone unturned,' celebrity trainer Satyadev 'Satya' Chaurasia told IANS.
'Hadippa' is the 31-year-old star's only release this year and she is trying to keep her new look cloaked from the paparazzi before the movie promotions.
'Rani is very committed towards her body and her dedication has resulted in mind-blowing results. I felt so happy and proud after seeing the first rushes of 'Hadippa'. She is looking outstanding and I can undoubtedly say she has the best body in Bollywood now,' said Satyadev.
'Hadippa' is slated to release in July.
Saturday, May 02, 2009 | 0 Comments