ApnaDesi

Violence on TV shows may not necessarily bring enjoyment to viewers, a new study claims.

As part of a recent University of Indiana study, communication researchers Joseph Weaver and Barbara Wilson edited episodes of five popular prime time shows that typically depict violence -- 4, The Shield, The Sopranos, Oz and Kingpin.

They then recruited 400 college students and made some watch a nonviolent version of the cop show The Shield, while others viewed a graphically violent episode of the prison drama Oz.

People who watched the nonviolent versions of these shows said that they enjoyed them significantly more than people who watched either of the violent version.

The two researchers kept in mind the personality of the viewers but despite it, they found that people still overwhelmingly found nonviolent episodes more enjoyable than violent ones.

"Suspenseful, nonviolent content is again just as arousing, but without the aversive reaction. In fact, it's associated with more attention to the program," Discovery News quoted Weaver, as saying.

He concluded: "Even if you don't like violence per se, you have no choice but to seek out the violent programs. In a sense, then, we've been trained to expect that the violent programs are going o give us what we want, even if the violence itself actually reduces enjoyment." (ANI)

Anne Hathaway has admitted that she is not as great a kisser as Angelina Jolie.

The 'Valentine's Day' star said that she is certainly not the best kisser on screen.

"Really you have to be Angelina Jolie to pull that off and still look good. I ain't no Angie," the New York Daily News quoted her as telling GQ magazine.

She added: "You have to leave your mouth open a little bit."

However, Hathaway feels Jennifer Garner deserves an award for kissing.

She said: "Jennifer Garner-now that girl can movie kiss!"

Meanwhile, Hathaway has received Harvard's prestigious Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year award.

Saif Ali Khan getting a Padma Shri didn't go down too well with some critics and film buffs but his proud mother Sharmila Tagore thinks the prestigious award will make Saif evaluate his worth and help him live up to people's expectations.

'This kind of a recognition encourages an artiste to better himself. Even if you lead a relatively carefree life, a Padma award makes you sit up and say, 'Hey, I've to live up to this. It isn't a film award I'm getting here. The government is recognising my efforts, and I better live up to expectations',' Sharmila told IANS.

'The Padma Shri will make Saif evaluate his worth and make him think of what the country expects from him. I think it's a great pat on the back,' she added.

Like any other mother, Sharmila too admits she likes her son's acting skills and that she is waiting for his next venture.

'I've become fond of Saif as an actor. And I look forward to seeing what he does next.

Speaking of awards and recognition in general, Sharmila said: 'The National Awards must have their own identity free of a Bollywood domination. It's very important for regional cinema to get its recognition. Now that 'Antaheen' has won the National Award for Best Film, it will get a renewed shelf life. Such recognition means a lot to regional filmmakers.

'You know when Manik-da (Satyajit Ray) made his first film 'Pather Panchali', he had to pawn his wife's jewellery. Nothing has changed, really. Even today a regional film is made on a meagre budget...'

Sharmila feels she got more recognition as an actress from regional cinema than Hindi movies.

'Barring 'Mausam' for which I got the National Award, most of my recognition has come from Bengali cinema. Even now Bengali film 'Antaheen', in which I play a cameo, got the National Award. I got a lot of opportunities to work in wonderful Hindi films like 'Anupama', 'Aavishkar' and 'Grihapravesh'. Definitely, these were forward-looking films...having said that the regional cinema has so much longevity.'

The actress said she chooses her films carefully nowadays. 'Maybe one film at a time. Otherwise I get tired. Getting things done through the ministry as the chairperson of the censor board is not easy. Also, my work with Unicef and other organisations gives me more satisfaction...All this is a strain on the 24 hours. I also like travelling.'

Asked about her work in cinema being recognised, Sharmila said: 'My self-worth doesn't come from what other people say about me. Recognition or the lack of it doesn't run or ruin my life...It's enough that some people like me. I know I'm not in the same league as Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. But when I walk into a room I only feel good vibes.

'My fulfilment comes not from awards but from watching the peacocks frolicking in my garden in Pataudi. Not that I don't take my work as an actor seriously. I do. Earlier when I didn't like an end product, I dissociated myself from that film. Nowadays you are contract-bound to promote a film even if you don't like it. I find that kind of enforced professionalism to be restricting.'

Why is the 'Bollywood sena' not taking a stand against the Shiv Sena?, ask Shah Rukh Khan's miffed fans who say a majority of the film fraternity has chosen to keep quiet on the Shiv Sena attacking the superstar for his stand on Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

While celebrities like Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan and Anupam Kher have come out in support of Shah Rukh on social networking website Twitter, no one is ready to speak on the issue when approached due to the 'Shiv Sena fear', say SRK fans.

'Shah Rukh is the only actor with guts. The other Bollywood actors are scared of Shiv Sena and are keeping quiet. Don't apologise SRK,' Mumbai-based Abhijeet Survase told IANS.

Added an exasperated Punit Agarwal from Kolkata: 'They might be going online in his support on Twitter but are actually going off when it is comes to speaking out loud in support of Shah Rukh... The heroes of Bollywood can stand up against wrong only in reel, but not in reality. They might be having macho bodies but actually are paper tigers.'

Shah Rukh, who owns IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, is facing the ire of the Shiv Sena for his comments favouring the inclusion of Pakistani players in the third season of the IPL.

The Shiv Sena has sought a public apology from the star and threatened to ban his films in Mumbai, starting with the much-awaited 'My Name Is Khan' slated to release Feb 12.

Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan is among the many who have reserved their comments on the issue for fear that their quotes might get misconstrued by the media.

Celebrities like Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Bipasha Basu, Celina Jaitley, Preity, Shilpa Shetty and Sunny Deol chose the mute path when approached by IANS on the issue.

'Why is the Bollywood sena not standing against Shiv Sena? Why is Bollywood not standing up against their own fraternity member when he is being harassed by some rigid group for no fault of his?' asked Poonam Iyengar, a Shah Rukh aficionado in Chennai.

Reasoned Deepti Malhotra from the capital: 'Why will they speak out? Don't they have to stay in Mumbai and work there? Everyone knows how orthodox, stubborn and savage these Shiv Sainiks are... Why would the celebrities want to declare a war against the self-proclaimed baap (father) of Mumbai and dig their own graves, eh?'

Noted actor Kabir Bedi, however, supported the King Khan publicly.

'I defend to death Shah Rukh Khan's right to express himself because that is his constitutional right and nobody can stop him from using it,' Bedi told IANS

Film: 'The Hangman'; Cast: Om Puri, Shreyas Talpade, Gulshan Grover, Amrita Bedi; Director: Vishal Bhandari; Rating: ** 1/2

It is a long-delayed film but one that comes with its own baggage of silent merit. 'The Hangman' hinges on a rather heart-wrenching irony. A noble hangman called Shiva (Om Puri) must finally execute the son on whom hinges his whole hope of the future.

Tragically, this executioner's tale suffers from a linguistic anomaly. For some strange and inexplicable reason, the characters located in a Maharashtrian village speak in English. Their clipped, self-conscious accent jars and reduces the impact of the powerful drama by alienating the characters from the words they speak.

Om Puri, playing a character apparently inspired by real life, is in emotional form as the doting father of an earnest son who, stereotypically, is spoilt and ruined by the 'big bad city'. The opposition of values between rural and city life is done with a simplistic yet sincere flourish.

The story could have done with a less pedantic treatment. The characters are almost parabolic. The hangman Shiva's wife is named Parvati (played by Smita Jaykar) and the son, believe it or not, is named Ganesh! There begins the tormenting tale on migration from the villages and its ruinous aftermath.

There's a touching core to Shiva's hopes of getting his son out of the noose into a world of prosperity. This side of the plot needed further nurturing. The father-son sequences, as played out by Om Puri and Shreyas, convey a wealth of warmth, sadly melted down by outdated values and narrative devices.

By the time the narration moves clumsily into the city life to show the urban corruption of the poor rustic Ganesh, the narration embraces the naivete, abandoning any deeper thoughts for a surface-level exploration of the relationship between ambition and guilt. And portraying the city girl (Amrita Bedi) as a toxic influence is the last straw.

Tackling a concept that is thoroughly outdated, 'The Hangman' never proceeds beyond conveying the mood of a serious high-school morality play performed with touching earnestness.

It's the sincerity of Om Puri and Shreyas Talpade's performances that place this film a peg or two above the trite level. If we add Gulshan Grover's acting as an upright jailor, 'The Hangman' is a bearable depiction of a rustic family's dreams gone to seed.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, under fire from the Shiv Sena for favouring Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL), said Saturday he had been misunderstood and he had nothing against meeting Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

After being defiant for days, Shah Rukh made the conciliatory remarks -- 'If he (Bal Thackeray) wants me to meet him, I will do that' -- when he returned from London and was mobbed at the airport by the media seeking his reaction to the Shiv Sena's tirade against him.

The Shiv Sena has threatened to ban his upcoming release, 'My Name Is Khan', in Mumbai theatres for his remarks and sought an apology from him. Posters and banners of the movie have been torn.

'I have been misunderstood. Let's talk it out. I haven't said anything wrong. I have said what every Indian would have. Today what I am is because of Mumbai. Mumbai has given me everything, my nation has given me everything,' Shah Rukh said at the airport.

'How can I belong to any other nation?,' he added.

Asked if he would go and meet Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray over the issue, Shah Rukh said: 'I enjoy Bala Saheb-ji's company. He is a senior leader. I have been at his place many times, and if he wants me to meet him, I will do that.'

Earlier, Shah Rukh and Kajol came out of the airport separately. Shah Rukh was accompanied by a posse of police personnel and his own private guards, an airport official said.

The duo had gone to the US and Britain for the pre-release promotion of Karan Johar's 'My Name Is Khan'.

Some 500 security personnel, besides nearly 50 of Shah Rukh's private guards, were at the airport. Director Johar left the airport separately.

Shah Rukh's vehicle was accompanied by two police vehicles from the airport to his bungalow 'Mannat,' facing the Arabian Sea in Bandra West - a distance of around 12 km.

The Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Police have promised to provide full security to theatres and multiplexes where 'My Name Is Khan' would be screened.

Shah Rukh owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team of IPL.

When Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan turned up to mourn Aamir Khan's father's death, the younger actor expressed a desire to work together.

'We went across to Aamir's place and spent time with him and his family. Tried to keep the atmosphere light and cheerful. It was pleasant. As Aamir came down to see us off when we left his house, he expressed, 'We must work together sir...' I told him to direct a film. He has such talent for it. He nodded (in) approval,' Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

Aamir lost his father, well-known filmmaker Tahir Hussain, Tuesday morning.

Amitabh also expressed his grief on the death of yesteryear actor and producer Sujit Kumar.

'Sujit Kumar passed away early this morning (Friday)...When life ends it takes along so many moments of the past in quick succession. All those memories of time spent together, the films, the locations on outdoors, the camaraderie, all gone in one swift cruel move. Condolences and prayers for his children and family,' posted the actor.

Sujit was 75 years old and is survived by two children.

Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, under fire from the Shiv Sena for his remarks on Pakistani cricketers, returned to Mumbai from abroad Saturday afternoon amid heavy security.

Shah Rukh and Kajol came out of the airport separately. Shah Rukh was accompanied by a posse of police personnel and his own private guards, an airport official said.

The duo had gone to the US and Britain for the pre-release promotion of their forthcoming movie 'My Name Is Khan'.

Some 500 security personnel, besides nearly 50 of Shah Rukh's private guards, were at the airport. The film's director, Karan Johar, left the airport separately.

Shah Rukh's vehicle was accompanied by two police vehicles from the airport to his bungalow 'Mannat,' facing the Arabian Sea in Bandra West - a distance of around 12 km.

The Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Police have promised to provide full security to theatres and multiplexes where 'My Name Is Khan' would be screened.

For a week, Shah Rukh has been at the receiving end of the Shiv Sena's ire for advocating the participation of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The party has demanded an apology from the actor.

Shah Rukh, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team of IPL, had spoken against the exclusion of Pakistani players from the tournament.

Super model Kate Moss is taking painting lessons, it has emerged.

The beauty is reportedly following a private art course at her north London home.Kate has always been a big collector of art and has several valuable works in her home. But she has been getting more into painting herself," the Sun quoted a source as saying.

The insider added: "She has a very hectic life and that is one of the few things that relaxes her. She has hired someone to tutor her at home and has told boyfriend Jamie Hince that he will be her first subject."

Also, Moss has been spotted dining with legendary artist Lucian Freud at posh nosh house The Wolseley in London.

Model Daisy Lowe has undergone kidney surgery to correct a mis-shapen tube to her bladder.

The socialite has been struggling to walk after the operation at a hospital in the U.K..

"It's weird not moving for 24 hrs... got weird armbandy things attached to my calves that inflate simultaneously which are rather amusing though," the Daily Express quoted her as stating on Twitter.

Lowe, the daughter of singer Pearl Lowe and Bush rocker Gavin Rossdale, added: "Just had a bed bath and finally sat up alone! Next step, get to the chair next to my bed!

"Was helped out of my bed into a chair. I am officially an O.A.P (old age pensioner)."

Actress-activist Shabana Azmi is all praise for Rahul Gandhi and he 'cocked a snook' at the Shiv Sena with his Mumbai trip Friday. And she feels the Sena is trying to boost its 'sagging political career' by intimidating the makers of Shah Rukh-starrer 'My Name Is Khan'.

'More power to Rahul Gandhi for cocking a snook at the Shiv Sena in its own den in Mumbai by taking the local train from Dadar, which is considered the bastion of the Shiv Sena,' Shabana told IANS through email.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi made a four-hour visit to Mumbai Friday during which he surprised everyone by boarding crowded local trains and mixing with locals while Shiv Sena activists showed him black flags.

'This one act has catapulted him into a hero for all those who have been watching him grow in stature as the leader India is looking for,' said Shabana.

The Shiv Sena has launched a vicious attack on Shah Rukh Khan for advocating the participation of Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

'The Shiv Sena is trying to intimidate the makers of 'My Name is Khan' as a peg on which to hang their sagging political career. The state must call their bluff and ensure safe passage for the film.

'I am proud of Shah Rukh Khan for standing by what he has said. The film industry is vulnerable because of huge monies riding on the film. The Shiv Sena has sent letters to theatre owners warning them not to release the film. How can any political power abrogate to themselves this authority?

'The state must protect the theatre owners. I am confident 'My Name Is Khan' will be released and people will go to watch the film. That will be the appropriate response to the bullies.'

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz says she got to know about her Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role in 'Nine' late -- because she recently changed her phone number.

'I had a new phone line installed and so almost no one had the new number of the house. Only my agent had it and she was in Australia. So they had to get hold of her first ... and I found out an hour later,' Penelope, 35, was quoted as saying by femalefirst.co.uk

'I had 19 missed calls and 120 e-mails and text messages. So for two hours I was returning calls,' she said.

Penelope, who is believed to be engaged to Javier Bardem, says she is thrilled.

'It is beautiful to talk to all the people (who) love you and care for you and get excited for you about something like this. It was a beautiful day,' she added.

Penelope won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar last year for her performance in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'.

Hollywood actress Sandra Bullock says she is comfortable with criticism and would collect her Razzie Award with a smile if she is voted the Worst Actress.

'I'm more comfortable with criticism than I am with goodwill because I'm more familiar with it, and I've made friends with it. And the Razzies are a great honour,' she said.

The actress has picked up the nomination for her performance in 'All About Steve', femalefirst.co.uk reported.

'Oh my god, how fantastic is that? I'm showing up if I win. I do everything 100 percent.

'With 'All About Steve' we were trying to do something different. And if it gets some kind of award, that means people are talking about it.'

The actress could be picking up an Oscar next month for her role in 'The Blind Side' as she nabbed a Best Actress Oscar at the nominations earlier in the week.

She has been the toast of Hollywood in recent weeks picking up the Best Actress award at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild.

American television personality and recording artist Heidi Montag has started intensive yoga to get back in shape after multiple dramatic plastic surgeries, according to reports.

Her husband Spencer Pratt wrote on Twitter: "...today was @heidimontag and my 24 day of Kundalini Yoga!..."

Heidi, 23, was recently spotted practicing some Kundalini yoga exercises in a grassy field in Los Angeles (California, USA) with her instructor. She has been doing Kundalini yoga daily, reports suggest.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed has extended invitation to other Hollywood celebrities to explore Kundalini or other forms of yoga, referred as "a living fossil", which he says is both a mental and physical discipline by means of which the human-soul (jivatman) unites with universal-soul (parmatman). Since around 2,000 BCE, yoga practice had been handed down from one guru to the next, Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, added in a statement from Nevada (USA) today.

Heidi's debut album "Superficial", reportedly costing over two million dollars, was digitally released last month.

American lawyer Erin Brockovich, who turned into a common household name after her story was told in a biopic starring Julia Roberts in the lead, has said the film was "a curse".

The 49-year-old said the decade old movie, that led Roberts to bag the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of the legal champion of the underdog, had left her life less bearable.

"The movie turned my life upside down. It was my curse," the Daily Express quoted her as telling In Touch magazine.

"I got mean comments about my looks, my bustier and my foul language. People would send rude letters... Sometimes it was more than I could bear," she added.

Oprah Winfrey helped rush a pregnant Canadian woman to hospital after her water broke during a taping of the TV host's talk show.

Twenty-seven-weeks pregnant Lori McCrindle was present in the audience, when she felt the baby was coming.

The talk show queen immediately helped usher McCrindle to Rush University Medical Center.

The woman gave birth to a baby boy named Justin, weighing two pounds, 13 ounces.

Later, during a telephone interview McCrindle told Winfrey she got to the hospital just in time and that the baby is fine.

Winfrey said she'd fly her back to see an Oprah taping whenever she wanted.

"After all these years it is not too often we have a first. But yesterday was a doozy," the Globe and the Mail quoted Winfrey, as saying on the show

Britney Spears' younger sister Jamie Lynn has split from Casey Aldridge, it has emerged.

The star of Nickelodeon's hit Zoey 101 has a 19-month-old daughter with Aldridge, reports Us magazine.

She made headlines in 2007 after her announcement that she was pregnant at the age of 16.

A year later, reports arrived that she and Aldridge were engaged.

Jamie Lynn gave birth to daughter Maddie Briann in June 2008 at a hospital in Mississippi, near her Kentwood, La., hometown.

Moser Baer Entertainment Ltd. and Idiot Box presents forthcoming film HIDE AND SEEK starring actors Purab Kohli, Mrinalini Sharma, Samir Kochhar, Ayaz Khan, Arjan Bajwa and Amruta Patki. The film HIDE AND SEEK is a suspense film produced by Apoorva Lakhia and Laxmi Singh and directed by Shawn Arranha and is set to release on 19th February 2010. The music of the film is given by Gourav Dasgupta and Chirantan Bhatt together.

HIDE AND SEEK is a suspense flick and is based on the story of 6 friends who start playing a game of Hide and Seek on a cold Christmas night. But little do they expect that night and that game would change Om, Abhi, Jaideep, Imran, Gunita and Jyotika's lives forever.

Twelve years later, while some still wrestled with memories of that fateful night and others left it buried deep within them, it was a past that came back to haunt them again.

This time it all starts with a mysterious message - a catchphrase from their past - which results in Om, just out of asylum, getting a surprise visit from childhood sweetheart Jyotika!

While the same message distracts Abhi, Om's estranged brother and business tycoon, in a corporate boardroom, it disturbs Gunita, the damsel in financial distress, sends chills down the spine of Imran, the fat kid grown up into a muscular movie star, and intrigues Jaideep, the bully who's graduated into a political hooligan. Twelve years later, someone was bringing them all together to play that game all over again but this time it will cost them their lives!

Haunted by the past, trapped in a shopping mall - Six best friends turn into worst enemies as they play HIDE and SEEK!

The film HIDE AND SEEK is a debut film of director Shawn Arranha, who started out his career with first box office film SAATHIYA as an Assistant Director.

The 'King of Bollywood' is dying to see compatriot Anil Kapoor's performance in '24', but is not quite ready to make the jump to Hollywood saying he is quite happy doing the films he does.

'I've never been offered anything,' said Shah Rukh disarmingly in an interview with IANS over the phone from New York on a trip to promote his new film 'My Name Is Khan' set for release in the US Feb 12.

'You need to work much harder and prove your mettle a longer time maybe to come in to a different world with a different language like Anil has done,' he said. 'I don't know if I've got what it takes. I've never been offered something...I won't lie. I'm quite happy doing the films I do.'

Shah Rukh has not seen Anil's performance in the action television series broadcast by Fox. But 'I'm dying to see it. A friend of mine saw it and he said it's awesome. Anil Kapoor is awesome. Maybe I'll wait for the DVD or for it to come out on iTunes and hope I'm able to see the new season.'

'He's one of the finest, most conscientious, hard-working actors and one of the few people who I met initially in my career and was very helpful,' he said. 'He always has a positive thing to say, one of the most positive actors I've met...really nice.'

On his plans for the future, Shah Rukh said, 'in terms of films, I haven't worked for a year because of my injury. I think by end of February, I should be nearly fit. I guess by March I would like to start a film, which is titled 'Ra. One'.

'I'll hopefully finish that by August. It's a difficult film. It's a kind of superhero film, never tried in India before. Then I think I'll shift on to 'Don 2', which starts sometime in September, I think.'

But does he have a dream film or role in mind. 'I just make dreams always,' said Shah Rukh. 'I think my work is just making dreams and one of the aspects of my work is that whatever story appeals to me at a given point in time, which changes, obviously, depending on what stage and thought process I'm in.'

'Sometimes I want to do a film for kids, sometimes I want to do a film for adults, sometimes I want to do a film which is just fun and easy on the head, like 'Om Shanti Om'.'

'So depending on the state of mind, I hear a story a couple of times and say, 'OK, this is the one I'm going to indulge in and hopefully, you know, entertain people.''

'It's never been deeper than that,' Shah Rukh said. 'Dream projects, no...every film that I do is a dream project, I'm assuming. It is the most important film. I take it always as the first film I'm doing and maybe the last one. So it becomes very important that I fulfil that film to its limit.'

'Beyond that, no, I don't have any...I mean, I read a lot, thoughts come, but finally a film has to be created by the director and the writer. I am neither of the two...so I have to wait for something which kind of feels like, OK, this is the state of mind I'm in and I just do it.

'At this point, no, nothing, 'Ra. One' is prime on the head right now.'

The beautiful belle - Shillpi Sharma who was last seen opposite Sunny Deol in JO BOLE SO NIHAAL, returns once again in the movie RIGHT YA WRONG starring Sunny Deol opposite once again.

In this though she will be seen in a special title song and on asking her she said "Subhashji is a family friend and after my return, he has been a great support. Though he had nearly finished the film, he still wanted me to be a part of it in some way and offered me this song. I readily agreed. It is the title song of the film and will be seen in the beginning of the film. Also my 1st film was with Sunny Deol and my return is also coincidentally one of his films, so I guess he seems to be my lucky mascot. (Smiles)"

We wish Shillpi the very best and hope this innings to be a great one.

In a fabulous start to the year, Pritish Nandy Communications and RNA Play Entertainment bring you the darkest, most toe-curling horror of 2010, CLICK.

What happens when the spirit world looks you straight in the eye and tells you to run or die? From one of India's smartest film-makers, Sangeet Sivan (post the superhit KYA COOL HAIN HUM and APNA SAPNA MONEY MONEY) comes CLICK, 2010's most bone-chilling spook film.

They say that pictures always tell a story. The true story. CLICK is the story of a young photographer and his girlfriend. He takes beautiful pictures and yet when they're printed they hide a secret. A secret from his past that if revealed, threatens to ruin not only his life but that of his family, friends and loved ones. A secret that comes from a world that's different from ours.

Directed by Sangeet Sivan, CLICK is definitely not for the weak hearted. It stars the tremendously talented Shreyas Talpade with Sneha Ullal, south-spice Sada and Chunky Pandey. Sameer Tandon scores the music for this film, which is under the T-Series label.

PVR Pictures will release the film all across India on February 19. Be sure to catch it. 'Cause this will probably be the last horror film that you'll ever have the courage to watch. That's our promise to you.

When director Sangeeth Sivan started shooting for his first movie in horror genre titled CLICK, little did he imagine that he will manage to scare people even before its release.

The incident happened when they were shooting in Mauritius at "Eureka House". Situated at Moka, in central Mauritius, "Eureka", built during the French colonial period, once belonged to a very well known Mauritian family. The main part of the estate has been turned into a museum and they offer guided tours through this magnificent colonial house.

A bunch of three four foreign tourists happened to visit Eureka House when the production team of CLICK was shooting in the building. One tourist passed through one of the rooms on the first floor, when the cast and crew of CLICK had gone for a break. The next moment, a member of the crew standing near the stairs heard a loud scream, which sounded like a woman shouting for help...

The crew member was so scared to even go to that room all alone. He immediately informed all the other members of the production team to rush to the location immediately, as someone might be in danger.

They found a young tourist woman, in her teens, sitting at one corner of the room, completely terrified. The unit members calmed her down by giving her a glass of water and then asked her what happened. She pointed at the bed in absolute shock and terror

There was a completely decomposed corpse lying on the bed. The unit members, immediately informed Sangeeth Sivan that there is a dead body in one of the rooms and they should call police immediately. Sangeeth Sivan started laughing, which was quite an unexpected reaction from him to the situation. The crew members were forced to think what's wrong with him

Sangeeth Sivan finally revealed that it was actually a dummy of a decomposed corpse, which was kept on the bed by him to shoot a scene in the film. But the dummy looked so real that it was hard to believe that it was a fake. At the end of the whole chaos, everyone had a hearty laugh about the incident.

CLICK is filled with such horror scenes that will most certainly scare even the brave.

Veteran actor-producer Sujit Kumar, who worked in innumerable Hindi films, and was also the first superstar of Bhojpuri cinema in his heydays, passed away this week, at the age of 75.

Kumar was also well-known for producing mega films like KHEL (starring Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit), CHAMPION (Sunny Deol, Manisha Koirala) and AETBAAR (Amitabh Bachchan, John Abraham, Bipasha Basu).

He is survived by his son Jatin Kumar and daughter Henna. A chautha ceremony (condolence meeting) will take place at 5pm, Monday, February 8, 2010, at the Indian Medical Association, Besides PVR Cinema, Juhu, Mumbai.

After what happened between Salman Khan and Shahrukh at Katrina Kaif's birthday bash no one in their wildest of dreams ever thought that they will make up and be on cordial terms, but seems like things are on a mend now.

Apparently, Shahrukh is currently in the midst of a controversy over his comments on inclusion of Pakistani players in the IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket matches. Shahrukh refused to retract his statements and that has further irked Shiv Sena. There is high probability that they might create trouble during the screening of his movie MY NAME IS KHAN.

Subsequently, congress party favored Shahrukh Khan and assured him of a peaceful release of the movie, but now even Bollywood is coming out in favor of the baadshah, Shahrukh Khan. And the man leading the support cause is none other than superstar Salman Khan who openly cited that Shahrukh Khan had not done any crime by stating so and being an owner of one the IPL teams he had the rights to comment. Moreover, Salman added that he feels Shahrukh doesn't owe an apology to Shiv Sena.

Earlier, Shahrukh had said that Salman is a great actor and now Salman Khan is openly supporting Shahrukh Khan during such crises. This clearly indicates that both actors are in a mood to salvage the bitterness of past. So, can their fans now see them together on screen? Watch out this space for further development

'Striker' has become the first Bollywood film to be premiered overseas on YouTube.

The movie, produced by The Indian Film Company in association with Studio 18, hit screens on 5 February in India and released simultaneously on You Tube.

The makers of the film insist that the free-of-charge release on the video sharing website aims to reach the audience in a "cost-effective manner".

"This is a redefining moment," the BBC News quoted Studio 18 director Hemant Bhardwaj.

He added: "The success of this project will put wings to our films, which are rich in content but unable to find optimal distribution abroad because they don't feature the conventional stars."

'Striker' stars Siddarth Narayan, who appeared in 'Rang De Basanti', as a carrom board player in Mumbai

Actress Mia Farrow has called for support to help children in Haiti as they struggle for survival in the quake-ravaged region.

The 64-year-old activist, who looks after 11 adopted children, spoke after 10 American members of a Christian charity group were charged with attempting to illegally smuggle 30 kids to the US, reports the Daily Express.

The Rosemary's Baby star tagged the attempt "deplorable", urging the world to support affected orphanages and families in the Caribbean area.

As many as 212,000 people were confirmed to have died and more than one million left homeless after a 7.0-magnitude quake struck the impoverished nation on January 12

Children might love this. Here comes a bunch of English nursery rhymes from Saregama that not only offers audio-visual content but also features popular actress Katrina Kaif and some musical magic from Oscar-Grammy winner A.R. Rahman's school.

'Music engages the senses and stimulates the whole mind and body. This venture is a concept that will aim to fulfil this need to make learning rhymes a fun and engaging experience for the child,' said B.R. Vijayalakshmi, general manager, audio visual media of Saregama.

'Nursery rhymes are a time-honoured play-and-learn method of introducing children to language and rhythm, an engaging way to strengthen and identify, differentiate and practise the sounds that are the building blocks of language,' Vijayalakshmi told IANS.

Titled 'Sunfeast Dream Cream Rhymeskool', the album is slated to hit the stores in March and Saregama has roped in Katrina to promote it and composer Rahman supervise the music.

'Adding magic to the mix, Katrina will take the children through the lilting rhymes in her own inimitable style in the video. Katrina's popularity among kids and her affable style and persona on screen made her fit for such a project,' said Vijayalakshmi.

'Rahman is the music supervisor for this project. The students at KM Music Conservatory, a college founded by Rahman, is arranging and composing the music for this album under the supervision of the music master,' she added.

Saregama is concentrating on other languges as well - in the recent past, the label produced animated Tamil children's folk songs 'Nila Nila Odiva' sung by Latha Rajnikanth and animated Bengali children's rhymes 'Aye Re Aye Tiye', which is a compilation of the traditional and most popular children's rhymes.

Preeti Sagar's 'Phulwari Bachchon Ki' is another animated children's Hindi songs title in the pipeline.

Vijayalakshmi said : 'Saregama believes that learning can be made a lot more fun and effective through the use of vibrant multimedia, music and dance. To this effect, the company is launching a series of learning-oriented Home EduTainment products that will impact the way children learn.'

To make the album a hit, Saregama is planning a 360 degree media plan to promote the product with heavy penetration across metros.

The Shiv Sena has no right to ask Shah Rukh Khan to go to Pakistan, says 83-year-old freedom fighter Trilochan Singh, pointing out that the Bollywood superstar's father was a prominent Quit India movement activist who chose to migrate to Delhi from Peshawar during partition.

'It is so ironical and tragic that the Shiv Sena which didn't do anything during the freedom struggle is asking Shah Rukh to leave,' said Singh, who had joined the Quit India movement along with the actor's father, Taj Mohammad Mir, in Peshawar, which now lies in Pakistan.

'What is important here is that we were Hindus and we quit Pakistan, but here was a Muslim who chose to come to India. How can the Shiv Sena tell Shah Rukh, whose whole family was involved in the freedom fight, to go to Pakistan?' agonised Singh while talking exclusively to IANS.

Shiv Sena activists are seeking an apology from Shah Rukh over his remarks against the exclusion of Pakistani players from the Indian Premier League and have threatened to ban his upcoming release, 'My Name Is Khan' in Mumbai theatres if he doesn't retract his statement.

They demonstrated in front of his house, carrying what they called was a ticket to Pakistan.

'Both I and Shah Rukh's father Taj Mohammad are from Peshawar (Pakistan). We were involved in the Quit India movement. Taj Mohammad's elder brother Ghulam Mohammad Gama was an illustrious freedom fighter in Peshawar. And that's how Taj Mohammad got involved.

'Both Taj and I were around the same age. We used to be popular teenage public speakers. Both of us got arrested,' said Singh, a Congress member who once worked closely with former prime minister Indira Gandhi and accompanied her during elections.

'After matriculation I moved to Lahore and there I revived the Quit India movement among the students. I was arrested in Lahore and finally I was exiled from Punjab. So I came back to Peshawar.'

'Taj was born and brought up in Peshawar. They had a business in Qissa Khwani Bazaar. It is still the main maret in Peshawar. We carried on the Quit India movement. Taj Mohammad and Ghulam Mohammad were prominent participants in the movement.'

Singh said that after independence, Shah Rukh's father was one of the few Muslims who decided to leave Pakistan and settle in India.

'After independence, I came to Delhi. Incidentally Taj also came to Delhi. He was one of the few Muslims who migrated to India from Pakistan.

'The Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray had nothing to do with the freedom struggle and they are asking Shah Rukh to go back to Pakistan. It's very shameful for Shiv Sena leaders. They are saying it because he is a Muslim. I think we all Indians owe it to our freedom that the Shiv Sena should not get away with such statements,' Trilochan Singh told IANS.

Singh is not too active in politics any more and is more involved in cultural activities. He is the secretary of Heritage Society of India and also chairman of the Dr.Shroff Charity Eye Hospital in Darya Ganj

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan isn't intimidated by the full body-scan machines that have been recently installed at London's airports - in fact, he's been signing off printouts of his X-rays.

Khan, appearing on 'Friday Night With Jonathan Ross' - one of British television's most popular weekend shows - revealed he's been turning the controversial security machines into a public relations opportunity at London's Heathrow airport.

'I'm always stopped by the security, because of the name. And I think its okay: the western world is a little bit worried, paranoid and touchy, I guess - and feely when they're frisking you,' Khan told his celebrity chat show host moments after explaining how his new film is about a Muslim named Khan on a mission to tell the US president he is not a terrorist.

'I was in London recently going through the airport and these new machines have come up, the body scans. You've got to see them. It makes you embarrassed - if you're not well endowed.

'You walk into the machine and everything - the whole outline of your body - comes out.'

Khan said he did not know that the body-scans - installed in the wake of last year's abortive Christmas Day bombing of a transatlantic flight over Detroit - showed up every little detail of one's body.

'I was a little scared. Something happens [inside the scans], and I came out.

'Then I saw these girls - they had these printouts. I looked at them. I thought they were some forms you had to fill. I said 'give them to me' - and you could see everything inside. So I autographed them for them.'

Khan became the first Bollywood star to be invited on 'Friday Night With Jonathan Ross' after Shilpa Shetty in 2007, following her controversial appearance on Channel Four's 'Celebrity Big Brother', where the late British reality TV star Jade Goody was accused of bullying her.

But the Indian star, who is here for the London premier of his new film 'My Name is Khan', said he was 'a little tense' because of threats by Shiv Sena activists in Mumbai to stop screenings of the film.

'I didn't say much. All I said was that we are Indians and we should welcome everyone with open arms into our country. We cannot say 'No, this country's people can't come or that country's people can't come',' said Khan.

'It's been blown out of proportion, and now they're stopping my film and not allowing it to be released. I'm a little tense.'

Khan was cheered wildly by the studio audience at the BBC show - an indication of the rising mainstream appeal of Bollywood films in Britain.

His 'Friday Night' appearance alongside popular British TV star John Barrowman and presenter Lorraine Kelly was thought to be the first by a Bollywood superstar on an international television show. Fittingly, the show ended with Khan, Ross and Kelly dancing Bollywood-style in Spanish outfits to a performance of the

disco classic Capocabana by Barrowman

Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey just missed welcoming a new kind of guest on her show Thursday.

A pregnant Toronto woman was in the audience of 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'' in Chicago when she went into labour and almost gave birth to her child on the sets, according to press reports.

According to the reports, Lori McCrindle of Toronto had gone to Chicago with her mother for the taping of Oprah's world-famous show when her water bag broke (meaning the rupture of the membrane containing the baby in the womb) and she went into labour.

The woman was rushed backstage where Oprah helped her go through the contractions and put her in the ambulance to be rushed to hospital. Twenty minutes later, 27-week pregnant Lori McCrindle gave birth to a son - born 14 weeks premature.

Named Justin Heath McCrindle, the boy weighs two pounds, 13 ounces, according to the woman.

Speaking to the Canadian Press from Chicago's Rush Medical Center, the Toronto woman said, 'I was 27 weeks pregnant...I thought I'd be safe.''

She told Oprah Winfrey that her newborn was a little 'battered and bruised'' from her ordeal before birth, but 'doing pretty good,'' according to the report. 'It's going to be a long, rough road,'' Lori McCrindle said.

Wishing her well, the talk show queen offered the Toronto woman to fly her back to Chicago any time she wished to see the taped show, according to the Canadian Press.

Oprah said it was the first time that a woman went into labour on the sets of her Harpo Studios. 'After all these years, it is not too often that we have a first at Harpo Studios but yesterday was a doozy!'' Winfrey told her show audience Friday.

'It's our first baby!'' she exclaimed.

Amid laughter, she suggested 'Justin Oprah'' or 'Justin O'' as two new names for the newborn.

With boy wizard Harry Potter's film franchise about to end next year, much-awaited 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief' is being touted as the next hit fantasy-adventure movie series.

Logan Lerman, 18, who plays Percy Jackson, admits he would love his film to be as successful as the Harry Potter wizard series.

'Do we want the movie to be as successful as 'Harry Potter' (series)? Yeah, sure,' said Logan during a webcast for the international media from Athens, Greece.

'Do we want it to be as loved? Yeah...But they are different movies. This is Greek mythology and that is wizardry; so they're completely different grounds as films, but popularity-wise, yeah, we want it to be just as popular,' he added.

Also present during the chat were other cast members Brandon T. Jackson, 25, Alexandra Daddario, 23, and Jake Abel, 22. Apart from the four, the movie has an ensemble cast, including Catherine Keener, Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Kevin McKidd, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson and Melina Kanakaredes.

Releasing Feb 11 in Australia, and the next day in the US and Britain, the film will hit Indian screens Feb 19. Distributed in the US by 20th Century Fox, it will be presented in India by Fox Star Studios India.

A big-screen adaptation of 'The Lightning Thief', the first novel in the 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians' series by Rick Riordan, the film is directed by Chris Columbus who made the first three 'Harry Potter' outings.

'It (Chris Columbus' works) is what attracted me to this project. He has shaped my childhood so much with 'Home Alone' and 'Harry Potter' films that I just wanted to be a part of another Chris Columbus creation. It was a dream,' said Lerman.

Jackson, Lerman's co-star, added: 'And the best thing about Chris is he's very good at collaborating. He's not a director that dictates. He's really good at just saying let's all make art together... He's very cool...He gets you to use your imagination.'

Daddario admitted to having read the book before the script, as it was 'top secret' according to Lerman, but the boys went through it only while filming or after it.

So do you need to know the book before watching the movie?

'No. I don't think you really need to read the books to understand the plotline, especially because this is the first movie... it kind of explains everything for itself,' said Lerman.

'The Lightning Thief' (2005) is the first of five books by Riordan. Till date, the series has spent 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list while in India, it has already sold more than 50,000 copies.

'The Lightning Thief' has been licensed in over 30 languages.

The 20-minute chat was followed by a first time exclusive screening of a 'Hydra' scene from the movie.

A lawyer for Michael Jackson's personal physician accused police Friday of attempting to orchestrate a 'show and parade' over his client's expected arraignment on involuntary manslaughter charges.

Lawyer Ed Chernoff told the Los Angeles Times that negotiations with authorities over his client's surrender had broken down after police insisted he be taken into custody and handcuffed prior to his expected court appearance Friday afternoon.

'I told them there is no way that I'm going to let my client sit in jail so you can have your show and parade him into court in handcuffs,' Chernoff said. 'That's when they pulled the plug.'

The arraignment of Murray is expected to set in motion what is certain to be one of the most closely watched trials in the US since Jackson himself was in the dock on child sex charges in 2005.

Murray has acknowledged giving Jackson the hospital anesthetic Propofol as a sleeping aid shortly before he suffered a massive cardiac arrest that led to his death. Jackson died aged 50 on June 25, 2009, shortly before he was due to begin a widely anticipated

comeback tour.

Prosecutors have not yet announced the charges to be brought against Murray, but widespread reports indicate that he will be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's family has called for a second-degree murder charge to be filed, arguing that Murray should have known that his actions could have led to Jackson's death.

'Michael Jackson was someone who we knew was in danger of being brought to his knees, brought to his death, by the use of these medications,' Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman said Wednesday.

If the expression slow and steady wins the race is true, then actress Anna Kendrick has finally edged her way to the front of Hollywood's pack of young actresses.

This week, Kendrick, 24, earned a supporting actress Oscar nomination for her work in "Up in the Air," playing a perky young executive out to teach George Clooney's character how to fire people in the modern-day world of computer communication.

The Oscar nod -- her first -- followed her role in November's box office hit "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," and this week Vanity Fair anointed her one of the fresh faces to watch in its annual Hollywood issue.

But the truth is, Kendrick's "fresh face" has been racking up accolades on stage and in independent films for years before she hit the mainstream jackpot with the "Twilight" movies and now "Up in the Air."

Still, this past week's Oscar nomination and the month of awards shows and critical acclaim that came before it have caught Kendrick in a whirlwind of big-time Hollywood publicity that she still can't quite grasp.

"There's always a part of you that's going to feel like a version of yourself that couldn't find a job and you wonder what tricks you pulled to get into the party," Kendrick told Reuters.

While she may not have been in the Oscar "party" before, it's not the first time, Kendrick has won the hearts and minds of critics and fans. At age 12, she was the third youngest Tony Award nominee for her role in Broadway musical "High Society."

Five years later, her singing and dancing wowed audiences in the 2003 musical film "Camp." It was Kendrick's first-ever movie and resulted in an Independent Spirit Award nomination. A second Indie Spirit nod followed with 2007's "Rocket Science."

Yet, nothing could possibly prepare Kendrick for the frenzy surrounding Hollywood awards -- the media attention, black-tie affairs and red carpets at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, where she also earned nods for "Up in the Air."

"I won't feel the full effects of this until (the Academy Awards) are over," she said. "I feel like I've got to come out on the other side first."

POST-OSCAR

But already, that "other side" is shaping up quite rosy for Kendrick. Later this month she begins shooting her first post-"Up in the Air" project, an untitled comedy with Seth Rogen and James McAvoy for Mandate Pictures.

"I'm just happy to get back to work," says Kendrick. "I've been so focused on 'Up in the Air' and awards season that I haven't read any scripts in a long time. I haven't had an audition or taken a meeting in ages."

The project stemmed from a more general meeting Kendrick had with Mandate last summer before "Air" was even released. Several different projects were bandied about at that time, then this past holiday season, Mandate called with an offer for Kendrick to star in the Rogen/McAvoy comedy.

It was the first time, Kendrick did not have to audition for a film part, which came with great relief.

"I'm not a really good auditioner, so it took a lot of the load off me," she said.

She still has one more "Twilight" film, "Eclipse," due in theaters on June 30. In the saga, Kendrick portrays Jessica Stanley, a friend and classmate of lead character Bella Swan. It is a small role, but enough to make her a recognizable face to her fans without overshadowing the rest of her career.

"I've been really lucky to not be defined completely by that series," says Kendrick.

The entire cast originally signed contracts for the first three installments, and Kendrick said she still does not know if her character will be in the fourth film, "Breaking Dawn."

"I honestly feel like Jessica is one of those characters that if she wasn't in the movie, nobody would miss her," she says. "At the same time, I feel a certain affection for the films so if they ask me, I would love to. I don't have my fingers crossed either way."

Los Angeles prosecutors on Monday plan to file a criminal case in the death of Michael Jackson that is expected to include a charge of involuntary manslaughter against the singer's doctor.

The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said on Friday details of its case would be released on Monday, and gave no further details.

But sources close to the case said Dr. Conrad Murray, who has been under investigation for months, would be charged with the crime of unlawfully killing another person without malice or intent. If convicted, he faces up to four years in jail.

A criminal case against Murray was widely expected to be filed this week because he has been in Los Angeles meeting with his legal team, and his attorney Ed Chernoff said the Houston cardiologist would surrender himself voluntarily if charged.

As recently as Thursday, Chernoff issued a statement saying he and the Los Angeles district attorney were discussing booking and arraignment procedures.

But by Friday, media outlets reported that charges were delayed because of squabbling between police and prosecutors over how to handle Murray's arrest. Other reports said Chernoff balked when the district attorney demanded Murray be handcuffed and walked into a courthouse in front of TV cameras.

Chernoff's spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik told Reuters, "he (Chernoff) felt an arrest of Dr. Murray would be a waste of money, time and resources ... what the district attorney wanted I don't know. Our only request was to surrender Dr. Murray."

Los Angeles district attorney spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said there was "no truth" to reports of feuding among police and the D.A. or over arrangements to take Murray into custody.

"We did not file a case today because the necessary paperwork has to be prepared," Gibbons said.

JACKSON FAMILY FURY

Jermaine Jackson, who with Michael was one of the members of Motown singing sensations The Jackson 5, told celebrity news television show "Entertainment Tonight" that his family was furious at the way the case was being handled.

"I think he (Murray) should be cuffed, he should be fingerprinted, he should have his mugshot just like they did my brother," Jermaine said, referring to when Michael Jackson was arrested over allegations of child molestation.

Murray was with "Thriller" singer Jackson when he died on June 25 and has admitted giving the 50-year-old pop star a dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol to help him sleep.

The Los Angeles coroner's office ruled that Jackson's death was a homicide, caused principally by propofol and the sedative lorazepam. A cocktail of other painkillers, sedatives and a stimulant were also found in his body.

Murray has repeatedly insisted he did nothing wrong and has told investigators he was not the first doctor to give Jackson propofol, according to court records.

Murray was hired in May 2009 to care for Jackson while the entertainer prepared for a series of comeback concerts in London aimed at reviving a career sidelined by his 2005 trial and acquittal on charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy.

Jackson's sudden death prompted a worldwide outpouring of grief for the singer, who started his career as a child and whose 1982 album "Thriller" remains the world's best-selling album.

This was no 'True Lies'! 'The Terminator', Arnold Schwarzenegger has promised to visit India soon.

Action star-turned-California Governor Schwarzenegger, who was on live video conferencing here Friday night, signed off a chat on climate change in his cyborg assassin tone, saying, 'I'll be back... Absolutely I'll come (to India). I promise you that.'

There was a huge round of applause in the conference hall when Schwarzenegger repeated the popular catch phrase from the 1984 science fiction thriller 'The Terminator' in his cyborg tone, pointing at the Indian audience.

He was speaking at the inaugural of the three-day World Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) 2010 in the capital.

The 62-year-old who has a massive fan following worldwide including India was the star attraction at the ceremony.

During the video-conferencing, Schwarzenegger was in direct conversation with R.K. Pachauri and noted TV personality Vikram Chandra at the second edition of the Idea Green Globe Foundation Awards.

An initiative of Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the Green Globe Foundation is partnered by The Energy Resourced Institute (TERI).

Looking ravishing and svelte in her new chiselled figure, Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu launched her workout DVD for women here Friday evening, and said even her macho beau John Abraham could'nt resist trying out the fitness regime.

The 31-year-old launched her DVD, 'Bipasha Basu love yourself...fit & fabulous you', targeted towards women at an event here.

'Even though I have targeted this DVD towards women, if guys want they can try too... John once tried the exercise and he was blown away,' said Bipasha.

Bipasha, who is known to be a fitness enthusiast has created a unique work out programme lasting 25 minutes. The DVD has been launched under Shemaroo. It is based on the core idea and motive of being strong, healthy and loving yourself.

'Be strong and healthy, love yourself. Make time for your own self. Looking good is an extra bonus. If your health is good, every aspect of your life is fantastic. Your focus in life is better; you achieve your goals faster. Exercising and eating right is a big challenge. But we have to accept this challenge, if we love ourselves,' added Bipasha.

The DVD is priced at Rs.299

Cloning might not be legal at present but if ever it is, then India should clone 'a 100,000' R.K. Pachauris, insists Hollywood star-turned-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who is a great admirer of the climate warrior.

Sporting a white shirt, green tie and black suit, the seven-time Mr. Olympia title winner, who has won laurels for his actions against climate change back home, says he is a 'great admirer' and a 'big fan' of Pachauri, who heads the Nobel prize winning UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

'They (Indians) should make it a rule to clone Dr. Pachauri. I did a movie called 'The 6th Day' where we cloned people and I myself get cloned (in it). There are so many people I want to clone... One of them is Dr. Pachauri,' Schwarzenegger said in a live video conferencing here Friday night from California.

He was speaking at the inaugural of the three-day World Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) 2010 in the capital.

'We should have 100,000 Dr. Pachauri's... I am a big fan of his. Dr. Pachauri has done great work. I am a great admirer of his work. We follow his footsteps. We have met at several environmental conferences,' added the 62-year-old.

During the video-conferencing, Schwarzenegger was in direct conversation with Pachauri and noted TV personality Vikram Chandra at the second edition of the Idea Green Globe Foundation Awards.

Schwarzenegger, who won the 2007 European Voice campaigner of the year award, also apologised for not being present in person at the ceremony.

'I am very sorry I could not be with you (all) today. It's a very important conference and I'd like to congratulate Dr. Pachauri... This (Green Globe Award ceremony) is a great inspiration to all of us,' he said.

Schwarzenegger also showed a solar-powered lantern (used in rural India) given to him by Pachauri during a visit to California.

An inititiative of Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the Green Globe Foundation is partnered by The Energy Resourced Institute (TERI).

Emraan Hashmi was dying to plant a grand kissssss!! And the proud dad couldn't wait to smooch his newborn son. Hashmi's spouse Parveen delivered her baby at a private Mumbai hospital. Reportedly, both mom and son are in top shape. The duo have named their bundle of joy Ayaan.

"I'm feeling pretty spaced out and it'll take a while for me to come to terms with the fact that I have actually turned dad," he gushed to the media on what her terms as "one of the finest days of my life."

The "serial kisser" who flagged off his career with "Footpath', is now looking forward to taking a small break to pamper the new cute entry in his life.

More power to the latest "Paa'…

A new production of Alban Berg's opera "Lulu", which Geneva's Grand Theatre warned was unsuitable for people younger than 16, delighted a packed first-night audience with not a boo or cat-call to be heard.

The warning referred to a brief sequence of out-of-focus pornographic film in the last scene, when the heroine Lulu is reduced to working as a prostitute in a London slum.

But nudity and sexual mimicry on stage raised few eyebrows on Thursday night in an opera depicting a depraved society without values, and were hardly out of place in its relentless story of seduction and death.

The audience were taken with the dazzling performance by French soprano Patricia Petibon in one of opera's most demanding roles and the stunning production by French director Olivier Py placing the opera in a world between cartoon-like circus and 1960s art installation, with neon lights and consumer clutter.

Previous productions in the staid Swiss city by Py, who heads the prestigious Theatre de l'Odeon in Paris, have brought out the sex and violence which is not far from the surface in some of the most lyrical operas.

Lulu, based on two dramas by German fin-de-siecle playwright Frank Wedekind, tells the story of a sexually attractive dancer who several men and women become obsessed with, often dying as a result, and who ends up as a prostitute murdered by Jack the Ripper.

Py reflected Berg's modernist 12-tone music in a bright palette of changing colours and lights, while massive sets trundling slowly across the stage suggested the characters caught up in a machine, out of control of their lives.

"In Lulu all you can do is to plunge into the depths of a nightmare of colours," Py told the Tribune de Geneve newspaper.

A scene where the rich, greedy and gullible stake their all in booming shares had a contemporary resonance.

"Where has all the money gone?" sung one character after the shares crashed, prompting knowing chuckles from many in the banker-laden audience.

The colours disappear in the last scene, where Py shows the London streets with a dark and empty set and falling snow. Jack the Ripper appears in this nightmare world as Father Christmas, which could be trite but is terribly menacing.

Py himself was absent from the premiere, attending another opening night in Paris. But the success of his eighth production in Geneva makes it certain he will be asked to come again.

"I would like to be seen as an artisan of the senses, whose inspiration originates in faithfulness to the works," he told the Geneva opera's house magazine.

She's quite delectable herself… and Deepika Padukone can't seem to have enough of good food. The former badminton champ and model is a confirmed foodie too who "loves trying out different kinds of cuisines."

Word has it that Deepika went nuts over the fare served at a local "dhaba' at Lonavala, during the canning of "Karthik Calling Karthik'.

"I love trying local food," she states in a tabloid chat. "And once I ate the North Indian food there, it was so tasty that I recommended it to the entire crew. And after that many of the unit members too would drop in at the "dhaba' for lunch and dinner."

Food for thought.

The amour has fizzled out. Nevertheless, the ex lovers continue to remain "good friends." And Soha Ali Khan displayed that she's truly a regal woman too.

Reportedly, Soha was very taken up with Siddharth's look in 'Striker' and the actress, who is currently dating Kunal Khemu, didn't stinge on the praise. Bingo! She send an SMS... minus any help from Abhishek Bachchan- congratulating her former lover.

A close source states, "Soha is a mature adult and has no issues when it comes to appreciating anyone work, even if it happens to be her ex." Bebo,Shahid, take your clue...

The Bachchan "stalker"stands a good chance! Vivek Oberoi, confessedly, upset with the media venerating him in shallow terms is slyly biding his time.

Oberoi Boy has consistently done his bit to remain in the good books of Shah Rukh Khan. And his chances to enact the villain in SRK's new production 'Ra.One' hingle solely upon… Arjun Rampal!

Reportedly, Rampal, a close pal of SRK is slated to essay the bad man in the Red Chillies Entertainment venture. But the national award winning dude has a serious back problem which could prevent him from performing the agile stunts required of his character in the Khan flick.

As per reliable sources, Oberoi has already displayed his skills via an audition. "If everything falls into place, Vivek will share screen space with Shah Rukh Khan." Famous Khan. Infamous Oberoi.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters Life!) - A South African Afrikaans rap group has taken the Internet by storm with explicit in-your-face lyrics, provocative performances and using cyberspace to promote their music.

A website set up by the group, Die Antwoord (The Answer), received millions of visits in the past four days, crashing the server it was hosted on after the group featured on blogs www.boingboing.net and www.dlisted.com

They performed self-styled "Zef" music -- an Afrikaans term loosely meaning redneck -- with explicit lyrics in Afrikaans and English which has raised some eyebrows in South Africa's mostly conservative Afrikaans community.

The group's fans on social networking site Facebook have doubled in recent days, one of their videos on video-sharing site YouTube has been viewed over 200,000 times.

"Our Internet site has taken about three million hits in the past four days. It crashed on the first day and we had to pay 3,000 rand ($391.1) (to the service provider) and went broke," said Die Antwoord's frontman, only known as Ninja.

The website, www.dieantwoord.com which streams the group's first album, has since been moved to a U.S.-based server to handle the traffic.

Die Antwoord has also built up a sizeable following on micro-blogging site Twitter with some tweets comparing the group to top rapper Eminem.

Ninja said the group, made up of himself, blonde singer Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek, started performing a year ago.

"We didn't get booked for ages. Now in three days, we are being offered 50,000 rand for a gig. I wake up at three in the morning to check all the emails," Ninja said.

They are touring Europe and Scandinavia from April and will tour in the United States later in the year.

Die Antwoord was talking to a record label in the Netherlands over a contract but has also been approached by a major global record company.

"We don't have jobs, we didn't have anything before this. This thing blew up and I think we transferred the emotion that we put into our music into the Internet".

Apparently, remaking yesteryear super hits is a popular trend among Malayalam film makers these days. After the recent success of Neelathamara, a remake of the 1979 Malayalam classic with the same title, Rajavinte Makan (1986) could be the next to be remade! According to sources, director Thampi Kannanthanam and script writer Dennis Joseph, makers of the original movie, had a discussion last Friday with Mohanlal's favourite producer Antony Perumbavoor and the team has reportedly decided for a remake. In all probability, the pooja will be held on July 16. To be produced under the banner of Ashirwad Films, the remake will have Suresh Gopi reprising his role of the original version. An adaptation of Rage of Angels (1983) by Sidney Sheldon, Rajavinte Makan revolves around Vincent Gomas and a group of underworld goons in Kerala. He is cheated by a politician (Ratheesh) and seeks revenge.

Director Boyapati Srinu's forthcoming Balakrishna starrer Simha, featuring Nayantara, Namitha and Sneha Ullal in the lead, will be released on April 9, producer Paruchuri Kireeti of United Movies announced on Wednesday. The film is currently progressing at a brisk pace in Hyderabad and the shooting will continue till February 10 without any break. The songs will be shot in foreign locations from February 20 under the choreography of Prem Rakshit. Music is by Chakri, cinematography is by Arther A. Willson, editing is by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao, action is by Stun Siva, art is by A.S. Prakash, while story, screenplay and dialogues are by the director himself.

To the surprise of his fans and the industry, the audio of Naga Chaitanya's second film Yemaya Chesave was released directly into the market by Sony BMG recently. Music is scored by A.R. Rahman, who is teaming up with director Gautham Menon for the first time. However, the audio of the Tamil version (Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya) was launched in a grand manner last month at Satyam Cinemas, Chennai, by two Indian legends: Padma Shri Kamal Haasan and Oscar winner music maestro A.R. Rahman. The film is scheduled to release on February 19. Udhayanidhi Stalin's Red Giant Movies holds the distribution rights of the film in India, while TWO95 Entertainment Inc has the distribution rights in the United States.

After a gap of two years (precisely after 2008 Rathri Mazha), reigning South Indian actress Meera Jasmine is doing a Malayalam film titled Paattinde Paalaazhi, directed and scripted by Rajeev Anchal. The shooting is currently progressing at Srirangapatnam near Mysore. According to sources, Paattinde Paalazhi revolves around a Brahmin girl named Veena, who has great passion on music. She meets Ameer, a highflying business man and they decide to marry. But unexpected things begin to occur thereafter. Manoj K. Jayan plays Ameer, while Krishna Kumar dons the role of Anwar, his business partner. Others in the cast include Nedumudi Venu, Prem Kumar, Revathi, Baby Bhavani and Baby Theertha. Dialogues are by Dr. S. Rajendra Babu. Dr. Suresh Manimala has set the music to the lyrics written by O.N.V. Kurup. Azhakappan cranks the camera. The film is produced by Dr. A.K Pillai under the banner of Adithya Cinema.