Will a managed print service lower costs?

vendor promises that a managed printing service will lower printing costs. Is it the truth? Scott Lowe discusses a pilot under way at Westminster College.

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In my previous posting, I discussed the merits of Westminster College’s switch to the PaperCut print management software. The deployment of a package to impose enforced limits and visibility into printing behavior has allowed the college to reduce overall printing costs by helping users become more aware of their habits. In short, we’ve reduced a lot, but not all, of the waste in the system. Frankly, I doubt we’ll ever eliminate 100% of the waste, but any efforts we can take to get to, say, 95% are good.

Westminster College has also changed from using OEM toner cartridges to using refilled units that, believe it or not, work extremely well. Between the two steps, we’ve been able to bring skyrocketing printing costs under control.

However, I’ve recently been told that we continue to leave money on the table when it comes to print costs and that we can continue to reduce these costs by outsourcing overall management of our printers to an outside group. In the past, other things have gotten in the way of looking at this managed printing service, but this time, I decided to let the company give it a shot. In their pitch, the sales person promised to either meet or beat our current costs for both toner and printer repairs and indicated that we can keep our current printer fleet intact. Over time, if we find that we can get better costs with different printers that meet our reliability goals, we’ll consider it.

The company we’re working with has a local presence, and the references with which I’ve discussed the project spoke very highly of the company and indicated that their promises of lowered costs and less printer management hassle were very true. As a result, over the past few days, we’ve installed software on one of our servers to help the company gauge the use of our networked printers so that they can determine a cost per page that makes sense for us.

Assuming that we get results from our printing analysis that show the company that we can actually reduce our overall print costs — and I will obviously independently verify the results — we will enter into a month-to-month arrangement with the group under which they will monitor, manage, and repair our printers as necessary. Also under this agreement, the company will advise us on ways in which we can redeploy our printer fleet in order to maximize the program’s effectiveness and, in turn, minimize our printing costs.

At present, we do devote some staff time to overall printer management, including toner management, which involves stocking and replacing toner, and printer repairs. For repairs, we have a break-fix arrangement with a local repair shop, and so far, this arrangement has been effective. That said, if we’re truly able to meet or beat our current costs and we can reduce the amount of IT staff time that goes into the administration of our printer fleet, it seems like a no-brainer proposition, particularly since we’d be on a month-to-month contract with no long-term commitment. In my opinion, the risk for this arrangement is very low while the upside could be potentially significant.

If things work out and we’re happy with the results, we can consider future opportunities that might include hardware replacement, but those options require a longer-term commitment, and for now, I’m interested in seeing how things go first.

Within the next 30 days, we’ll have the first-pass results for the first vendor, and depending on those results, we’ll decide whether or not to move forward with that company, look at other options, or simply maintain the status quo. As always, I’ll report back on progress.

In the meantime, I’d be very interested in reader feedback on managing print services in general.

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Think hard before talking about clients on the Web

IT consultants often find that social media provides a great way to build their reputation and their contacts in the industry. When you freely share your insights and experiences, you may be able to help other consultants avoid the same mistakes or benefit from the same wise (or lucky) choices. The more details you include, the better insights you provide — and it makes for more entertaining reading. But consultants have to be careful about what we share out on the wide open Web to avoid damaging our clients or our relationship with them. Whether you’re on Twitter, Facebook, your own blog, or even TechRepublic, here are some questions to ask yourself about your composition masterpiece before you hit Submit.

Does it breach confidentiality?

If you’ve signed an NDA with your client, its terms serve as a rulebook for what you cannot say; it usually includes anything that the client has revealed to you, but hasn’t made available to the public. A broad interpretation of that could include things like a particularly humorous programming mistake, or even a political drama within the client’s organization. To share the lessons you learned from these experiences, you would at least need to reframe them in general, hypothetical terms. If you don’t have an NDA with your client, you still want to be sensitive to what information they would expect you to treat as confidential. Even though you may be under no legal obligation to keep quiet, the last thing you want to do is to betray your client’s trust.

What is your motivation?

Why do you feel compelled to share this information? Is it just that you want to be helpful to others, or are you venting your emotions? Do you want your readership to rally behind you and vindicate you? Do you perhaps even secretly want your client to discover this post, along with all of the support you have for your view so they will repent of their wicked ways? You could get your wish, but what they end up being sorry for might be that they ever engaged you.

Could your client be identified?

Even if you don’t name the client, the situation could give away their identity. If what you say about this unnamed party is not altogether glowing, that could sour your relationship. Even if nobody but your client could make the identification, you want to be very careful here. You might even talk about the situation hypothetically, but if your client can see distinct parallels with your shared experience, then you can bet they’ll sift your discussion to find the tiniest grain of criticism. Not that criticism is bad, but if you tell the world what you didn’t have the guts to tell your client directly that makes you a loose-lipped coward.

What would your client say?

If your client knew you were writing about your experiences with them, what would they think about it? Regardless of whether you think you can remain anonymous, you should never post anything online that you wouldn’t want to have read by anyone, especially your client. As you write, assume that they will read it and that they will find out who wrote it. Better yet, if there’s any question in your mind about the appropriateness of your missive, ask your client about it first.

Bottom line

In this new era of social media, we’ve become used to talking about anything and everything in front of the whole world. We enjoy getting things off our chest and expressing our anger and frustration through snarky comments sprinkled with LOLs and emoticons. While that may serve a therapeutic role for you personally, it could damage your relationship with your client beyond repair. Never say anything about your client that you wouldn’t say to their face, in front of all of their customers. Because like it or not, that’s where you are when you’re on the Web.

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Know when to accept new business and when to move on

The driving force behind what we do is not usually money — at least not for the most successful IT consultants. If money is always your motivating factor, then you’re likely doing one or more of the following activities:

• Getting bogged down with too much work.
• Pricing yourself too low just to get work.
• Losing power in the negotiation dance.
• Accepting work that doesn’t interest you.
• Taking on work that doesn’t fit your qualifications.

All of these behaviors can be dangerous to your consulting practice. Taking on too much work, work that doesn’t interest you, or work you’re not really qualified to perform can cause you to fail on one or more engagements. Not only will that mean no more repeat business from that client, but word travels fast and your reputation as a skilled consultant may be irreparably damaged. You also don’t want to short change your skills by pricing yourself too low or constantly making concessions during negotiations. Once you lower your fees, it’s really hard to raise them, especially in this economy.

So how do you know what clients to take on and which ones to turn down? How do you know when to stand firm to your goals and when to bend for a customer just to get their business? And how do you know how much to bend without hurting your consulting practice and reputation? I don’t believe there’s a pat answer for each of these questions — you need to weigh each opportunity separately, while still remembering the overall focus of your consulting practice.

I recommend that you ask yourself the following questions when you’re considering new clients and projects.

Do I have the ability to take on more work right now?

This should always be your first consideration. Taking on too much work may seem enticing from a pure revenue standpoint, but like any business that grows too fast and collapses, the same could happen to your consultancy. Taking on too much work could cause you to fail with one or more clients and that can be disastrous. Studies have shown that one failed client can affect on average three potential engagements due to word-of-mouth and lost follow-on work. If too much work causes you to fail with two or more clients at the same time… well, you do the math. The results can be devastating.

Am I comfortable with this technology or niche?

It’s tempting to take on a new client that will have you work in a niche or cause you to use a technology that you’ve wanted to try but don’t have the experience with yet. There are three ways you can go with this one:

• Take on the new work, learn on your feet, and hope for the best.
• Explain your experience concerns and give the client a deal on your rate.
• Skip this client and move on.

The path you take may depend on the project. If the project has a slow ramp up, you may have time up-front to familiarize yourself with the technology as the project is getting started. It’s not likely, but it’s possible.

My recommendation is to choose either the second or third option. I’m not a believer in fee reductions just to gain work — it can cheapen your consulting practice. However, when you explain that you’re doing it because you know you can do the work successfully, but you know there may be a learning curve and therefore you’re reducing your price for them by x%, then I feel that is an acceptable route to take. (Also read: Should you charge more when you don’t know what you’re doing?) As for option three, it’s your call.

Is price an issue?

If you know the customer can’t afford your regular rate, then you have a tough decision to make. I don’t condone cutting rates just to get a client on board; however, if cutting your rate could lead to an opportunity for long-term, repeat business, or to acquire some new, marketable skills, the project may be worth considering. Be sure to explain to the client your reasoning for lowering your rate for them.

Is there a potential for repeat business with this client or their partners?

I briefly discussed this under the pricing question, but the topic warrants a closer look.

I once took on a consulting role with an organization that needed help getting a handle on their resource management issues. I could see that I was walking into a situation where the customer really didn’t know what they wanted and may be slow to move along on the engagement. I prepared my proposal and estimate for them and set it up on a retainer payment basis. It was a bit of a risk, but it paid off for me in several ways:

• I worked quickly on what they needed at any given time, but they were slow to move forward.
• They paid me every two weeks (in advance) no matter what.
• I was able to take that extra time to suggest new processes that I could help them with, which extended the engagement.

In the end, I had a long-term engagement with the client that was essentially a well-paid part-time gig; the client got everything they needed out of me and then some; and they were completely satisfied and have been a periodic repeat customer.

Conclusion

It takes some time to read clients, but the key is to assess each engagement for what it is and look for what it could be at the same time — this will give you some insight into the possibilities for repeat business. Then you can weigh price, current commitments, and the client’s overall needs to see if it’s work you should take on.

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Leverage checklists to improve efficiency and client satisfaction

In The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right, author Atul Gawande reveals statistics that demonstrate the startling difference simple checklists make when employed across a variety of industries. Gawande, for example, explores how a simple five-step checklist reduced infections at one medical facility from 11 percent to zero (preventing dozens of infections and saving the medical facility $2 million over just a two year period). Additional checklists are shown to deliver even greater results.

IT pros, especially consultants, are well-served by checklists. Who’d have thought simple, low-tech forms could make such a difference? But they do.

How to implement checklists

Wherever your consultancy is struggling — whether it’s spending too much time deploying new desktops, forgetting specific steps for a particular client with unique needs, or failing to properly monitor remote servers for which it’s responsible — checklists can help. It only takes a few minutes to write a simple five-step checklist and implement it, but the dividends are significant and last as long as the checklist is maintained and used.

If you want to implement checklists within your organization and reap the numerous resulting advantages, follow these steps:

1. Make the checklist. Write the steps in a simple Word document. It doesn’t need to be fancy or win any graphic art awards; it just needs to list the steps necessary to properly complete a task, a routine, a process, or a job.
2. Share the checklist. Place the checklist on a network drive and make sure staff can access it (use DropBox, network shares, or thumb drives, if necessary).
3. Require compliance. Require employees to take a copy of the checklist when they go on client sites. If necessary, make technicians return completed copies, bearing their signature, when finishing projects.
4. Update the checklist. As processes, tasks, and procedures change, update the document to ensure it’s relevant.

Basic is better

You can only realize a checklist’s benefits if you actually use it. So don’t let a desire to create the world’s prettiest checklist, or one with the fanciest artwork or most innovative design, slow the process. Default to simple black-and-white forms, complete with squares for checking off tasks as they’re completed. Your office will miss fewer steps, reduce call backs, and become more efficient (which means your office needs less time to complete common tasks). All of this translates to increased client satisfaction.

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Help clients make efficient use of meeting time

I think it can be said that most people dislike meetings. They often consider them boring, pointless, tedious — or any number of other negative descriptors. Perhaps all this disdain stems from the wasted time many of us have spent in unproductive — and even sometimes downright combative — meetings where our voices are not heard, and nothing ever gets accomplished. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In a previous column, I explained why meeting facilitation is a valuable part of an IT consultant’s repertoire and reviewed the techniques that facilitators use to set clear goals and objectives for every meeting. Now I’ll talk about the preparation for the facilitated meeting and the methods we can use to help teams make the best use of the time at hand.

When does a client need a facilitator?

I recently attended a client’s IT cross-functional meeting that addressed a serious problem: IT was missing its corporate performance goals and alienating the user base. The department head began the meeting by telling members of the network-, application-, and user-support teams that only they could solve the problem, as they were the ones who truly understood users’ needs and frustrations.

As team members began discussing the problem, however, the department head kept interrupting, asserting her conclusion about what was wrong and how to fix it, and assigning tasks to team members before they had a chance to work through any issues. As they walked out of the room, frustrated and angry, the team members looked at each other with a resigned expression that said, “We’ve been here before.”

This is just one example of a situation that cries out for a facilitator — an individual who can lead teams into fruitful areas of discussion, assist in clarifying proposals and ideas, diplomatically move past controversial and unproductive arguments, and apply a structured process to get results.

Setting ground rules

Facilitators structure discussions in a group setting and guide the conversation. They set ground rules that govern meeting behavior regarding things like schedule, breaks, meals, and handling interruptions. They also set ground rules, such as:

• All ideas will be considered fairly.
• Everyone will make an effort to participate.
• Conversation will be directed toward the goals and objectives of the meeting.
• Constructive disagreement is okay, but personal conflict is not.
• Everything that happens in the meeting is confidential.
• Anyone can request a “time out” for clarification, to defuse a conflict, or to redirect a conversation.
• All “next steps” are assigned an owner and a due date.

Most facilitation is based on common courtesy and common sense. While facilitators need to have a toolbag of techniques ready for guiding and structuring conversations, these techniques can be learned, and the best facilitators help teams by applying some simple rules of human interaction.

Prep work

It’s a commonly accepted rule of thumb that each day of facilitation requires a day of preparation. I prepare my facilitation design at least a week before the event and arrange a pre-session meeting with the client sponsor to review my understanding of the goals and objectives, as well as all the elements I described above, to make sure that we’re in agreement.

To help the client set proper goals and objectives for the meeting, which we reviewed last time, skilled facilitators should understand:

• The business context of the facilitation. Is this meeting in response to some external threat, like a new competitive situation, or some internal need, like a new organizational structure?
• The time constraints of the meeting. Are there deadlines set on the proceedings, or is there some flexibility in the time allotted? Many meetings fail to achieve the desired results because they don’t allow sufficient time for discussion and consensus, so it is important that the meeting’s objectives correlate with the time allowed for the meeting.
• The setting of the meeting. Will this meeting be held at the corporate headquarters, where individuals may be called out of the room or be tempted to run to their desks to “take care of one thing,” or will the meeting be held at an off-site location where the team can be totally focused on the task at hand? The cost of travel and facilities for an off-site meeting must be weighed against the expected benefits of a focused result. It’s also critical to take care of the mundane details of the meeting-many a facilitation has been derailed for want of a marker or an extra flip-chart.
• The background materials required for an effective meeting. In most of my facilitations, I present a handout that may include a slide show, a draft of a document or design, a list of attendees and their roles, an agenda, a case study or article for review, or other related materials. A complete and professional-looking handout or visual sets the stage for an organized, focused gathering.
• The processes to be used. The skilled facilitator knows to select which techniques he will use based on each meeting’s requirements. If the goal is an innovative system design, then creative processes such as brainstorming and visioning are appropriate. If reaching consensus is key, then group voting or a decision grid might be more suitable.

Time is of the essence

Because most facilitated meetings are held during work hours, the tension employees feel between sitting in the meeting and “taking care of business” can create stress in meetings. To combat this, facilitators must be conscious of the meeting schedule and use the time allotted wisely to achieve the desired goals. For this, I use a “time contract.” The team and I agree that I will guide the discussion to make the most of our time and that we will table sidetrack issues so we can stay focused on the session objectives.

In the next installment in this series, I’ll outline the methods used in the actual facilitated session.

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HOT Kardashians Kome Back !!!

Ho ho ho! The decision by E to build a series around not just Kim Kardashian, who a couple of years ago was little known outside of devotees of celebrity sex tapes, but also around her even more obscure sisters Khloe and Kourtney, is really paying dividends now. In fact, Kim has probably been the quietest of the sisters in 2009. Kourtney and her boyfriend Scott found themselves surprise expectant parents, and the brand new mom was more than willing to share details of the blessed event with the celebrity press. Unwilling to cede the spotlight, Khloe and Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom went from first date to the altar in the space of a few weeks.

These might not be ideal strategies for building lasting relationships, but they work wonderfully for promoting a reality show -- not that I would ever accuse the Kardashian family of anything so crass. This week on Keeping Up With the Kardashians (Sunday, 10 p.m.), Khloe is excited when she believes she's joined the family pregnancy parade, while Kim's tendency to fib gets her into trouble. That's it, Kim? You're a liar? That's not nearly as interesting as marrying a millionarie athlete or having a baby -- we need you to get on the ball in the new year.

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Elin Nordegren CUSTODY BATTLE?

The News of the World reported yesterday that Tiger Woods' wife Elin Nordegren plans to divorce her husband and wants full custody of both children. According to the article, Nordegren is upset by Woods "reneging on a promise to go into REHAB to get off prescription drugs Ambien and Vicodin."

A source tells the paper that Nordegren "wants 100 percent divorce, 100 percent custody of the children, and half of everything." This sounds similar to a previous source who said that a "divorce is 100 percent on."

This article stands in stark contrast to a TMZ post written last night, which said that Nordegren would not divorce Woods right away and was mainly hung up on two issues, neither of which were related to drug addictions.

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Vanessa Hudgens has exposed that the recent online nude photo

Young actress Vanessa Hudgens, who blast to famous person at what time she starred in the “High School Musical” films, has exposed that the recent online nude photo scandal has not upset her, when she was seen happy freshly on the red carpet.

Alleged pictures of Vanessa nude include surface on the Internet recently, but a lot of are saying that they are not in fact of her. This incident is only two years after one more nude photo scandal come out about Vanessa.
But at the new premiere of her new movie “Bandslam,” she look very calm and be presentation her fan that it wasn’t upsetting her. Vanessa was embarrass with the 1st incident, but she now seem to have in use it in her step this time.




The latest nude celebrity photo to surface of Vanessa Hudgens is Disney’s equivalent to “the shot heard around the world.”

High School Musical 2, the show that Hudgens stars in, broke a cable record for its premiere. USA Today even went as far as to say that Disney had finally cracked into the big leagues for producing top level programming. Riding off of this success, High School Musical 3 was on the table with a big screen release planned. Now, only Disney knows.

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Celebrities React to Brittany Murphy's Death

Since news of Brittany Murphy’s death broke out yesterday, stars have issued statements and turned to Twitter to express their condolences about the 32-year-old.

Although Alicia Silverstone “didn’t stay in close touch over the years” with her Clueless costar, she says she’ll always feel love for her. “I always felt connected to her as we shared a very special experience in our lives together. I feel love in my heart for her - and hope she is at peace. This is truly sad,” Silverstone told People magazine. “I loved working with Brittany. She was so talented, so warm and so sweet.”

“She had the voice of an angel and a genuine heart of gold,” Donald Faison, another star from Murphy’s 1995 film, told MTV News. “She had the voice of an angel and a genuine heart of gold. I’m very happy to have known and worked with such a special person. My heart goes out to all of her loved ones.”

Here’s a sampling of some of the tweets posted by celebrities yesterday:

Mena Suvari - Brittany’s Spun costar: “I’m just sooo devastated now. Found out Brittany Murphy died earlier this morning + I’m shocked. We worked together + I knew her for yrs… And ALL my love to her family and friends. May God be with you in this difficult time.”

Lindsay Lohan: “My deepest condonlences (sic) go out to all of Brittany Murphy’s loved ones, may she rest in peace… She was a great talent w/a (sic) beautiful soul xo.”

Jessica Simpson: “Brittany Murphy was an incredible ray of light to so many people. Her smile was contagious. My prayers are with her family and loved ones.”

Eliza Dushku: “My heart aches having just learned of Brittany Murphy’s death. We were friends time-to-time thru the yrs. I always admired her pure spirit.”

Kevin Smith: “Never met her, but sad to hear about Brittany Murhpy. G’night, Ms. Murphy; hope you’re rollin’ with the homies someplace nice.”

Alyssa Milano: “Brittney Murphy and I did a USO Tour together in 2003. She was a sweet soul, with a lot of talent and heart.”

Kim Kardashian: “I am in shock that Britney Murphy has died! Clueless is my all time favorite movie. My prayers go out to her family & husband.”

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Using Elance or oDesk as a source for IT consulting leads

In an extensive article on CIO.com titled IT Contracting: How to Get Started on Elance, oDesk, Meridith Levinson discusses 13 tips for using those services to land new freelance work. I signed up for Elance and oDesk to see what they’re about.

The first thing both sites require is that you establish a profile. The content of your profile matters far more on these sites than it does on LinkedIn, Facebook, or even TechRepublic because that will be how prospective clients evaluate your abilities when you bid on a job. Out of the 13 tips that Meridith provides, 11 of them directly relate to your profile.

Both services require that you pass an initial competency test regarding how to operate their service before you can bid on jobs. Elance’s test requires serious study in advance. The oDesk version seems intended to instruct (or sell) more than to test existing knowledge — it’s open-book and quite easy (hint: if there’s an “all of the above” option in response to a question about what oDesk provides, choose it).

Both sites also offer a large number of competency tests for various skills. There are many tests for competencies in programming in a specific language such as C, Java, JavaScript, Ruby, etc., as well as frameworks such as Rails and .NET. There are also more specific technologies, including Microsoft Office, Drupal, and various databases. Then there are tests for English language skills, accounting, business plans, and even creative writing.

The competency tests are very similar — in fact, they appear to be provided by the same service. I took the WordPress test on both sites, and the questions and their layout appeared to be identical (I passed, by the way). These tests are timed, and the questions can be pretty advanced. Your score becomes publicly available on your profile by default, but on both sites, you can remove it and/or retake the test at a later time.

Now you’re ready to search for work. I was shocked by what people offer for compensation. Many of the listings specify “under $500″ or even less, and the project specifications often indicate that the requestor really doesn’t know what they need.

The lowball estimates aren’t helped by the expectations that many members set, either. Browsing through the Ruby developers on both sites, for example, you’ll find minimum hourly rates listed from $15 to $40. I was shocked to see a developer whom I know and respect (and won’t name) listed at under $20 per hour. In Meridith’s article, she quotes Nathan Wenneker as saying you need to begin low in order to compete, and then work your way up. That will take a lot of working, folks. I went ahead and listed my rate at what I bill new clients. We’ll see if the higher price creates an illusion of higher quality — err, I mean, if anyone recognizes the higher quality represented by my price. It’s a good thing that I don’t need the business right now.

Elance and oDesk take their cut as well. Both sites require that you only bill for any services rendered through them; this is where they collect their service and payment processing fees. Elance deducts between 6.75% and 8.75%, based on volume. oDesk charges a flat 10%, which for hourly work, they try to hide by padding the rate that they quote to buyers. This means that the offshore developer who’s listed at $15 an hour is really only getting $13.50.

Unlike Elance, oDesk guarantees payment for hourly-compensated assignments, but only for hours that you log via its oDesk Team application, which you must download and install on your computer. It comes in flavors for Windows, Mac, and Linux/Unix. oDesk offers an iPhone app, but you can’t use it to log time because the other versions record activity levels, including the number of mouse clicks and keystrokes, the name of the active window, and even periodic screenshots while you’re logging time. I don’t know about you, but I don’t really care for that kind of snooping over my shoulder. Besides, I could be using multiple systems to do the work, so I might not be working on the one that’s running its nannyware. Perhaps buyers will find this micromanaging approach more attractive, but I can’t imagine that it appeals to providers.

I might use one of these services to fill in some free time, but, personally, I wouldn’t base an IT consulting business on them. Perhaps if you’re just starting out in consulting, it would make sense to farm an initial client base from the services’ offerings. But the low price expectation set by the vast majority of requests and providers means that, once you become established and you charge a decent fee, you’d have to spend a lot of time winnowing the chaff.

Have you used either Elance or oDesk for IT consulting leads? If so, what did you think of the services?

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TV violence not always fun for viewers

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)

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Anne Hathaway loves the way Angelina Jolie kisses!

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.

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Padma Shri will help Saif evaluate his worth: Sharmila Tagore

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.'

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Why is Bollywood silent on Shiv Sena attack, ask SRK fans

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

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'The Hangman' marred by outdated values, clumsy narration

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.

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I don't mind meeting Bal Thackeray, says Shah Rukh

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.

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'We must work together,' Aamir tells Big B

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.

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Tight security as Shah Rukh Khan returns home

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.

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Kate Moss picks up the paintbrush

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.

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Daisy Lowe undergoes kidney surgery

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)."

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Shabana hails Rahul for taking on Shiv Sena

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.'

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Penelope came to know of Oscar nomination late

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'.

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Sandra comfortable with criticism

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.

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Heidi Montag practices Kundalini yoga to get back in shape after plastic surgeries

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.

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Erin Brockovich says film was a curse

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.

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Oprah almost helps deliver baby on show

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

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Jamie Lynn Spears, Casey Aldridge 'call it quits'

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.

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Moser Baer's HIDE AND SEEK on 19th February

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.

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Hollywood not yet for 'King of Bollywood'

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.'

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JO BOLE SO NIHAAL girl back in action

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.

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Shreyas Talpade to CLICK on 19th February 2010

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.

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Decomposed corpse found on the sets of CLICK

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.

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Filmmaker Sujit Kumar passes away

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.

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Salman Khan: Shahrukh Khan doesn't need to apologize

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

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'Striker' becomes first Bollywood film to release on YouTube

'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

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Mia Farrow calls for support for Haitian orphanages

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

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Kids, here come nursery rhymes with Katrina

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.

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'How can Shiv Sena question SRK, a freedom fighter's son?'

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

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Shah Rukh signs off sexy body-scan printouts at Heathrow

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

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Baby almost born on Oprah Winfrey show!

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.

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Percy Jackson could be another Harry Potter

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.

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Mystery, disputes surround arraignment of Jackson doctor

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.

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Oscar newcomer Kendrick is no newcomer, at all

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."

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Jackson doctor expected to be charged on Monday

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.

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