Celebrity Gossip: October 2011

Hrithik's red-hot new girl,"Esha Gupta"

Spielberg confirms 'Jurassic Park 4'

Rakhi seeks Anna Hazare's help for her 'Choos Le' song

Celebrities: Caught on camera

With every appearance watched and noted, celebrities have to live their lives appearing at their best — both physically and morally — or they risk a backlash as adulation turns to demonisation. However, more often are the times when standards slip and some surprising behaviour comes through.One such case risking the wrath of his fans is Omar Sharif. The 79-year-old veteran actor was caught on video apparently slapping a persistant fan at an awards show in Qatar, revealed British newspaper the Daily Mail. Sharif, present at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, rebuked a woman for queue-jumping. “My dear!” Sharif exclaimed in Arabic, as translated by the Washington Post, “I told you I’d get to you afterwards! I just said that and you’re standing here. Put something in your brain!” While his alleged blow was not seen from the camera’s position behind the woman’s head, celebrity gossip website TMZ quoted an unnamed journalist present as tweeting “Omar Sharif just hit a woman. Very stupidly, in front of a camera.”Afterwards, however, Sharif became calmer and posed with the embarrassed looking — but still smiling — fan. The incident has led to much reflection on Sharif’s past bursts of violence — in 2003, he was convicted of violence towards a police officer in France, and in 2007 pleaded no contest to charges of battery against a parking attendant in the US.Also catching attention for his behaviour — albeit ending up on the receiving end of aggression — was American singer Usher. He was confronted by an angry woman after apparently parking in a disabled bay, according to TMZ. Like the incident with Sharif, Usher’s confrontation was captured on video by an onlooker.The R&B singer was accosted by a woman at a shopping centre in Atlanta near a Halloween parade after he took the liberty of parking his SUV in a handicapped spot. The video reavealed that the woman, apparently angered by the (able-bodied) singer’s illegal parking, approached his car and reportedly sprayed beer from a can at Usher while he was still sitting in the driver’s seat with the window down. Usher retaliated and splashed the woman with his water bottle, which prompted her to kick his driver’s side door until he exited the car, TMZ said. The woman angrily shouted, “You don’t belong here!” and repeatedly lunged at him, before being pulled away by her husband.However, while Sharif and Usher would undoubtedly prefer their fans not seeing them in less-than-ideal situations, Hollywood actor Demi Moore went the exact same way. Moore has been accused of lashing out at a photographer, who followed her on a trip to a nail salon in Los Angeles, reported aceshowbiz.com.On October 28, while exiting Jessica Nail Clinic in West Hollywood’s Sunset Plaza, Moore lashed out at a photographer when he approached her for a picture. She is said to have hurled obscenities at him before reportedly lunging at his camera, stunning on-lookers recalled.An eyewitness disclosed to aceshowbiz.com that the paparazzo “physically jumped in front of [Demi], basically entrapping her, pushing his body and camera into her so she couldn’t walk or move.” The photographer also added, “Demi was crazy; she was totally losing it. I was just standing on the sidewalk, trying to get a few shots of her and she was going completely mad. She tried to jump on me and swipe my camera.” The actor, it’s said, is in stress following reports that her marriage to Ashton Kutcher is falling apart.

'The Adventures of Tintin' gets mixed reviews overseas

LOS ANGELES: "The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn," Steven Spielberg's 3-D take on Georges Remi's treasured comic books, is already a hit overseas with audiences. But what about the critics?Overseas opinionators vary wildly in their assessments, with some heaping on the praise and one British critic reacting violently against it.In Belgium, where the comic books originated, the newspaper Le Soir, takes a positive view of the film -- we think. According to the translation program we ran their review through, "The Adventures of Tintin" is "a popular and general public film, which alternates in a tasty way the exotic film of adventure, play of track Hitchcockian and the picaresque comedy."So ... it's eclectic?Alas, the film earned a huge thumbs-down from the Guardian's literary critic, Nicholas Lezard. A self-professed lifelong Tintin fan, Lezard likens the film to a sexual assault."Coming out of the new Tintin film directed by Steven Spielberg, I found myself, for a few seconds, too stunned and sickened to speak; for I had been obliged to watch two hours of literally senseless violence being perpetrated on something I loved dearly," Lezard writes. "In fact, the sense of violation was so strong that it felt as though I had witnessed a rape."In France, Spielberg's interpretation of Tintin appears to be considered tres bien. L'Express lauds the filmmaker for crafting an adaptation that isn't afraid to break with Remi's vision, but remains lovingly faithful in its own way.Spielberg allows to reinvent certain sides of history, and to make some winks," the paper notes. Even so, the review adds, "One feels all the affection which it carries to its characters."France's Cinema Teaser praises the film's "sublime" opening-credits sequence, as well as the much-ballyhooed technology behind the film. It says that "The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn" proves "that the performance capture can definitively cause life when it is used by a large scenario writer."England's Empire Online also makes special note of the film's performance-capture technology, noting that it lends itself to "endless chase sequences." However, the review concludes that it's the heart beating underneath the bells and whistles that makes "The Adventures of Tintin" a captivating read."You have a job keeping up, but never at the expense of the sheer goodwill," the review posits. "While luxuriating in its pre-existing universe, here is a film imploring you to join in. It would take a hard heart to resist."Overall, Empire concludes, "The Adventures of Tintin" is "action-packed, gorgeous, and faithfully whimsical." (Reuters)

Kareena Kapoor’s wax statue unveiled

Tell Me O Kkhuda is a dull fare (Movie Review)

Ra.One makes highest ever Diwali collections

Lady Gaga surprises India with tricolour hairdo

Simple yet elegant - Lady Gaga chose to leave her bizarre dressing style back home for her first formal appearance here Friday. She wore a one-shoulder gown by an Indian designer, added the desi twist with a tricolour hairdo, and greeted the audience with a confident "Namaste"."Namaste everyone! I am so glad to be here. I could never even imagine that I would get to come to India and perform and meet my new, amazing fans that are here in India. So I would like to say thank you to all of you. My deepest gratitude," Gaga told reporters.The 25-year-old global pop icon, who is here to perform at the F1 after-party in Greater Noida Sunday, made a stylish entrance wearing a pair of black shades. She wore a sparkling neckpiece with simple earrings to match, but what attracted was her bouffant, which had streaks of saffron and green - colours of the Indian flag. "Today I am wearing a dress by Naeem Khan, an Indian designer based out of New York," she said. Best known for songs like "Poker face", "Just dance", and her latest hit number "Born This Way", Gaga says she may be known for bizarre sense of style, but she is like any other girl. "My personal style is like any girl really...I wake up and I put on whatever makes me feel good....quite often I end up wearing my old leather jacket with a pair of fishnets," added Gaga, who feels "the sights in India are beautiful, but the most beautiful sight is that of the people".Though she is excited about performing for her fans Sunday, she is already looking forward to coming back to India soon, as she said: "I can't wait come back...to see more of India and to get to know more of the fans here." My performance will have Indian influenceShe claims to have been "dying" to come and perform in India, and now that she will finally take centrestage at the F1 after-party Sunday, international pop star Lady Gaga says fans will get a taste of her modern touch but with an Indian influence."I want to surprise you all...I've been working with the House of Gaga for a month now to make it beautiful. There will be some Indian influence (in my performance), but I have modernised it in my way. It will be a hybrid between my vision and the vision in India," Gaga told reporters here Friday.The singer, who has made it big in the international music scene with her albums "The Fame" (2008), "The Fame Monster" (2009) and "Born This Way" (2011), is looking forward to the D-day. The F1 after-parties, to be held as part of the Airtel Grand Prix of India, will take place at a special, 20,000 sq ft construction at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort in Greater Noida. They are being hosted by lounge bar Lap, co-owned by actor Arjun Rampal and restaurateur A.D.Singh.Gaga has special plans for her India gig."I worked very hard. I have built a special stage for this show - it is unique for India...it has never been done anywhere else in the world, and I will be incorporating also, the collaborations with some of the Indian DJs into the performance. It will be shown on television here in India. And as I said, I have been working very hard on this, and I have been dying to come here and perform. I am excited about it," she added.Her show is totally sold out, despite a whopping ticket price of Rs.40,000. But those who will miss the joy of watching the pop star live, can catch the action on UTV Stars in November.

Shah Rukh Khan 'to interview Lady GaGa in India'

Lady GaGa: 'I love Bollywood'

Sir Jimmy Savile dies, aged 84

James Cameron unveils scenes from Titanic 3D

Shah Rukh Khan to collaborate with Lady GaGa?

Lady GaGa's Delhi concert sold out

Egyptian actor Omar Sharif slaps fan

Justin Timberlake goes rogue for "In Time"

Ra One breaks single day box office record

Indian models out of fashion overseas

NEW DELHI - For top Indian model Apoorva Vishwanathan, the difference between success on the catwalks of her own country and an international modelling career can be measured in inches - two of them.”I wish I had endless legs. I could be cat-walking with the Heidi Klums of the world,” said the Bangalore-based Vishwanathan who stands five feet nine inches in her bare feet. “But you’ve got to be at least 5’11” for any international fashion house to come near you,” she told AFP during the recent New Delhi Fashion Week.Compared to the West, career modelling is still in its infancy in India, although it has made huge strides on the back of rapid economic growth and the growing profile of Indian fashion designers. Only a handful of Indian models have tasted success abroad, with the likes of Lakshmi Menon and Ujjwala Raut modelling for Gucci and Yves Saint-Laurent. The financial pay-off for those who do break out of the relatively low-paid domestic scene can be enormous, and Raut is quite frank about why she is no longer seen working the Indian fashion shows. “They can’t afford me,” she said.Whispered allegations of racism have been made by some who tried and failed overseas, but Vishwanathan believes the main barrier is the natural body shape of Indian women. “We are genetically more voluptuous and curvaceous,” she said. “Agencies abroad want girls who are really thin, almost skinny. It is tough for us to fit into their requirements.” Another factor is that Indian models tend to start their careers much later than their Western counterparts, with parental pressure often keeping them in college until their early 20s.Once frowned upon in conservative India as an immodest career choice, modelling grew in popularity - and acceptability - in 1994, the year former Indian models Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai took the Miss Universe and Miss World titles respectively. Both went on to successful and lucrative film careers, fuelling the aspirations of millions along the way. More recently, the launch of Vogue India in 2007 heralded the start of a new fashion era and an overhaul of wardrobes of the nouveau riche.Rikee Chatterjee, a 24-year-old up-and-coming model said her family fully supported her decision to take up modelling even before she finished her college degree. But there are some limits. Indian models generally hesitate to do lingerie work, or other shows that involve baring a lot of skin, and most lingerie ads in Indian fashion magazines use foreign models. There are also complaints of a bias against darker-skinned models in India where a light complexion is widely considered synonymous with beauty

Prince Harry Spends A Night With Waitress

People think I am gay: Clarkson

Actor Ronit Roy Arrested

Actor Ronit Roy was arrested here Thursday after his car rammed into another car injuring three of its four occupants, including a woman who is in critical condition. A court later granted him bail.The incident occurred on the Link Road near Amboliin the Andheri West suburb around 6.30 a.m. The other car was thrown off the road and overturned. The 42-year-old actor was driving his Mercedes at a high speed when he rammed into the oncoming car in which a family was travelling. The victims have been identified as Deepak Darera, 60, his wife Kanta, 55, and their daughters Pooja, 24, and Sneha, 28, police said. Three of the four members of the Darera family from Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri were injured. One of them is reported to be critical at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital. Following a complaint by the victims, Roy was arrested and presented before a holiday magistrate in Bandra. Charged under Indian Penal Code Section 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous injury endangering lives), Roy was released on bail of Rs.12,000 in the afternoon. Police are awaiting his medical report to ascertain whether he was drunk at the time of the accident. While Sneha escaped with negligible bruises, Pooja received a few cuts on her head which had to be stitched, while their father sustained hand injuries. Kanta Darera suffered severe injuries on the back and is undergoing treatment. At the time of the incident, Roy was returning from a Diwali party and the Darera family was on way to spend the weekend at the Matheran hill station in adjacent Raigad district, police said. Moments after the accident, Roy got out of his car and helped the victims by taking them to hospital in a cab, and left without informing police.The police acted only after the victims complained and arrested Roy. Pooja told mediapersons outside the police station that Roy was zooming at over 100 kmph speed and hit their vehicle. The usually crowded Link Road, one of the main thoroughfares linking north-south suburbs from Borivli to Bandra in the city, was almost deserted on account of the festival holidays at the time of the incident. The actor started his career with the movie "Jaan Tere Naam" in 1992 and later featured in "Kisna". Last year, he acted in film "Udaan".He earned popularity on television with shows like "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", "Kasautii Zindagi Kay" and "Bandini". Currently he stars as a successful lawyer in the weekly show "Adaalat".

Hot Esha Gupta to endorse international swimwear line?

Lewis Hamilton confirms Nicole Scherzinger split

Working with Shah Rukh Khan on Ra.One was a pleasure'

Vidya's 'jhatkas' catch attention

The television campaign for The Dirty Picture has taken a full frontal approach (pun intended) with Vidya Balan's brazen act crossing even those boundaries that seemed unassailable when the first theatrical promo came out recently. While the makers seem to be pushing the envelope with every passing juncture, the latest being her song 'Ooh La La', many in the industry are questioning if Vidya's moves are justified for a film that boasts of such an A-grade setup."This is unbelievable," says a prominent director on condition of anonymity. "I understand that the makers of The Dirty Picture are attempting celebrating the life of a sexy screen diva, but what we see is beyond imagination. I guess what we saw so far in true terms was 'just a trailer'. I suppose it will take a while before we come to terms with Vidya Balan's daring new avatar." A trade guru points out, "The tantalizing promos have done the initial trick. The makers have clearly shown that they have an eye on the box office run. And the fact that something so different is coming from Milan Luthria and Vidya Balan, who are known for a different kind of cinema, has also added to the shock and curiosity value." "It is a conscious call," says Milan sounding surprisingly cool. "There is always a handful of people trying to become self-appointed moral crusaders and creating issues when there are none. This handful is not even representative of the Indian audience at large so no one takes them seriously. We have the Censor Board whose decision we will follow. In any case, when the audience watches the final film, all this talk will be put to rest." He adds, "We have made a progressive film here. So much is changing on television that it's shocking. I am merely moving ahead with the times and exploring different genres. I could have gone ahead and made another gangster movie after Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. However, I chose to change genres. I have done that even earlier in my career when Kachche Dhaage and Taxi No. 9211 worked. With The Dirty Picture, I thought it was finally time to come out with something that hasn't really been attempted before." Milan concurs that the film has generated sufficient interest substantially in advance of its release. "I understand that people are floored, more so because it is Vidya on screen. However, I know the path I have followed. Some language and visuals might seem brazen but while certain directors may have kept it way too carnal and others way too subtle, I have found my own way."

Singer Amy Winehouse poisoned by alcohol: inquest

Jolie's 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' trailer revealed

Don 2 trailer released

British beauty reveals ‘votes for sex’ ordeal

Veena Malik plays real-life sex worker

Be-Careful - Don't watch this movie!

High on testosterone and low on IQ, "Be-Careful" is an eyesore. Inspired by films like "Masti" and "No Entry", this comic drama is the story of two promiscuous and wanton husbands Sameer (Rajneish Duggal) and Anand (Zaid Hamid).The movie begins with Sameer, a businessman, interviewing a prospective employee. "What's your name?" he asks. "Meri lele," comes the reply. Sameer pounces on the woman, she resists. Following the commotion, Sameer's business partner Anand enters the cabin, only to repeat the sequence.Later, the candidate clears the confusion that her name is Mary and she is married to one Mr. Lele, hence her name in Mary Lele.Fed-up with the antics of their husbands, their wives -- Anjali (Tanisha Mukherjee) and Kiran (Kiran Rathore), along with their fathers-in-law Asrani and Tiku Talsania, try to teach a lesson to the wannabe studs.The men are banished without money to a Thailand hotel with several restrictions that would even put a monastery to shame. But Alas! They are hard to reform.All the comedians in the film, right from Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Asrani, Tiku Talsania to Shakti Kapoor are wasted. With a wafer thin and a shoddily put script, non-energetic performances and a jarring screenplay, the film gives a jolt to one's sensibilities.The film tilts heavily on done-to-death scenes, puns and linguistic errors. With heavy punning on names like - Lele, Bure Lal (Shakti Kapoor), Kujlee, U-ganda, this film is no laugh riot by any imagination. Also with dialogues like, "Hey, smart, dashing, handsome, awesome, how have you changed the mausam?" This film is sheer trash. On the technical front, though Najeeb Khan's cinematography is decent, the visual impact is lost due to the various special effects, making the film look gimmicky.The music is nothing to write about. The item number "Will you be my Maahiye" starring Tulip Joshi is run of the mill. The loud screechy background score and hollow audiography is another sore point of the film. A word for director Chandrakant Singh. He has not improved since his first film "Rama Rama Kya Hai Drama".

Paranormal Activity 3 rules US box office

NEW YORK: "Paranormal Activity 3" vanquished the box-office ghosts this weekend, taking in a whopping $54 million upon its premiere in the US, according to studio estimates.The other two new films in wide release this weekend, however, flopped. An expensive 3-D version of "The Three Musketeers" grossed a disappointing $8.8 million. And "Johnny English Reborn," a comedy starring British comedian Rowan Atkinson, did not resonate with American audiences. While the film is a hit overseas, it collected a weak $3.8 million in the US this weekend.Still, the results for Paramount Pictures' third "Paranormal" made for the first truly stellar box-office weekend of the fall, which has been characterized by middling performances from high-profile releases. Even past weekend winners such as "Contagion," "Real Steel" and "The Lion King 3-D" had failed to open much beyond $30 million."Paranormal's" opening, on the other hand, was the highest-ever October debut, and helped power the top 12 movies to their highest total, $110.3 million, since the middle of August. Analysts had anticipated $40 million to $45 million for the third instalment in the supernatural franchise.The numbers for the Paramount release represented a significant increase over other horror films, which have struggled of late, and demolished the opening of "Paranormal Activity 2," which drew $40.7 million in its premiere on the same weekend last year."Horror fans came out in very large numbers this weekend, and that's a testament to the filmmakers and the enduring power of this franchise," said Rob Moore, Paramount Pictures vice chairman, alluding to the movie directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.While Moore declined to elaborate on future plans for the franchise, the numbers all but assured there will be a fourth "Paranormal" film, and solidified "Paranormal's" status as the Halloween heir to the "Saw" series, which reliably yielded a hit every October for the past seven years.In keeping with the general pattern for horror pictures, "Paranormal" drew a higher proportion of women, who came out to see "Paranormal Activity 3" at a ratio of 54% to 46% compared with men. About 53% of the total audience was under age 25.The movie grossed an additional $26 million upon its debut in international territories, which included France, Australia and Russia, Paramount said.Still, it remains to be seen how the movie will perform in the coming weeks. While filmgoers came out in sizable numbers to see the horror prequel, they didn't necessarily like what they saw: The film notched an average grade of C+, according to market research firm CinemaScore. The first "Paranormal Activity" took in $107 million in the U.S., while the second film garnered about $85 million. (Reuters)

Salman, Katrina safe in Turkey

Aamir Khan to make TV debut with his 'most ambitious project'

Poorna Jagannathan stars in Hollywood comedy

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gets Madame Tussauds revamp

Asha Bhosle enters Guinness World Records

Peaches Geldof 'caught shoplifting from Boots'

Freida to ink $7m ad deal?

Shahrukh and Kareena promote Ra One

Lindsay Loahan handcuffed in courtroom

LOS ANGELES: An angry Los Angeles judge on Wednesday revoked the probation for Lindsay Lohan because she failed to perform community service, and admonished the troubled actress for failing to treat her sentence seriously.At a progress hearing for Lohan, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner called her previous ruling of probation on a theft charge a "gift" and told Lohan, "there's something called looking a gift horse in the mouth."Lohan's attorney Shawn Holley tried in vain to argue that her client had complied substantially with other portions of Judge Sautner's sentence, including psychological counseling and attendance in a program for shoplifters, and should be allowed to continue uninterrupted on probation.But Judge Sautner said she was troubled that Lohan had "blown off" the court's order to work at a downtown Los Angeles women's detention center, and instead was reassigned by city officials to work in a Red Cross program without court approval.Sautner noted that in the past six months, Lohan had completed only a tiny fraction of her community service."Nobody has the power to change my sentence," Judge Sautner said, then later pronounced, "I am revoking her probation."Lohan, 25, dressed demurely in white, spent much of the court session shaking her head as she was admonished by the judge. She was led from the courtroom in handcuffs, then posted bail of $100,000 and was allowed to go home.Judge Sautner ordered Lohan to appear at a November 2 hearing at which court officials and attorneys will present evidence as to whether Lohan did, in fact, violate her probation. If so, she could be returned to jail.TROUBLED LIFE AND CAREEREarlier this year, Judge Sautner sentenced the actress to 360 hours community service at the women's detention center, and another 120 hours at a morgue as part of a punishment for stealing a gold necklace from a jewelry store. The "Mean Girls" actress also served 35 days under house arrest and was ordered into a shoplifter's counseling program and psychological therapy.Holley pointed to "glowing" reports from Lohan's probation officer, her therapy counselor and the shoplifting program as proof that Lohan was trying to comply with the court's order.She noted that Lohan still had six months to complete the community service portion of her sentence and pleaded with the judge to allow her to do so.But judge Sautner was unyielding. She cited a letter from the detention center in which Lohan was said to have decided she didn't want to work there because it was not "fulfilling."The judge scoffed at the idea that probation was supposed to be a "fulfilling" experience, and hammered Holley on the fact that Lohan has only performed about 21 hours service.Her excuse, the judge said, was that she was working overseas in cities like Paris and Milan. Holley shot back that Lohan can find work only overseas and not in the United States. She said there seemed to be a "rallying cry" to send her client to jail, but judge Sautner said she had taken many steps to keep Lohan out of jail.The day's appearance proved to be another low point in the career of actress who rose to fame as a star in Disney movies like "The Parent Trap," but has seen her career derailed by multiple trips to jail and rehab since 2007.Lohan's publicist, Steve Honig, said in a statement that the actress was hoping the matter would be resolved at the November 2 hearing "and the Court will reinstate probation and allow her to continue fulfilling her community service." (Reuters)

Emma Watson starts classes at Oxford

Rihanna treats journalist to a saucy onstage lap dance

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