Celebrity Gossip: November 2011

The Twilight Saga: The Breaking Dawn Part 1 (Movie Review)

The reason why the 'Twilight' series captured our imagination a few years ago was the originality of its idea and execution. Watching the penultimate film in the series, you will be stuck with a series of dejà vus.

You won't have to rake your head hard to figure out where you had seen bits and pieces of "The Breaking Dawn" for it literally takes inspiration from and shamelessly copies the execution of almost every single TV soap-opera and their Indian avatar - the saas-bahu sagas.

Isabella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) finally get married and Edward unwittingly gets Isabella pregnant. As the fetus grows rapidly, it threatens Bella's life. But she is unwilling to abort the baby despite the urging of everyone around.

Afraid of the half-human, half-vampire baby growing inside Bella, the wolves plan to kill her even as the Cullen family and Jacob (Taylor Lautner), fight to save her.

The only originality the film hold is in its combination of cliches of multiple genres. Thus you have an exotic woman in possession of an ancient wisdom (from the monster movie genre) calling Edward a monster.

You have once again a jealous friend in Jacob who mouths cheesy lines (teenage romance genre) and you have a understanding and protective family speaking dialogues straight from soaps (family drama genre)...the list goes on.

It even begins with 'the' teenage cinematic marriage sequence of the millennium.

As the jealous best fried Jacob runs off in anger, the couple is married in a dream marriage that even Prince Charles and Diana could not have dreamt of. This and the honeymoon is slow and long, but has enough oomph for girls with romance in their eyes to lap up.

There is no point commenting on the acting department which actually relies on the inability of its actors to act, and their abilities to look either pale and white, expressionless or perennially angry.

"The Breaking Dawn" is good only for the die-hard fans of the franchisee, or teenage girls with fairy tale romance lighting up their eyes or fans of Mills and Boons. Others beware of a headache.

Vatican’s chief exorcist has claimed that practicing yoga and reading ‘Harry Potter’ brings evil. Father Gabriel Amorth, who has carried out more than 70,000 exorcisms in the past 25 years after being appointed by the late Pope John Paul II, surprised delegates at a conference by revealing his dislike for yoga and ‘Harry Potter’.

“Practising yoga brings evil as does reading Harry Potter. They may both seem innocuous but they both deal with magic and that leads to evil,” the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

“Yoga is the Devil’s work. You thing you are doing it for stretching your mind and body but it leads to Hinduism. All these oriental religions are based on the false belief of reincarnation,” he said.

Speaking on the subject of People And Religion at a fringe event at the Umbria Film Festival in Terni, Father Amorth spoke of his distaste for JK Rowling’s young wizard.

“People think it is an innocuous book for children but it’s about magic and that leads to evil. In Harry Potter the Devil is at work in a cunning and crafty way, he is using his extraordinary powers of magic and evil,” he said.

“Satan is always hidden and the thing he desires more than anything is for people to believe he does not exist. He studies each and everyone of us and our tendencies towards good and evil and then he tempts us.

“My advice to young people would be to watch out for nightclubs because the path is always the same: alcohol, sex, drugs and Satanic sects,” he added.

This is not the first time that the 85-year-old has raised eyebrows with his forthright views, as last year he had said that the ongoing child sex scandals rocking the Catholic Church were evidence that “the Devil was at work in the Vatican”.

Lady Gaga has revealed that her ideal man must push the boundaries.

The 'Marry The Night' star, whose current relationship status is not known, said her ideal partner must have a range of qualities.

Asked what she looked for in a man, Lady Gaga said, "Talent and perseverance, and pushing the boundaries of love and acceptance.

"I don't know, I can't really say. It ranges from a really big [d**k] to a degree at Harvard. Just about anything."

Lady Gaga was recently reported to be dating 30-year-old actor Taylor Kinney, although the star has not confirmed the relationship.

Porn star Sunny Leone, who entered the Bigg Boss house recently, has claimed that she discovered she was bisexual when she was 18, but says she prefers men.

The entry of an X-rated star has made season five of Bigg Boss its most controversial season ever.

Leone, now a citizen of US, was born in Canada as Karen Malhotra on May 13, 1981 to Sikh parents.

She was sent to a Catholic school because her parents thought a public school would be unsafe for her.

By the time she was 14 her family had moved from Canada, to Fort Gratiot in Michigan before finally settling in Lake Forest, California, the Mirror reported.

Leone was training to be a paediatric nurse in Orange County when she was introduced to agent John Stevens by an exotic dancer friend.

He, in turn, introduced her to Jay Allen, a photographer for lad’s mag Penthouse, in fact the second half of her porn name ‘Leone’ was chosen by Bob Guccione, the former owner of Penthouse magazine.

She moved into hardcore pornography in 2005 when she signed a three-year contract with Vivid Entertainment.

Her first film was entitled Sunny and her second film, Virtual Vivid Girl Sunny Leone, won her an AVN adult industry award.

Despite her chosen field being far from family-friendly, Leone, who presently lives in Hollywood, hopes to retire one day, get married and start a family.

Heidi Klum has replaced Cameron Diaz as the most dangerous celebrity to search for on the Web, according to Internet security company McAfee. For the fifth year in a row, McAfee researched popular culture’s most famous people to reveal the riskiest celebrity athletes, musicians, politicians, comedians and Hollywood stars on the Web. The McAfee Most Dangerous Celebrities™ study found movie stars and models top the “most dangerous” list this year while singers and sports stars are among the safest.

Cybercriminals often use the names of popular celebrities to lure people to sites that are actually laden with malicious software. Anyone looking for the latest videos or pictures could end up with a malware-ridden computer instead of just trendy content.

Fans searching for “Heidi Klum” or “Heidi Klum and downloads,” “Heidi Klum and ‘free’ downloads,” “Heidi Klum and photos” and “Heidi Klum and videos” are at risk of running into online threats designed to steal personal information. Clicking on these risky sites and downloading files like photos, videos or screensavers exposes surfers or consumers to the risk of downloading the viruses and malware.

McAfee research found that searching for the latest Heidi Klum pictures and downloads yields more than a 9% chance of landing on a website that has tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.

The study uses McAfee SiteAdvisor software that provides ratings that indicate which sites are risky to search for celebrity names on the Web and calculate an overall risk percentage. The top 10 celebrities from this year’s study with the highest percentages of risk are:

1. Heidi Klum – Klum, the former Victoria’s Secret model and current producer of “Project Runway” moved up from #10 on last year’s list to #1 today. Searching for Klum results in nearly a one in ten chance of landing on a risky site.

2. Cameron Diaz – 2010’s Most Dangerous Celebrity fell to 2nd place, with searches resulting in slightly fewer risky sites this year. She has most recently been in the spotlight with her 2011 movies “Bad Teacher” and “The Green Hornet.”

3. Piers Morgan – A new addition to the top 10 list, Morgan also the most dangerous male celebrity. He is best known as the host of “Piers Morgan Tonight,” taking over for Larry King, a winner of the “Celebrity Apprentice,” and one of the judges on “America’s Got Talent.”

4. Jessica Biel – 2009’s Most Dangerous Celebrity fell one more spot this year with searches resulting in fewer risky sites. Biel continues to be in the spotlight with her on-again, off-again relationship with Justin Timberlake, and appeared in “The A-Team” in June 2010.

5. Katherine Heigl – The former “Grey’s Anatomy” star moved into the top 10 for the first time this year. Heigl has appeared in recent movies such as “Killers” and “Life as We Know It.”

6. Mila Kunis – The former star of “That 70s Show” makes her first showing in the top 10 list, bolstered by starring in movies such as “Black Swan” and “Friends with Benefits.”

7. Anna Paquin – This “True Blood” star is as dangerous on the Web as she is on the screen. She moved up from #10 last year to #7 this year.

8. Adriana Lima – Searching for downloads of this Brazilian beauty can direct users to red-ranked sites. Lima is best known for being a Victoria’s Secret Angel since 2000. Searching for Lima became slightly safer, moving her from #6 last year, to #8 this year.

9. Scarlett Johansson – The former child star has gotten more dangerous as she’s grown up. Named in 2010, as “Babe of The Year” by GQ Magazine, Johansson most recently appeared in “Iron Man 2.”

10. Emma Stone, Brad Pitt and Rachel McAdams – Pitt has been a mainstay of this list, appearing in the top 10 for the past four years. Stone and McAdams are new to the top ten. Stone, the star of last year’s “Easy A” has appeared in “The Help” and “Crazy Stupid Love” this year. McAdams has most recently appeared in “Morning Glory” and “Midnight in Paris.”

Actress Demi Moore has reportedly instructed lawyers to "punish" her estranged husband Ashton Kutcher by "grabbing his fortune".

The 49-year-old actress has confirmed she is splitting from the 33year-old Kutcher after it was alleged that he had cheated on her with another woman.

She is said to be planning to claim part of his personal fortune, even though they signed a pre-nuptial agreement while tying the knot in 2005.

"With a pre-nuptial agreement, Ashton should be sitting pretty. But Demi is furious. She wants to punish him financially because of the way he has broken her heart.

"She is talking about going after a share of what he has earned since their marriage on the grounds that she contributed to much of what he has achieved," femalefirst.co.uk quoted a source as saying.

"She is going to give him a bitter fight and, whether or not she wins, it will be an expensive lesson for him," the source added.

Lady Gaga says her new perfume may have been based on blood and semen, but it smells like an 'expensive hooker'.

Coty Beauty, which is the firm behind the fragrance, has not yet confirmed the details behind the name of the pop queen's creation.

But given Gaga's fondness for the Monster association as her fans are called Little Monsters, and has given herself the moniker Mother Monster, as well as tattooed the name on her arm, so the name seems a likely one.

The 25-year-old singer signed the license in September 2010, and allegedly requested that the scent smell of "blood and semen."

The 'Born This Way' hitmaker's request was for the fragrance to be based on the molecular structure of the bodily fluids, not the actual aromas themselves.

"You get the after-feeling of sex from the semen and the blood is primal," the Daily Mail quoted Gaga as saying.

The blood element is based on the molecular make-up of the star's own blood.

"It was taken out of my own blood sample so it's a sense of having me on your skin," she said.

"I wanted to extract sort of the feeling and sense of blood and semen from molecular structures, so that's where [the rumours] came from.

"That is in the perfume but it doesn't smell like that.

"Actually the perfume smells like an expensive hooker," she added.

Kate Middleton's teeth have been deliberately made "not too perfect" which helped her in giving a "natural, healthy smile, but not an artificial one", a French dentist has claimed.

Didier Fillion uses a system of "micro-rotations" and gentle whitening to make teeth look spectacular. The process involves fitting invisible braces to the back of teeth to twist them very slightly until the desired look is achieved, The Sun reported.

A state-of-the-art computer system produces a virtual 3D model of what a patient's teeth will look like when they're finished.

A fellow dentist Bernard Touati claimed that the Duchess Of Cambridge has used Fillion's services.

"You know why they look good? Because they are not absolutely aligned. "He (Fillion) did some little micro-rotations on Kate Middleton to produce something which is natural. That is what we like - a natural, healthy smile, but not artificial," Touati was quoted as saying.

David Winkler, of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry, said the trick was to aim for "harmonious asymmetry".

"By slightly rotating teeth, it can break up that unnatural straight line," Winkler said.

Fillion's job takes six months to two years, and costs 4,000 to 11,000 pounds.

His other clients include actresses Kelly Brook and Sadie Frost.

Kangna Ranaut, who is all set to play a mutant in the Krrish sequel, has to lose five kilos to get into her costume. We give you a sneak peak of what her character will look like in the visual-effects laden superhero flick.

It has been learnt that Kangna's designer Gavin Miguel has sourced a plastic-like material from the US for her character's costume.

"One of the teams sourced to make the outfit for her in Krissh also stitches Lady Gaga's costumes, " reveals our source.

Giving further details about her costume, the source says, "Considering the kind of material it's made from, Kangna will have to apply special oil on herself to be able to wear it."

Perhaps she should take some tips from SRK on staying in such costumes for long hours, as he did for RA.One.

Our source adds that director Rakesh Roshan wants to make sure people forget Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider when Kangna makes her entry in the movie. Kangna's character is a mutant said to be inspired by Mystique from the X Men series.

When contacted, Gavin maintained that they're still in the process of finalising the costume, so that it looks "more like a second skin."

He asserts, "Since it's a completely body-hugging costume, we require a fabric that stretches and fits perfectly. Hence a lubricant-based oil has to be applied on the body before getting into it. We're still in the testing stages because the costume should not be suffocating."

The designer says that they're also figuring out a way to make the actress avoid wearing the costume all day. "We're trying to work out a design that is easy for her to get into and get out of, " he points out.

The designer and his team have a month to finalise the costume as Kangna still has a month before she starts shooting for the film. "So far, they're happy with the way the look is coming up. Since it's a challenging assignment, I hope it becomes an iconic look in Bollywood, " Gavin signs off.

Credit: Mid-Day.com

Malaika Arora Khan tells MiD DAY about her next item song and more in an exclusive during her touch-and-go visit to town yesterday

Your next item number is Anarkali Chali Disco for Sajid Khan's Housefull 2.
I have collaborated with Farah Khan yet again. I dance with Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Mithun Da and Boman Irani in the song.

It was great fun as this is not the first time I'm working in this environment, which is a Sajid Khan film. I have been a part of all his films.

I truly believe Farah, who has choreographed this number as well, is very talented and manages to do something different every time and bring out the best. So, I'm quite excited.

The success of Munni Badnam Hui can be partially attributed to its risque lyrics. What are the lyrics of Anarkali like?
They're not risque. It's a completely different song. Munni was very tongue-in cheek and had a North Indian feel to it. The reason I decided to do it is because it's very different from Munni. It's a hardcore disco song. I'm wearing club wear. We have finished shooting it in Mumbai. The film releases in May.

What's keeping you busy right now?
Right now what's keeping me really busy is pre production of Dabangg 2. We are in the process of finalising everything because we start early next year. What I am really enjoying is that I'm very hands on as a producer this time. The first time, I was merely a rubber stamp.

Chitrangada Singh recently said that her she idolises you.
Oh my god. I think that's really sweet. I know her and she's absolutely fantastic, beautiful and talented. And it's great to see mommies today are giving young girls a run for their money.

It's flattering to hear someone admires you and great to see women post marriage and babies, out there, looking better than ever and not letting themselves go after marriage and children. That, for me, is more exciting.

Designer Sanchita recently said in a fashion magazine that everything about you is flawless except that you don't experiment too much with your hair.
(laughs) I shall definitely take that into consideration. I think I am very straight jacket when it comes to my hair and make up. I don't experiment too much with that. I like to reinvent myself every now and then though.

Your New Year's Eve performance last year was the talk of the nation. Where are you performing this year?
This time I'm not so sure. I haven't quite decided whether I'll be in Mumbai or travelling with my family.

According to your D.O.B in a website, you will be 40 in the next two years. How are you so ageless?
Not really. You are ageing me way before my time. They have my birth date and year wrong. I have another five years to go. As for being ageless, the secret is yoga. If you're happy on the inside, you're happy on the outside.

Credit: Mid-Day.com

NEW YORK: Vampires feasted at the Thanksgiving weekend box office, bringing the newest "Twilight" movie its second win in a row, over a strong comeback for "The Muppets" and other family fare that filled theaters.

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1" delivered an estimated $113.5 million around the globe from Friday through Sunday. The film ranked No. 1 for the second straight week at U.S. and Canadian theaters, where ticket sales hit $42 million for three days and $62.3 million over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The film's total box-office take since its release reached $489.3 million globally.

"Breaking Dawn: Part 1" is the fourth movie in the "Twilight" series, one of Hollywood's most lucrative franchises. The movies are based on best-selling novels by Stephenie Meyer about a human-vampire-werewolf love triangle, a story that has generated legions of die-hard female fans.

For the latest movie, "word of mouth is good. (Fans) are supporting the film," said Richie Fay, president of domestic distribution for independent studio Summit Entertainment, which backed the film.

In second place, audiences welcomed the Muppets back to theaters for the first time in 12 years.

New Disney movie "The Muppets," starring Jason Segel and Amy Adams alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy and their puppet friends, took in a strong $29.5 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters in three days. The five-day holiday weekend haul reached $42 million domestically. Two international markets added $1.6 million.

Disney bought the rights to the Muppets in 2004, and the media, entertainment and consumer-products giant is eager to interest a new generation in the characters.

"It's hard to have anyone argue we didn't bring them back," said Dave Hollis, Disney's executive vice president for motion picture sales and distribution. The movie's performance "exceeded expectations," he said.

The Muppets starred on a weekly television show in the 1970s and early 1980s plus a series of films, the last being 1999's "Muppets from Space."

Critics loved the new Muppets movie, with 98 percent giving it a favorable review, according to aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences awarded an A rating on average, according to exit-polling firm CinemaScore. The movie cost about $45 million to produce.

FAMILY FILMS COMPETE

In third place for the weekend, dancing penguin sequel "Happy Feet Two" earned $13.4 million over three days domestically during its second weekend in theaters and $18.4 million through five days.

Rounding out the top five were two other new family movies that critics adored.

Animated 3D movie "Arthur Christmas," which cost about $98 million to produce, pulled in $12.7 million at domestic theaters over three days and $17 million in five days to finish in fourth place. The movie explains how Santa delivers presents around the world in one night and has earned $22.3 million overseas since opening two weeks ago.

Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures, said the film "opened about where we hoped it would," adding that he expected the Christmas theme would appeal throughout the holiday season.

"Hugo," a 3D family movie, ended the weekend in fifth place with $11.4 million over three days and $15.4 million over five days. The movie centers on an orphan living in a Paris train station in the 1930s.

The film exceeded studio forecasts for its release in about 1,300 locations, far fewer than the 3,000-plus for the other widely released films, said Don Harris, president of domestic distribution for Paramount.

In a small number of theaters, "My Week with Marilyn," starring Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, opened with $1.8 million from 244 screens from Friday through Sunday. Critics have praised Williams' performance in the Weinstein Co. film and mentioned her as an Academy Award contender for the role.

Walt Disney Co released "The Muppets." Privately held Summit Entertainment released "Breaking Dawn: Part 1." "Arthur Christmas" was distributed by Sony, and "Hugo" was released by Paramount, a unit of Viacom Inc. Time Warner unit Warner Bros. distributed "Happy Feet Two." (Reuters)

Desi Boyz (Movie Review)

When a young guy makes his debut as a director and ends up dishing out the stale, tasteless fare, the disappointment is twice as much.

At the outset, Desi Boyz (that z in the title made me cringe even before watching the film) dealing with two hard working fellas turning gigolos because of recession, might have held some promise of a sensitive story line.

But Rohit Dhawan's movie manages to take it to a level which veers between the utterly ridiculous to plain unbelievable.

Two college friends, Jerry Patel (Akshay) and Nick (John) decide to take up the profession of being male escorts when they are laid off due to recession. They have a veteran gigolo, Sanjay Dutt to mentor them.

The movie makes this otherwise shady profession look so glorious, that don't be surprised if some impressionable youths now aspire to be male escorts.

All Jerry and Nick have to do is dance at bachelorette parties amidst semi nude women and still emerge being the wonderful twosome just gone astray for a bit.

While the first half has some fleetingly funny moments, in the second half the movie collapses altogether.

At one point it seemed like no one, not the script writer, not the director and definitely not the actors had even an inkling of what was going on.

And to top it all, a few 'poignant' issues were casually thrown in, like Akshay Kumar informing how great India is, to a clueless firang professor etc..

No even those yawn inducing seen it before moments could help the movie qualify to be even called decent. Sorry did I use the word decent?

Shouldn't have with this film. Akshay Kumar is pretty good, However, can't say the same about the rest of the cast, John, Deepika and Chitrangada. Don't really blame them.

This mish mash of a movie just didn't deserve any better.

Credit: Mid-Day.com

Freida Pinto, I'm afraid, is turning into a bit of a running joke within the English film reviewing community, given her incredible luck of working with acclaimed Hollywood filmmakers and then delivering extremely forgettable performances.

In Singh's Immortals, she gets the longest screen-time of her career as Phaedron, the virgin oracle who can predict the future as long as she remains 'undefiled' by man.

Her best moment in the film, however, is completely unintentional. As she tends to the wounded peasant warrior Theseus (Cavill), it's clear that a sex scene is in the offing.

Suddenly, within the blink of an eye, Pinto is underneath Cavill and talking about how she wants to be 'defiled' by him. Cut.

Emotions, dialogue and logic go out the window, and a number of us at the press screening collapsed into a fit of giggles at this jarring transition. No credit to Pinto; full credit to the Indian Censor Board and its ridiculous policies.

Singh, known for making visually stunning films like The Cell (2000) and The Fall (2006), helms this gorgeous looking disappointment (from the makers of 300, say the ads) which is let down by a wafer-thin storyline, poor characterisation and inconsistent acting.

Set in ancient Greece, it revolves around the evil King Hyperion (Rourke, one of the few actors who can make sadism look awesome) and his search for the legendary Epirus bow, with which he plans to destroy all of humanity.

This bow is the only weapon that can release the Titans, a mythical race of immortal beings that has been imprisoned by the Gods. Theseus, who has been unknowingly trained by the god king Zeus in mortal form (Hurt), is the chosen one to save humanity.

There is a stunning sequence towards the end, where the Gods clash against the Titans, juxtaposed against a fierce hand-battle between Theseus and Hyperion.

Singh's visual sensibilities come out all guns blazing here as body after body is poetically slashed open, and it is glorious to behold. After more than an hour of underwhelming battle scenes that aren't even a patch on 300, this scene is an admirable attempt at redemption.

Except it can't, especially when it's that late into the movie and your hero is no King Leonidas. Cavill tries hard, but he has neither the screen presence of Gerard Butler, nor a line of memorable dialogue to deliver. The other actors range from bad (Pinto, Evans as young Zeus) to serviceable (Dorff as the thief Stavros). Rourke delivers the only really enjoyable performance here.

Much of the movie is uninteresting, with a few set pieces proving to be of brief interest. Immortals looks gorgeous for the most part (barring a couple of sequences where the CGI looks less-than-impressive), but what it lacks is cohesiveness and style. Singh may reputedly be a visual genius, but he's no Zack Snyder.

Credit: Mid-Day.com

Aishwarya gives birth to a baby-girl

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has given birth to a baby-girl at the Seven Hills Hospital here, Geo News reported.

Aishwarya who is married to Abhishek Bachchan was expecting her first child and reported to have checked in Seven Hills Hospital Tuesday evening.

"IT'S A GIRL!," Abhishek, also a top actor, wrote on his Twitter account,
@juniorbachchan, without giving any further details.

Bachchan's father, Bollywood legend Amitabh, tweeted his joy at the new arrival: "A dada ji (a grandfather)...Ecstatic!", calling his new granddaughter "the cutest baby girl".

Pop star Lady Gaga, who recently visited India, is reportedly planning to adopt three kids from an Indian orphanage and one from America.

Gaga has set up the not-for-profit group Born This Way Foundation to help people worldwide develop a new standard of care towards one another.

"...She's already set up her Born This Way Foundation in India and visited two orphanages while she was there last time.

"The plan is to adopt three Indian orphans before adopting more from around the world. She wants at least one American child, too," dailystar.co.uk quoted a source as saying.

"She's always wanted to adopt, ever since she was a little girl.

"She tells friends she feels she was put on this planet for a reason and since achieving fame she sees it as a sign that she has to give back the good fortune she's received," the source added.

Jennifer Lopez's latest flame Casper Smart claims that the pop diva has an insatiable appetite for sex.

The 24-year-old dancer says that the 42-year-old Latin beauty has the body of a woman half her age, and is not afraid to use it.

"Casper said J-Lo has an amazing body and she's in better shape than any other girl he's ever been with," the Sun quoted a pal a saying.

"He said she's got the body of a 20-year-old. They're inseparable right now.

"It's just about sex - and no one's sure if it has much of a future. But he's having a good time finding out," the friend added.

Dancer Casper started working on the singer's world tour six months ago, but in recent weeks the pair have been getting to know each other on a series of dates.

They have been spotted partying in Las Vegas and leaving hotels after nights together.

A source close to Lopez has confirmed their relationship has developed into "a fun fling", adding: "They're dating and having a good time."

After becoming a rage with item number "Sheila ki jawaani", Katrina Kaif is set to gyrate to "Chikni chameli" in Karan Johar's remake of his father's 1990 critically acclaimed "Agneepath".

"Katrina Kaif is doing a full on item song in AGNEEPATH....its a total swinging number called CHIKNI CHAMELI....we shoot it in a week, " Karan posted on his Twitter page Tuesday.

The British-born actress danced to "Sheila ki jawaani" in Farah Khan's "Tees Maar Khan". But she was also the lead actress of the film. In "Agneepath", Katrina will just be seen in the song "Chikni chameli".

The original Amitabh Bachchan-starrer "Agneepath" featured Archana Puran Singh in item number "Alibaba".

The new "Agneepath" is being directed by debutant Karan Malhotra. Releasing Jan 26 next year, it will see Sanjay Dutt in the villain's role.

LAHORE: Lollywood barbie doll Reema Khan has officially tied knot with American cardiologist surgeon Dr Tariq Shahab Wednesday in Virginia court, Geo News reported.

According to sources, the Nikkah took place at a local court in Virginia according to American law while Rukhsati will take place on November 18.

While talking to Geo News on telephone, Reema said that she considers herself very lucky as she will be a part of an educated and respected family.

Regarding wedding preparations, the actress told that she has put amazing Henna designs on her palms and her family members have created a joyful wedding mood all around.

Hassan Shehryar, who is a Pakistani fashion designer of international repute, has prepared the wedding dresses for the bride and groom.

The wedding ceremonies began from Monday with the Mayun function.

Reema is in the US with her parents and relatives who will attend the wedding functions. After marriage, the actress will stay in America for few weeks in a house bought by Dr Shahab for his wife.

Jim Morrison once said, 'Film spectators are quiet vampires'... and in case you are planning to catch his self-confessed disciple Janardan ‘Rockstar’ Jakhar (Ranbir Kapoor) in action this weekend, you are in for a feast.

In Imtiaz Ali’s most complex project till date, Ranbir has delivered a performance which hardly any of his competition can hope to emulate. From being a downtown North Dilli boy JJ to an angry and bitter Jordan, he makes up for all the holes you can pick in Imtiaz Ali’s plot with his brilliant histrionics.

Yup, Ali’s Rockstar lacks depth... just like its protagonist Janardan’s life. With a hairdo and clothes that resemble the fashion of the early 1970s, Janardan, or JJ as he calls himself, is constantly trying to ape rockstar Jim Morrison and is constantly seeking a formula to become one.

His confidants, college mates and college canteen owner Kattara Bhai tell him that to be a rockstar one needs to experience life altering love, heartbreak and self discovery. And his mind ticks till he spots Heer (Nargis Fakhri).

Heer is the diva of the college, poised and polished very lady like. Their union seems unfeasible. After a few scenes, we learn that she is to be married off within 20 days and wants to experience all that is forbidden.

The duo makes a list and bond over soft-porn cinema in a seedy Delhi theatre and country liquor but without emotions for each other. In due course, JJ is christened Jordan, which seems to be an apt name for a rockstar.

As the mystery unfolds over layers of flashbacks, it takes the story to a designated plateau and halts.

At stages, you feel you are watching a documentary, full of montages of memories lined up over good music. Be it Sufi music or the shehnai-guitar jugalbandi, A.R. Rahman's music touches your heart.

Performances are superb. Nargis is a sure threat to Katrina Kaif. Shammi Kapoor sharing screen space with Ranbir touches a raw nerve. Over all, Ranbir carries away accolades for his histrionics.

Coming from a director who has given wonderful hits like "Jab We Met" and "Love Aaj Kal", "Rockstar" fails to match the hype. It's evident that there is something amiss with the characterisation of this love story.

During the entire transition it is not revealed how Jordan becomes a symbol of rage nor does it reveal the 'junoon' of Nargis' character. But even Imtiaz Ali's non-linear and jerky story telling can’t eclipse the rise of a Rockstar.

With some beautiful wide angle shots, the film captures scenic Kashmir, Prague and Delhi in a way that has not been seen in the recent past.

The editing too is crisp but the last half hour is agonisingly similar to Shahid Kapoor's "Mausam". It just goes on and on.

The dialogues are refreshingly rustic and funny. An extra star in the rating for Ranbir's performance. He along with AR Rahman’s stellar music makes ‘Rockstar’ a great one-time watch.

Ladies vs Ricky Bahl trailer released

MUMBAI: Official trailer of Ladies vs Ricky Bahl starring sizzling Anuskha Sharma and Ranveer Singh has been released.

Ladies vs Ricky Bahl is all set to hit the cinemas on December 9.

Maneesh Sharma's latest direction is about Ricky Bahl, a ‘classy’ conman, who cheats women across different cities for a living and finally meets his match in the sizzling Anushka Sharma in Goa.

Aishwarya Rai checks in for delivery

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has checked into Seven Hills Hospital according to Indian media reports.

Aishwarya who is married to Abhishek Bachchan is expecting her first child this week. According to reports, Aishwarya has been visiting the hospital for regular checkups and Abhishek told an Indian news paper that all he wants is a healthy child.

SYDNEY: Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt has revealed he plans to quit acting in three years, but the 47-year-old admitted he is not sure what he will do after ditching a career which made him a household name.

During an interview with an Australian current affairs show in Tokyo to promote his latest movie "Moneyball", the American actor was asked how much longer he would like to "do your business for".

"Three years," he said.

When the reporter pressed him on what would happen then, he replied: "Hell if I know. I am really enjoying the producing side and development of stories and putting those pieces together."

Pitt also revealed that he and partner Angelina Jolie were open to expanding their brood of six children, in the interview screened on Australia's "60 Minutes".

"You know, I don't know that we're finished. I don't know yet," Pitt said, adding that he enjoyed the chaos of having children around despite the lack of sleep this entailed.

"I mean, because those late nights are so fun when one of them's up or those mornings when they get up and make pancakes or something. That's what it's about."

Pitt said his family with Jolie had changed his career, and influenced the kinds of films he wanted to make.

"If I'm choosing a film now, I want it to be maybe less immature than things I have done in the past," he said.

"I'm very conscious, when they're adults I want it to mean something to them. I want them to think, 'Dad's alright'. It changes everything. Everything."

The actor, who rose to prominence in 1991's "Thelma and Louise" and went on to star in "Ocean's Eleven" and "Fight Club", said he had not dealt well with fame in the past and was worried about media attention on his children.

"Sure I worry. It's the only thing I get hot about, I'm ready to fight about," he said.

"But on the other hand you know, it's a trade-off, like anything.

"And we, these guys, I'm so happy for them, because they get to see the world. And their lives are so enriched by it. The privacy issues are something we're always battling."

The actor, who has received critical acclaim for "Moneyball", said he was content with life.

"I think happiness is overrated, truthfully. I do. I think sometimes you're happy, sometimes you're not. There's too much pressure to be happy," he said.

"Satisfied, at peace, those would be more goals for myself." (AFP)

LOS ANGELES: Big-budget 3-D epic "Immortals" reigned supreme at the North American box office this weekend, beating an Adam Sandler comedy and a Leonardo DiCaprio biopic, industry data showed Monday.

Set in ancient Greece, "Immortals" scored $32.2 million in weekend receipts, pushing it past Sandler's "Jack and Jill," in which he plays both a successful Los Angeles advertising executive and his needy twin sister Jill.

The comedy came in second with $25 million, according to monitor Exhibitor Relations.

Animated kids' romp "Puss in Boots," last week's leader, took third place with $24.7 million. The flick features voice work by Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis and Billy Bob Thornton.

In fourth was "Tower Heist," with an all-star cast led by Eddie Murphy -- who quit as Oscars host last week after a row over anti-gay comments by the film's and the Oscars' producer Brett Ratner -- at $12.7 million.

It was trailed by Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar," which stars DiCaprio as late FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and raked in $11.2 million.

Comedy sequel "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas" fell to sixth place, with $5.9 million, besting futuristic thriller "In Time" starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried at $4.1 million.

Dropping to the eighth spot was "Paranormal Activity 3," with $3.6 million over the weekend but an impressive total of $100.8 million over four weeks in theaters.

A remake of the hit 1980s dance romp "Footloose" slipped to ninth at $2.7 million, ahead of the boxing robots of "Real Steel," with the Disney hit for children starring Hugh Jackman taking in $1.9 million. (AFP)

LAHORE: Famous Lollywood actor and director Reema Khan is all set to tie the knot with an American cardiologist surgeon Dr Tariq Shahab on November 18.

The wedding ceremonies have kicked off from Monday with the Mayun function while Nikkah will be held on November 18.

Reema is in the US with her parents and relatives who will attend the wedding functions. After marriage, the actor will stay in America for few weeks.

MUMBAI: The release of Bollywood mega star Shah Rukh Khan's next movie Don 2 is said to be doldrums over a copyright infringement.

The allegation of copyright violation has emanated from none other than the production house Nariman Films that produced the original Don movie starring Amitabh Bachchan in 1978, said reports.

According to Nariman films, Excel Entertainment, headed by Farhan and Ritesh, only had the copyright to remake the original Don movie which they did in 2006 with Don: The Chase Begins Again. The agreement for the remake expired in 2009 and was not renewed by Excel Entertainment.

Excel Entertainment has been served a legal notice for the infringement of copyright.

It has been reported that Nariman films will be approaching the courts to halt the release of Don 2 on December 23.

Several never seen before photographs of Marilyn Monroe, are being featured in a new exhibit devoted to the legendary actress.

The exhibition titled ‘Picturing Marilyn’, opened on Thursday at the Milk Gallery in New York and is set to run through the weekend.

According to the organisers, it spans Monroe’s life in front of the camera lens, starting with her teenage years, when she was photographed on the beach by Andre De Dienes,

It was timed to coincide with the release of the film ‘My Week with Marilyn,’ which stars Michelle Williams as Monroe.

The exhibit is made up of more than 60 images of the actress, shot by some of the most famous photographers, including her photo shoot with Philippe Halsman for the Life magazine cover when she was 26 years old.

Co-organiser Bert Stern’s photograph of Monroe in a black Dior dress shot for Vogue magazine is the centrepiece of the show.

He also shot Monroe’s final portraits, a series known as “The Last Sitting,” in 1962.

In total Stern shot more than 2,500 images of Monroe, but has released only a few for public viewing.

Among other previously unseen images is a De Dienes shot taken of Monroe when she was 23 in a rare moment, where she was without make-up, the Telegraph reported.

Another picture from 1954, by Bruno Bernard, shows Monroe casually stretched out across rows of movie theatre seats and dressed in head-to-toe white.

Coldplay’s Chris Martin has revealed that his first song was inspired by the former Duchess Of York Sarah Ferguson’s cleavage.

The rock frontman was 11 years old when he penned his first song, and the ex-royal redhead’s boobs provided the spark.

“I was 11 years old when I wrote my first song,” the Sun quoted the rockstar as saying.

“It was a terrible song about people being more obsessed with Sarah Ferguson’s t*ts than what was really happening in the world.

“I kept it clean as you couldn’t swear where I was from. I was singing very high and no one was listening,” he added.

The Olsen sisters are on the cover of Vogue’s best-dressed supplement for this issue.

Vogue is looking at stylish sisters this time, with sisters from the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa, to celebrity singers Beyonce and Solange Knowles.

“It''s been a year of sisters, most famously with Catherine and Pippa Middleton,” the Daily Mail quoted Mark Holgate, Vogue Fashion News Director and Editor of the best dressed issue, as saying.

The four Courtin-Clarins sisters came in second, followed by Dakota and Elle Fanning, the Duchess of Cambridge and Pippa Middleton and Ruby and Lily Aldridge.

The Olsen sisters were famous US TV child stars and now have their own high-end designer labels The Row and Elizabeth and James.

“They get it right a lot of the time and then sometimes they don''t get it right. That''s actually great because it shows that it''s their hands reaching into their wardrobes,” Holage said.

“Look at what they''ve done with (their fashion labels) The Row and Elizabeth and James,” he said.

“They are legitimate fashion forces,” he added.

Oscar winning actress Kate Winslet, a mother of two, says her beauty rule is to go simple and minimal.

"I like to do my own make-up. I believe in less is more," dailymail.co.uk quoted Winslet as saying.

"Recently, I wore a simple, black Victoria Beckham column dress with long sleeves and small, gold belt detailing on the front. I knew that a curly hairdo would have completely gone against the dress, so we went for a high sculpted ponytail with a little bit of height in the front. It pulled the whole look together," she added.

The 36-year-old looked stunning in a recent photoshoot.

"Glamour to me is about remaining graceful and understated. For example, with very bold lip colours, you can't overdo the rest of your face. With a bright-red party lipstick, just go with lots of mascara and keep everything else clean," she said.

Taylor Swift named 'Entertainer of the Year'

Taylor Swift has become only the second woman to receive Entertainer of the Year at the County Music Awards for the second time on Wednesday night.

The 21-year-old singer followed in the footsteps of Barbara Mandrell - in recognition of her worldwide success and thanked fans for their support when she picked up the accolade.

"This is thanks to all the fans who filled the stadiums and arenas all over the world this year," Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

"I am so happy we had so many to play for this year. You have made my year."

"To win Entertainer of the Year twice was like the coolest thing ever happening to me, happening twice," she added.

Country Music Awards 2011 full list of winners:
Entertainer of the Year:
Taylor Swift
Song of the Year:
'If I Die Young' - Kimberly Perry
Single of the Year:
'If I Die Young' - The Band Perry
Album of the Year:
'My Kinda Party' - Jason Aldean
Male Vocalist of the Year:
Blake Shelton
Female Vocalist of the Year:
Miranda Lambert
Vocal Duo of the Year:
Sugarland
Vocal Group of the Year:
Lady Antebellum
Musician of the Year:
Mac McAnally
New Artist of the Year:
The Band Perry
Musical Event of the Year:
'Don't You Wanna Stay' - Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
Music Video of the Year:
'You and Tequila' - Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter

Singer Shakira broke down in tears as her father William Mebarak serenaded her during a star-studded dinner in Las Vegas.

The 34-year-old was named the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year at the special tribute Wednesday.

Shakira wiped away tears as Mebarak sang the classic song Mi Nina Bonita (My Pretty Girl), while pictures of the father and daughter appeared on a big screen behind him, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"Thank you, daddy, for that song," the 34-year-old later told him.

Also present at the occasion were Black Eyed Peas rapper Taboo and Mexican rocker Alejandra.

Australian singer Dannii Minogue has been conferred with an honorary doctorate in recognition of her services to the entertainment industry.

"I'm honoured to receive this award, it came as a complete shock," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Minogue as saying.

Minogue wore a traditional cap and gown while accepting an honorary Doctor of Media award from Southampton Solent University, England.

"Her international career stands as evidence of the personal success that can be achieved with talent, persistence and hard work. Dannii Minogue has made a major contribution to the entertainment industry and is an outstanding role model," said a spokesperson of the university.

Salma Hayek has revealed that she detests men looking at her breasts all the time.

Hayek, who is one of Hollywood’s most glamorous actresses, said that men talk to her most famous assets, even if she is fully clothed.

“Sometimes I talk to guys and even though I’m fully covered up they talk to my chest.”

“They don’t know they’re doing it and I don’t like to tell them,” said the 45-year-old.

Former adult film star Sasha Grey has claimed that she is not going withdraw from an elementary school reading program despite outcry from angry parents, a new report revealed.

According to TMZ.com, news broke that on Friday that a Los Angeles area elementary school was facing some major criticism from parents, after the district invited Grey to read to a group of first graders as part of the Read Across America program.

“I committed to this program with the understanding that people would have their own opinions about what I have done, who I am and what I represent,” Fox News quoted the actress as saying.

“I am an actor. I am an artist. I am a daughter. I am a sister. I am a partner.

“I have a past that some people may not agree with, but it does not define who I am.

“I believe in the future of our children, and I will remain an active supporter and participant in education-focused initiatives,” she added.

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, who has been immortalised in wax at Madame Tussaud's, says it is an honour to be in the league of Indian luminaries like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar.

"I think being waxed at Madame Tussaud's is one of the biggest honours I have ever received. In my whole career, I think to be given this particular honour is very rare," said Kareena.

The 31-year-old, who made her debut with "Refugee" in 2000, gives credit to her fans.

"It is obviously because of you guys and all my fans who have made it possible and made my dream come true," she said.

Kareena's wax statue, which cost 150,000 pounds, was unveiled at the musuem in Blackpool Oct 27, a day after the release of her latest film "RA.One".

"I never really thought that I would be waxed or that my statue would stand besides that of famous personalities in museum. Whether it is Mr. Bachchan, or Shah Rukh or Sachin Tendulkar.... really never thought I would be standing next to them. But thank you guys for making my dream possible," she said.

Currently, the actress has her kitty full with projects like "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu", "Agent Vinod", Reema Kagti's untitled project and Madhur Bhandarkar's "Heroine".

Yesteryears actresses Hema Malini and Jaya Prada will be honoured with Aadhi Aabadi Women Achievers awards for their contribution to Indian cinema.

The award aims at recognise women who have achieved success and emerged as role models.

"It’s an achievement in itself to be able to honour legends like Hemaji and Jayaji”, said Dinesh Kumar of Dinesh Telefilms, organiser of the awards.

Apart from Hema and Jaya, TV actress Juhi Aslam, popularly known for her role as Bharti, a dwarf girl, in Imagine TV's "Baba Aiso Var Dhoondo", beauty expert Vandana Luthra and producer-actress Deepti Bhatnagar will be honoured.

Actress Zohra Sehgal, 99, will be honoured with the lifetime achievement award.Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar would present the awards.

The guest list includes Raj Babbar, Navin Jindal, Raju Kher, Suniti Yadav and Pradeep Jain, Union Minister of State for Rural Development.The awards function will be held Nov 18 at Kamani Auditorium.

Ranbir Kapoor starrer “Rockstar” has got off to a flying start with the film managing to earn Rs.11 crore plus on the opening day itself.

Directed by director Imtiaz Ali, known for making films like "Jab We Met" and "Love Aaj Kal", the story revolves around a Jat boy who aspires to become a famous rockstar like Jim Morrison.

The interesting pairing of Ranbir and Nargis Fakri topped with melodious music by A.R. Rahman has managed to draw in the crowds.

According to a press release, the film has managed to earn Rs. 11.25 crore plus on the opening day Friday, across all cinemas in India.

Even though the film has received a mixed response at the box-office, Ranbir's performance has been appreciated by everyone - audience and the critics.

Co-produced by Eros International and Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision, the film was made on a budget of more than Rs.60 crore and has been extensively shot in Delhi in locations like St. Stephen's College, Connaught Place and Nizamuddin, among others.

Mumbai, Nov 12 : Renowned dancer and choreographer of Marathi film industry Subal Sarkar died here Saturday following a prolonged illness, a family friend said. He was 76.Sarkar breathed his last at his Dadar residence in the morning. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

Sarkar, hailing from West Bengal, started his career as a choreographer with the Marathi movie "Soyarik" in 1975.Since then, he never looked back and choreographed for nearly 100 films in the last 37 years.

Sarkar was noted for his earthy and robust dance styles, including the state’s folk dance, "Laavni", which he implemented on top Marathi stars including Dada Kondke and Ashok Saraf among many others.

Among his notable movies in Marathi are: "Maherchi Sari", "Ram Ram, Gangaram", "Pandu Havaldar", and Hindi movies like "Andheri Raat Me, Diya Tere Haath Me", "Tere Mere Beech Me", "Aage Ki Soch", "Khol De Meri Zubaan", and a few Gujarati movies.

Expressing deep grief over Sarkar’s death, state PWD and Tourism Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said that Marathi film industry and the state has lost “a highly respected choreographer who experimented with different dance styles, but never repeated himself".

Beyonce Knowles has been named the highest earning entertainer in the world who charges per minute for appearing on the stage.

The "Love on Top" singer topped a poll by social media website saucytime.com by earning 1.25 million pounds for a five-song performance at a private New Year's Eve 2010 party, equating to 71,040 pounds for each minute she was on the stage, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

In second place was Mariah Carey, who earned 630,000 per minute for a four-song set at a similar party held the previous year on the same Caribbean island.

Third highest earner per minute was Kylie Minogue, who commanded 33,000 pounds every sixty seconds or two million for her whole hour set. She had sung at the launch party of the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, November 2008.

Next was Jennifer Lopez, who received the equivalent of 25,000 pounds a minute from Russian tycoon Andrei Meinichenko to appear at his wife's birthday party in 2007.

LOS ANGELES: Rihanna on Thursday released track teasers online from her upcoming album "Talk That Talk," pushing the album up to no. 12 on the iTunes chart ahead of its November 21 release.

The snippets from all 11 songs on the album comes after the singer posted a picture on her official Facebook page last week, revealing the track listing. (Reuters)

Celebrity Veena Malik has been offered Indian Rs15 million — over and above a Rs30 million contract — to get married on-screen to the winner of the Indian reality TV show “Swayamvar,” the Times of India (TOI) reported on Thursday.

The amount is in addition to an initial offer of Rs30 million for Malik to feature on the show.
TOI reported that, “the television channel has drawn up two contracts for Veena. If she walks off without an actual marriage with one of the prospective grooms from the show, she will get only Rs3 crore.”

The TOI report stated that “Malik said she was not allowed to speak about the Rs 4.5 crore contract.”
During Malik’s last visit to India back in January, she informed the Indian media that she wants to be “India ki bahu”. While she was busy rehearsing for the grand finale of reality show “Bigg Boss” in January, the actor managed to reveal her fascination with Indian men.

The actor, who made headlines for her ‘close association’ with Ashmit Patel in a reality show, said, “Mujhe ab rishta chahiye. I feel Indian men are wow!”

Kim Kardashian may have to hand over millions of dollars to her soon-to-be ex-husband, Kris Humphries, to be able to retain her 20.5-carat diamond ring after their divorce.

According to sources close to the couple, the 31-year-old TV celebrity loved the flashy ring so much that she included a clause in her pre-nuptial agreement, which allows her to buy the ring from the NBA star for the original price in case of a divorce, TMZ reported.

As far as the price of the massive engagement ring goes, the socialite never disclosed how much the basketball player plunked down, but according to multiple reports, it is worth an estimated 2 million US dollars (1.927 million dollars).

Merely after 72 days of her marriage to the 26-year-old professional basketball player, Kardashian announced last week that she was divorcing Humphries on the grounds of “irreconcilable differences.”

A new body serum that claims to boost women's cleavage by as much as three-quarters of a cup size in just four weeks has become a hit in the UK market.

The 'boob job in a tube' works by stimulating the formation and storage of naturally occurring fat cells in the breasts, thus boosting the size, the Daily Mail reported.

The Bust Fix serum developed by the UK company, NIP + FAB, is flying off the shelves at a rate of 1,000 tubes a minute at its peak and, in the last fortnight alone, sold 100,000 in Boots stores nationwide and online.

The bust serum uses an ingredient called mangosteen, taken from the skin of the fruit, to prompt the production fatty acids in the breast tissue.

It also 'plumps up' and enlarges the fat cells, which already exist to more than 100 times their size.

The serum, which cost 16.29 pounds, differs from rival collagen-boosting creams that tend to target the skin around the bust - rather than the fat stores under the skin - to lift and plump up the breasts.n independent trials on 6,000 women, two-thirds of women saw an increase of half a cup size after 12 weeks, while almost a quarter went up by three-quarters of a cup size.

Tests by dermatological scientists found the Bust Fix increased the production of fatty acids, a process known as lipogenesis, by 57 per cent in five hours.

The cream also uses plant ingredients such as green algae and quince-hydrogel to firm and lift the breasts.

NIP + FAB said the serum "provides essential nutrients to the bust" to improve the skin's elasticity and thus help to smooth and lift the breasts.

During trials, 85 per cent of women agreed that it "visibly plumped, smoothed and firmed the skin" around the bust and neckline.

The sheer thrill of seeing one's favourite childhood comic being transposed on to a different medium (film) combined with technology and the best of hands from Hollywood surely sets one's expectations soaring. Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" features superb animation and the most refined use of motion capture technology thus far.

This film attempts to bond three different Tintin stories -- most notably "The Secret of the Unicorn" (which is the film's subtitle) as well as "The Crab with the Golden Claws" and "Red Rackham's Treasure".

What 'The Adventures of Tintin' boils down to is essentially an Indiana Jonesesque movie, and is very much in that vein; a rollicking tour around the globe, hunting for mysterious treasures with various complex outcomes and action set pieces.

Set in the 1930s, Tintin's (Jamie Bell) adventure starts at a market place in Brussels. A few seconds after he purchases a miniature sailing ship he gets exorbitant offers to sell it off. He learns that the miniature is a replica of a 17th century sailing ship called the Unicorn.

Apparently the Unicorn was navigated by Captain Haddock's (Andy Serkis) ancestor and was carrying huge treasures in its vaults when it was raided and sunk by the pirates. This ancestor was the only person who knew the exact location of the sunken treasures. So he left behind a clue on a parchment in the three identical miniatures of the Unicorn.

Mild humour is infused in this film by the bumbling police officers Thompson and Thomson (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) and Tintin's faithful canine Snowy.

The treasure hunt takes Tintin along with Captain Haddock through exciting and visually delightful chases. Easily the most stunning and ambitious of these is a chase through the streets of a Moroccan port.

They are chasing a mysterious man by the name of Sakharine (Daniel Craig) who is also trailing the Unicorn treasure. The sequence is about five minutes long and is conducted in one single, unbroken shot which, given the ludicrous ambition, complexity and pacing of the action, would have been simply impossible if the film had been live action.

It also takes place in a photo-realistic environment, which gives the sequence a physicality that should be at odds with the exaggerated characters, but actually heightens the tension and excitement of the whole scene.

Robert Zemeckis' design and creation of this film knocks anything he has attempted before. Zemeckis' earlier films, "Polar Express", "Beowulf" and "A Christmas Carol" failed to create that photo realistic version of humanity, because trying to motion capture and animate real people in that photo realistic way just makes humans look plastic and dead behind the eyes. Here there is a valid reason for this use. It could be done in no other way.

The animation is attempting photo realism but still has that cartoonish quality. They have the Herge tropes, the funny noses and weird hairstyles. Captain Haddock still looks like Captain Haddock from the comics but it's Haddock as if he were a real life being.

That technique, however, is incredibly effective, and never distracting.

Unfortunately the sequences aren't the most inventive. Beyond its gorgeous visuals the film resembles a conflation of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" with John Williams's music always on the point of bursting into the Indiana Jones triumphal march, the film has very little to offer and it is a great shame.

Discussing Tintin's action sequences makes it sound like it's little more than a series of set pieces strung together around a wafer-thin plot.

The script is, quite frankly, all over the place, chock full of ellipsis which can sometimes be very helpful to a film but here it is just lazy and sloppy. The talented trio, Joe Cornish, Steven Moffat (of Doctor Who fame) and Edgar Wright haven't done a very good job of covering the exposition.

The plot depends heavily on too-perfect coincidences. It sets out to deliver thrills, spills and chills with as little extraneous stuff as possible, and at that it succeeds beautifully. Also, the dialogue delivery, I am sure would be an issue for the Indian audience.

This grand scale adventure story directed by Spielberg is a clean family film pitched to a much younger audience, probably those below eight years, for the slapstick comedy and good natured fun that does not resort to crass, lowest common- denominator pandering.

There are some very good parts in the film, but as a whole this film is disappointingly unremarkable.

World- golf champion Gary Player, regarded as arguably the biggest star of the game with 9 championship victories under his belt, is all set to celebrate his birthday in style over the coming weekend in Durban. Handpicked guests from all over the world have been invited for the 4-day binge this weekend in Durban

And the only invitee from Bollywood and apparently from India, on the guest list is Neha Dhupia.

The sultry actress was pleasantly surprised to receive the invitation and has begun preparing for the event.

Says Neha, “I’m very excited. Though I am not much of a golf player, my father is. And who doesn’t know Gary Player? The birthday celebrations would go on over a 3-day weekend. There’s a golf tournament, a gala dinner and a charity event. I am bracing myself for a weekend of hard partying.

Neha says there is “a little bit of a jinx” on her visits to South Africa. “Every time I am scheduled for a visit to South Africa something or the other goes wrong at the last minute. So I’ve never really been to South Africa or Durban. This time I hope nothing goes wrong. ”

Neha will be the only representative from the Indian entertainment business rubbing shoulders with sports superstars and film personalities from across the world.

Advertisement