Auction Hunters Season 2 Episode 2: Sink or Swim

Auction Hunters Season 2 Episode 2 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 10:00pm EDT on SPIKE TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Sink or Swim. Synopsis of the episode is: 1905 hand-crank gramophone; discontinued mini-boat.

Body of Proof Season 1 Episode 4: Talking Heads

Body of Proof Season 1 Episode 4 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 10:01pm EDT on WABC (ABC) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Talking Heads. Synopsis of the episode is: A severed hand and foot are found in an alley; Megan allows Lacey to film her at work for a school project.

Destination Truth Season 4 Episode 13: Thai Tree People: Aiya Napa Monster

Destination Truth Season 4 Episode 13 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on Syfy TV channel.
Title of the brand new episode is: Thai Tree People: Aiya Napa Monster.

My Life As Liz Season 2 Episode 9: Love's A Drag

My Life As Liz Season 2 Episode 9 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 11:00pm EDT on MTV - Music Television channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Love's A Drag. Synopsis of the episode is: Liz learns why the nerds have been acting strangely; Sully meets the girl of his dreams.

NCIS Season 8 Episode 21: Dead Reflection

NCIS Season 8 Episode 21 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Dead Reflection. Synopsis of the episode is: A Navy lieutenant's murder is caught on tape by a Pentagon security camera; Gibbs reveals that Agent Barrett and her team will take over a case involving a serial killer.

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 2 Episode 21: Rocket Man

NCIS: Los Angeles Season 2 Episode 21 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Rocket Man. Synopsis of the episode is: After a rocket engine expert is killed, Eric goes under cover to ensure the classified technology used to build satellites is safe.

Parenthood Season 2 Episode 21: Slipping Away

Parenthood Season 2 Episode 21 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 10:00pm EDT on WNBC (NBC) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Slipping Away. Synopsis of the episode is: Amber quits her job and starts down a destructive past; Crosby asks Joel for help with Jasmine; overhearing a disturbing phone call strains Kristina and Adam's relationship with Haddie.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3 Episode 13: Make Dat Money

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3 Episode 13 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 2:30am EDT on LOGO TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Make Dat Money. Synopsis of the episode is: The dolls break the bank as they perform in a pageant of dresses made out of money.

The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 20: Foreign Affairs

The Good Wife Season 2 Episode 20 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 10:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Foreign Affairs. Synopsis of the episode is: A South American dictator complicates a dispute between a small drilling contractor and a major oil conglomerate; election results are in; Alicia finds out about Peter and Kalinda.

Top Shot Season 2 Episode 10: The Shakedown

Top Shot Season 2 Episode 10 can be watched on Tuesday on April 12, 2011 at 10:00pm EDT on History TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Shakedown. Synopsis of the episode is: The final six marksmen must shoot from unstable platforms; Iain Harrison returns to lend a steady hand; tension among the final competitors comes to a head.

Chuck Season 4 Episode 20: Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff

Chuck Season 4 Episode 20 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on WNBC (NBC) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff. Synopsis of the episode is: Chuck tries to prove Vivian Volkoff's innocence after the CIA orders her assassination; Ellie thinks her search into her father's past is being interfered with.

House Season 7 Episode 18: The Dig

House Season 7 Episode 18 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on WNYW (FOX) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Dig. Synopsis of the episode is: Thirteen is surprised to see House waiting for her on her release from prison, armed with plans for the two of them for the next few days. Back at the hospital, the team treats a science teacher suffering with a severe respiratory illness, and Taub tries to get back on the dating scene

How I Met Your Mother Season 6 Episode 20: The Exploding Meatball Sub

How I Met Your Mother Season 6 Episode 20 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Exploding Meatball Sub. Synopsis of the episode is: Marshall quits his job at Goliath National Bank to volunteer at an environmental organization; Ted and Zooey continue to butt heads over the future of the Arcadia.

Make It or Break It Season 2 Episode 13: The Buddy System

Make It or Break It Season 2 Episode 13 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on ABC Family TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Buddy System. Synopsis of the episode is: Darby has the girls swap routines.

Mike and Molly Season 1 Episode 20: Opening Day

Mike and Molly Season 1 Episode 20 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Opening Day. Synopsis of the episode is: Mike invites Molly to the Chicago Cubs opening day with him and Carl.

The Chicago Code Season 1 Episode 8: Wild Onions

The Chicago Code Season 1 Episode 8 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on WNYW (FOX) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Wild Onions. Synopsis of the episode is: The police department battles escalating violence during record-breaking summer heat; Teresa finds herself back in the field; a boy witnesses his father being shot to death.

The Secret Life of the American Teenager Season 3 Episode 17: Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner

The Secret Life of the American Teenager Season 3 Episode 17 can be watched on Monday on April 14, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on ABC Family TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Guess Who's Not Coming to Dinner. Synopsis of the episode is: Ashley continues with her home schooling, and Ben proposes.

Shah Rukh Khan and not Abhay lured Preeti into films!

Preeti Desai, former Miss Great Britain and actor Abhay Deol’s girlfriend is all set to sizzle in Bollywood through her forthcoming film ‘Shor in the city’ .
Preeti will be seen opposite Hollywood actor Sendhil Ramamuthry.
We bumped into Preeti at the Lakme Fashion Week few days back and the debutante’s friend gave us an interesting dope on what made her come to India and Bollywood.
We assumed it was Abhay who drew her to films but to our surprise, it happened to be none other than Shah Rukh Khan!
The London based lass was lured into Bollywood by Shah Rukh.
A friend of Preeti was heard saying, ‘The Badshah of Bollywood - Shahrukh Khan” himself suggested her to try acting. Apparently Shahrukh knows a family friend of Preeti, through whom he met her, which is when he advised her to come down to India and give films a shot, recommending that she join Anupam Kher’s acting classes. Already having her own share of the celebrity life, former ‘Miss Great Britain’ seriously considered working on the thought and next thing you know, “ Shor in the City” happens.
Now if you follow Shah Rukh’s advice, you are bound to succeed, isn’t it Preeti?
Read the original story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Chulbul Pandey isn’t Cheddi Singh’s favourite

Sonu Sood’s role in Dabangg is definitely a benchmark in his film career.
The actor is now ready to scale new heights with some interesting offers up his sleeve. Although he is all charged to lap up new challenges, Sonu doesn’t see himself foraying into the small screen anytime soon.
Talking to the media recently, Sonu said, “I am not against appearing on TV. If I get a good offer to host something interesting, I will definitely take it up. But my focus is films for now.”
The actor, who was loved for playing Cheddi Singh in 2010’s biggest blockbuster, also has his favourites when it comes to stars on the small screen. And please note, despite his closeness with Salman Khan, Sonu isn’t biased about his choice.
He agrees that Salman has been a great host on Dus Ka Dum and Bigg Boss, but it’s not the Khan who he thinks is the best. Talking about his fave on small screen Sonu revealed, “No one can beat Amitabh Bachchan. The way he hosts Kaun Banega Crorepati, his charm, his elegance, his aura no one can ever match it.”
Read the original story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Prateik beats Akki, Abhi

The actor beat Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan to land the lead role in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
Speculations about who will finally be Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Milkha Singh have been on for a while now. Initially, there were talks of Akshay Kumar stepping into the shoes of the Flying Sikh. Abhishek Bachchan, Mehra’s Delhi 6 man was also in the running.
However, it seems that Prateik Babbar has beat both the actors to land the lead role in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
Our source revealed, “Mehra wants bulk dates to finish the shoot for this film. He needs around nine months for workshops, rehearsals, and the shoot.
He had the same problem with Prateik who’s very busy with five films at the moment. However, since the script is good, Prateik is trying to take time out for the film.”
“Rakeysh is very keen on Prateik. The director has seen his work in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and Dhobi Ghat and has realised his potential as an actor. Prateik is, however, keeping his lips sealed about the project,” added the source.
When we contacted Prateik, his spokesperson said, “We are not in a position to talk about this. Please get in touch with Rakyesh’s Omprakash Mehra Productions office.”
Bhaag Milkha Bhag will be the first biographical film to be made on a sports icon in India. Milkha Singh’s story is a stunning tale of the triumph of human spirit. He ran away from Pakistan during the partition, after witnessing all the bloodshed and losing his own parents, who were killed in front of him.
However, Milkha Singh is keen on having Akshay Kumar essay his character.
Read the original story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Farah Khan is being stalked

Farah Khan, Vishal-Shekhar and a few more celebs are being stalked by a common stalker.
And Farah will soon be changing her cell number. “There is one person who’s stalking all of us. But we are not planning to take any serious or legal action in this context. I’ll simply change my cell number to avoid him, that’s it. I don’t even wish to discuss him any further,” said Farah, when she came to Delhi on Friday to support Anna Hazare and to meet her friend, designer Rashmi Dogra, at the WIFW. Why are they being stalked? “We don’t know the reason. Perhaps he’s doing it to get publicity,” she added.
Read the original story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Neetu Singh mobbed at WIFW

Some Bollywood presence is always expected at a Manish Malhotra show, and this year too it was no different, as Neetu Singh made an appearance .
Making an entry from the back side with Nitasha Nanda, Neetu soon became the centre of attraction. After the show, she was even mobbed by the press, who wanted to ask how she found Manish’s collection. “His clothes are so Indian and wearable that I want to buy everything off the ramp,” Neetu said.
Read the original story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Sharmila Tagore hates surprises

Sharmila Tagore didn’t need any convincing to walk the ramp for Joy Mitra on Day II of the WIFW.
She said, “I couldn’t say no to Joy. He’s a Bengali, and you know na, the kind of connection all the Bongs share.”
Many actresses get extremely nervous while walking the ramp, saying they’re not really ‘professional ramp models’. Does she feel the same way? “Not at all. See, if you start competing with the models and try the catwalk, things are obviously going to be difficult for you. I would just walk the way I generally walk,” she said, spraying her hair backstage and adding some more colour to her lips. In fact, she’s someone who made people there a bit nervous, what with all of them going crazy, saying they didn’t want anything to go wrong when “Sharmilaji comes”. She nods in agreement.
So she’s okay being known as intimidating? “Yeah, I know... see, I hate surprises, so I don’t like things going wrong at the eleventh hour. Perhaps it comes with age. I’m a senior actress; all these years and my experience has made me like that.”
Read the original story on timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Ekta Kapoor wants Vidya Balan to marry Tushar Kapoor

Bollywood star Tushar Kapoor, well known as son of bollywood actor Jeetender and brother of Ekta Kapoor is in news, for madly in love with his SHOR co-star Radhika apte. The actress is godd looking and posses a great body, to lure any male. Tusshar Kapoor was attracted towards her character and so is in love with her.
Read the original story on timesofindia.hotklix.com

Mallika Sherawat’s Sexy FHM Front Page

Posing in nothing but a tiny top and a short skirt, popular item girl Mallika Sherawat heats up the cover of April’s FHM! Mallika, who is currently living in Los Angeles and trying her luck in Hollywood, came back to her old turf to shoot the sexy number “Razia” for Akshay Kumar’s new movie Thank You, and after seeing this sexy front age, we have a feeling fans will think it was worth her trip back to Bollywood! What do you think of the FHM cover? Hot or not? Did Mallika make all the efforts possible to look sexy or could she have done a better job?
Read the original story on timesofindia.hotklix.com

Archer Season 2 Episode 11: Jeu Monegasque

Archer Season 2 Episode 11 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 10:00pm EDT on FX TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Jeu Monegasque. Synopsis of the episode is: A mysterious stranger summons Malory and her intrepid ISIS agents to Monaco.

Bones Season 6 Episode 17: The Feet on the Beach

Bones Season 6 Episode 17 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on WNYW (FOX) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Feet on the Beach. Synopsis of the episode is: Brennan teams up with a forensic podiatrist to match seven pairs of severed feet with bodies; Cam makes college plans for her daughter.

CSI Season 11 Episode 19: Unleashed

CSI Season 11 Episode 19 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Unleashed.
Synopsis of the episode is: While investigating a woman's death, Sara and Langston turn to a friend of Grissom's for help; after a teenager appears to have committed suicide, Nick and Dr. Robbins save her unborn baby.

Naruto Shippuden Season 2 Episode 23: The Old Monk's Prayer

Naruto Shippuden Season 2 Episode 23 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 2:00am EDT on Disney XD TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Old Monk's Prayer.

Nikita Season 1 Episode 17: Covenant

Nikita Season 1 Episode 17 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 9:00pm EDT on WPIX (CW) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Covenant. Synopsis of the episode is: Michael confronts Nikita and threatens to reveal a secret if she doesn't find the person who killed his family.

Perfect Couples Season 1 Episode 11: Perfect Wedding

Perfect Couples Season 1 Episode 11can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 8:30pm EDT on WNBC (NBC) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Perfect Wedding.
Synopsis of the episode is: Leigh steps up as wedding planner while Vance and Amy deal with their doubts; Dave and Julia bicker about their toasts; Rex tries to be involved in the wedding.

Rules of Engagement Season 5 Episode 20: Beating the System

Rules of Engagement Season 5 Episode 20 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 8:31pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Beating the System. Synopsis of the episode is: Jeff and Audrey discover their surrogate is pregnant; Timmy plans Adam and Jennifer's wedding.

The Big Bang Theory Season 4 Episode 20: The Herb Garden Germination

The Big Bang Theory Season 4 Episode 20 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Herb Garden Germination. Synopsis of the episode is: Amy and Sheldon spread gossip as part of an experiment; Howard decides to take a big step in his relationship with Bernadette.

The Hard Times of RJ Berger Season 2 Episode 3: The Lock-In

The Hard Times of RJ Berger Season 2 Episode 3 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 1:00am EDT on MTV - Music Television channel. Title of the brand new episode is: The Lock-In. Synopsis of the episode is: RJ finally gets the chance to sleep with Jenny, but Lily tries to foil his plans.

The Mentalist Season 3 Episode 19: Every Rose Has Its Thorn

The Mentalist Season 3 Episode 19 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 10:00pm EDT on WCBS (CBS) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Every Rose Has Its Thorn. Synopsis of the episode is: When a man's body is found in the marina, his beautiful and manipulative wife (Morena Baccarin) becomes a murder suspect.

The Vampire Diaries Season 2 Episode 17: Know Thy Enemy

The Vampire Diaries Season 2 Episode 17 can be watched on Thursday on April 7, 2011 at 8:00pm EDT on WPIX (CW) TV channel. Title of the brand new episode is: Know Thy Enemy. Synopsis of the episode is: Isobel unexpectedly returns, leaving Jenna devastated and causing both Elena and Alaric to lash out at John. A heartbroken Caroline tries to figure out what to do about Matt, while Stefan and Damon realise they have a new weapon.

Playing a porn star was fantastic: Carla Gugino

ANI, Washington, April 7: Carla Gugino has admitted that she garnered quite a bit of satisfaction stepping into the shoes of an X-rated sensation in Sebastian Gutierrez's 'Elektra Luxx'.
'Elektra Luxx' tells the story of a retired porn star attempting to come to terms with her now "normal" life as a sex-education instructor at her local community center and impending motherhood.Playing this porn star was fantastic; I fell in love with this character Elektra Luxx. We also get to meet her sister Cecilia in this film and I've always been fascinated by two people that are raised in the same way but go in two completely different directions," Fox News quoted Luxx as saying.
"I got to work with such an incredible group of women. I think I would be a little hesitant to play this kind of character if I didn't trust implicitly the filmmakers vision and Sebastian (the director) loves women and has that European sensibility so we all felt comfortable jumping into it," she added.

Dilip Kumar in legal row with builder, judge recuses himself

PTI, Mumbai, Apr 7: A Bombay High Court Judge today declined to hear a petition filed by thespian Dilip Kumar, embroiled in a legal row with a city builder over redevelopment of his Pali Hill bungalow.
"Not before me," said Justice V M Kanade when the actor''s petition came up before the court, without assigning any reason for his recusal.
The petition would now come up before another judge in due course, High Court sources said.
The actor had challenged a lower court order appointing a Court Commissioner to inspect the property valued at more than Rs 100 crore in the posh Pali Hill area of the metropolis where some veteran Bollywood actors reside.
Dilip Kumar had moved into this bungalow as a tenant in 1953 on a long term lease on a condition that he would not alter or modify the structure, the petition says. The property belonged to the Khatau family which subsequently sold it to Narain Bhojwani.
Some years back the actor sought permission from the civic body to redevelop the property. He joined hands with a builder who undertook to erect a six storeyed building.
Being aggrieved, Bhojwani family, also in real estate business, moved a small causes court challenging the actor''s move to redevelop the property. They contended that one of the conditions on which he was allotted the bungalow was that he would not redevelop the property without the consent of the owner. No such consent was obtained, the Bhojwani family said.
The small causes court recently passed an order appointing a Commissioner to inspect the property and submit a report. The actor challenged this order saying that it was passed without application of mind and was illegal.

Aamir Khan, Bollywood support Anna Hazare

PTI, New Delhi, April 7: Bollywood celebrities including superstar Aamir Khan have come out in the support of veteran social activist Anna Hazare, who is on a indefinite hunger strike demanding a comprehensive anti-corruption bill.
The 72-year-old activist began his hunger strike yesterday demanding the government to draft a new Lokpal Bill, which will give more powers to Ombudsman to check corruption.
Aamir has reportedly written a letter to voice his support for Hazare''s movement while other celebrities took to twitter to back the campaign.
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said, "I support Anna Hazare''s fast for national debate on Lokpal Bill. Atleast need Parliament to come out and respond to issue. People like Anna Hazare will force a people''s movement against the system. Like Gandhi did against the British."
Anupam Kher asked fans to join the campaign.
"When somebody is fighting corruption, I don''t judge his ways. I applaud his intentions and actions. I am with ANNA HAZARE. Are you? (sic)," he said.
Actress Diya Mirza tweeted her support. "Finally, people are voicing strong support for a man that has, should and will be a great example to our generation. I support Anna Hazare."
Actor and social activist Rahul Bose said: "That it takes an Anna Hazare fasting unto death to effect systemic change is comment enough. corruption part of our DNA."
Juhi Chawla said, "I am complete and absolute supporter of Shri Anna Hazare! All those with a conscience and a clean heart speak up.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar: "Overwhelming momentum generates in for Anna Hazare''s fight against corruption. Is India gonna be the next Egypt??"
Pritish Nandy: "Proud to see common man come out in support of Anna Hazare. It took a 72-year-old man to fast unto death to wake us up."
Ranvir Shorey: "Anna Hazare''s crusade is a great litmus test to see if India has any grit left at all. Or have we become a country of corrupt schmoozers."

Husband Mahesh behind item song ''Laila'', says Lara Dutta

PTI, Mumbai, Apr 7: Bollywood actress Lara Dutta, who is all charged up for her first home production, ''Challo Dilli'', says it was her husband Mahesh Bhupathi who conceived the item song ''Laila O Laila'' which features Yana Gupta.
"We needed a song in the film that had a little bit of masti and was based on a woman. Mahesh loved the film ''Jhoom Barabar Jhoom'' and my character was Laila in the film. So it was his idea that we should get Laila and remix it. Yana is doing an item song ''Laila O Laila'' in the film. No one except Yana was approached," Lara told PTI here.
"We were lucky enough to get the rights of the song. It is not a tribute to Zeenatji but I would say it is a tribute to the iconic song. We have kept Zeenatji in the loop and yes, she has liked the song," Lara said.
Yana grooves to remixed version of Zeenat Aman''s popular number ''Laila O Laila'' from the film ''Qurbani'' in Challo Dilli.
Directed by Shashant Shah of ''Dasvidaniya'' fame, the film stars Lara and Vinay Pathak.
"Of course the song adds a value to the film. People will have expectations since ''Laila O Laila'' was a classic song, so people will expect the song to be as good as the original one or better, and comparisons will be made. But we are not trying to make a statement that ours is better," the former beauty queen said.
Produced by Eros International in association with Big Daddy Productions (owned by Globosport of Mahesh Bhupathi) and Lara''s Bheegi Basanti, the film releases on April 29.

Music of Lara, Vinay starer 'Chalo Dilli'launched in Mumbai

ANI, Mumbai, April 7: Bollywood actors Lara Dutta and Vinay Pathak launched the music of their forthcoming film 'Chalo Dilli', directed by Sashant Shah, in Mumbai on Tuesday. And if you are wondering about the film's title, then let's hear it from Lara herself, who is also the producer of the film.Meanwhile, tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi seemed quite excited producing the movie for her wifey Lara.

Salman Khan’s 'Ready' to release June 3

IANS, New Delhi, April 7: After creating a 'dhamaal' with 'Dabangg', Bollywood star Salman Khan is set to entertain moviegoers with his romantic comedy 'Ready', which is arriving on screens June 3.
Directed by Anees Bazmee, the film once again brings Salman and Asin Thottumkal together after box office dud 'London Dreams'.
'Ready' also reunites producer Bhushan Kumar with Salman after 'Lucky - No Time For Love'. An interesting mix of action and comedy, the film is described as a complete entertainer.

Lara Dutta inspired by 'DDLJ'

IANS, New Delhi, April 7: If the train-catching sequence in the promo of Lara Dutta's debut production 'Chalo Dilli' gives you a sense of deja vu, it was meant to be! The actress admits that she took inspiration from 1995 blockbuster 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ)'.
'There is one scene in the film where I run to catch the train and Vinay's character Manu...he extends his hand to pull me onto the train. And, of course, we were inspired by DDLJ,' said Lara.
The iconic scene from DDLJ featured Bollywood's most loved romantic couple Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan. And now moviegoers will see Vinay and Lara reprising it in 'Chalo Dilli', a comedy film.
Lara, however, rules out there was ever an intent to outdo the chemistry of the original scene.
'In no way are we ever going to compete with a film like DDLJ. It's just that when somethings inspire you, you try and give an ode to them. So that scene is inspired by DDLJ, yet it is quite unique in its own,' she added.
The trailer of the movie was released alongside Abhinay Deo's 'Game'.

Airtel digital TV partners Shemaroo for interactive services

PTI, New Delhi, Apr 7: DTH major Airtel digital TV today announced its partnership with content distribution firm Shemaroo to launch its new interactive service ''iDarshan''.
iDarshan would enable customers to view Live Aarti from the four shrines -- Tirupati, Vaishno Devi, Golden Temple and Shirdi.
"Through an internal study, we found that Astrology, Bollywood, Cricket and Divine were categories that were quite sought after. In line with this, we have launched this new interactive service iDarshan," Bharti Airtel Chief Marketing Officer (Airtel digital TV) Sugato Banerji told reporters here.
The company expects almost 10 per cent of its 5.1 million customerbase to subscribe to this service, which will be available for Rs 15 per month, he added.
Apart from Live Aartis every morning and evening, the interactive channel would also show devotional movies and songs, debates, discussions, pravachans, satsangs, discourses, travel episodes from shrines across the country and pilgrimage information.
Airtel Digital TV has also launched another interactive channel -- iGoodlife.
"With this, we now have five interactive applications as part of our interactive services portfolio," Banerji said.
The channel is aimed at the homemakers and has content centred around four categories -- cooking, health, lifestyle and family. It will be powered by NDTV GoodTimes and will be available for Rs 10 per month.
Airtel digital TV''s other interactive applications are iLearn, iNews and iAstro.

I'm not a rocket that'd be launched repeatedly, says Shraddha Kapoor

IANS, Mumbai, April 7: Shakti Kapoor's daughter Shraddha, who made her debut with 'Teen Patti', has bagged lead role in 'Luv Ka The End' and says she takes it as another opportunity to prove her mettle.
'I didn't consider my first film as my launch pad. People exaggerated that a star kid is being launched. I am not a rocket that I would be launched repeatedly. Honestly, in my first film, I got an opportunity to show that I can act and this is second one,' Shraddha told IANS in an interview.
Y-films is launching a new face Taaha Shah opposite Shraddha in 'Luv ka The End', which is slated to release May 6.
There was no dearth of big names in the cast of director Leena Yadav's 'Teen Patti' - from Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to Hollywood veteran Ben Kingsley were present in it, but they couldn't turn the movie into a profitable box office venture.
'I met people who had never heard of 'Teen Patti'. It hurts. I was really low when it didn't do well. First film really matters. If first film doesn't work, it's very difficult to get your second film,' said Shraddha.
'In fact, after 'Teen Patti', I auditioned for another film and I was finalised for it. But then someone else was taken for that part. I cried a lot,' she added.
Shraddha left no stones unturned to fair through the audition of 'Luv ka The End'.
'Luckily, I have got an opportunity to work in the film. I thought either you cry or do something about it. When I got a call for the audition, I made sure that anyhow I have to get it. So I worked very hard, I worked harder than I expected myself to do,' said Shraddha.
Y-Films, a youth films studio of Yash Raj Films, will give opportunities to fresh crop of directors and actors. It is ready with three films - 'Luv Ka The End' and 'Virus Diwan' - both directed by Bumpy and 'Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge', which is directed by Nupur Asthana.

Preity Zinta rubbishes rumours of selling her IPL team

PTI, Mumbai, Apr 67: Brushing aside rumours of selling her IPL cricket team Kings XI Punjab, Bollywood actress Preity Zinta said she will never go out of it completely.
"We were going to do a stake offload, a bit of it. But there was this random rumour (of selling it). I don''t think I will ever go out of it completely because its my baby. I have worked very hard for it. I have given my life to it. I can''t just wash my hands off it. But I think now it is settled and is in its own zone," Preity, who is currently hosting a TV show, said.
The dimpled beauty along with her ex-beau Ness Wadia and others acquired ownership rights in 2008 for the Mohali-based Twenty20 cricket team of the IPL. The team was bought by Zinta, Wadia and their business partner, Mohit Burmani, for USD 76 mn in the first season of the Indian Premier League.
There were rumours that shaken by the scrutiny by income tax and other officials, who came down heavily on former IPL Chief Lalit Modi, Preity and Ness were looking at offloading their stake in the team. Also, her cricket franchise ran into trouble with BCCI for faulty monetary transactions.
However, Preity and co-owner Ness were cleared of all allegations and now the chirpy actress is enjoying hosting ''Guinness World Records: Ab India Todega'' on Colors.
"I did the show because I loved the format and the channel adjusted the entire date schedule around me. I would not have been able to do the show had it been run during the IPL. I am very excited about the IPL," she said adding "after the show, I will be cheering for my team."
On whats next after IPL, the 36-year-old actress said, "After IPL..films. This year you will see me in films. I am doing movies...really cool ones. The announcement will come from producers."

Bollywood celebrities extend support to Anna Hazare

IANS, New Delhi, April 7: Bollywood celebrities have shown support for eminent social activist Anna Hazare, who has gone on an indefinite hunger strike for a stronger Lokpal Bill that provides for stringent punishment for corruption.
The Lokpal Bill, 2010 provides for filing complaints of corruption against the prime minister, ministers and MPs with the ombudsman.
However, Hazare said that the Lokpal Bill in its present form is toothless and his supporters have drafted a separate Jan Lokpal bill taking into account the views and suggestions from civil society and common people and want its enactment.
Here's what the celebrities have to say:
Anupam Kher: When somebody is fighting corruption, I don't judge his ways. I applaud his intentions and actions. I am with ANNA HAZARE. Are you?:)
Shekhar Kapur: I support Anna Hazare's fast for national debate on Lokpal Bill. Atleast need Parliament to come out and respond to issue. People like Anna Hazare will force a people's movement against the system. Like Gandhi did against the British.
Rahul Bose: That it takes an Anna Hazare fasting unto death to effect systemic change is comment enough. corruption part of our DNA.
Diya Mirza: Finally, people are voicing strong support for a man that has, should and will be a great example to our generation. i support Anna Hazare
Juhi Chawla: I am complete and absolute supporter of Shri Anna Hazare! All those with a conscience and a clean heart speak up.
Purab Kohli: Jee yo 'Hazare' saaal 'Anna Sahib'!! (Long live Anna Hazare)
Onir: I Support Anna Hazare. @iam_juhi - I am in complete and absolute support of shri Anna Hazare! All those with a conscience and a clean heart speak up!
Madhur Bhandarkar: Overwhelming momentum generates in for Anna Hazare's fight against corruption. Is India gonna be the next Egypt??
Pritish Nandy: Proud to see common man come out in support of Anna Hazare. It took a 72-year-old man to fast unto death to wake us up.
Ranvir Shorey: Anna Hazare's crusade is a great litmus test to see if India has any grit left at all. Or have we become a country of corrupt schmoozers...

'Idol' judges save finalist from elimination

Casey Abrams wasn't squeezed out of "American Idol."
The fiery 20-year-old film camp counselor from Idyllwild, Calif., who stomped through Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" on Wednesday, was revealed to have received the fewest viewer votes on Thursday, but the judges unanimously decided to save Abrams in the middle of his last-chance performance of Ray Charles' "I Don't Need No Doctor."
"We know who you are, Casey," interrupted Randy Jackson. "We don't need to hear you sing anymore."
Abrams was visibly shaken after the judges announced they were using their one-time-only power to keep him in the competition. Producers introduced two seasons ago the ability to overturn viewers' votes before the top five finalists are selected. Rescuing the quirky singer this week means two contestants will be booted next week.
"God, I can't believe it," said Abrams, who battled ulcerative colitis in the hospital two weeks ago.
Abrams, a dynamic musician who played such instruments as the melodica and upright bass during his earlier auditions, had been deemed a front-runner. He impressed the panel during the first round of finals with Joe Cocker's rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends," but faltered last week with his screechy take of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
"No more antics," advised Jennifer Lopez after Thursday's bail-out.
Thia Megia, the breathy 16-year-old high school student from Mountain House, Calif., who sizzled with Martha and the Vandellas' "Heatwave," and Stefano Langone, the soaring 21-year-old singer from Kent, Wash., who crooned Lionel Ritchie's "Hello," joined Abrams as the bottom three vote-getters. It was the first time at the bottom for Langone and Abrams.
"Dude, you know they're going to save you," Langone whispered to Abrams after the results.
Before Abrams' salvation, the top 11 finalists donned formal wear for a group rendition of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." They were also joined by Stevie Wonder for "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours." Wonder surprised "Idol" judge Steven Tyler by launching into "Happy Birthday," and the finalists presented the Aerosmith frontman with a birthday cake.
"Idol" host Ryan Seacrest faked out pro-wrestling fans James Durbin, the 22-year-old rocker of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Paul McDonald, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter of Nashville, Tenn., by revealing they were "not safe" then introducing pro-wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who proclaimed the duo really were safe and tossed Seacrest into the audience.
The other remaining finalists this season, the show's 10th, are Naima Adedapo, 26, of Milwaukee; Lauren Alaina, 16, of Rossville, Ga.; Jacob Lusk, 23, of Compton, Calif.; Scotty McCreery, 17, of Garner, N.C.; Haley Reinhart, 20, of Wheeling, Ill., Pia Toscano, 22, of Howard Beach, N.Y. The singers will return to the "Idol" stage Wednesday before a pair will be eliminated next Thursday.
Source: Yahoo News

Rep says Charlie Sheen didn't hire book agent

So much for a Charlie Sheen book deal.
Sheen spokesman Larry Solters says the former "Two and a Half Men" sitcom star never hired literary agent Peter McGuigan, who has been contacting publishers in recent weeks about a possible Sheen memoir.
Several publishers have told The Associated Press they rejected the proposal, citing Sheen's high price tag and unpredictable behavior.
The 45-year-old Sheen has made headlines for his marital problems, wild partying and hospital stays.
He was fired from his hit CBS show two and a half weeks ago. He then alleged breach of contract and sued the show's producers for $100 million. He has boasted he could get $10 million for a book.
McGuigan hasn't returned a message left Thursday seeking comment.
Source: Yahoo News

Showtime's to preview "Giants" series in April

Showtime and MLB Productions' upcoming documentary following the World Series champion San Francisco Giants has a premiere date.
"The Franchise: A Season With the San Francisco Giants," will launch April 13, and Showtime will air a 30-minute sneak preview on the same day to coincide with the start of the new baseball season.
"The Franchise" follows the Giants' players, coaches and team personnel as they begin the task of defending their World Series title.
The project was announced in mid-January at the Television Critics Assn. press tour. The cameras will follow the club for eight months with film crews embedded during the first half of the season. Filming has already begun in the Giants' spring training location in Scottsdale, Ariz.
David Nevins, president of entertainment at Showtime, had hoped that the documentary series would premiere with an hour-long episode around Major League Baseball's opening day in early April, with regular episodes broadcast during the second half of the season.
"It's been a long haul putting this show together," said Nevins at TCA, adding that he hoped "The Franchise" will find an audience broader than just baseball fans. Nevins also mentioned at the time that the team and the league will have some veto power over the content.
"Ideally it's the beginning of a franchise with a different team every year," he said.
Source: Yahoo News

FX cancels acclaimed drama "Lights Out"

It's a knockout for FX's "Lights Out."
Despite critical accolades and heavy internal support, FX has decided to cancel the little-watched boxing drama after just one season.
The pilot reached a modest 1.5 million viewers when it bowed last January, and that was the high point for the show, which continued to shed viewers. The network will air the final two episodes March 29 and April 5.
To be sure, the news comes as little surprise, given both the viewership and FX boss John Landgraf's candor. In an interview with "The Hollywood Reporter" earlier this month, Landgraf said viewership results for "Lights," along with the similarly disappointing performance of since-canceled "Terriers," caused him great pain.
Attempting to explain why viewers didn't connect, he said, "They're superb shows, but they feel, when you market them, quite familiar. Interestingly enough, if you watch them, they're not ... but the things that are so fresh and original are not easy to market because they're subtle."
What's more, he said it has made him rethink his approach.
"We're a network with a median age of 38, and as a 48-year-old guy, it has really caused me to have to dig deeper into the head of that younger viewer," he said. "What I've learned is that while older audiences are content to watch something they like over and over again, the younger (demographic) doesn't tend to want to watch anything that feels reminiscent or derivative."
Source: Yahoo News

Johnny Depp to appear on Ricky Gervais sitcom

He was the butt of some controversial sparring at the Golden Globes for his role in "The Tourist," but Johnny Depp doesn't seem to have taken Ricky Gervais's high-profile ribbing to heart.
The star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchises is confirmed to appear in Gervais's upcoming BBC2 sitcom "Life's Too Short," according to a post on Gervais's blog.
Depp will guest star in the comedy, which is expected to have a host of big name cameo spots, though Gervais used his "This Side of The Truth" blog to dismiss rumors that Jerry Seinfeld would also make a guest appearance.
"The Depp bit is true. The Seinfeld isn't," he wrote.
"Life's Too Short," which is being co-written by Gervais' longtime creative partner Stephen Merchant, will air on HBO as well as BBC2. It features the continuing adventures of diminutive star Warwick Davis who plays an egomaniac dwarf who runs a talent agency for other dwarves.
Meanwhile Gervais used his blog to confirm that he and Will Arnett will guest star in the hour-long final episode of "The Office," scheduled to air May 19 on NBC.
Source: Yahoo News

"Book of Mormon" fresh, funny and sweet

Anyone who saw "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" shouldn't be surprised to learn that Trey Parker and Matt Stone appear genuinely to love musicals even as they subvert them. What's perhaps less expected is that while "The Book of Mormon" packs plenty of blissful profanity, sacrilege and politically incorrect mischief, the defining quality of this hugely entertaining show is its sweetness.
Teaming with Robert Lopez, who co-wrote the music and lyrics for "Avenue Q," Parker and Stone have created one of the freshest original musicals in recent memory. It has tuneful songs, clever lyrics, winning characters, explosive laughs and disarmingly intimate moments. Religious zealots are not going to roll up, but the show manages to have a comic field day with Mormonism while simultaneously acknowledging -- maybe even respecting -- the right of everyone to follow any faith they choose. Or invent.
Co-directed by Parker and Casey Nicholaw, who also did the sublimely kitschy choreography, the show's delightful contradictions extend to its craftsmanship. It manages to mock and celebrate musical-theater conventions in staging that is both tongue-in-cheek cheesy and polished, and storytelling that is blunt yet sly as a fox.
In terms of construction and song placement, Mormon masters a classic formula. Starting with a chipper opening number that instantly secures audience affection for its two lead characters, the show checks off every required song function of a good musical. There are efficient nuggets of sung exposition; yearning "I want" declarations; comedy numbers that provide plot momentum; songs in which characters share their dreams, seize a challenge or face a conflict; celebratory anthems; and of course an emotionally emphatic 11 o'clock number.
The song everybody will be talking about is "Hasa Diga Eebowai," a wicked spin on The Lion King's "Hakuna Matata," in which Ugandan villagers invoke a favorite catchphrase to dispel the woes of poverty, AIDS, guerrilla warfare and enforced female circumcision. Translation would spoil the joke, but let's just say it ain't "No worries for the rest of your days."
Fresh out of training, preppy golden boy Elder Price (Andrew Rannells) and schlubby class doofus Elder Cunningham (Josh Gad) are sent to Uganda on their first missionary assignment. For Elder Cunningham, it's a chance to have a friend who can't dump him; for Elder Price, it's the start of a crisis of faith when his dreams of being sent to Orlando are crushed.
Price's meltdown puts Cunningham in charge of securing baptism candidates where the other on-site Mormons have failed. But Cunningham hasn't even read the Book of Mormon. "It's so boring," he confesses. Indulging his propensity to tell lies, he draws on "The Matrix," "Star Wars," "Star Trek," "Lord of the Rings" and his uber-geek imagination to instruct the villagers.
The result is a lurid revisionist pageant that reinterprets Mormon history in the style of an African folktale. That bastardized version, titled "Joseph Smith American Moses," is among the most riotous musical interludes. It departs radically from the official account, "All American Prophet," performed like an Osmond family TV special outtake.
Number after number hits a bulls-eye. "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" is a satanic nightmare featuring cameos by Hitler, Genghis Khan, Jeffrey Dahmer and Johnnie Cochran. "I Am Africa," sung by squeaky-clean Wonder-Bread Mormons (including Elder Cunningham channeling Bono), is a killer riff on patronizing "We Are the World"-style humanitarianism. "Baptize Me" gleefully sexualizes the religious rite.
Led by Elder McKinley (Rory O'Malley), who is determined to quash those pesky homosexual urges, "Turn It Off" is a peppy call to suppress disturbing true feelings -- replete with full-blown tap routine. And in "Sal Tlay Ka Siti," the gorgeous-voiced Nikki M. James (as Cunningham's Ugandan quasi-love interest) contemplates paradise in Utah as a soaring daydream right out of "The Little Mermaid."
The entire cast is terrific, and Gad and Rannells make a dynamite pair, exchanging leader and follower roles with equal conviction. Gad (a correspondent on "The Daily Show" With Jon Stewart) may be giving the single funniest, most endearing performance on Broadway. But Rannells is not far behind, his character's righteousness at war with his inflated ego.
The designers merit loud applause. Framed by an enhanced proscenium that conjures the Mormon Tabernacle, Scott Pask's sets make droll use of old-fashioned backcloths and painted flats, particularly in the hilariously vivid Ugandan village. Ann Roth's costumes are full of witty touches. And Brian MacDevitt's lighting is equally descriptive in hellfire and celestial modes.
In choosing Lopez and Nicholaw as key collaborators, Broadway neophytes Parker and Stone have shown enormous savvy. The result is a show that's slick where it needs to be, while retaining the rough-and-ready quality that put the "South Park" duo on the pop-cultural map. What makes the musical irresistible, however, is its panache in making naughty mockery of a whole string of untouchable subjects, without an ounce of spite.
Source: Yahoo News

W.Va. miners: 'Coal' reality series is real deal

A southern West Virginia mine foreman featured in the new reality TV series "Coal" says the show that debuts March 30 lives up to its billing: It's all real.
"There's nothing on this show fake. What's on it, we done it," said Jerry "Wildman" Edwards, who attended a preview screening of the Spike TV series in Morgantown on Wednesday and talked about what it was like to participate.
Edwards said he didn't allow his men to do anything unsafe or inappropriate for the benefit of the cameras, either.
The 10-episode series was shot at Cobalt Coal's Westchester mine in McDowell County. Mike Crowder, Cobalt Coal's chief executive, told West Virginia Public Broadcasting it shows the men as they really are.
"Some of us read the Bible, some of us cuss like sailors," Crowder said. "It is what it is. We are a coal company. We are not actors, we are not entertainers."
Cobalt is not a typical West Virginia operation. It's small, with only about two dozen employees. The men mine a highly valuable metallurgical coal used in steelmaking, but the seam is notoriously thin, forcing them to work in a space just 42 inches high some 600 feet underground.
The first episode focuses on how the men respond to the financial pressures facing the company.
"Our whole idea was to let everyone see that these guys are dads, and they're husbands, and they work hard," said Tom Roberts, the coal company's president. "They're just everyday people."
The network has been partnering with remembertheminers.org, a group supporting families of the victims of last year's Upper Big Branch mine disaster, to offer special preview screenings. One was held in Pikeville, Ky., and the last was scheduled Thursday at Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa.
Producer Thom Beers and his team are also behind the popular shows "Deadliest Catch," "Ice Road Truckers" and "Ax Men" — all about inherently dangerous occupations.
Source: Yahoo News

Kate Winslet takes on Joan Crawford in new "Mildred Pierce"

Joan Crawford won her only Oscar for playing iron-willed, single mother Mildred Pierce on screen in 1945.
But Kate Winslet, the British actress who has an Oscar of her own, felt that watching the classic film noir was the worst kind of preparation for stepping into Crawford's shoes in the HBO TV miniseries version of "Mildred Pierce".
"I saw the first five minutes of the film, and then I thought, I shouldn't see it," Winslet told reporters.
"I knew I had to honor the original book and to be true to the Mildred Pierce in that brilliant novel...What I was working toward with (director) Todd Haynes was something different."
HBO's five-part miniseries, starting on Sunday, is not so much a departure from the black-and-white Crawford movie, as a return to its roots in the 1941 novel of the same name by James M. Cain.
"Mildred Pierce" is the tale of a woman who finds herself newly-divorced during the Great Depression and struggling to carve out an independent life for herself and her family, while also earning the love of her cold and calculating daughter.
Most notably, the book lacks the murder plot that was invented for the film and focuses on the tortured, sometimes melodramatic, relationship between Pierce and her daughter Veda, played by Evan Rachel Wood.
But what most attracted Haynes to the story of the determined single mother in 1930s, Depression-era California was its resonance with today's tough economic times.
"The crises it explores are those of middle class privilege -- issues of pride and status and the struggle first to regain one's standing, and then to persevere through hard work and ingenuity," Haynes said.
Haynes was a big fan of the film but did not read the book until 2008, just as financial markets were tumbling and venerable banks were collapsing overnight.
"This (book) feels very much like the particular struggles of our current economic crisis, coming out of period of unbridled consumption," he added.
Haynes, the writer and director of the stylish 1950s period drama "Far From Heaven" and the 2007 Bob Dylan-inspired movie "I'm Not There", also found one of his favorite themes -- social constraints on women and how they overcome them.
Winslet, 35, best known for "Titanic" and her Oscar-winning performance as an ex-Nazi guard in "The Reader", was the first and only actress Haynes considered for his TV version.
"I had never met Kate. I hadn't worked with her before. And I could not get her out of my mind while I was reading...This was the only actress I could see playing the part," he said.
Winslet's performance has won rave reviews and is expected to get an Emmy nomination later this year. But TV critics have had mixed reactions overall to the HBO series.
The Hollywood Reporter thought the central mother-daughter relationship lacked believability, while others found that at five and a-half hours, the series was meandering, or in the words of thriller writer Stephen King "too damn long."
Source: Yahoo News

Another two seasons for MTV's "The Real World"

MTV has renewed the longest-running reality TV series to date, "The Real World," for two more seasons.
Currently airing its 25th edition which takes place in Las Vegas, and casting for Season 26, the two-season pickup means the MTV show will be on the air for the 27th and 28th installments.
In an exclusive interview earlier this month, "Real World" co-creator Jonathan Murray noted that the show has changed somewhat.
"I'd say the show mirrors society and sometimes leads society. You can argue the show has done a lot in terms of young people's attitudes toward gay, lesbian and transgendered people because it has featured that community from the very beginning," he told THR.
"And when we first started, you didn't see that community on TV -- and you certainly didn't see someone like Pedro (Zamora) from HIV. I think what we tapped into with the idea of people who are different from each other is that with difference comes conflict."
And Murray certainly didn't expect the series to last for 25 seasons. "We just thought it was something edgy and away to give the MTV audience something that they couldn't get elsewhere," he said.
"The Real World," which debuted in 1992 with its New York City edition, has been performing solidly in its 25th season. Last week's episode of the Las Vegas edition averaged a 2.3 rating in the persons 12-34 demographic and drew 2.2 million viewers, up 28 percent from the season premiere.
Source: Yahoo News

"Days of Our Lives" actors help Katrina rebuilding

Actors from "Days of Our Lives" are helping to rebuild homes for families still displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
On Wednesday, the cast of the soap opera that's been on the air for 45 years will welcome a New Orleans family as they move into a new home and provide furniture for them. On Thursday, the cast members will help rebuild another home and raise money for its construction.
Actors James Reynolds, Kristian Alfonso, Peter Reckell, Joe Mascolo and former cast member Deidre Hall are among the stars on tour promoting the show's book, "Days of Our Lives 45 Years: A Celebration in Photos."
Since Katrina hit in 2005, the St. Bernard Project has rebuilt homes for more than 350 families with the help of more than 32,000 volunteers.
Source: Yahoo News

Cartoon Network unveils 13 new shows

Cartoon Network brass used Wednesday's presentation to advertisers at New York's Lincoln Center to unveil a programing slate that includes 13 new animated series, 19 returning shows and the network's newest live-action scripted comedy series, "Level Up," which will kick off with a 90-minute original movie later this year.
The network and its parent company, Warner Bros., also announced a new multi-platform programing block with DC Entertainment, appropriately titled DC Nation, as THR reported.
What's more, the Cartoon Network, which is coming off a 6 percent bump in kids viewership in primetime in 2010, trotted out DreamWorks Animation boss Jeffrey Katzenberg to reveal development plans for a small-screen series adaptation of his 2010 Oscar-nominated flick, "How to Train Your Dragon." The CG-animated series will occupy a half-hour block on the net's growing schedule.
"Our commitment last year to build on the volume of broad content for our audience has paid off in solid ratings growth and renewed strength among our core 6-11 audience," said Turner Broadcasting's Animation president and chief operating officer Stuart Snyder.
"We now have successful new shows that we can grow into the next big franchises. By partnering with premier entertainment companies like Warner Bros., DreamWorks Animation SKG and DC Entertainment, we are laying the groundwork for even further growth and expansion opportunities across the coming year."
The Madison Avenue crowd was treated to exclusive first looks at a handful of new animated series, including "The Problem Solverz" and "Secret Mountain Fort Awesome," which will join "Adventure Time," "Regular Show" and "MAD" on Monday nights. Also on offer: sneak peaks of "The Amazing World of Gumball," the stateside premiere of a new international series from the net's U.K. production arm, and "The Looney Tunes Show," an all-new series in the tradition of classic theatrical shorts from Warner Bros. Animation.
The kid-focused network also announced plans to roll out a series of animated action-adventure shows, including a new version of the popular global franchise "Ben 10"; an all-new remake of the action series "ThunderCats," and a CG-animated follow-up to this summer's blockbuster, "Green Lantern: The Animated Series."
Lest it stop there, the Cartoon Network served up its latest venture into live-action scripted comedy with "Level Up," which the net dubs "a fantastical comedy for the video game age." The film will be directed and executive produced by Peter Lauer ("Sons Of Tuscon," "Chuck").
The network also used the opportunity to announce the renewal of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" for a fourth season. It will share space on Cartoon Net's schedule with a fourth season of animated comedy reality show "Total Drama."
Source: Yahoo News

Showtime deal with Netflix shows emerging rivalry

Amid an emerging rivalry between traditional pay TV operators and rising star Netflix Inc., CBS Corp.'s Showtime pay TV service confirmed Wednesday that back seasons of current original series like "Dexter" and "Californication" will not be available on Netflix's streaming service as of this summer.
Instead, CBS will offer them to subscribers who pay for Showtime through Comcast Corp. on Comcast's Xfinity TV online platform. Other cable TV providers are expected to offer online access to Showtime in the future.
The deal was in place since February, but news of these details broke this week after Netflix announced it was buying the right to debut the series "House of Cards" from executive producer David Fincher.
Debuting an original series on its service makes Netflix even more of a direct rival to pay TV channels like Showtime and HBO. Netflix had 20.2 million subscribers in the U.S. at the end of December, compared with just under 20 million for Showtime and HBO's estimated 28 million.
Showtime originals that have stopped airing on TV, including "The Tudors" and "Sleeper Cell," will continue to be available for streaming on Netflix.
CBS and Netflix announced a new two-year deal last month that allows older shows that are not generating new original episodes to be run on Netflix's streaming service, including "Medium," "Frasier" and "Cheers."
The deal followed a 10-year pact that CBS cut with Comcast in August that allowed for CBS and Showtime shows to be played on Comcast's Xfinity TV platform, which can be accessed on computers and iPad tablets.
CBS is seeking to maximize the money it can receive from Netflix from older content, while encouraging consumers to pay separately for new original shows on Showtime. Other companies, like Time Warner Inc.'s HBO have shunned Netflix entirely. HBO offers its service online for no extra charge to its pay TV subscribers.
Netflix meanwhile has been spending more to acquire the rights to TV shows and movies that it can stream to customers to wean them from ordering DVDs in the mail in an effort to reduce postage costs.
Goldman Sachs analyst Ingrid Chung said the impact of CBS pulling some shows from Netflix would not materially affect Netflix, but it could signal that it will have to pay more for the right to stream shows in the future.
CBS shares closed up 21 cents at $24.87 on Wednesday, while Netflix shares finished the regular session up $7.67, or 3.5 percent,
Source: Yahoo News

Working with ammi was bit scary: Soha Ali Khan

Facing the camera with her mom was not an easy task for Soha Ali Khan who was ‘nervous’ while shooting with Sharmila Tagore for the film ‘Life Goes On’. This is the first time the duo will be seen together on screen.
‘I didn’t forget my lines or anything, but I was nervous because she has a very good aesthetic sense,’ Soha told IANS in an interview here.
‘When in a good mood, she is amazing. But when in a bad mood, it’s like the worst thing ever. But she was very good and restrained during shooting and also suggested to me to follow director Sangeeta Datta’s instruction carefully,’ added the 32-year-old actor who was here for an event.
‘Life Goes On’ opens Friday and it is an emotional drama about generational conflict set in contemporary London.
Asked about her expectations, she said: ‘I have no expectation and I have learnt not to expect anything from films. Yes, it was great working for the movie. I got a chance to work with ammi (Sharmila). It’s quite an emotional movie where the journey of the loss of a mother and family is portrayed in a sensitive way,’ she said.
Banker-turned-actress Soha made her debut with Anant Mahadevan’s 2004 film ‘Dil Maange More’ and featured next year in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Rang De Basanti’.
For Soha, getting into showbiz was not an initial career choice, but thanks to her actor brother Saif and her mother, it soon became her profession too. Despite coming from an illustrious film family, she is still struggling for her share of limelight in tinseltown.
After the debacle of ‘Tum Mile’, Soha is hoping for a better future in Bollywood.
‘I was offered a variety of roles, which range from practical to interesting to downright outrageous, but things didn’t work out well. This year you will see me in a variety of roles,’ said Soha.
Her first release will be ‘Chemistry’ with Shreyas Talpade. Co-produced by Shreyas, the love story revolves around two people dumped by their respective partners and their lives afterwards.
‘It’s a mad role and you will see me in pink hair in it. My character is between Charlie Chaplin and Devanand Sagar. The character was a bit out of my normal acting range as I do more intense films. There is a lot of improvisation and laughs,’ she said.
‘I am also doing a film called ‘Sound track’ which is opposite Rajiv Khandelwal. It is an official remake of Hollywood comedy ‘It’s All Gone Pete Tong ‘. Rajiv plays DJ and I play a girl who is born deaf. I find the role very interesting. It was difficult to get into that mode because I can’t imagine life without sound and you can’t work it out either. So I kept on forgetting the fact that I am playing a deaf girl,’ said Soha.
Talking about her personal life, Soha, who is dating Kunal Khemu, said she is ready to settle down in a couple of years.
‘I am in comfortable space and we (Kunal and Soha) are happy with our career graphs; so whenever the right time comes, we will announce our marriage,’ she said.
What about Saif who said he’ll get married before her as he’s the elder brother?
‘That’s not necessary. I don’t have to wait for anyone because I don’t want to. If he takes 10 years then I will never wait. I don’t know how long he will take, he might tie the knot tomorrow!’ she said.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

Now easily download Yash Raj films from the net

Yash Raj Films has given its whole library to a new venture between Intel and Hungama Digital Entertainment, which is making available a selection of famous Bollywood and international movies for downloading and streaming by movie buffs.
‘We are very much delighted that Intel is debuting their newest technology with Yash Raj Library. We are very happy with the association. Now the audiences would have all the films of their choice at their fingertips,’ Yash Chopra, chairman (entertainment) of FICCI-Frames told reporters at the conclave.
‘Because of this Intel Insider technology, every film could be watched at high definition on their computers and they would be able to download whatever they want, whenever they want,’ he added.
Chopra claims that, regardless of the medium, if each time a viewer pays a nominal sum for watching a film, no film across the world would ever flop.
‘Honestly, I am not just saying it but I mean it, any film of any producer is shown in any form of technology like mobile, TV, film, downloading and if the person seeing the movie pays even Rs.1 he watches it, no film in this world would be flop,’ said Chopra.
Isn’t he afraid of piracy?
‘I am not worried about piracy. I feel very secure and it would generate revenue. My whole library is with them,’ said Chopra.
Aprat from Yash Raj Films, this technology would also facilitate a huge range of films by Paramount Pictures, T-Series and Reliance Home Video.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

‘Monica’ has nothing to do with Niira Radia: Producer Kush Bhargava

Politician-filmmaker Kush Bhargava says his film ‘Monica’, which is releasing Friday, has nothing to do with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and that it was completed much before she came into the public eye.
‘This movie was made more than a year ago when her (Niira Radia) name was known to very few people and she was not a public figure. So from my side it is a categorical denial that ‘Monica’ has anything to do with Niira Radia,’ Bhargava told IANS on the phone from Mumbai.
‘In fact, it is not the story of anyone dead or alive. It is inspired by many stories like Shivani (Shivani Bhatnagar was an Indian Express journalist killed in 1999) and Madhumita Shukla (Lucknow based poetess who was also killed).
‘I have been asked this question at press meets before the release of the film whether it has anything to do with 2G or 3G scam? And I have categorically denied this. Plus, the protagonist Monica dies in the film,’ said the Lucknow-based Congress leader adding: ‘Of course, the film is releasing on Friday.’
Inspired by ambitious women, the film has Divya Dutta in the main lead. Yashpal Sharma and Kittu Gidwani will also be seen in it.
Niira Radia, linked to the spectrum scam, Thursday urged the Delhi High Court to stay the release of ‘Monica’ that she said depicted her life in a scandalous manner.
Justice V.K. Jain issued notice to Bhargava asking him to file a copy of the film script or a CD by March 30, the next date of hearing.
Asked about the notice, Bhargava said: ‘I have no knowledge whatsoever of any petition of this sort. I have not received any notice from the honourable court.’
He also clarified that the title of the film is ‘Monica’ adding: ‘The words ‘The politics of murder’ are just being used for publicity on posters.’
This is Bhargava’s first feature film. Earlier he made a telefilm ‘Kasak’ with Deepti Naval.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

Sidharth Malhotra to now helm action comedy

After making his directorial debut with family drama ‘We Are Family’, director Sidharth Malhotra is set to make an action comedy that would go on the floors early next year.
‘My next would be an action comedy. We are right now scripting it. As soon as we finish scripting, we would start casting for it. We are planning to go on floors early next year,’ Sidharth told IANS.
This film would also be produced by Karan Johar, he added
‘We Are family’ was an official remake of Hollywood movie ‘Stepmom’, where actress Kareena Kapoor reprised the role played by Julia Roberts, while Kajol played what Susan Sarandon portrayed in the original. Arjun Rampal was roped in to play Ed Harris’ character.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

Niira Radia seeks stay on film depicting her life

Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia, linked to the spectrum scam, Thursday urged the Delhi High Court to stay the release of film ‘Monica - The Politics of Murder’ that she said depicted her life in a scandalous manner. But her lawyer said the film will be released Friday.
However, Justice V.K. Jain issued notice to the producer of the film, Kush Bhargava, a Lucknow-based Congress leader, asking him to file a copy of the film script or a CD by March 30, the next hearing.
The court said without looking at the script or CD, no opinion could be formed on the film.
Radia, director of Vaishnavi Corporate Communications Pvt Ltd whose telephonic conversations with corporate heads, journalists and political leaders were taped, filed the petition seeking ‘permanent injunction’ against the release of the film.
‘Radia has not assigned anyone the right to make a film based on her life or any film showing the life of the petitioner... The production of the film in such a brazen manner and public viewing of such film will tarnish or damage her image and reputation beyond repair,’ said Radia’s advocate, Anip Sachthey.
‘Divya Dutta, the protagonist, will have shades of both Shivani Bhatnagar (an Indian Express journalist killed in 1999) and Niira Radia,’ said Sachthey, citing media reports.
The other actors in the film include Yashpal Sharma and Kittu Gidwani.
Before issuing the notice, Justice Jain said that it was the censor board which gave it a certificate after viewing it.
Radia said in her petition that permitting the publication of the transcripts would cause gross harm and damage.
‘An ordinary citizen, who is not a public figure, is entitled to the right to privacy which is protected under article 21 of the constitution and the said right shall take precedence over all other rights of the public,’ the petition said.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

Our misfortune that Dev saab is upset: Ramesh Sippy

Dev Anand is upset with the makers of the forthcoming movie ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ for using his cult song of the same title in it. Producer Ramesh Sippy has clarified it was a issue of timing and it’s their misfortune that the legend is upset with them.
The popular song ‘Dum maaro dum’ from Dev Anand’s 1971 super-hit movie ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ has been re-arranged and used in Sippy’s ‘Dum Maro Dum’, which is directed by his son Rohan. The new version has weird lyrics, new music with an underlying feel of the hit song and has been picturised on Deepika Padukone.
‘Yes he (Dev Anand) is upset, but we have the rights of the song. It would have been nice if we had his blessings too but there was some timing problem. Before we could take his blessings and show him the song, the news was in the press and therefore, he go upset. There was no way of having him pleased with it then. That’s our misfortune,’ Sippy told reporters Thursday at the sidelines of the FICCI-Frames conclave.
Starring Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Prateik Babbar, the crime thriller is slated for an April 22 release.
Sippy, known for directing cult film ‘Sholay’, which was later remade by Ram Gopal Varma, said initially they did not plan to use the ‘Dum maro dum’ song in the film.
‘When we started the film, we didn’t intend to use the song in the film. We took this title because our film was about drugs and how youngsters today are lured by them and fall for them. We hadn’t decided on the song (‘Dum maro dum’) that time whether we would use it or not. Later, we decided on that,’ explained the 64-year-old.
‘There is a thing with iconic songs. When you take such a big hit song for your film, if you take it in the new film as it is, people ask what extra effort have you put in? But if we change it and add our own inputs to it and give it a different colour, then people say you have tampered with a classic song. So this conflict will always be there,’ he added.
Coming to the film, isn’t Sippy sceptical about the public turnout owing to the Indian Premier League matches around the time the film will be released?
‘Definitely, some effect it will have, but I feel ‘jab film mein hoga dum toh phir kaheka gum’ (When the film is good, then why worry),’ laughed Sippy.
‘We are happy that the film is creating waves and people are curious to watch it. At least people are talking about the film, conflict or no conflict,’ he added.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

The uniqueness of being Vidya Balan

She took people back to the black and white era with her role in the period film ‘Parineeta’. Then came her fashion faux pas and a dip in the career graph. But a careful and confident Vidya Balan is on the rise again in Bollywood.
Though at 33 she is just six years old in the Hindi movie industry, her oeuvre is so impressive that there was a Vidya Balan retrospective at the Indian film fest in two Australian cities.
From playing a foul mouthed, manipulative vengeful woman in ‘Ishqiya’ to the mother of a progeria patient to a grieving sister in ‘No One Killed Jessica’, Vidya has been proving her versatility with her nuanced handling of different characters.
Her much-talked-about forthcoming releases - director Milan Luthria’s ‘The Dirty Picture’, based on the life of Silk Smitha, south Indian cinema’s sex symbol, and Sujoy Ghosh’s thriller ‘Kahani’ in which she plays a six-month pregnant woman - are expected to take her creativity to another level.
Applauding her work and choice of roles, director Sudhir Mishra said: ‘She is very brave and very gutsy. Hats off to Vidya. She will last longer. It will pay her off very well. She will be remembered as another kind of actress and remembered more than a lot of people. She should continue doing this kind of roles. She should do what she can do well. She should retain that uniqueness.’
Director Anurag Kashyap feels what Vidya is doing is pathbreaking. ‘I think she is showing the way for everyone else. Vidya’s fan following has increased 50-fold after the kind of work she started doing. We need her,’ he added.
This Iyer girl from Palakkad in Kerala grew up in Mumbai. She did her graduation in sociology from St. Xavier’s College.
After award-winning debut with the period drama ‘Parineeta’ (2005), she charmed her fans in a modern avatar in ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’. Her small but impressive role in ‘Guru’ too earned her accolades.
But after a meteoric rise to fame, her career took a dip post ‘Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love’ and it seemed as if lady luck had deserted her completely. She was in the news for all the wrong reasons—from her choice of roles to co-stars to her looks in movies like ‘Heyy Babyy’ and ‘Kismet Konnection’—she was criticised for everything.
But the rough patch ended and wagging tongues came to a halt when Vidya returned as Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in critically acclaimed ‘Paa’ (2009) after staying away for a year. Undoubtedly it was one of her best performances and Vidya walked away with the Filmfare Best Actress Award for portraying the dilemma of a woman living with her child’s illness.
There are reports that Vidya may work with southern superstar Rajnikanth as well.
‘She should start a legacy of such kind of acting. She is one of the top actresses in the industry because she does such kind of unique roles,’ said director Vikramaditya Motwane whose ‘Udaan’ amassed trophies at every award function this year.
Not only that, Vidya’s sartorial elegance has been at its peak ever since she appeared in ‘Paa’. Be it flaunting ethnic saris by her favourite designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee or her plain Jane look at public events to promote ‘No One Killed Jessica’, the talented actress floored everyone.
Mumbai-based designer Anand Bhushan, a regular face at Lakme Fashion Week, said: ‘Yes it’s true that designer Sabyasachhi Mukherjee did an awesome job with her Indian image, giving her all sorts of dresses which not only reflected her Indian face but also made her look glamorous.’
‘But who says we only want to see Vidya Balan in Indian dresses. It’s time to get some credible Western designer to celebrate her persona. Her dressing sense has always been a point of discussion for the media and film critics, especially whenever she is portrayed in Western wear.’
She made a late entry in films, but it hasn’t taken her long to carve a niche.
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com

Tusshar Kapoor has big fight with director Sagar Ballary

Tusshar Kapoor, known as mellowed good boy, picked up a fight with director Sagar Ballary at a shopping mall and the shooting of ‘Hum Tum Aur Shabana’ soon turned into a full-blooded pow-wow.
The incident happened Sunday evening in full public view at the shopping mall in Bhandup in suburban Mumbai and shocked everyone who was there.
Apparently Tusshar was heard screaming loudly at Ballary. The director not known to take kindly to any high-handed behaviour from his team, shouted right back, while other stars Minissha Lamba and Shreyas Talpade watched in muted embarrassment.
To our surprise, neither Tusshar nor Ballary denied the fight.
When asked about the incident, Tusshar said: ‘It was unfortunate. On Sunday when we were shooting in a mall, he told me the shooting would be extended by another night. I had been working round the clock with practically no sleep, so I lost my cool. I now realise that Sagar was only doing his job. He’s a perfectionist. I realised my mistake and apologised to him. We’re friends again.’
When quizzed about the incident, Ballary did a deeper probe on Tusshar’s personality and said that for too long Tusshar has been taken for granted.
‘People see him as a docile non-aggressive lamb. They don’t realise there’s another side to him which he keeps out of view for the sake of decency. I’m glad he’s finally asserting himself even if it was me at the receiving end,’ added the ‘Bheja Fry’ director.
Speaking about the incident at the mall, Ballary said: ‘We were shooting this complicated horror-comic climax with lots of props that had been set up inside a mall. None of us had slept for five nights. Night shoots are always tough since actors don’t get any sleep in the day-time because of their phones.’
‘It was specially hard on Tusshar who had been working round the clock. I had to extend the shooting by one more night. If I didn’t, I’d have to recreate the ambience in the mall for one more night, which would be time-consuming and costly. When I broke the news, Tusshar lost his temper. When you’re working hard, these things happen.’
Source: in.movies.yahoo.com