'Slumdog' kids get new homes?

Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, the two youths from Dharavi shanties who played roles of Jamal and Latika in Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire" will get one flat each from government quota if Maharashtra Housing Area Development Authority (MHADA) has its way. Amarjeet Singh Manhas, Chairman of Mumbai Housing and Area Development Authority, a unit of MHADA, has written a letter to the housing authority's vice-president Gautam Chatterjee asking him to provide one flat each to both as they made India proud with their acting talent. "The acting talent of the two has made India proud. The children, who belong to underprivileged family, are special for us. They played equal role in getting the movie the Oscars. In a move to honour them, Amarjeet Singh has written a letter to MHADA officials to grant them houses," Krishna Hegde, a member of MHADA board told. Rubina and Azharuddin are now living in Garibnagar in suburban Bandra. "Mumbai Congress president Kripashankar Singh will also meet Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in the evening to discuss about providing flats to the children," Hegde added.

Karan Johar moved to tears by Billu

If there is something which is being hailed most about ‘Billu’, it is the penultimate 20 minutes of the film. A heartwarming emotional turn of events in the concluding reels of the film have been pointed out by one and all and the effective writing that made the scenes possible has been termed as the highlight of the film. No wonder, Mushtaq Sheikh, the co-writer of the film is happy that his good work has been noticed and appreciated. Another interesting factoid about ‘Billu’ is that after watching the film in a special screening, even Karan Johar commented that it moved him to tears. “‘Billu’ is not a slapstick comedy, instead it is a comedy of life”, says Mushtaq who has authored quite a few books on his close friend and super star Shah Rukh Khan, “Moreover, life is always a heartfelt tale. So yes, it is expected that that tear effect would be the same on audiences across the globe. I am in fact confident about it because if the warmth of the story touches you then nothing can go wrong with this movie.” Which means that instead of ‘Billu’ being termed as a comedy, it would rather be considered as a ‘let’s make you cry’ kind of emotional drama. “It’s not a comedy as in like a farce or spoof, but the situations and the mess we human beings create is often quite funny and sad and could make you laugh when you cry and cry when you laugh”, philosophizes Mushtaq Sheikh, “”Billu’ is a film with a golden heart’ - Now that’s my favorite phrase to describe ‘Billu’. For a movie like ‘Billu’ where Shah Rukh Khan and Irrfan Khan were there from the very beginning, was he required to write the film in a manner that would suit their images? “Actors such as Irrfan Khan and Shah Rukh today play characters as per the writer’s creation and the director’s vision. Sure they have their own interpretations and take on how to play the character but the writer does not need to tailor-make a character to suit the actor’s image. Those days are long gone”, asserts Mushtaq Sheikh.

Katrina Kaif not not for more

After having done numerous glamorous roles in her run up to success, Bollywood's reigning queen Katrina Kaif is now in a serious mode. The Namastey London star has taken on meatier roles, which will allow her to prove her mantle as a good actress. And to begin with Kats will be seen in a completely de glamourised role in Prakash Jha's Rajniti. Reports also suggest that Jha wants Katrina to sport a non-make up look for the major part of the film. Jha, who in the past has done wonders with his heroines including Madhuri Dixit, Bipasha Basu, is taking a keen interest in Katrina's characterisation. Reports suggest that Katrina has been advised to undergo voice modulation since she is required to speak in a certain dialect in the film's second half. The film, which is a contemporary take on Mahabharata, also stars Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgan among others.

AYESHA TAKIA'S WEDDING DATE FIXED

Its seems forever ago that news of Ayesha Takia's wedding to longtime boyfriend Farhan made the rounds but finally there is news as to when the big day will take place. Initially the wedding for set for Christmas Eve, however post the Mumbai attacks and because of Farhan's father's operation, the couple were in no mood for celebrations so they postponed the big day till mid-2009. Now news has come that the couple are so eager to tie he knot that they have decided to get married by the end of this month! Ayesha is frantically shopping to make the big day perfect and unfortunately is yet to comment to the media about the news. Well whenever the big day comes, we hope that it’s a day of celebration and happiness and that the couple have a very long and happy married life

John said- Priyanka - Gandhi is the sexiest lady

One of the sexiest men in the world, John Abraham has surprised many with his choice for the sexiest Indian woman. In an interview to the men's magazine GQ, John called the suave Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, "the sexiest woman in India by eons and light years". Well, guess the most surprised person must be none other than John's drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend Bipasha herself! As if the shocker wasn't enough, the hot and charming actor gushed unabashedly, "I love her to death!". John seems to be really impressed with the sophisticated Mrs. Gandhi Vadra and feels that she is "going to be the real power centre in the future".

Sexy hot Katrina Kaif to be stripped of oomph

The most gorgeous actress of Bollywood is ready to shed her glamorous side for a serious role.Katrina Kaif is not content being eye-candy in films and is intent on doing roles that challenge her as an actress. After umpteen roles that had her playing the proverbial glam doll, Katrina is now set to be stripped of her oomph. The man who would do so is director Prakash Jha who wants to present Katrina as a simple, girl-next-door in his next semi-realistic political drama titled Rajniti . The buzz is that Jha wants Katrina to sport a non-make up look for the major part of the film. On top of it, Jha also wants Katrina to undergo training in voice modulation because she is supposed to deliver her dialogues in a different way in the film’s second half.

US attack Pak

United State of America has attacked Pak situated terorists camp with Mesiles. US president Barak Omaba has warned pak to control these terorosts camps. Pak Govt. is now surrounded with problums created by itself. Pakistan is the most poor countary in the world. Steps taken by all the ruling parties so far, has brought PAK to a dengerous end. US has warned pak that many other dangerous weapons may be used to overcome terror. US has prepared to ruined taliban. Taliban is the the greatest danger for the world. Al-quaida has spreaded in pak to a large extent. Fata is the main area in pak where taliban is ruling.
Taliban has full control on swat ghati.

Priyadarshan:- 'Slumdog Millionaire' is mediocre, trashy

Director Priyadarshan has joined the bandwagon in slamming Danny Boyle's underdog saga 'Slumdog Millionaire' and has called the film a 'cheap trashy mediocre version' of erstwhile Bollywood hits. ' 'Slumdog Millionaire' is nothing but a cheap trashy mediocre version of those commercial films about estranged brothers and childhood sweethearts that Salim-Javed used to write so brilliantly in the 1970s. And please quote me clearly on this. If the Golden Globe and Oscars committees have chosen to honour this trashy film it just shows their ignorance of world cinema,' Priyadarshan told IANS. Priyadarshan, whose much-acclaimed film on the silk weavers of Kanjeevaram was shown alongside Boyle's film at the Toronto Film Festival last year, feels Indians are exercising prideful property rights over a film that denigrates Mumbai. 'I saw the film with a mixed audience at the Toronto Film Festival. The Westerners loved it. All the Indian hated it. The West loves to see us as a wasteland, filled with horror stories of exploitation and degradation. But is that all there's to our beautiful city of Mumbai?' He is surprised that Mumbai is celebrating a film that shows only the city's underbelly. 'Why are we taking this treatment? Just because a white man has made 'Slumdog Millionaire', we're so happy with it? I've read Vikas Swarup's novel 'Q&A'. It should have been made by Mani Ratnam. Then you'd have seen what he would have done with Mumbai.' The angry director wonders why there isn't a single shot in 'Slumdog...' that shows the more aesthetic side of Mumbai? 'Why has Danny Boyle not taken one shot of Marine Drive? Do his slumdwellers exist only within their slums? And look at the absurdities...A boy becomes a national hero on a game show. One cop takes him under arrest and interrogates him relentlessly. Where is everyone else? Is this kind of confinement possible in this day and age when television cameras enter your bedroom? If one of our filmmakers had made the same film we would have blasted him out of business.'