Martin Luther King's dream yet to be fulfilled: Oprah

 Oprah Winfrey says that she cannot tolerate people who use racials slurs. Winfrey was recently at the receiving end of her Colour Purple co-star Rae Dawn' a anger, who used racially derogatory terms to describe the media mogul.

"You cannot be my friend and use that word around me. It show my age, but I feel strongly about. I always think of the millions of people who heard that as their last word as they were hanging from a tree," Winfrey told a New York based magazine.
Winfrey, 59, feels that the youth have no idea what the civil rights movement was all about and believes that Martin Luther King's dream has not been completely fulfilled.

Amber wants to keep things Depp-ly private

The Rum Diary star Amber Heard does not want herself and her co-star Johnny Depp to become a celebrity couple.
The 26-year-old bisexual actress, who is reportedly dating the superstar, said she was determined to avoid the stereotypical "celeb" lifestyle, reported an entertainment portal." It's not part of my prI ofessional life. I want to be an artist. I don't want to be celebrity. Can you ever imagine yourself in a situation like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, where the world feels like they have a stake in your private life?
"I would never want it. I guess I could not hold hands with who I want to, but what kind of life would that be? I don't want to change just because people are watching," she said.
Amber and Depp were spotted together on a dinner date recently.

Nihalani's dark drama to return to television

 Although the compelling show, which earned accolades for its uncompromised yet sensitive portrayal of a turbulent time in Indian history, is screened as a 297-minute film at various Indian festivals, the channel plans to approach it in an episodic manner, just the same way it aired.

The original cast boasted of a pool of talent. Right from Om Puri, Deepa Sahi and Amrish Puri to Pankaj Kapur, Bhisham Sahni and A.K. Hangal, the show was lauded for its extraordinary performances.

When contacted, director Govind Nihalani sounded elated at his show's rerun. "When I first made the show, people took to the streets. It was a dramatic time and it ignited intelligent debate." Not many know, owing to the content, Nihalani had to be given police protection as well.

"It had an intense impact on the viewer. I realised the power of the television medium. I'm very curious to know how this generation will react to it as the issues plaguing our country, like religious intolerance, still exist," he said.
Tamas, the serial based on Bhisham Sahni's book on the pre-Independence exodus, will be revisited.

Twenty-six years after it left an inedible impact on Indian viewers, TV series Tamas is all set to re-air on a leading English channel. Directed by Govind Nihalani, who adapted writer Bhimshim Sahini's book by the same name, Tamas was a realistic-drama that documented the tragic event of India-Pakistan partition and aired on Doordarshan in 1984.

To mark India's 66th Independence Day, the channel has come up with the idea to rerun the 1984 show which attained controversial status owing to its hard-hitting nature. It is learnt that interviews with surviving personalities from the partition era like prominent lawyer Ram Jethmalani, Tofique Kitchlew, son of freedom fighter Saifuddin Kichlew, academician Mira Sinha Bhattacharjea and veteran actor Zora Sehgal will prelude the airing of Tamas.

Sonam’s puppy love

She likes to 'save' the men she dates; dad thinks she just gets 'strays home'.


In what can be termed as the hottest photoshoot she's ever done, Sonam Kapoor, on the cover of GQ magazine's latest issue, talks her heart out in a disarmingly candid interview.
From drinking cheap alcohol on the streets of Paris, to suggesting remedies for nasty hangovers, Sonam reveals her 'darker' side. A booklover since the time she hadn't even learnt to read, Sonam however, confesses to preferring Game of Thrones the TV series to the George RR Martin novels.

Bring up the topic of the three 'mystery men' she has been linked to and Sonam asserts her singleton status, saying that it makes her feel "freer and focussed." Probe her further, and she says, "I like to save people, to take care of them....So, the pattern is that I date guys before they become big, and when they become successful and-whoops- there goes my project!"

However, father Anil Kapoor doesn't seem to be fond of the men she goes out with, or in this case, brings home. "My dad says I get strays home," she quips, before adding, "I wanna date a lot of people. Actually, I wanna go on a lot of dates." Hmm. Sounds tempting.

Dial ‘M’ for Mumbhai

There is a bit of MNS in the never-ending battle between Ekta Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan. Here's how.

When Raj Thackeray's political party threatened to derail Rohit Shetty and Shah Rukh Khan's Chennai Express, it appeared to fans of Marathi cinema as though the MNS was genuinely concerned about the fate of the film Duniyadari running to packed houses at the moment. The official line was somewhat like this: Raj was upset with Shetty and SRK's demand for a lion's share of screens, elbowing out Duniyadari in the process. But the truth is somewhat more complicated.
Mirror has learnt that MNS's public stance against Chennai Express goes back to a meeting between him and Jeetendra, whose daughter Ekta Kapoor has positioned herself as a formidable adversary to Shetty and SRK. Both films (Chennai Express and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobara) had been eyeing the coveted Eid weekend slot, till Ekta bowed out of the competition. And contrary to what was circulated in the media, it was not SRK who requested Jeetendra to shift the release date.

A representation was made to the MNS by Jeetendra and Ramesh Sippy (who handles Balaji's distribution network), requesting the party supremo to help end the impasse over the release dates. According to sources, calls went out to both the camps, but with SRK refusing to budge it was Balaji who decided to blink first.

This was confirmed by Ameya Khopkar, President, Maharashtra Navnirman Chitrapat Karmachari Sena (Association of people in the Theatre, Film and Television industry). "Jeetendra-ji and Ramesh Sippy met us a couple of months back, requesting us to help them resolve the issue of the box-office clash.

After much discussion and deliberation, we managed to work out a strategy. Jeetendra-ji agreed to postpone his release date by a week and we ensured that his film got enough screens. He was struggling on that count."

The MNS in the process not only succeeded in ending the so-called logjam, it also managed to win a few brownie points with Shetty, UTV and SRK (co-producers of Chennai Express), or so it thought. With the threat to the Marathi film looming large it was time for the Chennai team to return the favour. And Shetty was given the royal summons.

A source close to the developments said: "Rohit Shetty met Raj Thackeray and agreed to give up a chunk of singlescreen theatres for Duniyadari. It was just a quid pro quo."

Salman’s protégé lands Akki’s film

  Mirror has learnt that Salman wanted her to make her debut with one of the upcoming films of his production house. But he dropped the idea on the request of Yardi, who is a close friend of the actor.

While Yardi remained unavailable for comment, Kabir confirmed the news and said: "Yes, we have signed Kiara. She was outstanding during the auditions and we think she is the right choice for the role."

A source close to Kiara said: "She always wanted to be an actress. Getting a role in Akshay's film is a big opportunity. She is leaving no stone unturned to get the right body language required for the role." Kiara Advani to debut opposite Anil Kapoor's nephew, Mohit Marwah.

After signing Anil Kapoor's nephew Mohit Marwah, Akshay Kumar has got another newcomer on board for Fugly. Kiara Advani will play Mohit's love interest in Grazing Goat Pictures' upcoming film. The film will be directed by Kabir Sadanand.

According to sources, Kiara's family is pretty close to Salman Khan and the actor has been mentoring her for quite some time.

Lights, camera, action in 101 hours!

 A leading corporate is inviting young filmmakers to make short films in a span of 101 hours. Between 15th and 19th August, the makers will have to shoot, edit, and submit their films in the stipulated time, after which the best of the lot will be screened as part of a 3-day film festival to be held in October.

A panel consisting of industry veterans like Farooq Shaikh, Anupam Kher, Kabir Bedi, and Nagesh Kukunoor has also been arranged to assist the young filmmakers in their endeavour. The theme of the film will be given to the participants before Day 1 commences and will revolve around a social issue, as the exercise aims to spread awareness about social causes from a young perspective.
  When contacted, one of the mentors, Kabir Bedi, said, "It's a brilliant initiative. I am extending my support by lending them my name. My son is also participating in the same programme." He further elaborated, "The industry has changed dramatically. Cinema has been democratised in a manner nobody saw coming. The means of making a film have become so accessible that everybody today can be a filmmaker with the only limitation being your imagination." An initiative which challenges amateur filmmakers with a tough deadline is underway.

If you have an idea that's been lurking in your mind and could make for a potential short film, chances are you could get to see your film in a suburban multiplex. However, your film's content must make the cut and a stamp of your filmmaking style should be evident.

Madhuri's next delayed

 
Madhuri Dixit is shining bright on the idiot box but the wait for her silver screen comeback just got longer. The release of Abhishek Chaubey's Dedh Ishqiya starring the Jhalak Dikhla Jaa judge has been postponed by three-and-half months.

The film, scheduled to release on October 18, will now hit the theatres on January 31 next year to avoid a clash with Imtiaz Ali's Highway. The plans were changed after Sajid Nadiadwala, the producer of Highway, requested Vishal Bharadwaj the producer of Dedh Ishqiya, to postpone the release date and he complied.

Sallu, SRK fans cannot di-jest this!

  The response to the trailer can be described as polarising at best, with its 'like' count of 3687 matched by an equal number of down-votes on YouTube and Tweeples too remained divided. While Mihir Fadnavis, a film critic complimented RK's histronics on Twitter writing, "The difference between SRK and Ranbir isn't just the age. It's that the former tries too hard, and the latter is utterly effortless", Khan fans made their ire evident on the social network.

"Ranbir Kapoor mocking SRK in an iconic Tujhe Dekha song while peeing in the #Besharam trailer proves that he still needs to grow up. #crap (sic)," wrote BoldMonk while another member of the networking website, with the handle 'King of Bollywood', chimed in saying, "Ranbir copies SRK poise and Salman style. Both r impossible to do (sic)."

The film's director Abhinav Kashyap, who had also helmed Sallu's monster hit Dabangg explained the Khan connection at a press conference held to launch the film saying, "There was no glimpse of Salman. Chulbul is a name, and it has come from me. I can make fun of myself." The filmmaker said that the DDLJ number opens the trailer so as to convey that the film is a romantic comedy. Ranbir's Besharam act leaves those who swear by the two Khans fuming.

The trailer of Ranbir Kapoor starrer Besharam has caused a stir online with fans reacting to the alleged digs against Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan made in the promo. The clip which has received close to a million hits online, sees RK crooning an off-key version of Tujhe Dekha To Ye Jaana Sanam from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) while urinating in mustard fields, a reference to one of SRK's most popular reel moments. Another dialogue, "Naam Chulbul rakhne se, koi Dabangg nai banjaata," has irked fans of the other Khan.

Simon to have baby with best friend's wife

 

Simon Cowell is expecting a baby with his friend's wife Lauren Silverman, according to reports.
The 53-year-old is 'about to undergo the most life-changing experience of all fatherhood', say an entertainment magazine.
According to the magazine Lauren is "around 10 weeks along" in the pregnancy baby and the baby is due in February
A source told the magazine: "Lauren and Andrew have been unhappy in their marriage for some time, and their divorce has been in the works for a while."
The insider added: "As their marriage deteriorated, she and Simon became close. Their relationship blossomed this year and the baby is the result of that.
It is claimed the stunning brunette plans to leave Andrew - a real estate mogul who she is still married to - so she can be with Cowell - the alleged father of her child.
Cowell was recently in New York for US X Factor auditions and Lauren was a "constant presence", after he began dating her around the start of the year.
Previously, she had been described as his "best friend" - but she turned into a love rival for Cowell's ex-fiancee Mezhgan Hussainy and was opposed to their engagement. Lauren was pictured getting close the millionaire aboard his yacht during his annual holiday in the Carribean and in March attended a West End show with him.
Cowell had previously maintained he didn't believe he was right material to be a dad.

Back to basics: cruz turns up the heat in racy advert

 Apparently, Penelope also roped in her mum, Encarna Sanchez, into assisting. And they shot it in her home town.

The six-minute film sees a confused partygoer walk though a house full of models in suspenders, bras and thongs. They're dancing by the pool, they're sucking birthday cake off each other's fingers, they're taking showers in their knickers - so far, a 14-year-old's wet dream. But then, supermodel Irina Shayk walks down the stairs (very carefully we notice) and a party crasher is transfixed. Hanging out by the pool (in pineapple heels), Ronaldo's girlfriend decides the only way to welcome him is ... a lapdance. Obviously. When you've got some pants to advertise, who do you call? Your entire family, of course. And that's what Spanish actress Penelope Cruz did when she needed to make a short film to sell her new underwear range.

The star - who gave birth to her second baby on the same day Prince George was born -signed up heavily preggers sister Monica (who designed the collection with her) to model lingerie in the advert, which Penelope directed.

Husband Javier Bardem also appears in the video and Penelope's brother Eduardo did the soundtrack.