From bathrooms to museums - odd sets for Oscar statuettes

The most valuable piece of hardware in Hollywood is the 13-and-a-half-inch (34-cm) golden Oscar statuette, so it is no surprise recipients of the top film honors keep theirs in a variety of safe spots.

Emma Thompson, a two-time winner for ‘Howards End’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’, has stowed her Oscars in the bathroom, or rather loo, of her London abode.

“It’s full of my most precious possessions,” Thompson said. “So it’s not as if I’m being rude. It’s an important place to me. And the downstairs loo is sort of the place that all your guests use. And it’s nice for them to have a go, pick them up.”

Cate Blanchett, a frontrunner for best actress for her role in ‘Blue Jasmine‘ for this Sunday’s Academy Awards, has to pay to see her Oscar from ‘The Aviator’.

“My Oscar is in a film museum called ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) in Melbourne,” the 44-year-old star said. “I get to pay a ticket and go see it every now and again.”

Winners of the 2,809 Oscars awarded so far may opt for the more mundane living room, like Charlize Theron for her ‘Monster‘ Oscar, or the office, the home for George Clooney‘s two awards for ‘Argo’ and ‘Michael Clayton’.

But Jennifer Hudson created an award wall and put her statuette for ‘Dreamgirls’ in a starring role.

“It’s actually a hidden wall,” said Hudson. “You don’t realize it’s a wall and it goes into my futuristic office, this is the truth, and it sits there in the middle of all the other awards and goes, ahhhh!”

Sandra Bullock has entrusted her ‘The Blind Side’ best actress trophy to a confidant: her young son, Louis.

“I’ll let him tell you if he wants to tell you, but it’s his and he knows where it is,” she said.

Source: MSN

From bathrooms to museums - odd sets for Oscar statuettes

Madhuri Dixit: I have never thought about joining politics

Madhuri Dixit said today that she had not thought about joining politics.

“I have not thought about it. In any case, polling is secret and let my views also remain secret,” Madhuri told reporters at an event to promote her movie ‘Gulaab Gang‘, when she was asked about whether she had been contacted by any political party for contesting the Lok Sabha polls.

Madhuri, who plays the role of ‘Rajjo’ in the movie, has been shown slapping and hitting men.

However, Madhuri said that in her real life she has never slapped anyone. Read more on msn.

Madhuri Dixit: I have never thought about joining politics

Mads Mikkelsen lends steely star power to Denmark's hunt for Oscar

‘The Hunt’ has at least one advantage over its rivals in its bid to win the best foreign-language picture Oscar: the familiar face of Mads Mikkelsen.

Mikkelsen, the 48-year-old star of NBC television thriller ‘Hannibal’, is not unknown to Oscar voters. The Danish actor has starred in three Oscar-nominated films over the last decade from the nation of about 5.6 million people.

Mikkelsen’s work in Hollywood and his association with the upper echelon of the Danish film industry underscore his ability to maintain a high profile in both the United States and his home country.

But any mention of his global recognition may be greeted with a shrug from the tall Dane known for his steely countenance.

“Denmark is a small country and if I can make two films a year (here), people start getting sick and tired of you,” Mikkelsen said wryly. “So this is kind of nice. I can do more than one (film) per year.”

Director Thomas Vinterberg’s ‘The Hunt’ (‘Jagten’) is the fourth Danish film to pick up an Oscar nomination since 2006. It is the third Oscar-nominated film from Denmark to star Mikkelsen, who was in the 2012 period film ‘A Royal Affair’ and the 2006 drama ‘After the Wedding’.

Danish drama ‘In a Better World’, by director Susanne Bier, won the best-foreign language Oscar in 2011, but did not feature Mikkelsen.

In ‘The Hunt’, Mikkelsen plays Lucas, a village kindergarten teacher who is wrongly accused of sexually abusing children at the school, after a friend’s young daughter falsely claims he exposed himself to her. Read More On MSN

Mads Mikkelsen lends steely star power to Denmark's hunt for Oscar

Simbu, Hansika Motwani no longer a couple

Silambarasan aka Simbu, who was in a relationship with actress Hansika Motwani for the last few months, confirmed Wednesday that they are no longer together. He said that he doesn’t regret his decision.

“I had gone through enough in this relationship, and after much thought invested into this, I hereby declare that I am single now, and I have nothing to do whatsoever with Hansika, and it is all the story of the past,” Simbu said in a statement.

“I don’t regret the past nor am I in a mood to discuss over the facts which had forced me to this decision,” he further added.

Ever since the duo started shooting for yet-to-release Tamil films ‘Vaalu’ and ‘Vettai Mannan‘, it was reported that they had developed fondness for each other.

In July last year, Hansika confirmed on social networking site Twitter that she was in a relationship with Simbu.

But in the last few months things soured between them.

While Simbu is awaiting the release of yet-untitled film with filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon, Hansika is busy shooting for multiple southern projects.

Source: MSN

Simbu, Hansika Motwani no longer a couple

Hollywood Oscar campaigns - A civil affair in a wide-open field

In an industry known for its boundless self-promotion, campaigning for this year’s Oscars has been a relatively civil affair, compared with the bare-knuckled sparring of years past.

But that does not mean studios have toned down the campaigns around their films and nominees. In fact, Oscar watchers believe this awards season has been the most feverishly contested in recent memory.

“I feel that this year is more exhausting than ever,” said Tim Gray, the awards editor at trade publication Variety, noting the number of high-quality films among the best picture nominees.

“It is more intense partly because there are more movies in contention. But in every race, there are very few shoo-ins, and so people are seeing an opportunity,” he added.

This year, nine films will compete for the best picture Oscar, which will be handed out on March 2 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. Oscar voting ends on Tuesday.

Although, slavery drama ‘12 Years a Slave‘ and outer space thriller ‘Gravity‘ appear to be the favorites for the top prize, winning the statuette could come down to a handful of votes, Gray said.

“I think it works on the supposition, ‘Leave no stone unturned,’” he said, noting how stars and directors have been attending screenings and question-and-answer sessions, sometimes more than one per day, to reach some 6,000 Oscar voters.

An emphasis on voter outreach could play a bigger role this year, when ’12 Years a Slave’ and ‘Gravity’ tied for the top award from the Producers Guild of America last month out of thousands of votes. The award is one of the top predictors of Oscar success.

And in the acting races, some old-school tactics appear to be paying off. Last week, best actor hopeful Leonardo DiCaprio sat with media for interviews about ‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘, also a best picture nominee, went on late night TV and did an online question-and-answer session billed as a “career Q&A.” His chances to win his first Oscar seem to have grown.

‘American Hustle‘ director David O. Russell took the time to appear on local morning television in Los Angeles, perhaps in a bid to catch the eyes of the mostly L.A.-based Academy members as they sat down with their oatmeal and coffee.

Source: MSN

Hollywood Oscar campaigns - A civil affair in a wide-open field

Aamir Khan says, he will not align with any political party

Aamir Khan said here today that he doesn’t support any political party and would not align with any of them at an event related to his TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’.

“I want to be away from politics. I want to align with issues that are important. I support a thought and not a party. I want to support an issue irrespective of any political party. I would not wish to align with any party,” Aamir told

Aamir Khan says, he will not align with any political party

Veena Malik gets married second time!

Veena Malik secretly got married to Pakistani singer-actor Asad Bashir Khan Khattak in Dubai. The news came as a surprise coz the former Bigg Boss contestant was seeing a multimillionaire. However, her father did not approve of her relationship and so the babe settled for an arrange marriage. While the couple had a traditional nikaah ceremony in Dubai, Veena and her hubby had a white wedding in Washinton DC recently. The starlet took to twitter to inform her fans about the same. Along with her wedding picture, the babe wrote, “My teenage dream my white wedding…!!!” We hear the dream wedding took place on luxurious cruise. Now that’s interesting, hai na? The newly-wed couple kept their shaadi an intimate affair this time too.

the actress walked down the aisle in an, also traditional, white wedding in Washington DC recently. Sharing her wedding picture on Twitter, she wrote, “My teenage dream my white wedding…!!!” And the pictures reveal it was like no other wedding ever. The happily married couple were seen posing in front of a cruise ship.

Veena Malik gets married second time!

Neil Nitin Mukesh to play Salman's stepbrother in 'Bade Bhaiyya'

Sooraj Barjatya has finally found the perfect guy to play Salman Khan’s younger brother in his upcoming film ‘Bade Bhaiyya’ Mirror has learnt that Neil Nitin Mukesh has been locked to play the role, for which Vidyut Jamwal was earlier approached. Added a source close to the film’s production, “The makers have had lengthy discussions with Neil, who has consented to Sooraj in principle But, he is yet to sign on the dotted line. That should happen in the next few weeks as Neil is really kicked about the film.

“Sooraj has now pencilled in Neil for the project. The character has grey shades and since Neil is someone who loves to do dark roles, Barjatya thought that he was apt for the role,” a source is quoted as saying by a tabloid.

Neil Nitin Mukesh to play Salman's stepbrother in 'Bade Bhaiyya'

Trade analysts - YRF's southern debut disappoints

Yash Raj Films (YRF) forayed into southern filmdom with Tamil-Telugu bilingual ‘Aaha Kalyanam‘, but it has failed to impress, say trade analysts.

In its opening weekend, the film, a southern remake of hit Hindi movie ‘Band Baaja Baaraat‘, managed to collect merely Rs.2.01 crore from both the versions.

“Despite mixed reviews, the film opened to poor numbers. Both the versions collected just Rs.2.01 crore in its opening weekend. This is a disaster considering the film comes from a prestigious banner and was a blockbuster in Hindi,” trade analyst Trinath told us.

The film has not been appreciated because it is a frame-to-frame copy of the original, says Trinath.

“While some critics liked it, others panned it because it lacked southern sensibilities. Most of the scenes were recreated from the original. Moreover, they shot in one language (Tamil or Telugu) and dubbed it into the other. Even that didn’t go well with the viewers,” he added.

Directed by Gokul Krishna, Nani and Vaani Kapoor starrer ‘Aaha Kalyanam’ hasn’t performed in the overseas market either.

“Tamil film ‘Aaha Kalyanam’, the remake of ‘Band Baaja Baaraat’ is a disaster in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand,” posted Taran Adarsh on his Twitter page.

He further posted: “In the opening weekend, the Tamil version collected Rs.2.21 lakh in the US, Rs.22,835 in Canada, Rs.89,947 in Australia and Rs.16,143 in New Zealand. The Telugu version collected Rs.86,871 in the US.”

Source: MSN

Trade analysts - YRF's southern debut disappoints

Alfonso Cuaron says, my son prompted me to direct 'Gravity'

Alfonso Cuaron says it was his son who asked him to try out something new with space drama ‘Gravity‘.

The 52-year-old filmmaker said his son Jonas Cuaron, who also co-wrote the script of the film with his father, was quite bored of his kind of films, reported the New York Post.

“Not my idea. This excitement is my son’s fault. He told me, ‘You’re too rhetoric. Old-style. You repeat the same stories over and over’. So I said, ‘So?’ ‘So he said, ‘You need something new’. So I said, ‘Like what?’ So he said, ‘Like something cool. Like about the future. Like exploring technology’.

“So I said, ‘Please. I’m low-tech. I know nothing about that. I barely can do my cellphone’. So he said: ‘We should do a project about technology, tomorrow’s tool’,” Cuaron said.

‘Gravity’ starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney is leading in the Oscar race with ‘The American Hustle‘.

The Mexican filmmaker had no clue that the film will be a hit.

“Anyway, we never imagined we’d do anything that blew people away. Not our idea to revolutionize the industry or science or outer space or anything. I figured OK, it’s an interesting idea, I’ll wrap it up in a year.”

Source: MSN

Alfonso Cuaron says, my son prompted me to direct 'Gravity'

Bifurcation unlikely to trigger shift of Telugu film industry

The division of Andhra Pradesh is unlikely to have a major impact immediately on the Telugu film industry based in Hyderabad, though tax structure would be a motivating factor, leading film personalities said here today.

“Our wish is to see that Telugu cinema industry grows. It depends on how the two governments act. Shifting (to another city) is not an easy thing. It involves several factors like taxes, infrastructure, incomes and children’s education.

Bifurcation unlikely to trigger shift of Telugu film industry

Richard Gere enjoys local food in Udaipur

Lilette Dubey is helping her ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2′ co-star Richard Gere develop a taste for Rajasthani dishes, and he is said to be trying them with fervour.

Gere, who has visited India several times as a goodwill ambassador for AIDS campaigns and for his Buddhist activities, is in Udaipur to shoot for the Hollywood film.

“Richard loves the local cuisine. But he is wary of the spices and mirchi (chilli). Lilette and her two daughters Neha and Ira helped him pick the dishes with the minimum masala. The three ladies have also taken Gere sightseeing in Udaipur,” said a source from the unit.

The cast of the sequel, directed by John Madden, comprises a distinguished bouquet of British and Indian troupers both old and young, including Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, Tina Desae and Lilette.

Gere is eager to learn more about Bollywood.

He is even said to have asked for a Bollywood-styled romantic song to be incorporated in the screen romance with Lilette.

“It makes sense to have a romantic number filmed on them. Lilette plays a very attractive middle-aged Indian who runs a run-down hotel where Gere descends as a guest. Romance blossoms between the two. They are now thinking of incorporating an old romantic Hindi song to accentuate their togetherness,” the source said.

Lilette is all praise for her co-star.

“My scenes with Richard are coming out well. He’s warm and friendly with everyone, including my daughters. When my girls came to visit me here in Udaipur, Richard was so charming,” she said.

Source: MSN

Richard Gere enjoys local food in Udaipur

Amitabh Bachchan is back ‘Bhoothnath Returns’ Trailer Release

Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is back as ghost in ‘Bhoothnath Returns’. The first trailer of the horror, comedy, drama, flick looks promising and is sure going to be a hit among the kids. The trailer gives us a glimpse of the friendly ghost ‘Bhoothnath’ who does his best to frighten children. This time around, the trailer of the film, which is a sequel to ‘Bhoothnath’, reveals that the ghost is on a mission – to contest the elections and win against the corrupt politician played by none other than Boman Irani. With the help of his little friend played by child actor Parth Bhalerao, Bhoothnath goes about his election campaign, doing his best to win over the people, even though they can’t see him.

The film promises to be a fun-filled laughter riot of mayhem and mischief. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, ‘Bhoothnath Returns’ is slated to hit theaters on April 11. Shah Rukh Khan, who was seen in the prequel, will also be making a cameo in ‘Bhoothnath Returns’ along with Ranbir Kapoor.

Boman Irani shared the trailer on Twitter, saying, “The Bhoothnath Returns trailer is out! Hope you like it Mr Bachchan is a colossus of energy & young Parth is a delight.”

Bachchan said he was thankful to T-Series to have approached him again for the sequel. “I am thankful to T-Series to have approached me for the sequel again. This small kid Parth is the only one who can see me in the film. In this film, he is the hero and I am zero,” Bachchan told reporters during the trailer launch.

Amitabh Bachchan is back ‘Bhoothnath Returns’ Trailer Release

Moon Moon Sen, Riya Sen play mother-daughter roles on screen

Moonmoon Sen and Riya Sen are playing out their mother-daughter relationship on screen for the first time.

Both are excited to see how the idea shapes up in the film “Kolkata Calling”, which is a collage of three stories set in the 70s and 80s, directed by Mainak Bhowmik.

Moonmoon said that Mainak was persistent that they did the scenes together.

“We two feature in one of the three stories and Raima appears in another story.

Moon Moon Sen, Riya Sen play mother-daughter roles on screen

Tom Hardy in talks to play both Kray twins in new film

Tom Hardy is likely to play a double role in upcoming film ‘Legend’ which is about English twin crime bosses Ronald and Reginald Kray.

The 37-year-old actor will play both brothers in the film directed and written by Brian Helgeland, known for ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘LA Confidential’ fame, reported Contactmusic.

The film, slated to begin in the UK later this year, will revolve around the relationship between the twin brothers and their crime spree in London in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Kray Twins have previously been portrayed on celluloid by Spandau Ballet stars Martin and Gary Kemp, who portrayed the London crime bosses in 1990 movie ‘The Krays’.

For Hardy this isn’t the first gangster role he will be playing.

He played Bane, the antagonist, in Christopher Nolan’s final Batman movie ‘The Dark Knight Rises‘. He has also signed on to play a crime leader on British TV drama ‘Peaky Blinders’ for two seasons.

Source: MSN

Tom Hardy in talks to play both Kray twins in new film

Srivass hopes to repeat 'Lakshyam' success with Gopichand

Srivass, who is teaming up with Gopichand for the second time after Telugu blockbuster ‘Lakshyam’, in a yet untitled actioner, says he hopes to score another hit with their combination.

“Gopi and I will soon start working on a full-length action flick. I hope it will be as successful as ‘Lakshyam’, which Gopi considers as an important film in his career. We were supposed to work together earlier, but it didn’t materialize,” Srivass told us.

Basking in the success of his recent Telugu multi-starrer hit ‘Pandavulu Pandavulu Tummeda‘, Srivass wants to stay away from making films with an ensemble star cast.

“People have started calling me a multi-starrer expert. I don’t think I deserve such titles because I don’t consider myself an expert. In fact, I never wanted to do only multi-starrers but it so happened that there was a need to cast multiple stars for all my films so far,” he said.

“I want to make films with top heroes. I want to stay away from multi-starrers for a while. I need to prove that I can do other kind of films as well,” he added.

Besides ‘Lakshyam’, which was also a multi-starrer, Srivass has also directed ‘Rama Rama Krishna Krishna’, featuring actors Ram Pothineni and Arjun Sarja.

Source: MSN

Srivass hopes to repeat 'Lakshyam' success with Gopichand

Ben Kingsley joins cast of 'James Dean' film

Oscar winning British actor Ben Kingsley joins Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan in photographer-turned-filmmaker Anton Corbijn’s much-anticipated movie ‘James Dean’.

Italian actress Alessandra Mastronardi will also be part of the project, in which DeHaan will play tragic movie icon James Dean, reports contactmusic.

The film revolves around a 1955 road trip that actor James Dean took with Life Magazine photographer Dennis Stock, months before his death. Stock is credited with taking some of the most iconic images of Dean.

It’s not clear what roles Kingsley and Mastronardi will play in the movie.

Ben Kingsley joins cast of 'James Dean' film

Manisha Yadav bags role in 'Idam Porul Eval'

Impressed by her performance in National Award winning Tamil film ‘Vazhakku En 18/9′, filmmaker Seenu Ramasamy has roped in Manisha Yadav in upcoming drama ‘Idam Porul Eval’. She will essay the role of a girl belonging to a farmer’s family in the film.

“I really liked Manisha’s performances in ‘Vazhakku En 18/9′ and ‘Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer‘. I had auditioned a few girls for the role, but I felt she was apt. She plays a mountain-based farmer girl in the film and I feel she can do justice to it because she has handled mature roles,” Ramasamy told us.

Manisha will be paired with Vijay Sethupathi in the film, which also features Vishnu Vishal.

“We will start shooting from March. We are currently busy finalizing the rest of the cast, including Vishnu’s pair,” he added.

The National Award winning filmmaker Ramasamy is credited for catapulting the careers of Vijay and Vishal. He’s happy to collaborate with them again.

“They’ve wanted to collaborate for a long time. It has finally happened now. I’m extremely happy to see them become successful in the industry,” he said.

While Ramasamy worked with Vijay Sethupathi in ‘Thenmerku Paruvakaatru’, he collaborated with Vishnu Vishal in ‘Neerparavai’.

Source: MSN

Manisha Yadav bags role in 'Idam Porul Eval'

Justin Bieber releases new song 'Broken' since arrest

Troubled star Justin Bieber shared ‘Broken’, which is his first song since his January arrest in Miami Beach.

The 19-year-old singer, who was arrested in January for driving under the influence and drag racing, recently tweeted a link to ‘Broken’, said the Hollywood Reporter.

The song, which features rapper Blake Kelly, has lyrics like “they’re persistent, trying to break me down / I cannot be broken.

Justin Bieber releases new song 'Broken' since arrest

Minnie Driver says, Her son thinks she is a princess

‘Good Will Hunting‘ actress Minnie Driver says her five-year-old son Henry thinks that his mother is a princess.

The 44-year-old actress, who plays a single mother in TV show ‘About A Boy’, said she is not a neurotic parent like her character in the show, reported Daily Express.

“My son thinks I’m a princess at this particular juncture. He thinks everyone’s mom is in magazines. It’s really sweet,” Minnie said.

Minnie Driver says, Her son thinks she is a princess

Jamie Lee Curtis to Star in CBS Medical Drama

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis has landed the starring role in CBS’ untitled David Marshall Grant medical drama.

The 55-year-old actress, whose last regular TV role was in 1989 ‘Anything But Love’, would be playing Caroline, the quadruplets’ mother, who is a dynamic and distinguished physician, running the Easton Hospital, said The Hollywood Reporter.

Jamie Lee Curtis to Star in CBS Medical Drama

Anubhav Sinha could be direct next film romance, political drama

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha is gearing up to direct a film soon which will either be a love story, political drama or a thriller.

Sinha, who had last directed Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Ra.One‘, is ready with three scripts and he is likely to start work on one by this year end.

“I have three scripts ready, one is a love story, other is a political film and the last one is a thriller.

Anubhav Sinha could be direct next film romance, political drama

Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif will spend Time Together in Sri Lanka

Bollywood Lovebirds Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif After a much controversial Spanish vacation last year following which they returned separately. Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are reportedly planning to spend some time together in Sri Lanka.

The couple had made desperate attempts to keep their trip to Ibiza hush-hush, but images of the two in their swimming costumes surfaced online, thereby creating much hullabaloo. A source close to Katrina reveals, “Katrina and Ranbir have been trying to keep their schedule in sync with each other’s. Now, they even try to co-ordinate their outdoor shoots in such a way that one of them can drop in on the other’s sets.”

Currently, Katrina is busy shooting for Bang Bang in Manali while Ranbir is in Sri Lanka shooting for Bombay Velvet.

Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif will spend Time Together in Sri Lanka

Why Daniel Radcliffe sympathizes with long-haired women

‘Harry Potter‘ star Daniel Radcliffe, who is has grown his hair to play Igor in the new version of ‘Frankenstein‘, says it is harder than he expected.

The 24-year-old star showed off his new look on Sunday during WhatsOnStage Awards, where he won best actor in a play for ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’.

“I don’t mind how it looks, but I mind dealing with it. I don’t know why any man would have it voluntarily.

Why Daniel Radcliffe sympathizes with long-haired women

Kush Sinha directs sister Sonakshi for TV commercial

Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha’s son Kush has directed actress-sister Sonakshi for a TV commercial.

Kush, who has previously assisted likes of Sanjay Leela Bhansali on ‘Saawariya’ and Abhinav Kashyap on ‘Besharam‘ and ‘Dabanng‘, has recently taken on the mantle to shoot a new ad film with Sonkashi, 26.

“Our team developed the ad completely in house, from the initial conceptualisation to execution and delivery, while keeping the client involved in the process on a creative level.

Kush Sinha directs sister Sonakshi for TV commercial

Singer Robin Thicke and actress wife Paula Patton split

Singer Robin Thicke and wife Paula Patton have announced they had decided to separate after nine years of marriage.

The ‘Blurred Lines’ hitmaker and ‘Baggage Claim‘ actress, 37, are parents to son Julian, 3.

“We will always love each other and be best friends.

However, we have mutually decided to separate at this time,” the estranged spouses said in a joint statement.

Singer Robin Thicke and actress wife Paula Patton split

Amanda Seyfried Set By Seth MacFarlane For 'Ted' Sequel

Amanda Seyfried is all set to play the leading actress in ‘Ted 2′.

The previous part saw Mark Wahlberg‘s character got married to Mila Kunis‘, who was the female lead, at the end of the movie ‘Ted’, reported Ace Showbiz.

However, Kunis is still expected to appear in the sequel playing a small role. The shift reportedly happened due to creative differences between the creator Seth MacFarlane and his writing partners Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild.

Amanda Seyfried Set By Seth MacFarlane For 'Ted' Sequel

Hilary Duff dating new man?

Actress Hilary Duff was spotted holding hands with mystery hunk at Miley Cyrus concert last weekend.

Duff, 26, who announced her split from husband Comrie in January, walked into the Bangerz concert at the Staples Center arm-in-arm with a dark haired man, reported Radar online.

After the concert, Duff and her new man looked even closer as they left the concert holding hands.

Hilary Duff dating new man?

'Hunger Games: Catching Fire' 10th highest grossing film

Jennifer Lawrence starrer ‘Hunger Games’ sequel ‘Catching Fire‘ has become the 10th highest-grossing film of all time by earning USD 423.6 million.

The film has left Johnny Depp‘s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest‘ (USD 423.3 million) behind to reach the top-10 level, reported the Wrap.

It’s the first time that the first two installments of a franchise have grossed over USD 400 million at the domestic box office.

'Hunger Games: Catching Fire' 10th highest grossing film

Why does Yami Gautam relate to her character in Total Siyapaa

Yami Gautam says she can relate to her character in ‘Total Siyapaa‘ because she has experienced the same situations in real life.

A cross-border love story, Yami is seen as Punjabi girl Asha who falls in love with a Pakistani, Aman, played Pakistani singer-actor Ali Zafar.

“I think in terms of situations and gravity of the problems, I am little closer to Asha,” Yami said while promoting her film.

She says there are days when you think “today everything will be perfect” as “I have planned everything. I will get the guy to meet my mom, will do this and that… will have everything under my control, but eventually everything opposite happens.” Read more on msn.

Why does Yami Gautam relate to her character in Total Siyapaa

Poll- Most Americans have yet to watch any best-picture Oscar nominee

It may be one of the best years in recent memory for high-quality Hollywood film, but two-thirds of Americans have yet to see any of the movies nominated for the best picture Oscar, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Among other questions, the poll asked 1,433 Americans whether they had seen any of the nine best-picture nominees, plus two other films competing in other categories. The Academy Awards will be hosted by comedian Ellen DeGeneres on March 2.

Among those who responded to the online survey, Somali piracy thriller ‘Captain Phillips‘ was the most-watched film, at 15 percent. But 67 percent said they had yet to see any of the eleven films in the poll. Read More On MSN

Poll- Most Americans have yet to watch any best-picture Oscar nominee

Boyapati says, Legend to be first big summer release in Telugu

If all goes as planned, ‘Legend’, scheduled to release on March 28, will be the first big-budget release this summer in the language, says its director Boyapati Srinu.

“In all probability, the film will release March 28 worldwide. It will be the first big release in Telugu this summer. We are almost done with the shoot except for some patch work. We recently completed shooting in Dubai and London,” Boyapati told us.

“If not on March 28, then it will come out April 4. We have locked these two dates and are planning to release the film on either of these days,” he added.

Also starring Jagapathi Babu, Radhika Apte and Sonal Chauhan, ‘Legend’ has music by Devi Sri Prasad and is produced by 14 Reels Entertainment.

This is the second time Balakrishna and Boyapati have teamed up after the blockbuster ‘Simha’.

Source: MSN

Boyapati says, Legend to be first big summer release in Telugu

Imtiaz Ali finds mixed response to Highway positive

Imtiaz Ali is not affected by the mixed response that ‘Highway‘ is fetching in theatres. In fact, he believes it just shows that his film is making people think.

“I had to make this film and I made it, and put in my best. Mixed reactions mean that people are thinking,” the 42-year-old said.

Sounding nonchalant, the director said: “I have no problem with it. It’s good that there are mixed reactions. At least there are opinions. It is actually dangerous when people just say, ‘It’s good’,” he added.

Imtiaz has co-produced ‘Highway’ with Sajid Nadiadwala. The road movie stars Alia Bhatt and Randeep Hooda in lead roles. Read more on msn.

Imtiaz Ali finds mixed response to Highway positive

Jennifer Lawrence May Take A Year Off From Hollywood

Jennifer Lawrence, who has been shooting constantly for various films, is apparently planning to take a year-long hiatus from Hollywood.

The 23-year-old actress has been shooting for many of her films like ‘The Hunger Games‘ series and ‘X-Men‘ franchise without taking any break, reported Daily Mirror.

“She’s going to have a long break for a year where she won’t do anything. It’s been non-stop for her and she deserves a rest,” said Producer Harvey Weinstein, who worked with Lawrence in ‘Silver Linings Playbook‘.

“Jennifer is too nice and will do people favours and agrees to do a movie like ‘American Hustle‘ when she could have had a rest. She signed on to do ‘Hunger Games’ when she was young and wouldn’t have realised how much it would dominate her life. But she’s a professional and always will be,” he added.

Source: MSN

Jennifer Lawrence May Take A Year Off From Hollywood

Jackky Bhagnani: I'm not portraying Rahul Gandhi in Youngistaan

Jackky Bhagnani is playing a politician in ‘Youngistaan‘, but his role is not modeled on Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.

“I am interested in politics and I have always kept a tab on it. You may find the similarity in the looks, but I am not portraying Rahul Gandhi in the film,” Jackky told us.

Directed by Syed Ahmad Afzal, the film also featuring late actor Farooque Sheikh and Neha Sharma will hit the screens on March 28.

Recalling his shooting experience with Farooque, who will be seen in a prominent role in ‘Youngistaan’, Jackky said: “Farooque Sheikhji is playing my kind of father. It is a triangle love story between me, Neha and Farooque sir’s character.” Read more on msn.

Jackky Bhagnani: I'm not portraying Rahul Gandhi in Youngistaan

Amala Paul not confirmed to be Dhanush heroine in Tamil thriller

Vetrimaaran has clarified that he has not yet signed southern actress Amala Paul for his yet-untitled Tamil thriller with Dhanush, but he is definitely considering her for a role in it.

“We haven’t finalized on the leading lady yet. Amala Paul has been considered during our recent discussions, but we haven’t approached her with the story yet. In about a week’s time we should be able to finalize the heroine,” Vetrimaaran told us.

Amala and Dhanush recently completed shooting for Tamil romantic-comedy ‘Vela Illa Pattathari’.

Meanwhile, Dhanush recently started shooting for his second Hindi project with filmmaker R. Balakrishnan. The film also features megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

Amala is awaiting the release of her Tamil-Telugu bilingual ‘Nimirnthu Nil’.

Source: MSN

Amala Paul not confirmed to be Dhanush heroine in Tamil thriller

Anirudh Ravichander to shake a leg in Maan Karate

Anirudh Ravichander, known for his work in films such as ’3′ and ‘Ethir Neechal’, will for the first time feature in a song with actor Sivakarthikeyan in upcoming Tamil romantic-comedy ‘Maan Karate‘.

The song “Open the Tasmac” has been crooned by veteran musician Deva and Anirudh, who has also composed the tune.

“(I) will be featuring in a song in ‘Maan Karate’. ‘Open the Tasmac’ sung by Deva sir and myself,” Anirudh posted on his Twitter page.

Directed by Thirukumaran, ‘Maan Karate’ also features Hansika Motwani and Sindhu Tolani in important roles. It is slated for release March 28.

Source: MSN

Anirudh Ravichander to shake a leg in Maan Karate

Thiru says, Not nervous to release Naan Sigappu... with Kochadaiiyaan

Thiru says he’s not nervous about releasing ‘Naan Sigappu Manithan’ alongside superstar Rajnikanth-starrer ‘Kochadaiiyaan‘ on April 11. As of now, he is only concerned about completing the film before the release date.

“I’m not going to compete with any film and nor am I nervous to release my film with ‘Kochadaiiyaan’. I’m only bothered about handing over the first copy of my film to my producers in advance. I’m only concerned about finishing the film on time,” Thiru told us.

“Moreover, my producers zeroed in on the release date even before the makers of ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ did. Therefore, I always worked keeping in mind the release date and not worried about which film will I have to compete with,” he added.

Jointly produced by Disney UTV and Vishal Film Factory, ‘Naan Sigappu Manithan’ features Vishal Krishna and Lakshmi Menon in lead roles.

Thiru says working towards a deadline kept him engaged.

“My last film got delayed due to several reasons. I struggled to see it release in cinemas. It was nice for a change to be working against a deadline. Working towards a scheduled release date kept me on my toes throughout,” he said.

‘Naan Sigappu Manithan’ also features Iniya, Saranya Ponvannan, Jayaprakash and Jagan in important roles. It’s the story of a man suffering from narcolepsy, a neurological sleeping disorder.

Source: MSN

Thiru says, Not nervous to release Naan Sigappu... with Kochadaiiyaan

Didn't know Alia could sing so well, says dad Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt, whose daughter Alia Bhatt has crooned a song in her second film ‘Highway‘, says he had no idea she could sing as well.

“It was a surprise for me! I had no idea that she also sings so well. Goddess Saraswati has blessed her,” the 65-year-old said at an event.

Alia has crooned “Sooha saha” for the movie, which released on February 21.

The 20-year-old is getting a good response for her performance in ‘Highway’, a road film directed by Imtiaz Ali.

Alia recently said that she would love to be in a film made by her father, but Mahesh Bhatt says there are no plans for this as yet. Read more on msn.

Didn't know Alia could sing so well, says dad Mahesh Bhatt

Avatar actor Sam Worthington arrested for assaulting photographer

Sam Worthington, best known for playing the lead in 2009 blockbuster ‘Avatar‘, has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a photographer.

According to the New York City Police Department detective Kellyann Ort, Worthington, 37, had allegedly punched the photographer Sheng Li in the face following an altercation between them yesterday at 5.30 pm at a bar in Greenwich Village.

The altercation broke out after Li allegedly kicked the actor’s 26-year-old female companion in the leg.

According to NYPD Lieutenant John Grimpel,   Worthington, who has been charged with assault, was released on a desk appearance ticket.

“Yes, Sam Worthington was arrested tonight and charged with assault. He was released on a desk ticket with return to appear in court on February 26,” Grimpel said.

Ort said that Li, a 37-year-old photographer who lives in Manhattan, has also been held for arraignment.

No one was hospitalised following the incident.

It is said that Worthington’s female companion was his model girlfriend Lara Bingle.

The actor, who had recently sparked wedding rumours with Bingle, apparently yelled at Li during the altercation by saying “You kicked my wife”.

In addition to ‘Avatar’, Worthington has also acted in ‘Terminator Salvation’ (2009), ‘Clash of the Titans’ (2010) and ‘Man on a Ledge’ (2012).

Source: MSN

Avatar actor Sam Worthington arrested for assaulting photographer

Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux spark split rumours

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have sparked split rumours as the couple are reportedly dealing with a rough patch in their relationship.

The split rumours began to swirl when Theroux did not attend the actress’ 45th birthday on February 11 in LA, which she celebrated with close friends while ‘The Charlies Angels’ star attended a party at the Deth Killers store in New York city, reported Radar online.

“Justin asked Jen to come to New York City but she declined, citing the cold weather. She wanted to be in sunny Southern California with her friends,” a source said.

“It’s absolutely indicative of the status of Jen and Justin’s relationship. There is absolutely no wedding talk or planning going on,” the source added.

The couple reportedly have not been seen together since Christmas.

“The fact that Jen didn’t go to New York for Philip Seymour Hoffman’s funeral and to comfort Justin is another sign that their relationship is in trouble,” the source said.

“Her camp said Jen couldn’t go because of ongoing talks for her to be in an upcoming independent movie. Jen’s agent was brokering the deal, she wasn’t required to stay in Los Angeles,” the source added.

Source: MSN

Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux spark split rumours

The 45th NAACP Image Awards

Comedian and actor Kevin Hart won the coveted Entertainer of the Year at the NAACP Image Awards, while Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker was honored with awards for both his career and his latest role as a White House butler.

One week before the Academy Awards, one of the frontrunners for best picture ‘12 Years a Slave‘ won the best motion picture award for the real-life story of an American slave, while newcomer Lupita Nyong’o won best supporting actress for her first film role in the brutal drama.

The Image Awards organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are considered the top entertainment honors from an African American point of view and brought together a star-studded crowd that included talk show host and media magnate Oprah Winfrey, British actor Idris Elba and actress Kerry Washington.

Many award winners and presenters made note of the strong year for film based on African American themes and acclaimed performances from black actors, from both the United States and the United Kingdom.

The NAACP paid tribute to the late South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela with a presentation from Winfrey, who opened a girls school in South Africa to honor the statesman, and a musical performance by Stevie Wonder.

The 34-year-old Hart won the most coveted award of the night in a year that has seen the Philadelphia native’s career take off.

He is currently starring in the films ‘Ride Along‘ and ‘About Last Night‘. He also stars as himself in ‘Real Husbands of Hollywood’, for which he won best actor in a comedy series, while the show won the award for best TV comedy.

“I am on my toes right now,” joked Hart, who stands just 5 foot, 4 inches (1.6 meters), as he collected the top award.

“Right now I am working hard towards my own dream and the fact that that dream is becoming reality is unreal,” he said.

Source: MSN

The 45th NAACP Image Awards

Farhan Akhtar: Shaadi Ke Side Effects has no similarity with my real life

Farhan Akhtar‘s forthcoming film ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects‘ portrays how an Indian husband yearns to have the life of a single man even after marriage, but he says the plot has no “similarity” with his real life.

In an interview, Farhan gets down to talking about the comedy movie, which stars Vidya Balan, and also about his future projects: Read more on msn.

 

Farhan Akhtar: Shaadi Ke Side Effects has no similarity with my real life

Celebs praise Alia Bhatt's performance in 'Highway'

Bollywood celebrities praised newbie actress Alia Bhatt on her second film ‘Highway‘ and strongly recommended audience to watch the road movie.

Directed by Imtiaz Ali and also starring Randeep Hooda in a pivotal role, ‘Highway’ hit theatres Friday.

Karan Johar, who launched Alia in the Hindi Film industry with ‘Student of the Year‘, said, “I felt like a proud Parent when I saw ‘Highway’… Alia Bhatt is exceptional!!”

Sidharth Malhotra, who starred with Alia in her debut film, wished her luck.

“Must watch my Radha on the Highway tomorrow. Best of luck Alia, hearing great things, very excited, love and kiss,” Sidharth tweeted. Read more on msn.

Celebs praise Alia Bhatt's performance in 'Highway'

Farhan Akhtar's 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' leads IIFA 2014 nominations

‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag‘, a biopic on former athlete Milkha Singh, has bagged a maximum of 10 nominations for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, to be held in Tampa Bay, Florida later this year.

The nominations of the popular category for the 15th edition of the extravaganza, touted to be Indian cinema’s most spectacular awards outside the country, were announced last week.

Competing in close quarters with ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ are gun-fest ‘Goliyon Ki Raasleela – Ram-Leela‘ and the heart-wrenching ‘Aashiqui 2‘ with seven nominations each. The Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani‘ scored six nominations, said a statement.

Other appreciated films of 2013 – ‘Krrish 3‘, ‘Chennai Express‘, ‘Kai Po Che‘ and ‘The Lunchbox‘ have been nominated across various award categories for the awards, the winners of which will be announced at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay April 26. Read more on msn.

Farhan Akhtar's 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' leads IIFA 2014 nominations

Arjun Kapoor has Very Special Place in My Life, Says Alia Bhatt

Newcomer Alia Bhatt, whose second film ‘Highway‘ with Randeep Hooda hit the screens Friday, says she shares a very special bond with her ‘2 States‘ co-star Arjun Kapoor.

“For me he (Arjun) has a very special place in my life… we were shooting for ‘Highway’ and ’2 States’ around same time. He became a good friend of mine. He is a funny person and has a good sense of humor,” Alia said.

Alia has been romantically linked with Varun Dhawan and Arjun Kapoor since her entry in Bollywood, to which she said, “It doesn’t matter. If it’s not true or even true why it should bother me. I will never talk about who I am dating.

“The constant intrusion in my personal life by the media is part of their profession and job. I don’t have issues being clicked until and unless I am not looking good. About invasion of privacy you can only let a person invade the privacy if you allow them to cross the line,” she added. Read more on msn.

Arjun Kapoor has Very Special Place in My Life, Says Alia Bhatt

Director S. Mohan says Venkatesh Prasad's role vital in 'Sachin Tendulkar Kadu'

Venkatesh Prasad, who is making his cinematic debut in ‘Sachin…Tendulkar Kadu’, will be essaying an important role of a coach, says its director S. Mohan.

“Prasad’s role is very important in the film. We haven’t roped him in to capitalize on his popularity, but because of the story. The story revolves around an autistic boy who aspires to become Sachin Tendulkar. Venkatesh plays his coach in the film,” Mohan told us.

“Since the story revolves around cricket, I thought having real cricketers would make it even more authentic,” he added.

Child actor Snehith will play the role of the autistic boy, while actress Sushasini Maniratnam will be seen in the role of his mother.

“We have already started shooting with Prasad. His camaraderie with the boy will be one of the highlights of the film,” said Mohan.

Medium fast bowler Prasad represented India in 33 Tests and 161 one-day matches in his seven-year long career.

Source: MSN

Director S. Mohan says Venkatesh Prasad's role vital in 'Sachin Tendulkar Kadu'

Vidya Balan: Shaadi Ke Side Effects is for everyone

Vidya Balan says ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects‘ is not just for those who are married. All types of viewers will enjoy the entertainer, she believes.

Excited about the movie, in which she features with Farhan Akhtar, Vidya just hopes that “everyone will like it – be it those who are married, who are getting married, aged couples or even teenagers”.

“Everyone will like it because it is a relationship-based story. It will make you laugh and you will relate with it,” the 33-year-old said.

Vidya said that at a recently held private screening of ‘Shaadi Ke Side Effects’, people could relate to the movie. Read more on msn.

Vidya Balan: Shaadi Ke Side Effects is for everyone

Oscar hopefuls shake different money trees on way to screen

Joe Newcomb, a failed minor league baseball player who struck it rich as a Texas chemical trader, will be among those crossing their fingers in the Dolby Theatre audience on March 2 when the Academy Awards are handed out.

Newcomb financed scrappy best picture Oscar contender ‘Dallas Buyers Club‘. In the category of film financiers, he’ll be joined by Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison’s daughter Megan, who provided funds for ‘American Hustle‘ and ‘Her‘, by ‘12 Years a Slave‘ backer Bill Pohlad, whose family owns the Minnesota Twins baseball team, and financiers who assembled investors in Asia and the Middle East to back ‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘.

There have always been oil men and others eager to invest in Hollywood, the last few years indicate they are playing an increasingly important role in financing Oscar contenders.

Five of the nine films nominated for best picture this year made it to the big screen with the help of investors who are outside the Hollywood studios. It’s a trend that’s intensified in recent years, as studios try to reduce their risk in making films.

“The studios’ business model no longer accommodates a lot of pictures that strive for the type of critical success that would support an Oscar campaign,” said Steven Prough, managing director of investment banking firm Salem Partners.

“They want films that have a higher likelihood of appeal to worldwide audiences, which is generated by large budgets and special effects.”

Pohlad and Ellison have been among the hopefuls before. Ellison financed last year’s Oscar nominee ‘Zero Dark Thirty’, while Pohlad backed 2006 contender ‘Brokeback Mountain’ and ‘The Tree of Life’, which was nominated in 2012.

Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures emerged as the hot new player in Hollywood in the last few years, and not only for her check book, but also because of her willingness to take risks and support directors.

Ellison “just really believed in us and stood fast by us on a project that may have scared many other people,” said ‘American Hustle’ director David O. Russell. “She really trusted her own instincts, and I’m forever indebted to her for that.”

Source MSN

Oscar hopefuls shake different money trees on way to screen

Will Smith in Talks to Star in Sci-Fi Thriller Brilliance

Will Smith is in early talks to feature in ‘Brilliance’.

If all goes well, the 45-year-old will be a part of the movie based on the novel by Marcus Sakey, reports Variety.

The movie will be directed by Julius Onah, while Joe Roth and Palak Patel have come on board as producers.

‘Brilliance’ is set in a world where one percent of the children born are savants (aka brilliants) with special powers. A federal agent who has become a master hunter of terrorists must track down a savant terrorist who intends to start a civil war.

Source: MSN

Will Smith in Talks to Star in Sci-Fi Thriller Brilliance

Mohan Babu's natural look in RGV's 'Rowdy'

Manchu Mohan Babu, for the first time in the last many years, will appear sans a toupee in Rowdy’.

“Mohan Babu will be seen in his natural avatar in RGV’s forthcoming big action film ‘Rowdy’, sporting his real look without toupee. The power packed team behind the movie feels the intensity of this film is sure to freeze the audience this summer,” read a statement from the film’s production AV Pictures.

The 61-year old has been sporting a toupee for his roles in recent films like ‘Pandavulu Pandavulu Tummeda’, ‘Jhummandi Naadam’ and ‘Saleem’.

After many years, Mohan Babu is paired with veteran actress Jayasudha in the film, which also features his son Manchu Vishnu.

Mohan and Jayasudha have earlier worked together in films such as ‘Gruhapravesham’, ‘Sivaranjani’ and ‘Edadugula Bandham’.

The makers believe ‘Rowdy’ will be bigger than many hits of Mohan Babu.

“Producers of the film, Parthasarathy, Gajendra and Vijaykumar of AV Pictures say that the film’s impact is expected to be even bigger than Mohan Babu’s hit films such as ‘Peddarayadu’ and ‘Rayalaseema Ramana Chowdary’,” added the statement.

Actress Shanvi Srivastav will be seen in an important role in the film, which has music by Sri Karthik.

The film was reportedly completed in 18 days.

Source: MSN

Mohan Babu's natural look in RGV's 'Rowdy'