Rihanna spotted leaving sex shop in Sydney

Pop star Rihanna has been spotted leaving a notorious sex shop in Australia. 

The S&M singer, known for her saucy stage outfits and suggestive songs, proved she really is a Good Girl Gone Bad as she flashed photographers a cheeky smile while leaving The Tool Shed in Sydney, reports the Daily Mail .

The 23-year-old singer wore a cute cropped top, beige trousers and heels as she was escorted from the store, situated in the heart of the city's gay district.

Moments before, the singer's assistant had left the shop laden with two black bags full of purchases.

Though Rihanna kept quiet about the contents of the bags, her smile said it all as she was escorted into a waiting car by her minders.

A spokesman for the shop later said that the visit was arranged earlier in the day and they had to ensure no one else was in the store while she was there.

"I can't say what she did or what she bought, it's top secret," the Spokesman said.

It's widely thought that Rihanna, who is currently in Australia with her 'Last Girl On Earth' tour, will be appearing at the gay and lesbian Mardi Gras festival this Saturday in Sydney.

Madonna’s ‘W.E.’ to premiere at Venice Film Festival

London, March 4 – Pop diva Madonna’s new film ‘W.E.’ will reportedly premiere at the Venice Film Festival. 

The 52-year-old singer has directed ‘W.E.’ – a two-tier tale about Britain’s King Edward VIII’s relationship with American Wallis Simpson – and the full feature will be shown to critics and audiences at the film festival in September, reports contactmusic.com.

The film stars Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough and Laurence Fox apart from Madonna’s 14-year-old daughter Lourdes, who has been given a cameo in the film.

The 52-year-old earlier said she had put her music career on hold so she could concentrate on her family life and the movie.

‘I haven’t really been focused as much as I should be on the music part of my career, because the movie has consumed every inch of me. Between that and my four children, I don’t have the time or energy for anything else,’ she said.

Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra in run for fun, fearless award

New Delhi, March 4 – Bollywood beauties Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra are in the run for Cosmopolitan Magazine’s fun, fearless awards, to be held in Mumbai Saturday.

 

The three actresses are competing in Fun, Fearless Female All Time Reader’s Choice Award this year.

Other categories include – Fun, Fearless Power Couple award, for which the nominees are – Kareena Kapoor-Saif Ali Khan; Hrithik Roshan-Sussanne Khan and Arbaaz Khan-Malaika Arora Khan.

There is also a Fun, Fearless Male 2010 Reader’s Choice Award, and Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Salman Khan, and Arjun Rampal are competing for the title in this category.

The event, in its third edition now, takes place annually in India, Britain and the US. 

“The Fun, Fearless Female Awards is a cult, one-of-its-kind event that celebrates all that’s iconic of the Cosmo woman – her attitude, drive, and the never-say-never spirit,” Nandini Bhalla, editor of Cosmopolitan, said in a press statement.

The organisers are expecting a star-studded turnout at the event Saturday at the Taj Land’s End, Mumbai.

“The response has been tremendous – from readers, Bollywood favourites, and the industry. The Fun Fearless Awards are a pat on the back to women (and some special men) from different areas of life-acting, music, theatre, and more.

“Last year’s awards saw a great turnout – Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, and more. And this year’s awards promise to be bigger, better, and more Cosmo than ever,” said Mala Sekhri, chief operating officer, Lifestyle Magazines, India Today Group.

Mike Myers secretly marries girlfriend

New York, March 5 – Canadian actor Mike Myers has married longtime girlfriend in a secret ceremony five months ago, says his representative. 

The ‘Austin Powers’ star was dating Tisdale since 2006, shortly after he ended 12-year marriage with writer/actress Robin Ruzan, reports nypost.com.

Their divorce was finalized in 2007. Tisdale has previously dated dance music star Moby. 

Myers’ was last seen in ‘Inglourious Basterds’ in which he portrayed Gen. Ed Fenech. He also lent his voice for the titular character in ‘Shrek Forever After’. 

IANS

We will miss Amitabh Bachchan at IIFA: Anil Kapoor

Mumbai, March 4 – Anil Kapoor says he will miss his colleague and Bollwyood megastar Amitabh Bachchan at the upcoming 12th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards.

 

After an association of more than a decade, Amitabh has ceased to be IIFA brand ambassador. 

“We will definitely miss Mr. Bachchan because he is in the psyche of the people all over the world who like cinema. He is in our blood stream. He is a huge star and we will definitely miss him. His absence will be felt,” Anil told reporters here Friday.

Big B has been IIFA brand Ambassdor since 2000, when it was conceptualised and launched.

This year the organiser, Wizcraft Entertainment, has scrapped the concept of having a brand ambassador. Now IIFA will go ahead with the new concept – Friends of IIFA – where no one person will be the face of the mega event.

“I’m glad that IIFA started this concept because we are a family and its important that at a global platform we all should come together and not just as a single person,” said Kareena Kapoor.

Added Karan Johar: “This concept of friends of IIFA works both ways, emotionally and structurally.”

Work on ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’ sequel is on: Bobby Deol

New Delhi, March 5 – After the stupendous success of comedy caper ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’, actor Bobby Deol has revealed that work on the sequel to the film has started. 

‘We are definitely coming out with a sequel to the film, it’s a dream for us to make a sequel but the work is still on so I can’t say much about it. Meanwhile, I am just enjoying the success of the film,’ Bobby said at the launch of model-turned-actors Milind Soman and Rahul Dev’s fitness and spa centre ‘Breathe’ at South Extension here Friday.

The film saw all the three Deols Sunny, Bobby and their father veteran actor Dharmendra tickling audiences’ funny bones with their impeccable comic timing.

Since Bobby was not well he made a brief appearance at the launch and left early.

‘I have not been keeping well for sometime but Rahul is a very good friend of mine and I had promised him that I would come. I didn’t want to disappoint him, so I am here,’ Bobby said.

Although Milind was missing from the launch, Rahul along with his younger brother actor Mukul Dev made sure that they attended all their guests personally. 

IANS

Arterton feels younger without make-up

London, March 5 – British actress Gemma Arterton says she doesn’t like to go overboard with cosmetics as she likes the natural look. 

‘I remember going out and thinking, ‘I’m not wearing any mascara and I’m going to an event!’ But too much make-up makes me look old,’ femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying.

Arterton also revealed she gets ‘nervous’ while dressing for the red carpet.

‘I can get a bit nervous about what people will say about my outfit when it’s a really big event, but under normal circumstances I don’t really care.

‘In my personal life I love experimenting with fashion, but I have luckily managed to separate my everyday life from my job, so I don’t get scrutinised about what I’m wearing on a daily basis.’ 

IANS

Berlin cleared misconceptions about ‘My Friend Hitler’: Scriptwriter

New Delhi, March 5 – Nalin Singh, scriptwriter of ‘My Friend Hitler’, says the western media misinterpreted his story which was based on letters written to the German dictator by Mahatma Gandhi. He says the film’s screening at the Berlin Film Festival cleared misconceptions about it. 

‘The Indian media understood the concept well…none of the national, regional newspapers or media made it look like a controversial one. The controversy started with an article in the Guardian newspaper in London written by Alex Von Tunzelman. All the western media followed that story,’ Singh told IANS in an Interview.

‘The Guardian story took the reference of some other story. None of the journos bothered to take our interview or point of view, they were selling ’sensationalism’ well to their ‘target audience’,’ said Singh, a first time scriptwriter who also plays a part in the movie. He features as Hitler’s think tank and propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

The project was first announced in 2008 with Anupam Kher as Hitler but the veteran actor backed out following protests by the Jewish Federation headed by Jonathan Solomon, who was outraged on learning that an Indian director will depict how the tyrant ‘indirectly contributed to India’s independence’.

A pass out of IMT Ghaziabad management school, Singh did his production and direction course from TV 18 and was also active in Delhi’s street theatre circuit.

Asked whether controversy helped the film, he said: ‘I would be more interested in staying in the news for the right reasons. None in Bollywood could dare to attempt this topic because of the risk involved in the language, because it’s a period film. Berlin had to be recreated in India and and required the minutest detailing and research of the sets and the properties used…’

Directed by debutant Rakesh Ranjan Kumar, the film stars Raghuvir Yadav as Adolf Hitler and Neha Dhupia as his partner Eva Braun. It is produced by the Amrapali Group, a real estate developer, and may hit the screens after the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament that ends in May.

The movie has three tracks – Hitler, Gandhi and connecting them the Azad Hind Fauj.

The film was screened at the Berlin film festival last month and Singh says, ‘the international cut will be in German, French and English and won’t have songs.’

‘The movie evoked a very positive response (at the Berlin film fest). We are very, very, very happy with the results that we have got…all the misconceptions about the movie just got cleared and people have started praising the brilliant concept which is truly international and yet so Indian.’

The Indian version will have a Holi song and a bhajan.

Reacting to the foreign media calling it a typical Bollywood song and dance number without seeing it, he said: ‘It is high time the western media accepted the way we Indians are. We love songs and music. And, for God’s sake, Hitler is not dancing around the trees to sing songs. It does have a bhajan ‘Vaishnav janato’ which was a reality at the time of Gandhi.

‘The movie also is not a copy of ‘Downfall’, which shows Hitler’s last days inside a bunker. There might be some common sequences in all the movies though, as all of them are based on facts of history.’

Singh says the Hindi version of ‘Dear Friend Hitler’ was a challenge.

‘Two years of hard research, to do ‘Dear Friend Hitler’ in Hindi was a major challenge. This is the first time that Bollywood has adapted a foreign subject and we are doing it in Hindi. Earlier, we have seen Gandhi, Ramayan and our slumdogs speaking in their language…Hitler was a German, when he can speak in English in ‘The Last Ten Days’ why can’t he speak in Hindi?’ argued Singh.

What is the ratio of history and fiction in his script?

‘Very few fictional characters….I believe the story has to be told interestingly and the treatment has to be pacy and gripping.’

‘We have put in our best. The movie is going to be talked about for years. It glorifies India’s stand for peace at a time when the whole world was fighting World War II; we were fighting for our independence through ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence). History had never seen such a fight for independence, and we won.’

About the expectations from the film, he said: ‘I would be a happy filmmaker if I could change even one Westerner’s view towards India.’

(Arpana can be contacted at arpana.s@ians.in) 

IANS

IIFA to hold Raj Kapoor film festival

Mumbai, March 4 – The 12th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend, to be held in Toronto this year, will organise a Raj Kapoor retrospect.
 

“I have been part of IIFA since 12 years now and for the last four years I have been performing consecutively. But this year is going to be more special to me because Wizcraft and IIFA are having a Raj Kapoor retrospect,” Kareena, grand-daughter of Raj Kapoor, told reporters here Friday.

“It’s going to be very special and emotional. I’m very excited about that than anything else because Raj Kapoor was not only my grandfather but a man, who defined Hindi cinema,” she added.

The IIFA weekend will be held across the cities of Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga and Markham in the Greater Toronto Area from June 23-25.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is also the advisory board member of IIFA, said the retrospect will be held in association with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

“TIFF is a great platform that has supported Hollywood and world cinema for many years. Recently, its association with Hindi cinema has been tremendous and now it brings the golden era man Raj Kapoor on the surface of the Hollywood industry. It’s a great idea which is supported by IIFA,” said Karan.

Apart from this, the three-day show will feature world premiere of a select films, an awards gala, a fashion show and other interactive events.

Abhishek Bachchan no more interested in 8-pack abs

Mumbai, March 3 - He is stylish, handsome, dashing and acting is in his blood. Son of the millenium mega-star Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan is a remarkable actor. This star kid, in the beginning had a series of flop films piled beside his name. But after a tough initiation in the film industry, slowly he made a name and position of himself, in the industry, rather than being called as just a super star’s son. Obviously, the nation expects a lot from him, since he is the mega star’s son, but then he is constantly growing as an actor, and has proved his versatility as an actor. Some of his well received films are “Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon”, “Yuva”, “Bunty Aur Babli”, “Sarkar Raj”, “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna”, “Guru”, “Dostana” and “Paa”.

Chote Sarkar, has got a number of upcoming action films this year, on his list like “Dum Maaro Dum”, “Game”, “Dhoom 3″. Bollywood action heroes prefer to be muscular with 6 or 8 pack abs. But Abhi seems to opt for a different look. He has backed out from the idea of 8 pack abs, instead of that muscular look, he will be seen in a much leaner frame. He also wants to perform all his stunts by himself, just like Hollywood actors. He is presently in New Zealand working on himself, to attain a lean look. Hollywood trainers are assisting him to achieve the new look.

Kristen Stewart fell in love at first sight

Washington, March 04 – ‘Twilight’ director Catherine Hardwicke has spilled the beans on how Kristen Stewart fell in love with Robert Pattinson.

 

Hardwicke said Stewart felt an instant attraction to Pattinson when the couple first met for their audition.

“I looked at a couple pictures and was like, ‘I’m not sure.’ He had been fired from his last job, he was unemployed, he was in debt,” Contactmusic quoted Hardwicke as saying.

“I have footage of their first meeting at my dining-room table. Kristen was like, ‘It’s got to be Rob!’ She felt connected to him from the first moment. That electricity, or love at first sight, or whatever it is.”

While Stewart, 20, eventually managed to convince the director to hire Pattinson, Hardwicke revealed she made him promise not to get romantically involved with his co-star because she was only 17 at the time and he was four years older.

She explained to Newsweek: “I told him, ‘You’ve got to realize that Kristen is 17 years old. She’s underage. You’ve got to focus, dude, or you’re going to be arrested.’ I made him swear on a stack of Bibles.” (ANI)