She seemed out of it, says Amy Winehouse's mother

Amy Winehouse's mother said the singer seemed unwell a day before she died, a British newspaper reported Sunday, while her family mourned the loss of "a wonderful daughter, sister, niece" and more tributes flowed in from fans and fellow performers.

A mound of flowers, messages and handwritten notes grew Sunday outside of the north London home where ambulance crews found the singer dead before they arrived on Saturday.

"R.I.P. Never Forgotten," read one message, while another said "It's all right, love. Go now."

The Sunday Mirror quoted Janis Winehouse as saying she believed it was "only a matter of time" before her daughter died. The 27-year-old singer had publicly struggled with drug and alcohol abuse for years.

"She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn't hit me," Janis told the tabloid.

Police said the cause of her death is being treated as "unexplained," rejecting speculation that she died from a drug overdose as "inappropriate." The circumstances surrounding her death are not yet clear, but police said a post-mortem is expected Monday or Tuesday.

Her spokesman, Chris Goodman, confirmed Sunday that a security guard had found her body and called ambulance services.

"Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece. She leaves a gaping hole in our lives," the family of the "Back to Black" singer said in a statement, and requested privacy.

In her short lifetime, Winehouse too often made headlines because of drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, destructive relationships and abortive performances.

Actor Russell Brand, a former drug addict, wrote a lengthy tribute to Winehouse, urging the media and public to change the way addiction is perceived -- "not as a crime or a romantic affectation but as a disease that will kill."

"Winehouse and I shared an affliction, the disease of addiction," he wrote. "Addiction is a serious disease; it will end with jail, mental institutions or death."

Others, like American singer Carole King, whose song Will You Love Me Tomorrow was covered by Winehouse, recalled her small, but powerful body of recorded music.

"She did such a beautiful performance on it," King told the BBC, saying that she was grateful to the late singer for the recording. "I just really hope that she's found peace now wherever she is."

No information about funeral or burial was immediately available.

Is Sanjay upset with Salman?

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt invited Shah Rukh Khan to his home! Looks like Sanju and Sallu's patch-up is just a facade.

It seems there's much more to the verbal duel and ceasefire that happened between B-Town's 'good friends' Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan at Maanayata Dutt's birthday bash on Thursday.

Apparently, Sanju is still extremely upset with Sallu. And to show the Dabaang star that he hasn't forgiven him, Dutt hosted a get-together for Shah Rukh Khan at his house on Sunday night.

"Hrithik Roshan and Arjun Rampal were also invited for it," divulges a close friend of Dutt.

"And Salman had no clue about it." A source, who was present when the Thursday incident happened, says, "Salman wasn't invited for the party in the first place. In fact, Sanju was talking to their common friend, Prashant, to invite him. But when Prashant told him that he was with Salman who was asking why he wasn't invited, Sanju asked Sallu to come over, too."

Apparently, Salman was quite inebriated when he sauntered in with Zarine Khan. Apart from expressing his disappointment at Sanjay's refusal to play his father in Bodyguard, Salman, it is learnt, was also curt to Maanyata.

"Sallu told her that he won't address her as bhabhi, but by her name," says the source, adding that Sanju got angry with the way Salman was talking to his wife.

Further, Salman was also rude to Kumar Gaurav. Our source recalls, "Salman told Kumar Gaurav that he had launched new girls into stardom. So he could even give a hit debut to his daughter Saachi. Before things got real ugly, Prashant and Rohit Jugraj escorted him out."

Even after the party ended, Sanjay was so angry that he wanted to opt out of Bigg Boss which they are co-hosting. Later, on Friday, when Salman heard about it, he called Sanjay to apologise.

"Even though the deal was signed, it took a lot for Sanjay to not walk out of the show. Moreover it was Salman who had suggested that he and Sanju host the show together," informs our source.

According to a unit member from the promo shoot at Film City, the atmosphere was tense till afternoon. "However, when Sanju gave Salman a hug, everyone in the unit heaved a sigh of relief."

Meanwhile efforts are on to make everything look hunky-dory between the two stars, but that is not the case it seems. "Sanju is keeping his calm only for the sake of the shows" says the source.

Murder 2 success party

The success party for Murder 2 might have got postponed because of the Mumbai blasts last week, but when it did happen, the actors made sure they enjoyed themselves to the hilt.

While Soni Razdan gave hubby Mahesh Bhatt company, Smilie Suri was there for brother Mohit Suri. A huge chocolate cake was brought out for the cast and crew, which Emraan Hashmi and Mohit decided to 'murder', quite literally!

Mukesh Bhatt, Prashant Narayanan, Manav Gohil and Shweta Kawaatra and Vikram Bhatt were some of the others who dropped in to celebrate.

Bollywood Sonakshi Sinha at a spa launch in Mumbai

Sonakshi Sinha with Tabeer Amrohi

Who could have thought that zodiac signs could be brought into the relaxation sphere? Well, Tabeer Amrohi did!

And Rasi - The Zodiac Spa & Salon, that introduces India to sun signs through the atmosphere of spa and salon for the very first time, is a result of that. Tabeer, Director of the spa, shared her excitement over the launch, "I'm so happy to see my dream turn into reality. The positive feedback of the concept and the place is overwhelming. Come, find your inner you with us at Rasi."

Sonakshi Sinha graced the occasion as did Neetu Chandra, Eesha Koppikhar, Babita Malkani, Shama Sikander, Shibani Kashyap, Karishma Tanna and Anita Hassanandani. Psychic and Tarot card reader Kavita Bhagat was also present. The guests were impressed with the spacious, elegant treatment rooms, that were further gently illuminated by dim lights for a sense of luxury matching international standards.

Distant Rihanna just goes through the motions

Her repertoire has expanded, but her approach hasn’t changed. Pop/r & b idol and one-time Chris Brown batteree Rihanna continues to play the distant diva in live performance, staging a grand spectacle filled with massive video screens, glowing orbs and expansive wardrobes but revealing little about herself in the process.

The Barbadian star doesn’t bare her soul onstage, she doesn’t really dance — unless you consider writhing dancing — and her voice, while distinctive and strong within its prescribed range, doesn’t necessarily make her a standout singer.

At the nearly sold-out TD Garden last night, she did, however, bring star power and sex appeal to spare, along with a two-hour set list of mega-hits divided into segments defined by attire and mood.

Her opening salvo — featuring dancers in garish neon outfits, Rihanna in a bejeweled bikini and tracks including “Only Girl (In the World),” the island-influenced “Man Down” and “Disturbia” — came off as abrasive and yet slightly lifeless.

Things got looser during a naughty segment that pitted Rihanna as the urban world’s answer to Madonna. Dancers clad in black leather pawed at the star as she played dominatrix, switched roles and landed in chains for “S & M” and simulated sex with a male fan.

A ballad section displayed impressive vocal chops and proved her wardrobe includes more than bodysuits, as she donned a yellow gown for “Hate That I Love You” and “California King Bed.”

The 23-year-old seemed to hit her stride during a sassy interlude that found her in camouflage gear, maneuvering around a pink tank for “Raining Men,” “Hard” and “Breakin’ Dishes.”

Throughout, Rihanna remained confident and playful; more than once she laughed too hard to actually sing. Her star has clearly grown from the days of “Pon de Replay,” which got a brief, pre-recorded video treatment last night but no live rendition, and she commands the stage with ease. With help from her live band, songs such as “What’s My Name,” “Rude Boy” and show-closer “Umbrella” all knocked appropriately. Still, it seemed more like she was going through the motions than fully investing herself.

Hollywood hunts for fan love at Comic-Con

"Snow White and the Huntsman," the fairy tale project that begins shooting next week in the U.K. with Kristen Stewart of "Twilight" fame as the lead, has some tough hurdles to overcome. It's competing with another "Snow White" project from Relativity Media that has already begun filming and features Julia Roberts as the evil queen. It's also set to come out June 1, three months after Relativity's "Snow White" movie will debut — and close to two months before a Comic-Con International audience will be back in San Diego.

What's a studio to do?

How about recruit fans at Comic-Con 2011 with some stills of the cast in costume, a charming British director with an impressive commercial reel and a crew of good-looking lead actors? That's what Universal Pictures did Saturday afternoon during a panel featuring Stewart, evil queen Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman and Sam Claflin ("Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides") as the prince.

It was one of a number of high-profile pitches from Hollywood, blatantly trying to channel the fan energy pooling in every hall, room and corridor of Comic-Con into buzz and ticket sales for new projects. Along with "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "Cowboys and Aliens" and "Conan the Barbarian" offered up cast members and more to eager audiences at the festival, which closed Sunday.

The fun of the "Snow White" panel came from the cast, with Theron providing most of the comic relief. Since the cast just met each other recently, moderator Dave Karger, from Entertainment Weekly magazine, conducted a series of ice-breakers, questions like "What are you like on the set? Do you like to improv?"

"I'm very well-behaved," said Stewart, who added she is excited to wear her armor and carry a shield as a Snow White with little resemblance to the Disney princess that sings to the birds. "I take myself very seriously."

"You'll be fine, Kristen," responded Theron, who compared her evil queen to a serial killer, one with a fantastic costume designed by Academy Award winner Colleen Atwood. "I'm an Oscar winner, so I take myself very seriously," she said with a laugh.

Stewart got into the fun when asked whether she's like her character. "I'd like to be more like her …. But I am the fairest in the land, and I have a seriously good heart," she said. Added Hemsworth: "And she really likes apples."

Sanders also introduced a photo of his eight dwarves — a who's who of the British acting scene: Nick Frost, Ray Winstone, Toby Jones, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Eddie Marsan, Eddie Izzard and Stephen Graham. Why there are eight dwarves? "Because there are a few great lines when one of them gets killed," Sanders said.

One fan asked about the casting challenges Universal had with finding its huntsman, a role Hemsworth took only after a long line of actors, including Viggo Mortensen and Tom Hardy, turned it down. Said Hemsworth, fresh off his role as superhero Thor: "The teaser was impressive, the script was fantastic. I'm pretty simple. Either I like it or I don't. This sounded like fun…. Plus, there was no one else left."

'Glee's' graduation quandry

At the "Glee" panel held Sunday, some things got murkier when co-creator and executive producer Brad Falchuk attempted to clear things up. Remember all those reports in which co-creator Ryan Murphy was quoted as saying stars Chris Colfer, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith would be graduating this season and not returning for the show's fourth? And remember Chris Colfer commenting on it as well? Well, Falchuck is saying the exodus isn't so.

"Just because they're graduating, doesn't mean they are leaving the show," he said. "It is not our intention to let them go … they are not done with the show."

Later, Falchuk said the executive producers had explored the option of a spin-off with with Kurt (Colfer) and Rachel (Michele) but are "leaning against doing it."

Falchuk reiterated that the upcoming season would be less heavy on stunt casting and special episodes. But he didn't deny that a tribute episode was a possibility.

And don't cry a river for Mercedes (Amber Riley). She will be getting another love interest whom she will have met over the summer. He'll drive her arc in the first half of the season.

Garfield is Spidey sensitive

After the teaser trailer for "The Amazing Spider-Man" was released this week to lukewarm reception, Sony was charged with wowing audiences at Comic-Con with its reboot of the web-slinger franchise, this time directed by Marc Webb ("(500) Days of Summer").

The trailer played well to the packed room Friday, but it was the new Peter Parker himself, Andrew Garfield, who won fans over: He stood up in the audience in Hall H in a low-rent Spider-Man costume and delivered an emotional speech about how much he loved the character.