Just A Minute With: Priyanka Chopra

MUMBAI, Jan 7 She is the girl with the golden touch. In the past few years, Priyanka Chopra has cemented her place as one of the most bankable heroines in Bollywood.

From "Dostana" to "Kaminey", the dusky 27-year-old is experimenting with different roles but admits that at times she prefers to do "simplistic films".

Chopra spoke to Reuters about her new film "Pyaar Impossible", why she may not get any awards this year and how 2009 fared in her books.

Q: What made you say yes to "Pyaar Impossible"? It seems like a regular love story.

A: "When Uday Chopra and Jugal Hansraj came to me I think even they were not sure whether I would do the film, but what appealed to me was the simplicity of the script. At that point I was doing films like 'Kaminey' and 'What's Your Raashee'. I had just finished 'Fashion', all of which were very difficult films. The simplicity of the love story was something I really liked."

Q: Your roles in the last couple of years have really differed. How do you see your growth as an actor during this time?

A: "I feel that I have just recently understood what acting really is and what I can do. I was very young when I started out, I was just 17. So now I am like a kid in a toy store. In every film, I want to do something different. I want to do different kinds of roles, different kinds of looks. I am very grateful for the last five or six films that I have done, because they have given me that kind of space."

Q: Now that awards season is coming up, do you have any hopes from any of your films in 2009?

A: "Well, I don't know about that. I am excited. 'Kaminey' got a great response for me. People loved my work in the film and it was something I didn't expect. Anyway I try not to have expectations. Plus, I am not going to be in India at that time, and you know how awards are, you have to be there."

Q: How has 2009 been for you?

A: "It was great. I won my Best Actress (award) this year for 'Fashion'. 'Fashion' was really special because it was such a girl's movie and was so heavy on me. The fact that a film like that did the business that it did, made me feel really good about myself. A lot of people said who is going to watch a female-centric film, but it had a great opening despite being an A- certificate film. 'What's Your Raashee' didn't do as well as it should have, so that upset me. I had put in a lot of work into the film but that is my job. As an actor you have to put you heart and soul into every film."

Q: You had two of your toughest roles in "What's Your Raashee" and "Kaminey".

A: "Yes, both were hugely tough roles. 'Kaminey', especially because the character came from a background I didn't identify with at all. It was crucial that Sweety had an intrinsic earthiness to her, which was difficult for me.

"It is easier for me to do 'Dostana'. That is why I was hugely surprised when I got the reviews that I got for this film. It might be a risky proposition but what's the point if you don't push the envelope? There will be a time when you do a film that you know will do well, and even I will do those films once in a while."

Q: You've also been accused of overworking, pushing yourself a lot. Is that true?

A: "Come on, I just fell ill during two films. During 'Dostana' I was working hard, I had two films releasing at that point. But imagine I was talking to you slowly and without any energy. How boring would I be. I love my energy and I am at my happiest when I am on set."

Q: Have people been telling you to slow down?

A: "My parents told me for a while… but who listens to parents anyway? (laughs). I did listen, I went for a holiday, I am obedient like that. But then I came back and wanted to work. Now my mother has given up on me. I love people, I love my work."

Q: Which films are in the pipeline?

A: "Well, there is 'Anjaana Anjaani' with Ranbir Kapoor which is a love story with a fresh twist to it. Then I am starting Vishal's (Bhardwaj's) film which will be my most difficult film, even though I know I say that about every film. It is like a dark comedy and it's a part which is so brilliantly written. We have lots of male leads in the film -- there are about seven husbands in the film. But I cannot say anything more about it."

'3 Idiots' makers, Chetan Bhagat fight over story credit

MUMBAI, Jan 3 – Author Chetan Bhagat has accused makers of the film '3 Idiots', modelled after his best-selling debut novel 'Five Point Someone', of not giving him credit for the story.

Bhagat, who sold the rights of his book to producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, sparked off a row after he posted a message on his Twitter account on Saturday accusing the '3 Idiots' team of "negating his contribution."

"They (film makers) added a story credit right upfront, without my name, negating my contribution. That is the issue," Bhagat wrote.

The allegations followed a blog post in which he accused the makers of '3 Idiots' of "copying an original story and claiming it to be different."

The team of '3 Idiots' responded by accusing the best-selling author of "lying".

"Bhagat has signed a contract with us, giving us the right to modify or change the story. The contract also clearly states that credit shall be given to him in the rolling credits of the film, which was duly done," director Rajkumar Hirani said.

Bhagat was paid an amount of Rs 9.9 lakhs for rights of the film, according to a document posted on Chopra's website.

Bhagat, who has written four books so far and is one of India's most successful authors, said he was hurt that the credit for the story of the film went to Hirani and co-writer Abhijat Joshi.

Chopra himself landed in controversy at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday after he asked a journalist to "shut up" if he hadn't read the book.

Chopra apologised to the media later, but by then the issue had turned into a mini-storm, with television channels replaying footage of his outburst and social networking sites like Twitter abuzz with comments.

Bollywood has been going through a low-key 2009 and "3 Idiots", which released on December 25, has brought some cheer to the industry. The film grossed over Rs 100 crore in four days and is on its way to becoming one of the biggest hits of last year.

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Jessica Simpson and Tiger Woods

Jessica Simpson and Tiger Woods

Jessica Simpson Shoots Down Tiger Woods Rumors
A report that Jessica Simpson and Tiger Woods once flirted is a complete lie, the singer says.

"Can't believe that I'm on the cover of star magazine with Tiger Woods, what a JOKE! 'The Shocking Inside Story' is A LIE!" Simpson, 29, Tweeted Wednesday.

According to the Star magazine report, the two exchanged e-mails and phone numbers after clicking at the AT&T National Pro-Am golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., in July. Woods had been partnered with Tony Romo, who split with Simpson later that month.

Kenny Chesney has shot down similar rumors of a flirtation with Simpson that supposedly happened around the same time.

Michael Moore takes 'Capitalism' censure to Japan

TOKYO, Dec 4 - Firebrand director Michael Moore is in Japan to promote his latest documentary on the global economic meltdown, which he says should resonate in a nation that has already seen the dark side of capitalism.

"Capitalism: A Love Story" opens in Japan on Saturday, and Moore, on his first visit to Japan, previewed the film for the Japanese Trade Union Confederation this week.

He said the message of the film for the world's No.2 economy and U.S. ally was simple: "Don't be like us."

"Japan has been a shining jewel of capitalism for many years, so I think the film will have a lot of interest here because they've also seen the dark side of capitalism," Moore told Reuters.

"They've been suffering through deflation and a number of other problems as a result of bad economic decisions that were made 10-plus years ago. So now what we do on Wall Street affects them."

Moore's film will open in Japan at a time when the deeply indebted government struggles to cut back on record budget requests of 95 trillion yen ($1,085 billion), while trying to avert a slide back into a recession that was triggered by the financial crisis.

Moore, who targeted the Bush administration in "Fahrenheit 9/11" and the healthcare industry in "Sicko," debuted "Capitalism: A Love Story" at the Venice Film Festival in September.

The documentary attacks corporate greed, likening Wall Street to a casino, where billions of dollars of risky traders are made with little thought to the harm they can cause ordinary citizens if they go wrong.

Jennifer Hudson to play Winnie Mandela Oscar Celebruty

LOS ANGELES winning actress Jennifer Hudson is to play Winnie Mandela in a film charting the turbulent life and times of the ex-wife of South Africa's first black president, it was reported Wednesday.

Hudson, who scooped a best supporting actress Oscar in 2007 for her performance in the musical "Dreamgirls", told Daily Variety the film would bring a "powerful part of history" to cinema screens.

"I was compelled and moved when I read the script," Hudson said. "Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I'm honored to be the actress to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told."

The film will be directed by South African film-maker Darrell J. Roodt, whose films include "Cry, The Beloved Country" and "Sarafina."

News of the film comes as Hollywood prepares to release "Invictus" a Clint Eastwood-directed drama about Nelson Mandela, to be played by Morgan Freeman, and how the 1995 Rugby World Cup united the country after apartheid.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela campaigned tirelessly for her husband's release during his 27-year imprisonment in the apartheid era.

However her image was tarnished by a series of scandals including her links to the kidnap and murder of a young activist and a 2003 conviction for fraud.

She separated from Nelson Mandela in 1992, three years after his release.

Angelina Jolie's Anger

Angelina Jolie is said to have been stung by a string of vicious allegations about her marriage, morals and mothering.

US media have branded her "a fake" and a "liar", and is buzzing with reports she is still fighting with Jennifer Aniston, her marriage to Brad Pitt is in tatters and she has decided to adopt a kid without him.

The bulk of of the claims come from material in two upcoming books, Brangelina: The Untold Story of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie by Ian Halperin and a biography by controversial author Andrew Morton.

Former Rolling Stone writer Halperin is said to claim Jolie used her kids to lure Pitt away from ex-wife Aniston, but they have since "broken up so many times it would make your head spin".

He suggests Jolie "has a temper like a cobra" and the pair constantly row over their three biological and three adopted children.

"They fight all the time about the kids – where to put toys, saying the wrong thing to a nanny, not cleaning up," a source said. "Like cats and dogs."

The book is also believed to allege the pair may have cheated on each other, although there is no solid evidence, and they will split by Christmas 2010.

According to Us magazine, Halperin explained how Jolie and Pitt, "have successfully manipulated the public into believing a glamorous fairytale that bears little resemblance to the reality of the pair's life together".

Further explosive revelations allege Jolie, who has previously admitted using heroin, "recently" was a user of crystal meth or P.

Stateside magazines are also claiming Jolie's feud with Aniston is as bitchy as ever.

"Jen and Angie despise each other and take great pleasure in seeing each other squirm," an insider told Star.

The publication reports that Aniston keeps flaunting her strong relationship with Pitt's family, and enrages Jolie by making late night phonecalls to her ex-husband when he is in France.

While rumours have been rife in recent months that Jolie and Pitt are planning to expand their family, OK! magazine is now claiming Jolie has already filed paperwork to adopt a Syrian baby.

But according to a spokesman at the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Washington DC, Pitt's name doesn't appear in the documentation.

And the publication is claiming he is objecting to having another child. "Brad has made it clear that six children are more than he can handle," a source said.

SUSAN Boyle ......

Susan Boyle: ‘I Feel Like Cinderella’

The Scottish singer says her life has been like a fairytale since she shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this year.

“I suppose it’s a bit of a Cinderella story, isn’t it?” Boyle, 48, told Weekend magazine of her instant rise to stardom.
Susan also revealed how she was forced to change her telephone number after her performance of I Dreamed a Dreamed aired on TV in the UK.
“There were phone calls 24 hours a day,” she said. “They kept me awake for three weeks, until I changed my number. It was constant.
“There were a lot of press people outside my door, a lot of television people, a lot of people who wanted a piece of me.
“It got to the stage where I couldn’t even go outside because the media — American television crews, too — surrounded the house.
“It was like being inside a giant pressure cooker, where the lid bubbles up and bubbles up and soon the pressure cooker goes.
“Everything had built up, and I was exhausted. You have to understand, my life ceased to be normal.”
Boyle’s debut album hits store shelves later this month.
See also:
* Susan Boyle on Fame: ‘I Had to Change my Phone Number’
* Susan Boyle Reveals Secret Heartbreak
* Susan Boyle to Appear on Britain’s X Factor
* Susan Boyle Set For Dancing With The Stars Appearance
* Sharon Osbourne Blasts Susan Boyle

Academy Awards Comedian Steve Martin

Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to host Oscars
Oscar organizers on Tuesday named an unlikely pair of hosts for March's Academy Awards, comedian Steve Martin and "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin, a past loser at the world's top film awards.

The choice of Martin and Baldwin comes as a mild surprise on the heels of last February's Oscar telecast hosted by song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman. It earned some favorable reviews and higher viewership than the previous year.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars, had previously hired "Hairspray" director Adam Shankman to co-produce and, based on Jackman's success and Shankman's history making musicals, the betting had been that organizers might aim for another music-oriented telecast.

But Martin is known as a stand-up comedian and comic actor, while Baldwin's reputation was built in theater and film dramas like 2003's "The Cooler," which earned him a best supporting actor nomination. He lost to Tim Robbins for "Mystic River."

Baldwin also has a history of political activism, and Hollywood tends to shun politics. Still, he has shown a flare for comedy by playing the straight man in shows like "30 Rock," and has hosted "Saturday Night Live," a comedy show that has featured Martin on many occasions.

"I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," Martin said in a statement.

"I don't play the banjo but I'm thrilled to be hosting the Oscars -- it's the opportunity of a lifetime," said Baldwin.

The Oscars, where best film, acting, directing, writing and other movie awards are given out annually, is among the most-watched U.S. television shows. But viewership has declined in recent years as Oscar voters favored low-budget dramas over major blockbusters.

The February 2008 Oscar telecast, which saw the dark drama "No Country for Old Men" win best film, was a recent low with about 32 million US viewers. The 2004 ceremony in which smash hit "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" won best movie lured just over 43 million viewers. Tens of millions more watch Oscar telecasts in some 200 countries worldwide.

As a result, organizers try new ideas to spice up the show each year. That was one reason Broadway star Jackman was hired to host the 2009 ceremony over a comedian, which had been the practice for nearly two decades.

The 2010 ceremony will not be the first with co-hosts or even multiple emcees. In 1987, Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan hosted. For several years in the 1970s, the show featured several emcees.

Martin has hosted the Oscar telecast twice before, in 2001 and 2003, but 2010 will be a first Baldwin.

The Oscars will be held on March 7, 2010, in Los Angeles and air on ABC in the United States.

Celebrity of Steve Martin Alec Baldwin to host Oscars Award

Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to host Oscars LOS ANGELES, Nov 4 Oscar organizers on Tuesday named an unlikely pair of hosts for March's Academy Awards, comedian Steve Martin and "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin, a past loser at the world's top film awards.

The choice of Martin and Baldwin comes as a mild surprise on the heels of last February's Oscar telecast hosted by song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman. It earned some favorable reviews and higher viewership than the previous year.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars, had previously hired "Hairspray" director Adam Shankman to co-produce and, based on Jackman's success and Shankman's history making musicals, the betting had been that organizers might aim for another music-oriented telecast.
But Martin is known as a stand-up comedian and comic actor, while Baldwin's reputation was built in theater and film dramas like 2003's "The Cooler," which earned him a best supporting actor nomination. He lost to Tim Robbins for "Mystic River."
Baldwin also has a history of political activism, and Hollywood tends to shun politics. Still, he has shown a flare for comedy by playing the straight man in shows like "30 Rock," and has hosted "Saturday Night Live," a comedy show that has featured Martin on many occasions.
"I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," Martin said in a statement.
"I don't play the banjo but I'm thrilled to be hosting the Oscars -- it's the opportunity of a lifetime," said Baldwin.
The Oscars, where best film, acting, directing, writing and other movie awards are given out annually, is among the most-watched U.S. television shows. But viewership has declined in recent years as Oscar voters favored low-budget dramas over major blockbusters.

The February 2008 Oscar telecast, which saw the dark drama "No Country for Old Men" win best film, was a recent low with about 32 million US viewers. The 2004 ceremony in which smash hit "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" won best movie lured just over 43 million viewers. Tens of millions more watch Oscar telecasts in some 200 countries worldwide.
As a result, organizers try new ideas to spice up the show each year. That was one reason Broadway star Jackman was hired to host the 2009 ceremony over a comedian, which had been the practice for nearly two decades.
The 2010 ceremony will not be the first with co-hosts or even multiple emcees. In 1987, Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn and Paul Hogan hosted. For several years in the 1970s, the show featured several emcees.
Martin has hosted the Oscar telecast twice before, in 2001 and 2003, but 2010 will be a first Baldwin.
The Oscars will be held on March 7, 2010, in Los Angeles and air on ABC in the United States.

Top and Best Fashion Show Album-2009