IBLOG SPACE

"Success stories are so boring", said Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan, who was here donning the quiz-master's hat and grilling management students at a quiz show. Shah Rukh came, saw and conquered young students not with words of wisdom on success stories but talking about failure delivering pragmatic lessons. "Success is never final and failure can never be fatal," said King Khan, giving some lessons of life at a business quiz show where he danced, cracked jokes, narrated anecdotes, threw some witty one-liners and quizzed management students. "It is very boring to listen to success stories," said the superstar, who rose to stardom from starting off as television actor, at the show organised by business school Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) and 4Ps, a marketing magazine, last night. "The strange thing about success is it cannot teach you anything," he said adding that despite being successful, he could ever teach his son

Under mounting pressure over attacks on Indians, Australia on Tuesday acknowledged that some of the recent violence against them had clearly been "racially motivated" and vowed to "punish the culprits with the full force of law". Stating that the attacks had "considerably damaged" the nation's reputation, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told the Parliament that "if any of these attacks have been racist in nature - and it seems clear that some of them have - they will be punished with the full force of law". Smith said the attacks which have included robberies and beatings are "inexcusable" and were being taken very seriously by the government. The foreign minister intervened on the matter after the government came in for a sharp attack from the opposition which accused the Victorian government of failing to tackle the racist attacks on Indians. Even Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that he was worried over the narration by h

After a meeting of four naxal-affected states, the Centre on Tuesday said it was ready to hold talks with the Maoists if they "halt" violence. "My appeal to all the naxals on behalf of all the chief ministers who participated in the conference two days ago, on behalf of naxal affected states, if you abjure violence that is if you say a halt to violence, we are not asking you to do anything more, if you halt the violence we are prepared to talk to you on any matter," Home Minister P Chidambaram said. He was talking to reporters after a meeting of chief minister of Naxal-affected states which was not attended by chief ministers of Bihar and Jharkhand Nitish Kumar and Shibu Soren respectively. Kumar told reporters in Patna that he could not be away from Patna for long and today is the scheduled day for the state cabinet to meet. Soren, who had cited illness for not attending the meeting, had deputed his two deputy chief ministers. Against the backdrop of reports that K

Facing intense opposition from within and outside, government on Tuesday refused to give a go-ahead to commercial cultivation of Bt Brinjal, a genetically modified version of the vegetable that is said to be more resistant to pests. Announcing a cautious approach of the government, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said there was ‘no clear consensus’ among the scientists and stake-holders on giving permission to Bt Brinjal and more studies needed to be conducted. “There is no over-riding urgency to introduce it... When the public sentiments have been negative, it is my duty to adopt a cautious, precautionary andn principle-based approach," he told a hurriedly-called press conference which was originally scheduled for Wednesday. “I will not impose a decision till such time independent scientific studies establish safety of the product from long-term view of human health”, Ramesh said. He said it was a difficult decision to take but he had to balance many issues of scie

Iran said it continues to import fuel from Reliance Industries, a statement that flies in the face of the claims by Mukesh Ambani firm that it had since last year stopped selling gasoline to the Islamic nation in an apparent bid to escape US sanctions. "From our point of view, Reliance stopping gasoline exports to Iran is not correct," Iranian Ambassador to India Syed Mehdi Nabizadeh said in New Delhi. Reliance till 2008 mostly sold gasoline (petrol) to Iran, and late last year sources close to the company claimed that it had since April 2009 completely stopped shipments from its twin refineries at Jamnagar in Gujarat to that country. When contacted on Tuesday, Reliance spokesperson declined comments. The US is seeking to restrict gasoline supplies from refiners to Iran over its suspected nuclear weapons programme.

Two security personnel and a civilian were killed and 10 others injured as snowfall and rains triggered fresh avalanches and landslides in Kashmir valley on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 20 in two days. An avalanche buried an army post in a forward area in Tangdhar sector, 145 kms from here in Kupwara district, around 0345 hours trapping 14 jawans. Though all of them were taken out of snow, one died later, a defence spokesman said. In a separate incident, due to heavy snowfall a tree fell on a barrack of 26th Battalion SF in Nowgam sector, also in Kupwara, leaving three personnel injured. They were shifted to district hospital, Baramulla where one of them identified as constable Aslam Din died, a police spokesman said. The condition of two others - head constable Davinder Singh and constable Sajad Ali - was stated to be "serious".

Shiv Sena activists held for demonstrations outside theatres in eastern suburbs against Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film 'My Name is Khan', prompting the police to arrest 46 troublemakers. At Mulund area, the glasses of Mehul cinema were broken after one of the protesters pelted stones, police said adding that several gathered outside Huma Cinema at Kanjurmarg and R-City Mall at Ghatkopar area, shouting slogans against Khan and the movie, scheduled to be released on February 12. "We have arrested 46 Shiv Sena activists protesting outside the theatres. More arrests are likely," Additional Police Commissioner (East) Ritesh Kumar said. The protesters threatened the theatre owners to stop the advance bookings or face the severe consequences. The Sena activists were booked for unlawful assembly, rioting and further probe was on, police said. Ads by Google The Sena had threatened to stall the screening of the film, protesting Khan's support for inclusion of Pakistani

Legendary singer Cher has admitted that acting with much younger stars in her latest film 'Burlesque' was 'rough'. The 63-year-old said that felt very insecure after working with singer Christina Aguilera, 29, actress Kristen Bell, 29, and dancer-singerJulianne Hough, 21. "It's a hard job. You get up at 5am and try to look good. All these girls are a third my age. That is rough," the Daily Express quoted her as saying. However, the veteran entertainer is full of praise for her young co-star Christina. "I'm shocked but she's really good. The other day we were hamming it up so badly, so old, like vaudevillian. She was -keeping up! She was hot. Her game is good," she said.

Sir Paul McCartney's former wife Heather Mills has pledged never to walk down the aisle again. The 41-year-old star, who bagged 24.3 million pounds from the former Beatle in one Hollywood's most expensive divorce settlement, revealed she was done taking the vows. "I don't really get nervous - unless I have got to meet potential mothers-in-law. In my whole life, that's always been my biggest fear. No, no more weddings, not for me. No," the Sun quoted her as saying. The one-legged charity campaigner, who was recently voted off on Dancing On Ice, further spoke of plans to host a reality show of her own. She said: "It would involve filming celebrities as they learn what life is like with a disability.

ctors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore have decided to make this Valentine Day special for 270 human trafficking victims. The Hollywood couple revealed they would be sending a rose to each of the victims on February 14. "I struck up an agreement with the wife this year that we're not going to try to do something big for each other and instead the best way we can celebrate the day is to share our love with other people," the Daily Express quoted Kutcher as saying. "There's an organisation in New York called GEMS that helps human trafficking victims. There are a bunch of these girls that have come off the streets and are now being housed by this organisation, so we're going to make all those girls our Valentines this year. "I think there are 270 girls, so we're going to send them all flowers so they can know they can be loved by someone without them having to ask for anything in return," he added.

Farhan Akhtar has reasons to be on cloud nine. After all, the director-turned actor, add singer in between, is making the right noise with his upcoming release KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK. And praising the actor is none other than the director of the film Vijay Lalwani. The director feels that working with Farhan was added pleasure since he understands the language of the cinema quite fluently since he is not only an actor but a director too. Speaking to Glamsham.Com, Lalwani adds, "Farhan's comprehension of what I wanted in KARTHIK CALLIN KARTHIK was brilliant. Farhan being a director himself made it easier for me to convey the essence of my narrative. He is simply superb with the language of cinema. It was a great pleasure having him in the film." KATRHIK CALLING KARTHIK is already creating waves with its promos and chart busting music. Looks like the ROCK ON magic is here to stay

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Singles looking for love put too much emphasis on looks and passion in trying to find their perfect match, according to research released ahead of Valentine's Day. An analysis by online dating website eHarmony shows what people find attractive in a possible partner may not be the same qualities that will make the relationship successful, which is a lesson learned by those who have been married. For example single women aged under 45 were 13 times more likely than married women under 45 to stress the importance of feeling passion and desire toward their partners. Single women aged over 45 were nearly twice as likely to stress the importance of love, compared to their married peers who were more likely to cite companionship. "We know what we are attracted to. It is very easy to see. But the challenges of finding someone attractive can cloud over what is very important across the long haul," said Gian Gonzaga, a senior director of research and deve

Whistling Woods International (WWI), Asia's largest Film, Television, Animation and Media Arts Institute promoted by Mukta Arts and Filmcity announced its association with the Government of Bermuda. The Premier of Bermuda visited the Whistling Woods International campus to sign a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Mr. Subhash Ghai, Founder and Chairman, Whistling Woods International. As per the MoU, WWI and Mukta Arts Ltd. will recommend Bermuda to the Indian entertainment industry. The Government of Bermuda will also provide sponsorships to two students every year from Bermuda to study filmmaking at WWI. When asked why he chose Whistling Woods International for this association, Premier of Bermuda and Minister of Tourism his Excellency Dr. the Hon. Ewart Frederick Brown said, "Whistling Woods International is considered as a gateway to Indian Cinema which is recognized globally and hence, I am here to encourage Indian film shoots to happen in Bermuda which will help us to

After having faced failed relationships in their life, both Shahid Kapur and Deepika Padukone seem to be finding solace in each other's company now. If the latest buzz is to be believed, Shahid Kapur and Deepika Padukone are currently dating each other. According to sources, the two were seen partying together recently and it's also known that Shahid is making frequent trips to Deepika's Bandra home these days. After his break up with Kareena Kapoor, Shahid has been linked to many actresses like Priyanka Chopra and Vidya Balan. Now, Deepika is the latest and hottest of the lot in his life. Deepika's story is no different, after her break-up with Ranbir Kapoor; it seems she's also looking for a new companionship. So, the secret has got bust. Let's hope the new love birds have a lasting affair of their life this time around.

Aamir Khan is upset with his director of the upcoming film DELHI BELLY. It seems that Aamir is not happy with the way the director of the film Abhinav Deo has shaped up the film so far. This has made Aamir give it the least time and the director is complaining that Aamir is neglecting the film. According to some quarters, Aamir is not on the same frequency as far as his director of the film is concerned. This has resulted in complete lack of interest from Aamir's end. Though, DELHI BELLY is Aamir Khan's production, and as is well known that Aamir likes to take total charge of his home productions, he's not happy with Abhinav's approach to the project so far Reportedly, Abhinav too is fed up of waiting for so long. Now, he's already moved on to focus on his next film CROOKED. Let's hope DELHI BELLY crisis is sorted before this spat between the producer and the director takes any ugly turn.

Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Trade News Network After being in the industry for more than half a decade, a dozen odd hits behind her and finding herself firmly placed in the Top-3 bracket when it comes to the leading ladies at Bollywood, Katrina Kaif is doing the unthinkable. She is all set to play the role of an item girl in her next film with Akshay Kumar - TEES MAAR KHAN. Confirms producer Shirish Kunder, who has also written the film, "Yes, Katrina is playing a wannabe item girl in TEES MAAR KHAN. Beyond that I can't reveal much about her character at this stage." This is for the first time in her career that Katrina Kaif would be enacting the character of an item girl. She has played a supermodel (BOOM), a rich heiress (DE DANA DAN), a girl next door (AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI), a married woman with a kid (NEW YORK) or a scheming seductress (RACE) in her films before TEES MAAR KHAN but never before has she got into the shoes of an item girl. In fact for the makers as

A Playboy shareholder has filed a lawsuit against Hugh Hefner for refusing to sell his company despite the adult entertainment business allegedly falling apart. The shareholder has alleged that Hefner intentionally sabotaged two potential deals in the past six months to sell at a decent price, as he doesn't want to give up "the parade of busty blondes", TMZ reports. An investment company, analysing Playboy, sent a note that stated: "we think the wildcard here is Hugh Hefner," reports News.com.au. It added: "If you were Hugh Hefner, 81, would you give up the parade of busty blonds, the fancy mansion and the reality TV show for a payout? "Hefner has continued to live the good life and make sure everyone knows it. Hefner remains in the limelight, showing up at media events and at the Playboy mansion ... with his girlfriends by his side." The suit concluded: "Today, the price of a Playboy magazine is far higher than the price of Playboy common st

Seasoned actor Pankaj Kapoor is all set to make his directorial debut with 'Mausam' with son Shahid in the lead. The father is confident that Shahid's varied acting skills will surprise everyone. 'I know people would be curious to know what we're making together. That would be a big USP for me. Shahid has great potential. People have always seen him as a chocolate-box hero. But in 'Kaminey' we could see another side of him,' Pankaj told IANS. 'Shahid's USP are his dancing skills and fluent diction. For 'Mausam', I required an actor with range. I've a gut feeling my son is going to surprise not just the audience but also me,' he added. Pankaj says that Shahid wanted to work him. 'The idea was to do something meaty and challenging. We should be starting in another two-three months. We're into pre-production. I've written a lot of scripts which I couldn't direct and could only star in. When Shahid became an actor, he

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp and the Weinstein brothers are among the potential buyers of Walt Disney Co's Miramax film unit, sources familiar with the situation said on Monday. Independent studio Summit Entertainment, which is behind the popular "Twilight" franchise, could also be interested in Miramax, said the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Disney has put Miramax up for sale because its library of mostly small, independent films does not mesh with the media giant's plan to overhaul its movie operations, a source close to the company said. Disney is focusing on its own movie brand, as well as films made by its Pixar division and the newly acquired Marvel, and a distribution deal with Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks studio. A spokesman for Lions Gate was unavailable for comment, while Disney and Summit declined comment. But Lions Gate and Disney are expected to report quarterly earnings on Tuesday, and will likely be grilled by investors and analysts

Actor Charlie Sheen was charged on Monday with assaulting and threatening his wife Brooke Mueller in a heated Christmas Day argument. But the couple left the court in the Colorado ski resort of Aspen hugging each other, hoping the charges will be dropped, and apparently planning to reconcile. Sheen, 44, was arrested in the ski resort of Aspen, Colorado on Dec. 25 after Mueller called police and told them he pulled a knife on her during an argument and threatened to have her killed. Sheen spent the day behind bars before being released on bail. Sheen and Mueller, the actor's third wife, married in 2008 and have infant twin sons. The star of the CBS hit comedy "Two and a Half Men," was charged with felony menacing, misdemeanour assault and criminal mischief. The menacing charge entails the alleged use of a deadly weapon in a threatening manner. Sheen could face up to three years behind bars if convicted. He did not enter a plea and another hearing was set for March 15. Judg

Michael Jackson's personal doctor was charged on Monday with involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death in June. Dr. Conrad Murray was caring for Jackson at the rented Los Angeles home where he died on June 25 at age 50. The Los Angeles coroner said in August that Jackson's death was caused mainly by two sedatives -- propofol and lorazepam. Other prescription medications were also found in his system. Here are some facts about the drugs found in Jackson's body according to the coroner's report: * Propofol, also known by the trade name Diprivan, is used to sedate patients on breathing machines or before procedures such as colonoscopies. Given properly, it does not render them unconscious but they usually cannot remember the procedure. * The American Society of Anesthesiologists says propofol should "never be used outside of a controlled and monitored medical setting." * Lorazepam, sold under the brand names Ativan and Temesta, is one of

Hollywood couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are suing Britain's News of the World tabloid over allegations it published about their relationship, their London lawyers said on Monday. In a story published on Jan. 24, the weekly newspaper reported that the couple planned imminently to separate and had agreed on how they would divide their assets and custody of their children. Pitt, 46, and Jolie, 34, have six children and joint assets estimated by the News of the World at 205 million pounds ($319.4 million). Schillings law firm described the allegations as "false" and has taken its case to the High Court in London. Keith Schilling of Schillings said the News of the World failed to meet the couple's "reasonable demands" for a retraction of the story and apology "for these false and intrusive allegations which have now been widely republished by mainstream news outlets. "We have advised them to bring proceedings which they have now don

The doctor hired to care for Michael Jackson was charged on Monday with killing the pop star after a lengthy investigation that found a lethal cocktail of drugs in the singer's system when he died last year. Dr. Conrad Murray, who lives in Las Vegas, pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death that officials have ruled was due mainly to an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol, among several drugs. Murray was heckled by Jackson fans chanting "murderer" as he entered a Los Angeles courthouse in a crisp grey suit and red tie. Once in court, he faced angry members of Jackson's family, including mother Katherine and brother Jermaine. The doctor remained stoic during the proceeding and when addressed by the judge, spoke softly. He was admonished not to leave the country and not to give any patient an anesthetic. He posted bail of $75,000 and was allowed to leave. To reach a guilty verdict for involuntary manslaughter -- meaning Mur

Following his award-winning war novel "Peace", author Richard Bausch is back writing short stories, fixing his gaze again on small-town American home life. Only now, there's more violence. Bausch, who has written eight short story collections and 11 novels over a 30-year career, has long focused on the quiet troubles of domestic America, but he says his new book, set for release on Feb. 10, takes his work to menacing new heights. In "Something Is Out There", a collection of 11 short stories, one tale follows a naive kid running from a small-time drug deal gone wrong. In another, a young man's crush on his older brother's wife ends in a drunken and bloody fight. "As I was writing these stories, I became interested in forms of menace, of crimes and things that happen around them," Bausch, 64, told Reuters. "I remember thinking that this is an area I haven't really explored that much." Unlike many of his characters, Bausch

Pals routinely refer to her as a "gem of a person." And her romantic link with John Abraham has been well documented in assorted periodicals. Not surprisingly, Bipasha Basu , brand ambassador of Gili, was called upon to kickstart 'Season of Love,' the month long Feb celebration of jewellery in keeping with the Valentine spirit. Gili launched a special collection called 'Love Knots', rings and pendants created from intertwining loops and strands of 18 k gold studded with diamonds. The love knot, representing a metaphor for two entities linked together, yet remaining distinct… much like Bips and J.Abby. Delving into flashback mode, BB ferrets out a Valentine memory. "John is basically not a very romantic guy. But he did manage to surprise me once. He filled my entire house with rose petals! And I had to stay back the next day to clean it, coz' there were petals all over the place."

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When Andy Glantzman agreed to be filmed baring his soul about what it was like to lose his job, he didn't expect millions to see his confession. But instead of winding up in a documentary as he expected, Glantzman and 21 other fired workers, found themselves with bit parts in the movie "Up in the Air" which last week earned six Oscar nominations, including best film and best director. The film stars George Clooney as a corporate hatchet man who fires people for a living. It includes cuts of Glantzman and others talking about their real-life experiences. A year later, many of the 22 recession victims shown in the film have new jobs. Their stories may offer hope to others. "The movie gave me a reason to get out of the house and put a suit on and feel worthwhile instead of sitting around waiting for my next unemployment check," Glantzman said in an interview. "It all starts with raising your self esteem." Glantzman was f

Three tutors.. and a celeb student. Bhojpuri superstars: Manoj Tiwari and Ravi Kishan, together with Manoj Bajpai were saddled with the onus of getting Katrina Kaif to mouth a few lines in… Bhojpuri!! Filmmaker Prakash Jha launched Morya channel, and cannily used the opportunity to spotlight his 'Raajneeti' stars: Arjun Rampal , Bajpai and Kaif. To add novelty, Jha requested Kaif to deliver a few lines in Bhojpuri to the milling crowds. A source states, "She was willing to learn, but found it difficult and ultimately they decided that she should deliver just one line, as perfectly as possible." The Kaif mouthed line: 'Ka haal ba Patna' ended up sounding like… ' Ka halwa Patna.' Sweet error, Kaif.

If every man is a book unto himself… his spouse should be the one to read it. Shaukat Kaifi, wife of the late poet lyricist Kaifi Azmi, illumines the person behind the persona in 'Kaifi and I'. Penned by Shaukat Kaifi, a redoubtable actress in her own right, the bio pic has been translated into English by Nasreen Rehman. 'Kaifi and I' (Zubaan Publication) Launched by actress relative Tabu at a Mumbai event, a posse of celebs are slated to lend their support to this slice of nostalgia. Shabana Azmi and her husband Javed Akhtar together with children: Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Alyque Padamsee, Boman Irani , Kabir Khan and Divya Dutta , among others. Brings to mind, Shabana who has shown abiding admiration to her late father. "I am what I am because of my parents and my upbringing," she'd remarked in a media chat. "My father, in particular, opened my eyes to the world of art and culture, and shaped me as an individual."

It's a title go round. Earlier christened 'Kaun Bola', Arshid Warsi's flick has been elevated to being called… 'Hum Tum Aur Ghost'. The name change was the brainchild of Warsi who wanted to make his production "more classy." Discloses Warsi in a media chat, "The title 'Kaun Bola' was Mumbai 'tapori' language and besides the title did not really tell audiences what the movie is all about." Regarding his character in the flick, Warsi states, "I play a photographer who can see ghosts but no one believes that I have such powers. The film has elements of romance, love, pain and anguish. Our movie has turned out to be really sweet and pretty to look at. It's closest to my heart since I have produced it too." Warsi has more offerings in the pipeline. "I will produce another film by the end of this year," he declares. Perfectly in 'Circuit.'

Yipppieeee!! It's official now. :)))))) Abhishek Bachchan is the new uber kool compere, the one commanding the highest TRPs. BINGO! What's more commendable is that he's raced ahead of his super icon father Amitabh Bachchan , Shah Rukh Khan , Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar . In just close to two weeks, Abhishek has emerged as the 'Tsar of Telly', managing to earn a debut TRP rating of 5.1, a feat corroborated by rating body TAM (Television Audience Measurement). Great 'Colors' of success. "It's a great feeling," gushes Bachchan Jr in a newspaper chat. "I took up the show because it excited me and not because I wanted to surpass anyone. But I don't want to rejoice much because we have just started and we'd have to stand the test of time." Incidentally, 'National Bingo Night' is a hot fave with spouse Aishwarya. "Ash loves the show," he reveals happily. "She's even played it, but unfortunately she di

London, Feb 8 (IANS) British rocker Pete Doherty has been voted the least desirable celebrity neighbour in a new online poll. The Babyshambles frontman was last year accused of trashing his English country mansion, with pictures emerging of graffiti-scribbled walls and stray cats roaming the garbage-strewn floor. His wild lifestyle has also landed him in trouble with the law on numerous occasions, and he was recently fined for heroin possession after taking drugs to a court hearing. Contactmusic.com reports, Doherty's antics have now made him Britain's ultimate nightmare neighbour, according to the survey by Zoopla.co.uk. The rocker took top place in the poll ahead of troubled singer Amy Winehouse and British glamour model Katie Price, who were voted second and third respectively.

Putting break-up rumours to rest, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie put on a public display of affection at the Super Bowl American football final and have also issued a legal statement insisting they have no intention of ending their relationship. Lawyers for the couple today said they are not about to split and would consider suing any media outlets that continue publishing the 'false allegations'. Dailymail.co.uk reports that the legal move follows weeks of speculation about their five-year relationship, with reports suggesting they have signed legal papers over their about $320 million fortune and custody of their six children. Jolie, 34, and Pitt, 46, have previously ignored growing rumours that all is not well in their relationship. Their public denial comes just hours after the Hollywood couple brought their eldest son Maddox, 8, to watch the New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Sunday. During the game, the couple w