What's Huma Qureshi's answer to the fashion police?

Huma Qureshi was spotted with a huge butterfly ring on her manicured finger. It seems the actress, who has received a lot of flak for her fashion sense, is turning over a new leaf.

Arjun seeks blessings for 'Daddy'

Actor Arjun Rampal Saturday sought blessings of lord Ganesha for his upcoming project "Daddy", about the life of mafia don-turned-politician Arun Gawli.

"Just heading to Lal Bagh for the blessings of Lord Ganesha for our film Daddy, a film based on the life of Arun Gawli," tweeted Arjun.

While there is speculation that Arjun has been roped in to play the lead role in the film, he is yet to confirm the same.

Dad put relationships over films: KJo

On his father Yash Johar's 85th birth anniversary, filmmaker Karan Johar reminisced how he used to always give precedence to relationships over movies. He says it's a "tall order" to follow.

"Dad's birthday today...his stand was always to put relationships over films...a tall order to follow...I still try...miss him more than ever," Karan tweeted Saturday.

Yash Johar, who died in 2004, founded Dharma Productions in 1976. He produced films like "Dostana" (1981), "Agneepath" (1990), "Hum" (1991), "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (1998), "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" (2001) and "Kal Ho Naa Ho" (2003).

He launched Karan as a director with "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". Karan has successfully taken on the legacy of the Dharma Productions banner and has delivered several successful entertainers as a producer and director.

Rani Mukerji avoids question about Shweta Basu Prasad at event

Rani Mukerji was at an event organised by an NGO that works for the cause of anti-sex trafficking.

After essaying a cop's role in her recent film 'Mardaani', the actress has been espousing the need to have more ladies in the Mumbai police force.

She feels lady cops can fight against human trafficking, as they are more sensitive towards the issue.



At the event, however, when she was asked about former child artiste Shweta Basu Prasad turning to prostitution owing to a financial crunch, she preferred not to comment. Hmmm...

Akki gets venue of 'Dare 2 Dance' PC changed from Mumbai to Noida

When you can't attend a press conference, make the press conference come to you.

Akshay Kumar's small screen outing 'Dare 2 Dance' went on air on Saturday.

The channel was keen to have a press meet with the contestants and the star host in Mumbai.

But as the Khiladi has been shooting in Noida, there was no way he could skip the shoot and travel to Mumbai.

He instead suggested that the event be held in the capital. The participants, mostly telly folk, were made to fly down to Delhi. As you wish, Akki.

'Creature 3D' certified UA, Bipasha hopes kids enjoy it

Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu is happy that her film "Creature 3D" has been granted a UA certificate so that children can watch the entertainer under parental guidance.

"#creature3d UA certification! Children can watch it under parental supervision! They are going to enjoy this film," Bipasha posted on Twitter Saturday.

The movie, slated to release Sep 12, is a creature-based thriller directed by Vikram Bhatt.

Bipasha has been going all out to promote the film, and she is currently in Dubai to hold a press conference for the movie. She even shot a special Dubai episode with the cast and crew of hit comedy show "Comedy Nights With Kapil".

'Mary Kom' mints over Rs.8 crore on opening day

One of the most awaited Bollywood films of the year, Priyanka Chopra-starrer "Mary Kom" is said to have garnered collections of over Rs.8 crore on its opening day.

"The film has made Rs.8 crore plus on its opening day," a source from the movie's co-producers Viacom18 Motion Pictures, told IANS.

"Mary Kom", a biopic on the five-time boxing champion M.C. Mary Kom's life, is directed by first time director Omung Kumar and co-produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

The makers are happy with the response to the film which released across 1,800 screens in the country Friday. The release was preceded by a world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

"'Mary Kom' has delivered a strong opening day and set a new first day benchmark for heroine-centric films. The word of mouth is positive and Priyanka's standout performance has touched a chord with audiences across sections," Ajit Andhare, chief operating officer, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, said in a statement.

They are confident that the film will do well.

"The film is further set for a strong weekend," Andhare added.

A story of a strong willed Manipur-based girl, who faced all odds to pursue her passion and who continued to follow her love for boxing even after becoming a wife and a mother of two, "Mary Kom" released in 1,800 screens in the country.

The team, which went all out to promote the film aggressively, was elated when it was declared tax free in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam.

Trade analyst Komal Nahta has deduced that "Mary Kom" is a box office champion.

"It may have started slow but fantastic word of mouth will see collections soaring and the film proving to be a hit at the box office," he posted on Twitter.

The film, as well as Priyanka's performance as Mary Kom, has won her praise from all quarters, while newcomer Darshan Kumar has received applause for essaying the lead character's husband, who turns out to be a huge support system in letting his wife live her dream.

Former police officer Kiran Bedi saw the movie on Teachers' Day Friday and was bowled over by it.


She took to Twitter to praise the film, and posted: "Could not have been a better day for release of Mary Kom film. Most Inspirational+well made film seen in the recent past. Must see for AALL.

"Thanku @priyankachopra for such a real performance as Mary Kom. It's Oscar category! This is one of the most inspirational film I have seen. Our @PMOIndia and @smritiirani please see Mary Kom film ASAP. Needs to be seen widely. Most inspiring for all. Girls most! @priyankachopra."

Use star status rationally: Pakistani actor Fawad Khan

He may or may not take up a bold and intimate roles, but Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan, who enjoys a clean image, is clear about his responsibilities as a celebrity. The "unpredictable" actor-singer feels star status should be used "as rationally and as logically as possible".

He is a big name back home, thanks to his clean and rewarding roles in TV shows like "Dastaan", "Humsafar" and "Zindagi Gulzar Hai" and telefilms "Khuda Kay Liye". His popularity transcends the border and he struck a right chord with Indian audiences with the same shows.

Now the 32-year-old is set to take this further with his Bollywood debut "Khoobsurat", again a clean family drama.

Asked why he chose a family entertainer for his debut, he said: "You do certain projects, play certain characters and present it to the audience because you tend to educate them.

"Celebrities, as public figures, have an opportunity to use their status as rationally and as logically as possible. It is a very dangerous position and when you take on that responsibility you have to take a lot of things into account."

Will he accept bold or intimate roles?

In his response, he pointed out the difference between presenting something crassly and with class.

"There is a difference between vulgarity and aesthetics. When any such thing comes to me, and if I feel I am ready for it, you never know... I am unpredictable.

"The ball game is open, but I will play a little safe... it's not hypocrisy," he said reminding his character in "Zindagi Gulzar Hai".

So far, a number of Pakistani artists like Ali Zafar, Veena Malik and Humaima Mallick, among others, have tried their luck in Bollywood but none could attain stardom.

Fawad is pretty open ended about success or failure.

"Everyone fears a financial crisis. And that matters to me as well. You have to keep your house running.

"I have had minimum expectation from my work even back home, but I have been fortunate in many ways. No one in my family is into music or films. For me, it has been an immense journey. You tend to learn a lot.

"I don't think about what's going to happen tomorrow, because if I start doing that I will tend to limit myself," he added.

Directed by Shashanka Ghosh, "Khoobsurat", a remake of the 1980 superhit film, will see Fawad romancing Sonam Kapoor, who is central to the story.

When asked if he was sceptical about debuting in a female-centric story, he said: "It has its advantages and disadvantages, but choice matters at the end of the day. There were also male-centric films offered to me, but I wanted to try this.

"There are a lot of interactions between these two characters (Fawad and Sonam). Even if you have 15 minutes to be part of a project, you can do a lot with it. It depends on how you take what's given to you," said Fawad, who made an impact as second fiddle to Shan in "Khuda Kay Liye".

I hope to kill girl-next-door image: Parineeti Chopra

Actress Parineeti Chopra feels perturbed when people refer to her as the quintessential 'girl-next-door' of Bollywood. She hopes that with her forthcoming films "Kill Dil" and "Daawat-e-Ishq", she will be able to break that stereotype.

In an interview, Parineeti has shared insights about working in "Kill Dil", on being stereotyped as the 'bindaas bubbly' girl and dating rumours.

Excerpts:

What's it like working with Shaad Ali in "Kill Dil"?
I think I am in awe of Shaad. When I got the offer, I was happy I was going to work with the director of "Saathiya" and "Bunty Aur Babli". But now that I've got to work closely with him, my love and respect for the person that he is, has touched the sky. He is is a joy to work with. No matter how much the stress on the sets, he's always in a good mood. When a director is not temperamental, then the actor looks forward to going to the sets every day. For us actors in "Kill Dil" - Ranveer Singh, Govinda and me, Shaad is not just a fantastic director but also a friend. When we finished shooting we partied together.

Ranveer and Shaad are very close friends. So were you the outsider in the beginning?
Oh yes, for sure! I already shared an equation with Ranveer. I used to manage his career when I was working for Yash Raj Films. He was also my first co-star. But I didn't know Shaad at all. But within five minutes of meeting him, the ice was broken. It's not difficult to get along with Shaad.

He's an introvert and you're an extrovert?
Shaad is not an introvert! He talks a lot. He is constantly joking and laughing.

So after Rani Mukerji are you the new 'Babli' in Shaad's cinema?
Ha ha. I hope not. I am not at all the bindaas bubbly type in Shaad's film. I am very different in "Kill Dill" from the way I am seen in my other films. That's what we all from the 'Kill Dill' team believe. So far I haven't done anything that's glamorous, be it 'Shuddh Desi Romance' or 'Hasee Toh Phansee', I've so far pretty much played the normal working class girl.

I think slotting you as the girl next door belittles your versatility?
That's what I feel too. Whenever I am asked this, I've to spend half an hour explaining why I feel I don't need to be slotted as the girl-next-door. Like when I am asked, 'Oh, you excel at playing the loud Punjabi girl'. The funny thing is, I've only played Punjabi in my first four films released so far. I was not Punjabi in 'Ishaqzaade' or the subsequent films.

Then why this perception?
Maybe some people think just playing loud characters makes me Punjabi. But if you think about it, the girl I played in "Hasee To Phansee" was very different from the girl in "Ishaqzaade". I hope "Daawat-e-Ishq" and "Kill Dill" kill that image.

You seem to have worked with all the younger actors. Now do you look forward to working with the Khans and Kumar?
I am doing a film with Saif (Ali Khan). I am very excited. I don't plan too far in the future.

What about a boyfriend. One never hears of you being linked with anyone?
Oh, there is one link-up, with Maneesh Sharma - that's always there. That rumour never goes, maybe because I spend a lot of time with him, even go out with him. Over here if you are seen with the same man more than once, you're presumed to be involved with him. But the truth is that I haven't really found a person to be in a relationship with. I am looking forward to that.

I am sure there's someone waiting for you out there. We have Mr. Yash Chopra's word for it?
In that case he better come out in the open quickly!

What next babe? Poonam all set for a new beginning

After burning her fingers with her movie debut "Nasha", controversy's favourite child Poonam Pandey has finally signed a second film. She is excited.

The film, the name of which is not yet released, is to be produced by The World Networks, who are venturing into film production for the first time.

"I can't tell you how many scripts I've rejected after 'Nasha'. It will sound like bragging, but when these producers The World Networks came to me with this offer, I instinctively knew it was the right project as my second film," Poonam said.

She believes "Nasha", which released in 2013, "suffered" due to "poor marketing". Poonam is "confident" about her second film.

"I am confident these producers will take my film wherever it is destined to go," she added.

Asked if there will be a lot of skin show, Poonam, who is known for wearing revealing clothes, said: "My fans won't be disappointed.

"But there is much more than just skin in this film. It is a very sensitive subject. That's all I can reveal right now."

The model-actress first grabbed the spotlight when she promised to strip down if India won the World Cup in 2011.

Kelly Brook has 'traumatic' childhood memories

Actress-model Kelly Brook has opened up about experiencing "horrific" and "traumatic" times during her growing up days.

She grew up in Kent, South East England.

Brook has revealed that although she enjoyed some aspects of growing up, she used to dread the weekends as a child as it meant going to the local pub with her parents who often got too drunk, resulting in regular fights.

"I used to dread the weekends growing up. Sundays especially. Sunday was pub day. We used to have a roast dinner every Sunday, and every other Sunday it would be burnt,` femalefirst.co.uk quoted her as saying.

"My parents would spend too long in the, come home p****d and eat the burnt Sunday lunch. Then there would be a fight and the police would be called. Or my dad would drive off in his truck,` she added.

Brook also remembers one occasion when the police took her father, who died from cancer in 2007 , away kicking and screaming.

Speaking in an extract from her autobiography `Kelly Brook - Close Up`, printed in The Sun newspaper, she said: "One of the worst times was when my dad came back from the pub and started throwing furniture around, while Mum and I huddled out of the way.

"My mother, Sandra, called the police and my dad, Kenneth, tried to climb out of the window to escape. He broke his leg trying to avoid them and they had to carry him down the stairs ... It was one of the most traumatic events in my childhood."

However, it wasn't just her parents' rows that Brook had to witness.

"As kids we would be in the local pub ... From a very young age I would see fistfights, shouting matches. I'd hear terrible language and see so much violence. I remember one bloke having his head smashed against the bar, his nose exploding and blood pouring everywhere ... It was disgusting, so violent and horrific,` she said.

I've made mistakes: JLo on her love life

Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez has been in failed relationships several times, but she admits she has learnt a lot from her blunders.

She has had three failed marriages, a high-profile broken engagement and a recent split from Casper Smart.

The 45-year-old is now trying her best to not repeat the mistakes, reports people.com.

"Everybody has seen that I make mistakes. Each time it goes wrong it's hard," she said.

"I get really hurt but I have to let myself go: 'What did I do? What can I learn?' And as hard and as hurtful as things get, I want to believe I will be able to go one step higher. I've got to hope that if I keep going I will eventually get it right," she added.

Despite all her romantic woes, Lopez, who was recently linked to "Dancing with the Stars" pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, has not given up her search for 'Mr. Right'.

"I still believe in love. The nirvana man, he's out there somewhere. But you just have to work at it. You have to work at everything," she said.

Gwyneth Paltrow converting to Judaism?

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is reportedly planning to convert to Judaism to follow in the footsteps of her late father Bruce Paltrow.

Gwyneth, whose late father was Jewish, is said to have decided to convert following her "conscious uncoupling" from husband Chris Martin, reprots femalefirst.co.uk.

The 41-year-old, who has daughter Apple, 10, and eight-year-old son Moses with Martin, will reportedly quietly convert after years of following Kabbalah, which originated in Judaism, and being friends with Michael Berg, co-director of the Kabbalah Centre.

Gwyneth, whose mother Blythe Danner is a Christian, previously confessed that she was raised both as a Jewish and Christian, said it "was such a nice way to grow up".

Scarlett Johansson now a mom

Actress Scarlett Johansson and her fiance Romain Dauriac have welcomed a daughter.

The 29-year-old actress and Dauriac have reportedly named their first child Rose, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

A representative for the couple said the mother and the little one are both doing well following the delivery, but they are seeking privacy and do not wish their daughter to grow up under the spotlight.

The pair, who started dating in 2012, sparked rumours they were expecting a child together in March this year, just three months after Johansson revealed that she was keen to start a family.

Julia Roberts to do Argentine thriller remake

Actress Julia Roberts is in talks to come on board for the remake of English-language remake of Oscar-winning Argentine thriller `Secret in Their Eyes`.

Chiwetel Ejiofor and Gwyneth Paltrow have also been cast in director Billy Ray's revamp of the Juan Jose Campanella movie, which was crowned Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in 2009.

IM Global, which is fully financing the project, is selling the rights to the project at the Toronto International Film Festival, reports variety.com.

The original, which was directed by Campanella and starred Ricardo Darin, was based on the Eduardo Sacheri novel about a romance between a retired judiciary employee and a judge who work to solve a 1974 rape and murder two decades after it took place.

Mark Johnson will produce the project along with John Ufland.

The remake, described as a sophisticated crime thriller, is scheduled to start production this fall.

Kanye West defends wife, calls her 'legend'

Rapper Kanye West has hit back at people who didn't find his wife Kim Kardashian deserving of the Woman of the Year award at a recent ceremony. He says she's a "legend" in her own right.

Kim received the title at the annual GQ Men of the Year awards here Tueday. But several people felt she didn't deserve it. But her husband feels people just don't want to give the 33-year-old reality TV star enough credit for her popularity, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"It's well deserved, for all those tight motherf***ers who don't want to give her any credit. And it's time. She is a legend! They don't understand what social media is so they only want to give it to an actress and blah blah blah and she is a legend," Kanye told Metro newspaper.

"They need to respect that and understand that and that's what we are doing in everybody's faces. So middle finger to all the uptight people who don't want to stand up for Kim," he added.

Now $2,495 bag inspired by Rita Ora

Tommy Hilfiger's wife Dee Ocleppo has designed an oversized round fringe tote, which is inspired by British singer Rita Ora. It is priced at a $2,495.

The bag, called the Rita, was on display at Oclepp's Fashion Week presentation at the the designer's Fifth Avenue studio, reports pagesix.com.

Ora is currently dating Hilfiger's rapper and designer son Ricky Hil, and she "approved everything", Ocleppo said.

Hilfiger also lent his support to help walk guests through the collection.

Pitt, Jolie to donate $5 mn made from wedding photos?

Star couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have reportedly received a total of $5 million for their wedding photos that were published in the latest issues of People and Hello! magazines, and have decided to donate the amount towards a cause.

The duo got married Aug 23 at the French estate Chateau Miraval. Now the newly wed couple, known for their philanthropic efforts, will donate the money to a charity, reports dailymail.co.uk.

According to a source, People and Hello! magazine each paid $2.5 million for a selection of wedding pictures from Brad and Angelina's wedding.

"Hello! has the international rights to the pictures. Before the wedding, Brad and Angie personally chose a photographer they had worked with from Getty Images for the wedding."

As the couple previously cashed in a reported $14 million in 2008 for published images of their twins, Knox and Vivienne, the move to donate the large amount to charity comes as no surprise from the stars.

"Brad and Angelina knew there would be tremendous interest in their wedding pictures, and decided to donate the money to their charitable foundation. The couple has done this numerous times in the past," said a source.

Shakira to launch music inspired fragrance

Singer Shakira says she is paying homage to her musical roots with a new fragrance called Rock.

According to website Fragrantica.com, with the new perfume, Shakira wanted to capture the intense, indescribable feeling of anticipation and excitement while going up on stage, reports contactmusic.com.

The official date for release of the scent is yet to be announced.

What makes Emma Roberts glow?

Emma Roberts likes to drink coconut water and uses acne face wash for her flawless complexion, but the actress says she feels beautiful when she just laughs.

"My favourite workout is definitely Pilates. That's kind of the only thing I've tried and stuck with," eonline.com quoted the 23-year-old as saying.

Roberts swears by coconut water too and gives credit to Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash.

But what really makes the actress glow?

"I feel my most beautiful probably just when I am laughing and having fun with my friends and kind of not caring what I look like," Roberts said.

Jennifer Aniston pregnant?

Actress Jennifer Aniston is rumoured to be three months pregnant with her and fiance's Justin Theroux's first child.

The 45-year-old's friends believe she doesn't want to officially announce the news because she's worried about complications, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"The buzz in Jen's inner circle is that she's nearly three months along, but doesn't want the news to come out until she knows for sure that the baby will be okay," said a source.

"Jen started having fertility treatments six months into the relationship. She knew the older she got, the harder it would be to get pregnant, so she had her eggs frozen," the source said.

"With regular attempts at in vitro fertilisation, she was hoping to get lucky, but she didn't dare think about it too much because of the chance for disappointment," added the source.

Jennifer Lawrence in Guinness World Records

Actress Jennifer Lawrence has entered the Guinness World Records after becoming cinema's most successful film heroine following her role as Katniss Everdeen in the hugely popular `Hunger Games` franchise.

The `Hunger Games` and its sequel `Catching Fire` grossed over 900 million pounds worldwide to earn the record for Lawrence, reports telegraph.co.uk.

The actress made her lead film debut in the 2010 drama `Winter's Bone`. She has since starred in many successful films, including `X-Men: First Class`, its sequel `X-Men: Days of Future Past` and `American Hustle`.

She won best actress at the 2013 Academy Awards for her performance in David O Russell's `Silver Linings Playbook.`

Her new film `Serena`, which reunites her with former `Silver Linings...` co-star Bradley Cooper, will be shown as part of this year's London Film Festival (LFF) in October.

Lawrence isn't the only one being inducted into the Guinness World Records: Talent show `X Factor` alumni One Direction have also found a place after becoming the first British boyband to reach the top of the US charts with three consecutive albums, while singer Miley Cyrus holds the record for most searched-for popstar on internet.

Movie Review: 'Life of Crime' - an oft-seen double-cross drama

Cast: John Hawkes, Yasiin Bey, Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, Isla Fisher, Mark Boone Junior and Will Forte;

Director: Daniel Schechter;

Rating: **1/2

If you're expecting a heavy duty, crime-laden, back alley action film, this is not it.

Set in 1978 in Detroit, "Life of Crime" is an intriguing suspense story about a set of small-time criminals who kidnap the wife of a well-to-do estate developer and demand a million dollar ransom for her release.

Louis (John Hawkes), along with his partner Ordell (Yasiin Bey), after discovering some of the financial secrets of Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins), a real estate magnate, decide to kidnap his trophy wife Mickey (Jennifer Aniston) when he goes on a trip to The Freeport, Bahamas.

The kidnapping is interrupted by the unexpected visit of Marshall (Will Forte), a family friend of the Dawsons, who shows up with the intention of having sex with Mickey.

The inept criminals after dealing with Marshall hold her captive in the home of one of their creepy friend, Richard (Mark Boone Jr.), a neo-Nazi with a peeping-tom problem.

Now on tenterhooks, they tell Mickey, "We don't know Marshall and what he has got to lose. But we wonder if he would stick his neck for you." And truly he does not.

Soon, hoping to extort the ransom, they call Frank and threaten him to pay the ransom or "you'll never see your wife again".

But to their surprise, they learn that he has filed for divorce and is going to marry Melanie (Isla Fisher), a younger and sexy woman who has her own agenda.

As expected, "Life of Crime" ends with a surprise alliance that makes perfect sense of random justice.

Treated as a black-comedy drama, writer-director Daniel Schechter maintains a perfect pulse of humour and suspense, balancing this character-driven caper story with spunky performances by Jennifer Aniston, John Hawkes, Yasin Bey, Tim Robbins, Mark Boone Jr and Isla Fisher.

There's a fine chemistry between each characters but the script does not give them enough space to explore the depth of their relationships, making the entire effort a superficial 'sitcom-ish' farce.

The period of the late 1970s is well captured, with good production values and authentic background score.

Unfortunately, this faithful adaptation of Elmore Leonard's 1978 released novel "The Switch", which in turn has been inspired by O' Henry's 1907 published short story - "The Ransom of Red Chief", has been beaten to the punch by the similar cultural tropes seen in earlier films like "Too Many Crooks", "Ruthless People", "The Ref" or "Hostile Hostages".

Nevertheless, "Life of Crime" is an engaging film, worth a watch on a lazy weekend afternoon.

Movie Review: 'Sin City: A Dame To Kill For' - visually brilliant, but confusing

Cast: Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson, Bruce Willis, Eva Green, Powers Boothe, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta, Stacy Keach, Jaime King, Christopher Lloyd, Jamie Chung, Peremy Piven, Christopher Meloni, Juno Temple, Marton Csokas, Jude Ciccolella, Julia Garner, Lady Gaga, Alexa Vega, Patricia Vonne and Bart Fletcher;

Co-directors: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller;

Rating: *1/2

"Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" is a neo-noir film packed with stylish effects, dramatic action and incredibly startling short stories consisting of flawed heroes, dangerous femme fatales and psychotic villains. The intended result is an exaggerated, unsympathetic and caricatured take on film noir of the 1950s and 1960s.

A classic tale of revenge, based on the second graphic book of the "Sin City" series by Frank Miller, this film is a follow-up to the 2005 released crime thriller film of the same name.

Set in Basin City, which is also known as "Sin City", the plot interweaves five non-related episodes or stories; "Just Another Saturday Night", "The Long Bad Night Part 1", "A Dame To Kill For", "A Long Bad Night Part 2" and "Nancy's Last Dance", to give you a wholesome view of; arrogance, crime and passion.

Nothing seems to have changed in Sin City, on the streets or at Kadie's Club, which is considered a safe spot in the city as it is heavily guarded by prostitutes and their protectors.

The narration begins with the tale, where Marv (Mickey Rourke), an ex-con is trying to recall why he had killed the guys on the street after he watched Nancy (Jessica Alba) dance at Kadie's.

This is followed by the tale of a new visitor to the club. The mesmerizing and swaggering young gambler, Johnny (Joseph Gordon Levitt) pushes his way with dancer Marcie as his goodluck charm into the back-rooms of the club, where he wipes clean the rogue, Senator Roark (Powers Boothe). Humiliated, the senator takes revenge.

Then there is the gorgeous and seductive woman, Ava Lord's (Eva Green) tale of deception and manipulation. This is followed by Johnny's arrogant display of emotion and vengeance. The film ends with Nancy's tale of dejection and retribution.

While the plot seems to be well-charted on paper, the end translation on screen borders on absurdity. There is no connection or link between the tales and entire narration seems ridiculously bizarre. There is no emotional connect as the scenes are packed with mostly hardcore action sans danger or mystery.

On the performance front, though all the characters are engaging, the many famous faces popping up in small cameos makes the viewing a little distracting. In a while, the entire process turns into a game of spotting the celebrity.

Amidst all the action, sex and drama, it is only the visual element that sticks out. With the entire film shot on chroma key and later layered on digital visuals, each frame is picture perfect, highly stylized and mostly black and white.

What accentuates the visuals, are the dialogues. With most of the main characters ending up narrating their parts in an impressive and staged manner, the overall effect is that of an audio-visual comic that is exciting.

Overall, co-directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller have ensured that the film is technically suave, but the execution of everything is so overdone and previously seen, that has lost its sheen in the second round.

Nikitin Dheer, Kratika Sengar married

Actors Nikitin Dheer and Kratika Sengar tied the knot here at a ceremony attended by their family members as well as celebrities from the Indian television and movie world.

The wedding took place Wednesday, with the bride and groom looking resplendent in their outfits.

"A nite made special by friends n family - feel happy n blessed - tomm a new chapter - a new journey begins with fire as th witness - pure n strong (sic)," Nikitin, son of veteran actor Pankaj Dheer, posted Wednesday night.

Nikitin, best remembered for featuring as Thangabali in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Chennai Express", has thanked people close to him and Kratika for "love and blessings".

He even shared a photograph from their wedding, and titled it: "It's official."

Kratika is known for her roles in TV shows like "Jhansi Ki Rani" and "Punar Vivah". She had earlier said that her union with Nikitin happened thanks to his father Pankaj.

Ankita Lokhande treated for appendicitis

TV actress Ankita Lokhande has undergone treatment for appendicitis at a hospital here, said a doctor.

The "Pavitra Rishta" actress was admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here and was discharged Wednesday.

"She is fine now, there's nothing to worry. It was appendicitis. We have done Laparoscopic Appendectomy and she was discharged yesterday," Ram Narain, executive director, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, told IANS.



Following a severe stomach ache over the weekend, Ankita was rushed to the hospital where she was treated immediately.

A source close to the actress revealed that her beau and actor Sushant Singh Rajput was by her side throughout her treatment.

It was not commercially viable to have new girl in 'Mary Kom'

Priyanka Chopra admits that the idea to cast a new face for "Mary Kom" was debated, but it was not commercially viable keeping the film's budget in mind.

"Yes, there was a lot of debate that a new girl from the northeast should be launched with the film, but with the kind of budget the film was being made, it was not commercially viable for the producers,` said Priyanka who is playing the boxing champ in the biopic coming out Friday.

15 retakes for Karan, Chetna to kiss properly?

Actors Karan Kundra and Chetna Pande reportedly shot for an intimate scene for MTV's supernatural show "Fanaah - An Impossible Love Story", and if a source is to be believed, it took them 15 retakes to get it right.

The otherwise confident Karan is said to have been hesitant on the sets of the show when he had to kiss Chetna for the first time.

"During the intimate scene, Karan was so nervous that the scene had to be shot over fifteen times," the source said.

Karan plays a vampire on the show, which is a story about vampires and werewolves.

Farah dresses up spot boys for HNY credit song

 

Choreographer-filmmaker Farah Khan always ensures that the credit song of her movies is colourful, lively and includes everyone from her cast and crew. She's doing the same for her latest movie "Happy New Year".

"The hard working department of #HNY.. The spot boys all dressed up for end credit song," Farah posted on her Facebook page Thursday.

She posted the message alongside a photograph featuring 13 men dressed in shiny colourful shirts, black pants and a black bow for uniformity. Farah is standing with them striking a pose.

"Happy New Year" stars an ensemble cast including Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani, Abhishek Bachchan and Vivaan Shah.

'Baby' team begins 'awesome' shoot

The shooting of Neeraj Pandey's "Baby", starring Akshay Kumar, has begun in Greater Noida area and according to veteran actor Anupam Kher, the first day was "awesome".

"First day's shoot of Neeraj Pandey's BABY with @akshaykumar, Danny Saab & @RanaDaggubati was AWESOME. Another great film on its way," Anupam posted on Twitter.

Akshay, who has recently returned from Cape Town, South Africa, after shooting for reality show "Dare 2 Dance", has joined the film's team too, and he is likely to be in the capital for a week.

Neil dubs for Tamil film himself

Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh, who plays a villain in Tamil film "Kaththi", has dubbed in his own voice. He says it was tough, but a learning experience.

"Dubbed my own voice for KATHTHI. Quite a learning experience. Difficult language. But always feels good overcoming a challenge," Neil tweeted Thursday.

A.R. Murugadoss-directed "Kaththi" also features Vijay and Samantha Ruth Prabhu in the lead roles.

Of his role, Neil had earlier said that he hasn't played an over-the-top villain in the film, which will release around Diwali.

Big B under the weather

The weather seems to have taken a toll on the health of megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

On Tuesday, Big B shot for "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC) and finished his shoot for the day, but during the night, he didn't feel too well.

The 71-year-old tweeted: "Yes...went to work! Back for quite a while...and the fever has returned!! DAMN."

He took a day off Wednesday and tweeted: "The time it takes for one to adjust to a day of rest, is akin to time taken for an entire lifetime...or so it feels."

A source from the set of KBC said Bhachchan couldn't come for the shoot Thursday and that he must take rest.

So now, the KBC team is likely to reschedule his shoot to next week, the source added.

At his age, Big B is one of the most active Hindi film veterans and he keeps himself occupied with TV and film projects.

Kareena launches child-friendly schools and systems package

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor, who is Unicef's celebrity advocate, Thursday launched the Child-Friendly School and Systems package here.

The package launched by her is designed to enable children to benefit from child friendly and inclusive learning environments.

"I believe in quality of education," the 33-year-old told reporters here.

"When I visited a child-friendly school in Rajasthan, I was overwhelmed. The classrooms were clean and colourful. Children had a smile on their face. There was activity-based learning too. I wanted to go back to school after seeing all this," she added.

Now she is keen to visit schools in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh too.

"Maybe next month I'll go to schools in Bhopal or Chattisgarh... Wherever I can make a difference," said the "Singham Returns" star.

Kushal Singh, chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights; Louis Georges Arsenault, representative, Unicef India; and Urmila Sarkar, chief of education, Unicef India were also present at the event that took place at India Habitat Centre here.

Unicef is working with the Indian government to ensure greater access to education, enrolment and improved learning outcomes for children. The focus is to accelerate the shift from Right of Access to Education to Right to Learn and Quality Education.

'Mardaani' not crusade against men: Rani

Actress Rani Mukerji is seen as a strong police officer bashing up men in her latest outing "Mardaani". But she says that the film, highlighting the issue of human trafficking, is not against the gender.

After helping Apne Aap Women Worldwide's survivor activist, Fatima Khatoon win Rs.25 lakh at the eight season of "Kaun Banega Crorepati", the actress joined Khatoon and Apne Aap founder, Ruchira Gupta here to speak on the issue of sex-trafficking.

She said that through the Yash Raj Films' latest project, she wants to send out a message on the subject that's close to her heart.

"Trafficking is something that we know is happening around us. But we can only sympathise. It was important to do the film which is relevant. It gives strength to people and inspires them," she told reporters here Thursday.

The film has made an impact on a lot of people including men, she said.

"Men have cried watching the film. It's not about men bashing. It's not a crusade against men. It's about going against those who have turned into animals. I know lot of men who support the cause," she added.

Rani also shared that since Hindi movies are released almost in all countries people will become more aware of it and the message will spread wider.

She believes that if more women cops join, the issue can be sorted to some extent.

"If women cops come in the picture, they will fight for the cause stronger. All seats reserved for women cops should be filled," said Rani.