No One Killed Jessica opens with mixed reviews

AFTER FACING a disastrous 2010 in cinema, the year 2011 was ushered in by one of the most awaited movies No One Killed Jessica by Rajkumar Gupta, who had earlier helmed Aamir. The movie No One Killed Jessica has opened up with encouraging feedback from prominent industry watchers, critics and fellow actors.
So, what actually did work out for the movie? Was it the unabashed usage of cuss words by Rani, was it the heart moving story line in which the entire country took inspiration from another cult movie, Rang De Basanti wherein the investigating agencies were forced to put the accused in the dock and
ensure that the Jessica Lal murder case was brought to conclusion. Another attraction of the film could also be the director's take on presenting the story in a documentary style?
Different people have their own takes to testify these questions. Kaveri Bamzai of a prominent magazine says that you know the story of how Jessica Lall was murdered. You also know the guilty will eventually be punished. Yet from the minute the phone rings by Sabrina Lall's bedside, the viewer is in the grip of a high fever. The pace is frenetic, the language forceful, the collapse of witnesses shocking.
On the directors take, trade analyst Taran Adarsh who gave No One Killed Jessica four stars also recommended a standing ovation for the movie apart from saying that most storytellers entertain, a few enlighten. A scattering number of celluloid visionaries entertain as well as enlighten. Rajkumar Gupta fits into that exceptional variety of film-makers that opens up thought-processes about the condition of the homeland without losing the cinematic elements that constitute a film.
Ahead of his next release Dhobi Ghat, actor Aamir Khan who was present at No One Killed Jessica's screening in Mumbai says that with a strong storyline, good direction, exciting promos and a whole of lot of other good aspects of the movie, I hope it will certainly have an impact.

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Katy Perry, Eminem and Johnny Depp rule at People's Choice Awards 2011

THE LONG awaited People's Choice Awards 2011 left the audiences as well as the spectators bedazzled when a host of awards were given out to some of the best names in the business which included Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, Adam Sandler and actor Zac Efron. Adding colour to the entire event were the Kardashian siblings including Khloe, who walked in with her red tresses along with her husband. Her sisters, Kim and Kourtney were seen giving company to her.

Hollywood hunk Johnny Depp won the best actor trophy for his role in the hit flick, Alice in Wonderland after beating the Twilight duo Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. However, the last Twilight flick, Eclipse was the big winner in the event as it went on to clinch four gongs for favourite movie, favourite drama movie, favourite on-screen team and best actress trophy for Kristen Stewart.

Actor Zac Efron was given an award for favourite movie star under 25 whereas, comedian Adam Sandler received the favourite comedy star trophy for his role in the movie Grown Ups.

The complete list of winners at the People's Choice Awards 2011 are:

Movies:

Favorite Movie: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Movie Actress: Kristen Stewart
Favorite Action Movie: Iron Man 2
Favorite Action Star: Jackie Chan
Favorite Family Movie: Toy Story 3
Favorite Drama Movie: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Favorite Comedy Movie: Grown Ups
Favorite Comedic Star: Adam Sandler
Favorite On Screen Team: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner)
Favorite Movie Star Under 25: Zac Efron
Favorite Horror Movie: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Television:

Favorite New TV Drama: Hawaii Five-O
Favorite TV Drama: House
Favorite TV Drama Actor: Hugh Laurie
Favorite TV Drama Actress: Lisa Edelstein
Favorite TV Comedy: Glee
Favortie TV Comedy Actor: Neil Patrick Harris
Favorite TV Comedy Actress: Jane Lynch
Favorite TV Crime Drama: Lie to Me
Favorite TV Crime Fighter: Tim Roth
Favorite TV Doctor: Gregory House (Hugh Laurie)
Favorite Competition Show: American Idol
Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show: Fringe
Favorite Talk Show Host: Conan O’Brien
Favorite TV Obsession: Dexter
Favorite TV Guilty Pleasure: Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Favorite TV Family: The Simpsons (The Simpsons)
Favorite New TV Comedy: $#*! My Dad Says
Favorite Family TV Movie: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
Favorite TV Guest Star: Demi Lovato (Grey’s Anatomy)
Favorite TV Chef: Rachael Ray

Music:

Favorite Breakout Artist: Selena Gomez & the Scene
Favorite Male Artist: Eminem
Favorite Female Artist: Katy Perry
Favorite Song: “Love The Way You Lie” (Eminem featuring Rihanna)
Favorite Country Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Rock Band: Paramore
Favorite Pop Artist: Rihanna
Favorite R&B Artist: Usher
Favorite Hip-Hop Artist: Eminem
Favorite Music Video: “Love The Way You Lie” (Eminem featuring Rihanna)
Favorite Online Sensation: Katy Perry
Favorite Viral Video Star: Single Ladies Devastation

Mamta Banerjee inaugurates Goa Film Festival

UNION MINISTER for Railways Mamata Banerjee lit the traditional lamp to lift the curtains on the 41st edition of the International Film Festival of India at Goa at a colorful ceremony at Kala Academy on Monday evening in the presence of noted film director Yash Chopra and actor Ajay Devgn. The 11-day extravaganza began with the screening of the British film West is West directed Andy de Emmony.
The 41st edition of the International Film Festival of India was inaugurated at a star-studded gala function at Kala Academy in Panaji. Banerjee inaugurated the festival in Panaji, which was attended by various dignitaries, including industry veteran Yash Chopra.

In her speech, Banerjee said she will take up the film industry's concerns over taxation with the government.

‘The film industry has contributed a lot to the country; It is not the joking industry they ( film producers) also expose us (politicians) through cinemas. They don’t get any thing, taxation is too much, it is a matter related to the finance ministry and I will take up the issue of taxation with Pranab da (Mukherjee)," Banerjee said.

Veteran film director Yash Chopra earlier said that the Indian film industry is taxed heavily and filmmakers will not be able to make movies anymore if taxed any further.

Also present at the inaugural function were eminent personalities such as Goa Governor S. S .Siddhu, actors Ajay Devgan, Raima Sen, actor Aftab Shivdasani and actress Gracy Singh.

The 'reel' history of Indian cinema, spread over 88 years, would be showcased through posters at the International Film Festival of India venue.

The event is the biggest annual film extravaganza in South Asia, involving the participation of 61 countries, 300 world acclaimed films and over 6,000 delegates. The 41st edition of India’s oldest film festival will screen films across 11 auditoriums in Panaji and Margao.
The opening ceremony at the Kala Academy was followed by the inaugural film West is West (2010) directed by Andy de Emmony and produced by Leslee Udwin. The film is a sequel to the Popular ‘East is East’ produced in 1999. The cast of the film include Om Puri, Linda Bassett, Aqib Khan, Jimi Mistry, Ila Arun and Vijay Raaz.

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2010 Round-up: Worst celebrity wardrobe snafus

STARS, WHO had the worst wardrobe malfunctions whether on stage or off it, in 2010, have been revealed.

Starting off is actress Katherine Heigl, 32, who while accepting her award for female star of the year almost gave her audience more than they bargained for when one of her shoulder straps popped, Fox News reported.

The actress caught the piece of fabric before it exposed too much, and continued speaking while the host of the night Billy Bush held up her strap for her.

Actress Halle Berry, 44, is next on the list for stepping out in September in a dress that turned out to be see-thru under the flashing bulbs.

Actress Chloe Sevigny, 36, suffered a small mishap when as she stepped up to the mic to accept her Golden Globe for playing a sister-wife on ‘Big Love’, the usher who escorted her accidentally stepped on her long gown and ripped it.

The best one yet is actor John Travolta, 56, who left his house one morning in March with the zipper of his pants down.

ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, 32, fell out of her dress in week two of ‘Dancing with the Stars’. Lucky for her, her dance partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy noticed what happened and helped cover her up unnoticed until her Barbie dress was fixed.

‘Mean Girls’ star Lindsay Lohan came into notice for her nails, on which she had painted “**** you” prior to her court appearance in July.

Included on the list is Sofia Vergara for flashing her thong, Lady Gaga for her beef attire at MTV VMA’s, Mariah Carey for slipping because of her massive stilettos.

Ryan Phillippe for wearing a thin shirt that made his nipples stand up, and Miley Cyrus for showing too much skin at the MTV European Music Awards in Madrid.

2010 Round-up: Top 10 Bollywood movies of this year

THE YEAR 2010 came with unprecedented shocks and surprises as far as the entertainment sector is concerned. 2010 saw myriad directors trying to claim their share in the Box Office (BO) collections. However, many big banner movies tanked at the B.O while many small budget movies made a considerable impact at the collections. Brainless nutcrackers claimed the major portion of their treats while movies in which countless million rupees were invested failed to recover their money. Given below are the list of Top 10 Bollywood movies:

1. Dabanng: Dabanng marked the successful debut of director Abhinav Kashyap, producer Arbaaz Khan and Sonakshi Sinha. Despite of having an ensemble cast and a brainless comedy set in rural Uttar Pradesh, Salman Khan was seen playing the role of Robin Hood's desi version, Robin Hood Pandey aka Chulbul Pandey. The movie rocked at the box office and was finally bestowed with the title of highest ever grossing movie in the history of Indian cinema.

1. Golmaal 3: Director Rohit Shetty along with the enigmatic Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Kareena Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Khemu delivered what is touted as one of the biggest hits of 2010. A sequel to the highly successful Golmaal series which was released in 2008, the movie gave new dimensions to comedy films in India.

1. Raajneeti: Raajneeti, a true blue political potboiler from the stable of ace director Prakash Jha partially uncovered the complex and unpredictable life of a politician and parties running for power. The film which at many places, carries an uncanny resemblance to the Mahabharata, also at places shares its story line with the Nehru-Gandhi family.

2. My Name is Khan: The trend was started by Aamir Khan to bring the life of differently abled people on the celluloid with his movie Taare Zameen Par. After a few years, director Karan Johar teamed up with his best friends and actors Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to showcase howsoever different they may be, humanity forms the root towards peaceful living and existence.

3. Housefull: Complementing its title, the movie stayed true with its running time as well. With a star cast of highly bankable stars, director Sajid Khan shot the film extensively across Italy and London. The movie is also said to be a remake of a Tamil film, Kaathala Kaathala.

4. Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai: History repeated itself and Mumbai once again came under the shadow of the dreaded gangster Haji Mastan on 30 July 2010. With their break neck performances of Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim respectively, Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi enchanted the cine goers with their performances.

5. Peepli Live: It is said that there are countless villages across India who bear the name Peepli. Débutante director Anusha Rizvi put her journalistic skills into a more creative use along with producer Aamir Khan and gave the nation Peepli Live, which took a satirical dig on the farmer suicides and the media covering the entire episode. With a cast of theatre actors, the movie emblazoned its name as one of the most noticeable movies ever made in Bollywood.

6. I Hate Luv Storys: Producer Karan Johar teamed up with first time director Punit Malhotra for I Hate Luv Storys. The romantic comedy movie saw Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor sharing the space and showcasing their respective perspective on the globally dreaded theme of commitment and love.

7. Raavan: The movie was surrounded by a lot of hype and expectations as ace director Mani Ratnam teamed up with A.R. Rahman, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan post their last super hit flick, Guru. Although Rahman's music was well received the movie failed to make an impact on the box office despite the presence of Tamil super star Vikram.

     10. Kites: Kites saw the re-union of Hrithik Roshan along with daddy Rakesh Roshan. The movie  which was majorly shot across Sin City Las Vegas and Mexico. The movie also marked the debut of actress Barbara Mori. The movie tanked miserably at the box office.

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Imran Khan-Avantika Malik to tie the knot on January 10

BOLLYWOOD HEARTTHROB Imran Khan is all set to dismiss his statement "I Hate Luv Storys" and he is ready to break hearts of many of his female fans by tying the knot with long-time girlfriend Avantika Malik on January 10. Imran Khan got engaged with his eight-year-old sweetheart Avantika Malik on January 16 last year.
The 27-year-old Bollywood actor's wedding functions will be starting from Saturday, January 8 with mehendi cum reception ceremony and will be followed by a registered marriage on January 10. Ceremony will take place at Avantika's farmhouse in Karjat, outskirts of Mumbai.
According to the reports, Bollywood actor Imran Khan has invited all his female co-stars including  Genelia D' Souza (Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na), Sonam Kapoor (I Hate Luv Storys), Deepika Padukone (Break Ke Baad), Katrina Kaif (upcoming Mere Brother Ki Dulhan) and Kareena Kapoor (upcoming Short Term Shaadi) for his D-day. However, Sonam Kapoor and Katrina Kaif will not attend the marriage due to their prior commitments.

Along with his co-stars, many big guns from Bollywood including his mamu (uncle) Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, buddy Ranbir Kapoor are probably among the guest list.
According to the sources, with every invitation card a swipe card is also enclosed for security reasons and the guests were asked to carry it to the function. Site map of the farmhouse is also attached with the invitation card.

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83rd Academy awards: 41 songs in contention for nomination

FORTY-ONE songs from eligible feature-length motion pictures are in contention for nomination in the original song category for Hollywood's 83rd Academy Awards. The original songs, listed in alphabetical order, are: "Alice" from "Alice in Wonderland"; "Forever One Love" and "Freedom Song" from "Black Tulip"; "Bound to You," "Welcome to Burlesque" and "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" from "Burlesque"; "There's a Place for Us" from "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader"; "Coming Home" and "Me and Tennessee" from "Country Strong."

Also eligible for Oscar consideration are "Despicable Me" and "Prettiest Girls" from "Despicable Me;" "Dear Laughing Doubters" from "Dinner for Schmucks"; "Better Days" from "Eat Pray Love"; "If You Run" from "Going the Distance"; "Darkness Before the Dawn" from "Holy Rollers"; "Sticks & Stones" from "How to Train Your Dragon"; "Le Gris" from "Idiots and Angels"; "Chanson Illusionist" from "The Illusionist"; "Never Say Never" from "The Karate Kid"; "To the Sky" from "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole"; and "What If" from "Letters to Juliet. "

The final songs eligible for nomination are "Life During Wartime" from "Life during Wartime"; "Made in Dagenham" from "Made in Dagenham"; "Little One" from "Mother and Child"; "Be the One" from "The Next Three Days"; "If I Rise" from "127 Hours"; "When You See Forever" from "The Perfect Game"; "I Remain" from "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time"; "Dream Big" from "Pure Country 2: The Gift"; "How I Love You" from "Ramona and Beezus"; "Darling I Do" from "Shrek Forever After"; "Noka Oi" from "Six Days in Paradise"; "This Is a Low" from "Tamara Drewe"; "I See the Light" from "Tangled"; "Rise" from "3 Billion and Counting"; "We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3"; "Eclipse: All Yours" from "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse"; "Nothing" from "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too"; "A Better Life" from "Unbeaten"; "Shine" from "Waiting for Superman" and "The Reasons Why" from "Wretches & Jabberers."

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on January 25 in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. The Oscars are scheduled to go on stage on  February 27 next year. Reports from Hollywood suggest that the selected songs will be played before the voting panel of the Music Branch of the Oscars in Los Angeles on the 6th of January. The list, which has been announced by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, places three songs from the film Burlesque among the top five.

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