"Ranbir-Ayan film is definitely on..." - Karan Johar

The media has been going hammer and tongs reporting the fallout between Karan Johar and Ranbir Kapoor, soon after two prominent actresses spoke about Ranbir on Karan's popular TV show. Reportedly, Ranbir's father, Rishi Kapoor, was furious and had decided to disassociate from Karan's Dharma Productions. A section of the media even went to the extent of stating that the episode had put the Ranbir - Ayan Mukerji project in jeopardy, which was to be produced by Karan.

Karan refused to issue any statement on this raging controversy. Even Ranbir maintained a stoic silence, neither confirming nor denying if he would star in the Ayan Mukerji-directed project produced by Karan. However, the truth is, the project is very much on, very much happening. "I didn't need to clarify or offer explanations," Karan tells me, "The fact is Ayan's project will take off soon after Ranbir completes BARFI. Ayan and Ranbir are family... there's no truth to those rumors." Meanwhile, Karan is all set to announce a slew of new projects in the forthcoming weeks. Watch this space!

"SRK gave me the canvas I wanted" - Roshan Abbas

Radio Jockey. Television host. Theatre person. Roshan Abbas is wearing a new hat these days, that of a director. For those unaware of what Roshan has been up to, well, he's giving finishing touches to his directorial debut - ALWAYS KABHI KABHI - which is produced by none other than the superstar himself, Shah Rukh Khan. Surprisingly, the project in question doesn't star SRK in the lead, but four new faces - Satyajeet Dubey, Aly Fazal, Giselli Monteiro and Zoa Morani.

It all began while a show in Dubai, featuring SRK and hosted by Roshan, got delayed. "We got talking. He asked me what I was doing and I replied that I was planning to start a film on teens, with freshers enacting pivotal parts. It didn't require the presence of big stars, but it did require a big production house to back it. We met again in India, had our round of discussions on the project and he stepped forward to produce it." Prior to that, Roshan was in preliminary talks with Ritesh Sidhwani and also with the people at Studio 18, but as luck would have it, Roshan's directorial debut was destined to be produced by SRK.

ALWAYS KABHI KABHI is based on Roshan's 1999 play 'Graffiti'. "But it took time to develop it into a full-fledged screenplay. Shah Rukh pointed out two things. One, cinema and play are two different mediums and the written material had to be more cinematic. Two, it had to be contemporary. Also, I'd like to clarify, though the film revolves around teens, it's not inspired by 'Archie'. It actually borrows from real life experiences," Roshan divulges.

Did SRK offer suggestions, give inputs, recommend actors? "But he never imposed his ideas/suggestions," he interrupts, "He'd say, this is what I feel about a particular thing/issue/person, it's up to you to accept it. He gave me the freedom to make the movie I had envisioned and visualized at the outset. He gave me the canvas I wanted," he adds. Was it tough giving shape to his dream? "Not really! Initially, I wondered, will I get the grammar right? Will the cinematographer translate my vision on celluloid? But it wasn't tough. All you need is the right atmosphere to translate your ideas on celluloid," Roshan reveals.

Roshan's dream will unfold on the big screen on 17 June this year. "I have truly enjoyed the experience of making ALWAYS KABHI KABHI. And I wish to continue chasing my dream," he smiles. We're equally sure Roshan, you will have many interesting stories to tell in times to come.

Emergent notices ordered to govt and media in Ranjitha case

The Karnataka High Court ordered emergent notice to the government and the media in connection with a petition filed by Tamil actress Ranjitha challenging the telecast of a video clipping "depicting" her and self-styled godman Nityananda in an obscene act.

Justice B S Patil, who heard the matter, ordered an injunction to 40 news organisations including print and electronic media. An emergent notice has also been ordered.

In her petition, Ranjitha submitted that the video clipping telecast on March 2 last year was digitally manipulated.

She said she was petrified by the operation of TV channels and news organisations, which, she alleged, were telecasting the manipulated clipping of her and Nityananda.

She submitted that most of the programmes aired on Indian televisions "are not original, but copy of programmes aired in the US, which do not require any check and censorship in view of the culture there (US)".

Ranjitha, who was present during the proceedings, said the respondents were taking advantage of censorship and exploiting viewers and petitioners in general by not adopting any measures to curb prevention of any such telecast "which proves that the acts of the said respondents is illegal and unwarranted for".

Ranjitha's counsel Ravi Varma Kumar said respondents had "crossed all borders of obscenity" and such screening will affect sensitivity and emotions of people.

"Action of the respondents is in violation of provisions of law of land as per Information Technology Act 2000 and Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act 1986," Kumar submitted and sought a direction to prohibit the telecast of the clipping.

Ranjitha also sought a direction to Information and Broadcasting Ministry to restrain the respondents from telecasting obscene clippings and using any image, statements, reference and news pictures or articles of "scandalous intent".

Aishwarya Rai Sparkles At Oscars, Shimmer Rules Red Carpet

Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai added some Indian glamour to the Oscars with an on-trend shimmery number at the 83rd Academy Awards where sequins dominated the red carpet.

The 37-year-old actress sparkled in a bronze Giorgio Armani Prive gown with rows of amber sequins and beaded detail at the waist, while husband Abhishek Bachchan stuck to a traditional black tuxedo.

The actress teamed the shimmery gown with a Jimmy Choo clutch, vintage jewellery and smoky eyes.

Like Abhishek, musician A R Rahman who walked the red carpet with wife Saira, too wore a tuxedo while his partner chose a flamboyant fusion ensemble consisting of a golden sherwani and cigarette pants.

Like Saira and Ash, the shimmer trend was followed by Gwnyeth Paltrow, who wore a gold Calvin Klein number and Halle Berry who stole the show in a nude sparkling number by Marchesa.

Hilary Swank's glistening silver Gucci column gave way to a romantic ostrich feather skirt, while the sparkling bodice of Mandy Moore's romantic Monique L'Hullier dress appeared to have been sprayed on.

Shimmering nude was also an age-appropriate choice for 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, nominated for her role in True Grit, who won a Fifties-style dress by Marchesa.

While Celine Dion, wore a full-sleeved silver column dress, Amy Adams added a pop of colour to the red carpet with a sequined navy gown by L'Wren Scott, which she teamed with green accessories.

Other than the sparkle, another major trend was the resurgence of the red carpet favourite, voluminous red gowns.

The bustled creations worn by Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Hudson, and Sandra Bullock, were in the same traffic-stopping hue of red. Penelope Cruz too showed off her post-pregnancy bod with a sequined red gown by L'Wren Scott.

And while black remained a popular choice, with famously eccentric British star Helena Bonham Carter opting for it, there were some surprises from Cate Blanchett who wore an lavender Givenchy Haute Couture gown with yellow embellishment, and an unusual purple-burgundy hue seen on both Natalie Portman, in Rodarte, and Scarlett Johansson in Dolce and Gabbana.

WB CM's 'daughter' arrested

Cops nab impostor who duped Mishra family of Rs 2.8 crore from a hotel yesterday

Jogeshwari-based Mishra family, which was duped of Rs 2.8 crore by a girl claiming to be the estranged daughter of West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, found some comfort on Sunday with the news that the impostor had been nabbed. The Amboli police yesterday arrested the 28-year-old from a hotel in Andheri.

MiD DAY had reported ('Deceived of Rs 2.8 crore by WB CM's Daughter', February 5) about how the Mishras a family of four had rented their flat in Malad to Parimeeta Bhattacharya and how, over the course of a year, lent her lump sums against bogus documents and bank papers she showed them.

She duped the family of nearly Rs 2.8 crore which includes their ancestral property, family jewels, house, fixed deposits, insurance, and so on. The well-to-do Mishras are almost bankrupt now, they claim, because of the so-called CM's daughter.

Sanjeev Mishra, son of Kailash and Usha, said, "We lost all our valuables, property, jewellery, near about everything. We are happy that she has been caught and hope to get justice now."

Bhattacharya stayed in the rented house for nearly three years starting 2007 and she defrauded the family over the course of the last year of her stay, by ingratiating herself and impressing them with her spurious credentials.

"She showed us many documents like income tax orders, pan cards, demand drafts, and we believed them to be authentic. She kept taking money from my whole family, coming up with genuine-sounding excuses every time," said Usha.

They had lodged a complaint with Economic Offences Wing, who had then transferred it to the local police station.

And after trying to trace her for two weeks, cops finally caught up with her at the hotel. They revealed that the Mishra family is not the only one that she has led down the garden path she has accepted that she cozened two others to the tune of a few lakhs. Details are not known as police officials refused to share them.

Rajendra Kane, investigating officer, Amboli police station, said, "We arrested the girl on Sunday from a hotel and are investigating the case." She will be in police custody until March 5.

Rosario Dawson, Paul Rudd, Eva Mendes' public foreplay at Spirit Awards

Actress Rosario Dawson was photographed grabbing actor Paul Rudd’s crotch while he in turn grabbed actress Eva Mendes’ right breast at the Spirit Awards.

It all started when Rudd, 41, and Mendes, 36, arrived at the podium to present the Best Screenplay prize at the bash held to honour independent filmmakers, the Sun reported.

Dawson, 31, then inexplicably joined them on stage at the Santa Monica, California event, and made a beeline for Rudd’s testicles, grabbing them tightly with her right hand.

Rudd was shocked at first but did not bother to release her grip, much to the amusement of Mendes.

As he stood with his man bits in the palm of Dawson’s hand, cheeky Rudd swung his left arm around Mendes and grabbed her boob with his right.

The bizarre three-way foreplay had the audience open-mouthed before Rudd and Mendes finally got on with the job of announcing the winner.

Tom Hooper crowned best director at the Oscars

Tom Hooper has grabbed best director at the Academy Awards for ‘The King''s Speech.’

Hooper was one of 12 Academy Award nominations for ‘The King''s Speech,’ and was up against major Hollywood heavyweights – the Coen brothers, David Fincher, David O Russell and Darren Aronofsky, reports the Guardian.

The 38-year-old worked his way through the ranks of British TV programme-making before establishing himself with the two-part ‘Love in a Cold Climate’ in 2001.

He went on to direct Prime Suspect 6, Elizabeth I and the award-winning Longford, starring Jim Broadbent.

Before ‘The King''s Speech’, his best known feature film was ‘The Damned United,’ the story of Brian Clough''s ill-fated reign as Leeds United manager.

Melissa Leo apologises for the f-bomb at Oscars

Melissa Leo, who grabbed the Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2011 Academy Awards, has apologized for using f-word during her acceptance speech.

Leo, who won the award for her role as the tough-talking mother of two boxers (Mark Wahlberg and best supporting actor winner Christian Bale) in ‘The Fighter’, let the word slip out as she took to the stage, reports the Age.

“When I watched Kate two years ago, it looked so f***ing easy,” the actress said, while referring to last year’s winner Kate Winslet.

She said the word was inappropriate for the occasion.

“There is a great deal of the English language that is in my vernacular,” she added.

'The King's Speech' big winner of Oscar evening

"The King's Speech" and "Inception" tied at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards here Sunday night with four Oscars each, with the British royal drama bagging the big four of best picture, best direction, best actor and best writing while the sci-fi dominated the technical categories.

"The King's Speech", which was leading the Oscar nomination list with a presence in 12 categories, however, picked up the golden statuette in best picture as well as best direction (Tom Hooper), best actor (Colin Firth) and best original screenplay (David Seidler).

Natalie Portman bagged the best actress Oscar for her role in "Black Swan" at the ceremony in Hollywood's Kodak Theatre Sunday night.

Christopher Nolan's "Inception", starring Leonardo Di Caprio, won the awards for best cinematography, best sound editing, best sound mixing and best visual effects.

David Fincher's immensely popular "The Social Network" came close on the heels of the two films as it was awarded in three categories - best film editing, best music (original score) and best writing (adapted screenplay). The movie is based on the founding of the social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits, and is inspired from the 2009 non-fiction book "The Accidental Billionaires".

"In a Better World" from Denmark took the best foreign language film award.

"True Grit", which had 10 nominations at this year's Oscars, went empty handed.

However, films like "Toy Story 3", "Alice In Wonderland" and "The Fighter" won two honours each.

"Toy Story 3", which amassed USD 1.1 billion at the box office in 2010, won the Oscar in best animated feature film. It also picked the award for best music (original score) category, beating Indian music composer A.R. Rahman, who was nominated for Danny Boyle's "127 Hours".

Rahman was also nominated for best song "If I Can Rise" as well, but he missed the Oscar in that too.

"Alice In Wonderland" was given the Oscar for best art direction and best costume design, while "The Fighter" won the honours for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo for best supporting actor male and female respectively.

"Inside Job", which takes a closer look at what brought about the financial meltdown, won Oscar for the best documentary, features at the 83rd Academy Award. The golden statuette was given to Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs for the film.

Director Luke Matheny's "God of Love" was declared the best short film, (Live Action). It is about a lovestruck, lounge-singing darts champion who finds his prayers are answered when he mysteriously receives a box of love-inducing darts.

Oscar for the best documentary, short subjects went to "Strangers No More" by Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon.

Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley, Pete Bebb and Paul J. Franklin walked away with the Oscar for best visual effects for their work in the much appreciated sci-fi movie "Inception", while Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall got the award for best editing for "The Social Network".

India-born film editor Tariq Anwar was also among the nominees for best editing.

Mink hot photos & wiki

Mink Singh Mink Singh n Oops Small Time fame acting on their new heat. She paints in the ICC World Cup logo on the bare back and shot into the limelight out of nowhere. India is a cricket crazy nation and actresses, celebrities are not different from each other.