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Brand Ambassador Vidya Balan attended the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Conference (IFFM) as the Victorian Coalition Government extended its support for the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne by one year, reinforcing strong bond that exists between the Victorian and Indian screen industries.Recently the actress spoke at length about various aspects of her film-career. She is also well-aware that her weight is the talk of the town at the moment.“My weight has become the talking point of the nation. Why is everyone bothered about it? Is it a national issue?  I am just trying to work on my body shape, keeping in mind my character in the film. Believe me, I am not doing anything special. I am not dieting. I am happy with the way I look and hope people would leave it at that,” says, Vidya.At the same time, she is geared up to play first female detective of India in upcoming film Bobby Jasoos. The Dia Mirza and Sahil Sangha production is being directed by debutant Samar Shaikh. “Samar is a very talented director. I am really looking forward to working with him,” she says. The movie goes on floor in November.

Doing an initiative along with The Clean & Clear MTV Dream Project, which helps to fulfill the dreams of over a thousand homeless girls, Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor feels he is living his dream. The initiative is a joint project of M.A.D and The Clean & Clear that has titled Ketto. The actor, who has provided professional services through Ketto, has personally helped fulfill 17-year-old Manisha's dream, through a platform that connects people to a 1000 young, underprivileged girls across India, to make their small yet precious dreams come true. In Manisha's case, it meant a cycle to take her younger siblings to school.Kunal expressed, “Initiatives such as these help individuals like us to fulfill the dreams of these girls. When I got the chance to be that helping hand for Manisha to achieve her simple yet precious dream, I felt so much happiness! More so, I was very moved by what her dream was, she did not want the cycle for herself but for her siblings. I hope that girls like Manisha never stop dreaming.”Manisha, whose father is a cancer patient, has been living in Mumbai with her family for the last 12 years. She said, “My father has been suffering from cancer for quite a while. My mother has to spend most of her time in the hospital, to meet doctors, buy medicines and support my father. I did my best to make our lives better. Being the eldest child, I took the responsibility of taking care of the house and my younger siblings. The play school they go to is very far, and I walk everyday to pick them up as they cannot come on their own. That is why my dream was to own a cycle, so that I pick them up and come home safe and continue with my other tasks.”We appreciate your move Kunal.

At the recently held renowned Pune Festival, one saw the likes of Hema Malini, Dimple Kapadia, Urmila Matondkar performing at the opening ceremony. However the closing ceremony had only one  stellar star performance wrapping up the festival.It was none other than Model/VJ/Actress Pooja Misrra doing a seductive lavani dance which she picked up in record time of one day wherein she rehearsed for 12 hours non-stop. That's not all she was also the celebrity star judge at the Miss Pune contest held at Pune Festival. Here's a heads up to the hard working rock star.Pooja will be soon seen in an Item Number in Chandra Barot's Hum Baaja Baja Denge.

Actors often complaints that they cannot bear the harsh rays of sunlight and that’s why they travel in tint sheeted cars. But, as per the Indian government’s rule book, it is a crime to have tinted films in cars. Government had banned the use of tinted glass, restricting visions beyond permissible limit as fixed under the Motor Vehicles Act, in vehicles.However, Bollywood celebrities are often caught by traffic police having tinted car windows. Recently actors Ajay Devgn and Vidya Balan have been reprimanded by traffic police for the tinted films in their cars. While, the Kahaani actress sweetly pays the fine every time but has requested the cops to let her keep the tinted film because she cannot handle the sunlight. Other side, Ajay Devgn bowled the cops over with his conscientiousness and had the tinted film removed immediately. Now the latest to join the bandwagon is Salman Khan, who was on his way to South Mumbai in his high-end vehicle. As per the reports, “The traffic cops stopped the vehicle at the Worli exit for the light tinted film. But once they spotted Salman Khan in it, the sombre mood immediately changed and the actor was greeted with a wide smile. The cops reportedly took pictures with the star on their mobile phones. The cops allegedly let off Salman with a light warning.”

The much-awaited animation project Mahabharat is set to hit the theatres soon, and the exciting news about the same is that Anil Kapoor and Manoj Bajpai are the latest addition to the list of cast in the ambitious film. While Anil has lent his voice to the character of Karna, Manoj has dubbed for Yudishtir's character. The renowned actors were recently seen at the Future Works Studio in Andheri and the film's producer Jayantilal Gada confirmed their addition to the cast. "Both Anil and Manoj have shown full commitment. It was very gracious on their part to agree to impart voices to two very important characters in my film," he said. Anil completed his task in 15 days, while Manoj’s work was done in just 4 days. "Anil gave a lot to my film. Despite his hectic schedule, he took time off to come to the dubbing studio for more than two weeks," added Gada.For those unaware, the film already has a star-studded cast of voices with Amitabh Bachchan (Bheeshma Pitamah), Vidya Balan (Draupadi), Sunny Deol (Bheem) and Ajay Devgn (Arjun). However, the makers are yet to zero upon for a voice for the villain of the epic, Duryodhan.It is learnt that the makers are planning to release the film this Diwali, but a clash with Krrish 3 is not in their minds. Gada said "No we're not going to clash with Hrithik Roshan's film, we'll release a week before or later, but in the festive season."Hope the film do wonders at the box-office!

Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman, who is most remembered for his role as Wolverine, may quit the quit the franchise soon, as he says that playing the character has been very compelling for him. It has been for a decade since Jackman has been playing the heroic mutant.Recently he spoke in length about his thoughts on reprising the iconic role. "Great parts always outgrow the actors that play them. If you forget that, it`s at your own peril. They are working on it now, and it would have to be very compelling for me to do it again. I`ve been doing it for 10 years," he said.On the idea of switching comic book characters or doing a crossover, the 44-year-old, said, "The great thing about comic books is that they threw Batman in with Wolverine or Spiderman. I have people ask me all the time, `Do you think Spider-Man can beat Wolverine?` It`s part of the DNA."He was speaking at the Spain film festival, where he had accompanied director Denis Villeneuve to promote his new movie Prisoners. There he was to receive the Donostia Award for the lifetime achievement at the special screening of the movie on September 27."Humbled and honoured by the award. My wife Deborra-Lee Furness won the Silver Shell in Los Angeles in San Sebastian in 1991 for her role in `Waiting`, so we`re going to just call it the Jackman-Furness Award if that`s alright with you."Keep up the good work!

Model Katie Price recently made a revelation of sorts when she opened up for the first time about her wedding to Kieran Hayler, insisting that her new spouse is anything but a gold digger, and is always paying for things for her.

One look at Ranveer Singh’s chiseled body in Ramleela’s recently released song Ram ji ki chaal, and it is just impossible not to get becharmed by his persona. No wonder Ranveer is superlative with the response he has been getting post the release of the song.In fact, the chap is rather satisfied to get an opportunity to leave an imprint of his fit frame on celluloid. "It's probably the most intense training programme that I have been through to get in that kind of shape for Ram ji ki chaal. It's well worth it now that I see it on screen," the 28-year-old said in a video of the making of the song. "I am very happy that I looked like that at least once in my life and that it is imprinted on celluloid," he added. Meanwhile, the actor, who was admitted in Mumbai’s suburban hospital after being diagnosed with dengue, has been discharged and advised to take proper rest; however, we don’t see that happening, as he is already keen on making a comeback to work.Says a crew member, “Ranveer is trying to make up for lost time. We cancelled the music launch for the film, as we wanted to start the promotional activities with Ranveer and Deepika Padukone together. Since he seems to be recovering, he has decided to kick start the process and has agreed to give interviews over the phone.”The film stars him opposite Deepika Padukone, and is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It is set in Gujarat, and releases on November 15.

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is nowadays considered as king of comedy, after all we must admit that his comic timing is brilliant. He has showcased his funny side in rom-coms such as Cocktail, Love Aaj Kal, Kal Ho Na Ho, Hum Tum and his upcoming film Go Goa Gone is wholly from comedy genre. Also starring Pooja Gupta, Vir Das and Kunal Khemu, Go Goa Gone will hit the theaters on May 10.

Abhishek Bachchan is sure one darling husband, who misses no opportunity to make his darling wife feel special and it was sure one such moment. At Times of India Film Awards 2013 (TOIFA), Abhishek won the best actor comic award on Saturday for his funny role in Bol Bachchan.

Prabhu Dheva’s next, R…Rajkumar is enjoying all the right buzz, with the release of the trailer and positive responses pouring in. The online release of the trailer had a surprise element for Shahid’s fans. The end of the trailer has Shahid Kapoor appearing on-screen and making an engaging appeal.The result of this activity was certainly fruitful.  The trailer on YouTube has over 2 million views. The idea of Shahid’s appearance undoubtedly ensured user engagement. The activity was highly successful with over 32,000 likes, highest amongst its contemporaries (trailers of films releasing around the same time). The trailer has certainly struck a chord going by the audience response. Promising to be a film for the masses, R…Rajkumar is a complete Bollywood package with action, comedy and romance. The trailer has Shahid in the character of Rajkumar, talking about the trailer and asking for the audience feedback and action. Producer Viki Rajani states, “The movie has a mass appeal and Shahid has been the right choice to play the lead. Prabhu Dheva has lent his trademark flavor to the film and the combination of their energies is infectious. We are glad that idea of the small appearance of Shahid in the end has worked. The video has given us another platform for Shahid to connect with his fans on a personal level!”The audience has clearly not failed to reciprocate, which is visible in the number of likes and comments. Going by the response so far, R… Rajkumar has certainly left everyone curious to know what ‘R…’ stands for, which will be revealed on the 6th of December (release date). Starring Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha & Sonu Sood, the film is produced by Eros International and NextGen Films.

Since quite some time, we’ve been seeing reality-show queen Kim Kardashian, who is dating rapper Kanye West, covering her pregnant belly in baggy clothing, however, she decided to change that on Saturday, as she bare her bump in all its glory. Kim, 32, tweeted a picture of herself wearing black skintight leggings and a white sheer top rolled up to reveal her sizable belly.

Hailing from a middle class family of Haryana, where girls were not allowed to do job, and working in film industry is like a taboo, Mallika Sherawat, originally named as Reema Lamba, dared to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and is engaging it with a proud in her heart. Though she’s not accepted yet by her father, a conservative man, she finds their substitute in her brother Vikram, who she calls her soul mate.Mallika, pouring her heart out, said how difficult it is for a girl to face sociality if her family is not standing for her. She says her father hasn’t accepted her with her job yet. “A couple of years back, there was an assassination attempt on me for saying that in Haryana, women are treated like cattle at which point my brother got worried and shifted in with me to look after me. My father's relatives would have taunted him and said, badchallan hai, family ke muh pe kala daag hai, but I still felt very alone and hurt as anything could have happened to me then but still he did not call me.”She goes on, “Now that I am more mature, there is no resentment, but there is still anger and lot of hurt in me. My brother Vikram has always been attached to me and is my soulmate. After a while I started seeing my father in him and he became my pillar of strength. So much time has gone by and God has given you so much but you never recover from that pain. It's difficult to get over my father's betrayal as a protector that you expect as a young girl. I am his blood and who else can you look up to if not your own father?”Mallika is next to be seen in TV show The Bachelorette India-Mere Khayalo Ki Mallika, starting from Oct 7 on Life OK.

Veteran film actress and social activist Shabana Azmi says that she was brought up in such a manner that she pays huge attention while selecting a movie. Azmi was speaking as the chief guest for the 18th International Film Festival of Kerala, which started on Friday night.While addressing the sources, Shabana revealed how happy she felt looking at the participation of the audience in the festival. Azmi is someone who believes that a social message must come from a film, and she feels that the director is responsible for the same. "My family and the way in which I was bought up influenced my selection of movies across all genres," Azmi said.Azmi said, "I have trust and faith on the upcoming directors as they were reflecting reality based on what they have seen and experienced in life in cities. Masters like Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen portrayed rural life, as it was the reality they had seen in their life time."Quizzed if she would like to take up Malayalam films, Azmi said, "While acting, it is important for me to understand the meaning of the language."We applaud your belief!

The cute and chirpy beauty Alia Bhatt made a name for herself in the Bollywood industry debuting here with Karan Johar’s directorial Student of the Year. She was fabulous in the movie, and everyone loved her effortless fashion sense.Now, she is all set to be seen in Imtiaz Ali’s Highway, which releases in December, and is latest’s most ambitious project till date. Alia’s fans have a lot of expectations from this film of hers, which is going to be the second release of her career.Soon after that she would be seen in Karan Johar’s 2 States, and a film with Varun Dhawan. So needless to say, she has a lot of big films in her kitty, and besides there are many brand endorsements. However, despite that she doesn’t think of herself as a star."I don't have much acting experience. I am not a star. I am learning... there is a long way to go. As of now I am dependent on my directors," she said, while launching the new range with Maybelline. Praising her Highway co-star Randeep Hooda, she said, "He is a great actor and helped me a lot, he made me feel comfortable. Though he is senior, he is as young as I am. It is just a perception that he is older. Rather, there were times when I was acting older and saying don't do this or that."She is also impressed with Arjun Kapoor, with whom she stars in 2 States, and think of him as extremely supportive. "He is a great actor, I loved him in Ishaqzaade. He is an amazing person. He helped me in preparing for the role," said Alia.Have a go, girl!

Buying property in metro city like Mumbai is not an easy deal to seal. Many successful and rich actors, like Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Sonakshi Sinha among many have been house-hunting for a longest time, but in vain. All has been unsuccessful in finding an appropriate property.Bollywood’s one of the richest couples, Saif Ali Khan, the nawab of Pataudi, along with superstar wife Kareena Kapoor always wanted to live in a see-facing bungalow. Recently, the couple has bought four floors in a Bandra building, but Bebo admits, “Saif and I would have loved to build or buy a bungalow. We even looked for one before we settled on our current address. However, there aren't bungalows that met with our taste.”Apart from the couple, there is list of actors who are craving for their own space in the most crowded city of the nation. It is said that Mumbai, whose landscape now resembles Shanghai, is growing vertically and with each passing day, the bungalows are fast disappearing into the metamorphosing skyline.Bollywood style icon Priyanka Chopra is looking for a sea-facing bungalow in the stretch between Bandra and Juhu for almost two years but she hasn’t found any yet. Even Katrina Kaif, who has been recording cash at box-office, got failed to find her dream property. On the other hand, Sonam Kapoor is happy that her father Anil Kapoor is not tempted to raze their bungalow to the ground and bring in a high rise instead, at least just as yet. Shatrughan Sinha’s darling daughter Sonakshi Sinha fails to understand why her parents have demolished their bungalow Ramayan to convert it into a tall building. Salman Khan has reportedly acquired a huge property in the suburbs.

Least people know that Gang of Wasseypur fame, Huma Qureshi, is a big fan of bollywood superstar Salman Khan. She admires the Dabangg actor ardently and recently gets the chance to meet him on the sets of Bigg Boss 7. The beautiful actress, along with Madhuri Dixit, visited the TV reality show for the promotions of their upcoming film Dedh Ishqiya.It was weekend ka wow episode and Salman Khan introduced the two beautiful actresses on the sets through a dance performance with each. During the interaction time, shy girl Huma revealed that she is a big fan of Salman Khan. She also went inside the Bigg Boss 7 house and from there she said, “I am a big fan of yours and that is the reason, I watch Bigg Boss.”Huma’s revelation brought smile on Salman’s face and he replied to her by saying, “Arre, aap ne pehle kyu nahi bataya agar bataati toh mere saath yahan hoti.”Huma made her feature-film debut with a supporting role in the 2012 critically acclaimed crime drama Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 and Part 2 as Mohsina. Her performance won wide critical acclaim, earning several nominations in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Female Debut category (including the Filmfare). The following year, she was the lead in romantic comedy Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana, a commercial flop; however, her performance was praised by film critics.Her next Dedh Ishqiya is releasing on January 10, 2014.

The latest offering of Zee TV, Doli Armaanon Ki, starring with Mohit Malik as Samrat and Neha Marda as Urmi has been started throwing in new surprises. In the past few episodes one could notice that Urmi, like every girl, is eagerly waiting for her wedding day. She has found her dream man in Samrat but it seems the makers have some thrilling plans to bring in her love story.In the coming episode Urmi will get a shock when she gets to know that Samrat is a man who does not believe in the importance of wedding rituals. And to make matters worse, her reaction will inflate Samrat’s ego and he will go on to call-off his marriage with Urmi.As per the sources, “Samrat will be about to be applied haldi, he will get an official call informing him about an urgent meeting fixed at the same time. Samrat being a person who gives utmost importance to his work, will walk off without completing the haldi ritual.”Ishaan (Siddharth Arora) will hide this truth from Urmi when she will ask about the ritual. He will inform her that Samrat did finish the haldi ceremony. “Samrat’s parents will cover up for their son. But Urmi will later on get to know the truth from Samrat himself, as he will spill the beans saying that he walked out without applying haldi as he had a meeting lined up. This will make Urmi angry and she will confront Ishaan and ask him why he had to cover up for his best friend,” added sources.Urmi’s loud response on the situation will put Samrat to rethink on his marriage decision. He always wanted to marry a girl, who is dutiful and silent, but Urmi’s tenacity to speak her mind and scold his best friend Ishaan will not go down well with Samrat, and he will tell his family that he has decided to call-off the wedding. It would be a big shocker not only for Urmi but for her parents as well.

After winning million fans as the protagonist, Maanvi, in Star Plus’ hit show Ek Hazaaro Mein Meri Behena Hai, the pretty and vivacious Niaa Sharma went missing from the screen.And now, she is coming back with a new show. She will anchor the finale episode of MTV Webbed, being produced by Lost Boy Productions and Balaji Telefilms. It is based on cyber crime and the final episode will air on 15 December 2013. Actors like Veebha Anand, Vrinda Dawda and Chestha Bhagat will be seen in the finale episode.Confirming the report, Niaa said, “Yes, I have already shot for the final episode and it was super fun shooting after a while now. I got opportunity to showcase my hosting skills after a long time. I did anchor a bit during my school days. In daily soaps, you have to enact a character but here I have to be myself. I always wanted to be a part of a youth show and I am happy to host MTV Webbed.”Talking about anchoring whether she would like to do more in the same field or concentrate more on acting, Niaa said, “Yes, I would love to. But according to me, hosting business is male dominated in Indian television. The way men can mimic or crack any kind of joke, it connects with viewers. It doesn’t mean female can’t do it but daily soaps are female oriented and anchoring is male dominated.”Indeed, good news for her fans!