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'Agneepath' (Movie Review)

2012-01-28T10:39:00.000-08:00

Long before the damsel in the den Katrina Kaif signs her writhe petition junta ke naam, the film’s imposing villain and by extension the film, have written their destiny. In bold bloodied letters. E-mail didn’t exist in the 1990s.

Indeed Sanjay Dutt as Kancha lording over a no-man’s-land called Mandwa where the only law that exists is lawlessness, is so formidable in his vile antics, you fear for the hero, a decent bloke with eyes that tell a million untold stories.

Hrithik Roshan opts for a perfectly-tuned low-pitched performance to offset Dutt’s larger-than-life diabolism. For sure the combination of the flamboyant and the understated works. Although by the time the two get to each other’s throat almost three hours have flown by, you never feel the weight of the footage. An unbearable lightness of being vengeful pervades the storytelling.

This then, ladies and gentleman, is Agneepath Retold or Agneepath Deconstructed. Either way, the revenge formula never seemed more rousing in its invocation of Good and Evil in their most elementary avatars.

Debutant writer-director Karan Malhotra has chosen to restructure one of the most complex but unsuccessful Amitabh Bachchan starrer of the 1990s.

There are no punctuation marks in the narrative. The plot leaps at you through its sanguinary design, building brick by brick an edifice of low –life and high-drama. The bleak intimidating landscape, a bizarre bewildering blend of the Kafkaesque and the Mukul Anand-esque, captures the feeling of dread and devastation more effectively than any recent massy film.

This new-rage Agneepath retains the core of Mukul Anand’s 1990 failed-drama. And yes, it retains Harivnansh Rai’s ‘Angeepath’ poem, though, alas, we don’t get to hear Amitabh Bachchan recite the eloquent lines this time.

Malhotra’s script alters many of the original’s dramatic moments, adds new characters (most notable among them, Rishi Kapoor’s Rauf Lala), and finally fine-tunes and assimilates the plot’s subliminal statement on crime and retribution to a pitch where we often hear the screaming protests of social inequality through the protagonist’s pain-lashed expressions of angst disgust and rebellion rather than his words.

Indeed Hrithik Roshan opts for a subdued interpretation of his vengeful character where he could’ve easily been larger-than-life. Roshan lets Sanjay Dutt take charge of the blizzard of the bravura. Dutt is delightfully in-form here.

During the Chikni chameli item song when he quizzes the newly-arrived Mandwa-resident Vijay on why he’s where he is, Dutt’s eyes go from the molten to the melting…His best in years.

But the finest performance comes from Rishi Kapoor. Playing a loathsome flesh trader and drug dealer who takes Vijay under his wings , Kapoor delivers a bludgeoning homage to skin-crawling villainy.

A glorious departure from his lover-boy image. The prolonged sequence where Roshan takes on Rishi Kapoor is the single-most riveting episode of filmed violence in Indian cinema since Gabbar Singh’s mayhem over the Thakur’s family in Sholay.

Indeed Agneepath works so wonderfully within its high-voltage masala maad-dhaad genre because of the actors who instinctively grasp the street-level gut-wrenching grammar of debutant Karan Malhotra’s storytelling.

Barring Priyanka Chopra who seems strangely cosmetic in a land of looming credibility, every character shines through the crime-drama maze in a swirling haze of high-pitched drama.

The action sequences by Abbas Ali Mogul are staged to convey the same rawness as Dabangg, but without the sense of comicbook fantasy that made the action in Dabangg bearable , even comical.

In Agneepath every blow that Hrithik Roshan so manfully receives on his chin makes you flinch. You wait for him to give back as good as he gets.

The battering is relentless. This is not a film for the faint-hearted. Its basic structure and the leitmotif of the ‘tree of death’ (where Vijay Chauhan’s father was hanged and where his wrongdoer will finally, meet his nemesis) draw audiences into a vortex of viciousness and sadism.

This is a dark brooding world where pre-teen girls are raped sold and beaten up, where boys learn to use the gun before they learn to masturbate.

This is a world where the laws of retribution and redemption are re-written according to who rules the underworld. This is Agneepath where the poet gets hanged and the pervert gets promoted.

First-time director Karan Malhotra revels in the language of the commercial Hindi cinema. The characters in Vijay’s chawl are all good-hearted. Every character in the villain Kancha’s kingdom is a creep or a coward…take your pick.

The battle lines are tightly and compellably drawn. The pace is breakneck.

And the melodrama flows in a tense torrent signifying the return of the vendetta formula in all its Eastman-colour glory.

The film’s mob scenes of violence and religion often merge on the violent streets of Mumbai and in the lawless backwaters of the imaginary island of diabolism Mandwa.

The narrative features a Gokul Asthami matki-breaking sequence at the start and a Ganesh visarjan sequence towards the end, both shot spectacularly on the streets of Mumbai.

The background music is a suitable banshee of memories and pain.

Since Hrithik Roshan has chosen the language of understatement to portray the wronged wounded social outcast Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, it is up to the eloquence-level of the soundtrack to supplement the hero’s stunning silences.

Every component of Malhotra’s jagged drama falls into place, with a resounding thump. Agneepath is brilliant in its brutality.

It’s a riveting and hectic homage to the spirit of the cinema in the 1970s when revenge reigned supreme. And content was King.

This new Agneepath takes us back to the era when there was no computer or cellphones. And communication with the audience was immediate and electrifying.

Relive that tingling sensation of watching the hero gets his groove back. In gory detail.

Rihanna sets personal chart record with 'We Found Love'

2012-01-26T08:23:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANSISCO: Rihanna's "We Found Love" has just lodged its 10th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which makes this the longest run of her career at the tally's pole position.

Beyonce was the last female to have a single peak at 10 weeks. She did it in 2006 with "Irreplaceable."

If "We Found Love" (featuring Calvin Harris) holds on to the top-ranked slot for another week, Rihanna will match previous records set by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans' "I'll Be Missing You" and Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart."

Demi Moore seeks help for exhaustion, health issues

2012-01-26T08:19:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: Actress Demi Moore is seeking professional help to treat "exhaustion" and "overall health" issues, her spokeswoman said on Tuesday, following her split late last year from husband of six years, Ashton Kutcher.

"Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health. She looks forward to getting well and is grateful for the support of her family and friends," Moore's spokeswoman said in a statement. (Reuters)

Gisele Bundchen to become first billionaire model

2012-01-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Gisele Bundchen is set to become the world's first billionaire model as her lingerie brand goes global.

Launched last May, the Gisele Bundchen Brazilian Intimates range has proved popular in Latin America, Portugal, Japan, and Israel and now further expansion is expected.

The former Victoria's Secret Angel premiered her collection, for Brazilian company Hope, in Sao Paulo last May, the Daily Mail reported.

Stepping onto the catwalk the wife of NFL star Tom Brady, showcased various designs featuring blush pink and black satin, tassels and lace.

After the 40-piece collection hit stores across Brazil the fashion retailer Hope reported a 40 per cent increase in turnover.

Now, the range is expected to be a hit with shoppers worldwide.

And with her products endorsements and business ventures earning a total of 29 million pounds last year, Bundchen is now believed to be on track to becoming the world's first billionaire supermodel.

Veena Malik set to campaign for elections

2012-01-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

The Pakistani babe who has been getting attention from fans all over the world is excited on the way the song is appreciated and is very happy with the response.

The song has Veena as the face of a political party. and during the election time has to perform and gather more votes for her political party.

Besides wearing a hot costume for the sequence, Malik will also seen sporting a Nathani, which was added to her look ,“Nathani is a very important ornament in Pakistan and it gives a very beautiful look. So on my request we added and it is looking very stunning” says Veena.

When contacted Nitin Manmohan, he said, “Veena fits best for the item number and I’m sure she’ll do justice to the song. It is shaping up very well and Veena so far has given a brilliant performance.”

The item song of hot Veena Malik Channo is choreographed by Ahmed Khan and sung by Mamta Sharma, Anu Malik has given the music.

Veena Malik assaults Vedita: She banged my head on the rod

2012-01-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

A co-star has accused the controversial Veena Malik of purposely injuring her during a fight sequence for the film 'Mumbai 125'.

Malik was reportedly not on good terms with co-actress Vedita Pratap, who is learnt to have been injured on her forehead as a result of the scene.

According to sources, the Pakistani actress had to pull Pratap by the neck and bang her head on an iron rod in a scene but it got too far. The director, Hemant Madhukar, had to be called in as the furious actress said that Malik had intentionally hurt her.

She was reportedly nursed at a city hospital and is said to be currently undergoing treatment to get rid of the scar on her forehead. Pratap confirmed the incident and accused Malik of 'over acting'.

"It was an action sequence. I was supposed to be beaten up. I don't know what happened to Veena. She actually hurt me and she did it so badly that I had nail marks on my body.

I don't know what was wrong with her. And then she pushed me so badly and banged my head on the rod," the Mumbai Mirror quoted her as saying.

"After the incident, I spoke to the director and told him that she is deliberately doing this. Acting is one thing, but this is just over acting," she said.

When asked asked if there was any enmity between the two of them, Pratap said that Malik must be 'insecure'.

"I don't know. I think somewhere she is just insecure or just waited for the opportunity to do something like this to me. As a result of the injury, I have marks on my forehead, which I have to undergo treatment to get rid off," she said.

Credit: Mid-Day.com

Sensual and Seductive Rain Songs

2012-01-26T08:07:00.000-08:00

Be it "Kaatey nahin kat te" or "Zoobie doobie", there has always been something sensual and seductive about Bollywood songs shot in the rain.

The trend continues with two new songs - "O saiyan" and "Piya o re piya", which make for emotional, passionate and romantic additions to their films.

While "O saiyan" features Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan in "Agneepath", B-Town's soon-to-be-married-couple Riteish Desmukh and Genelia D' Souza will be seen romancing each other in the "Piya o re piya" song from their forthcoming movie "Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya".

Choreographer and "Dance India Dance" judge Geeta Kapoor, who has choreographed the latter number, says rain dance songs are definitely in vogue but are different in feel nowadays.

"Rain dances were never out of fashion. But the way they are shot or portrayed today has become different.

There are now more of sequences and have a little less dancing.

It is difficult sometimes to come up with different visual techniques and lighting, but there is always a small reason that makes a big difference like the cast, story and situations which help a rain dance song look different from all those that we have seen over the years," Kapoor told.

Rain has formed the backdrop for several Bollywood songs since the black and white era.

From "Pyaar hua ikraar hua" to "Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si", "Aaj rapat jaaye toh", "Bheegi bheegi raaton mein", "Na jaane kahaan se aayi hai", "Tip tip barsa paani", "Kaate nahin kat te", "Gale lag jaa", "Barso re", "Alvida", "Dilbara", "Main yahaan hun", "Jo haal dil ka", "Chak dhoom dhoom", "On the roof, in the rain", "Hum tum", "Bhaage re mann", "Idhar chalaa main udhar chala" and "Zoobie doobie" have used the charm of rain for adding oomph on the big screen.

But the feel of the songs has changed over the years, says Pony Verma, who choreographed the song "Gale lag jaa" from "De Dana Dan".

"Earlier, rain dance in movies was only restricted to walking hand-in-hand and singing songs, then there was a phase when people started giving structured dance moves.

But now, once again filmmakers are getting back to the old days and putting rain sequences but with a little bit of dancing," she said.

According to Bollywood choreographers, rain dance sequences are not only difficult to direct but also tough on the actors.

"The artists have to spend the entire time under the heavy flow of water and this sometimes leads to unhygienic situations. It's mostly a challenging task to keep the spirit and continue the shoot as the hot body temperature and cold water create side effects in many cases.

It is required to take a break every now and then while shooting such songs," Ganesh Acharya, who choreographed Lara Dutta and Vivek Oberoi in the song "On the roof, in the air" from the movie "Masti", told.

Kapoor agrees. She said: "While choreographing a rain sequence, a lot of factors need to be considered.

Things like appropriate clothing, minimal unit depending on the sequence, weather conditions, and clean choreography need to be taken care of so that the product look decent and watchable.

"Also, it's not really that difficult to choreograph such songs if one has a good rain machine set-up, great director of photography, good camera and good artists...all that combined make for a good rain sequence."

A noteworthy point is how most dance directors choose to make women wear a sari in most of the rain songs. Wonder why?

"I think it's a tried-and-tested thing for filmmakers to give a sari to actresses for such songs as an Indian woman looks her best in a sari," she said. Credit : santabanta.com

Fasten your seatbelts: Chanel flies couture sky-high

2012-01-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

PARIS: Chanel flew the fashion crowd sky-high on Tuesday, conjuring up a life-sized plane as the runway for an all-blue spring collection as it headlined day two of the Paris haute couture shows.

Stewards walked the length of the central aisle, offering champagne to Chanel's guests as they took their seats in the model aircraft, purpose-built inside the Grand Palais exhibition hall.

"After the red carpet, the blue carpet," the house's silver-haired designer Karl Lagerfeld, in trademark black suit and shades, quipped to reporters.

"I love the plane," said the globe-trotting couturier. "There's nothing I find more relaxing. Your neighbours are stuck to their screens, there are no phones -- it's blissfully peaceful."

Dim-lit, with "Exit" signs, images of fluffy clouds overhead and a cockpit at one end, the aircraft was carpeted with a Chanel monogram, and its seats swivelled round to offer a full view of the runway.

"Pretty cool, right!" smiled the actress Diane Kruger as she took her seat.

Lagerfeld used no fewer than 154 shades of blue for a look defined by wide, soft chimney collars, puffed sleeves, linear silhouettes and low waistlines.

"Blue is a palette all in itself," he said, "the colour of air, of the sky, or the eyes of a little cat" -- like the one he was recently given as a gift.

Chanel's first model wore a sky blue short-sleeved dress, cut just above the knee with hands thrust into deep pockets.

Her hair was pulled into a huge backcombed crest shooting skyward, and her only jewellery was long sparking pendant earrings.

A succession of day suits followed with subtle sequin embroidery, in tones of navy, royal or pale blue -- and glittering heels to match each exact shade.

Come evening time, and with each dress, the fabrics grew more intriguing and the glittering embroidery richer -- with intricate patterns sometimes repeated just below the hem on the model's tights.

Jewel-encrusted dresses rustled as the last few models walked, and for the finale there was a wedding dress with a twist: with fully embroidered bodice, and ice-blue train stopping at the knee.

Later at Giorgio Armani, the first cheers went to the US actress Jessica Chastain, as she found out live that she was nominated for an Oscar as best supporting actress for "The Help."

Did Chastain spot something to wear up the red carpet next month?

Quite possibly -- if she is planning to go in green: the couture collection sent out by Armani Prive feted vivid greens in all their glory, from aniseed to apple, weaving in a subtle reptilian-theme.

Cupped petals of layered silk, like the soft folds of a lily, defined the achingly graceful look unveiled by Stephane Rolland.

The French designer's latest hymn to the female form, all in ivory and black, with gold accents and flashes of red and lime green, earned him warm applause during the show, and a rock star crush of well-wishers backstage afterwards.

Cut from creamy silk crepe or chiffon, the pure-lined, floor-length dresses skimmed the figure like petals curling around a stem, many with billowing drapes and capes at the back.

Organic, sinuous flounces made from dozens of embroidered layers of gazar curled out at the hip, or down the side of dresses.

Smooth gold tubes circled the waistline or neck, gold plates punctuated draped dresses, and one black gown had golden half moons embroidered in a pattern all down one side.

The run of show-stoppers included an hourglass-shaped gown in white silk jersey, tight down to the knee, then spreading into a compact, fluffy train of red ostrich feathers.

"It feels like walking on water," the young model told AFP as she slipped out of the dress backstage.

Earlier the Paris-based Brazilian Gustavo Lins, took the fashion crowd to Spain via Japan, with a flamenco-inspired collection that drew heavily on the designer's lifelong passion for the kimono.

Lins wove his own ode to womanhood, imagining a "grave, sensual gypsy," clad in drapes both sober and sumptuous.

Eroticism, defined by Lins, is based on "three golden rules: the nude back, bared ankle and hugging waistline."

Onlookers sucked in their breath with each new apparition -- which made generous use of the three cardinal rules -- clapping warmly at the finale.

Deceptively simple scarf dresses were as if wrapped around the body, one in blood red with a simple band of red leather running over one shoulder and baring the other.

Others were all artful drapes and twists, leaving guests craning their necks for a better, longer view of the magic. (AFP)

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy’s documentary receives Oscar nomination

2012-01-24T09:08:00.000-08:00

KARACHI: ‘Saving Face’ a documentary by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy has received an Oscar nomination for best documentary, short subject.

The documentary is about a plastic surgeon that treats victims of acid attacks in Pakistan.

Prior to receiving the Oscar nomination, Sharmeen Chinoy had won an International Emmy for her documentary ‘Pakistan’s Taliban Generation’ which focused on Taliban recruits.

‘Underworld Awakening’ tops US box office

2012-01-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: "Underworld Awakening," about the exploits of a woman vampire warrior, grabbed top North American box office honors in its opening weekend, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations said Monday.

The 3D film starring Kate Beckinsale garnered $25.3 million at the box office, outmaneuvering the debut of "Red Tails," which recounts the World War II deeds of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of black pilots, with $18.8 million.

The two new films pushed last week's top attraction, Mark Wahlberg's crime drama "Contraband," to third place with $12 million over the weekend.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," the Tom Hanks-Sandra Bullock story of a family impacted by the 9/11 attacks, brought in $10 million in its first weekend of wide release.

Rounding out the top 10 were action flick "Haywire" ($8.4 million), "Beauty And The Beast" in 3D ($8.8 million), "Joyful Noise" ($5.9 million), "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" ($5.6 million), "Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows" ($4.5 million) and "The Iron Lady" ($3.7 million). (AFP)

'Artist' eyes gold as Oscar nominees announced

2012-01-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: Prize-heavy silent movie "The Artist" hopes for yet more good news on Tuesday, as nominations are announced for the Oscars, the climax to Hollywood's annual awards season.

The black-and-white movie, which has won a string of awards over the last two months, is vying to become the first silent film in eight decades to win the Academy Award for best picture next month.

But the French-directed film's chances depend on who gets nominated by the 6,000-odd members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, to be announced early Tuesday at its Beverly Hills headquarters.

Its relatively unknown director Michel Hazanavicius is vying for the top prize against Hollywood heavyweights, including Martin Scorsese for his lavish 3D adventure "Hugo" and Steven Spielberg with equine epic "War Horse." (AFP)

Oscar magic brewing in gritty Chicago factory

2012-01-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

CHICAGO: Oscar magic is brewing in a gritty Chicago factory where the statues soon to be hoisted in victory by the stars of the silver screen are born in a bubbling vat of britannia.

The pewter-like alloy is poured slowly into a mold and cools quickly. But it takes 40 hours of precise and delicate work before Oscar is ready for the bright lights of Hollywood.

The heart of the trophy - with its iconic square jaw, broad chest and sword - is swiftly hammered out in preparation for careful polishing.

Once every blemish is erased and Oscar shines like a mirror, the statue is hand-dipped in electrically-charged tubs of molten copper, nickel, silver and 24-carat gold.

Then it's on to more polishing and a blinding lacquer before Oscar is finally screwed into his heavy base and carefully boxed using white gloves.

Hand-casting is a dying art, but one the Academy is willing to pay dearly for as it jealously guards the reputation of one of the most sought-after and recognized trophies in the world.

The perils of seeking cheaper alternatives were on display at the Golden Globes last year when Robert De Niro showed up empty-handed in the press room after receiving a lifetime achievement award. (AFP)

J.Edgar ( Movie Review)

2012-01-22T09:58:00.000-08:00

Controversy surrounds public servants. Especially those who create, deal and manipulate the secrets of those in power. J Edgar Hoover, founding father of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), thus has to be one of the most controversial figures in American history, making the effort to film his life difficult.

Director Clint Eastwood surprisingly manages a sympathetic, non-judgmental portrait of one of 20th century's most enigmatic figure, a man who not only guarded the secrets of America, but had many hidden inside his own closet.

The past, like Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) says in the film, guides the future. And so, Eastwood creates a montage of the past and present in an attempt to project a complete picture of a man, who was perhaps both good and bad in equal measure, a man whose greatness was matched only by his excesses and manipulations.

One of the greatest controversies about the life of Hoover was his sexual orientation. Thus any film would have had to take sides, and Eastwood does. Yet he does so with a gentle, kind touch, rather than an accusatory one that the world has made it out to be. After all we no longer live in a time when being gay was a crime.

The film does not shy away from proving him wrong either. He was perhaps wrong to hide inside a closet. But he was also wrong about many things, including Martin Luther King Jr., which the film shows. Yet, it does not judge his arm-twisting and blackmailing tactics that he used to ensure that FBI grew from strength to strength, to safeguard the security of his country.

A man of firm convictions, he is strong at all times. The only two times he is shown crying, are during his mother's death and after meeting Richard Nixon.

He has been able to manipulate presidents before him, but in Nixon he finally meets his match and he copiously sheds tears, knowing what a vile man Nixon is.

Now that we can watch history from a distance, we see that he was right. And writer Dustin Lance Black uses this to absolve J. Edgar Hoover of his past sins.

DiCaprio excels in portraying this strong, frail man. Yet he falters while depicting the old age of this man and his excellent makeup fails to hide the tonality of his voice and movement that remains the same even when he ages. Armie Hammer and Naomi Watts do a much better job in this department.

Here is a man who witnessed some of the most momentous moments of the 20th century, of a technological age and an age when social justice came of age in the world. Yet here is also a man whose true contributions to these events will never be known. From his life, and from the film, we can only guess what they perhaps were.

Considering that the US emerged superpower in the same century, it would not be wrong to say that he, more than any single man in American history, affected its politics, and thus history in ways that even rulers can't.

He was indeed, perhaps, the most powerful man of the 20th century. And yet, he was also a man trapped in the expectations of his mother, hiding inside a closet.

Whatever weaknesses the man might have had, but that 'J. Edgar' manages to depict all of these, is the film's greatest strength.

I am glowing because of my kids

2012-01-22T09:54:00.000-08:00

Actress Kajol, last seen in "Toonpur Ka Superhero", says she is extremely happy with the way her life has shaped up and the doting mother of two can't stop gushing about her kids.

"I am having a blast, I am having a great time, a fabulous time with my life right now. I have two wonderful kids, I am enjoying myself thoroughly. I am glowing because I am spending so much time with my kids," the 37-year-old said here while launching a bag store, Malaga Bespoke.

The actress admits she is not considering any new projects for the time being, but hopes to be part of a good project in the near future.

"I hope so (to do a film)... but only when the right time comes, when the right offer comes, not before that," said Kajol, who won the Filmfare award for best actress for her film "My Name Is Khan" in 2010.

Kajol recently lent her voice for Karan Johar's "Koochie Koochie Hota Hai", an animated version of her 1998 film "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai". She will also be seen in a guest appearance in Johar and Shah Rukh Khan's co-production "Student Of The Year".

Noureen DeWulf, a hot desi girl in Hollywood talks

2012-01-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

Noureen DeWulf, an Indian American actress, is currently making waves with her looks and acting talent, reports Howard Cincotta

What is a common denominator for film, music, fashion and virtually every other manifestation of pop culture—whether Hollywood, Bollywood, New York, Paris, Tokyo or London? Correct answer: beautiful women in alluring poses.

Stunning Indian American actress Noureen DeWulf understands this fact as well as anyone, and she has graced her share of magazine covers, posed for publicity photos, and accommodated the desperate throngs of photographers on red-carpet runways. In 2007, Maxim magazine named her to its highly publicised “Hot 100” list of the most beautiful women in the world.

But DeWulf, 27, has also combined her acting talent, range and commitment to become one of the most active and sought-after television and film actresses in Hollywood today.

Since her 2005 debut in the musical film West Bank Story, DeWulf has appeared in 18 theatrical and television movies, plus 13 TV series and mini-series, often in multiple episodes. Her latest release is Breakaway, a comedy about an Indian Canadian hockey team. The animated film Zambezia is due out shortly. She also performs in improvisational theater in Los Angeles.

“I put a lot of pressure to keep working,” DeWulf said to the radio-interview program Mr. Media. “And when I’m not working, my agent books three auditions a day…I’d rather go to the set and work.”

Her acting roles also demonstrate a remarkable scope. DeWulf has played a Palestinian cashier working in a falafel shop (West Bank Story), a girlfriend with an attitude and a pronounced Indian accent (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past), Jennifer Lopez’s friend and pet-store employee (The Back-up Plan), and a recurring role as a nurse in the TV hospital series, Hawthorne.

Many fans of the TV spy comedy-drama, Chuck, fondly recall her epic martial arts battle in a yogurt shop with co-star Yvonne Stahovski.

In the 2010 film, The Taqwacores, which deals with the unlikely subject of Muslim punk rockers in Buffalo, New York, DeWulf plays the role in a burqa, even as her character, Rabeya, challenges religious orthodoxy at every turn.

Despite DeWulf’s covered face, said the film’s director to the British film blog EatSleepLiveFilm, “She outshines the burqa. When I see it now, I don’t see the burqa, I see the person. She knocked it out of the park.”

“It is challenging and hard to not accept all the stereotypical roles that get thrown your way,” DeWulf said to the online entertainment magazine Buzzine. “For me, I’ve been really, really lucky because I have been able to play a lot of different parts.”

DeWulf was born in New York City to Gujarati parents from Pune and grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She is fluent in Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati.

DeWulf quietly nurtured the dream of becoming an actress as a child, even though she wasn’t permitted to take theatre classes. At Boston University’s School of the Arts in Massachusetts, however, DeWulf threw herself into theatre courses and joined an acting company in Atlanta, Georgia during summer breaks. In 2005, without any friends, connections or agents, she moved to Los Angeles.

“I was really nervous to come out here,” she told Buzzine. “You put yourself out there and perhaps you fail, then you have no job. I was kind of hesitant, but I made the leap of faith.”

She addresses the contradictions of her strict upbringing and her Hollywood persona with refreshing candour. “Ironically, it was because I was raised as a Muslim in the South, that I realised the value in being true to who you really are,” she said to the fashion and entertainment magazine Details.

“I’ve just got so many things going on inside. I don’t know how to resolve all of them other than being true to who I am.”

DeWulf is frank in acknowledging that many of her film roles are not easy for her family to cope with. “But as I work in more roles, I think my parents are understanding it’s not me doing those things, but the character which I’m portraying,” she said to SAPNA, the magazine for South Asian American women and desi girls.

At the same time, she observed, “I love my heritage both as someone who grew up as a Muslim and as an Indian—it’s part of who I am and I would never deny it.”

Brazilian Big Brother housemate raped on live TV?

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

A housemate in the Brazilian version of reality TV show "Big Brother" was raped after an alcohol-fueled party and was shown on live television, a media report said.

Police Tuesday confirmed they have begun an investigation as well as carried out a search of the studios in Rio de Janeiro, where the "Big Brother Brasil" is being filmed, the Daily Mail reported.

A 31-year-old contestant, Daniel Echaniz allegedly raped 23-year-old student Monique Amin, who had passed out drunk after a party Sunday, the daily said.

Night cameras fimed Echaniz get into the bed where Amin was sleeping before appearing to have sex with her under the covers. Throughout the incident the woman appeared unconscious.

The next morning, Amin was asked about the incident, and appeared to know little of what had happened.

Police arrived at the house and interviewed Amin for three hours, before taking her away for medical examination

Police reportedly told the TV channel to either stop broadcasting the show or eliminate Echaniz.

"Big Brother Brasil", which is in its 12th series, is watched by an average TV audience of about eight million.

Meera adopts baby deer’s

2012-01-20T08:56:00.000-08:00

LAHORE: Lollywood actor Meera has adopted two baby deers, in order to raise awareness of the rights of animals.

Meera signed the required documentation on Friday and pledged to make an annual payment of 108,000 rupees to Lahore Zoo. The zoo administration has also announced that Meera has been named their ambassador.
“I will get married whenever God wills for that to happen,” Meera told reporters. “I have no intention to marry secretly.”

In May 2011, Meera’s known competitor actor Reema Khan was embroiled in a controversy as the Lahore Zoo claimed that she had adopted two deers but refused to pay for their upkeep.
Reema was also named as the zoo’s ambassador.

Sao Paulo kicks off week-long fashion fiesta

2012-01-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

SAO PAULO: Latin America's premier fashion event launched a week-long celebration of Brazilian creativity, style and glamor Thursday, dogged by perennial questions over a lack of racial diversity.

Sao Paulo Fashion Week (SPFW) opened the 32nd edition of its winter collection at a cavernous hall in Ibirapuera Park, broadcast live on the Internet for the first time, to showcase Brazilian designers.

Until next Tuesday, it will highlight some 30 labels, including Animale, Tufi Duek, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Gloria Coelho or Fernanda Yamamoto, Reinaldo Lorenco, in South America's largest metropolis of 20 million people.

"Brazil is going through a very privileged moment," said SPFW's creative director Paulo Berges, referring to the country's boom that has propelled into place as the world's sixth biggest economy.

But as occurred at the Rio fashion show last week, the celebration was marred by charges of racism in the Brazilian fashion world because the overwhelming majority of models are white in a country where more than half of the population is of African descent.

AFP

Alleged Halle Berry stalker pleads no contest

2012-01-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: A man accused of stalking Halle Berry pleaded no contest Thursday, but was given no more time behind bars and had a burglary charge against him dismissed, prosecutors said.

Richard Franco, 28, was sentenced to five years of probation and 386 days in county jail, but was given credit for 193 days so "will not serve any additional time in county jail," the District Attorney's office said.

As part of a deal, in which he pleaded no contest to one count of stalking, Franco was also ordered to undergo one year of psychological counseling and a 10-year criminal protective order also was imposed.

Franco allegedly broke into a guest house at the Oscar-winning US actress's Hollywood home during one of the several times he was spotted there in July last year.

The former Bond girl said Franco had "terrorized" her over three days from July 9, before he was arrested at 11:15 pm on July 11. Prosecutor Wendy Segall said in early proceedings that Berry was "in fear for her safety."

Franco pleaded not guilty to the first-degree burglary charge, which said he broke into the guest house on July 10.

AFP

JLo, reported beau tweet age doesn't matter

2012-01-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood superstar Jennifer Lopez, 42, and the 24-year-old back-up dancer reported as her new flame say age doesn't matter - and they have proudly tweeted it.

The singer and actress, who has not confirmed a romance with Casper Smart, retweeted messages from him saying other people's views don't matter and that "our hearts are endless."

"We should all honor our time here by indulging our passion and dreams. So, close your ears and open your hearts; Love and be happy!" said one comment retweeted by J.Lo, who split with husband Marc Anthony last year.

"Our ages are mere reminders of the hours logged on this earth and the precious time remaining ... Age, status, n opinions of others are irrelevant

Our hearts are endless and our souls infinite," added another Wednesday.

Media reports suggest the pair have been dating for three months. She would not be the first older superstar to take a younger lover, following in the footsteps of Madonna and Demi Moore.

The New York-born, Puerto Rican singer and "American Idol" talent judge announced her split from Anthony last July. The former couple are parents to 3-year-old twins Max and Emme, born in February 2008.

AFP

Chaalis Chauraasi (Movie Review)

2012-01-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

Four fine actors, one wild unpredictable night of adventure. As a premise for a two-hour adventure-caper this sounds exactly like the recipe Sudhir Mishra ordered from his scriptwriters when he made Iss Raat Ki Subah Nahin 15 years ago.

Times have changed. So has morality. Nowadays guns are no longer what the villains hold in our films. They are often the tools to trigger of a torrent of titters in times of violence. In this day and age of dithering morality Chaalis Chauraasi (4084)has some finger-licking fun with the formula of farce.

4084 is a feast of the feisty. Indeed Hriday Shetty who earlier directed a tender but undercooked tale of midlife romance Pyar Mein Twist, is here on far surer grounds as he takes his quartet of quirky characters through a maze of mindboggling adventures. All highly nefarious, of course.

So who said, crime doesn’t pay?

The thing about the morality in this film’s rapidly-mutating screenplay is that it’s a negotiable commodity. There are episodes in this extremely rugged slice-of-strife cinema where the four protagonists’ conduct scrapes the bottom of the morality barrel.

This isn’t a film for the weak-hearted. This is not a film about heroes. And the four principal actors play the unheroic heroes with compelling gusto.

Indeed the camaraderie among the quartet of over-aged fun-seekers is so convincing you wonder if the director Hriday Shetty came up with this brawny concoction of crime and comedy after getting Naseeruddin Shah, Atul Kulkarni, Kay Kay Menon and Ravi Kissan on board.

The rest just follows.

There’s no blood and gore, no abusive invocation of mothers and sisters and their private spaces. And yet the rollercoaster ride is never free of excitement.

In spite of some repetitive scenes Bunty Negi’s editing is crisp and sassy. The camerawork by Najeeb Khan makes Mumbai by night look famished and naked. Shetty has chosen actual locations of Mumbai’s underbelly as resting-places for his restless plot.

Into these redolent locations of cramped ethics, the narration pours a sort of sly and slippery street wisdom that gives the ‘heroes’ room to improvise without losing the centre of this precarious-perched tale of crime and nil punishment.

The shootouts specially in a lodge where the four protagonists masquerading as cops comes to a messy nemesis, are shot with a feeling of inebriated recklessness. Anything can happen. Nothing is as it seems.

And yet director Shetty, manoeuvring through incidents that border on the absurd and yet preserve a core of credibility, takes the narrative screaming kicking though blessedly not abusing, through a night of adventures that have to be seen to be believed.

4084 is a crisply edited one-wild-night-on-the-wrong-end-of-town caper that manages an improbable merger of the sinister and the satirical. The four principal performers are dead-on, full of beans percolating with a pungency that makes them credible all through their incredible journey.

And you’ve to see the four super-actors dance to Hawa hawaa to know how much fun they’ve extracted from the film. In this item song it’s Atul Kulkarni who surprises with his spinning feet. And his three colleagues don’t seem to mind. Oneupmanship is not the point in this game that big boys play in the dark.

Glam Vidya to sizzle in her debut item number!

2012-01-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

The actress is almost killing herself to look glamorous in her debut item number

After winning laurels for her superb performance in The Dirty Picture, Vidya Balan is all set to go a notch higher when it comes to experimenting with her looks on screen.

For her debut item number in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Ferrari Ki Sawaari, the actress is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that she looks her glamorous best. Vidya will not only try 10 different look tests but also wants to hear the scratches of the item song.

Our source in the film's production reveals, "As it is, Vidya has undergone a drastic makeover for The Dirty Picture. So the idea is to go further than that.

Hence she is insisting that we should collectively exploit as many looks as possible for her song, and go with the one that best suits the song that will be eventually finalised.

So 10 different looks are being worked out for her, with inputs from the film's makers and the stylist, apart from the actress herself."

Having put on kilos to play Silk in The Dirty Picture, Vidya has been working on losing the excess weight after the film's release. So it's natural to expect a slimmer and sexier avatar of the actress in her item debut.

Interestingly, it seems that it wasn't that the actress instantly agreed to do the item song. "Vidya saw some portions of the film, featuring Sharman Joshi, along with producers Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani.

She took an instant liking to the film and immediately agreed to do the song," reveals our source, adding that the actress is 'super excited' about it. "Besides, she has also extensively discussed it with Chopra, Hirani and Mapuskar, along with the nature of the song and the way it will be shot," points out the source.

On his part, director Rajesh Mapuskar confirmed this saying, "Yes, we are creatively working out the look. There have been all kinds of item numbers and we want this one to be different."

Credit: Mid-Day.com

'Jism 2' mystery girl revealed: It's Sunny Leone!

2012-01-19T10:24:00.000-08:00

The mystery girl behind the wet white sheet in the "Jism 2" poster has finally been unveiled. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt confirmed Thursday that the leading lady of the movie is Indian Canadian porn star Sunny Leone.

"Sunny Leone is the heroine of Pooja Bhatt's 'JISM 2'. Now watch this brave girl unfold her soul and rise higher and higher, " Bhatt wrote on his Twitter page.

Leone came to the limelight in India with her stint in the fifth season of controversial reality show "Bigg Boss". She was offered a role in the movie when Bhatt entered the show briefly to meet her. But the nature of her role was kept under wraps so far.

Leone is upbeat about bagging the lead role.

"Hey everyone! So excited to be working on 'JISM 2'. Remember to follow @jism2 to get all the movie news first, " Sunny, whose real name is Karen Malhotra, tweeted.

While Sunny plays the female lead, the film will have two male protagonists and Bhatt's actress-turned-filmmaker daughter Pooja, the producer of "Jism 2" is in a dilemma over whom to sign.

"While my dream that is #JISM2 comes closer to realization with @sunnyleone my nightmare with regards to casting my two leading men begins, " Pooja posted.

"Finding one 'man' in this business is tough enough and we need to cast two in #JISM2! I suspect strongly that it is masochism that drives me, " she added.

Sunny's entry into the "Bigg Boss 5" created a quite a stir, with the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) reportedly asking the Colors channel to ensure that Leone does not use the show to her advantage.

Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis near split: report

2012-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: Johnny Depp's 14-year romance with French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis has hit the rocks, People magazine claimed on Wednesday, and the couple are living largely separate lives.

In a cover story for this week's issue of People called "Love Gone Wrong," the celebrity magazine quoted several unnamed sources as saying the pair's relationship is nearing an end.

The "Pirates of the Caribbean" star, 48, and Paradis, 39, never married but have been together since 1998 and have two children. They divide their time between France and the United States.

People magazine noted that the pair have not appeared on the red carpet together for more than a year, missing both the Cannes film festival in May 2011 and the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday, where Depp was a presenter.

According to multiple sources, they are all but officially finished.

Depp's representatives did not return calls for comment, which hits newsstands on Friday.

Oscars foreign film shortlist includes Iran winner

2012-01-19T10:18:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: Oscars organizers unveiled Wednesday a shortlist of nine foreign language movies vying for an Academy Award next month, including an Iranian film which won a Golden Globe at the weekend.

The list, which also includes films from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Morocco, Poland and Taiwan, will be reduced to five nominees by next week, when all nominations for the February 26 Oscars show are announced.

"A Separation" by Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi won the best foreign language film at the Golden Globe awards on Sunday, beating rivals from China, Spain and Belgium, as well as Angelina Jolie's directorial debut.

The Iranian win was welcomed by Iranians and by authorities in the Islamic republic.

Iran's government initially slapped a ban on the movie as it was being made because Farhadi voiced support for fellow filmmakers labeled by authorities as "anti-regime".

But, following an apology from Farhadi that permitted "A Separation" to be completed, Tehran has come to embrace the movie, strengthening support for it as it picked up award after award in international festivals.

For the Oscars, a committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences screened 63 movies between mid-October and January 13, before deciding on the final five-strong shortlist.

Further committee meetings will be held in Los Angeles and New York over this coming weekend, before the nominations are announced next Tuesday, January 24.

The selected films are:

-Belgium: "Bullhead," directed by Michael R. Roskam.

-Canada: "Monsieur Lazhar," directed by Philippe Falardeau.

-Denmark: "Superclasico," directed by Ole Christian Madsen.

-Germany: "Pina," directed by Wim Wenders.

-Iran: "A Separation," directed by Asghar Farhadi.

-Israel: "Footnote," directed by Joseph Cedar.

-Morocco: "Omar Killed Me," directed by Roschdy Zem.

-Poland: "In Darkness," directed by Agnieszka Holland.

-Taiwan: "Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale," directed by Wei Te-sheng. (AFP)