NEWS

TITANTIC’S LUNCH MENU SELLS FOR $120,000

 

‘It’s a fascinating snapshot of life on board as a 1st-class passenger’

(BBC) — A menu of the last meal served to first-class passengers on board the Titanic has sold for £76,000.
It was among hundreds of items from the ship auctioned in Wiltshire ahead of the 100th anniversary of its
sinking in the Atlantic Ocean.

The menu was dated 14 April 1912, the day the cruiser hit an iceberg and sank, killing 1,522 people.
It featured several courses, such as eggs Argenteuil,
consomme fermier and chicken a la Maryland.

Sunny LeoAashiq Banaya Apne Movie Review

After DIL CHAHTA HAI, the new generation of storytellers decided to focus on urban themes. The yuppie crowd and the oh-so-cool attitude became the new mantra. In an attempt to make a 'kool' film, directors suddenly started concentrating on styling and technique, while, in some cases, the content took a backseat.

That's precisely the problem with AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE. Debutante director Aaditya Datt attempts a love story, packs in ample glamour and trendy music, but forgets that it takes an engrossing, spellbinding, mesmerizing script to keep the viewer glued to the screen for the next two hours.

The problem with AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE is that the love triangle is so lifeless, so listless, so outdated [two guys in love with the same girl] that you feel sad that Aaditya couldn't rise beyond the mediocre, clichéd stuff. The screenplay being lacklustre, the narrative fails to entice you as the drama unfolds.

At best, AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE looks like a collage of scenes, assembled in a film that abounds in mediocrity. The only redeeming factors are Himesh Reshammiya's hip-hop music and Emraan Hashmi's performance.

Karan [Sonu Sood] loves Sneha [Tanushree Dutta], but is too much of an introvert and just doesn't express his feelings to her. Although Karan's feelings are evident to many, he is content in just seeing Sneha smile and never gathers the courage to let her know his true feelings.

Vicky [Emraan Hashmi] is Karan's childhood friend. The opposite of Karan, Vicky is an extrovert and a notorious flirt. All three lives change when Vicky joins Karan and Sneha in college and Sneha is drawn towards Vicky.

Fearing Vicky's intentions, Karan tries to talk him out of his relationship with Sneha, but Vicky assures him that he is in love with Sneha. Karan feels he has lost the only woman he has ever loved, but knows he cannot do anything about it.

The closeness between Vicky and Sneha cross all boundaries and just as everything seemed set between the two, one night shatters them both. Sneha turns to Karan for support. Over time, Karan finally musters the courage to propose to Sneha.

After Sneha and Karan are engaged, Vicky re-enters their lives. But that one night changes their lives forever.

AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE doesn't remind you of any one film in particular. To be honest, there's no story in the first place. The concept of two guys fighting over one girl has been beaten to death in Bollywood. Right from SANGAM to this date, the moviegoer has witnessed similar stories time and again. Any novelty in the enterprise? Nope!

If the first half is devoid of anything interesting, you expect some movement in the story towards the post-interval portions. And the title song -- a provocative and erotic number -- does promise a turn for the better. But it stagnates soon after.

Aaditya Datt's direction is as poor as his script. The biggest drawback of the film is that it relies so heavily on been-there-seen-that situations that you actually search for something innovative throughout those two hours.

On the whole, AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE is a good opportunity gone waste. At the box-office, the film may attract the youth on its opening day thanks to the aggressive promotion a

Aan Music Review

Firoz A. Nadiadwala spells LAVISH! Everything from mega star cast to unbelievable sets to lavish locations to foreign artists to world class technicians to last but not the least - swanky sports cars! A dream producer to many a directors, Firoz Nadiadwala has been known to have spent fortunes on his last two mega-ventures - 'Hera Pheri' and 'Awara Pagal Deewana' - on the assets as mentioned above. After the success of comedy 'Hera Pheri' and comic book actioner 'Awara Pagal Deewana', Nadiadwala is back with an action drama 'Aan - Men At Work' - yet another addition to the cop movies that have been ruling the roost for an year now. Directed by Madhur Bhandarkar [Chandni Bar, Satta], 'Aan' is the same movie, which was launched in parallel to 'Khakee' and was supposed to have the same leading actors as Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. There were also rumors that the storyline of both the movies was supposedly similar. But as like all the rumors, this too was laid to rest with the passage of time. Also shotgun - Shatrughan Sinha was roped in when Big B dropped out. Rest of the mega star cast comprises of Nadiadwala favorites Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal [also seen in 'Hera Pheri' and 'Awara Pagal Deewana'], Jackie Shroff, Lara Dutta, Raveena Tandon, Irrfan Khan and Preeti Jhangiani. Anu Malik too is repeated after 'Hera Pheri' and 'Awara Pagal Deewana' while Sameer does the lyrics.

With an action theme like this, one expects a couple of love songs, item songs and situational songs each. But after watching the initial promos and listening to the entire album, one is surprised to come across 6 love songs and two item numbers. 'Dil Se Dilbar', the opening number, though extremely predictable and run of the mill, does turn out to be an okay listening after it is played a number of times. Prime reason being the song promos that are being aired a million times a day on all music channels. Sung by Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Paudwal, the song is let down by Sameer's lyrics which are plain mediocre and some very average choreography. Dance steps are least impressive and the chemistry between the lead pair of Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta is simply missing. Camera is focused completely on the two swanky red cars on display and tries to compensate for this week song. Definitely not a song that will excite people to throng the theatres!

Next follows 'Jab Tak Rahega' which is not a 'Top 10' material but still better than the previous song mainly due to Abhijeet's singing. Anuradha Paudwal is routine again but Abhijeet's vocals make the number worth listening. Both Akshay and Lara look better together here but Sameer's lyrics disappoint again. Typical choreography doesn't help much and this love song settles down to an average category.

While one is waiting for some real action to begin, a la Nadiadwala style, soon arrives a sad song [so early in the album] 'Koi Pyaar Na Kare'. Mainly set to similar tune as 'Dil Se Dilbar', it is a sadder version but unlike other sad songs, it is not short but a full-fledged song by Sonu Nigam. A 'dard-e-dil' track of broken hearts, it preaches about not falling in love lest you get a 'pyaar mein dhokha', it is good to hear if heard outside the context of the movie. But one wonders what is it doing in a cop movie like this where there may not be much scope of 'pyaar-mohabbat' and 'rona-dhona'! And this happens not once but twice in the album when it arrives as a sad duet by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal!

One's patience is answered with the arrival of first of the item numbers of 'Aan' - 'Jugnu Ki Payal'. Filmgoers may remember that both 'Hera Pheri' and 'Awara Paagal Deewana' boasted of at least one full-fledged item number - 'Tun Tunak Tun' and 'Ya Habibi Zeenat' respectively. In the first of the item track here, 'Jugnu Ki Payal' is sung by Shaswati, the voice behind 'Loot Gaye' (Mumbai Matinee) and 90% of the hit remixes of recent times, including 'Kaanta Laga', 'Chadti Jawani' et al. With voice over from Zubin, Tejpal Kaur writes this track and though not exceptional, it elevates the mood to some height due to some wonderful song design by Akbar Sami and Jatin. Knowing the reputation of the producer, this one too is expected to be set on a lavish scale.

Next item track in a row is 'Nasha Nasha' which boasts of international dancers and some grand sets. A zippy number, it is sung exuberantly by Sunidhi Chauhan on Dev Kohli's lyrics. Again designed by Akbar Sami and Jatin, this may be one number which the movie makers may want to hold up the sleeves till just about the movie's release so as to cause an instant impact.

Graph of the album is taken further up with a surprisingly melodious number 'Hum Aapse' that reminds of the 60s era. Sung excellently by Sonu Nigam, he comes as close to Mohd. Rafi as it gets and doesn't let him down by any standards. A love song where Sonu Nigam pairs up with Alka Yagnik, it could have very well fit in a musical love story and it's to be seen whether it actually fits in Aan's narrative or not!

The album ends on a satisfactory note with 'Hamare Baad', which is again, a love song about 'Choose me to love you as I only can make you smile'! Yesteryear singer Shabbir Kumar sings along with Udit Narayan, Sarika Kapoor and Ujjwala and leaves a good impression.

After a few initial hiccups, 'Aan - Men At Work' does well to end on an above average note. Extensive publicity by the producers will anyways help the cause though you can't even discard the fact that there is not much demand of music when it come to an action movie. The songs do sound well when heard in isolation of the movie's theme and the promos of the item songs at the right time may just manage to do the trick.

ne still selling hard porn

Once a porn star, always a porn star! At least this stands true in Sunny Leone's case! One would think that after bagging a mainstream film like Jism 2, under Mahesh Bhatt's banner, Sunny would at least go easy on her porn star ways. But no! The lady has gone full throttle on making hay while sun shines and is selling her porn videos with nary a care for her newfound Hindi film star status.


"After Bigg Boss 5, Sunny Leon has become a household name in India and Asian subcontinent. And she seems to be reaping the benefits of this popularity by posting most daring videos on her website. This is really pathetic," says an industry insider on the condition of anonymity.
Sunny's website loudly claims: "All videos are now showing in HD format!" Obviously this goes on to increase the titillation quotient of her porn videos. And those who want to view her porn videos have to shell out 99 cents per day and those who want to buy them, have to shell out much more, depending upon the degree of hard porn shown.
After signing her debut Bollywood film, the lady has uploaded some xxx rated videos. This is setting a new trend in Bollywood for sure, which is not a very healthy one, adds our source.

Shah Rukh Khan's special gifts for Katrina

When Katrina shot in the freezing climes of London recently, co-star Shah Rukh Khan made sure she had enough jackets to keep her warm by sending his staff to buy some for her.
What's more, a few days ago a fancy new gym bag too arrived on the sets of their Yash Chopra film courtesy SRK, with a card that read, "Have a great workout!" He sent her the present after being told that Kat was looking for a particular bag.

SRK is known to be generous when it comes to buying gifts for people he likes. And Kat is the newest person on the list of friends he likes to spoil. The two actors are working together for the first time in this as-yet untitled film. A source working on the film reveals that the charming Khan made sure his leading lady was well-taken care of during their long outdoor stint abroad. "He even asked his personal staff to make sure she was comfortable and that her every need was catered to. After a security issue occured during the film's London schedule, SRK asked his bodyguards to be by Kat's side and ensure that she wasn't mobbed by aggressive fans." The actress is known to travel without security and even moves around in the city without bodyguards, unlike other actresses.

And it seems that apart from being her co-star, SRK has also turned into her confidant. The source adds, "She loves talking to him and often asks him for professional as well as personal advice." We wonder what a certain other Khan has to say about this nayi dosti!

Britney Spears lands $15M deal to become 'X Factor' judge, report says

 After initially asking "X Factor" bosses to "Gimme More," Britney Spears has reportedly reached an agreement to serve as a judge on the TV talent show.

Spears, 30, will join Simon Cowell's show at a price of $15 million, according to The Wrap. About $13 million will come for her judging role and the rest will be paid for her to perform on the US show.
She will serve on the program's judging panel alongside Cowell and producer LA Reid.
Earlier reports claimed Spears had been offered a $10 million deal to judge the show, but had demanded $20 million.
FOX and Spears' representatives have so far made no comment about the reported agreement.
The payday would compare to the salary paid to Spears' former "Mickey Mouse Club" pal Christina Aguilera, who earns about $10 million on "The Voice."
Judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger departed "X Factor" after its first season, along with host Steve Jones.

Shah Rukh Khan busy for Farah Khan till 2013

Shah Rukh Khan will work with his once best friend Farah Khan again. In the project they had together thought of, years back. But not in the next two years. That's right. We are sorry to douse the dreams of the many excited to see SKR recreate
an OSO or a Main Hoon Na on screen. They will surely have to wait for a while.

While certain sections of the media have been busy creating brouhaha over Farah joining hands with the actor, Mirror has learnt that Khan's calendar is choc-a-bloc for the coming months.

Shah Rukh Khan   , who is currently busy shooting for Yash Chopra's directorial comeback with Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, will start his project Chennai Express with Rohit Shetty soon after, in August.

Though the female lead for the film is yet to be finalised, sources reveal that SRK is keen on starting the venture as soon as he finishes Chopra's project in July. And after that, he will have to choose between his childhood friend Anil Senior and Bollywood buddy Farah's projects ABCD and Happy New Year respectively.

On October 8, 2011, Mumbai Mirror told you how SRK had already chalked out plans for his next, ABCD - a film to be made by his childhood friend. And according to sources from the industry, after Shetty's Chennai Express, SRK would most probably opt for this project. This however, leaves Farah standing last in the queue.

"Till now, SRK was scheduled to work on Rohit Shetty's film Chennai Express first and then Farah Khan's Happy New Year. However, now he wants to work on his childhood friend, Anil Senior's film ABCD. He will be an actor and producer for the project. Also, Khan wants to start work on his mythological opus based on Karna. If things go as planned, Farah's plans will be pushed further. And Happy New Year will not start before end of 2013," said the source.

According to the source, SRK after finishing Yash Chopra's film will start Rohit Shetty's Chennai Express and then move on to Anil Senior's ABCD. "The rest of the creative calls will be taken only after the IPL season next year. In all probability, he will start work on his mythological," added the source.

Housefull 2

Khan follows Manmohan Desai's funda - give the audience so much, so fast, they'll be too dazzled to carp. It works - most of the time. Housefull-2 opens in London with sibling rivalry between, ahem, the Kapoor brothers (Randhir and Rishi), elder Dabboo 'najayaz' but given part of his father's business, younger Chintu bitterly resentful. The resentment seeps across this house - Rishi's daughter, Heena  and Randhir's girl, Bobbie (Jacqueline) at each other's throats. Each brother wants to marry his daughter to tycoon JD's son, 'Jolly' - Riteish who loves full-figured model 'J'Lo' (Zarine) but is too terrified to tell Daddy - Mithun Chakrabarty, striding across his English castle in a starched dhoti, a tycoon who smiles frostily only at Man Friday, Patil (a frothy Lever).


But the Kapoors engage 'Aakhri Pasta' - Housefull-1's Indo-Italian, Chunky Pandey - still wearing skin-tight neon suits, delivering his 'I'm-a-joking!' line with creepy panache. Marriage-fixer Pasta brings an eligible match to Chintu, but playing a vinegary uncle with tang, Kapoor insults the father - with offensive 'African jokes' - landing him in hospital. His son (Talpade) swears revenge, begging buddy Jolly to romance Chintu's daughter, then break it off - but jittery Jolly drags in muscular Max (Abraham) to have him play 'Jolly', employing sleazy Sunny (Kumar) for the other brother to get the same.


The rival Jolly-boys enjoy purani dushmani - but that's forgotten with two hot girls, a crocodile and a desert island that, like a skit in British comedy 'Little Britain', has a luxury resort behind the beach. Yet, some starvation for the clueless girls ensures love and soon, there are four pairs - and four Jollys - hotting things up. With each Punjabi Papa - and one Batuk Patel (Irani, all dimples and nasal inflexion, father of Parul, Talpade's sweetheart - Shahzahn, with more bikinis than lines) - vying for Jolly, the 'dirty dozen' reaches JD's house. But they're walking on water here. JD's got a temper, a dark secret - and a gun.


Housefull-2 is a bag of laughs with eye-candy - Akshay in linens, Jacqueline in minis - and some crackling performances. Mithun commands with sheer presence while the climax belongs to rip-roaring Lever. Riteish plays 'helpless' with flair while a guest scene by '70s veteran Ranjeet - "From rapist to therapist" - provides a vibrant stroke of colour on this house-wall. Abraham manages the muscle-man while Malaika Arora Khan sizzles in 'Anarkali Disco Chali' - and an oomphy little scenario later. But the film belongs toAkshay Kumar who carries off a sharp suit and 'jhaari-mein-chalein' jokes with glossy aplomb. And to Sajid Khan who, despite a smorgasbord of stars, ensures one prevails - the mad storyline. The music (Sajid-Wajid) could have been punchier while some scenes sag. But with cracks like, "Aasman se gire, Khajuraho mein atke," as Akshay parachutes down on his mum-in-law, you can't complain - unless you were looking for Einstein, of course.

Priyanka wants a clean Yamuna

Priyanka Chopra was in Agra recently as part of a social initiative to clean the polluted Yamuna river.
Wearing oversized sunglasses and a white kurti,
PC personally took a cleaning apparatus and cleaned the floating rubbish from the banks of the river at the Dussera ghat, with the Taj Mahal in the backdrop. The whole exercise took about an hour. Before going to the river bank, she spent an hour visiting the Taj and learning about the environmental damage done to it. It's heartening to see an actor taking time out to address such issues and get involved

Priyanka Chopra confirmed for Zanjeer

On Wednesday morning Priyanka Chopra was signed to play the lead role in the new-age version of Zanjeer to be directed by Apoorva Lakhia.

According to sources from the project,Priyanka's role would be a far cry from Jaya Bhaduri's chakku-churee walee in the original Zanjeer.
Says a source, "Priyanka will play a woman of today.She will be cast as a US-returned owner of a cafe. Though she will be dressed most glamorously she won't be doing any songs or item numbers."
Interestingly Priyanka has been paid on a par with the film's leading man Ramcharan Teja: close to Rs 6 crores for both the Telugu and Hindi versions of Zanjeer.
Our very reliable sources tell us that Teja has promised to help Priyanka with her Telugu if she promises to help him with his Hindi.
Zanjeer's co-producer Amit Mehra confirmed the casting of Priyanka Chopra

Snap-happy Priyanka, Shanghai-bound Kalki