Blog Archive

Saturday, April 30, 2011

PM inaugurates new CBI headquarters building

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday (29-Apr-2011) inaugurated the new state-of-the-art headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi.

“It is an impressive structure and I congratulate all those who have contributed to its construction. I am sure this new building will provide all of you a congenial and comfortable habitat to work in,” Dr. Singh said.

"The handling of these cases constitutes a litmus test for you," Singh said at the opening of a new CBI headquarters in New Delhi.

"What is expected of you is thorough investigation, fair action and quick results. The CBI should act without fear or favour and bring to book all those who are guilty, irrespective of their position or status," he said.

"Whoever transgresses the law of the land, however mighty, has to be brought to book," Singh said.

At the same time, Singh told the CBI not to engage in witch-hunts. "There should be no vendetta, no witch-hunt and no harassment of the innocent," he said.

An advanced fire-fighting system, as well as power back-up is provided. Besides, there is a well designed Press Briefing Room and Media Lounge.

A gallery showcasing the history and land-mark achievements of the CBI is also a part of the building.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Superstar Rajnikanth hospitalised on first day of Rana shoot

Superstar Rajinikanth was reportedly not feeling well at the pooja held today (April 29 2011) at AVM studios for his upcoming Rana directed by K S Ravikumar.

Rajinikanth has been admitted to St Isabel's Hospital in Chennai after he reported some uneasiness in the sets of Rana. The Superstar was immediately rushed to the hospital where the diagnosis revealed food poisoning.

After his mega hit Endhiran-The Robot, the 60-year-old actor began shooting today for new film Rana opposite Bollywood starlet Deepika Padukone. He is essaying a triple role in the movie.

The star was at the AVM Studios this morning where the pooja and first shot of Rana took place. He reportedly ate his lunch after which he complained of uneasiness.

As per sources, the superstar was suffering from "dehydration and high temperature". He was looking out of sorts at the pooja, where heroine Deepika Padukone, and guests such as mentor K Balachandar, RM Veerapan, Vairamuthu, Mahendran, director KS Ravikumar were present.

Rajinikanth's daughters Aishwarya and Soundarya were also there at the launch.

The doctors attending to Rajinikanth have advised him to take a few days rest. Looks like Rana shooting will be postponed until Rajini gains his health back.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

TN Govt sues AIADMK leaders

Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday (28-Apr-2011) filed a defamation case against former AIADMK ministers O. Paneerselvam, K.A. Sengottaiyan and D. Jayakumar and legal wing secretary P.H. Manoj Pandian for their alleged disparaging remarks against him over attempt to destroy some important government files.

The city public prosecutor M. Shahjahan filed the defamation complaint on behalf of the chief minister before the principal sessions court.

Taking exception to AIADMK's allegation in a letter to the Election Commission, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had on April 25 charged the opposition party with spreading falsehood and said the government was in the process of initiating legal steps against it. In his complaint, the PP submitted that the AIADMK leaders in the letter to EC on April 24, which was published in newspapers, had claimed that the "caretaker" DMK Government had ordered shifting of various departments from the old secretariat at Fort St George to the new one at Omanduarar Government Estate with a view to destroying key files.

The complaint said the use of the word "caretaker government" itself amounts to making derogatory remarks against elected Chief Minister. Knowing this fully well, the AIADMK leaders had wantonly made disparaging remarks.

Even without understanding the basic concept of administration, the accused had made the disparaging remarks against the chief minister only to shatter the image in the eye of the public, Shahjahan added.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Too Short and Funny Jokes

Wife : Do you want dinner?

Husband : Sure, what are my choices?

Wife : Yes and no.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Son: Mom, when I was on the bus with Dad this morning, he told me to give up my seat to a lady.

Mom: Well, you have done the right thing.

Son: But mum, I was sitting on daddy's lap.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Father to son after exam: "let me see your report card."

Son: "My friend just borrowed it. He wants to scare his parents."

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Sathya Sai Baba enters 'samadhi'

The last rites of spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba began with full state honours at Prashanti Nilayam Wednesday (27-Apr-2011) morning amid the chanting of Vedic hymns. The ceremonies began at 9 am. in Sai Kulwant Hall, where the Baba used to give 'darshan' to devotees and deliver discourses.

[ Cricketer Sachin and his wife mourning for Sai Baba ]

Thousands of tearful devotees, including top politicians, gathered for the funeral of Sathya Sai Baba, one of India's best-known Hindu ascetics who was revered as a divine incarnation with miraculous healing powers.

The 84-year-old guru's death Sunday triggered an outpouring of grief from followers who included top Indian politicians, movie stars, athletes and industrialists.

Sai Baba was given a gun salute and state honours before his body was prepared for burial by priests chanting verses from sacred texts and anointing the guru's body with oil, herbs and flowers.

The body was then covered with an orange cloth. Orange is the colour of holiness in Hinduism.

Sai Baba has been buried in the same hall - the Kulwant Hall in the ashram - where his casket was kept for darshan. Ten priests conducted the private funeral.

[ Tearful devotees of Sai Baba ]

The burial was not open to the general public, but giant screens erected around the town were showing live footage of the event for the vast crowds of followers who have converged on Puttaparthi. Only family members, some members of the Prashanti Nilayam Trust and some important leaders gathered there were inside Kulwant Hall.

Many top politicians are in Puttaparthi today (27-Apr-2011). Among them BJP patriarch LK Advani, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.

On Tuesday (26-Apr-2011), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi visited the ashram to pay their last respects.

Star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, an ardent devotee of Baba, also visited Puttaparthi on Monday (25-Apr-2011). Accompanied by wife Anjali and friend V. Chamundeshwarnath, Sachin sat beside the body of Sathya Sai Baba at Kulwant Hall and prayed for him. He was seen wiping his tears with a handkerchief handed over by his wife. Sachin, who turned 38 Sunday (24-Apr-2011), did not celebrate his birthday due to Baba's death.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar also paid his last respects to Sai Baba on Monday. Tears could be seen in the batting legend's eyes even as his wife, Marshneil, sobbed uncontrollably.

The popularity of Sai Baba remained undimmed throughout his life - Sai Baba had ashrams in 126 countries and also ran a network of hospitals, clinics and schools that were often free.

Eating red pepper helps curb appetite

A sprinkle of red pepper will burn more than your mouth, according to some new research. It can burn calories.

A study has found that eating a moderate quantity of red pepper can help curb appetite. According to research from Purdue University, the peppers especially work for those who don't normally eat the popular spice.

The researchers found that the non-spicy food eaters experienced reduced appetite while consuming the meal with 1 gram / 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper – especially for salty, fatty and sweet foods.

Unfortunately, this effect was not seen in the spicy food eater group, leading researchers to conclude that the appetite suppressing effect of red peppers wears off as diners become desensitized to the effect of spicy food.

According to Dr. Richard Mattes, "that burn in your mouth is responsible for that effect. It turns out you get a more robust effect if you include the sensory part because the burn contributes to a rise in body temperature, energy expenditure and appetite control."

Can red pepper solve a weight problem all by itself? Probably not. But the researchers said that - along with healthy eating and regular execise - sprinking some red pepper on your meals might help.

No bail to Kalmadi for 90 days

It is eight more nights in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lockup for India’s high profile MP and sports administrator Suresh Kalmadi with a court Tuesday (26-Apr-2011) sending him to police custody till May 4 on charges of irregularities in awarding contracts for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
No bail to Kalmadi for 90 days
The Indian Olympic Association removed the organiser of the scandal-hit Delhi Commonwealth Games as its president on Tuesday, hours after a court ordered him held in custody on graft charges.

IOA announced that its senior vice president Vijay Kumar Malhotra will be the 'officiating president' in the 'long absence of president.' Kalmadi was heading the association for 15 years.

Mr. Malhotra said he will call a meeting of the IOA Executive Board at the earliest in consultation with the Secretary-General Mr. Randhir Singh, who is out of town, and discuss the situation arising out of the arrest of Mr. Kalmadi.

However, Kalmadi will not be eligible to seek bail before 90 days with the CBI Tuesday adding charges of forgery in its FIR against him and two other CWG officials arrested Monday (25-Apr-2011).

Veerappan's wife released, arrested and released again

Freedom continues to elude Muthulakshmi, wife of slain forest brigand Veerappan. She was picked up by the Tamil Nadu police minutes after she was released from the central prison on Monday.

She was exonerated of charges in the last of the five cases by a Chamrajnagar court on April 20. In the last case relating to the gunning down of six policemen by her husband in 1993, the court acquitted her for lack of evidence.

Muthulakshmi was shifted to central jail in Bangalore six months ago after perceived threats to her safety but was not released as a case was pending against her in Tamil Nadu's Salem district.

She was escorted by the Central prison police and handed over to their Tamil Nadu counterparts, who then produced her before the court in a case related to Dr Rajkumar's abduction.

The Tamil Nadu police produced her before a judge at Gopichettypalyam court, but she was released on bail, as the documents of acquittal from Karnataka courts were being verified. The judge, however, asked her to be in the court on May 19.

"I always believed in God and knew justice would be done to me. I knew that I had not done anything wrong and was paying a price for the offences committed by my husband," Muthulakshmi told PTI after she was released.

Veerappan, one of the country's most wanted criminals, was shot dead by the STF in 2004. Muthulakshmi, who spent six years in the custody of STF, and later three years in jail in Karnataka, said she always knew justice would be meted out to her.

On whether she aspired to enter politics,she said "though I had some political ambitions earlier, I would not like comment on the subject for the time being".

"Though I have suffered, I wish a bright and happy future for my daughters. I want them to achieve something in life", Muthulakshmi said.Her two daughters are pursuing their education in Chennai, the first doing her BA, and second Engineering.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Pets are better than kids

Some reasons here, but do not take it so seriously.. Pets are better than children because they:
funny pets
  • Eat less.
  • Usually come when called.
  • Are easier to train.
  • Don't ask for money all the time.
  • Don't drink or smoke.
  • Don't hang out with friends who use drugs.
  • Never ask to drive the car.
  • Don't have to have the latest fashions.
  • Don't want to wear your clothes.
  • Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and
  • If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

> For funny jokes

Kanimozhi 'active brain' behind Kalaignar TV operations: CBI

A special court summoned DMK MP Kanimozhi after the agency accused her today of being closely involved in the running of a company that allegedly received 2G kickbacks, and of “actively pursuing” the reappointment of A Raja as union telecom minister.
Kanimozhi MP
The supplementary charge sheet, second since April 2 in the 2G spectrum allocation case, filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday (25-Apr-2011) in a court, dwells at length on the role Kanimozhi, Rajya Sabha MP and daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, played in incorporating Kalaignar TV Private Ltd. along with other promoters.

Before the chargesheet details became public, the Tamil Nadu chief minister said in Chennai that he was not aware of any of his family member being possibly named by the CBI in the second chargesheet. Later, the DMK lapsed into silence.

CBI has listed 14 reasons to prove that Rs 200 crore paid by DB Group, which controls Swan Telecom, to Kalaignar TV was nothing but kickback for 2G spectrum and licences given to Swan.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's wife Dayaluammal got benefits of ill-health and 'non-understanding' of any language other than Tamil from being chargesheeted in 2G spectrum case, CBI today(26-Apr-2011) told a Delhi court.

The agency said Dayaluammal had delegated her power to Kalaignar TV Director Sharad Kumar to run the affairs of the company.

Honeymoon time for Mahesh-Lara

Indian actress Lara Dutta got married to Mahesh Bhupathi two months back but unlike many other couples these two chose to give preference to their work commitments.
Honeymoon time for Mahesh-Lara
Ask actress Lara Dutta about life after marriage with Mahesh Bhupathi and she chuckles, "It's the same. I see so little of Mahesh as was the case even before our marriage."

Ever since they got married in February this year, Bhupathi has been busy with tennis tournaments, while Lara has been overseeing the post-production of Chalo Dilli. This film, to release on 29th of April 2011, marks the debut of both Lara and Mahesh as producers.

"We're both very busy. He travels 36 weeks of the year and I'm busy with work. But, at the end of the day, it makes you feel happy that there is someone in the world who you can go back home to," Lara says.
Honeymoon time for Mahesh-Lara
When they are home together, does the actor do anything romantic for her husband, like making morning tea perhaps? "I don’t want to poison my husband just two months after marriage," laughs Lara. "I have never tried my hand in the kitchen! I don’t have the time; I’m too busy getting ready to head to work every morning."

Do statements like, only out-of-work actresses turn producers bother her? "These statements are coming from people who haven’t done anything in life. These myth-like statements should just be banned," she says.

"We will soon start the pre-production of the next film from our banners. Meanwhile, I have Don 2 to look forward to," she concludes.

Now, when her first home production film is set to release this week, the actress will finally have some time for herself and for her hubby. It is believed that the couple plans to go on a honeymoon and has chosen Bali as their dream destination.

Congress suspends Kalmadi after CBI arrests him

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Suresh Kalmadi, former chief organiser of the Delhi Commonwealth Games on Monday (25-Apr-2011) as part of a crackdown in a slew of corruption scandals.
Congress suspends Kalmadi after CBI arrests him
Following the action by CBI, Congress wasted no time in suspending the Lok Sabha MP.

"The disciplinary committee of the party has suspended Suresh Kalmadi," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters.

The action came hours after Kalmadi was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged financial irregularities in the conduct of the biggest international sporting event which India hosted.

Mr. Kalmadi was earlier removed from the post of Congress Parliamentary Party Secretary after controversies hit the Games. After the Games, he was sacked as chief of the Orgnaizing Committee by the government.

The agency also arrested two other OC officials Surjeet Lal, deputy director general (procurement) and A SV Prasad, joint director general (sports) in the same case.

Kalmadi, an MP from Pune, and the two other officials will be in CBI custody tonight and they will be produced in a court on Tuesday.

Chennai: Water, juice, buttermilk sachets seized

The Public Health Department in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India has seized around 38750 substandard water sachets, 203 water cans, 795 packets of artificially flavored fruit juices and buttermilk sachets from 300 retail outlets in various parts of the city.

The raids took place in Tondiarpet, Washermenpet, Royapuram, Vysarpadi, Perambur and Pulianthope in north Chennai, Anna Nagar, Aminjikarai and Virugambakkam in the Kilpauk zone, besides Adyar, Mandaveli, Saidapet, Mylapore, Velachery and T Nagar in south Chennai.

More than 300 shops were targeted.

The packets did not meet the mandatory requirements, such as printing of manufacturing date, address of the manufacturer, batch number and expiry date, Corporation officials said.

As contaminated water and food could cause acute diarrhoeal diseases, the civic body has taken this initiative based on complaints received from people.

The corporation has requested the public to look for details like date of manufacturing, batch number and best-before-use date on the wrappers before purchase.

Deepika spotted kissing Siddharth Mallya

The latest buzz in tinsel town is that Deepika Padukone and beau Siddharth Mallya were recently spotted hugging and openly kissing each other in public.
Deepika spotted kissing Siddharth Mallya
Seems like Deepika and Siddharth have finally come out of the closet about their relationship. The rumoured couple was seen kissing and hugging in public.

In the moment of victory of Vijay Mallya's IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, Deepika Padukone and Siddharth Mallya threw caution to the winds and hugged and kissed in front of TV cameras.

The couple was seen enjoying the match and didn't lose any opportunity to steal loving glances at each other and an occasional hug. Those hugs turned out to be hugs of exultation in the end as Team Bangalore emerged winners, thanks to a whirlwind century by Chris Gayle.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Review: Dum Maaro Dum

Rohan Sippy's Dum Maaro Dum may have been in the news for the wrong reasons, but the Abhishek Bachchan-starrer amassed Rs.6.2 crore in India on its opening day itself.

Reviewed by Deccan Chronicle


Sippy has adequate skills to turn Goa into the new Nepal — land of drugs, foreigners, paedophiles, casual sex and murders — and he even organised sufficiently crass dialogue and a couple of interesting scenes. But his war on drugs and drug-wallas is non-committal.
hindi-film-bollywood-movie-dum-maaro-dum
Bipasha Basu looks very toned and nice, but the quality of men she has to loll in bed with is steadily deteriorating. Prateik Babar is a big letdown, as is Rana Daggubati.

Govind Namdeo is his usual self and gets to shout his favourite word — ghanta. Aditya Pancholi, who plays Lorsa, is infinitely creepier in his pictures in glossies. Gantois Gomes is good.

Abhishek Bachchan’s ACP Kamath, I read somewhere, is being “equated with Inspector Vijay” of Zanjeer. Which raving lunatic is making this comparison? If Inspector Vijay were to find ACP Kamath in his thana, he would kick his chair, grit his teeth and caution, “Jab tak baithne ko na kaha jai sharafat se khade raho. Yeh police station hai, tumhare baap ka ghar nahin”.

Reviewed by Rediff


Harry Callahan never broke into song. There are things truly tough men do and things they would only grimace at, and Dirty Harry, minutes after asking punks if they felt fortunate, never quite felt the need to explode into rap. To be fair, though, the fact that Abhishek Bachchan's ruthless cop in Rohan Sippy's Dum Maaro Dum inexplicably needs to do a bad Baba Sehgal impersonation isn't the only thing that makes us take his character less seriously.
hindi-film-bollywood-movie-dum-maaro-dum
Abhishek Bachchan, more restrained than he has been in a while, is straitjacketed with a disappointingly one-note character, and seems to believe scowling is all it takes to be hard as nails. It must also here be said that watching Bachchan take down goons by the dozen is distressingly unconvincing, unlike his legendary father who is referenced, rather unnecessarily, a few too many times in this script — a song from Don is maimed, while a line from Deewar is used rather slyly — but the end result is a comparison nobody wants.

Sippy obviously knows his flash, but after a point there needs to be more. Dum Maaro Dum is a very watchable film, but squanders tremendous potential in a puff of white smoke. As can be said the morning after a party with too much cocaine, all that eventually remains are a couple of good lines.

Spiritual Guru Sai Baba passed away

85 years old Spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba who has thousands of followers in India and abroad died Sunday (24-Apr-2011) of cardiac and respiratory failure after a prolonged illness.
sai-baba-expires
The orange-robed spiritual leader with a puff of dark hair is considered a living god by his followers in India and overseas.

His followers believe he has supernatural powers. However, critics have accused him of fraud and sexual abuse, allegations he has denied.

The guru claimed to be a reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, one of India's greatest spiritual figures, who died in 1918.

"Sathya Sai Baba is no more with us physically. He left his body at 7.40 am due to cardiac and respiratory failure," said a statement from the Sathya Sai Baba super-speciality hospital where he had been admitted March 27.

The news of his death plunged his followers, many of whom had thronged the town, into grief.

Homage and Condolences

Vice-president M Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a host of dignitaries today condoled the passing away of Sathya Sai Baba, saying he was a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life.
sai-baba-expires
They also lauded the work done by various institutions set up by the Baba to promote egalitarian values, education and public health.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also condoled the death of the Baba.

BJP leader LK Advani and Nitin Gadkari, in separate messages, expressed their profound grief and sorrow at the passing away of the Baba.

Bollywood stars, filmmakers and designers joined thousands of devotees in India and abroad in expressing grief at the death of spiritual leader.

From singer Ricky Martin to actor Anupam Kher, celebrities offered their condolences on Twitter on the death of Hindu spiritual guru.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Navarasu murderer John David surrenders in prison

John David, whose double life conviction in the Navarasu murder case was restored by Supreme Court a few days ago, surrendered before the Superintendent of the Central Prison here on Saturday evening.
Navarasu-killer-John-David-surrendered
David, wearing a black cap and a white shirt, was accompanied by his mother Esther Lakshmi and lawyer P. Arumuga Rajan. After completing the formalities, David was lodged in the prison at about 5.30 p.m.

It's learned from the lawyer that after coming to know that the Supreme Court had set aside the Madras High Court verdict acquitting him and restored the Cuddalore Sessions' Court's (trial court) judgment of awarding double life sentences, David expressed his readiness to surrender.

Co-workers shocked

John David was working as a Manager at an IT company in Chennai.

"It turns out that John David was working as process manager in a leading BPO company's unit in Velachery, Chennai. But the day the SC order came, he did not turn up for work," said town inspector S Karthikeyan, member of a team formed to trace David.

The inspector said John David had adopted another surname, Marimuthu, which is his father's second name, and might have produced fake documents to get the job. His co-workers said they were shocked that the brightly dressed and intelligent John is John David the murderer.

Smile Queen Sneha of South Indian Cinema

Sneha, popularly known as the Smile Queen of South Indian Cinema, has been very different from other actresses and has experimented with a wide range of roles.
south-indian-actress-smile-queen-sneha
She has received a lot of appreciation for her bubbly nature and her ability to connect with the audience. The actress has achieved many awards and honors over the years and is maintaining as a most wanted star in South Indian film industry.

Recently released and critically acclaimed tamil film 'Ponnar Shankar' is the first release for the smile charmer Sneha in this year 2011. She has few more films under various stages of production including Vidiyal and Murattu Kalai.

Sneha and glam roles

Homely actress Sneha is known for her cute smile and her traditional roles. She has done few off beat roles but she has never jumped on the other side of glamour.

Sneha said in an interview, "I have lost many films because of my homely tag"

On being asked whether she would shed her homely image for glam roles, she said, "Glamour is different from vulgarity and I have never appeared vulgar in any of my films. I have always appeared in a way that my fans will enjoy and approve. In fact I have lost many films because of my homely tag."

Friday, April 22, 2011

Funny SMS jokes about exams

Newton's latest law:

To every twist in the question paper,there is an equal and opposite twist in the ans given by the students!!

Students policy:

1 week before the exam v refer-
Foreign author

1 day before exam v refer
Local author

On the day of the exam
WE are the authors...!

Prayer:
What's the difference between people who pray in Temples and people who pray in the Exam Centres?

Those in the exam centres are damn serious.

Jiiva starring KO film reviews

Ko, directed by KV Anand starring Jiiva, Ajmal, Karthika and Piya has opened in a big way. The film released yesterday (22-Apr-2011) all over the world.
tamil-film-kollywood-movie-ko

Reviewed by Galatta


Ko is a blink-and-miss entertainer. Every single shot in the film (including the innovative title cards) is very important. So make sure to be at the theatre five minutes before the film begins and watch it only on the big screen.

Ko is a breezy, racy, fun ride entertainer that keeps you glued to your seats for the entire show. A perfect entertainer with a hard core message, we recommend Ko for this weekend, only on big screens!

Ko = King sized entertainer! Don't miss it!
tamil-film-kollywood-movie-ko

Reviewed by Rediff


Red Giant Movies' and RS Infotainment's latest, Ko (King), directed by K V Anand, who gave the 2009 blockbuster, Ayan, manages to satisfy most of the criteria of a summer entertainer; there's a little bit of action, humour, political gymnastics, treason, betrayal, angst and the mandatory romance to satisfy audiences. And for what it's worth, it takes you along on a spicy ride.

K V Anand's screenplay moves swiftly during the first half, courtesy the dialogues, and lags slightly in the second. Still, with its basic plot of politics, it has enough twists and turns to keep you occupied.

Best of all are the light touches of sarcasm and humour that make it work. Go for it.

Lancet 'racist' article shocks India

British Medical journal Lancet's charge that Indian immigrants are bringing TB into the UK raises a firestorm of protests.

The journal has insulted India again. After, the superbug row Lancet claims one-fifth of immigrants from India to the UK carry a latent form of TB.

Health experts from Hyderabad have taken strong exception to the charge that Indians harbouring tuberculosis germ in its latent form are responsible for the spread of TB in the United Kingdom.

Indian doctors have questioned the timing of Lancet's report that Indians are 'exporting' tuberculosis to UK. Dr Randeep Ghaleria of AIIMS, New Delhi, said the facts may be correct, but the timing of the Lancet report can be questioned.

Simran returns to Kannada films

Multilingual actress Simran will be returning to the Kannada film industry after a long gap to be one of the heroines in the Upendra starrer, God Father which is to be launched on April 25.
indian-actress-simran
The film will be directed by cinematographer Sriram from Tamil film industry.

It is inspired by Ajith and Asin starrer Varalaaru and K Manju says that he has bought the story rights from its director K S Ravikumar.

“We really liked the story. The entire team along with Upendra will be working on a few changes in the script and Upendra himself will pen the dialogues of the movie,” he adds.

Upendra will be seen in three different get ups in the three roles. Knowing Upendra, it would be easy to speculate for movie goers that even this remake will bear the stamp of his creation. All his remakes earlier had incorporated some changes which were strong enough to give a different touch to the films.

Once Bitten Twice Shy

Basic Definitions:
When something or someone has hurt you once, you tend to avoid that thing or person.

Something that you say which means when you have had an unpleasant experience you are much more careful to avoid similar experiences in the future.

One is cautious in the future if one has been hurt in the past.

Synonymic idiom: The burnt child dreads the fire

Further explained:
If you fall in love with a girl and the girl ditches you, what would your reaction be? You would probably be really angry, but at the same time you would be scared to fall in love again. Having had a bad experience previously, you would be reluctant to put yourself in the same situation again. That's what the idiom, "once bitten twice shy", means.

Some examples:
*The caterer arrived three hours late last time, so Rama is not hiring him again. I guess it's a case of once bitten twice shy.

*The last time he ate fish, he almost choked. He's stopped eating fish altogether — once bitten twice shy.

India: Three satellites in good health

In an attempt to get global commercial space market's share, India on Wednesday (20-Apr-2011) launched three satellites in a single rocket into orbit.
Three satellites in good health
The successful launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) which put three satellites into orbit from Sriharikota on Wednesday should restore the confidence of the nation and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch a series of satellites this year to augment its transponder and earth observation capacities, a top official said Wednesday.

The three satellites put in orbit on Wednesday by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C16) are “absolutely fine,” officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Thursday (21-Apr-2011).

The Resourcesat-2, the Youthsat and the X-Sat were in good health and working satisfactorily, they said.

Difference between Weep and Sob

In both cases, tears flow from the eyes.

"Weep" is mostly used in writing, and is considered a literary word. When you say that someone is weeping, you are focussing on the tears, and not on the sounds that accompany it. Weeping is usually done silently, which is why you never talk about a baby weeping. Babies cry — a lot of noise accompanies the tears that flow from their eyes. One can weep for various reasons; we can weep with sorrow, and we can weep with joy.

Sobbing is always done loudly; it is accompanied by a lot of noise. The heroines in our films sob a lot. Sobbing involves gasping for breath and this results in a lot of chest heaving. The word is usually associated with misery; unlike "weep", one cannot "sob" with joy.

Navarasu murder case: life term for accused restored

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the double life term given to John David for the murder of Pon Navarasu, son of former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras, K. Ponnuswamy and first-year student at a medical college in Chidambaram, in 1996.

The incident had sent shock waves across Tamil Nadu as it was the gruesome end to a college ragging ritual. David reportedly had a fight with his junior Navarasu and killed him in his hostel room. He then decapitated and dismembered the body and stashed it in different places.

While David had been acquitted by the Madras High Court, the Tamil Nadu government appealed against its verdict in the Supreme Court, which accepted that David took Navarasu to his room and killed him there.

A Bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Mukundakam Sharma while restoring the trial court's verdict set aside the Madras High Court judgment acquitting John David.

The prosecution said that John David, a hostel mate of Navarasu, committed the murder pursuant to a ragging incident.

The present SLP by the State was directed against the High Court judgment.

Writing the judgment Justice Sharma said, “There are enough circumstantial evidence to hold that it is none else but the accused who could have caused the concealment of torso and limbs, because it was the accused who had severed the head of deceased Navarasu and, therefore, he must have been in possession of the torso and limbs, which were subsequently recovered and were proved to be that of deceased Navarasu.”

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Trisha keen about Tanu Weds Manu remake

Trisha is on a high these days as her recent Telugu release ‘Teen Maar’ with Pawan Kalyan has been declared a hit, with her performance in the film being appreciated by everyone. And more promising offers too are coming her way.
indian-actress-trisha
"Right now I'm selective about the roles I accept. If I have to wait, I'm prepared to wait. All my decisions are based on my instincts and the results are there for all to see. Its only the good subjects and stories that draw me to a film. I think it's time for me to do something different. Hopefully, the audience will accept me in such roles," quips Trisha.

Maddy with back-to-back hits in 'Three Idiots' and 'Tanu Weds Manu', is now shooting for a Kollywood movie titled 'Vetai' alongside Arya, Amala Paul and others. Buzz is that he is planning to do the Tamil remake of Tanu Weds Manu.
Madhavan, who played the lead in the original, is thinking of roping in Trisha as the heroine. Trisha too is keen to do the film. She says, "Yes, Madhavan spoke to me about the project and I have expressed my interest. I am very comfortable working with Madhavan. He is a very good actor. If everything goes well we will work together again in Tanu Weds Manu remake."

Trisha says it's too early to talk about the project while nothing is official yet. She adds, "It may happen if Madhavan is ready to do the film in Tamil too. I believe it would take some more time for things to materalise."

The duo had earlier shared screen in Tamil films Lesa Lesa and Manmadhan Ambu. At the moment, Madhavan and Trisha are busy with their respective projects. The Tamil remake is expected to go on floors in June this year.

Thrilled to be part of Ajith’s 50th film ‘Mankatha’, the actress says, “Though it is a hero-oriented film, I have enough scope to perform. It’s a sweet role which would add colour to the script.”

Salt with iron to be promoted

With high prevalence of anaemia in the country, the Indian government has decided to promote iron fortified iodised salt as a measure to deal with malnutrition.
Salt with iron to be promoted
A meeting was held in the Prime Minister's Office on the promotion of consumption of Iron fortified Iodized Salt as a measure to deal with malnutrition in the country.

The meeting noted that the prevalence of anaemia in majority of India’s population, particularly among adolescent girls, women and children, is a major public health challenge and it should be tackled urgently.

Anaemia is caused by inadequate intake and poor absorption of iron. Anaemia can be prevented and cured by promoting consumption of iron rich foods and iron supplements. One cost effective way of increasing the intake of iron is fortification of salt with iron in addition to iodine.

At present, salt in India is fortified only with iodine.

It, however, may take some time before double fortified salt (DFS) will be available in every district due to capacity restrictions. Sources said it may take over two years before every area is comprehensively covered.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Silly Q/A jokes for kids

What are prehistoric monsters called when they sleep?
A dinosnore!

If a crocodile makes shoes, what does a banana make?
Slippers!

Why did cavemen draw pictures of hippopotamuses and rhinoceroses on their walls?
Because they couldn't spell their names!

What is a volcano?
A mountain with hiccups!

How do you prevent a Summer cold?
Catch it in the Winter!

What is the fruitiest lesson?
History, because it's full of dates!

What language do they speak in Cuba?
Cubic!

Why doesn't the sea spill over the earth?
Because it's tied!

What kind of fish can't swim?
Dead ones!

What happened when the wheel was invented?
It caused a revolution!

Why does a flamingo lift up one leg?
Because if he lifted up both legs he would fall over!

Microsot Office 365 now in Public Beta

Microsoft has opened the tap on its cloud-based Office 365 and is now offering the service as a public beta for anyone to try out.

Available in 38 countries and in 17 languages, the new beta follows several months of limited testing among a couple thousand businesses that were able to kick the tires on the service. After the public beta, Office 365 will officially launch later this year.

Experts say MS Office 365 is far more than simply a Web version of Office 2010. Office 365 is a service comprised of cloud-based versions of Microsoft's four front-running business products.

A private beta of Office 365 has been initially launched by the company in October 2010 which was seen as an advancement of its web-based version of main business products like SharePoint, Office Lync Server.

The public beta comes in two packages: The first one offers a month-to-month deal for small business and provides access to these apps and Microsoft's community support site but does not include desktop Office clients or live support. The prices start at $6 per user per month for this package. The second plan is begins at a price of $24 per seat for enterprises with 24x7 admin support that offers advanced configuration with an annual contract. It provides subscription versions of Office 2010 for Windows and Active Directory Sync apart from the above.

In addition to targeting the business world, Microsoft is reaching out to the educational market with five different plans geared toward faculty, staff, and students.

Parties interested in the Office 365 beta can apply to join the beta test on Microsoft's site.

Siddhartha Mukherjee, his book and the Pulitzer

Siddhartha Mukherjee, a cancer specialist of Indian origin, and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University, has won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in general non-fiction category.
The Emperor of All Maladies
When Indian American Siddhartha Mukherjee, a cancer specialist, called his mother at 1 a.m. Tuesday to say he had won the Pulitzer, she thought he was pulling a fast one. The Mukherjee home in the capital's Safdarjung Enclave has been flooded with congratulatory calls since morning.

Chandana Mukherjee was “worried” when son Siddhartha, a New York-based oncologist, woke her up in the dead of the night. “He does not not usually call at odd hours, but he called us at 1 am on Tuesday. The first thing I asked him was whether his family was alright,” Mukherjee told Newsline. But as it turned out, it was a sweet surprise for the proud mother.

Incidentally, Siddhartha had made her read the book even before it was published. “I was in New York with him because his daughter had just been born. He used to bring printouts of his writing home, for me to read. It is an excellent book and the best thing about it is anybody can enjoy it,” Chandana said.

“Every year, I tell my students that my former student Siddhartha Mukherjee will win big laurels. Today, I feel proud,” says Sarabjeet Sachdev, 55, chemistry teacher at St Columba's in Delhi.

Friends and relatives are pouring in to congratulate the proud parents.

Siddhartha's wife, Sarah Sze, is a sculptor. He has two daughters - Leela, aged five-and-a-half, and Arya, who is just over a year old.
The Emperor of All Maladies
The Delhi-born doctor's book is a worldwide bestseller, including in India, where "readers are more inclined to reading fictions," a spokesperson for the capital-based Midland Book Store chain told IANS.

Cancer is often described as a 'modern' illness because its metaphors are so modern. It is a disease of overproduction, of fulminant growth tipped into the abyss of no control, says Pulitzer Prize winning writer and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee in his book, 'The Emperor of Maladies: A Biography of Cancer'.

In writing this book, he started off by imagining the project as a 'history' of cancer.

Unlike other medical books with a lot of technical jargon, it is an interesting and easily comprehensible read.

India's PSLV launch successful

Reaffirming its workhorse tag, India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) today (20-Apr-2011) completed its 17th successful mission in a row when it launched the country's remote sensing satellite Resourcesat-2, along with two nano satellites from the spaceport of Sriharikota.

Eighteen minutes after lift-off the launch vehicle ejected the three satellites at their pre-determined position in what an official termed as 'one of the most precise placements'.

The rocket placed into orbit Resourcesat-2, an advanced earth observation satellite, Youthsat, the 92 kg Indo-Russian satellite for stellar and atmospheric studies, and the 106 kg X-SAT for imaging applications built by the Singapore-based Nanyang Technological University.

Space scientists gathered at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre applauded every stage of the rocket's progress and its placing of three satellites into orbit.

"PSLV-C16 Resourcesat-2 mission is successful," a jubilant Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman K Radhakrishnan announced shortly after all the three satellites were hurled into space one after another, 822 km above Earth in a text book launch.

PSLV has become "a more versatile vehicle for launching multiple satellites in polar SSOs , Low Earth Orbits and geosynchronous transfer orbit," ISRO said.

With its variant configurations, PSLV has proved its multi-payload, multi-mission capability in a single launch and its geosynchronous launch capability.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Trisha ruling Kollywood and Tollywood

Trisha's latest film with Pawan Kalyan, Teen Maar, which is a remake of Love Aaj Kal, has been declared a smash hit.
Smiling-tamil-telugu-actress-Trisha-in-beautiful-pink-dress
The tollywood flick is scaling new heights at the box office and is also raking in the big bucks overseas. Besides the movie being declared a hit, performance of Trisha as Meera (played by Deepika Padukone in the original) has generated rave reviews.

The cute smiling starlet is undoubtedly the reigning diva and the undisputed queen of Kollywood, where has been around for a decade.

Having worked with almost all superstars and top filmmakers, she stikes a fine balance in Tamil and Telugu industry. Every time the audience think she's done it all, Trisha springs another surprise.

Her last outing in Tamil was VTV, where her performance was liked by critics and fans alike.

Trisha exclaims that her phone has not stopped ringing as friends from the industry, after watching the film are calling her up to congratulate her.

The actress who is now completing Mankatha in Tamil with Ajith has started work on the Telugu remake of Bodyguard with Venkatesh.

Indian-American's book on cancer wins Pulitzer

Indian-American doctor Siddhartha Mukherjee's book on cancer has been awarded the Pulitzer prize in the general non-fiction category.
Indian-American's book on cancer wins Pulitzer
Mukherjee's book, The Emperor of All Maladies, recounts the history of the disease and how the war against it is being fought by doctors.

India-born Mukherjee is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and a staff cancer physician at Columbia University Medical Centre.

A Rhodes scholar, he graduated from Stanford University, University of Oxford, Harvard Medical School.

He has published articles in Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, The New York Times and The New Republic.

According to the Pulitzer citation, the book by the New York-based cancer physician and researcher is "an elegant inquiry, at once clinical and personal, into the long history of an insidious disease that, despite treatment breakthroughs, still bedevils medical science".

The book provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments besides providing hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer.

Jaitapur nuclear plant protest: 1 killed in police firing

At least one person was killed in a police firing on Monday (18-Apr-2011) as the simmering tension in Jaitapur in Maharashtra came out into the open with protesters opposed to the proposed nuclear plant clashing with cops. At least eight people, including police officials, were injured as the protest turned violent.

Thirty protesters including Shiv Sena MLA Rajan Salvi were arrested, Ratnagiri Collector Madhukar Gaikwad told the media. A protester was killed in the firing and a policeman was grievously injured in stone-throwing, he said.

"Two separate incidents happened during the day," Mr. Gaikwad said. "In the morning, more than 200 protesters under the leadership of Mr. Rajan Salvi created disturbance at the site of the project. They threw stones and set the grass there on fire."

While a Shiv Sena spokesperson said one of the protesters died in alleged police firing, Ratnagiri police declined comment on the issue.

More than 50 protesters were reportedly detained by the police.

According to the activists, hundreds of people from Madban, Jaitapur, Nate and other villages in the district on Monday held spontaneous protests against the 9,900 MW project.

Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said the agitators had stormed the police station when most officials were on duty at the project site in Jaitapur since the locals were to stage a demonstration there.

The Assembly was adjourned for the day after the Opposition insisted that Home Minister R.R. Patil make a detailed statement.

Mr. Patil confirmed that one person, Tabrez Sejkar, was killed in the firing against a mob of 600 which attacked the police station.

Energy-hungry India currently sources three percent of its electricity from nuclear power but the government wants to increase that to six percent by the end of the decade and 13 percent by 2030.

Anti-nuclear activists were planning further protests this weekend in Maharahstra to demand that the Jaitapur and other nuclear power plant schemes be scrapped, PTI reported.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Hollywood Star Catherine Zeta Jones exposes the unexposed

The revelation that Catherine Zeta-Jones is being treated for bi-polar disorder shook the world this week. There are numerous perceptions of the illness and how it manifests itself.
Catherine Zeta Jones
Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones's disclosure that she checked into a psychiatric hospital last week suffering from bipolar disorder has led to waves of sympathy for the 41-year-old actress and mother of two.

Bipolar disorder involves periods of elevated or irritable mood (mania), alternating with periods of depression. The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very abrupt.

It's also referred to as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression. The current term "bipolar disorder" is of fairly recent origin and refers to the cycling between high and low episodes (poles).

Mental health advocates are lauding Zeta-Jones for her bravery and for her honest depiction of what recovery may entail.
Catherine Zeta Jones
Childhood friends say they had no idea Catherine ever suffered from depression, while others point to her rambling speeches at award ceremonies as evidence of ‘illness’.

The Welsh-born, Oscar-winner's bipolar episode was apparently triggered by the stress of her 66-year-old husband Michael Douglas's battle with throat cancer; bipolarism, once known as manic depression, is typically set off by a traumatic event.

Doctors also emphasize that the Welsh actress, treated following the stress of husband Michael Douglas's recent throat cancer, will likely never be free of it but will learn to live her high-profile life with the illness.

"This is a family of illnesses that very high functioning and high performing people can and do have," said Martin Evers, associate director of behavioral health at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York state.

Theen Maar Reviews

Theenmaar is a telugu film starring Pawan Kalyan and Trisha in lead roles. The film is a remake of Hindi film Love Aaj Kal.
telugu-film-tollywood-movie-love-entertainer-theen-maar-pawan-kalyan-trisha-thrisha-3sha

TOI review:

After a debacle like "Komaram Puli", Pawan Kalyan, who has been beating around the bush in the name of socially responsible films for a while now, is finally back to doing what he does best — entertain! "Theen Maar", the romantic entertainer that's a remake of the hit Hindi flick "Love Aaj Kal" marks a comeback of sorts for Pawan, who looks fit, young and delivers a performance that packs a punch.

The highlights of the film are Trivikram Srinivas' dialogues and Mani Sharma's music. Kudos to director Jayant Paranjee; it's not an easy task to take an acclaimed original and remake it to suit local sensibilities without ruining the real flavour.

Finally, a nice, breezy mid-summer entertainer!
telugu-film-tollywood-movie-love-entertainer-theen-maar-pawan-kalyan-trisha-thrisha-3sha

The Hindu Review:

Teen Maar is a remake of Hindi Love Aaj Kal that had Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan. Now, that bit of information is out of our way, we can step into the theatre and soak in the magic of Telugu cinema after a long time.

Pavan Kalyan sticks to his usual mannerisms and dance steps, but he incorporates new ideas and what we get is a mellower version of Pavan. Though her role is not as well fleshed out as Deepika's in Love Aaj Kal, Trisha grows beyond doll like role she initially essays. She lets her eyes do the talking. Paresh Rawal is riot as a nosey interloper. Ali has a cameo which is a blink and miss role and he creates a laugh fest.

This movie is another shot at giving the multiplex treatment, so, be warned, this movie may not appeal to people who are used to the standard fare dished out by Telugu cinema directors.

The Rabbit and The Butcher

One day a rabbit walked into the butcher's shop and asked the butcher, 'Do you have any carrots?'
rabbit-butcher-joke
The butcher replied, 'No, I'm sorry, sir, but this is a butchers' shop. We don't sell vegetables in here. Go to the greengrocer at the other end of the street. I'm sure he's got some carrots.'
The rabbit thanked the butcher and left the shop.

The next day the rabbit went into the butcher's shop again.
'Good morning! I'd like a lettuce and some carrots, please.'
'Look, I'm sorry, sir! I told you yesterday - we don't sell any vegetables in here, only meat.'
'OK, I see,' said the rabbit and left the shop.
rabbit-butcher-joke
On the third day, the rabbit walked into the shop again and said,
'Hello, could you give me some carrots and a cabbage, please?'
This time the butcher was very angry.
'I told you yesterday and the day before. We don't sell any vegetables in here. No carrots, no lettuce, no cabbage and no onions. Do you understand? The next time you come in here and ask for vegetables, I'm going to take a hammer and I'm going to nail your ears to the floor!'

The next day, the rabbit was in the butcher's shop again.
'Good morning!' he said. 'Do have any nails?'
'No,' said the butcher, 'I don't have any nails.'
'Do you have a hammer?' asked the rabbit.
'No, I don't,' the butcher replied.
'Good,' said the rabbit, 'Then can I have some carrots, please?'

Celeb quotes - Shah Rukh Khan

"I truly believe that as an actor-ambassador that most of the brands I'm associated to are middle class oriented, I bring hope to the middle class."
Shah Rukh Khan
“I think like a father, while Salman Khan thinks like a child.“ - Shah Rukh Khan on the tiff with Salman Khan at Katrina's B'day bash.

"At this point in my career, I should always talk about how good it is to be an actor so that people get positive impression about the actors and Bollywood in particular. We should stay away from the gossips because it does no good to anybody."

"Grown-ups forget that it is okay not to know everything. They don't realise the beauty of saying I don't know something" – Shah Rukh Khan on 'Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass'

"I always wanted to be a teacher. In fact, I did become one in 'Mohabbatein', but today, my wish has actually come true." -- Shah Rukh Khan on the first episode of 'Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain
Shah Rukh Khan
"Television doesn't become exciting because I'm in it. TV is exciting and that's why I'm in it." - Shah Rukh Khan on being asked whether superstars like him are changing the TV scenario.

"I have no misconceived notions that I can be smarter than a kid. I don't compete with kids. If in the movies, you have to accept defeat from children. So, no I'm not 'paanchvi pass se tez' at all." -- Shah Rukh Khan on being asked whether he was smarter than a fifth grader.

Akon wants to act in Bollywood movies

Senegalese-American singer Akon, who turned 38 just a day ago, considers India as his "second home" and loves its culture.
Akon wants to act in Bollywood movies
"About India I like mostly the culture. I simply love Indian culture and equally adore African. I love the fact that it is so parallel to African culture. Both cultures are so similar with an interesting historical background, and I admire the way Indians and Africans preserve them," he said.

"Most cultures do not put emphasis on history. But in India they (people) never forgot their history and passed it down to the generations. Their approach is so strong about history -- from religion to lifestyle. The legacy is carried on for generations. The best part is that people never forget their history," the singer said.

Asked whether he will be visiting any historical places during his India tour, Akon said, "I wish I could. On this trip, unfortunately, due to my tight schedule I won't be able to do it. I think I will just make a trip just for that."

Akon, in Mumbai, met up with some actors like Suniel Shetty and his wife Mana, and Sonakshi Sinha.

He expressed his desire to act in Bollywood films.

"I am waiting to get into Bollywood movies. I'm not quite sure what character I would want to play...but I definitely want to do it," Akon told reporters here.

The Smack that hit maker has worked with composer Aadesh Srivastava and also sang a song for Shahrukh Khan's forthcoming film Ra.One.

"It was an amazing experience to work with Shah Rukh . Actually he opened me up to Bollywood. I can remember all the Khans. I enjoyed so much that I am trying to get into Bollywood," the Senegalese-American rapper and singer said.

Interesting Love Quotes

Following are some interesting quotes on and about love:
love-quotes
"No one would understand
but us

We will express in no languages
But our own

and that is called LOVE."

Ovid: If you want to be loved, be lovable.

Samuel Lover: Come live in my heart, and pay no rent.
love-quotes
Honore de Balzac: A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea.

Ingrid Bergman: A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.

Emmet Fox: If you could only love enough, you could be the most powerful person in the world.

Miguel de Unamuno: It is sad not to love, but it is much sadder not to be able to love.

Rajini’s Rana to take-off on April 20th

Superstar Rajinikanth's RANA, to be directed by KS Ravikumar, is one of the most talked about projects in the industry. This trilingual (Tamil, Telugu and Hindi) flick has Rajinikanth playing triple roles.
rajni-deepika-rana-film
The film will start rolling from April 20th, 2011. According to sources in Kollywood, KS Ravi Kumar intends to commence this film on the said date and then fly off to a foreign country to shoot the song sequence with the lead pair.

Speaking to reporters in Chennai, director KSR said, "Rana has story by the Superstar himself and it is based ion a historical event that occurred in 17th century. It features him in triple role."

The expectations for Rana are skyrocketing because it is Rajini’s next after the astounding success of Endhiran. Sources close to the Rana team say that the film’s Muhurat will be held at the Ganesh Temple inside the AVM Studios.

One of the latest developments related to the film is that Superstar Rajini is experimenting with his look for the roles in this historic period film. He's now seen growing a moustache and a partial French beard. Meanwhile, a photoshoot with Rajini and Deepika sporting different looks was completed by the team.

Deepika is super excited


Deepika Padukone, whose character in Rajinikanth’s Rana is at par with the Superstar, is literally burning midnight oil to get into the skin of her role before she starts shooting.
rajni-deepika-rana-film
The starlet is undergoing training in Vajra Mukti, a traditional martial art form. She’s also expected to learn Sanskrit while she’s completing her month-long London schedule of Desi Boyz with John Abraham and Akshay Kumar. The Om Shanti Om star, supposedly, does her homework for Rana after packing up everyday.

Deepika says, "There are some intense action scenes. I’m preparing my body first for the month-long martial art training. I have dealt with fight scenes before, but this time it’s something totally unimaginable."

Early this year, it was reported that Deepika was in a dilemma to sign the movie due to an issue with dates; however, the actress has chosen this big-flick to make her grand entry into Kollywood.

Sources say that the actress expressed a great deal of enthusiasm about the project and claimed that her long-term dream of acting with the Superstar has finally coming true.

Deepika’s part will be shot across 100 days in six months, keeping her date diary in mind.

All about Office Romance (Workplace Affairs)

Office romance is fairly common these days because the office is where we spend so much of our time. Handled well it can lead to a relationship.
office romance
Love in the Office : It's very common for office-mates to become interested in each other.

Young professionals often spend more time at the office than at home. As a result, there are a lot of single men and women who don't have the time to meet new people. Naturally, they seek their potential partners within their surrounding environment -- the office.

Single people feel that work is a natural place to meet new people. After all, you spend at least 40 hours a week there, with individuals of similar backgrounds and interests. Relationships with coworkers can be especially tempting because hard work doesn't leave much time for socializing.
office romance
If you're looking for love at work, you might want to consider how an office romance can affect your career and whether it's worth the risk to go there.

Knowing the risk of office romance can be half the battle.

In spite of its uncertainty, an office romance can be an exciting relationship. As with any relationship the most important thing is to have fun and to enjoy the relationship while it lasts. Keep in mind that an office romance like every other relationship has good days and bad days. But at the same time, an office romance could lead to an amazing and lasting relationship for two people genuinely in love.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Get to know Billa 2 heroine

Director Chakri Toleti, who replaced Vishnuvardhan, recently, wants to ensure that 'Billa 2' gets nothing but the best in each and every aspect.
ajith-billa2-heroine
All speculations can be put to rest, for the leading lady of Billa-2, who will romance Ajith has been officially announced. It is not Anushka or any other existing big heroines, but a new face Huma Qureshi.

Born and brought up in Delhi, Huma now lives in Mumbai and has appeared in several TV commercials of which her ad with Aamir Khan for Samsung mobiles and with Shah Rukh Khan in Nerolac paints got her most recognition.

Says Chakri Toleti, who's signed her up for Billa 2: "The leading lady in Billa 2 has a demanding role, and it was a challenge to find an actor with the right mix of talent, looks and attitude. We searched nationwide, looking at newcomers as well as stars. Huma is a tremendous actor with great range and charisma and we are happy to have her on board."
ajith-billa2-heroine
She will make her Bollywood debut in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs Of Wasseypur (a remake of Sashi Kumar's Tamil hit Subramaniapuram).

"I am delighted to be a part of the legendary Billa Franchise and feel fortunate to debut in the Tamil film industry and get to play a character like this so early in my career. I was bowled over by the role narrated to me for Billa 2 and cannot wait to start work on the film," Huma said in a press release.

Billa, the remake of Amitabh Bachchan's Don, was made in Tamil in 1980 with Rajnikanth playing the title character. It was remade in 2007 with Ajith playing the title role. Billa 2 is not a sequel but a prequel to the 2007 film, and will focus on the journey of how David became Billa.

Woman jumps to death after flinging son down from building

In the second such incident in a month, a 34-year-old woman jumped to death from the terrace of her seven-storeyed building in suburban Dahisar here on Saturday (16-Apr-2011) afternoon, after flinging her 5-year-old son down.

Last month on International Women's Day, another woman jumped to death from the terrace of her building after throwing her two children down.

Husband couldn't believe it happened

Allegedly harassed by her in-laws, this housewife threw her five-year-old son off the terrace of a seven-storey housing society.

"Get up son. I know you are alive. Say something to your father. Your father loves you. Don’t do this to me," said Nilesh Chauhan in Gujrati on realising that the bodies lying in a pool of blood are those of this son Siddhesh and wife Dipti. He had come down on learning that someone had fallen off from the building.

Nilesh then moved to the body of his wife which was lying a couple of feet from that of his son. "Why did you do this? Please come back," he pleaded, before being pulled back by the neighbours.

Recalling the incident, witness Om Prakash Pandey, a businessman who resides in the building, said, "Nilesh was crying so hard holding their bodies that I had to pull him from there. He was obviously under a state of shock."

Husband and in-laws arrested

The police have arrested Deepti Chauhan's stockbroker husband Nilesh, his father Kantilal, elder brother Bharat and Bharat's wife Sarla on charges of abetment to suicide. Deepti is believed to have taken her son Sidhesh, known in the neighbourhood as 'Sidhu', to the terrace telling him they would play cricket there. "The child’s bat and ball are still lying on the terrace," said one of the residents.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunil Deshmukh said that Ms. Chauhan took the drastic step because her in-laws accused her of having an illicit relationship.

All about Dum Maaro Dum

Rohan Sippy returns to direction after more than five years and teams up with good friend Abhishek Bachchan for Dum Maaro Dum . From the portrayal of the Goan state to Deepika's item song, the film has been constantly mired in controversy.
Dum Maaro Dum
‘Dum Maaro Dum’, set to hit theatres soon, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. However, both Abhishek Bachchan and director Rohan Sippy feel that the film is a wholesome entertainer and will click with the audiences.

Fox Star Entertainment’s and R S Enterprises’ film, Dum Maaro Dum (DMD), is all set to entertain the audiences, if director Rohan Sippy and lead actor Abhishek Bachchan live up to their words.

Dum Maaro Dum is Rohan Sippy's third film in 10 years after Kuch Na Kaho and Bluffmaster.

Almost six years after their last collaboration, Bluffmaster!, the childhood buddies come together in this action thriller.
Dum Maaro Dum
Is it an anti-drug film?

Says Rohan, "No, it's a suspense thriller, driven by a cop who is at the heart of investigating a drug mafia and trying to get to who is behind it. That really is the overriding arch of the film. It's not a film about tripping."

The film that stars Abhishek Bachchan, Rana Daggubati, Prateik Babbar and Bipasha Basu took two years to make since the day Rohan read the novella. Rohan started shoot a year back and wrapped it up by July last year.

Abhishek swaps role once again


Not many know it, but actor Abhishek Bachchan has for the second time taken on a role not originally meant for him.

The character of a cop in his upcoming film " Dum Maaro Dum", directed by Rohan Sippy, was first supposed to be played by Telugu star Rana Daggubati.
Dum Maaro Dum
"When Rohan came to me with this film, he wanted me to play the role of DJ Joki, the role that Rana is playing now," Abhishek, who celebrated his 35th birthday in February, told.

"But when I read the script, I told him that I want to do ACP Vishnu Kamath's role instead, because I felt I would be able to do that role better and Rohan agreed."

"I liked the attitude of this character. I liked the way he tackled situations in life and that's the reason I did it," said Abhishek, who sports a gelled look in the film.

Earlier, when he was offered 'Bluffmaster' (2005), in which he co-starred with Riteish Deshmukh, he was to play some other role than the one he eventually did.
Dum Maaro Dum
Says Abhishek, “There is a lot of freshness in this film, and Pratik and Rana, with whom I am working for the first time, are very talented co-stars. Bipasha is an old associate, and we all know that good co-stars always boost one’s performance. We all knew exactly what we had to do on the sets.”

Admitting that thrillers have been his favourite genre and that he has done a fair share of roles as a cop (Zameen, Game, the Dhoom franchise, Shootout At Lokhandwala), Abhishek adds that each cop has been different in concept, characterisation and body language. "In Game, I was an undercover cop, but in DMD, I play a cop who is working openly on a case."

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