Spielberg wants Harrison Ford in his 5th Indiana Jones movie

Steven Spielberg is keen on making the 5th Indiana Jones with Harrison Ford before he turns 80. As he has indicated to the French radio station RTL that he wanted to create another adventure for the archaeologist who first hit the big screen 34 years ago in Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 30 November 2015.

Spielberg is 68-years-old and he hoped one day to make it to an Indiana Jones V before Harrison Ford turned 80. Ford is now 73-year-old and had survived crash-landing of his vintage World War II trainer plane on a Santa Monica golf course in March.
He is already due to appear as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens which is set for release on 17 December.
Of course, there were rumors that Shia LaBeouf, who played Indiana Jones' sidekick in the most recent Indiana Jones film, the Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull in 2008, might don the mantle of the hero.
However, Spielberg's latest comments that he made in the course of an interview about his latest film, Cold War thriller Bridge Of Spies would tend to indicate that Ford could make a comeback.
Incidentally, Frank Marshall, the producer on the films, had confirmed that the role will only ever be played by Ford.

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Big B rides a scooter in Kolkata - shooting for another movie

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Sonu Nigam wows his audience in South Africa

Sonu Nigam, the Indian playback singer, wowed his audience and set several records with sold-out concerts in two South African cities of Durban and Sun City at the weekend on the next leg of his world tour with his show “Klose to My Heart”.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 30 November 2015.

He had arrived with a 40-piece concert orchestra to the African continent for the first time and was sold out for major venues in Durban and Sun City for an Indian concert in record time. His performance at the Sun City Superbowl had more than 6000 fans. He sang songs that were his own personal favorites by legendary singers from Indian cinema apart from those that he made famous during his career.
As he has said - wherever he goes, whether in America, Dubai or elsewhere, whenever he is asked about his favorite audience, he has no hesitation in taking the name of South Africa. He admitted that it was not easy to put together such shows and thanked the musicians and technicians. The sole female member of the 60-piece band was violinist Shruti Bhave.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Lord Shiva learns of Moody’s plans to go to the Moon (satire)

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Baba Someday to use gobar gas and yoga for space flights (satire)


Foreign students for study in India nosedives from 13,961 in 2013 to 3,737 in 2014

Water scarcity in Prime Minister's constituency - blame it on Coca Cola

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Big B rides a scooter in Kolkata - shooting for another movie

International Jazz Festival at Stone Water Eco Resort in Goa

Ben Affleck talks on 'Batman V Superman'


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Turkey downed two Russian fighter jets - Putin says the US leaked its flight path

Gunman attacks Colorado abortion clinic - leaves 3 dead, 9 wounded

Sonu Nigam sets South African records for Indian shows http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/music/sonu-nigam-sets-south-african-records-for-indian-shows/

Adele creates record - her 3rd album sells more than 800,000 copies within 24 hours

Adele, Oscar-winning Skyfall singer, has made a history of sorts - her third album, 25, has become the fastest selling record in British history. The record has sold 800,307 copies in the first week of its release. It surpasses Oasis's Be Here Now, which had sold 696,000 units in its debut chart week in August 1997.
The singer has transformed herself from a phenomenon of he current age to an all-time great.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 28 November 2015.

Adele's album '25' features the Number One single Hello and it has enjoyed one of the biggest first day sales totals ever - selling more than 300,000 copies within just 24 hours.
Adele has described her album as a "make up album" and comes four years after 2011's 21 - this also is UK's most downloaded Number One album in history. It has sold 252,423 digital copies.
The sales success of 25 means it has received a double platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry. Its total sales is more than the combined sales of the last 19 Number One albums in the UK and that is a huge honor.
Its success in the US was also phenomenal - it has smashed sales records in the US with 2.8 million copies in the first five days. It includes 1.45 million digital sales. This is according to Nielsen Music.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Big B rides a scooter in Kolkata - shooting for another movie

Big B's love for Kolkata is well known and he keeps returning to the city to shoot movies. Only last year, he had been here to shoot for 'Piku' when he pedaled around on a bicycle in the eastern metropolis wearing a kurta and hat for Shoojit Sircar’s film. He has come back to Kolkata to now shoot for Ribhu Dasgupta’s “Te3N”.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 28 November 2015.

This time the megastar Amitabh Bachchan was back on the road riding a scooter for “Te3N”. He now wore a brown check shirt and dark brown trousers. He kick-started the two-wheeler at the historic Writers’ Building complex which used to be the permanent seat of the West Bengal government.
Wearing a helmet, Big B rode the scooter for a few seconds for a shot and a big circle of onlookers gathered at the venue in the central business district as the star listened to his director’s instructions carefully prior to the shot. Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh is the creative producer of thriller “TE3N” which also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vidya Balan.
It may be recalled that in “Piku”, Big B portrayed the role of a 70-year-old Bhashkor Banerjee and had cycled around in north Kolkata.

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Ben Affleck talks on 'Batman V Superman'

Ben Affleck has revealed that the audience have a lot of expectations from upcoming film “Batman V Superman”. The 34-year-old actor stars as Batman and spoke about the pressure for it to perform well for studio Warner Bros.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 28 November 2015.

Ben is worried that in case it does not come up to expectations and does not do well it would be terribly disappointing. Therefore, in order to ensure that the film is a success, the father of three has made the movie his priority. He has gone ahead and scheduled other filming around “Batman v Superman” which is due for release on March 25.
The actor has also said that pushing the film’s release date was a smart decision and feels that Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara’s involvement in the movie and emphasis on releasing a quality product will have a big pay off.

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The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

Make in India (satire)

Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


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Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

Taylor Swift shoots music video endangering the dotteral birds of New Zealand

Taylor Swift's company had been given permission to film at Bethells Beach near Auckland which is home to the rare and critically-endangered New Zealand dotterel. Conservationists claim the crew did not follow the rules limiting them to two vehicles on the sand - instead they had used a dozen vans and 4x4s and have, thus, flouted the filming restrictions while shooting a music video in New Zealand.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 26 November 2015.

As revealed by New Zealand's Department of Conservation, there are around 1,700 dotterels left in New Zealand and their nests on beaches are "easily destroyed by careless feet, dogs and off-road vehicles. There are restrictions on the number of vehicles and what they can do when they're on the beach.
Taylor Swift and her management team have said that they were in no way at fault and did not do anything that violated permits or ordinances. It had followed guidelines issued by the authorities and had stayed away from dotterel habitats during the shoot.
Moreover, in view of concerns raised, Cherokee Films would make a donation to the breeding program of dotterels so that the population is protected.
Incidentally, Bethells Beach is a popular venue and is regularly used for filming and featured in Jane Campion's Oscar-winning film The Piano, starring Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin. And, in 2013, a Mad Max-style ad for Samsung featured a stampede of elves, Maori warriors and chariots on the sand.

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Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

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'Conjuring 2' is about London in the 1970s and ghostly actvities

Some photos have been released from the set of “The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist” and it shows the recreation of London during 1970s. Official details of the story have not yet been revealed, but the film’s title indicated that the upcoming movie would include some ghostly activities in a council house in Enfield, England, in the late ’70s.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 26 November 2015.

Director James Wann has gone to the social media to share several photos from the movie’s set, one of which captures original stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in a London set. Everything appears to be hush-hush and the first picture, which features the director, Wilson and Farmiga, also provides a first look at co-star Simon McBurney.
The four of them are standing outside the Marylebone Station.
Other photos are of how James Wann recreated the set to make it look like ’70s London.
The production had started in Los Angeles this fall, but the shooting has now moved to London. Others in the cast are Frances O’Connor, Madison Wolfe and Abhi Sinha and this sequel to 2013’s “The Conjuring” is due to arrive in the US on June 10, 2016.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

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Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

International Jazz Festival at Stone Water Eco Resort in Goa

Goa is set to pr sent the International Jazz Festival at Stone Water Eco Resort from November 27 to 29. It is organist by Art Escape’s The Live Music Project, Gatecrash and Jazz in India and it aims at creating an enriching collective experience for music lovers, especially jazz fiends, for three days.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 26 November 2015.

The festival is in its 3rd year and, since its inception, it has been exposing Goa and India to new sounds of jazz that are currently evolving in Europe. The festival would target the youth, unlike the usual idea of jazz being for a slightly senior audience.
Its all about new sounds - these are important, as they introduce sub genres that connect with all music lovers, as opposed to traditional jazz, which attracts a certain class and is often termed elitist. Goans love music and the state has produced well-known musicians who have traveled to Mumbai and contributed to the evolution of jazz there.
Some of them have made their way to Bollywood.
The festival would have a Green Zone where artists will sell eco-friendly material. Jazz Journal, a comprehensive magazine containing jazz-related articles, will be launched on the occasion. The organizers expect footfalls of around 1,000-1,500 people per day, which is quite a figure to get in Goa. It is expected that music lovers would come from Delhi and Mumbai as well.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

Make in India (satire)

Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

Amitabh Bachchan to shoot in iconic Writers' Building in Kolkata

Writers' Building in Kolkata used to be the place where the West Bengal state Secretariat was located till Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister and shifted the Secretariat to its new location Nabanna. It was put under renovation and,now, for the first time a film is planned to be shot in the premises of the Victorian-era building. Mega star Amitabh Bachchan is expected to shoot there this week.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 24 November 2015.

Bollywood star Nawazuddin Siddique was the first one to have shot few scenes today inside the building, which is under renovation, for Sujoy Ghosh’s Hindi film ‘Te3n’. Directed by Ribhu Dasgupta and produced by Sujoy Ghosh ‘Te3n’ is set to release next year.
Actress Vidya Balan, who considers Kolkata to be her second home, will be back once again to shoot here tomorrow after films like “Parineeta” and “Kahaani”, a production unit source said.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, whose recent hit “Piku” was shot in the city of Kolkata, is expected to shoot at the heritage building which now houses only few government department offices due to the ongoing renovation. He also will shoot on the Howrah Bridge later in the month.
Incidentally,the Writers’ Building was the seat of power in the state ever since Independence and also housed the chief minister’s office till Mamata Banerjee decided to shift to a new location Nabanna in Howrah two years ago to facilitate the renovation.
Writers' Building ia an architectural beauty and the sprawling red colonial landmark edifice is located in the heart of the city.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

Make in India (satire)

Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

Deepika Padukone is going places with 'Tamasha'

It was a promotion of a different kind that Deepika Padukone chose for her film 'Tamasha' - she went with Ranbir Kapoor and Imtiaz Ali on a promotional train trip from Mumbai to Delhi and Deepika had a lot of fun as she found such journeys to be very “romantic”.
his has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 23 November 2015.

The 29-year-old took the Suvidha Express from Mumbai Central and, as she has said, the love for travel, food and trains, is a common factor that binds her, Ranbir, and the “Highway” filmmaker together. She was happy to have the media with her so that they could share this experience with three of them - the basic idea was to have fun.
Ranbir, who gives the credit for the idea to Deepika said he enjoyed this new and unique way of promoting the film.
As Ranbir Kapoor explained - Intiaz loves to break traditions and for their movie 'Rockstar' they had done the promotion by traveling in a bus. For 'Tamasha' they chose a train. Its all about marketing.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

The 'Pat & Jolie' instant noodles worry Lord Shiva (satire)

Make in India (satire)

Pat & Jolie and their biscuit making (satire)


Murder of Uzbek belly dancers in Hapur

Maggi instant noodles - 3.3-crore packets vanish within 10 days

Indians hate holidays - India is 4th most holiday-starved nation


Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons


The terror attacks in Paris bring Obama and Putin into a huddle

France joins Russia in joint airstrikes against ISIS in Raqqa

Suicide bombings by Boko Haram kill 49 in Nigeria

Sonali Bendre and Vivek Oberoi in the Zee Rishtey Awards 2015 show

Bollywood actors Sonali Bendre and Vivek Oberoi along with a whole lot of stars like Drashti Dhami and Shabir Ahluwalia of the small screen added glam quotient to the Zee Rishtey Awards 2015 held in the Bandra-Kurla Complex grounds. The show was packed with TV buffs, who came dressed in best of their fineries, to watch their favorite small screen stars live.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 22 November 2015.

It was a gathering of the cast of all the popular Zee TV shows like “Kumkum Bhagya”, “Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani”, “Qubool Hai” or “Satrangi Sasural”, including stars like Drashti, Shabir, Sriti Jha, Deepshikha Nagpal and Shilpa Shirodkar.
The set was designed with the theme of Mumbai’s Chhatrpati Shivaji Terminus and was illuminated with lights. There was the dose of comedy with comedians Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh apart from Kiku Sharda and Sugandha Mishra. The judges of the channel’s next reality show “India’s Best Dramebaaz”, director Sajid Khan, Sonali and Vivek, also added to the celebrity quotient of the evening.
Then there was the dances by Drashti, Ankita Sharma and Vrushika Mehta - they danced to the tunes of songs like “Deewani mastani”, “Prem ratan dhan payo” and “Mera naam Mary hai”. Then there was the dance performances by talents of dance reality show “Dance India Dance”.
The Zee Rishtey Awards 2015 show will be aired on December 6 on Zee TV.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and The Dressmaker

Academy award winner Kate Winslet has revealed the hidden story behind her signing up to The Dressmaker because she read the script, was impressed by it and thought it was "bonkers". Kate has portrayed the role of Tilly Dunnage in the film adaptation of Rosalie Ham’s debut novel.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 20 November 2015.

As she says - the script felt "wild" and quite "liberating" and she found the tone of the movie completely out of the ordinary and refreshing.
The story is set in the Australia of the 1950s and is about a seamstress who returns to her rural hometown to investigate how she ended up being banished as a child.
The film is a black comedy that takes some dark detours. An example is Hugo Weaving who plays a cross-dressing policeman who gets arrested wearing a matador outfit.
Kate Winslet had decamped to Australia to film the movie, which is one of the country’s most successful box office hits in recent years. Apart from receiving critical acclaim, it has led the field at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards with 12 nominations.
Getting the Australian accent was a challenge for Kate and she admitted that she occasionally struggled with mastering her character’s Australian accent.
The Dressmaker, which also stars Liam Hemsworth, is presently running in cinemas.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the Humpty Dumpty syndrome (satire)

Winning elections is not as simple as making tea (satire)

Indian smugglers are celebs, boast of official doubles (satire)


Tea is a health drink - four cups a day can keep the doctors away

No more 'Rent-a-Womb' in India

Tourist bus ploughs into pedestrians in Union Square, San Francisco - 20 injured


Big B attends 21st Kolkata International Film Festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium

Alisha Chinai adds to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium

24th James Bond movie 'Spectre' earns USD 300 million in less than two weeks


Jihadi John killed by a 1000-mph missile striking his car

Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the Lake Superior 40 years back with 29 on board

Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Anil Kapoor wows the audience at the International Film Festival of India

Overcoming the somberness of the occasion and the fact that it was an official function organized by the union ministry for information and broadcasting, Anil Kapoor regaled the audience of the International Film Festival of India as he danced to popular film songs pictured on him. The veteran actor was, in short, a ‘paisa vasool’ chief guest.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 21 November 2015.

Anil Kapoor flung his suit into the audience and began to dance extempore to his trademark ‘tapori’ songs like ‘One two ka four’ from ‘Ram Lakhan’ and the racy number ‘Dhak Dhak’ from ‘Beta’ along with the ceremony’s co-host Aditi Rao Hydari.
In between, he shouted out to Dev Patel, who he acted with in Oscar award-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’. Also present on the occasion was the union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
While shouting out to Dev Patel,the actor said - 'I am meeting Dev Patel from ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’ now since the Oscar night.”
Incidentally, Dev Patel plays the role of Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar in ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ which is the opening film at IFFI.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the Humpty Dumpty syndrome (satire)

Winning elections is not as simple as making tea (satire)

Indian smugglers are celebs, boast of official doubles (satire)


Tea is a health drink - four cups a day can keep the doctors away

No more 'Rent-a-Womb' in India

Tourist bus ploughs into pedestrians in Union Square, San Francisco - 20 injured


Big B attends 21st Kolkata International Film Festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium

Alisha Chinai adds to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium

24th James Bond movie 'Spectre' earns USD 300 million in less than two weeks


Jihadi John killed by a 1000-mph missile striking his car

Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the Lake Superior 40 years back with 29 on board

Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Music venues in UK beef up their security in view of Paris terror attacks

The terror attacks in Paris by ISIS has made music venues in the United Kingdom to beef up their security for forthcoming events. The company that manages major festivals like the Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds and Latitude Festivals - and owns the 11 O2 Academy venues - have indicated that it will increase security.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 17 November 2015.

Similarly, Global concert firm Live Nation, which also owns the Shepherd's Bush Empire, the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff and Ticketmaster, have revealed that it is acting "in an abundance of caution".
It may be recalled that Eighty-nine of the 129 people killed on Friday night were shot by a gunman who opened fire at the Bataclan concert hall during a gig by The Eagles Of Death Metal.
As Live Nation has rightly said in a statement - it is the safety and security of the shows, fans and venues that will continue to be on the list of highest priority. They have implemented heightened security procedures globally.
Apart from the extra security measures at music venues across the UK, there will be armed police deployed at Wembley Stadium for the international friendly between England and France.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the Humpty Dumpty syndrome (satire)

Winning elections is not as simple as making tea (satire)

Indian smugglers are celebs, boast of official doubles (satire)


Tea is a health drink - four cups a day can keep the doctors away

No more 'Rent-a-Womb' in India

Tourist bus ploughs into pedestrians in Union Square, San Francisco - 20 injured


Big B attends 21st Kolkata International Film Festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium

Alisha Chinai adds to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium

24th James Bond movie 'Spectre' earns USD 300 million in less than two weeks


Jihadi John killed by a 1000-mph missile striking his car

Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the Lake Superior 40 years back with 29 on board

Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ collected only two percent footfalls in theaters

Superstar Salman Khan’s blockbuster movie ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ had collected over Rs.300 crore at the Indian box office - but, only two percent of Indians actually went to the theaters to see the movie. This two percent is out of approximately 130 crore Indian population. These figures have been made public by an official of a cinema chain.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 18 November 2015.

As per reports, a staggering 74.5 million people, across India, tuned into the TV premiere of the film last month. However, in a session on increasing footfalls in theaters at the ongoing Indywood Film market, it has been revealed that only three crore and 21 lakh people have so far watched the Bollywood blockbuster “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” in cinema halls.
In spite of that, it has managed to earn over Rs.300 crore from Indian theaters.
The reason for this, as explained by an expert, is that 50 percent of Indian population still has no access to cinemas. Interestingly, seven screens cater to one million people in India whereas in the US it is over 100 screens in US.
In India, only 15 percent of total screens constitute multiplexes while the rest are still single screen cinemas.
Therefore, in spite of being the largest producer of films in the world, India still struggles to generate revenue because most people still have no access to screens.
In places like Madhya Pradesh, fans are known to have traveled 50-Km to watch movies and one of the best ways to increase footfalls is to target tier-2, tier-3 and even tier-4 cities.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the Humpty Dumpty syndrome (satire)

Winning elections is not as simple as making tea (satire)

Indian smugglers are celebs, boast of official doubles (satire)


Tea is a health drink - four cups a day can keep the doctors away

No more 'Rent-a-Womb' in India

Tourist bus ploughs into pedestrians in Union Square, San Francisco - 20 injured


Big B attends 21st Kolkata International Film Festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium

Alisha Chinai adds to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium

24th James Bond movie 'Spectre' earns USD 300 million in less than two weeks


Jihadi John killed by a 1000-mph missile striking his car

Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the Lake Superior 40 years back with 29 on board

Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Big B attends 21st Kolkata International Film Festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium

Amitabh Bachchan graced the occasion of opening the Kolkata International Film Festival, India's second oldest movie fest, in Netaji Indoor Stadium. The event was inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and apart from movie icon Amitabh Bachchan, others who attended were actress Vidya Balan and yesteryear stars Sharmila Tagore, Jaya Bachchan and Mousumi Chatterjee.
The jam-packed Netaji Indoor Stadium watched the screen giants raise a toast to the cinema as reported in business-standard.com dated 14 November 2015.

The tune of the magical evening was set by fusion music and classical music performed by percussionist Bickram Ghosh, classical music vocalist Rashid Khan and singer Indranil Sen.
Sharmila Tagore, who is heading the jury which will select the best film and director from among 14 short-listed entries by women filmmakers.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, in her speech, extended invitation to Bollywood to shoot in West Bengal.

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Alisha Chinai adds to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium

Alisha Chinai, Indian pop and Hindi playback singer who wowed the Indian public with her famous song 'Made in India' way back in the 1995, was roped in by the organizers to add to the glamour quotient at Wembley Stadium on the occasion of visit of Narendra Modi to London.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 14 November 2015.

Alisha Chinai performed at the iconic Wembley Stadium here on Friday as 60,000 cheering people waited for the address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Indian diaspora in Britain.
In keeping with Modi’s “Make in India” initiative, Alisha belted out her evergreen single “Made in India” from the album by the same name as the cultural program ahead of Modi’s speech kicked off in an electric atmosphere.
Alisha's famous song had been composed by Biddu and released in 1995 and it was the first Indipop album that sold on a scale comparable to Hindi film music albums.
Alisha Chinai was born in Ahmedabad and has Gujarati connections. He other albums include Jadoo, Baby Doll, and Aaah Alisha.
Others who were on stage on the occasion were British singer-rapper Jay Sean, Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, and Indian violinist Jyotsna Srikanth. Britain is home to a 1.5-million strong Indian diaspora.

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Sir Terry Wogan drops out of presenting Children In Need citing health reasons

Broadcaster 77-year-old Sir Terry Wogan has dropped out of presenting Children In Need because of health reasons. He will miss the event - he had described it as "wonderful" and "inspiring" and it will be the first time that he will not be there ever since the show began in 1980.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 13 November 2015.

On the occasion, Sir Terry has said: "The British public, as always, will dig deep in their pockets and purses to help the country's disadvantaged children, knowing that every penny will go to those who need it most. I'm going to miss our wonderful, inspiring evening together, but I'll be with you, watching, cheering and donating to a magnificent cause."
Sir Terry is having a procedure on his back and, would not be able to host the six-and-a-half hour-long show. The mantle will pass on to Dermot O'Leary who will step into Sir Terry's shoes as the new presenter of Children In Need.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Vidya Malvade of “Chak De! India” fame wants to do more horror films

Actress Vidya Malvade of “Chak De! India” fame wants to do more horror movies - she had starred in “1920: Evil Returns” and recently featured in an episode of “Darr Sabko Lagta Hai”. As she has indicated - if the film is good,she will do it - it will depend on the story.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 13 November 2015.

In her opinion, horror is a genre that is very exciting for some and for some it would be very scary - they might not watch it. But there are people who are horror fanatics and love watching this genre. They lap up whatever comes out. In fact, there is a dedicated following for horror.
Vidya also hopes that the horror genre in India will witness a change soon. She feels that while the country has a pool of talent, she is not sure if it’s being used well.
Incidentally, on the small screen, Vidya Malvade has been part of the first season of the stunt-based reality show “Khatron Ke Khiladi” and has now signed on for an episode of &TV’s “Darr Sabko Lagta Hai”.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Rumors abound regarding return of Guns N' Roses after two decades

Rumor abound that Guns N' Roses could announce their comeback - they are believed to be reuniting, more than two decades after the original line-up performed together. Two of them Axl Rose and Slash have had a notoriously rocky relationship over the years and have not been seen on stage together since 1993.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 12 November 2015.

However, reports from different sources have indicated that a "music insider" has apparently said they have "tentatively​ agreed to perform together again in 2016" and will perform in a number of festivals in Europe and North America before embarking on a world tour to coincide with its 30th anniversary.
Earlier this year Slash, who had gone out from the band in 1996, had indicated that he thought it would be fun to reunite and that there was "no animosity".
Similar sentiments had been expressed by G​uns N' Roses keyboard player Dizzy Reed ​- he has also recently hinted that a ​comeback could happen.
The Los Angeles band Guns N' Roses have sold over 100 million records and were a huge success in the late 1980s and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

Bipasaha Basu loves work but not 24X7 - she wants to enjoy life as well

Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu loves to work but not 24X7 - she has stopped doing multiple movies a year because she wants to “enjoy life” and not work round the clock like other actors. In her own words - her priorities in life are not like the other actors. She hates to work 24×7, 365 days an year because it is exhausting.
She wants to keep her calendar simple since she does not want to manage more than one month at a time. When the month is over, she wants freedom and wants everyone to disappear and leave her alone.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 12 November 2015.

She is 36-year-old and had made her debut in a supporting role in 2001 with “Ajnabee”, later she bagged her first leading role in Vikram Bhatt’s horror film “Raaz” in 2002.
She has been a part of horror films like “Raaz 3”, “Aatma” and this year’s release “Alone”, but she does not have any desire to stick to the genre even though she is called “Queen of Fear” - she is proud of the tag.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

24th James Bond movie 'Spectre' earns USD 300 million in less than two weeks

Any James Bond movie is always a hit and rakes in millions. The 24th James Bond thriller “Spectre”, starring Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz, is no exception - it has earned USD 300 million at the global box office in less than two weeks.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 9 November 2015.

Albert R Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, and Sony Pictures Entertainment have announced that the film has opened in an additional 72 territories, including the United States where it is the #1 movie. It has dominated a crowded box office by taking in USD 73 million for the weekend.
Internationally also, Spectre is a blockbuster - it has opened #1 in all 71 international territories in which it opened this weekend, taking in USD 117.8 million in total. This excludes 40 per cent of markets from France, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and China.
In the previous weekend, the film had set new all-time industry opening records in nearly every market in which it opened, as it took in USD 80.4 million through last Sunday. In the UK, the film set new records for the biggest opening of all time and the biggest seven days in box office history.
Other stars of “Spectre” are Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Monica Bellucci and Ralph Fiennes.
It is slated to release in India on November 20 in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

Moody wants ODIs in Silicon Valley (satire)

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Study reveals that online shopping is good for health

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Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate 21st edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Sandra Bullock planning an all-female version of Ocean's Eleven

Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

18-year-old to star in The Little Mermaid

18-year-old actress Chloe Grace Moretz is slated to star in a live-action version of The Little Mermaid. The actress has confirmed about the casting on her social media accounts. It seems she had been waiting for months to share the news.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 9 November 2015.

Universal has been planning the reboot of Hans Christian Andersen's book for over a year and, the story is about a mermaid called Ariel who wants to become a human after falling for a man she saves from drowning.
Richard Curtis is writing the scipt - he has written Four Weddings And A Funeral and Love Actually.
The young star Chloe Grace Moretz has had roles in Dark Shadows, Carrie and If I Stay and will also be seen next in the 5th Wave. She is also having her hands full in making a sequel to the 2014 film Bad Neighbours which starred Seth Rogen and Zac Efron.

(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

Moody wants ODIs in Silicon Valley (satire)

Fight fire with fire - have ‘Award Return Festivals’(satire)

Moody in the mute mood (satire)


Mad rush for tourists stranded in Egypt to return home

Study reveals that online shopping is good for health

Inmates use mouse to carry drugs between cells in Brazil prison


Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate 21st edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Sandra Bullock planning an all-female version of Ocean's Eleven

Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end

John Lennon's guitar, stolen 50-years-back, now sold for $2.4-m

John Lennon, a member of the Beatles, had lost his guitar 50-years-back. It was subsequently located and has now been sold at an auction in California for an amount of $2.4-m.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 8 November 2015.

The Beatles star had used the J-160E acoustic guitar for a year in 1962 and used it to record and write hit songs such as "Love Me Do" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
As per its history, novice musician John McCaw had bought it in the late 1960s without knowing it had been stolen from Lennon at a Christmas concert in 1963. This has been revealed by the auctioneer Darren Julien.
The price paid for this guitar surpasses the $965,000 paid at a 2013 Christie's auction for an electric guitar that had been owned by Bob Dylan.
Moreover, a Fender Stratocaster guitar - signed by the likes of Keith Richards, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney - had sold for a record $2.7m in 2005.
The auction house had also fetched $2.1m for a Beatles drum head that had been used during their historic appearances on the The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.


(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

Moody wants ODIs in Silicon Valley (satire)

Fight fire with fire - have ‘Award Return Festivals’(satire)

Moody in the mute mood (satire)


Mad rush for tourists stranded in Egypt to return home

Study reveals that online shopping is good for health

Inmates use mouse to carry drugs between cells in Brazil prison


Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate 21st edition of Kolkata Film Festival

Sandra Bullock planning an all-female version of Ocean's Eleven

Horror Museum in Colorado could be a money spinner


Bomb in Airbus A321 responsible for Sinai Peninsula crash and 224 deaths

Two Russian TU-142 Bear aircraft shooed off from USS Ronald Reagan

Iran has already executed 700 this year and the figure could cross 1000 by year end