The Bay City Rollers are on a comeback trail after 40-years

#BayCityRollers #rollermania The Bay City Rollers are on a comeback trail and, on stage, three ghosts from the past gather under the spotlights. In front of a sea of screaming women waving tartan scarves, the Bay City Rollers are once more rocking to the Shang-A-Lang sound of the music.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 31 December 2015.

There were apprehensions that Rollermania had gone into the pop’s deep freeze, along with the woolly mammoth and The Archies but, the Bay City Rollers are coming back after four decades when Les McKeown, Alan Longmuir and Stuart ‘Woody’ Wood made young girls scream.
They have reunited to surf a booming surprise second wave of fandom. The reformed group were only going to do a few Christmas dates. However, when the tickets sold out in three minutes flat, more shows were added. It is understood that they will now appear in Edinburgh, Manchester and London.
There is even talk of a new world tour to cover Japan, Australia, America and Canada.
40years is a long time and when onstage at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, the group’s lead singer in his tartan-trimmed, silken frock coat, and sporting salt and pepper hair, a thicker waist and broader jaw than in his heyday - no one will mistake the same cocky Les of the past.
Les turned 60 in November, Alan Longmuir is 67 and Stuart ‘Woody’ Woods is 58 - to them, age is no bar.

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Jennifer Lawrence plays the role of a woman over a 40-year-period in 'Joy'

#JenniferLawrence #MiracleMop #Joymovie Jennifer Lawrence, the Hollywood actress is starring alongside the Hollywood legend Robert De Niro in Joy, which is about the woman who invented the 'Miracle Mop' in the early 1990s. In 'Joy', she plays the character over a 40-year period - transforming from a single mum struggling to make ends meet, to a matriarch sitting on top of an entrepreneurial dynasty.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 29 December 2015.

'Joy' will be the third time the Oscar winner has made a film with the veteran De Niro and she has admitted that the two are "very close" and she consults and takes advice from him on matters of finance.
Incidentally, Lawrence is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood and earned around $26m for the four Hunger Games films.
In 'Joy', she has had to play a character that spans across four generations. Bradley Cooper is also in the film. And, the film has already received award nominations. It is up for best picture and Jennifer Lawrence is in the running for best actress in the Comedy or musical categories at the Golden Globes.
This would be the third time that she would be working with director David O Russell. The film would be in cinemas on 1 January.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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

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ISIS chooses jungles of Philippines as its training camp

Terror attacks in Paris makes the US issue global alert for its citizens

Amitabh Bachchan's role in Wazir is wheelchair-centric and challenging

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan's role in Wzir is a challenging one because he has to sit in a wheelchair throughout. As he says, it was physically more challenging than his other roles because, he did not have any feet to express himself or his emotions but had only the two wheels of the chair.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 27 December 2015.

“Wazir” is produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Bijoy Nambiar and its stars are Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Aditi Rao Hydari and Neil Nitin Mukesh.
So that his feet were not seen, the team opted for visual effects. He was asked to wear black socks and the team draw marks on them. His feet used to be tied. Obviously it was a new experience for him. Of course, Chopra ensured that the wheelchair chosen for Big B was the perfect fit. In fact, they went through 40 to 50 wheelchairs to find the perfect fit and the ideal one.
The 73-year-old star admitted that his colleagues-turned-politicians Shatrughan Sinha and Vinod Khanna have better career graphs. They were exceptional examples - having started off doing villain roles, they were so good that they became leading men. Later, then they joined politics, they succeeded there as well. Obviously, their career graph is better than his own.

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Priyanka Chopra wants new talents for Purple Pebble Pictures, her production house

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has launched her production house Purple Pebble Pictures and has indicated that she is working to back new talent in regional as well as Hindi films. She wants to work with and push new talent like writers. The reason is that when she entered the film industry, she did not know anyone and getting a foothold is a tough affair.
She made the comments at a press meet for her film 'Bajirao Mastani'.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 27 December 2015.

She has also indicated that she was keen to promote regional cinema. She is currently working on three regional films and two Hindi films and will make an announcement soon. However, she has ruled out the possibility of turning director because it was a job with 'immense responsibility'.
Her successes in 2015 are - 'Dil Dhadakne Do', 'Bajirao Mastani' and the international TV series 'Quantico' where she plays the role of a FBI officer. Incidentally, 'Quantico' has become so successful that it has got extended from 13 to 22 episodes and is likely to get a second season due to its success.
She admits that it is difficult to maintain a career in both America and in India. She already has choices of six really interesting films in India and two really interesting films in Hollywood. She will now have to decide which ones she would accept. Of course, she will next be seen as a police officer in 'Jai Gangaajal'.

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Shahid Kapoor portrays the role of an army officer in 'Rangoon'

Bollywood heartthrob Shahid Kapoor is, at present, shooting for Vishal Bhardwaj’s upcoming film ‘Rangoon’ in which he will portray the role of an army officer. From his first look of the movie, Shahid in army uniform looks every inch like an army officer.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 25 December 2015.

The movie 'Rangoon' is set during the World War II and is a love story which also features actor Saif Ali Khan and actress Kangana Ranaut in lead roles. Incidentally, Vishal Bhardwaj, who always gives Shahid new looks in the film, had tried out two looks – in one, Shahid sports a thick beard, in the other, he is minus a mustache. Shahid Kapoor is reported to be training hard in the gym for the taut body of an army jawan. He has given up on carbs and cigarettes to look the part.
'Rangoon' is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and is slated for release next year.

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'Avatar 2', sequel to 'Avatar' of 2009 expected to release in Dcember 2017

Filmmaker James Cameron has confirmed that 'Avatar 2', sequel to 'Avatar' of 2009 expected to release on Christmas Day of December 2017. THis is being touted to be the beginning of a trilogy of “Avatar” sequels and the movie would arrive in the holiday, just like the original film.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 23 December 2015.

A Cameron has said - his target is Christmas of ’17 as announced but, the fact is that when all the three films done are completed, they will be released at one year intervals. In his words, it will be a meta-narrative that runs across the three movies. While each dies stand alone, it is all a part of one much larger story.
61-year-old filmmaker James Cameron has also revealed that work on creatures and landscapes is almost done. That is a major achievement - the designs of creatures and landscapes and the new worlds within the world of Pandora are more or less finished. It has taken nearly two years.
Cameron has also indicated that the writing is ongoing, but almost finished, technical development is done as are the stages and infrastructure. In fact, things are poised to start after the first of the year.
Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana of the original 'Avatar' will be reprising their roles.

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'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' takes the world by storm - set to break records

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is set to break record because it is on course to make more money than any other film by the end of the week - 12 days after the initial release. Forbes predicts that the 7th installment of the science-fiction adventure is set to pass the $1 billion mark in the box office charts around the world. The earlier record had been set by Jurassic World earlier this year when it hit $1 billion in 13 days.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 24 December 2015.

The film directed by J.J. Abrams has made $528m globally in the first week.
The impact of this sci-fi movie in the UK was not as much as James Bond’s Spectre which is believed to be the most successful ever opener.
Incidentally, the latest Star Wars film has received rave reviews which will reinvigorate the almost 40-year-old franchise launched in 1977 and could become the first film to make more than $3bn in ticket sales. The movie has been selected as The Associated Press Entertainer of the Year and is amassing support for Academy Awards consideration.
The American Film Institute has selected it as one of its 10 best movies of the year, and the Critics' Choice Awards added it as an 11th best picture nominee. Obviously, hopes rise that The Force Awakens could be a viable Oscar contender.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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76% of butterflies vanishing in Britain - a result of climate change


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Priyanka Chopra - an FBI agent in Quantico and a tough cop in Jai Gangaajal

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has revealed that her preparation for the cop drama, 'Jai Gangaajal' has helped her immensely to portray her character of an FBI agent in her international series, 'Quantico'. She had to juggle her time between these two big projects and, in view of the kind of skill and work that was required for 'Jai Gangaajal', she was ready for my role in 'Quantico'. She has admitted that 'Quantico' became easier because she was already the film.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 23 December 2015.

Incidentally, while she portrays the role a police officer in 'Jai Gangaajal' wielding guns and smashing people with 'lathis', she plays a Federal Bureau of Investigation officer in the international series.
Prakash Jha who directs 'Jai Gangaajal' and also plays a police officer in the movie says that Priyanka was trained Aabha Mathur in Bhopal and she is now showcasing her talent in 'Quantico'.
Priyanka had stayed in places such as Lucknow and Bareily in Uttar Pradesh, during her growing up years and, since she grew up in UP, it was easy for her to do the role. In fact, 'Jai Gangaajal' was "the quickest film in her career" because she had to juggle between two big budget projects namely - a period drama 'Bajirao Mastani' and 'Quantico' at the same time.
'Jai Gangaajal' is set to release on March 4 next year - its music is composed by Salim-Sulaiman.

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Natalie Dormer sets condition for doing more films

Natalie Dormer, the star of "Hunger Games" has indicated that she is open to doing more films in the franchise provided author Suzanne Collins is involved. The last and final film in the series, “Mockingjay, Part 2”, was released last month. The possibility of getting the franchise to continue with prequels had been floated by Lionsgate vice chairman Michael Burns.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 22 December 2015.

Natalie Dormer plays the role of Cressida in the films and she talked of her admiration for “The Hunger Games” author and added that she would be interested in more movies in the series only if Collins was on board. Natalie adored Suzanne Collins for her bravery and imagination that spells success of The Hunger Games. She is a huge fan of Suzanne Collins and her writing.
In her opinion, Hunger Games producer Nina Jacobson and director Francis Lawrence realize this and any prequel or sequel would have to come from her and her penmanship.
Jennifer Lawrence has recently revealed that she would not be involved in any potential prequels.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Rice on rooftops – a masterplan (satire)

Didi to gift soaps and towels to kids (satire)

Saraswati and Lakshmi and their girlish talks (satire)


Juhi Chawla learns how to ride a scooty

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Eagles Of Death Metal to perform at the Olympia Theatre on 16 February


No country liquor in Bihar from April - only Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)

Thieves make away with sandalwood trees from Santiniketan

76% of butterflies vanishing in Britain - a result of climate change


1,000 British troops and Special forces going to Libya to eliminate ISIS jihadists

United States faced with Syrian refugee influx - nearly 100,000 have entered since 2012

Scotland Yard launches biggest ever crackdown on guns in London

Batman Ben Affleck, the Dark Knight, speaks up

Actor Ben Affleck has revealed that his portrayal of Batman will be different from that of Christian Bale’s in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” movies. 43-year-old actor Ben Affleck has admitted to the media that his portrayal will be much more frustrated.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 21 December 2015.

Ben Affleck goes on to say that while Christopher Nolan used his Batman to tell a finite story, Ben's version is different, but continues to remain faithful to the Batman mythology and all the themes associated with it.
In the movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, since the heroes are working towards the Justice League, there is Superman. In fact, it is a world populated with super beings and, as such, the situation generates an altogether new reality.
It seems Batman will embrace his billionaire lifestyle more wholeheartedly and “plays a bit more” of the playboy side of the character. He courts many women, owns many cars, and parties a lot. He does that as a way to fill the void in his soul.
The movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is scheduled for release in cinemas on March 25.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Rice on rooftops – a masterplan (satire)

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Saraswati and Lakshmi and their girlish talks (satire)


Juhi Chawla learns how to ride a scooty

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Eagles Of Death Metal to perform at the Olympia Theatre on 16 February


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When Bollywood film stars fall in love with Kolkata

Kolkata is buzzing with news of a 70-plus Bollywood actor who has been seen on Howrah Bridge riding a scooter. He had earlier been seen in the lobbies of Writer’s Building and even in front of the red building riding the two wheeler. He had earlier ridden a bicycle in another film. And – who knows, he could now take on a rickshaw in a future film.
The hero of City of Joy, a 1992 movie directed by Roland Joffe, had in fact, driven a rickshaw. He was a rickshaw puller.

Kolkata has always been an attractive locale for films and the trend had probably been set by the movie City of Joy of the 1970s. It is natural for Bengali films to be filmed in the city but, when it comes to Bollywood movies that have a greater appeal in the national market, it means Kolkata has plenty of variety to offer.
Movies based on stories of Rabindra Nath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhaya have always held a special place in the hearts of people and when the actors get down to business donning period dresses, the outcome makes producers happy.
Most of these stories are love stories with boats sailing lazily in the waters and the songs touch and move your heart. And then there is the most important festival of Bengalis –the Durga Puja. Movies that have this festival interwoven in the plot makes it a sure shot box office hit.
Most of the Hindi movies shot in Kolkata have proved to be hits – and, several new faces have emerged in the movie world where non- Bengalis have proved their worth and have stolen the thunder from the Bengalis.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Rice on rooftops – a masterplan (satire)

Didi to gift soaps and towels to kids (satire)

Saraswati and Lakshmi and their girlish talks (satire)


Juhi Chawla learns how to ride a scooty

All female pop-group Moranbong Band cancels China goodwill tour

Eagles Of Death Metal to perform at the Olympia Theatre on 16 February


No country liquor in Bihar from April - only Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)

Thieves make away with sandalwood trees from Santiniketan

76% of butterflies vanishing in Britain - a result of climate change


1,000 British troops and Special forces going to Libya to eliminate ISIS jihadists

United States faced with Syrian refugee influx - nearly 100,000 have entered since 2012

Scotland Yard launches biggest ever crackdown on guns in London

Amyra Dastur is upbeat over her film “Kung Fu Yoga” with Jackie Chan

Actress Amyra Dastur is upbeat about her film “Kung Fu Yoga” as she has begun shooting for Chinese superstar Jackie Chan’s upcoming action-adventure movie which is being directed by Stanley Tong. It is a Chinese-Indian co-production of Taihe Entertainment, Shinework Media (China) and also stars Aarif Rahman and Sonu Sood.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 19 December 2015.

Amyra Dastur, the 22-year-old “Mr X” actress will be portraying the role of a tough girl and will be seen doing a lot of action. She has yet to meet Jackie Chan but has completed a five-day stunt schedule in Beijing with the rest of the cast.
She now becomes the latest Indian export to international cinema and, Amyra admits that there is a fear lurking in her about her future in the foreign territory because she was very much into Bollywood and he South. She never expected to land a Hollywood project.
Her dates are packed since she will be shooting for this film and, simultaneously, a Bollywood project ‘Ticket to Bollywood’ and will have to shuttle between the two.

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Rapper Nicki Minaj asked to cancel her performance in Angola

Human rights groups have asked rapper Nicki Minaj to cancel her performance in Angola because of concerns about abuse and corruption in the country. She is scheduled to have a show in the capital, Luanda, on 19 December and the concert Unitel Christmas Festival is being organized by the mobile phone company Unitel.
Nicki is an award-winning rapper and will share the stage with local acts at the stadium concert as indicated in the Unitel website.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 16 December 2015.

The Human Rights Foundation said the Angolan president's daughter owns a large stake in Unitel and Nicki Minaj is a global artist. In the opinion of the foundation's president, Thor Halvorssen, there is no good reason for her to do business with the corrupt Angolan dictatorship and endorse the ruler's family company.
The group has apparently asked her through a letter to cancel the performance and instead support a local rapper who was jailed along with other youth activists. The local rapper Luaty Beirao had been arrested in June and charged with preparing a rebellion.
It may be recalled that Mariah Carey had performed at an Angolan Red Cross gala in Angola in 2013 and had reportedly been paid $1m for the performance that had been sponsored by Unitel.
President Jose Eduardo dos Santos has ruled the oil-rich country for 36 years.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the mystery of Didi in Delhi (satire)

Kartika wants to become a Bollywood hero (satire)

Momo and sushi gear up to dislodge jilebi and pedhas (satire)


Be careful of six things that can reduce your lifespan

Monkey business in Uttarakhand - Uttar Pradesh dumping its monkeys in Uttarakhand

Japan to give India her first Bullet Train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad


Quentin Tarantino wants to do 'Kill Bill 3'

Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila to perform in Kolkata to mark Vijay Diwas

Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore


Two men of Syrian origin caught in Geneva with explosives

President Obama cautions Americans on new type of terror threat

USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

Eagles Of Death Metal to perform at the Olympia Theatre on 16 February

Eagles Of Death Metal have announced the dates of 16 February for their postponed European tour - including a return to Paris. It may be recalled that the American rock band was performing at the Bataclan venue in Paris when it was attacked by gunmen on 13 November during coordinated terror attacks. As a result of the attack,a total of 130 people were killed in the atrocities and 89 of them were at the Bataclan.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 17 December 2015.

Members of the band had spoken tearfully of the horror of that night and earlier this month, they joined U2 on stage for a poignant performance in the French capital.
The band has, now, announced that they will perform at the Olympia Theatre in Paris on 16 February. Regarding the change in venue, the band has said that the Bataclan Theatre will not be open again in time for the band's return on this tour. The tour has been rescheduled due to the massacre and has been renamed Nos Amis, which is French for 'our friends'. Entrance is free for fans who were at the Bataclan on the tragic night - they will be given free tickets.
The Nos Amis Tour will kick off in Stockholm on 13 February and the band will play in the UK later in the year at the Reading and Leeds festivals.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the mystery of Didi in Delhi (satire)

Kartika wants to become a Bollywood hero (satire)

Momo and sushi gear up to dislodge jilebi and pedhas (satire)


Be careful of six things that can reduce your lifespan

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Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore


Two men of Syrian origin caught in Geneva with explosives

President Obama cautions Americans on new type of terror threat

USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

Juhi Chawla learns how to ride a scooty

Juhi Chawla is an actress of Bollywood who is dedicated to her profession and believes in living any role she is playing in a movie - she has once been seen riding a scooty in Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Yess Boss’. She is now coming back on screen riding a sooty - it will be her new film ‘Chalk N Duster’. She had to shoot for the poster of the film riding a scooty with Shabana Azmi seated behind her and, to make it as real as possible, she took riding lessons.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 17 December 2015.

In the poster veteran Shabana Azmi sitting on the pillion behind Juhi on the scooty. Juhi’s manager and executive producer of ‘Chalk N Duster’ Preet Kaur had helped the actress with her riding classes.
It seems she had almost forgotten how to ride a bike when, one day, her business manager Preet Kaur who is also the executive producer of the film came to her building on her scooty. The two of them spent one day getting the balance correct. Before leaving, Preet Kaur left her scooty parked in Juhi's apartment and next day, Juhi took rounds trying to get back the feel of riding the two-wheeler.
She did that for almost a week to get the hang of it.
The film ‘Chalk N Duster’ is directed by Jayant Gilatar and set for release on January 16.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

George Clooney plans to feed homeless people of Scotland on Christmas Day

Superstar George Clooney plans to feed homeless people of Scotland on Christmas Day and has, accordingly, launched a new fundraising campaign - he wants to feed thousands of homeless people in Scotland on that day. The 54-year-old got the idea and grabbed headlines in November when he visited the Edinburgh sandwich shop Social Bite.
This is a non-profit organization that gives proceeds to charity, allows patrons to buy food for homeless people and is staffed partly with people who were once homeless themselves.

This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 16 December 2015.
It seems Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, has revealed that last year they asked the public to pay £5 to allow us to open on Christmas Day and give local homeless people a place to go for a good meal. The target was to provide 800 meals and were surprised at the huge response. They received over 36,000 donations from all over the world.
It helped them to not only feed folk at Christmas but were able to feed them all year round in all five of our shops.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol of “Dilwale” appear on two popular Pakistani morning shows

Relations between India and Pakistan has always been a different kettle of fish where movies are concerned and this has been proved yet again when Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, the stars in upcoming “Dilwale”, directed by Rohit Shetty, have appeared on two popular Pakistani morning shows.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 15 December 2015.

Pakistan is, undoubtedly, becoming an important market for Bollywood films and the recording of the show with Shah Rukh, Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon was done in Dubai with the hosts Shaista Lodhi and Sanam Jung. In fact, the entire cast of 'Dilwale' was in Dubai for the promotion of the film.
An official for Hum TV channel has said that Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol are popular on both sides of the border and they have a huge fan following in Pakistan.
It is understood that Hum TV channel which airs the morning shows, “Jago Pkistan Jago” and “Sitaray Ki Subha” will air the shows on December 17 with the film due to be released in Pakistan this Friday. Advance bookings for “Dilwale” has been at record levels with advance bookings in the cineplexes in Karachi and Lahore at their peak with shows sold out for December.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the mystery of Didi in Delhi (satire)

Kartika wants to become a Bollywood hero (satire)

Momo and sushi gear up to dislodge jilebi and pedhas (satire)


Be careful of six things that can reduce your lifespan

Monkey business in Uttarakhand - Uttar Pradesh dumping its monkeys in Uttarakhand

Japan to give India her first Bullet Train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad


Quentin Tarantino wants to do 'Kill Bill 3'

Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila to perform in Kolkata to mark Vijay Diwas

Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore


Two men of Syrian origin caught in Geneva with explosives

President Obama cautions Americans on new type of terror threat

USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

All female pop-group Moranbong Band cancels China goodwill tour

The Moranbong group, an all-female pop-group on a goodwill tour to China, cancelled the tour even before it could take off. Its members unexpectedly turned up at Beijing's main airport just hours before their first concert and flew back to Pyongyang.
They were scheduled to have three shows, the objective was to help improve ties between China and North Korea and it is not clear why the performances were cancelled. This band is one of North Korea's most popular bands and the members had been handpicked by the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, himself.
This has been reported in bbc.com dated 12 December 2015.

The group plays a mixture of Western and traditional Korean tunes involving a range of instruments, including electric violins, and have been happy to perform the theme from the film Rocky apart from singing patriotic songs in praise of North Korea's communist rulers.
Incidentally, in morally conservative North Korea, the Moranbong musicians wear revealing outfits and sport fashionable hairstyles and had been seen off for their first-ever foreign tour from Pyongyang railway station by senior leaders. There was no hint of any trouble when they had practiced in Beijing's National Center for Performing Arts and, hence, their sudden stopping of the tour is shrouded in mystery.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the mystery of Didi in Delhi (satire)

Kartika wants to become a Bollywood hero (satire)

Momo and sushi gear up to dislodge jilebi and pedhas (satire)


Be careful of six things that can reduce your lifespan

Monkey business in Uttarakhand - Uttar Pradesh dumping its monkeys in Uttarakhand

Japan to give India her first Bullet Train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad


Quentin Tarantino wants to do 'Kill Bill 3'

Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila to perform in Kolkata to mark Vijay Diwas

Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore


Two men of Syrian origin caught in Geneva with explosives

President Obama cautions Americans on new type of terror threat

USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - fans wait will be over

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is ready for release - it is due to be shown publicly for the first time in Los Angeles on Monday and will premiers in London on 16 December. Hectic preparations are in their closing stages for the premiere of one of the most-awaited sequels in cinema history. The film is the seventh in the series and the first which, apart from his role in creating some characters, does not involve George Lucas.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 14 December 2015.

The film's stars, including the original 1977 cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, are expected to join director and co-writer J J Abrams on the red carpet at one of the three cinemas showing it. There are a new generation of actors also in the cast - many of them British. They are Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Andy Serkis.
The precise venue of the premieres in the USA are being kept under wraps until the last minute, but they are expected to take place at LA's TCL Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre and the El Capitan Theatre.
In order to keep up the suspense, dozens of workers are busy erecting a mammoth opaque tent lining four blocks of Hollywood Boulevard. Incidentally, the TCL Chinese Theatre, one of the cinemas on the Boulevard, had hosted the premiere of the first Star Wars movie in 1977.
Needless to say, fans have been camping outside for several days to ensure they do not miss out on getting the best seat in the theatre when the movie goes on general release on Friday.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody and the mystery of Didi in Delhi (satire)

Kartika wants to become a Bollywood hero (satire)

Momo and sushi gear up to dislodge jilebi and pedhas (satire)


Be careful of six things that can reduce your lifespan

Monkey business in Uttarakhand - Uttar Pradesh dumping its monkeys in Uttarakhand

Japan to give India her first Bullet Train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad


Quentin Tarantino wants to do 'Kill Bill 3'

Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila to perform in Kolkata to mark Vijay Diwas

Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore


Two men of Syrian origin caught in Geneva with explosives

President Obama cautions Americans on new type of terror threat

USS Zumwalt, largest destroyer ever built, sets out for sea trials

'Romeo and Juliet - The War' to be made into a movie

The story of Romeo and Juliet penned by William Shakespeare is known to everyone - task is on hand to make a movie out of the futuristic graphic novel “Romeo and Juliet: The War”. It is being adapted as a movie by Lionsgate and it has announced that it will team up with 1821 Media and Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment to develop the movie.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 11 December 2015.

“Romeo and Juliet - The War” is a new version of William Shakespeare’s classic story “Romeo and Juliet” and had been created by Lee and Dougas. It was written by Max Work and illustrated by Skan Srisuwan.
Its screenwriter is John J Griffin who is on board to adapt the screenplay. Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis and Terry Dougas of 1821 Media will produce with Lee and Gill Champion of POW! executive producing.
'The War' was published in 2012 and was a New York Times bestseller. It narrates the story of two groups of superhuman soldiers, the Montagues and the Capulets, who used to work together but then turned against each other. Following the story-line of the classic “Romeo and Juliet”, here also a boy and girl from the two sides fall in love and plan to secretly marry.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila to perform in Kolkata to mark Vijay Diwas

Celebrated Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila and a host of other artistes is scheduled to perform at a mega event organized by the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata from December 15 to mark Vijay Diwas that commemorates the liberation war and independence in 1971.
On the occasion, the “Bangladesh Bijoy Utsob” program would be the Netaji Indoor Stadium in the city - the program would go on till December 19 with the support of the West Bengal government.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 11 December 2015.

Other artistes who will share the stage with Runa Laila would be Arian, Kusthia’s Lalan group, Krishnakali. The events will highlight Nazrul giti, Rabindra Sangeet, Baulgan, Lalan giti, Sufi, Bangla band. Films will also be screened on the occasion as indicated by the first secretary (press) at the Commission.
And, of course, there will be the country’s signature products like Dhakai jamdani, Rajsahi’s silk and ceramics. Food stalls showcasing kacchi biriyani, bhuna khichri and pitha (deserts) will also be there.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody on climate change – promote bullock carts and tonga (satire)

Moody shelves black money, goes for gold (satire)

Moody wants dhokla to be the National dish (satire)


Amy Poehler set to receive Hollywood Walk Of Fame star

Malaika Arora Khan wants to open a restaurant

Nicole Kidman all praises for Bollywood


Laldighi in Kolkata to lose its trams and make way for East-West Metro

Radiation from Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan has spread to the United States

Electric cars to combat greenhouse effect


RAF jets pound ISIS oil field in Syria

Britain bares its fangs - RAF Tornados bomb ISIS oilfields

United States sending 200 troops to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces take on ISIS

Shah Rukh Khan to address alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is scheduled to address the alumni of the Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore (IIMB) on Friday, 11 December 2015. Such addresses are not new to him because he has previously given lectures at various Indian and international institutions like the Yale University and the University of Edinburgh.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 10 December 2015.

In order to keep the interest alive, he has Twittered an excerpt of his speech that he will deliver at the IIM-B. It goes like this - 'if everything gets turned on its head, change your perspective – do a handstand & rebuild yourself.' SRK has a career that spans over two and a half decades. He has appeared in over 80 Bollywood films, and has also reached out to his audiences via the small screen.
The Bollywood actor is well-known all over the world for his films like “Baazigar”, “Darr”, “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” and “Jab Tak Hai Jaan”. He was honored with the Padma Shri in 2005.
His next film is Rohit Shetty’s “Dilwale” alongside Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon among others. This film is slated for release on December 18.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody on climate change – promote bullock carts and tonga (satire)

Moody shelves black money, goes for gold (satire)

Moody wants dhokla to be the National dish (satire)


Amy Poehler set to receive Hollywood Walk Of Fame star

Malaika Arora Khan wants to open a restaurant

Nicole Kidman all praises for Bollywood


Laldighi in Kolkata to lose its trams and make way for East-West Metro

Radiation from Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan has spread to the United States

Electric cars to combat greenhouse effect


RAF jets pound ISIS oil field in Syria

Britain bares its fangs - RAF Tornados bomb ISIS oilfields

United States sending 200 troops to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces take on ISIS

Quentin Tarantino wants to do 'Kill Bill 3'

Quentin Tarantino is toying with the idea of going in for the third edition of 'Kill Bill' - he wants to take his 'Kill Bill' bride on the third ride since the filmmaker has dropped hints that he has a probable story line in his mind.
The 52-year-old Oscar-winning director has indicated that their is distinctly a possibility of the third installment of the American martial arts film starring Uma Thurman as ‘The Bride’. He feels he and Uma would have a really good time working together again.
This is reported in indianexpress.com dated 9 December 2015.

In case Quentin Tarantino, the 'Django' director does 'Kill Bill 3', he would be planning to take a huge time leap. This movie would be his most visionary movie because he had gone beyond 'Pulp Fiction’ to create a world that really does not exist, where they have Samurai sword holders on aeroplanes instead of cup holders.
Tarantino is, at present, geared up for the release of his film 'The Hateful Eight' which is scheduled to hit the theaters on January 8 - it will be released on 70mm screens during Christmas weekend.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody on climate change – promote bullock carts and tonga (satire)

Moody shelves black money, goes for gold (satire)

Moody wants dhokla to be the National dish (satire)


Amy Poehler set to receive Hollywood Walk Of Fame star

Malaika Arora Khan wants to open a restaurant

Nicole Kidman all praises for Bollywood


Laldighi in Kolkata to lose its trams and make way for East-West Metro

Radiation from Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan has spread to the United States

Electric cars to combat greenhouse effect


RAF jets pound ISIS oil field in Syria

Britain bares its fangs - RAF Tornados bomb ISIS oilfields

United States sending 200 troops to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces take on ISIS

Deepika Padukone to star with Vin Diesel in Hollywood movie

Another Bollywood actress is on her way to act in a Hollywood movie - it is now revealed that Vin Diesel will team up with his leading lady Deepika Padukone in “Xander Cage Returns” which would be the upcoming sequel of XXX franchise. diesel has shared a picture with the Indian beauty on his Instagram.
This has been reported in indianexpress.com dated 7 December 2015.

The 29-year-old Deepika had initially fueled speculation about her possible Hollywood debut by sharing a picture with Diesel. In the picture, she is seen hugging the Hollywood hunk while looking at the camera mysteriously. The 48-year-old Diesel has kept his fans guessing but Deepika’s “Piku” co-star Irrfan Khan has confirmed the news. He has even congratulated her.
There had been reports that Deepika had turned down Diesel’s “Fast and Furious 7” to accommodate dates for her 2014 release “Happy New Year”. But that seems to have been resolved.
“XXX” was a 2002 American action film that was directed by Rob Cohen and it starred Diesel as Xander Cage, a thrill seeking extreme sports enthusiast, stuntman and rebellious athlete-turned- reluctant spy for the national security agency.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

Moody on climate change – promote bullock carts and tonga (satire)

Moody shelves black money, goes for gold (satire)

Moody wants dhokla to be the National dish (satire)


Amy Poehler set to receive Hollywood Walk Of Fame star

Malaika Arora Khan wants to open a restaurant

Nicole Kidman all praises for Bollywood


Laldighi in Kolkata to lose its trams and make way for East-West Metro

Radiation from Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan has spread to the United States

Electric cars to combat greenhouse effect


RAF jets pound ISIS oil field in Syria

Britain bares its fangs - RAF Tornados bomb ISIS oilfields

United States sending 200 troops to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces take on ISIS