Saturday 13 May 2017

Will take India's regional cuisine to the world: Chef Vikas Khanna

He has been named the "Hottest Chef of America" by People magazine and has won a Michelin star for his restaurant in New York, but Chef #Vikas_Khanna's roots remain in India -- and he now wants to take the country's regional cuisines to the world.

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"My focus for the next 10 years will be on regional cuisine. Though it is extremely tough to assimilate all of Indian cuisines under one roof, I am trying my best. I want to bring as much of India as possible to the US," Khanna, 45, told in an interview on the sidelines of an event where he launched Quaker Nutritious Food products.

Khanna has put Indian gastronomical delights on the world food map and was recently named by Gazette Review in its list of Top 10 Chefs in the World.

His charm is no secret. From serving food to the Obamas to gifting his book "Utsav" to a host of global personalities, Khanna has immensely contributed to giving Indian culture and delicacies a global identity.
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Ford finds it interesting to revisit characters

Veteran actor #Harrison_Ford, who is reprising his role in the sequel to the 1982 film #Blade_Runner, finds revisiting a character, interesting.

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Ford had essayed the lead role in Ridley Scott directorial "Blade Runner", and is now reprising his role in the sequel titled "Blade Runner 2049", directed by Denis Villeneuve.

"The character Rick Deckard is woven into the story in a way that intrigued me. There's a very strong emotional context. The relationship between the character Deckard, that I play, and other characters is fascinating. 

"I think it's interesting to develop a character after a period of time - to revisit a character," Ford said in a video chat on Facebook, reports aceshowbiz.com.
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Hunnam keen to join 'Game Of Thrones'

Actor #Charlie_Hunnam says he would love to join the cast of the fantasy series #Game_of_Thrones despite having been forced to initially turn down an offer.

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The 37-year-old actor has revealed that he previously declined the chance to appear in the popular HBO series because of scheduling conflicts, reports metro.co.uk. 

"I would love to do a ‘Game of Thrones' cameo, they offered me a cameo on that show a little while ago but I was shooting something else so I wasn't able to do it but maybe in the future, who knows," Hunnam said.

The seventh season of "Game of Thrones" series will premiere on July 16. It will be back in India on Star World. The final season will most likely air in 2018.
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I don't feel uber confident: Jessica Chastain

Actress #Jessica_Chastain says she lacks self-confidence and believes that the entertainment industry is an occupation where feeling positive about yourself is hard.

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"It's not an industry that creates confidence; it's something you've really got to find within yourself. I don't feel uber confident," Chastain told belfasttelegraph.co.uk.

Chastain calls herself a "very awkward girl" and feels she can be unsociable at times.
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Longoria feels uncomfortable wearing black clothes

Actress #Eva_Longoria doesn't like wearing black clothes because she does not feel comfortable in them.

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The 42-year-old believes the garments she wears, enhances her emotions because she is left feeling "not very comfortable" and unattractive when she dons "boring" dark-coloured garments, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I'm not very comfortable wearing black. I just think it's boring, and I don't feel beautiful in it. Your wardrobe can really enhance your emotions, good or bad," Longoria told Health magazine.

The "Desperate Housewives" star says her "daily uniform" is a pair of jeans, a silk shirt, heels and a blazer, or a simple dress, which she calls a "onesie".
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Harry Styles hires former pizza shop worker

Singer #Harry_Styles says he met his band member #Mitch at the pizza shop he worked in and was blown away by his playing skills.

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The 23-year-old met Mitch through his sound engineer and was impressed by his talent, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"I found a guy who is now in my band called Mitch. He was actually working in a pizza shop when I met him. And he'd never worked in a studio or anything. He is the engineer's room mate and he came down into the studio. 

"He was just an absolute monster and now he is one of my closest friends," Styles said on "The Chris Evans Breakfast Show" on Friday. 
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A.R. Rahman to attend Cannes film fest for 'Sangamithra'

Oscar winning composer #ARRahman will walk the red carpet at the #70thCannesFilmFestival with the lead cast, director and producers of trilingual magnum opus #Sangamithra.

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Rahman will be seen walking the red carpet of the opening night at the Cannes Film Festival, which begins on May 17.

About his Cannes outing this year, Rahman said in a statement: "I'm very excited working on this ambitious project 'Sangamithra'. I am looking forward to joining the team at Cannes."

A Hindi, Tamil and Telugu trilingual, "Sangamithra" stars Shruti Haasan in the title role, while Jayam Ravi and Arya are the chief male protagonists. The film is directed by Sundar C, produced by Thenandal Studios and has Rahman as its music director.
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'Rheson' is Sonam's idea, says sister Rhea Kapoor

Bollywood fashionista and actress #Sonam_Kapoor, along with sister #Rhea_Kapoor, launched their first-ever fashion brand 'Rheson' here on Friday. Rhea revealed that it was originally Sonam's idea to have their own brand.

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At the launch event Rhea, who has been styling Sonam for quite sometime, was asked whose idea it was to come up with a fashion brand and instantly said: "It was Sonam." 

"Many brands had approached Sonam for endorsement. They wanted to design and start a fashion line with her. But then Sonam came and told me 'Lets make our own brand. Lets do it right'," said Rhea, adding she was the 'Rhe' part of Rheson.

"It has to be authentic. There is no point giving your name to something when you are not designing it or not being part of it. Specially if it is fashion," asserted Sonam, the 'son' part of 'Rheson'.

Sonam, in a statement, said: "We wanted to work on something that is owned by us and had our personal touch on every level. The key to the birth of Rheson was to give girls a platform wherein they do not have to spend money to look stylish. 
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Konkona's 'A Death In The Gunj' to release on June 2

After winning global acclaim and multiple awards at film festivals, #Konkona_Sen_Sharma's directorial debut #A_Death_In_The_Gunj will hit the screens in India on June 2.

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The film is an atmospheric thriller set in 1979 at McCluskieganj, near Ranchi, a statement said.

It stars Vikrant Massey, Gulshan Devaiah, Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey, Tillotama Shome, Jim Sarbh, Tanuja and the late Om Puri.
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Rahul Roy wants to do so much more

#Rahul_Roy shot to fame with #Aashiqui in 1990, but has been missing from Bollywood for quite some time. The actor-producer hopes to explore different arenas of Indian cinema soon, and says that there is still so much that he wants to do.

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"It has been a while that I have not worked in India. I was in Australia for nine years. I decided to come back in 2015 to set up some interesting projects in my own country. I have always enjoyed my stint in the industry and feel there is so much more that I would like to do," Rahul said in a statement. 

Rahul featured in Hindi movies like "Junoon" and "Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee". He won the first season of TV reality show "Bigg Boss" in 2007. He was last seen in "To B or Not to B" in 2016, which went unnoticed. 

At the moment, he is producing a movie called "The Message" under his banner Great India Entertainment. The film's music will be launched over the weekend here.
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Kareena has been very helpful: Soha

Actress #Soha_Ali_Khan, who is expecting her first child with actor #Kunal_Kemmu, says her sister-in-law and actress #Kareena_Kapoor_Khan has been giving her diet tips and more for expecting mothers.

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Soha's elder brother and actor-producer Saif Ali Khan welcomed his first child with Kareena last year. 

"Kareena has been very helpful. She recently went through this. So, I keep asking her a lot of questions on a daily basis. What should I eat, what is allowed, what isn't," Soha said at an event here on Friday.

The upcoming Mothers' Day on Sunday will be a milestone for Soha. 

"I really don't know what to expect or how the journey ahead is going to be like. This Mothers' Day will be a milestone for me because all my life I've appreciated my mother (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore) so much and now I am going to be a mom myself," said Soha, who was present with Kunal at the event. 
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Shooting of 'Downton Abbey' movie to begin in September

The filming of movie adaptation of the popular TV show #Downton_Abbey will reportedly start in September.

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Series creator Julian Fellowes is teaming up with production house Carnival Films to make the film on the period drama.

"Film bosses have requested the services of crew members and accountants to work on the picture. A budget has been set and now it's a case of getting everything in place to start shooting. It would take something big to stop the project from happening now," a source told aceshowbiz.com.

The TV series is set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey between 1912 and 1925. 

Salman skips first song launch of 'Tubelight'

Bollywood superstar #Salman_Khan didn't attend the launch of the first song from his forthcoming film #Tubelight on Friday. He is busy shooting for #Tiger_Zinda_Hai in Abu Dhabi, says director Kabir Khan.

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Kabir, who has helmed "Tubelight", attended the launch with composer Pritam, lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya and choreographer Remo D'souza, among others here.

Asked why Salman wasn't present on the occasion, Kabir said: "Salman is busy shooting in Abu Dhabi for his film 'Tiger Zinda Hai'. When he will come back, we will meet again."

He added: "We will be leaving for Dubai to promote the music this month and release the trailer on May 24."

D'souza said he enjoyed working with Salman along with 1000 dancers for the song, "Radio".
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'Dangal' mints over Rs 200 cr in China

Bollywood superstar #Aamir_Khan's #Dangal has grossed over Rs 200 crore in China within the first week of its release, becoming the first Indian film to achieve the feat in the country.

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The movie, released in around 7,000 screens in China as "Shuai Jiao Baba" ("Let's Wrestle, Dad"), had raked up 216 million yuan (over Rs 201 crore) by Friday evening.

The movie, which is about a gritty wrestler from small town training his daughters to become world-class wrestlers, has already broken the record of "PK" which earned Rs 100 crore in China.

China is still viewed to be a patriarchal society but the masses have connected with "Dangal".
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India has lot of superlative talent, says Remo D'Souza

Ace choreographer-filmmaker #RemoDSouza has returned with the third season of popular dance reality show "Dance +". He says there is a lot of talent hidden in India which has the capability of living up to various international standards.

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"After successful two years, we are back and are looking for the next dancing sensation. Anyone who believes that their dancing style is unique and can make the entire country dance to their moves can be the next dance icon," Remo said in a statement.

"We have a lot of superlative talent hidden in this country capable of taking on the world dance stage by storm. This year we are expecting the talent to take dance to the next level in India. A very big surprise awaits the winner of this season," he added.
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Aishwarya to present 'Devdas' at Cannes film fest again

Actress #Aishwarya_Rai_Bachchan, who first went to the Cannes Film Festival with #Devdas back in 2002, will be presenting the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film again at the upcoming 70th edition of the fest.

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The actress will be going to the fest in the capacity of cosmetic brand L'Oreal Paris brand ambassador. She will be presenting the film on May 20 as part of L'Oréal Paris Open Air Cinema, read a statement from the brand. 

Recounting her first experience at the fest, Aishwarya said: "We attended the festival not just as artistes but as proud representatives of Indian cinema, and showcasing a film that meant so much to us. The kind of reception we got for the movie was truly overwhelming and I will cherish it all my life."

"Devdas", inspired by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1901 novel, featured Shah Rukh Khan as Devdas, Aishwarya as Paro and Madhuri Dixit as Chandramukhi. The Bhansali directorial was a cinematic marvel with revelry of dance and music, and a tragic love story splashed with myriad emotions.
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Gulshan Grover, Ranjeet are 'great teachers of acting'

Budding actor #Herry_Tangri finds veterans #Gulshan_Grover and #Ranjeet great teachers of acting.

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Herry will feature in the forthcoming film "Behen Hogi Teri" along with the two actors, mostly known for playing negative characters.

"Both are very encouraging and great teachers of acting. I feel glad that I got to learn something from them. Helped me to polish my acting," Henry said in a statement.

Talking about working on the film, he said: "It was a great experience. It was my first visit to Lucknow. I had awesome food... famous kebabs. The set had great, positive and friendly atmosphere. We had a blast shooting it." 

He says he plays a positive character, Bhura, who is "innocent and lovable".
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Tulsi Kumar wants to sing for Alia

Singer #Tulsi_Kumar, who has sung a string of popular numbers like "Mere humsafar" and "Soch na sake", says she wants to do playback singing for Bollywood actress #Alia_Bhatt.

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The singer expressed her wish to work with the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt during her appearance on the chat show "Yaar Mera Superstar Season 2", read a statement from Zoom channel where it will air on Saturday.

"I have sung for quite a lot of actors, most of them, but Alia Bhatt is someone I want to sing for," said Tulsi, who has sung for actresses like Shraddha Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha. 

She was accompanied by her sister Khushali to the show. 

Khushali talked about her star-struck moment. 
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Friday 12 May 2017

Hindi version of 'Baahubali 2' surpasses earnings of 'Dangal'

In just 14 days since its release, the Hindi dubbed version of filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli magnum opus #Baahubali2TheConclusion has crossed the domestic lifetime collection of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's sports drama film #Dangal.

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Filmmaker Karan Johar, who has presented the Hindi version of "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion", on Friday shared on Twitter that the film has minted Rs 390.25 crore, surpassing the lifetime business of "Dangal", which collected Rs 387.38 crore domestically. "Dangal" had earlier this year became Bollywood's highest grosser in the country.

Alongside an image revealing the Hindi collection of the film in India, Karan tweeted: "The reigning film. ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion'."

Julia Roberts to star in 'The Bookseller'

Actress #Julia_Roberts will star in a film adaptation of best-selling novel #The_Bookseller.

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Crystal City Entertainment has optioned Cynthia Swanson's book. The story follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalising alternate world of her dreams, reports hollywoodreporter.com. 

Swanson's book, which first hit the shelves in 2015, follows Kitty Miller, a single woman who runs a bookshop and finds herself living out an alternate life -- one in which she is married to the love of her life and has beautiful children -- in her dreams. The lines between her real-life and dream life begin to blur, and she must figure out what is real and what is imagined. 

Roberts will also produce with partners Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill through their Red Om Films banner, along with Crystal City's Jonathan Rubenstein and Ari Pinchot.
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Jackie Chan, Stallone team up for action thriller

Action stars #Jackie_Chan and #Sylvester_Stallone will team up for #Ex_Baghdad, an action thriller to be helmed by Scott Waugh.

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It is an $80 million budget action film that becomes one of the biggest budget films to come out of China, reports deadline.com.

Chan will serve as a producer through his company SR Media, with Qi Jianhong and Talent International's Esmond Ren. SR Media and Talent International will also finance the film. Hans Canosa is also producing. 

The film will bring the stars together for the first time. 

When a China-run oil refinery is attacked in Mosul, Iraq, a Chinese private security contractor (Chan) is called in to extract the oil workers. 
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Thursday 11 May 2017

Never thought we'd do a film together: Saqib on working with Huma

Actor #Saqib_Saleem, who will soon be seen in the upcoming film #DobaaraSeeYourEvil along with actress and sister #HumaQureshi, says he never thought he would ever do a film with her.

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"It's like family. First we never thought we would do a film together, but it happened... Then we started shooting together. After that, it was a lot of fun," Saqib told over phone from Mumbai. 

The 29-year-old actor says Huma brought a lot to the table as an actor.

"I think we brought different energies. As actors, we have different energies and that kind of helped while shooting the film," he added. 

Saqib tries maintaining a balance between "professional and personal relationship" while working on the sets. 

"It is because of the fact that you are family and work together, sometimes the lines tend to get blurred, but then you enjoy that also. Sometimes, I speak to Huma as an actor and sometimes as a brother," he said. 
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Irrfan excited about his next Hollywood project

Actor #Irrfan_Khan has been roped in to star in Hollywood film #Puzzle by New York-based Big Beach Films, known for producing the Oscar winning "Little Miss Sunshine". He is looking forward to it.

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The film will be helmed by Big Beach's co-partner Marc Turtletaub. It is an adaptation of the Argentine film "Rompecabezas", which came out in 2010. 

Irrfan said in a statement: "I'm really looking forward to working with the team who have been associated with great films like 'Little Miss Sunshine', 'Loving' and many more." 

The film tells the tale of a 40-something woman who is consumed with caring for the men in her family. When she discovers she has a gift for assembling puzzles, her world begins to open and her entire family is forced to adjust and grow as well. 
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I'm a big fan of SRK: Sushant Singh Rajput

Actor #SushantSinghRajput will be seen doing a signature step of #ShahRukhKhan in a song titled "Sadda move" from the upcoming film #Raabta. He says he is a big fan of the superstar.

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"I have grown up on Shah Rukh's films and I'm a big fan. In fact, he is the only actor I went to a set to meet, but unfortunately couldn't," Sushant said in a statement. 

There is a special part of the song where Sushant spreads his arms and does the signature Shah Rukh step. The film's team shot this moment in the fields. They also put together Shah Rukh's look from the iconic film "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", a jacket and a hat. 

The 31-year-old actor says he likes it that he can pay a tribute to "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" in Dinesh Vijan's directorial. 
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Margot Robbie to star in 'Dreamland'

Actress #Margot_Robbie will produce and star in upcoming thriller film #Dreamland, to be directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte.

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Written by Nicolaas Zwart, "Dreamland" is set in the 1930s, amid the devastation of the Dust Bowl. The story follows a 15-year-old boy on his quest to capture a fugitive bank robber and collect the bounty on her head, all with the goal of saving his family farm from foreclosure, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

Against all odds, he beats the FBI and the local police to find her, only to discover that she's far more than what the authorities claim her to be. 
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Priyanka-supported Sikkimese film's trailer to be shown at Cannes

Actress-producer #Priyanka_Chopra's Sikkimese production #Pahuna will have its trailer screened at the upcoming edition of the #CannesFilmFestival, says the movie's director Paakhi A. Tyrewala.

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The prestigious gala is due to begin from May 17, and apart from Bollywood actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, India will be represented on the platform by the team of "Pahuna".

Paakhi didn't disclose much about the trip to the French Riviera, but told over the phone: "Its trailer showcasing is in Cannes this year."

Talking about the "Mary Kom" star and her mother Madhu's involvement in the project, the debutante director said: "When Priyanka got on board, things got very easy. The Sikkim government is almost like a co-producer of the film. The project started from March 2016. Priyanka got on board in December.

"She came to India and met me. Soon, the film's recce began and we started shooting in March. Priyanka as a producer is extremely supportive. She has a vision and sees the world very differently from most of the producers I've seen."

She said for Priyanka, who is supporting the film through her and her mother's banner Purple Pebble Pictures, it's not only about money.
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Running for US President is real possibility: Actor Dwayne Johnson

Retired wrestler and now an actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on Wednesday said that him running for the nation's highest office is a real possibility.

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"I think it's a real possibility," he said in an interview with GQ, when asked if he would ever run for president of the US.

Johnson, who said he did not vote for either President Donald Trump or Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, said: "Personally, I feel that if I were president, poise would be important. Leadership would be important. Taking responsibility for everybody," he said.

"I would not shut them out," he said about people he disagrees with.

"I would actually include them. The first thing we'd do is we'd come and sit down and we'd talk about it."
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Director of fifth 'Pirates...' wanted it to be best

Director #Joachim_Rønning says he aimed at making #PiratesOfTheCarribeanSalazarsRevenge as the best movie ever in the series.

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Rønning has co-directed the Disney film with Espen Sandber with Jerry Bruckheimer producing it. 

"We wanted to make the best ‘Pirates' movie ever. We wanted to create fun, spectacular action, an epic movie with a very strong emotional core, and great characters," Rønning said in a statement. 

He added: "We've been working hard now for years to get in the spirit of the first film, and at the same time make ‘Salazars Revenge' feel fresh and new. Now it's up to the audience to see if we accomplished that."

Payne 'collaborates' with Sheeran on first solo single

One Direction star #Liam_Payne is set to return to work as he has reportedly co-written his debut single with singer #Ed_Sheeran.

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Payne's solo career was put on hold in past few weeks, after he welcomed his first child with girlfriend Cheryl in March. 

According to a source, Payne went back to Britain from his recording studio in Los Angeles after hearing that Sheeran had written a song for him -- which he hopes will reach a wider audience beyond One Direction fans, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Payne made the trip to London after discovering that Sheeran had started producing a track with him in mind.
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Charlie Hunnam did 1,000 push-ups a day for role

Actor #Charlie_Hunnam has revealed that he did 1,000 push-ups a day to prepare for his role in forthcoming film #KingArthurLegendoftheSword.

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The 37-year-old plays the title role in Guy Ritchie's medieval fantasy film, which also stars David Beckham, Jude Law and Djimon Hounsou.

"I mean there were some days I didn't hit the goal (of 1000 push-ups) and I would try to recoup the next day," Hunnam told eonline.com.

"On the days where I was fighting 14 hours a day, I let myself off and went home, and said 'Okay, let's knock a zero off this equation - 100 is good enough for today," he added.
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Zoe Saldana feared being typecast

Actress #Zoe_Saldana, who plays Gamora in sci-fi thriller #GuardiansoftheGalaxyVol2, says she once got worried about doing too many sci-fi films as she felt it could harm her career.

The 38-year-old was initially reluctant to take on "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" because she feared getting typecast in the genre after starring in "Star Trek" and "Avatar".

"I don't know how to say no to these filmmakers. First I booked 'Avatar', and as I was shooting that, J.J. Abrams was getting ready to do 'Star Trek'. And those collaborations got the attention of ('Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' director) James Gunn," Saldana told nytimes.com.
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Madonna's a movie killer: Patti LuPone

Singer #Madonna's acting ability has been slammed by actress #Patti_LuPone, who believes the former cannot act and is a total "movie killer".

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LuPone thinks that Madonna was a "piece of s**t" when she played the title role in "Evita" in 1996, a role which Patti originally portrayed in the 1979 Broadway show, reports etonline.com.

Speaking on TV show "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen", PuPone said: "I thought it was a piece of s**t. Madonna is a movie killer."

LuPone believes Madonna is "dead behind the eyes" when she acts because she shows no empathy with the character she is playing.
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Hello India: Justin Bieber sends fans into tizzy in Mumbai

Grammy Award winning Canadian singer #Justin_Bieber performed to a stadium full of his fans, who were excited, emotional and euphoric as the "Baby" singer took the stage in India for the first time on Wednesday night.

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The 23-year-old Prince of Pop is here as part of his Purpose World Tour, organised here by White Fox India, and sponsored by Jio.

"Hello India," Bieber said to the crowd of Beliebers, who waited for hours altogether in scorching heat to watch him perform on a humongous stage enhanced by graphics as well as enlivened with startling fireworks and the rousing response of the audience.

"What a beautiful night for me as I am here in this beautiful country for the first timeaAnd you people are fav (favourite)," Bieber said at the D.Y. Patil Stadium here on a full moon night.
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Media persons face tough time in covering Bieber show

Media persons invited to cover popstar #Justin_Bieber's live show here experienced huge difficulties in entering the venue on Wednesday.

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The media was called to report at 2 p.m. to collect their accreditation at the DY Patil Stadium, and some three dozen journalists had reached there well before time in view of the huge rush.

However, the PR team of Dream & Hustle Media appeared to backtrack on its own commitments at the last minute and the media was abruptly told at around 4 p.m. that only select representatives would be allowed.

After nearly a three hour wait, barely a handful of media representatives were allowed entry into the concert area to shoot the show for five minutes.

Disclaimer demand on 'Hindi Medium' debatable: Irrfan

Actor #Irrfan_Khan on Wednesday termed as "debatable" the reported decision of the censor board asking the makers of his forthcoming film #Hindi_Medium to issue a disclaimer stating it is a work of fiction.

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"Hindi Medium" stars Irrfan and Pakistani actress Saba Qamar in the lead.

"Well, whether the film is inspired by a real life incident... It should say inspired by or based on real life incidents. It is a debatable thing and one should debate upon it," the actor told the media here.

Directed by Saket Chaudhary, "Hindi Medium" is a story about how education that is supposed to be a tool of enlightenment has become a tool to create inequality.

This inequality is created on the basis of English medium schools versus regional language schools and private schools versus government schools.

It has been described as a light-hearted romantic film about a young couple in Chandni Chowk in Delhi who aspire to move into society's upper crust.

Chaudhary had earlier denied allegations that the film was copied from the 2014 Bengali family drama film "Ramdhanu".

"We have researched our script over a year and it is based on original material," Chaudhary had said. It will hit the screens on May 19.
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12-year-old fan flies alone to Mumbai for Bieber concert

This is one die-hard fan even popstar #Justin_Bieber would be proud of.

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A 12-year old New Delhi schoolgirl Akshita Rajpal, who's an obsessive fan of the singing legend, flew down here on Tuesday alone to mark her presence at her idol's maiden live concert in India - at Navi Mumbai on Wednesday.

Akshita is a Class 8 student of Amity International School in the national capital and has virtually spent sleepless nights ever since the Bieber concert was finalized last month, revealed a family member.

Her parents had bought three Platinum tickets for entry to the D. Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, but had to cancel their travel plans at the last minute on Tuesday.

Not disheartened, Akshita flew down alone and handed over the two extra tickets to a couple of family friends to attend the biggest musical event of 2017 in the city.

A child model, she has created a booklet on the life, lyrics and everything she loves about the 23-year old Bieber, her uncle Sumit Kaushik said.

"In fact, she is a trained professional dancer who dances only to Bieber tunes and has excelled in academics and extracurricular like music, martial arts, modeling and acting, besides of course, being a fulltime crazy fan of Bieber and his music," Kaushik told.
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Tagore-Annapurna biopic: Viswa Bharati yet to take call

Officials at Visva Bharati University, which has received a proposal from actress #Priyanka_Chopra's production house for a Marathi-Bengali biopic revisiting the relationship between Nobel laureate poet #Rabindranath_Tagore and his English teacher #Annapurna_Turkhud, are yet to take a call on the project.

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"We have received a proposal. It is actually a letter of intent and once they send more details then a committee will look into it to take a final call," Swapan Kumar Datta, acting vice chancellor Visva Bharati, told.

He said the subject has to be treated sensitively.

Annapurna Turkhud, also known as Anna or Annabai, was the daughter of Atmaram Pandurang Turkhud, a Mumbai-based (then Bombay) doctor. Tagore had stayed with the family prior to his first voyage to Britain in 1878 and had lessons in spoken English from Anna.

He gave her the nickname Nalini, which Anna used later on used as a pseudonym for her writing. She inspired some of Tagore's early poetic expressions. Tagore never forgot about Anna and used to reminisce about her in his old age.
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Personal care products dominate online purchases: Survey

#Personal_care_products still rule the roost in online purchases, a survey has revealed.

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In the survey conducted by online shopping portal Deal Kya Hai?, 1349 respondents -- 913 men and 436 women -- answered 16 questions.

The survey shows that mobiles, electronic and personal care are the categories that invite most of the traffic and how women still seek advice from men before trying their hand on electronics. 

It also highlights the increasing popularity of unboxed products, said a statement.

Some of the other highlights of the survey are that men are far ahead in buying personal care products than women. Also, women rely on advice from male colleagues or friends to buy electronic products.

'Ramayana' to be made as three-part film for Rs 500 cr

After the success of epic drama #Baahubali2, three filmmakers have come together to make #Ramayana as a three-part live action film with a budget of Rs 500 crore.

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A source in the know of developments told: "'Ramayana' is being helmed as one of the most ambitious projects of India with a budget of Rs 500 crore. The film will bring to life the rich storytelling culture of our country and for the same, the film team is in conversation with a renowned Indian director who will bring this larger than life scripture to the universal audience."

Justin Bieber set to soak up Indian Beliebers' love

The excitement and enthusiasm is rising with every passing minute at the #DY_Patil_Stadium here as 'Beliebers' -- fans of #Justin_Bieber -- from different parts of India have congregated here to witness his maiden gig in the country.

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There are fans dressed in black T-shirts with 'BELIEBER' written across them, and those flaunting tees with his photographs and even others with hoardings that read "We love you Bieber" and "Meri jaan" at the venue, where DJ Sartek and DJ Zaeden set the ball rolling in the run-up to the final act.

Norwegian DJ Alan Walker will also take the stage. Bieber will finally hit the stage with his team of dancers to regale the Indian crowd.

While fans started lining up for the concert from Wednesday morning, Bieber, who arrived in the country early in the day, went around the city.
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Gigi Hadid to continue as Tommy Hilfiger brand ambassador

Supermodel #Gigi_Hadid will continue as global brand ambassador for #Tommy_Hilfiger Womenswear and co-design the TommyXGigi collaborative collections for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

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Hadid will continue as the global brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger womenswear, including apparel, footwear, watches and accessories, said a statement from the brand.

"Gigi (Hadid) is a force in the fashion industry and the ultimate Tommy Girl," Hilfiger said.

"Her positive, down-to-earth energy, and cool, effortless style continue to captivate her audiences around the world. I have loved designing the TommyXGigi collections with her and I look forward to continuing our partnership for another year," added the designer.

Following the TommyXGigi collection launch each season, Hadid travelled to cities around the world, including Berlin, Dubai, Tokyo, Shanghai, Amsterdam, London, Milan and Paris, to meet fans and present her collections personally.
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Ed Sheeran to perform in India in November

After #JustinBieber, music lovers in India can look forward to Grammy Award winning British singer #EdSheeran's performance. He will perform in Mumbai on November 19.

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It will be part of his World Tour to promote his latest album "Divide".

Sheeran, who launched his third album on March 3, has extended the Asia leg of his tour to 14 new destinations, read a statement on his official website.

Besides Mumbai, Sheeran will also perform in Taipei, Osaka, Seoul, Tokyo and Bangkok.

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber is currently in India as part of his Purpose World Tour. 
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Grammy winner Lil Jon set for maiden India gig

Grammy winning hip-hop artiste #Lil_Jon is set to get 'crunking', jumping in style and more to India.

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The Lalit New Delhi's night club Kitty Su's floor will vibrate with unique hip-hop chart toppers as the Atlanta born rapper, producer and DJ takes centre stage on May 20. This will be his first time in India. 

The "Yeah!" hitmaker is best known for performing a style of hip-hop called 'crunk'. 

In 1997, he went on to become the lead rapper of a group called Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. He went solo and released an album in 2010 titled "Crunk Rock". 

As Lil Jon best describes his thrust with crunk, "it's the music of youth, it's a way for them to release stress from their life. We live and die to get crunk." 
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Working with Big B matter of pride, honour: Ronit Roy

Actor #Ronit_Roy, who will be seen sharing screen space with #Amitabh_Bachchan in the forthcoming film #Sarkar3, says working with the megastar is a matter of pride and honour.

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"Not just for me, but for any actor, to share screen space with Mr Bachchan is a matter of great pride and honour. My entire role is with him. Of course, he is a legendary actor and legendary human being," Ronit told over phone from Mumbai

The 51-year-old actor said he would just watch the cine icon on the sets.

"Basically what I used to do on the sets is I used to keep my mouth shut and watch him work because there is so much you can learn from just watching him. He's like many textbooks rolled into one," he said. 

Directed by Ram Gopal Varma, the political thriller stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Manoj Bajpayee, Amit Sadh and Yami Gautam in pivotal roles. 
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Tom Hanks feels use of social media should be healthy

Oscar-winning actor #Tom_Hanks feels one has to be conscious while using social media, saying it should be used in a healthy way.

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Hanks plays a founder of the world's largest and most powerful tech and social media company in forthcoming film "The Circle". The company has come up with an experiment where a subject is asked to stay in constant surveillance and its consequences.

The actor also confessed that he would never sign on to an experiment like this. 

"The message (in the film) for me was that we are all participants in our destiny. And yes, it's great to be able to pay bills online or pull up any movie you want to watch at any time, but you need to ask yourself if that's good for you and healthy for you," Hanks said in a statement. 
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Ranveer Brar to host food truck reality show

Chef #Ranveer_Brar is set to host a food truck reality show titled #Femme_Foodies which promises to explore the concept of "gourmet on wheels".

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To air on Living Foodz from May 22, "Femme Foodies" will redefine the dishes typically associated with food trucks with a bevy of 10 female contestants competing with each other for the main award which will be a state-of-the-art food truck, said a statement.

Shot in the picturesque locales of Goa, Brar will be joined by chef Anahita Dhondy and chef Shagun Mehra who will evaluate the contestants on the parameters of vision, technique and expression that they bring to the table. 
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Fragrances to opt for in summer

Go for floral, citrus or aquatic #fragrances in summer, suggest experts.

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Rohit Kumar Agrawal, Founder of Perfumebooth.com, and Shikhee Agrawal, Head Training, The Body Shop, list the fragrances to opt for in summer. 

For men:

* Citrus: Citrus fragrances exude a refreshing feeling with lemon, orange, mandarin, grapefruit, bitter orange, lemon grass and mint notes. Just one spritz of these refreshing fragrances and one can instantly experience the lively summer spirit.

* Aquatic: Anything related to aquatic signifies the goodness of water. It comprises of the aroma out of a unique mixture of fresh, clean, translucent and airy scent. This classification generally refers to a traditional fresh or floral composition that is enhanced by aquatic notes during the evaporation process.