RahulBose's adopted children from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for his charitable trust The Foundation will be participating in the Mumbai Marathon to be held on the 18th Jan 2009. Rahul's trust runs to eradicate any sorts of discrimination from the society. He feels that these children from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands don't feel themselves to be a part of the mainland India as Indians don't really think Andamans to be a part of India. These kids are a part of the scholarship provided by Rahul and are currently studying at the Rishi Valley School in Bangalore. Last year too they were a part of the Marathon but could not participate in the run as they were legally below the age bar required for the participation. But this year after their experience in the mainland India these kids today feel proud to be citizens of this country. The recent attacks have really hit the morale of the children. As a result they too want to participate in the run this year as they can now legally be a part of it. The kids want to show their solidarity and support to Mumbai. Says Rahul, "I want to leave the children of tomorrow in a country which is harmony based and a community of million minds and ideologies, aspirations and opinions, but a community all the same."
Shifanjali Shekhar released her second album MUQABALA at rock bottom with close friends and media.The event started at 10pm and went till 12 midnight.Viren Shah was the first to come with Shifanjali for the event.DJ Sheizwood was very happy on launch as this is his 51st album as music director .Ajay and Lovell who are the director of video came on time with Tarranum(singer) and Arvind(choreographer) of the video.other guest who came for the event were Kamaal Khan,Yogesh Lakhani,Brinda Parekh,Rohit Verma,Bobby Darling,Rehan,Gary Richardson,Vasant Bhandari Ratnakar kumar.After the release of the video Shifanjali performed with Viren Shah and Gary for the media and freinds.
Rahul Bose feels that the Mumbai Marathon is the best community event to happen in the society today especially after the recent terror attacks. He feels that even after the recent attacks the city should not let its spirit die and infact come forward more aggresively to show their support and demand for better goverance which we actually and truly deserve. He feels that this is the only opportunity that we have to come together and let all the differences melt away. The city should come together to show and share the spirit of oneness.It is not surprising to see street girl without shoes running along with an actress wearing designer shoes. A Muslim shares water with a Hindu. This is the only time when we can demand governance we deserve. We can demand to have a cleaner and a corrupt less Mumbai," he said.
Rahul said that the Marathon was an event that did not demand any investment. "It just demands a heart." The actor also said that in times where the atmosphere seemed uncongenial we needed to think in terms of WE. "I want to leave my niece Aalia a city that is a community of million minds and ideologies, aspirations and opinions, but a community all the same."
Vinay Kore, Minster for Non-Renewable Energy and Horticulture, had a true friend in Raj "Thackeray yesterday. Thackeray along with celebs of the likes of MohammadAzharuddin, producer Rajeev Kore, composer Abu Malik, renowned playback singers Suresh Wadkar, Prashant and eminent journalist-director S Ramachandran, and Marathi film and theatre personalities among othersgraced the Prati-Kolhapur Festival at Shivaji Park on Jan 12. The evening was marked with cultural programmes that brought to light the rich cultural heritage of Kolhapur set in the backdrop of the Kolhapur monuments.
While Raj Thackeray was his usual fiery self, Vinay Kore seemed content with the success of the programme that saw over one lakh visitors the first day and was as crowded on the second day, though Raj Thackeray came to pay a special visit to compliment the effort of his friend Vinay Kore.
The guests enjoyed the cultural fare at the Prati-Kolhapur Fest from misal to tamra-panra rassa.
The National Lalitl Kala Akademi winner and the Gold Medal UNESCO, Repalli winner, who has also been awarded the Fellowship for Mural Design by the British Arts Council & Charles Wallace Trust – Surendra Pal Joshi had inauguration of his paintings' exhibiton Memory Lines and an amazing installation Tana Bana at the Auditorium Hall of Jehangir Gallery, Kala Ghoda, Mumbai.
The inauguration was done by shri Kamal Morarka in the presence of Laxman Shreshtha, singer Hariharan, Shaina NC, Prafulla Dhanukar, maharani of Jaisalmer Hemant Kumari, Vijay Kalantri, Sangeeta Kathiyawad, Chintan Upadhyay, Vinod Sharma, Kiran Chopra, Padmanabh Bendre, Daxa Khandwala, Prithvi Soni, Amisha Mehta, Vipta Kapadiya, Renu & Bharat Shah, Veronic and many other who's who from the art world graced the event.
Joshi says, 'In my paintings, all the memories from my childhood till date have taken a shape of a line and woven a texture just as a weaver does. And through my installation Tana Bana- I tried to show the balance in the society, our day to day life and within ourselves too. It seems like a 'Tana Bana' so intact that keeps everything contained and held."
When asked to the gallery owner of Art Desh the Studio Bharat Shah about his view as a gallery owner, he said, "I liked the collage effects in the background and the concept is really unique. I found him a very promising artist."
Mr Morarka was stunned with the mystique installation, "It has a magnetic pull and I found the philosophy behind it more amazing."
Joshi dedicates his current works to the Texture and textile weavers from the past helped him to create his works.
PC Jewellers, the leading name in the jewellery industry, in association withTijori Entertainment and Kaleidovision, hosted the much awaited auditions for the truly International beauty pageant, PC Jewellers Miss India Worldwide – India 2009 in Mumbai today. The city saw an overwhelming response from the pageant aspirants with a lot of contestants taking part in it. The finalists from each city would be competing with their other counterparts from across the country .
Mukul Dev & Bhairavi Goswami , the judges at the Mumbai auditions were pleasantly surprised to see the immense talent that the Mumbai's participants showcased. This contest has undoubtedly proven to be one which emphasizes more on the contestant's talent, intelligence and over all caliber rather than just concentrating on their aesthetic beauty.
The first step in the contest was the open house form distribution and filling with the second step being completion of forms with transcripts and photos with multiple submission options; online, drop box and mail ins. A national multimedia campaign was rolled out to announce the multi-city auditions. Today, in the third phase of the contest, introduction and talent rounds where the contestants had to prove their mettle in front of celebrity judges, took place. After this round, 20 deserving finalists would undergo specially designed exclusive grooming sessions by the Mehar Bhasin Academy which would entail a rigorous training program in Delhi. After their training session, they would compete in the grand finale where a winner would be crowned to represent India on the global stage of the Indian Diaspora.
This year, the grand pageant finalewould take place on 31st January, 2009 in New Delhi which would showcase sizzling performances by the Bollywood mainstream stars like Kareena Kapoor.
Palash Sen, the celebrated singer, has specially composed a song for the pageant to encourage and boost the morale of the participants.
About the contest:
Miss India Worldwidecommenced 17 years ago and was meant primarily for the NRI populations settled abroad to select a beauty queen from the Indian Diaspora. In 2008, Mr. Dharmatma Saran, Chairman and Founder of the Indian Festival Committee (IFC), decided to take the pageant one step further and added Indian Chapter Miss India Worldwide India Pageant in association with Tijori Entertainment and Kaleidovision. It is indeed, the only international Indian Pageant- which affiliates in over 30 countriesand an audience of over 300 Million people worldwide.
PC Jewellers in association with 'Tijori Entertainment & Kaleidovision' proudly & successfully presented the First Annual ' PC Jewellers Miss India Worldwide – India 2008',the most glamorous Indian function in the World, in Delhi on the 15th of February, 2008 where the winning beauty Ms. Shagun Sarabhai went ahead to win the International title in South Africa.
Birthday gal Vidya Balan celebrated her special day with family and friends. She had organised a small party at Panchgani's Ravine Resort. Beisdes her mother, aunt and sister, other family members had especially flown down from Delhi to ring her birthday. "Panchgani is Vidya's favourite place. Like Aamir who owns a big house in Panchgani, Vidya too wants to buy a weekend home there. She was glad that she got to celebrate her birthday in Panchgani," said a friend of Vidya's. Vidya has been shooting in Wai for Vishal Bharadwaj's Ishqiya. "While shooting Vidya discovered Wai and Panchgani. She loved the unpolluted atmosphere. Vidya enjoyed boating with her staff. She was glad to celebrate her birthday there too which was unusal because Vidya celebrates her birthday at home," said a friend.
-- Birthday gal Vidya Balan celebrated her special day with family and friends. She had organised a small party at Panchgani's Ravine Resort. Beisdes her mother, aunt and sister, other family members had especially flown down from Delhi to ring her birthday. "Panchgani is Vidya's favourite place. Like Aamir who owns a big house in Panchgani, Vidya too wants to buy a weekend home there. She was glad that she got to celebrate her birthday in Panchgani," said a friend of Vidya's. Vidya has been shooting in Wai for Vishal Bharadwaj's Ishqiya. "While shooting Vidya discovered Wai and Panchgani. She loved the unpolluted atmosphere. Vidya enjoyed boating with her staff. She was glad to celebrate her birthday there too which was unusal because Vidya celebrates her birthday at home," said a friend.
A painting competition 'Rang Rasiya Freedom of Expression Movement' with huge prize money to be won is being organized by the producers and director of the film. The last for the completion is 21st January 2009. The prize money is unprecedented with one first prize of Rs. Ten Lakhs, Second Prize Rs. Five Lakhs, Third Prize of One Lakh and seventeen appreciation prize of Fifty Thousand. Such prize money is unheard for a painting competition.
'Rang Rasiya Freedom of Expression Movement' is open for all above 18 years. It doesn't matter who you are – a student, painter, house wife, young or old – what matters here is you know painting. Entrance is free. Just log on to www.rangrasiya.com, fill up a form and attach photos of your 2-3 last painting you made it.
For further and detailed information contact 022-40742100 or Amrita Naik on 099877 54549 or Renuka Thawani on 098217 19231. Or Infinity Filmed Entertainment at 605-609 Crystel Plaza, A wing, New Link Road, Andheri (West),Mumbai- 53.(India). Or Visit: www.rangrasiya.com.
3rd International Short Film Festival of India 2009
The Don Bosco Institute of Communication Arts's International Short Film Festival, now in its 3rd year, is the largest and most highly attended short film festival in Chennai. The 2 day festival presents over 50 International and National short films from more than 15 countries, to an audience of 20,000. SFFI is best known for its diverse and cosmopolitan balance of film that ranges from variety of genres like drama, documentary, animation, comedy, science fiction and mystery.
DBICA is the parent organization of the SFFI. Its is a non-profit Media and Communication Arts organization that presents the best in world's short film cinema to audiences in Chennai. There Mission is to "celebrate the culture and art of the moving image through film making and film going experience of exceptional merit and diversity that challenge, transcend and entertain."
They are glad to announce that the forthcoming 3rd International Short Film Festival of India 2009 will be held on 7th and 8th February 2009.
They will be delighted to have your entries for this 3rd International Short Film Festival of India before 20th January 2009. You can send your entries by post to the address mentioned in the attachment. For more details kindly visit our website www.dbica.org. All films produced after June 2007 till December 2008 is eligible for this festival.
She completed her schooling from Mother's International, Kolkata, majoring in Sociology. she had participated in the Gladrags 2005 Ishe had also taken part in the Miss Chinese World and won the Ms. Talented and parsonality award. Being a part of these prestigious pageants has in itself made her a winner of sorts. " I have done two bengali films majorly in a song for the film Yudh & Movie Abhimonya with the talented actor Mr. Mithun Chakraborty." Both films were major hits.
"she has done advertisements campaigns for Kitkat, Reliance, Ayur Sun Screen Lotion, Frooti etc. she has walked the Ramp with Achla Sacdev, Mark Robinson, done shoots with celebrity designers like Hemant Trivedi, Sabyasachi and been the face for Bombay Dyeing this year for the tao collection design by sabyasachi has done corporate presentations like Megga, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Cotton World etc. event anchoring.
Kanakna is selected to participate in "top model of the world" contest and she proudly represented India
she is an alumni of La Martinia Girls High School and higher schooling from Mother International Kolkata. she is currently pursuing a Diploma in Business Management from Mumbai University. she has been a bright and interested student with many extracurricular interests. Going into the future she plans to do her Masters in Finance and Investment in Contemporary Art.
she is a pleasant, courteous , well groomed, intelligent young woman who believes in both beauty, intelligence and personality. she has dabbled in modelling and have walked the ramp for various leading fashion designers at prestigious fashion soirees like the Lakme India Fashion Week.In addition she enjoys participating in beauty pageants. she is a top five finalist at Gladrags Mega Model, voted Miss Elegance at Miss Leisure World 2008, participant at Top Model of the World 2008 amongst others.she is currently preparing to participate in the forthcoming Femina Miss India 2009 pageant.
CM-Deputy-CM inaugurate Vinay Kore's brainchild, the Prati-Kolhapur Mahotsav
Ashok Chavan, Honourable Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Chhagan Bhujbal, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra inaugurated the Prati-Kolhapur Cultural Festival, the brainchild of Vinay Kore, Minister for Non-conventional Energy and Horticulture at Shivaji Park, Mumbai on Jan 11 evening.
The minister had actually succeeded in bringing Kolhapur to Mumbai with the fest that boasted of carefully selected Kolhapur monuments recreated in the sets erected by Nitin Desai.
Cultural activities reigned at the Prati-Kolhapur Mahotsav, meticulously planned by Vinay Kore for over six months. A congregation of over 1 lakh Kolhapurites gathered at Shivaji Park to witness the celebration. The day also marked the establishment of Raja Shri Sahu Kolhapur Vikas Prathisthan that strives for the development of this historic town.
"The Mahotsav that is on for the next two days as well, has a lot to offer. From the famous hot and spicy Kolhapuri misal to tambra-pandra rassa to the vada and bhaji to the ghaati mutton to the the molten gold of Kolhapur-jaggery, the fest is a treat for the taste buds. The Kolhapuri saaz and the other traditional silver jewellery and articles, the clothing range from Ichhal Karanji and of course, the ever-haute Kolhapuri chappal vie for space, while corporates of the likes of Warna, and educational institutions like DY Patil College will make their presence felt. Art and culture of Kolhapur will also reign --dhanpatta, lezim, kushti, laavni, gondhal and dhargani dhol among others will rule the roost," enthuses Vinay Kore, Minister for Non-conventional Energy and Horticulture, and the visionary who conceptualized the entire Fest.
Yours to visit the fest, and enjoy the Kolhapuri fiesta.
PETER SARSGAARD ,PATRICIA CLARKSONAnd DENNIS HOPPER
Directed By ISABEL COIXET
SYNOPSIS:
Charismatic professor DAVID KEPESH (Ben Kingsley)glories in the pursuit of adventurous female students but never lets any woman get too close. When gorgeous CONSUELA CASTILLO (Pénelope Cruz) enters his classroom, however, his protective veneer dissolves. Her raven-haired beauty both captivates and unsettles him.
Even if Kepesh declares her body a perfect work of art, Consuela is more than an object of desire. She has a strong sense of herself and an emotional intensity that challenges his preconceptions. Kepesh’s need for Consuela becomes an obsession, but ultimately his jealous fantasies of betrayal drive her away.
Shattered, Kepesh faces up to the ravages of time, immersing himself in work and confronting the loss of old friends. Then, two years later, Consuela comes back into his life—with an urgent, desperate request that will change everything.
ABOUT THE CAST
PÉNELOPE CRUZ (Consuela)
Academy Award® nominee Penelope Cruz has proven herself to be one of the most versatile, young actresses by playing a variety of compelling characters, and most recently becoming the first actress from Spain to be nominated for an Academy Award.First introduced to American audiences in the Spanish films Jamon, Jamon and Belle Epoque, in 1998 she starred in her first English language film, The Hi-Lo Country for director Stephen Frears opposite Woody Harrelson, Patricia Arquette and Billy Crudup.In 1999, Cruz won the Best Actress award at the 13th Annual Goya Awards given by the Spanish Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for her role in Fernando Trueba’s The Girl of Your Dreams.
Confirming her status as Spain’s hottest international actress, Cruz landed the coveted role opposite Matt Damon in the film adaptation of All the Pretty Horses, directed by Billy Bob Thornton. Next, she portrayed Isabella, in Woman on Top for Fox Searchlight. The film was a whimsical tale of a gifted gourmand who journeys across the world in search of success, but ultimately finds herself. Other featured credits include her starring role in the thriller Open Your Eyes, Twice Upon a Yesterday, and Pedro Almovodar’s Live Flesh and Talk of Angels.
Additionally, Cruz co-starred in Pedro Almovodar’s critically acclaimed All About My Mother which was awarded the Golden Globe and Oscar® for Best Foreign Film. Up next for Pénelope was New Line’s Blow for director Ted Demme. The film portrayed the true story of how cocaine became the designer drug in the U.S. in the early 70’s seen through the eyes of an American, played by Johnny Depp, who became one of the biggest traffickers for reputed drug kingpin Carlos Escobar. Cruz portrayed Depp’s wife.She next starred opposite Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. The film, directed by John Madden was shot in Greece and is based on Louis de Bernieres’ bestselling novel set during WWII.
Pénelope starred opposite Tom Cruise in the erotic thriller Vanilla Sky.The film also starred Cameron Diaz and Jason Lee and was directed by Cameron Crowe.She then tackled Masked & Anonymous, Fan Fan la Tulipe, which opened the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, and Don’t Tempt Me. She received rave reviews for her eagerly awaited performance in Don’t Move (Non ti Muovere) in which she was honored with a David Di Donatello Award (Italian Oscar) and European Film Award for Best Actress.
Pénelope’s next films only added to her already brilliant and diverse choice of film credits.Recent films include Gothika, in which she co-stared with Halle Berry and Robert Downy Jr.; director John Duigan’s romantic drama Head in the Clouds opposite Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend; Noel opposite Susan Sarandon; and Chromophobia with Ralph Fiennes.Penelope also co-stared with Matthew McConaughey and William H. Macy as Dr. Eva Rojas in the action packed film Sahara.
Most recently, Pénelope starred in Volver, which again teamed her with director and friend Pedro Almodovar.Critically acclaimed for her role as Raimunda, she won the “Best Actress” awards at the European Film Awards, the Spanish Goya Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, and received both Golden Globe and Oscar® nominations.Penelope’s next film, The Good Night, written and directed by Jake Paltrow, opened in select theaters this past fall. This past summer, she completed filming on Woody Allen’s Untitled Spanish Project opposite Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson.
BEN KINGSLEY (David Kepesh)
After earning an Academy Award®, two Golden Globes and two BAFTA Awards for his riveting portrayal of Indian social leader Mahatma Gandhi, Ben Kingsley continues to bring unequaled detail and nuance to each role. Garnering three additional Oscar nominations for Bugsy (1991), Sexy Beast (2000) and House of Sand and Fog (2003), his roles have been as diverse as his talents, from a sturdy vice president in Dave to the scheming Fagin in Oliver Twist. Since
being knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year’s Eve Honors List 2001, Kingsley has continued to earn honors as a truly international star.
Two films recently screened at the Sundance Film Festival give further perspective to his work: The Wackness, in which he plays a drug-addled psychiatrist opposite Josh Peck, Famke Janssen, Olivia Thirlby and Mary-Kate Olsen; and the crime thriller Transsiberian, as a mysterious traveler opposite Woody Harrelson, Eduardo Noriega and Thomas Kretschmann. Kingsley verifies his comedic chops opposite Mike Meyers, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake in Paramount’s The Love Guru, slated for Summer 2008.Two other completed films include Man on the Run, a thriller set against the dangerous backdrop of 1980s Ireland, and the more lighthearted crime comedy War, Inc. Currently in pre-production is Martin Scorsese’s 1950s drama Shutter Island, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Michelle Williams.
Steeped in British theatre, Kingsley marked the beginning of his professional acting career with his acceptance by the Royal Shakespeare Company in l967.From roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Brutus in Julius Caesar and the title roles in Othello and Hamlet, among others, his more recent and diverse stage roles include those in The Country Wife, The Cherry Orchard, A Betrothal, The Elephant Man and Waiting for Godot.
Kingsley’s film career began in l972 with the thriller Fear Is the Key, but his first major role came a decade later in the epic Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough.He followed this Oscar-winning performance with such early films as Betrayal, Turtle Diary, Harem, Pascali’s Island, Without A Clue (as Dr. Watson to Michael Caine’s Sherlock Holmes) and The Children opposite Kim Novak.During the ‘90s Kingsley distinguished himself through such roles as Mayer Lansky in Bugsy, Sneakers, Searching For Bobby Fischer and Dave. In 1994 he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his memorable supporting role as Itzhak Stern in Steven Spielberg’s seven-time Oscar® winner Schindler’s List.
During the past decade, Ben Kingsley has remained a coveted and ubiquitous talent.Beginning with such films as Rules of Engagement, What Planet Are You From? and an Oscar®-nominated role as a brutal gangster in Sexy Beast, he received his most recent Oscar® nomination in 2004 for his performance as a proud Iranian emigrant in the highly acclaimed House of Sand and Fog. Among his films in the last several years are Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist, the crime drama Lucky Number Slevin, John Dahl’s You Kill Me and the Roman empire saga The Last Legion.
DENNIS HOPPER (George O’Hearn)
An acclaimed actor and filmmaker with an iconic and distinctly American voice, Dennis Diego, California.Following stage performances at the Old Globe Theatre and the La Jolla Playhouse as well as early television appearances, Hopper made a lasting, national impression with his performance in Nicholas Ray's classic Rebel Without a Cause, opposite James Dean and Natalie Wood. He quickly followed this with equally revelatory performances in George Stevens' epic Giant and John Sturges' Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. He expanded his range and career after relocating to New York City where he studied with one of the giants of the craft, Lee Strasberg; while in New York, Hopper starred in a myriad of television shows, including The Rifleman, Naked City, The Defenders, The Twilight Zone andWagonTrain.
Following a return to Hollywood and continued work in cutting-edge, independent films (as both an actor and second-unit director), Hopper forever changed the face of American cinema with the 1969 film Easy Rider, which Hopper directed, co-wrote (with co-star Peter Fonda and Terry Southern) and headlined. The film received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Screenplay, as did another of its stars, Jack Nicholson (for Best Supporting Actor). The film, made for $350,000, went on to gross in excess of $50 million and garnered Hopper the Best New Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Since Easy Rider, Hopper has been a familiar presence both in front of and behind the camera for more than three decades. He has been in over 140 television shows and has starred in more than 150 films including Apocalypse Now, River's Edge, Blue Velvet, Hoosiers, True Romance, Speed, Waterworld and EdTV.Hopper received the prestigious CIDALC award at the Venice Film Festival for The Last Movie (1971), which he directed, co-wrote and starred in. He received Golden Globe and Academy Award® nominations for his role in Hoosiers. He also received a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Frank Booth in David Lynch's now-classic Blue Velvet.
In 2007 alone, Hopper has appeared in 4 films, including Charlize Theron’s Sleepwalking; Quentin Tarantino’s Hell Ride; Kevin Costner’s Swing Vote with Kelsey Grammar and Nathan Lane; and Wim Wender’s The Palermo Shooting. Other film projects for Hopper include: a starring role in father-of-the-zombie-genre George A. Romero's Land of the Dead; he also starred as legend Frank Sinatra in the independent film The Night We Called It a Day; and the films 10th & Wolf (starring opposite James Marsden, Giovanni Ribisi and Brad Renfro); Out of Season (opposite Gina Gershon); The Keeper (with Asia Argento) and played opposite outstanding cast members Joseph Fiennes, Sam Shepherd, Elisabeth Shue and Debra Unger in the feature Leo. He became Chair of the CineVegas Film Festival in June of 2004. On television Hopper has appeared on HBO’s Emmy award-winning Entourage, as well as Las Vegas with James Caan, in the USA Networks feature The Last Ride and on the acclaimed series 24, and co-starred opposite Benjamin Bratt in the Jerry Bruckheimer/Warner TV produced NBC series E-RING, which started fall 2005 (pilot directed by Taylor Hackford).Hopper was born in Dodge City, Kansas and grew up in San Fransisco .
