Singer Kalpana-Hope of 16 lakh bhojpuri speaking people

Om

Singer Kalpana-Hope of 16 lakh bhojpuri speaking people

This singer Kalpana is making it big in the small screen. She is one of the strong contender of NDTV IMAGINE’s new musical reality show JUNOON…..Kuchh Kar Dikhaane Ka ! Kalpana is represent the folk team “Maati Ke Laal”, presenting folk songs from UP/Bihar/ Assam .

The show started with a very grand opening by dashing ever charming talented actor Hritik Roshan. Hritik’s presence in the show revealed the glamour of the show. The show is hosted by none other than the legend of silver screen Annu Kapoor. His presence shows the deftness of the show.

Illa Arun represented Kalpana from folk group as Triveni of river Bhramaputra and Ganga as she has taken the responsibility of three states-UP, Bihar & Assam. Kalpana’s performance of bihu of Assam was the greatest hit. She was asked by Illa Arun to sing Bhupen Hazarika’s hit song Manuhe Manuhor Babe and got great applaud from the judges and the audience.

Says Kalpana, I am from northeast, ASSAM . Northeast is a reservoir of talent but it hurts when people consider the region different from India . She feels that north-eastern India is a reservoir of talent but it has not been given due recognition because the region suffers from a sense of geographical and social alienation. She is 'hurt' that many people do not consider the northeast as a part of India . For example, in the television music talent hunt reality shows contestants from our region do well. And the nation must realise that they (participants) reach there because of their talent, not favouritism. I want the rest of the country to cherish it, but respect for the region is lacking,' KALPANA told. Kalpana holds the local residents equally responsible. 'Talents from the region are not being recognised. To a certain extent, we (northeast residents) are also responsible for it because we don't remind them about our potential.

But without any support she made it big in Mumbai film industry. She has truly confirmed that language has no barrier. It would be injustice to put a tag (Bhojpuri Singer) on Kalpana. If we correctly analyze she can really sing in different languages.

Says Kalpana,I had no support or godfather in Mumbai .But thanks to the people of UP & BIHAR who gave me full support and made Kalpana a big name in Bhojpuri music industry. She says, today with this show JUNOON people are getting to know the richness of Bhojpuri music. I wish if Laluji extend his best wishes & moral support to promote Bhojpuri as he is the only international super star.

Kalpana’s get up, her performance, her confidence and above all her signing in the show is mind-blowing. She is the most versatile singer. What a tremendous power & performance Kalpana has. Kalpana, you are a very big bridge in between Assam & Bhojpuri. You are the voice of 16 lakh Bhojpuri speaking people. I some times suspect that how u pronounces such good Bhojpuri language. Anyways keep it up... I pray God to make you NDTV's Junoon Champ. All the mentors including Annu Kapoor ended up with commenting Kalpana as a complete package of performance & singing.

By : ASHOK BHATIA P .R.O. 09221232130

Shradha Sharma Signed By G.P.Sippy Film

50 films in forty five years is no mean achievement and there is no stopping G.P.Sippy Multimedia as they unveiled their plans for fourteen movies in the next two years in association with Boutique cinema. Present on this occasion was their chairman Ajit Sippy and Sunil Khosla with Vibha Khosla ( both directors of Boutique Cinema) A Three film contract was signed with Siddarth Koirala and Shradha Sharma (of "Saathi' fame in star plus). After "Anwar", this would be Siddarth's next foray into Bollywood and Shradha would be making her debut on the big screen with this venture. In the past supersatrs like Shahrukh Khan, Rajesh Khanna, Raveena Tandon and many others were launched by G.P. Sippy Multimedia. Even the famed "Gabbar" of Sholay, Amjad Khan was launched by this production house. "Jab Luv Hua ", scheduled to be launched in july 2008 is also the first digital film.

Chiru's "PRAVASA VAARADHI" coming to Chicago

Chiru's "PRAVASA VAARADHI" coming to Chicago

"PRAVASA VAARADHI", our Sixth International SPARC Meeting by the Pravasa Chiranjeevi Organization, USA on Sunday, July 13^th 2008 at Bloomingdale, IL in support of Padma Bhushan Dr. Chiranjeevi. Pravasa Chiranjeevi Organization has conducted more than 25 events in USA including a successful 5K Walk-a-Thon in California, huge gatherings in Dallas, New Jersey and Los Angles and a NRI Ratha Yatra from Tirupathi to Srikakulam in raising the awareness and support for Padma Bhushan Dr. Chiranjeevi as our Leader for the state of Andhra Pradesh. As we all know the character, determination and the service minded nature of Dr. Chiranjeevi, We want to portrait the need of a Great personality and better direction in the form of Dr. Chiranjeevi for the development of our state in all respects. We invite you all for your royal participation and make this event a grand success in Bloomingdale IL.

Venue: Bloomingdale Court Theatre (Funasia Theatres)

324 West Army Trail Rd, Bloomingdale IL 60108

Date & Time: Sunday July 13^th 2008, from 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM

Event Type: Free Shankar Dada Zindabad Movie & SPARC Meeting

Click here for online free registration of the event - http://PravasaChiranjeevi.Org/chiru/chicago_event.htm

• On-site Registration will start at 10:30 AM on Sunday, July 13^th 2008 at Bloomingdale Theatres
• Short video of Padma Bhushan Dr. Chiranjeevi and also the past events conducted by Pravasa Chiranjeevi Organization will be screened.
• Mega Producer Mr. Allu Aravind garu and Mega brother Mr. Nagababu garu will address (video conference) the gathering
• Lunch will be provided to all the participants

Noted NRI educationalists, IT professionals, Entrepreneurs and Doctors from different parts of USA will be addressing the gatherings and share their views and open brainstorming session will be conducted to collect the ideas of all the attendees. International SPARC Sessions would mainly focus on the following topics and the role of Pravasa Chiranjeevi Organization and the support of our NRIs

1. Social and Economic change

2. Current Education and Health care systems

3. Best way for the most utilization of the natural resources and self sustainability

4. Present distribution model in all walks of life and how we can minimize the middle man for the betterment of the Hardworking man and woman or the formers

Pravasa Chiranjeevi Organization, USA welcomes you all with your families and friends to participate in the International SPARC (Socio-Political Analysis & Research Center) Meet. For more information, registration and volunteering, please visit www.pravasachiranjeevi.org or

For More details, please contact:

Narasaiah Vadranam @ 678-612-6714, Srinivas Lottala @ 314-374-5375,

Ms. Rajani Akurati @ 630-674-4633, Kishore Pula @ 615-496-2351,

Suresh Mandala @ 913-549-0699, Madhu Vengala @ 309-530-3486 and

Pawan @ 309-363-5274

Playing a character in the film ‘Daughter’ is a unique experience: Actress Rucha

Producers Dr. Medha Mehandale and Manasi Mehandale are soon coming up with their first Hindi film ‘Daughter’. They are also introducing an eighteen-year-old sweet and bubbly girl Rucha who they are sure of winning the audience’s heart. Rucha has been very fortunate to be working with Vikram Gokhale, Reema and Padmini Kolhapure in her debut film itself. Along with being the co-producer of the film, Dr. Manasi Mehandale has also given her voice in one of the songs. Recently we met the main lead of the film Rucha during the promotion of the film. Here are some excerpts of an interview with her:-

* How did you develop an interest in acting?

Director Viju Mane, known to our family, was making a film in Marathi by the name ‘Gujiri’. He proposed me to do a special appearance in this film. I was not too sure of taking up acting that time. I was only 15 years old and thought of giving it a try. Acting excited me a lot even though I had a lot to learn. I thoroughly enjoyed acting and that’s where started off with it.

* Which are the films that you have done after ‘Gujiri’?

As I mentioned earlier, I had never understood acting that well, hence never took it very seriously. Also I didn’t want acting to be my career. I did it as my hobby only. I always wanted to become a doctor and even today I am busy with my related medical studies. That’s how I did not take up any film assignments after ‘Gujiri’. Even today my first preference is to become a doctor.

* Since your mother is also a doctor, is that why you wish to become a doctor?

My mother is definitely my role model and I have received all my inspiration from her. I strongly aspire to become a doctor and have my dream come true.

* How did you get an opportunity to work in ‘Daughter?’

Again through Director Viju Mane. He approached me with the script of ‘Daughter’ when I was in college. Even then I was too confused whether or not to do the film. Later when he narrated the script of the film to me, I was very happy and decided to do it. My passion of being a doctor and my hobby of acting met together through the film. Today I can proudly say that I am a part of a film like this.

* What have you felt in and through the film ‘Daughter?’

‘Daughter r’ is a very unique film. It is very different from the normal league of films. This film is based on adoption of those infants who are left alone by their parents due to various reasons. It is a story of such kids who spent their lives in ashrams and grow up with people who they understand to be their parents. The film has various emotions along with being a very fun filled one. It is a very beautiful message that the film is giving to its audiences.

* In this film you have worked with stars like padmini kolhapure and ayub khan along with Vikram Gokhale, Reema, and Arun Nalawade and Vinod singh. How do you feel working as a lead along with these stars?

In the film ‘Daughter’ I play an orphan girl whose name is Rucha. A girl whose grand father leaves her to live in an ashram since a very tender age of an infant. As she is growing she is adopted by Vikram Gokhale’s family and she goes and stays with them as a trial of 20 days. She gets love and affection from some and hatred and in affection from the others. The story is about how this young and innocent girl copes up with all the circumstances that she is put in. The character of Rucha is very strong by itself. Hence playing the same was not very difficult. Also the director always inspired and supported me for doing better. It became an easy job to do in the midst of these stars as my colleagues.

* The film has thrown light on couples that are against adoption?

Yes, the film reveals the existing shortcomings of our society, the existing mentality of the people of today’s century who consider money and wealth much above love and affection towards orphans.

Yes, before the shooting for the film began, I visited an orphanage in Thane. There I saw children like Rucha and understood their thought process. You can call it my homework for the film. It was a very touchy experience.

* Any remembrance during the shooting of the film that you would like to share with us?

Oh yes. I remember the first day of my shoot for the film. It was scheduled for 4:00 pm. I was to give the first shot and it rained quite heavily. Due to the delay the first shot happened only at 12 in the night. I had to appear smoking a cigarette in the shot. After the shot, we realized that I was holding the wrong side of the cigarette in my mouth. To be frank, I was quite nervous.

* Who are your favorite stars from Bollywood?

I like madhuri dixit and hrithik roshan a lot.

* Which directors do you wish to work with?

I wish to work with Mr Rakesh mehra who directed ‘Rang De Basanti’ and with Mr. Shamit Amin who directed ‘Chak De India’. Getting an opportunity I would also like to work with Aamir Khan and ShahRukh Khan.

* As an actor what are your aspirations?

I am only 18 and ‘Doctor’ is ideally my first film. I have got a great experience working in this film. It is a unique film with a very challenging role for me to do. I wish to do more of such challenging roles in other films as well. But as I mentioned earlier that I wish to become a doctor, I need to first fulfill that dream of mine. Mean while my acting career will keep going.

Best & Worst Dressed at Cannes

Jennifer Aniston looking for sperm donor

Jennifer Aniston is reportedly desperate to have a baby and wants a friend to donate sperm.

The 38-year-old actress, who is said to be dating Sex and the City hunk Jason Lewis, has reportedly told best pal Courteney Cox that she wants one of her male friends to help her conceive a child.

A source close to the actress said: "With her biological clock now ticking urgently, Jen's weighing up the relative qualities of all her make friends to soon make the decision which of them is her best bet as a sperm donor.

"Looks, intelligence and personality are all in the equation because she wants beautiful, bright children to make her life complete. Once she's reached a decision, she'll pop the question to a surprised bachelor, explaining she doesn't want marriage - just babies!"

Potential candidates allegedly include current lover Lewis and ex-boyfriends British model Paul Sculfor and Vince Vaughn.

The source added: "While Jen may have soured on marriage after her divorce from Brad Pitt, she's still desperate to start a family. She has a beautiful mansion complete with nursery all fitted out, millions in the bank and a select band of eligible guys, one of whom she'll soon pick to be a daddy."

Bucknor sacked, Harbhajan can play in Perth Test

Melbourne(IANS) Team India heaved a sigh of relief as controversial West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor will not be officiating while Harbhajan Singh can play in the third Test against Australia in Perth starting Jan 16, the top International Cricket Council (ICC) official announced here Tuesday.

In a hurriedly convened press conference at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said that Billy Bowden of New Zealand would replace West Indies' Bucknor, an Elite Panel umpire. Pakistan's Asad Rauf will join Bowden in Perth.

Speed said that some people would be unhappy with ICC's decision at India's insistence to remove Bucknor.

"I can understand that people will take that view," he said. "It is an extraordinary set of circumstances and we want to take some of the tension out of the situation."

The move comes a day after the Indian cricket board drew the ICC's attention to the horrendous umpiring mistakes that cost India the Sydney Test Sunday.

Umpiring was one of the two issues India were unhappy with following that match, along with the three-Test suspension imposed on off-spinner Harbhajan.

The off-spinner was Sunday suspended for three Tests after he was found guilty of racially abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds in Sydney by allegedly calling him a "monkey".

India have appealed against the ban, and a fresh hearing is to be held.

But Speed could not say when that hearing would be held. He was hopeful it would occur before the next Test, starting Jan 16.

If the hearing on Harbhajan's ban was not held before the start of the third Test, the Indian off-spinner would be eligible for the match in Perth, Speed said. The ICC chief executive was hopeful India's tour would continue, but could not guarantee that.

Speed said the ICC needed to take a "pragmatic view" towards the issue, and needed to be "flexible" to resolve the crisis.

He was confident Bucknor, 61, would umpire again at Test level. Speed said match referee Ranjan Madugalle, the former Sri Lankan captain, would be appointed as a mediator between the Australian and Indian sides.

Meanwhile, a racism hearing against Australian spinner Brad Hogg will also go ahead, after the Indians alleged he called captain Anil Kumble a "bastard" in Sydney. Hogg's hearing will be held some time before the third Test by match referee Mike Procter.

Speed said Procter and an ICC-appointed code of conduct commissioner would re-hear the Harbhajan case, with the witnesses to be called again.

Britney goes from hospital to champagne

In yet another nightmarish episode for troubled pop-star Britney Spears, the 26-year-old singer was discharged from hospital on Saturday following a reported suicide attempt.

Ms Spears, had been taken to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre by paramedics on Thursday, following a custody dispute with her ex-husband Kevin Federline over sons Sean Preston, 2 and Jaden, 1.

Following the hospitalisation, The New York Times reports a judge on Friday suspending Spears' visitation rights and awarding sole physical and legal custody of the children to Federline. Another hearing is scheduled for January 14.

Meanwhile, The Boston Globe reports that Sunday saw Spears evade the paparazzi camped outside her house and hit a popular local restaurant at 10 am, proceeding to drink champagne mimosas from behind dark-glasses accompanied by photographer Adnan Ghalib, himself a paparazzo.

Reese refusing to film sex scene with Vaughn

The pair have reportedly been clashing constantly on the set of romantic comedy Four Christmases and now Reese is refusing to roll around naked with Vince.

An on-set source told the New York Post newspaper: "Reese has an issue with the scripted love scene. It is meant to be a funny, 'American Pie'-style romp, full of bumps and laughs, but Reese is such a prude, she thinks it's just too much."

Despite being an Oscar winner and a more highly-paid Hollywood star, Reese is unlikely to win the argument as Vince is one of the film's producers.

The 37-year-old actor also oversaw much of the script writing, about a couple whose divorced parents do not get on, so they decide to celebrate Christmas separately with each of them.

It has previously been reported Reese, 31, has been unhappy with Vince's behavior on set.

While she is keen to work hard and film on schedule, he allegedly turns up to work hung-over, forgets his lines and is constantly fooling about on set..

Britney Lost Visitation Rights to Her Sons

Famous celebrity Britney Spears loses visitation rights to her two sons.

The sole legal custody and sole physical custody of Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, awarded to Spears' ex-husband, Kevin Federline, until another hearing on January 14 by a Los Angeles judge.

The ruling comes after comes Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan called for an emergency session on Jan 4, following Spears' meltdown.

"I'm not happy about any of these events. There are no winners here," E! Online quoted Kaplan, as saying.

Spears is currently being held for mental evaluation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, following her well-publicised meltdown on Jan 3.

The singer had a face-off with police at her home after refusing to turn over two year-old Jayden James to Federline's bodyguard.

After a police intervention, the frantic singer was strapped to a gurney and taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai, where she will be held for 72 hours to for mental evaluation.

The 'Toxic' singer lost custody of her children in October after being ruled a "habitual" user of drugs, and was granted two day visits per week with her children plus one overnight stay.

Top 25 for 2007

IMDb.com, Earth's biggest movie database, has released our top 25 stars for 2007. These STARmeter™ rankings were not based upon critical assessments or box-office performance, but the actual search behavior of over 42 million users of IMDb.com. These results are an aggregate of weekly STARmeter rankings from IMDbPro.com, IMDb.com's professional subscription service designed specifically for people in the entertainment industry. IMDbPro.com (try a free, two-week trial) features contact information for over 59,000 names and more than 10,000 companies, international, domestic and daily box-office numbers, news from the Hollywood Reporter and much, much more. Take a look at the 2007 stars below:

25. Al Pacino

(Last year: Uncharted)
The perennial scenery-chewing actor turned in a sly, stealthy, and (for him) understated performance as casino magnate Willie Bank in the better-than-we-expected three-quel Ocean's Thirteen, holding his own with Danny Ocean and company.

24. Rachel McAdams

(Last year: #12)
Wherefore art thou, Ms. McAdams? Despite a second year offscreen, her break-up with longtime boyfriend Ryan Gosling kept the Canadian beauty in the public eye; up next (finally!) is The Time Traveler's Wife opposite Eric Bana.

23. Will Smith

(Last year: Uncharted)
The phenomenally popular superstar (and new pal of Tom Cruise) followed up an Oscar-nominated turn in The Pursuit of Happyness with the monster hit I Am Legend, which took in a little less than $200 million in three weeks.

22. Emma Watson

(Last year: #16)
Hermione Granger was back with a vengeance in this summer's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and the young actress weathered a tabloid tempest that said she might quit the franchise (no worries -- she won't).

21. Nicolas Cage

(Last year: Uncharted)
After a string of box-office underperformances, Cage roared back by turning the comic book adaptation Ghost Rider into a surprise hit, and unpacked even more adventures in National Treasure: Book of Secrets.

20. Vanessa Anne Hudgens

(Last year: Uncharted)

The co-star of High School Musical 2, the-biggest-TV-movie-in-like-the-history-of-mankind, got some unexpected overexposure when nude photos surfaced of her online; fortunately, Disney and her fans both forgave her trespass.

19. Natalie Portman

(Last year: #10)
Portman kept a low profile this year, appearing in the Cannes Film Festival premiere of My Blueberry Nights, family flick Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, and the fetching short film Hotel Chevalier, a mini-prologue to The Darjeeling Limited.

18. Katherine Heigl

(Last year: Uncharted)
The breakout star of the year transitioned effortlessly from television to the big screen with the hit comedy Knocked Up, and snagged an Emmy Award for her work on the primetime hit "Grey's Anatomy".

17. Daniel Radcliffe

(Last year: #22)
The boy wizard grew up fast with the dark and thrilling Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, while Radcliffe ventured out of Potter territory with December Boys and the London stage revival of Equus, coming soon to Broadway.

16. Bruce Willis

(Last year: #23)
Though he started off with the lackluster thriller Perfect Stranger, the enduring action star was back as the heroic John McClane in summer hit Live Free or Die Hard, and made a cameo appearance in Grindhouse.

15. Keira Knightley

(Last year: #6)
She rode the summer of sequels with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, but by the end of the year had everyone talking about her impressive performance in the literary adaptation Atonement.

14. Gerard Butler

(Last year: Uncharted)
"THIS... IS... SPARTA!" With those words, and his brutally charismatic turn as King Leonidas in 300, the actor became an immediate star, the newest (and most muscular) action hero in Hollywood. P.S. - We already forgive P.S., I Love You.

13. Scarlett Johansson

(Last year: #5)
The comely actress had only one movie in 2007 -- the flop comedy The Nanny Diaries -- but continued to be a hit with fans, and with Woody Allen, who cast her (yet again) in the Spanish-location comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

12. Jessica Biel

(Last year: Uncharted)
This was the year Ms. Biel ascended from one-time TV star to full-time movie and tabloid presence, turning heads with both her role in I Now Prounounce You Chuck & Larry and her romance with singer Justin Timberlake.

11. Leonardo DiCaprio

(Last year: Uncharted)
Thanks to the one-two punch of The Departed (Best Picture Oscar winner) and Blood Diamond (which earned him a Best Actor nomination), and his crusading environmental work, the superstar rode the 2007 wave like a prime surfer.

10. Tom Cruise

(Last year: #8)
No couch-jumping this year, but his marriage to Katie Holmes, his filming of the controversial Valkyrie, his supporting part in Lions for Lambs, and friendships with David Beckham and Will Smith helped generate headlines aplenty.

9. Matt Damon

(Last year: Uncharted)
He co-starred in the Best Picture winner The Departed, lent his star power to Ocean's Thirteen, and continued to redefine the action genre with The Bourne Ultimatum -- and was named Sexiest Man Alive. Busy, busy!

8. Lindsay Lohan

(Last year: #7)
It was only thanks to a certain pop star that Lohan didn't receive the Train Wreck of the Year award, and while she started the year onscreen (in Georgia Rule and I Know Who Killed Me), she finished it offscreen, fresh out of rehab.

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7. Zac Efron

(Last year: #19)
Once merely a teen dream sensation, Efron zoomed into the stratosphere with the bigger-than-big TV movie High School Musical 2 and a winning turn on the big screen in Hairspray -- not to mention all that Disney merchandise!

6. Jessica Alba

(Last year: #3)
After a two-year break, the lovely starlet returned to the big screen in both Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Good Luck Chuck, and announced her pregnancy and engagement at the end of 2007.

5. Angelina Jolie

(Last year: #2)
When she wasn't turning heads offscreen with her personal life and philanthropical work, the paparazzi's favorite actress was magnetic onscreen in the drama A Mighty Heart and the 3-D action flick Beowulf.

4. Christian Bale

(Last year: #13)
Though The Dark Knight doesn't premiere until July 2008, the build-up started early -- and fortunately for Bale fans, they could catch his solid performances in Rescue Dawn, I'm Not There and 3:10 to Yuma.

3. Hayden Panettiere

(Last year: Uncharted)
Save the cheerleader, save the world, save NBC... IMDb users were enamored with the new TV hit "Heroes", and especially the beautiful, indestructible young heroine who lit up the small screen as well as every red carpet she sailed down.

2. Brad Pitt

(Last year: #4)
Hollywood's dreamiest dad continued to make headlines with partner Angelina Jolie, rejoined the gang in Ocean's Thirteen, and went low-key and indie for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

1. Johnny Depp

(Last year: #1)
Yes, Mr. Depp is now the IMDb's favorite for four years in a row, thanks to two wildly disparate roles in 2007. In Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, he continued to charm as the rascally Captain Jack Sparrow, bringing the highly lucrative PiratesTim Burton's musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which could earn him a third Academy Award nomination. What's up next? An announced role as John Dillinger in Michael Mann's Public Enemies. trilogy to a rousing close (we think). But he chilled the blood as the title character in Michael Mann's Public Enemies.