James Bond to blast back into movie theaters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - It's hard to keep a good man down, even after bankruptcy.

British secret agent James Bond, 007, is set to return to movie theaters for a 23rd version of the long-running and lucrative film franchise, its makers at EON Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio said on Tuesday.

The announcement follows MGM's emergence from bankruptcy in December, which had forestalled putting a new Bond movie into production.

MGM and EON said Daniel Craig will return in the role of the suave spy when Bond blasts back into theaters in November, 2012 -- 50 years after 1962's original "Dr. No."

Production is set to begin in late 2011 with Oscar-winning director, Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") behind the camera. A title of the movie and details of the story were not unveiled.

Film very real, will immortalise Jessica: Sabrina Lall

Sabrina Lall absolutely loved Rajkumar Gupta's No One Killed Jessica, a film based on the murder of her sister model Jessica Lall. Having fought a long legal battle for bringing her sister's killer to book, Sabrina says the film immortalises Jessica and hopes murdered teenager Aarushi Talwar too gets justice.

"It was eerie...and very moving. We were all deeply relieved by how true to life the film has turned out," Sabrina said after watching a special screening for her in Delhi.

"When we agreed to let them make the movie, me and and family had been warned about the 'Bollywood types'. We were told, 'You don't know what you are getting into. Why have you given the NOC? Now they'll just do anything they like.' But watching the film I feel vindicated. It will make Jessica a kind of immortal," she said.

Admiring the director for his re-creation of the harrowing time after Jessica's murder in 1999 when Sabrina and her family knocked on doors for justice, she said: "Rajkumar Gupta has replicated almost every detail of the events after Jessica's death. Even the conversations in the film are what I've gone through. All my cousins were like, 'My god how did the director know all this?'."

Gupta had got the script approved by Sabrina. "Rajkumar had sat with me for almost a week. We discussed everything about the case. And it's all there now. I've moved on, moved away from even the house where Jessica and I lived. I haven't held on to any of her possessions except the photographs. Ironically, the film will now be there to remind us of her all the time."

Jessica, a model who also worked as a bartender, was shot dead April 29, 1999, by Manu Sharma, son of former union minister Vinod Sharma, after she refused to serve him a drink at a party in the capital. But, for want of evidence, Manu and eight other accused were acquitted by the trial court in February 2006.

In March 2006, Delhi Police filed an appeal in the high court and in December Manu, Vikas Yadav and Amardeep were convicted. In April 2010, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction and life term of Manu.

For 11 years Sabrina fought for justice for her sister and she admits it's a good feeling to see it all.

"After the tragedy when we were all devastated by the sheer randomness of it, my mother had said, 'There has to be a reason for it'. Now I feel Jessica didn't die for nothing. Her death made people question the whole legal system where an influential and rich politician's son could walk free after a murder...He (Manu Sharma) thought he had gotten away with it. There was this whole awakening of the country's conscience after Jessica. We suffered. But I feel it wasn't in vain. And now there's the film. It does Jessica justice in an unexpected way."

Though Sabrina is thrilled by the uncanny likeness of actress Myra Karn, who plays Jessica, to her sister, she doesn't think Vidya resembles her in any way.

"Vidya is brilliant. But I don't think she was trying to replicate my personality in any way...we aren't similar at all. But the girl playing Jessica is so much like Jessica in her vivacity...there's a sequence of a candle-light vigil where Myra's picture looks so much like Jessica in that picture we've seen of her in all newspapers," Sabrina said.

Speaking of justice denied, Sabrina hopes teenager Aarushi Talwar, who was murdered in May 2008, too gets justice. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) now seeks to close the case citing lack of evidence.

"That poor girl. How can they just close her case like this? I hope the girl finds justice, just like Jessica did."

Resource:- http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?section=Movies&Id=ENTEN20110166069&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&nid=78085

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'Bigg Boss 4' and its controversies come to grand end, Shweta winner

New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) After raising far too many eyebrows along its 14-week run, 'Bigg Boss 4' has ended. With over-the-top cat fights, verbal abuse galore, a much publicised wedding, and romance that was often too intimate for viewers' comfort, the season did in a way live up to its promise of being bigger. But was it better?
Colors' 'Bigg Boss 4' had newer attractions, a state-of-the-art house, a live wire host in Bollywood star Salman Khan, interesting contestants, including two from Pakistan, and special appearances by film stars.

Season four saw incessant verbal abuses hurled over trivial matters, a sensation caused by the televised wedding of participant, actress Sara Khan with her beau Ali Merchant, and then the government hauling it up for 'offending good taste'.

It started with 14 contestants, including Mumbai terror attack accused Mohammad Ajmal Kasab's former lawyer Abbas Kazmi; thief-turned-detective Devinder Singh alias Superchor Bunty; actor Ashmit Patel, who was involved in an MMS scandal; former dacoit Seema Parihar and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul Bhatt, who was friends with terror operative David Headley, accused of scouting targets for Mumbai attack.

There were two contestants from Pakistan - actress and former girlfriend of fast bowler Mohammed Asif, Veena Malik, and cross-dressing diva and television personality Begum Nawazish Ali, apart from Indian TV actresses, Shweta Tiwari and Sara Khan, former MTV 'Splitsvilla' contestant Sakshi Pradhan and model Aanchal Kumar, who hardly managed to raise the glamour quotient.

Others who participated in the competition of survival in a secluded house without any communication with the outside world, were Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari, model-turned-actor Sameer Soni and model Hrishant Goswami, later joined by WWE wrestler, The Great Khali and subsequently by the boisterous Dolly Bindra.

Hollywood bombshell Pamela Anderson was flown in to raise the mercury level as a special guest for three days on the already heated show!

This season courted quite a few controversies and troubles - starting Day 1 with Superchor Bunty's ouster following unruly behaviour in the house. Then followed objections by the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) against inclusion of Pakistani celebrities on the show.

The entry of The Great Khali, whose humungous size of 7'1 and heavy voice, sent jitters down the spine of other contestants. The atmosphere in the 'Bigg Boss 4' house was quite calm, cool and friendly until Dolly Bindra made a wildcard entry, and shook the atmosphere with her loud and overbearing nature.

Abuses, fights and melodrama became a way of life after Dolly and Shweta began to settle personal scores violently. The fights got others like Ashmit, Sameer, Khali, Veena, Sara and Manoj involved too. In fact, Sameer and Dolly were asked to leave the show for their bad behaviour, only to return a few days later.

Where illwill was flourishing between many, romance was also in full bloom with Rahul-Aanchal's silent chemistry, Veena's one-sided attraction for Hrishant as well as Ashmit and Sara's growing closeness there for the public to see.

The Ashmit-Sara angle didn't last long - how could it when her long time beau Ali Merchant entered the show and proposed marriage to her. The two were set to say 'kabool hai' on national TV - but even that was replete with controversy.

The show was in a mess as the Sara-Ali love story took an ugly twist when Sara's family claimed that both Sara and Ali were already married, and a petition was filed in court against them for cheating the public.

Then the information and broadcasting ministry stepped in. The ministry sent a notice to Colors for 'offending good taste' and for the use of vulgar language in the show, and even went to the extent of asking it to shift the telecast time after 11 p.m.

Meanwhile, love was brewing elsewhere too - Veena changed loyalties and shifted focus to Ashmit, who willingly reciprocated. The two cosied up under a blanket, kissed and hugged each other often and shared sweet nothings, until Veena had to bid goodbye to the show.

After Sameer's elimination in the 13th week - four candidates remained - the consistent Shweta, loud mouthed Dolly, confused and restless Ashmit and The Great Khali.

But it was Shweta who finally emerged the winner and walked away with the trophy and a cash prize of Rs.1 crore at a befitting, star-studded finale.

All in all, a controversial - yet entertaining season of 'Bigg Boss'!

Resource:- http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail/111244/Bigg-Boss-4-controversies-come-grand-end-Shweta-winner.html