Padma Lakshmi, the chic host of Bravo’s Top Chef is one of our top saheli icons. Her fashion combines modern and traditional elements in unexpected ways and encompasses the new vibe of modern desi women in the U.S. (Check out her cute and comfy pregnant mama style). Her jewelery line too has fabulous pieces that any saheli would want in her jewelry box Thats why we are thrilled to announce that she is our first highlighted Saheli Mama because she just recently gave birth to a daughter – Krishna. More details at here
Meet Claudia Ciesla. All of 22 and she is already taking the world by charm with her curvaceously gorgeous appeal and her latest desire to make it big in Bollywood. While we execute an exclusive ‘Bollywood Retro’ photoshoot in Delhi, this 5’9” German green eyed mesmerizer is all set to wow the audiences of Indian television through the all time favourite reality show Big Boss 3
MM: Tell us about your most interesting assignment so far?
Claudia: I had shot for Mercedes Customer Magazine in Germany that represented the new E-class. I love cars and it was great to know that they’d selected me for this kind of assignment.
MM: You have already done a film, boast several fashion shoots to your accolade, became a brand ambassador for an university, been involved with a leading NGO and have already been linked with Bollywood superstars like Abhishek Bachchan and Salman Khan… Your Indian experience must’ve been overwhelming! Comment.
Claudia: My experience has always been great. Coming from Bukaw, a small town in Germany, a lot of times I was overwhelmed by the friendliness and hospitality I got from the Indian people… they made me feel at home and that’s the best feeling you can possibly have.
MM: What are your plans for India?
Claudia: I am very serious about working and finding my way out in India as I feel my future lies in this country. I am looking forward to learn Hindi and find a nice apartment in Mumbai too.
MM: Given a choice, what type of Bollywood film would you like to be part of?
Claudia: I am very sportive. I can easily manage any kind of sports and this includes martial arts too. I am not afraid of doing my own stunts. So one day, I would like to show some of these abilities in an action movie. But I can assimilate to any kind of roles – the most important is a good script, an excellent director and a great cast and crew who would make me feel like family, as I did with my former productions.
MM: Who is your favourite bollywood star?
Claudia: My favourite actor is Amitabh Bachchan for sure. He is a true Godfather of all actors in Bollywood and I love his film ‘Black’ so much. In actresses, I really love the work of Priyanka Chopra and I think she is very beautiful.
MM: Any role done by an Indian actress that you would love to do if given a chance?
Claudia: I loved the film ‘Om Shanti Om’ and the actress’s lead role would surely be interesting one to take up.
MM: Any intensions in settling down in India?
Claudia: Sure, that’s my plan.
MM: What do you think of the Indian fashion industry? Any designer that you particularly like?
Claudia: I love Indian fashion. On the whole, I like the designs by Ritu Kumar and Manish Malhotra.
MM: What’s your opinion about the Indian models?
Claudia: I think Indian models are very beautiful, with wonderful thick black hair and big eyes. There are certainly more female models in India than in Europe!
MM: How would you describe yourself?
Claudia: I see myself as a modern, original, up-to-date, practical and a straightforward person.
MM: How romantic a person are you?
Claudia: I am very realistic, not at all a dreamer. I have faced many situations in the past that taught me the hard way and I realised life is not an easy game at all. Romantic moments or rather intense moments can be strong when I am around my best friends or family members, where I feel elatedly cozy. Also, I enjoy listening to nice music and relaxing by some nice beach with white sands, palm trees and a great full red sunset ambience…
MM: Who would be your dream date from Bollywood?
Claudia: Hmm… Okay, no names! The dream date could be a nice guy who makes me feel at home… and the one who gets me laughing and smiling often! *Winks*
In fact, the buzz is also strong that SRK couldn’t have taken an anti- Pakistan stand because MNIK has a strong pro- Muslim storyline. Also, SRK enjoys a huge fan base in Pakistan.
“My Name Is Khan glorifies Muslims with the line that not all Khans can be called terrorists. In such a scenario, the star cannot afford to anger Muslims and especially spoil his Pakistan market. Already, the buzz is strong about his film in the Muslim world after the Sena issue,” pointed out a trade analyst.
source
The stakes are high for MNIK , and a failure at the box- office would severely harm SRK’s position in the industry.
If you have seen MNIK you will know that the film’s theme and message is pan-Islamic, the audience spread all over the planet but concentrated in South Asia, the Middle East including the Gulf, and Europe.
The IPL-Pak players’ issue was secondary to MINK but at the same time central to ensure that MINK was accepted by Muslims worldwide. For once in his life SRK played the Muslim card. The man who said he wouldn’t apologise to the SS and asked why he should at all do that was to begin with willing to create a tense environment in Mumbai and India. That is the bottom line.
Looking back everything is clear as mirror. My Name Is Khan is an international hit. SRK played his cards well. I think he should now get his bearings right and head for northwest Pakistan, pick up the Raju/Rahul name/act and do an action flick with the last scene showing him at the entrance to Osama’s cave dwelling telling that long-beard in a measured tone ‘hey My Name Is Not Khan…’
Not so long ago, very few people could even think of watching an indian movie. Firstly, they were not shown in the Pakistani cinemas, secondly, people did not own a VCR. As time passed by, there was an exponential rise in the video rental shops and all kinds of movies were readily available to the public. VCRs were becoming less expensive and one could get it on rent as well. Watching a movie over a weekend was considered to be a treat and it was not a bad one in those times.
The arrival of satellite tv, dish antennae and cable TV has changed the scene altogether. Now an infinite number of foreign channels were available including the indian channels. This meant that Pakistani public especially the youth was exposed to the vulgarities of the indian culture. This had adverse effects on the youth of this country. Now they spent more time watching ridiculous soap operas and obscene hindi movies. The final nail in the coffin was the permission to show indian movies in pakistani cinemas.
There is a need for a massive campaign to root out this evil from our country. To let our young children know that this is not our culture, this is not what our religion teaches us. This is media warfare, to make us deaf and blind of the realties around us. To make us indifferent on whats happening to our brothers around the world. We cannot let our country become a Godless state.
I love reading books & watching movies. Love! And yet, I’m one of those few people who really hasn’t read much that he’s hated, or seen many movies that he’s disliked (relative to how many I’ve liked). Sure, there are some, but very few. I’m very picky in the sense that if I don’t think I’m going to like it, I’ll avoid it. And if I’ve started it and hate it… I’ll quit (most of the time). But still, there are things I’ve regretted reading/watching in the past.
I’m not quite sure when it started. I didn’t really watching many movies (Hollywood or Bollywood) until way late (and even then, it was normally Bollywood). In 2001, we went to the theater (me, my brother, 2 friends) to watch the new Harry Potter movie (the first one). It was sold out, so we ended up getting tickets for the next show that started… Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. That was my first introduction to a really bad film… I hated it. But we were at a theater, so I sat through the whole thing.
Not that the other option would’ve been much better. My love affair with the Harry Potter movies lasted for all of about half the first movie. I’ve only seen the 1st two movies as it… never got into it. The books are a different story. I loved the series. I picked up the last 4 books from the library the day they came out, and had them read in a day each. It was sometime early into the 7th book that I realized I didn’t even really like it. After about the 3rd book, the awesomeness had worn off. The 7th book completely ruined it, with the 300 pages spent wasting time in the forest, and the completely unnecessary epilogue. Whatever. I read the series, I enjoyed it at the time… but I’ll probably never read it again.
That’s not the only series I’ve had issues with though. Ender’s Game was a blast… but the rest of the series (I got about 3 books in) wasn’t that good. Animorphs was very enjoyable… and then the last book happened (especially the ending). Redwall was great was like the first 10 books… and then I realized that it was pretty much the same thing every time. Away from the series thing… Mistress of the Art of Death really wasn’t that bad. Until they went to the supernatural thing near the end. Same with Pirate Latitudes with the kraken.
Books are different though (maybe). It’s not really the actors drawing you in or anything… it goes based on the plot you read on the back of the book, or a recommendation from someone, or something like that. So you never really know how much you’ll get drawn in. Movies are a completely different thing. Sometimes, you just give the benefit of the doubt to the actor/director/someone. I do occasionally do this with authors, but only if I really love their stuff, in which case I probably have enough to go on to note hate anything they’ve written. I actually can’t think of the last book I’ve had to quit before the end because it sucked. The same can’t be said of movies.
Of course, there are the movies I’ve sat through. (This list could go on for a while… normally I’m watching with other people because they wanted to.) Final Fantasy, as mentioned above. Neal ‘N’ Nikki, because I assumed a famed producing house like Yash Raj Film wouldn’t attempt to make a skin flick so soon after Naach (which I’ve never seen). Jaani Dushman, because if you had told me beforehand that that a movie starring Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Aftab, Sunil Shetty & Sunny Deol (whom I hate) amongst others would blow so bad, I’d have laughed at you. Non-stop. Zaalim, because Akshay Kumar in 1994 had some great movies… of which this wasn’t one as I now know. Kisse Pyaar Karoon? because Arshad Warsi & Aashish Chaudhary are great. Or were. And on and on. (And that’s just some that I do see… think of all the ones I skip over.)
And then there are ones like Humko Tumse Pyaar Hain, where it takes 5 minutes for me to decide that I’ll hate it and I get up and leave. The Foundation series by Asimov was a huge turn-off because of the lack of a constant main character throughout. Titanic which I sat through… though I was sleeping for most of it. Because it sucked. There was some book I picked up the same time I picked up a Jasper Fforde novel. Loved the Fforde novel, but I’ve even forgotten the name of the other book. I only got like 10 pages in before giving up.
Speaking of Foundation & Ender’s Game… science fiction. I love Douglas Adams. I love Michael Crichton. But aside from that, the genre just goes right over my head. Snow Crash (recommended to me). Jumper (because the movie seemed to have something interesting going for it). Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. War of the Worlds. … Science fiction & me obviously don’t mesh. I read quite a few of the “top rated” sci-fi books because I really wanted to get into it… I just couldn’t. It didn’t work.
In general though, the number of books I’ve read/movies I’ve seen and actually enjoyed to the number of books/movies I’ve hated is very high… I’ve become fairly good at avoiding things I don’t think I’ll like. And I’ve come to know (for the most part) who I can trust and who I can’t with recommendations. (For example… I rarely agree with movie critics, who seem to have forgotten how to laugh.) The other things I’ve learned to do… if I’m not liking something, I just start laughing at it. Makes things so much better.
(This was my post to try and avoid having to start looking back at all the books I’ve read recently… though I should start at some point soon.)
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is now d highest paid actress in Bollywood Industry.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
In a Recent Development Bobby Pushkarna (“Page3″ fame) has offered ash a stunning 10 corers deal.
The whole story inside
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan may have chosen to take it easy post her marriage, but a recent development in her career has made all those speechless who feel that the beautiful actress’ career is no longer on an upswing. She has broken the record of Kareena Kapoor with her whopping ten crores contract for her latest film. Earlier, this honor was with Kareena Kapoor with a figure of seven crores.
The film is to be produced Bobby Pushkarna, of the critically acclaimed film ‘Page 3′. Pushkarna was keen on cast Ash only and was determined to shelve the project if the lady did not give an affirmative nod. Finally, after a three-month long chase, Pushkarna was able to persuade her to do his film.
The deal has not yet been finalized in pen and paper but both the parties seem positive.
My dad sent me this article from the Hindustan Times:
Baz Luhrmann, the fantasy and love obsessed Hollywood director of films like Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, professed his admiration for Bollywood and its Shakespeare-inspired stories. He plans to make films in India in the future and work with “music maestro A.R. Rahman.”
Bollywood is the perfect fit for Luhrmann. Everyone knows Indian films are full of extended song and dance sequences that come out of nowhere. Luhrmann’s films have a sophistication and attention to detail which would allow traditional Bollywood films to be taken more seriously by critics.
Chamma Chamma, the song below, is from the movie China Gate, and is used the Luhrmann’s most famous film, Moulin Rouge.
I have a negative feeling about sharukh khan. I do not know why, while i love Salman and Amir its strange and its interesting too.
But that happens with people (Justifying I know) Seriously people you meet for the first time and you have a hatred / dislike (matter of proportions) from the bottom of your heart. It is such a strange thing but mysteriously at least to me, happens wiered.
The point is I appreciate the man in Swadesh and other films but still didnt like him until recently when I heard his speech @ “Nation in solidarity for 26/11 martyrs” at INDIA GATE, NEW DELHI The link is here on Youtube.
