Nandita Das new head of Children’s Film Society

Actress-director Nandita Das has been appointed the new chairperson of the Children’s Films Society of India (CFSI).
“The tenure of her appointment … shall be for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” read an official statement.

Earlier, the post was held by actress-social activist Nafisa Ali. It fell vacant when she resigned to contest the Lok Sabha election from Lucknow on Samajwadi Party ticket this year.

Nandita, who is best known for her performances in Deepa Mehta’s “Fire and “Earth”, is the daughter of celebrated Indian painter Jatin Das.

The 39-year-old recently donned the directors’s hat for “Firaaq”.

Lindsay Lohan spends 11hrs in salon

Lindsay Lohan has taken her obsession with Marilyn Monroe a step further, by spending 11 hours in a salon just to get her red hair bleached.

Lohan, 23, is also said to have had long extensions put in during her trip to the hairdressers, reports the Sun.

The actress finally emerged from a Beverly Hills salon puffing on a cigarette, though she covered up her new hairdo with a Fedora as she headed to on-off girlfriend DJ Sam Ronson’s home.

Lohan had also revealed that she wanted to take her obsession with Monroe to the big screen, and star in a remake of movie classic ‘Some Like It Hot’.

Katie is tipped to play a feisty businesswoman in ‘Sex and the City’ sequel

30-year-old actress Katie Holmes is rumoured to be in negotiations to join the cast in an upcoming ‘Sex and the City’ sequel, as a rival to Kim Cattrall’s man-eating character Samantha.

“The character they want her to play is a really ballsy, high-powered company executive who tangles with Samantha,” Contactmusic quoted as a source as having told British tabloid The Sun.

The shooting is expected to get underway later this year, while the film is slated for a May 2010 release.

Scarlett Johansson dons catsuit

Scarlett Johansson’s amazement knew no bounds when a mere thought of donning a Lycra catsuit for ‘Iron Man 2’ occupied her mind.

At least that’s how it happened for Scarlett Johansson. To play the Russian spy Black Widow in “Iron Man 2,” she adopted a true superhero workout.

“I kicked some major butt,” she told People magazine at Comic-Con 2009. “It was many, many, hours, days, and months of stunt training and strength training, but it’s fun because I had a goal. The goal was the Lycra catsuit.

Avril Lavigne’s new album slated for a November release on RCA

Canadian pop singer Avril Lavigne says her upcoming album has more to do with emotion and feeling.

Canadian pop singer Avril Lavigne says that she’s taking a more serious, stripped-down approach to her fourth studio album, tentatively slated for a November release on RCA, reports the China Daily.

“A lot of the songs are mainly the acoustic and my vocal,” Lavigne told Billboard.com.

Lavigne’s hubby Deryck Whibley produced eight of the as-yet-untitled album’s projected 12 tracks, half of which she wrote by her herself.

For the other half, she’s collaborated with former bandmate Evan Taubenfield and songwriter/producer Butch Walker.

Kate Moss will judge a new music talent show

Supermodel Kate Moss has been signed up by Simon Cowell to sit on a panel of judges on a new music talent show.

Cowell is said to be producing the show in collaboration with Topshop billionaire Sir Philip Green, one of Kate’s close friends.

According to reports, the show will be a cross between Simon’s flagship X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, giving an unsigned group the chance to become rock stars.

It is expected to launch in the US with a British spin-off following later.

The show will mark Kate’s first mainstream TV role, and a remarkable turn around for the model whose career was almost destroyed when she was caught snorting cocaine in 2005.

“Kate is absolutely cock-a-hoop about her move into TV,” the Mirror quoted a source close to Kate as saying.

Jessica Simpson having fun with girlfriends

Jessica Simpson is out partying with her girlfriends, an attempt to overcome the recent heart-break she had undergone with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

She has recently been spotted enjoying a ladies’ night with her close pals CaCee Cobb, Adrienne Sands and stylist Nicole Chavez.

Simpson has also gone back to her mother Tina to seek mental support.

The two also watched the movie version of Great Expectations on Sunday.

Madonna cancelled her Marseille, France concert after a stage being collapsed

Madonna had to cancel her Marseille, France concert after a stage being built for her performance collapsed killing one and injuring six.

The stage at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille was being set up by technicians when the partially built roof fell in, bringing down a crane, and killing a 53-year-old French worker.

When the queen of pop heard of the mishap, she said she was devastated and the concert that was to be held on July 19 was cancelled.

“I am devastated to have just received this tragic news,” the BBC quoted her as saying in a statement released by organisers of the concert.

The 60,000-seater Velodrome is France’s second-biggest sports arena and home to the Olympique de Marseille football club.

Kylie Minogue have had a huge fight with her Spanish lover

Kylie Minogue is said to have had a huge fight with her Spanish lover model Andres Velencoso.

Aussie pop princess Minogue, 41, is said to have also shocked an onlooker at New York’s trendy B Bar with her public outburst.

“At some point, Kylie and Andres got separated. When Kylie found him, she slapped him in the face with a fan,” the Sun quoted the onlooker as saying.

Katrina will participate Independence Day carnival in US

Katrina Kaif who is currently enjoying her month long vacation in Italy with her family will travel to the USA in August to celebrate Independence day, with the US based Indians and take part in the carnival.

A lot of B-Town bigwigs may be heading to the USA with Katrina for Independence Day festivities. Shah Rukh Khan, Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and other actors will be join with Katrina in the Chicago Carnival.

An event put together with an aim to bring the stars closer to their fan-base abroad, this carnival does not aim to gain financially from the Independence Day parade

Kate Hudson spend romantic weekend in California

Kate Hudson and Alex Rodriguez spent a romantic weekend in Southern California.

The pair, who have been romantically linked since May, is said to have spent the weekend at the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, along with Hudson’s 5-year-old son Ryder, reports People magazine.

Sources said that there they stayed within a gated enclave for more privacy, inside a villa featuring an ocean-view terrace and their own infinity pool.

They enjoyed the use of butler service with breakfast in the villa, the sources added.

Madonna’s duplicate is amazing Oh! man

Madonna has a look-alike that is ditto like her, but there is only one small difference between them - her duplicate is a man.

Elias Figueroa, 28, from Chile, started following Madonna at a very early age.

“I was still a schoolboy. I heard ‘Like a Virgin’ and it totally blew me away,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

He now earns 12,000 dollars a year as a Madonna impersonator, three times the national salary in Chile, and the equivalent of around 50,000 pounds in the UK.

The first time he performed as Madonna to an audience was in 1996 when, at the age of 15, he gave a karaoke style performance at a friend’s birthday party.

After going full-time eight years ago he’s now performing up to three times a week in front of crowds of up to 20,000, and earns up to 500 pounds a show, more than the average monthly wage in Chile.

But despite the incredible resemblance, Figueroa has yet to meet his idol.

Shruti Haasan will pay tribute to Michael Jackson

As a tribute to the late pop star, a group of young singers along with Shruti Haasan will be performing live in Chennai. A source said, “Shruti will be performing on three Michael Jackson numbers. However, they are still to zero in on the songs. Young talents like Benny Dayal and Krish will also be performing.”

The show will be held at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai. Many performers and celebrities are expected while the details of which are being finalised.

However, it’s also confirmed that Shruti’s father Kamal Haasan along with AR Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan and others shall attend the extravaganza! While news is abuzz that several legends from the music industry are likely to be present at the event!

Amy Winehouse burst into tears upon arrival at UK airport

Amy Winehouse, who returned to her native Britain on July 13 after an eight-month break in the Caribbean, promptly burst into tears upon arrival at the airport.

Winehouse, 25, had returned to the UK for a short visit in March this year, but went back to the sunny isle within weeks.

The singer has now returned to Britain, though she arrived alone at London’s Gatwick Airport where she broke down in tears as she met her driver and personal assistant.

“Amy looked tired but happy to be home. She got a bit tearful when she met up with her driver and PA because she hasn’t seen them for so long, but other than that she seemed to be in good spirits,” the Daily Express quoted an onlooker as saying.

Court allows release of ‘Short Kut’

Delhi High Court Thursday allowed Bollywood actor and producer Anil Kapoor to release his film “Short Kut” after he agreed to pay Rs.35 lakh to another producer B.S. Bhullar, who claimed to have copyright over the title of the movie.

The movie, starring Akshay Khanna, Arshad Warsi and Amrita Rao, is scheduled to be released July 10 2009.

Bhullar claimed that he had forwarded his film’s script to Anil Kapoor and offered him a key role, but Kapoor had turned down the offer.

Lindsay Lohan has been accused of stealing formula

American actress, model, and pop singer, Lindsay Lohan, together with her business partners, have been accused of stealing the formula for a sunless tanning spray they are selling.

In a federal lawsuit filed Friday in Tampa, Florida, St. Petersburg chemist Jennifer Sunday claims to have created the mist, after requiring Las Vegas business woman Lorit Simon to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Soon after, the lawsuit claims, a product called Sevin Nyne with the same ingredients appeared on store shelves nationwide with a selling price of $US35 per can.

If the case proceeds to trail Lohan will most likely be called to Florida to testify and it will then be up to a judge and jury to determine how much, if anything, the St. Petersburg chemist would be awarded.

Penelope Cruz doesn’t believe in the concept of marriage

Penelope Cruz may never exchange wedding vows with beau Javier Bardem, for the actress has hinted that she doesn’t believe in the concept of marriage.

The beauty also says that she has plans to start a family one day, but hints it could be at the expense of her acting career.

“I want to have babies one day but not right now. When I do it I want to do it really well. I want it to be my best project in life,” Contactmusic quoted Cruz as saying.

Jennifer Metcalfe did a mud wrestling scene wearing bikini

Jennifer Metcalfe recently did a steamy mud wrestling scene with a Brazilian babe for new Lynx Fever shower gel advertisement.

The Hollyoaks star, who plays feisty Mercedes McQueen in the show, had revealed earlier that she has no problems being intimate with a girl, reports the News of the World.

The bombshell is satisfied with the latest stint, she said: “I enjoyed it. I managed to take my opponent down while keeping my bikini up!”

One source at the shoot said: “There’s only one thing sexier than Jennifer Metcalfe in a bikini - and that’s Jennifer Metcalfe rolling around in mud with another beauty.”

Leona Lewis’ new songs leaked online

Leona Lewis is said to be upset after she found that her four unfinished songs have been leaked online.

The singer was shocked when fans started telling her that they liked the new songs, including possible future singles ‘Brave’ and ‘I Got You’.

A source said that one of Lewis’s producer’s computers was hacked.

“We think one of her producer’s computers was hacked into. It’s a really serious breach,” the News of the World quoted a source as saying.

Madonna honours Michael Jackson

Madonna honoured Michael Jackson during her London concert at the O2 Arena. The Queen of Pop hailed the late King of Pop, describing him as one of the greatest performers the world has seen.

A huge picture of Jackson as a child was displayed above the stage as the ‘Material Girl’ hitmaker carried out a short dance melody dedicated to the late star.

Jackson’s greatest hits, Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin, were also performed in short versions.

“To one of the greatest performers the world has ever known - Michael Jackson,” the Daily Star quoted Madonna as saying.

Kareena no more Size Zero

Release of KAMBAKKTH ISHQ has made one thing for sure that Bollywood leading ladies, won’t be fixated with the concept of Size Zero. That’s because the biggest advocator of this ‘body killing’ phenomenon, Kareena Kapoor, has clearly sworn off it and is now ‘back in shape’.

Meanwhile other aspiring actresses Aarti Chabaria, who has been looking at making her presence, felt in Bollywood once again with her upcoming film TOSS confesses that being Size Zero is hardly ‘cool’ and she would carry on with the shape that suits her most.

Aishwarya gets Karate training for Endhiran Movie

After having learnt sword fights for her English movie The Last Legion, Aishwarya has been training herself in Karate for Endhiran. A noted stunt master Ramesh who has been running a Japan Shito-Ryu karate school in the South for over 30 years, which is affiliated to the World Karate Federation is training the actress for the movie. Ramesh is teaching Aishwarya the basics of Karate for now. In the movie Aishwarya Rai and the other girls in the film will be learning Karate from her hero. Rajnikant is already trained in Karate. Some interesting scenes were shot recently in the VIT University in Chennai.

Aishwarya Rai has always been a quick learner. Even during the making of the The Last Legion Aishwary Rai had trained herself in the sword fight. She took her skills forward in Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodhaa Akbar. Her trainers have always been enamoured by her quick learning skills. Apparently Ramesh was also charmed that the actress was able to repeat the karate movements easily.

Megan Fox won’t be replacing Angelina Jolie in the ‘Tomb Raider’ movie

Producer Dan Lin announced that Jolie would not be reprising her action role for the next instalment of the action film, for the film bosses want a younger actress to play the role.

The ‘Transformers’ star was associated with the role last month but insists that she won’t be doing it.

“I haven’t been offered that. No one has even spoken to me about doing that yet,” Contactmusic quoted Fox as saying.