London Indian Film Festival award winners announced

Indian independent cinema's groundbreaking director Ketan Mehta's Rang Rasiya (Colours Of Passion) has won the Audience Award at the 2nd London Indian Film Festival (June 30 - July 12). Audiences voted for their favourite films across 28 screenings during the festival.

Mehta said, "I am thrilled that my passion project has won the coveted audience award at the London Indian Film Festival. The premiere in the historic surroundings of the Victoria & Albert museum was wonderful and the interaction with London audiences was great. This award is the icing on the cake."

The Satyajit Ray Foundation's Short Film Award for 2011 goes to a film that the judges felt was a well crafted, beautifully observed and honest 'day-in-the-life' portrait of a poor but aspirational young boy - "Amar" by filmmaker Andrew Hinton. Hinton said that he would share his £1,000 prize money with the boy. Jury member Menhaj Huda (director of "Kidulthood" and "Everywhere and Nowhere") presented the award.

The festival opened with the World Premiere of Abhinay Deo's Delhi Belly, produced by Aamir Khan Productions and UTV Motion Pictures and closed with the UK premiere of Srijit Mukherji's hit film Autograph, both at the Cineworld Haymarket. The closing night screening was preceded by a performance by chart-topping musician Raghu Dixit and followed by a lively Q&A with Autograph star Nandana Sen, who also stars in Rang Rasiya.

The festival also hosted the UK premiere of Anurag Kashyap's That Girl In Yellow Boots at the BFI and the film has secured UK distribution on the back of the sold out screening. Other highlights were the premieres of Memories in March and Aarekti Premer Golpo (Just Another Love Story) with director turned actor Rituparno Ghosh participating in Q&As about the films that explore gay and transgender experience.

Festival Director Cary Sawhney said, "It's been an amazing year for us, in spite of the recession, many people have got behind our festival and really made it work, including our internationally known team. In just two years we are pleased to have brought to London some of India's top talent, including the World Premiere of Delhi Belly from the Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan stable, which has become a global hit; to sold out Q&As with leading independent directors Anurag Kashyap, Rituparno Ghosh and the legendary Ketan Mehta, at some of London's top venues. Excited about next year."

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Shazahn Padamsee to be the brand ambassador of Classmate Pens?

Who in India doesn't know the genius of the ad world Alyque Padamsee, who revolutionized the advertising in our country in his own way! Just like him, his daughter Shazahn Padamsee has made her mark in Bollywood by some commendable performances in films like Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji and Rocket Singh - Salesman Of The Year.

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Katrina Kaif to go on stage for Mere Brother Ki Dulhan 'Live' gigs

It's fun time for Katrina Kaif. It looks like she has decided to discard her habitually solemn demeanor to have some serious fun. And if 'serious fun' sounds like a contradiction in terms, it nonetheless describes her state of mind to perfection.

And if she has decided to be in the fun zone at the moment, a lot of that zest to be happy comes from the company that she's been keeping lately. Imran Khan, her co-star in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, has been "really cool company" for Katrina.

Says a friend of the actress, "Katrina found herself warming up not only to Imran but also to his family Avantika. She felt she was part of a family."

And the 'family' has convinced Katrina to go on stage for what is secretly being termed the 'Dulhan' gigs.

Says a source, "The Mere Brother Ki Dulhan producers Yash Raj plan to put Katrina, Imran and Ali Zafar on stage to promote the film. Ali who plays one of the leads asked Katrina if she too would accompany him for the gigs that would take them to several metros. At first Katrina laughed off his suggestion. When Ali was adamant, she wanted to know what she would do on stage. Ali suggested she join him to sing. And Katrina is game."

As things stand the Mere Brother Ki Dulhan live concerts would be Katrina's first ever live concerts. Katrina can't wait.

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Bbuddah gets U/A certificate

As far as audience-profile is concerned the big starrer Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap is already one-up on the Aamir Khan production Delhi Belly. Both release on July 1. But while Delhi Belly has been passed by the censor board with an 'A' certificate (for adults only) Bbuddah... was cleared on Wednesday with a 'U/A' certificate.

The flamboyant new Big B flick Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap with the mega-star wearing the most colourful clothes and mouthing the most flamboyant dialogues was passed with almost no cuts with U/A certificate on Wednesday afternoon.

That means, kids can watch the film with their parents. The Wednesday-afternoon censorial approval of the film put to an end all the speculation about the film being too over-the-top for the Big B's image.

Relieved with the censor certificate Bbuddah director Puri Jagannath said, "The censors loved it. They said it's a clean and neat movie."

Only one shot was censored in the entire film.

Says Puri proudly, "It's an action shot. It shows a small-time villain firing bullets in the head. That apart not a shot was censored."

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan pregnant

Super model turned actress turned star wife, Aishwarya will soon be turning mother. The actress, who has been steadily gaining weight for the past couple of months, is pregnant.

Though initial reports said that the obvious weight gain was for role in her forthcoming film with Madhur Bhandarkar, at quarter past ten, last night, Amitabh Bachchan gave everyone the good news.

The overjoyed soon to be grandfather Amitabh Bachchan tweeted last night, "NEWS NEWS NEWS !! I AM GOING TO BECOME A GRANDFATHER .. AISHWARYA EXPECTING .. SO HAPPY AND THRILLED !!!"

Later he added, "The child of Abhishek and Aishwarya shall be the first Bachchan of the generation after my brother and me ... Clarifying: Amitabh and Ajitabh , first generation Bachchan ... then Abhishek and Bhim and now Abhisheks and Aishwarya's ..."

The big question however is, what happens to Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine which stars Ash in lead role. News has it that Madhur will be shooting the film in a start to finish 45 day schedule. The film will be going on floors soon.

Rockunlimited gives its heartiest congratulations to Aishwarya, Abhishek and the Bachchan family.

You too can wish the couple by posting your wishes in the comments section below.

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Vishal-Shekhar to compose music for The Dirty Picture

There is no denying that music composer duo Vishal-Shekhar are certainly among the most in demand music directors. While they have certain big projects in hand such as Ra.One, Kahaani, Rascals and Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap. Now the talented duo has been signed by Ekta Kapoor and Milan Luthria to compose music for their much talked project The Dirty Picture which begins shooting today.

This is the first time that Vishal & Shekhar are working with Balaji. They had been previously approached to score the music of Shor In The City, but things hadn't worked out.

The duo will also be working with director Milan Luthria after a long gap. They had last scored the soundtrack for Luthria's hit John Abraham-Nana Patekar starrer Taxi No. 9211.

The Dirty Picture, a controversial musical entertainer, stars Vidya Balan, Naseruddin Shah, Emraan Hashmi and Tusshar Kapoor.

The soundtrack, featuring five tracks (dance and romantic) is expected to be a killer in true V-S style.

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'Ready' not postponed, confirmed for 3 June

An irresponsible tweet can cause unimaginable harm to a film-maker. More so if it's tweeted by a media person. Producers Bhushan Kumar and Rajat Rawail were shocked on Tuesday evening when someone tweeted that READY has been pushed ahead by one week. Meaning, it won't arrive on 3 June. The truth is that READY is 100% confirmed for 3 June. The film has also been censored [U/A certificate] and the distributors are all set to take the delivery of prints of this keenly-anticipated film. So there's no question of postponement at all.

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