stoppress ELLEN REPLACES PAULA
Swank’s new love
American talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has been named the new fourth judge on American Idol, replacing Paula Abdul who quit the reality show last month. DeGeneres, whose award-winning chat show The Ellen DeGeneres Show is in its seventh season, described herself as a longtime fan of the show. “So getting this job is a dream come true,” she said.
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—REUTERS
SHAH RUKH HAS FORGOTTEN US N EW D E L H I , F R I DAY S E PT E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 0 9 , 1 6 PA G ES w w w. h i n d u s t a n t i m e s . c o m
(Clockwise from left) Shah Rukh; Amina Sherwani; A still from Fauji Rahul Sabharwal ■ rahul.sabharwal@hindustantimes.com
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s fans anxiously await the return of yesteryear’s hit serial Fauji — now being made into a film by Shah Rukh Khan, there’s someone playing a spoiler. Remember, Amina Sherwani who played Kiran, the love interest of the character who played Shah Rukh’s elder brother? Now, 21 years later, the woman claiming to be the co-writer of the serial, is crying foul. Sherwani, furious at not even being informed that the show is being turned into a film, is directing her ire at two people — Colonel Kapoor, the writer-director of the show and Shah Rukh. In a chat with
Rahul’s mag on the back burner Garima Sharma
■ garima.sharma@hindustantimes.com
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emember we told you about Rahul Gandhi planning to bring out a magazine? Those looking forward to words of wisdom from the Congress scion’s pen, are in for a disappointment. Apparently, unhappy with the present draft of the magazine, Rahul has put his publishing plans on the back burner. Titled Young March, the bilingual magazine was expected to be a balanced mix of social, political and economic affairs. It was slated for an October release. However, a source from the party, tells HT City that the magazine may not happen at all, after the Congress general secretary expressed his displeasure over its present draft. The project was close to Rahul’s heart and with it he wanted to start a new legacy in the party. He now contemplates inviting professionals and non-political editorial experts to work on the project. A thorough professional, Rahul is known to have hired consultants from Dale Carnegie Management to train the Youth Congress members in the past. The source says that the Congress scion didn’t want the magazine to just become a political mouthpiece. “It aimed to connect with the youth.” When contacted, Dr Chayanika Uniyal, national general secretary, Youth Congress and a key participant in the magazine, said the project is still in the pipeline. “We don’t want a sketchy and unstable product. Much preparation is required before we start publishing,” she says.
HT City, Sherwani claims that she’s been repeatedly trying to contact Red Chillies Entertainment to join the creative process, but to no avail. “Originally, Col. Kapoor had a ghastly first draft which was not named Fauji, but Abhimanyu. His son Milind [whom she later married] and I reworked it into what you saw as Fauji. But we were never given due credit, not even paid fully,” she says. But right now, it’s Shah Rukh’s indifference that hurts her the most. “If someone else was making the movie, I would’ve understood; but it is Shah Rukh himself. He knows our blood, sweat and money went into Fauji. Guess you lose your intelligence while doing stupid things like danc-
...says his Fauji co-star Amina Sherwani adding that the star is ignoring those who helped him on his way to fame ing and getting six-packs. Your concentration is on making money,” she says. She reveals that SRK was initially slated to play ‘a sidey character’ but she helped him get the lead role. I remember his mother requesting me, ‘Mere bete ka kuchh kar do’.” She now wants to join the Fauji creative team. “I don’t want money... all the money will not compensate if they make a rotten Fauji. And that’s what Shah Rukh is likely to get from Col. Kapoor. Fauji is my baby,” she says. When quizzed, Col. Kapoor retorted, “I’m 79 and don’t want to get into controversies. They [Amina-Milind] were a part of the Fauji team is all I can say.” SRK was unavailable for comment.
ARVIND YADAV
We don’t want a sketchy, unstable product. Much preparation is required before we start publishing.
—Chayanika Uniyal, Youth Congress member
PTI
PAMELA’S AD BANNED
An animal rights TV commercial featuring former Playboy centerfold Pamela Anderson has been banned at US airports for being too raunchy. Officials from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the CNN Airport Network had barred the ad because of concerns regarding it being seen by children. The ad features the former Baywatch star as a scantily clad airport security guard who strips passengers of leather, fur and other skins. —AFP
Chirp your tweet Zabeeh Afaque ■
zabeeh.afaque@hindustantimes.com
weeting is passé, chirping T is the new fad on the web. And the latest to make virtual
Cricketer Virender Sehwag walked the ramp at the Kolkata fashion week
Full on fashion Itee Dewan
■ itee.dewan@hindustantimes.com
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arely into its second year and the Kolkata Fashion Week has run into trouble with its title sponsor Emami pulling out. While the event does manage to stay afloat, Hyderabad and Chennai are the new entrants in the growing list of country’s fashion week
venues. It’s a flood of fashion weeks —three in Delhi, one each in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore, and joining soon are Hyderabad and Chennai. Not to mention two seasons of some weeks. And there are more in the pipeline. “Six fashion weeks in a country!” designer Charu Parashar is aghast. “It’s killing the sanctity of events.” “Local events,” designer
sounds is actress Priyanka Chopra, the first Bollywood face to test Twitter’s new application that allows users to leave voice messages on the social networking website. Priyanka’s first chirp played, “Hey tweeple, it’s been a long long day and I am solely exhausted, discovered this new chirp and I wanted you to hear… how it feels to hear my voice on twitter I guess… I would love to hear your reaction. Let me know, lots of love priyanka”.
Netizens are using Chirp to leave voice messages for their favourite stars. Ashar Javed from Karachi chirps for Imran Khan, “I just wanted to say a big hi to you and moreover I can say to my friends, dude I am talking to Imran Khan.” Not just fan messages, there are songs, love bytes and SOS calls also being shared. And the application has come as ‘sound’ news to the ad world, which is also using it as a communication tool. Aronchick, for instance, has Chirped his entire board meeting summary. However, Priyanka’s fellow ‘Twitterer’, Gul Panag finds the “written word is more powerful” and hence is not keen on this one.
Our columnist Priyanka Chopra is on a vacation. Her column will be back next week.
go to htcity.desimartini.com
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TOMORROW: ANOUSHKA SHANKAR
Samant Chauhan calls them, even as Charu puts them as, “platforms for local talent.” “It is confusing international buyers. They don’t know which one to go for,” says designer Abdul Halder. “Leave aside many, I doubt if there’ll be any buyer at these events,” says designer Abhijeet Khanna. Samant concludes, “What next? Jabalpur fashion week?”
CELEB RUN ON THE RAMP Expect a heavy dose of celebs at the Van Heusen India Men’s Week that kicks off in the city today. While actor Neil Nitin Mukesh is expected at Narendra Kumar Ahmed’s show on Saturday, the cast of Acid Factory walks the ramp for designer Samant Chauhan on Sunday. Cricketer Anil Kumble is rumoured to make an appearance for Manoviraj Khosla.