Singer and songwriter Ray J has reportedly agreed to enter the "Celebrity Big Brother" house for a record-breaking USD 1 million.
	The show launched on January, 3 and producers are banking on Ray, the former boyfriend of Kim Kardashian, reported TMZ.
	It has also been rumoured that the Channel 5 show is paying an extra USD 30,000 for Ray J's travelling expenses and accommodation.
	Despite a two-decade long career in the music industry, Ray J, 35, is arguably the most famous for the infamous sex tape of him and Kim Kardashian that is often also credited for launching the latter and her family into the media spotlight.

Ray J paid USD 1 M to participate in 'Celebrity Big Brother'

PTI Automatic

Movie hunk Chris Pratt said he missed out on a leading role in sports movie "Moneyball" because producers thought he was too fat.
	The once-chubby star, who has since become one of Hollywood's leading men, said the snub inspired him to lose weight and get into shape, reported Vanity Fair.
	"That was the first time I heard someone say, 'We're not gonna cast you - you're too fat'," the 37-year-old "Guardians of the Galaxy" star said.
	"So I decided to drop the weight, like in wrestling. I couldn't afford a trainer, so it was all running and crash-dieting and cutting alcohol."
	It is not clear what "Moneyball" role Pratt was up for, but Jonah Hill famously shed the pounds to play computer geek Peter Brand in the film.

I was too fat for 'Moneyball': Chris Pratt

"No Offence" is led by three strong female leads - part of what its star Elaine Cassidy calls "a positive response" to inequality in TV and film.
	But the actress said that writers now need to turn their attentions to crafting great parts for older stars - ensuring equality in age as well as gender, reported Digital Spy.
	"Everyone's going on about (equality for) women, and I feel that's been heard and there's been a response to that - a positive one," she said.
	"It's happening in diversity of cultures (too), but it also needs to happen with age as well."
	Cassidy added that, from her experience, a lack of strong parts for women has "not been a problem in the last few years".
	"My last three jobs - including 'No Offence' and the one I'm currently doing - there's more women than men. The play I did last year, there were seven women and four men - and that was written 30 years ago.
	"From what I've experienced, that's not been a problem in the last few years. Everyone's making a fuss ..

Ageism a bigger problem than sexism in TV, film:Elaine Cassidy

Urging the television industry to raise awareness on social evils, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today gave awards to TV artistes and technicians.
	"Tele serials can become a medium of mass awareness. You can raise awareness about social evils," she said while giving Tele Academy Awards 2016-17 constituted by the state government.
	Actors and technicians working in the television industry were awarded for their outstanding performances in production, programming, photography and technology, etc.

Mamata urges TV industry to raise awareness on social evils

Karnal District Administration today organised a special screening of Aamir Khan-starrer "Dangal" for 924 such families in the villages, who have four or more daughters.
	Additional Deputy Commissioner, Karnal, Priyanka Soni, said that the screening of the film was held at a mall in Karnal today.
	She said that the film, which chronicles the life of Mahavir Singh Phogat and his wrestler daughters, Geeta and Babita Phogat, would serve as a source of inspiration for these families.
	Soni said while the story of the sisters would motivate girls to work hard and shine in their respective fields, the character of Mahavir, who went against the prevalent mindset of the society and helped his daughters become wrestlers, would serve as an example for all parents.
	The film screening would also give a boost to the ambitious 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' programme, she added.

Karnal district holds special screening of 'Dangal'

Grammy-nominated American musician Mike Posner is all set to perform in three cities in India later this month.
	Ponser, whose song 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza', is nominated in the Song of the Year category at the Grammys, will perform at Kamani Auditorium in Delhi on January 25, followed by a show next day in Mumbai and Bangalore on January 28.
	The 28-year-old singer is known for his songs like 'Cooler than Me', 'Please Don't Go' besides his most popular hit 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza'.
	His latest album is 'At Night, Alone'.

American singer Mike Posner to visit India

Their collaborations in the past have resulted in award winning films but Rajkummar Rao says his forthcoming film "Omerta" is by far the "most explosive" work he has done with filmmaker Hansal Mehta.
     The first image of the film was tweeted by the director recently where Rajkummar is seen offering namaaz, with "9/11", "Kidnapping of American" among other things scribbled on the wall.
     "Omerta" will mark the fourth collaboration of the actor-director after critically acclaimed films like "Aligarh", "Citylights" and "Shahid", which got Rajkummar a National Award for best actor.
     "'Omerta' is one of our most explosive films till date. It's something which will be very new for everyone. We have not seen or witnessed before in every way," Rajkummar told PTI.
     The actor says the film is based on a true story but denied that is related to Mario Puzo's novel of the same name.
     "The treatment is thriller but it is based on a true story. But it has nothing to do with Mario's 

Hansal Mehta's 'Omerta' our most explosive work: Rajkummar Rao

Hollywood action star Sylvester Stallone and Adam Driver are collaborating to tell the true-life story of Travis Mills.
	Mills, a United States Army staff sergeant survived the loss of all four limbs to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
	Stallone, 70, will direct and star opposite Driver, 33, in this big screen adaptation of Mills' memoir "Tough as They Come", reported the Entertainment Weekly.
	The book details how Mills reclaimed his life after becoming one of only five soldiers from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars to survive a quadruple amputation.
	Driver is to play Mills, and Stallone will play his steadfast father-in-law, Craig Buck.

Stallone, Driver team up for Travis Mills biopic

After bidding farewell to 2016 with high-octane Bollywood party numbers, the city is now set to host "Swami Haridas-Tansen-Sangeet-Nritya Mahotsav", offering the best of classical music and dance.
	The four-day-long dance and music festival, beginning tomorrow, will see maestros of Hindustani Classical music and dance under one roof.
	With big names like flutist Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, vocalist Shuba Mudgal and Ashwini Bhide Deshpande among host of others set to perform in the festival, the event will be a treat for music connoisseurs.
	Renowned Kathak dancer Uma Sharma, who has conceptualised the festival, will also be seen performing in the festival.
	The annual event will pay tribute to legendary poets and musicians - Swami Haridas and Mian Tansen.
	The music gala will conclude with the performance of Ustad Shujaat Khan and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, respectively.
	The festival will be inaugurated by former cricketer Kapil Dev, and the guest invitees include eminent names like Shiv ...

A classical treat for music lovers

Singer-songwriter Sia has released the music video for her song "Never Give Up".
	The Grammy-nominated singer's new number is featured in the soundtrack of the Garth Davis-directed film "Lion", starring British-Indian star Dev Patel, reported JustJared.
	The 40-year-old Australian musician also shared the song's lyric video on her Twitter account to ring in the New Year.
	"Never Give Up" got 225,448 (and counting) views on YouTube within hours of going online.
	Ardent Sia fans will, however, be a little disappointed as the singer continues to remain hidden in the video, yet again.
	"Lion" stars Australian actress Nicole Kidman, American actress Rooney Mara besides Patel.
	The film also boasts of Bollywood names like veteran film actress Deepti Naval, Tannishtha Chatterjee and actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Singer Sia releases music video from 'Lion' soundtrack

Reality TV star Kylie Jenner has decided to not personally share anything on her own paid app after a too private post was uploaded without her consent.
	The youngest Kardashian-Jenner sister made the announcement in a series of tweets on Tuesday, January 3.
	The post was about her love life with boyfriend Tyga. In the post someone claiming to be Kylie revealed the things she usually does to show her rapper beau how much he means to her.
	"Hey guys from now on I won't be posting personally on my app anymore...," she wrote.
	"A post went up today quoting something that I NEVER EVER said or saw. A very personal post that I would never ever approve," she continued. "And it's unfair to me and you to think that those were my words.I'm sorry and I know we will figure something out so we can all be satisfied. Love You," she added.
	Kylie's personal app costs USD 2.99 per month. It offers "premium paid content from Kylie's world, bringing fans closer to her than ever before.

Kylie Jenner to stop posting on her own app

Actor Anthony Anderson's wife Alvina Stewart had filed for divorce but later asked a Los Angeles judge to dismiss the petition.
	The two appear to have reconciled since Alvina first filed for divorce from the actor back in September 2015, reported E! News.
	Stewart had filed for divorce citing the ever-so-popular "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split but eventually changed her mind.
	The couple, who were high school sweethearts, got married in 1999 and have two children -- Kyra Anderson, 19, and Nathan Anderson, 15 -- together.
	Anderson's acting career is on rise with the popularity of the comedy drama "Black-ish".

'Black-ish' star's wife files for divorce, later withdraws

Pop sensation Beyonce, rapper Kendrick Lamar and English rock band Radiohead are set to headline the 2017 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
	The full list was announced Tuesday (January 3) on the festival's official website.
	Scheduled to held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, over the weekends of April 14-16 and April 21-23, Coachella will feature plenty of other big-names like Lorde, Travis Scott, Father John Misty, Future, Bon Iver, DJ Snake, Tove Lo, DJ Khaled and New Order.
	This will mark Beyonce's first headlining appearance at the desert festival. The "Formation" hitmaker previously joined Jay-Z in Coachella 2010 and danced onstage with sister Solange Knowles in 2014.

Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar to headline Coachella 2017

Singer John Mayer is set to release new songs from his upcoming album "The Search for Everything".
	The 39-year-old singer announced on Facebook that he will be releasing four songs once a month until the projects official release date.
	 The first "wave" of songs will be out January 20. "There were too many songs to ever get out the door at once," Mayer wrote.
	The singer also posted artwork for the tracks, revealing titles for the first four songs: "Moving On and Getting Over," "Changing," "Love on the Weekend," and "You're Gonna Live Forever in Me."
	"Love on the Weekend" first premiered in November, after Mayer teased the song's release on social media. It was his first new music since 2014's cover of "XO.

John Mayer to release new music

"Mad Men" star January Jones is happy single parenting her five-year-old son Xander and does not feel that he needs a stepfather as a male role model.
	"Xander has a lot of bro time with the neighbor dads and my dad, who is super young. It's good to have strong women around a man to teach him to respect women," the actress, 38, told Red magazine in an interview.
	"He doesn't have a male person saying 'don't cry' or 'you throw like a girl'."
	Jones, who has not publicly revealed the identity of Xander's father, says she does not feel "unhappy or lonely" as a single woman.
	"I just don't feel I need a partner. Do I want one? Maybe. But I don't feel unhappy or lonely. It would have to be someone so amazing that I would want to make room. Someone who would contribute to my happiness and not take away from it.
	"My younger sisters and my mom and my doula were in the room; my brother-in-law and my dad were next door. I only wanted women with me. Female energy. It was a 30-hour process but ..

I don't feel I need a partner: January Jones

Actress Amyra Dastur, who will be seen sharing screen space with actor Jackie Chan in "Kung Fu Yoga", says she was starstruck to meet the Hollywood star for the first time.
	"The first thing I told him was I love him a lot and he said, 'Oh My God..!' It took me a week to be normal with him. I was starstruck," Amyra told PTI.
	The "Issaq" actress says Chan helped her in doing the action sequences right in the film.
	"It is an action-comedy film, so most of the film has action sequences. I get frustrated when I don't get things properly on screen. I wasn't able to do a sequence in a graceful manner..I couldn't understand why I was not getting right," she said.
	"Jackie saw me struggling to do the scenes. He asked me to do a scene for him and he pointed my mistakes, explained where exactly I was going wrong. In the next shot, it was done perfectly," she added.
	Amyra said when she hurt her back, Jackie told her to rest.
	"I had sprained my back badly in one of the action sequences as I ..

Was starstruck to meet Jackie Chan for the first time: Amyra

With majority of abstract art history having originated in the west, a new exhibition here is exploring the roots of 'abstraction' in Indian art.
	Titled "The Order of Things", the exhibition inpired by French philosopher Michel Foucault's book of the same name, represents a microcosm of different styles and expressions that exist in the realm of abstract art.
	Curated by contemporary artist Tribhuvan Kumar Deo, the show features over 40 works of art in different media including latex, blowtorch, collage and fabrics.
	"Although abstracts are widely displayed at several art exhibitions across the world, I was curious to represent the form with a different style.
	"The unique thing about the exhibition is that every artist participating in the show brings his/her own style and touch while keeping the theme intact," Deo told PTI.
	The show features artists like Bipin Kumar, Hukum Lal, Gopal Mehan and Vishal Joshi, who represent the early decade of stylistic concerns and formal aspects of 

Exhibition traces past and future of abstract art in India

Director Vijay Krishna Acharya, who has teamed up with Amitabh Bachchan for his next "Thugs of Hindostan", says working with the megastar is a dream come true.
	"He is a talented actor and a great person. Most of us have come into the world of films because of him. I have told him that he is the big reason why I am in films. I am very excited and I am nervous as well to be working with him," Vijay told PTI.
	"But in that nervousness also there is an excitement. Hopefully it will be all good. I am excited and nervous to work with him. I am big fan of him. It was my dream to work with him. I was dying to work with him," he said.
	The Aditya Chopra produced movie will also feature Aamir Khan. This movie will be the second outing for Vijay after "Dhoom 3".
	The "Dangal" star will have a lean look and has grown his hair and beard for the film. Bachchan too will be sporting a different look.
	"I always like to give and present my actors in a different look. Both (Aamir and Bachchan) will ...

Working with Big B a dream come true: Vijay Krishna Acharya

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian West has made a comeback on social media with a family photo.
	The 36-year-old "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star, who was on break from social media since Sher terrifying Paris heist, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a family picture.
	"Family," she captioned the picture with husband Kanye West and their two kids: daughter North, three, and son Saint, one. In the picture all four of them are dressed in white.
	The post marks the first piece of content Kardashian West has personally shared on social media since masked men stole millions of dollars worth of jewelry from her at the No Address Hotel on October 3 during Paris Fashion Week.
	She also shared a two-and-a-half-minute video on her website/app, offering fans a glimpse into life at home with her family. The home video montage includes footage shot both before and after the Paris incident.

Kim Kardashian West returns to social media

"Girls" creator Lena Dunham says she at times felt lonely on the sets of the popular TV series.
	The 30-year-old actress was torn between wanting to fit in with her co-stars and taking care of responsibilities that came with being the creator of the show, reported Female First.
	"Sometimes I would get very lonely, because I wanted to be a part of the group, but there was also the element of, like, having to boss people around. And we would be doing all this as a team, (but) if we got criticism, I felt like it would all come down on me in this torrent.
	"Even though I was surrounded by love, there were times where I felt very 'by myself' in the process," Dunham said.
	The actress said she pushed herself hard to prove that she was worthy of TV executives taking a chance on her with the show.
	"Making my deal with HBO as a 23-year-old woman, I felt that I had so much to prove.
	"I felt like I had to be the person who answered emails the fastest, stayed up the latest, worked the hardest. .

Lena Dunham felt lonely on 'Girls' set

Action star Vin Diesel says veteran actress Helen Mirren threatened to beat him up if he did not offer her a role in the upcoming "Fast & Furious" movie.
	The 49-year-old actor has quipped that Mirren would have done anything to get a role in the popular film franchise, reported Female First.
	"...All these Oscar-winning actors have wanted to join the cast and be part of the mythology. Charlize Theron is in it. Helen Mirren, the wonderful and amazing Helen Mirren, accosted me at a Golden Globes party and basically threatened to beat me up if she wasn't going to be in one.
	"Having these actors on the films was adding another element and dimension to what some might write off as just another action movie," Diesel said.
	It comes after Mirren said she was "very nervous" about starring in "Fast and Furious 8".

Page 1480 -