Page 1507 - Entertainment Culture

Paul Simon announces farewell tour

Singer Paul Simon has announced to retire from live performances following his upcoming tour, Homeward Bound - The Farewell Tour.The "You Can Call Me Al" crooner on Monday reveled the news on Twitter."I've often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I'd consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief," Simon said in a statement, which he shared on Twitter.The 76-years-old added: "I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly."He said the death of Vincent N'guini, his band's lead guitarist, in December was also a "contributing factor" in his decision.Besides, he want to spend his time with his family."I feel the travel and time away from my wife and family takes a toll that detracts from the joy of playing," he added.The tickets for his farewell tour will go on sale in the ..

Girl power is vital: Mel C

Singer Mel C says people need "girl power" more than ever right now as her and the Spice Girls prepare to reunite.

Kim re-uses kids' old crib for her newborn

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West's newborn daughter Chicago sleeps in the same crib as her elder siblings North and Saint slept in when they were younger.

Sarah Silverman, Michael Sheen break up

The Grammy-nominated comedienne, 47, shared the news on Twitter on Monday."The great @michaelsheen & I consciously uncoupled over Christmas," she tweeted."I mean, not 'over Christmas' - like that wasn't the fight that ended it. No fight. We just live in different countries & it got hard. Felt we should just tell y'all so u stop askin, 'How's Michael/How's Sarah?" she said in another tweet.Page Six reported that they starting dating in January 2014. They also starred alongside one another for two seasons of the Showtime drama "Masters of Sex.

Guess co-founder denies Kate Upton's sexual harassment claims

Guess co-founder Paul Marciano has vehemently dismissed the sexual harassment allegations made against him by Hollywood actress and model Kate Upton."Five days ago, Kate Upton tweeted that I abused my position at Guess to 'sexually and emotionally harass women. Ms Upton provided no details. Just the hashtag '#MeToo.' She leveled this malicious and false accusations only hours before a gala event at our headquarters in Los Angeles unveiling a new Guess campaign," Page Six quoted Marciano as saying.He said, "As of today, Ms. Upton still has provided no facts, no details, no dates and no circumstances to back anything she has alleged."Marciano alleged that the actress was "working with others" for some time to defame him."The accusation is false. I have never touched Kate Upton. I have never been alone with Kate Upton. I have never acted inappropriately towards her," he clarified.Upton, in a #MeToo message, last week accused of sexually harassing women in the fashion industry.Taking to ..

Don't think I've been slotted in comic genre: Maniesh

Actor-TV personality Maniesh Paul says he doesn't feel he has been stereotyped in the comic zone in showbiz.

'Aiyaary' yet to get CBFC clearance

Only a week away from its release, the makers of "Aiyaary" -- starring Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee -- are yet to receive clearance from the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

HC judge attends spl screening of 'Padmaavat', to decide on

A battery of police personnel was on guard today as "Padmaavat" was screened for a Rajasthan High Court judge, who would decide on a plea for quashing an FIR against the period film's director and actors after watching it. The special screening of the Bollywood film started at 8 pm and was over by 10.40 pm, after which Justice Sandeep Mehta, accompanied by four members of his staff, left the multiplex. A total of 200 police personnel, including an additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) and three assistant commissioners of police (ACPs), took care of the law-and-order situation in the city in view of the special screening of the film. "We had deployed 200 policemen around the cinema hall, where 'Padmaavat' was screened this evening," DCP (East) Amandeep Singh said. He added that among those deployed were an official of the ADCP rank and three ACPs, along with eight station house officers (SHOs) from various police stations. Justice Mehta, his reader and two ...

Would never resort to malpractices to make my films hit: Nana

Against the backdrop of a spate of protests against Bollywood movie "Padmaavat", actor Nana Patekar today said he would never resort to any gimmicks for ensuring success of his movies at box office. When asked whether violent protests by the Karni Sena against "Padmaavat" boosted popularity of the controversial film in any manner, Patekar said that, if at all that was the case, he would prefer that his film flops at box office but would never resort to any "malpractices". He was in the Marathwada city today to attend an event for the promotion of his Marathi film "Aapla Manus". "If at all that is the case, then I would prefer my film to be a super flop rather than go for such unacceptable violence to make a movie a success at the box office," he said. The actor said people should come to watch a film in theatres with the excitement to see what the makers have done in the film rather than due to "any such measures". He added that while a lot of films made money at the box

Earlier, I didn't have enough money to support socially relevant cinema: Akshay

Akshay Kumar is proud of his coming film "Pad Man" -- a film highlighting awareness on menstrual hygiene. The actor says he always wanted to support socially relevant cinema, but couldn't due to lack of funds.

Twinkle Khanna doesn't support the idea of menstrual leave

Actress-producer Twinkle Khanna says women should not use menstruation as an excuse to go on a leave.

Filmmaker files police complaint over threat letter

Film director Suvahhdan Angre has filed a complaint that he has received an anonymous letter threatening him with death if he went ahead with the release of his forthcoming film "Billu Ustad", police said today. Sahakar police station officials said that a non-cognisable offence had been registered and investigations were underway. Officials said that the letter, written in Hindi, alleged that the director had portrayed a particular community in a bad light in the film. The film, about a young boy helping the police against terrorists, is slated for release on February 16.

Actor Hugh Grant settles phone-hacking case with UK papers

British actor Hugh Grant has settled his phone-hacking damages claim against Mirror Group Newspapers. Grant was at the High Court today when the details of the settlement were provided at a hearing. Grant said the newspaper group had engaged in "industrial scale" phone hacking. "This newspaper group has misled the public and its shareholders for many years; and it has let down its readers and its hard-working journalists," Grant said outside the court. Settlement details weren't made public. British media said the payment involved a six-figure sum which the actor donated to the anti-hacking activist group Hacked Off. Grant's claim involved the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People newspapers. He has for a number of years spoken out against intrusive and sometimes illegal British press activities.

Always wanted to work in films based on social issues: Akshay

Actor Akshay Kumar today said that he wanted to work in socially conscious films for a long time but now has the financial support to take up such projects. The actor along with wife Twinkle Khanna, director R Balki, Radhika Apte and Arunachalam Muruganantham, whose life and initiative of making affordable sanitary inspired the film "Padman", was in the city to promote the film. "I always wanted to work and make such films but I was not a producer during that time. I didn't had enough money but now I can. My wife told me about Muruganantham and then we met R Balki. So we thought about making this movie," Akshay told reporters here. "Even Hollywood has not a film on sanitary pads or menstrual hygiene. People always make documentaries but they don't want to make commercial films. We have tried to do that," he added. Talking about Padman Challenge which has caught the eyes of celebs like Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt and others, Muruganantham said he wanted spread awareness about .

Two Kenyan TV stations shuttered by govt resume broadcasts

Two television channels that the government shuttered over coverage of a mock inauguration by President Uhuru Kenyatta's rival resumed broadcasts today. NTV and KTN News were ordered off the air after opposition leader Raila Odinga, who lost in flawed elections last year, swore himself in on Tuesday as a self-declared "people's president." A third suspended channel, Citizen TV, has not resumed broadcasts.

'Ready to screen 'Padmaavat' in MP if security is guaranteed'

Theatre owners in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh are awaiting a "positive signal" from the state government on providing security before they can release the controversial film "Padmaavat" which hit the screens in other states on January 25. "We are full prepared to screen 'Padmaavat'. But we are going to screen it only after getting a guarantee from the state government to provide foolproof security to the film," Central Circuit Cine Association president Jaiprakash Chouksey told PTI here today. Theatre owners in Madhya Pradesh had last month decided not to screen "Padmaavat" following largescale protests and bandh in several places against the period drama, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The state government, however, had said it was ready to provide security if the theatre owners wanted to screen the movie. On January 23, two days before the release of "Padmaavat", the Supreme Court had refused to modify its earlier order which had cleared the decks for the ...

Neha Dhupia joins Kajol for Pradeep Sarkar's next film

After garnering critical acclaim for her work in "Tumhari Sulu", actor Neha Dhupia is all set to begin her next film, featuring Kajol. Directed by Pradeep Sarkar, the film, tentatively titled "Eela", is an adaptation of Anand Gandhi's Gujarati play, "Beta Kaagdo". Kajol plays a single parent in the film, which revolves around the relationship shared by a mother and son. "Life has come a full circle with this film. Pradeep Sarkar is going to direct it and he's an amazing person to work with. He had directed my first ever music video, many many years ago, when I was a model," Neha told PTI. "I'm looking forward to working with Kajol too, who plays the protagonist in the film. She's an effortless actor. She plays Eela, which is also the tentative title of the film," she added. "Eela" is produced by Ajay Devgn who, Neha said, had produced her first film too, "so it was very nostalgic to sign it." In the film, Neha plays a drama instructor called Padma. While the shoot of the

'Aiyaary' release date pushed again, to release on Feb 16 now

Director Neeraj Pandey's film "Aiyaari", starring Manoj Bajpayee and Sidharth Malhotra, will release on February 16 instead of February 9 due to an apparent delay in getting a clerance from the censor board. "We have been told there are a few cuts in the film. We are yet to get a letter from CBFC regarding the cuts. In such a short span of time, it was not possible for us to do the cuts and release the film in the overseas market on February 9. So we have now decided to come on February 16," Producer Jayantilal Gada told PTI. "CBFC has informed verbally about the cuts in the film, which director Neeraj Pandey has agreed upon. We are told we will be getting an U/A certificate. But nothing at the moment has come in written. We will get a certificate once we submit the film with the cuts," Gada added. This is the second time that the makers have shifted the release date of the Army drama. The movie was earlier scheduled to arrive on January 26 but the producers pushed the ..

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sings for new Indian film

Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has sung a new song titled "Ishtehar" -- a soulful rendition -- for Indian film production "Welcome To New York".

Tarantino slammed for forcing Thurman to do 'Kill Bill' stunt

Actor Uma Thurman is the latest celebrity to open up about Harvey Weinstein's alleged sexual assault but the actor has also revealed that her "Kill Bill" director Quentin Tarantino forced her to do a car stunt that resulted in injury. Celebrities such as Jessica Chastain, Judd Apatow, Asia Argento and others have come out in the support of Thurman following her account in the New York Times. Thurman, in the Times piece, says the accident took place just before the end of the shooting and after she had told Tarantino that Weinstein, who produced "Kill Bill" as well as their 1994 film "Pulp Fiction", had assaulted her in London. The actor said she did not want to do the stunt and asked for a stunt person but Tarantino assured her that it was okay for her to drive. Thurman soon crashed the car and suffered a concussion and damaged knees, which continue to affect her even today. The actor also released the footage of the on-set incident. In the interview, she also claims that