PRIYANKA, JAMIE LEE CURTIS VIE FOR FAVOURITE ACTRESS AWARD

0ur very own Priyanka Chopra is up against Hollywood starslike Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Roberts for the 'FavouriteActress In A New TV Series' accolade of the People's Choice Awards. She has been nominated for her role in Quantico.

Other nominees are Marcia Gay Harden and Lia Michele.

"Wow, my first nomination for #Quantico. Feel like a true debutante again. Thank you @peopleschoice. Fingers crossed," tweeted Priyanka, who made her international TV debut with the show this year.

The former beauty queen playsthe role of Alex Parrish, a FBI recruit with a mysterious past.

The show has also been nominated for Favourite New TV Drama award along with Minority Report, Supergirl, The Player, Rosewood and Limitless.

"Double whammy! #Quantico nominated too! Yay," PeeCee tweetedlater. What do you think are her chances at winning?

Actors For Farmers

First t was Nana Patekar, thenAkshay Kumar, now it's Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Nawaz, a farmer's son, says he is aware of the hardships faced by farmers andso, he isurging hisfansto help them.

Knownfor deliveringscintillating performances in Bollywood films like Gangs of Wasseypur 2, Kick, and BajrangiBhaijaan, the actor has asked peopleto join him and donate to help the farmers in the country.

"I am a farmer's son and I know the hardships they face. That's why I'm supporting #SeedTheRise. Join me and donate to help India's farmers," Nawazuddin tweeted.

The initiative is to help improve the lives offarmers across India. The official site of the initiative reads: "Betrayed by the weather and our indifference, these men and women are struggling and fighting against the odds every day. But no more. Together, we can turn things aroundfor them by donating money to five impactful projects.So join us in helping the farmers of our country do what they do best,with their heads held high."

Great to see the help being offered by folk at tinseltown.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA IS AN ELEPHANT...

No, truly.

No, no, relax, PeeCee hasn't put on weight.She couldn't have - have you seenallthat exercise they make her do at Quantico?

The star of ABCTV's new show Quantico, has given voice to PETA's walkingtalking robotic elephant named Ellie, which will go on a school tour across US, Europe and India.

As children have a natural empathy for animals, the new campaign of the American animal rights organisation Peoplefor the Ethical Treatment of Animals, aims to helpeducate kids about elephants and captivity through Ellie.

Thanks to Chopra's voiceover, the 6.5-foot-tall Ellie "speaks" to students and shares her story, taking them through her painful separation from her mother as an infant, discussing the intimidation and physical punishment that she endured at the hands of her circus handlers, and finally detailing her happylife at a sanctuary after her rescue.

Ellie has already visited 3,000 elementary school students, who were captivated by the gentle giant. One student at Horace Mann Elementary in Oakland, California, asked, "Why don't circuses just use robots instead?"

"Ellie is teaching kidsthat elephants belong inthe wild with their families, andthat theysuffergreatly in captivity, in which they're kept chained, forced to learn tricks,and deprived of allthe things that make them happy,like family and freedom,'' said Chopra.

"I'm pleasedto join with PETA in bringing Ellie to life for children everywhere," Priyanka said in a release.

Chopra described elephants as "magnificent creatures who desperately need our help and protection."

... AND KANGANA RANAUT IS 85 YEARS OLD

Versatile actress Kangana Ranaut, known for her power-packed performances in filmslike Queen and Tanu Weds Manu series, says she has been offered the chance to play an 85-year-old woman in a Shekhar Kapur film.

"Yes I have been offered (such a role)," Kanganaconfirmed, but added, "We are still intalks The role is very challenging for me."

However, Kangana did not confirm if the role that she has been approached for is in Kapur's most ambitious project Paani.

Talking aboutthe subject, Kangana said, "There is a pressure from the film industry and the society that an actress should look of certain age allthe time. We as women shouldaccept ourselves the way we are. We actresses should stand for ourselves."

Award Waapsi Season

In a dramatic development, many prominent filmmakers in the past month have returnedto the government various awards and honoursthey have received, protesting impediments to freedom of speech and expression in the nation.

"We appeal to the people, not the government. We want to be party of the awakeningthat is happening around the country withscientists, artistes and writers returningtheir honours," noted documentary maker Anand Patwardhan said recently.

He spoke in reference to the decision of a string ofwriters, historians, filmmakers and others to return their national awards and honours to protest an atmosphere of "intolerance" in the country, suchasthe lynching of a Muslim man inDadri of Uttar Pradesh over rumours that he had consumed beef, the murder of Kannada rationalist scholar M.M. Kalburgi, and the police "raid" inDelhi's Kerala House.

In recent days, however,thereseems to have been a rethink on award-waapsi.

What are artistes gaining by returning awards, asks veteran theatre, film and television actor Supriya Pathak, among others.

Have they been able to change anything?Who are they pressurising by doing this?

Meanwhile as social media fillsup withbad jokesaboutthe 'return-wallahs', many are following Kamalhaasan'sstance and sayingthey won't returntheir awards.

Andone Chandigarhstreet comedy group actually demandedthat the government give them an award, so they could return it, justto be instep with the times!

Overheard

Q: What isthename ofSalman Khan's upcoming film?

A:. Prem and Ratan win the lottery (Prem Ratan Ohan Payo).

Oh dear.

SRIDEVIIN PULi TROUBLE

The makers ofTamil fantasy drama Puli denied claims that they owe money to Sridevi.

Sridevi hadfiled a complaint at the MumbaiProducer's Council that the producers owe her Rs.50 lakh.

In a four-page statement, producers Thameens and P.T Selvakumar said they signedthe veteran actress out of respect and agreedto pay Rs.2.7 crore as her salary along with Rs.30 lakh as service tax.

"Inthe final stages of production,

Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor asked us to pay her extra as we were planning to release the film in other languages too," read the statement.

The statement said Boney Kapoor told the filmmakersthatSridevi would only come to the shoot if she was paid extra.

"After much deliberation, we decided to pay her 20 percent ofthe f lm's Hindi satellite rights, which was Rs.55 lakh, and Rs.15 lakh for the dubbedTelugu version," the statement added.

It was at the behest of Boney Kapoor, who convinced themthatSridevi has very goodmarket in Hindi,that the makers decided to release the film in Hindi.

"We had hired three costume designers for Puli, but Sridevi insisted that we sign Manish Malhotra, and we paid him Rs.50 lakh.She also convinced us to pay Rs.8 lakh for the marketing designer for the film's Hindi version," read the statement.

The makers said they spent crores just for the sake of Sridevi. Despite doing so much, she didn't even come for the film's audio launch.

AND HEMA MALIN! WANTS BACKIN TOO

The pull ofthe arc lights, they are difficult to resist, they are!

AgingDream Girl Hema Malini has said she would like to direct again.

Hema's f rst Bollywood directorial was the1992 film Di/AashnaHai, after which she wielded the megaphone for the 2011box office dudTellMe 0

Kkhuda, whichfeatured her daughter Esha.

But since then, many women filmmakers likeZoyaAkhtar,Gauri Shinde, Farah Khan and Madhureeta Anand have come to the fore.

Talking about them, Hema said, "I am so happy that there are so many woman directors doing good films. If an opportunity comes, I would like to direct a film once again. Currently, Mathura is taking lot of my time."

Hema is currently a Member of Parliament from Mathura.

KAJOL:ALL FOR MYBETI

Kajol says her daughter Nysa convinced her to do Di/wale.

Making her comeback with Rohit Shetty's masala entertainer Kajol says Nysa convinced her to do an entertaining film rather than her usual tea1erkers.

"She was like, Mom, I'm tired of seeing you cry in your films, do somethingfun," she told reporters.

Thankfully, she remembered in time to switch her brain back on, and said, "Of course, first and foremost the script was really awesome, andthen Rohit and Shah Rukhtogether ."

She's either trying to do anAishwarya, who puts in a mention of daughter Aradhya every time she opens her mouth, or she's trying to do a Shah Rukh, whose own baby son AbRam has been dominating the pre-release publicity, what with all that pouting and that car-driving

WHATTWEETY

USTHIS WEEK

Birdtold

Can you match the tweetsto the stars who tweetedthem?

Karan Johar, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra,SRK

Myfirst nomination for#quantico. Only six episodes in. Let the voting begin Yours to love. From Team Di/wale Hope you like it.. http://bit.ly/ Dilwa/eTrailerForYou

AapSabhi Ko Prem Wali Diwali Mubarak Ho!

Before the #DILWALEmaniabegins! Here is the latest poutingDILWALA!!! #AbramKhan

What's NEIL NITIN MUKESH sayinghere?

What is the chitchat here between SHAHID KAPOOR and ALIA BHATT?

Shahid: Shaandaar indeed I'm so disappointed.

Alia: What are you talking about, dude?

Shahid: You haven't read the reviews, have you?

SanjaySingh BallaratVic Sanjaywinsa ticket to new release Prem Ratab Ohan Payo