CMYK MONDAY, APRIL 08, 2013
Meditation helps Evan Rachel relax
Amitabh Bachchan finds working therapeutic
LOS ANGELES: Actress Evan Rachel Wood has asserted that meditation helps her relax, gives her a sense of calm and keeps anxiety at bay in her hectic life. The 25-year-old, who is expecting her first child with husband Jamie Bell, insisted that she began meditating when she was just 12 and has now started doing yoga too, Contactmusic reported. The 'Little Secrets' star added that in the movie business, it's easy to get caught up in the anxiety of it all, so she likes to take time to sit and breathe by the ocean and there's something so calming about it that it puts everything into perspective. She further added that dancing is another way for her to clear her mind. -SHOWBIZ DESK
MUMBAI: He might be 70 but megastar Amitabh Bachchan likes to be occupied with work and hopes that he stays busy always. Amitabh Bachchan, who is currently shooting Prakash Jha's next film Satyagraha in Bhopal, said work has a "therapeutic" effect on him. "The sun sets again and another day of turmoil comes to an end. The work is the place that I would like to be always. It is almost like a balm across an aching forehead - therapeutic. Work dissects me from the daily and hourly burdens, that man carries, perhaps right to his grave," he posted on his blog. The actor also said working gives him satisfaction in life. "The atmosphere around a unit at work is intoxicating. There is always ofcourse the feel of being aware of all about. Not just the place of work, but also matters that concern us individually. Mostly those that remain in the realm of domesticity. It is impossible to be in a situation of enactment, when thoughts and mind are occupied elsewhere," he added. Bachchan is also gearing up for the release of his Hollywood debut project The Great Gatsby, which will release on May 10.-SHOWBIZ DESK
Why Pakistani models want to become ultra-thin SHOWBIZ DESK KARACHI: Pakistani women models have revealed that it's the designers and photographers who are pressurizing them to lose weight. Designers all over the world usually use size zero mannequins to make clothes and then want the same effect on the ramp. The scenario results in a model's
ultimate desire: becoming railthin. Model Fayezah Ansari, who recently came clean on her drug addiction, said if the clothes don't fit, then designers get upset, News Track India reported. A former model, who chose not to be named, revealed that drug abuse is the biggest problem in the Pakistani fashion world. She stated that drugs are used to dehydrate the body and kill
appetite. "Real men don't want skeletons, it's the other men [photographers and designers] in the industry who want to transform a girl into a stick. They pressurize women to become ultra-thin," she said, referring to photographers, make-up artists and designers who create outfits for unrealistic models. The industry is cutthroat, she said, adding that models opt for
tummy-tucks, full body liposuction and most have eating disorders. Model Nadia Hussain said it's not the girls who criticize each other about weight; it's the designers and photographers. She said designers and photographers force them to lose weight and revealed that some models will starve themselves or throw-up to get the perfect figure.
VANCOUVER: Aishwarya Rai with her husband, Abhishek Bachchan walked the red carpet for first TOIFA awards. The couple performed for the first time after the birth of their daughter Aaradhya.
Republican lawmakers seek details Michael Jackson feared Barfi! wins top honours at TOIFA being shot on-stage SHOWBIZ DESK on Beyonce, Jay Z Cuba trip SHOWBIZ DESK
LONDON: Two Republican members of Congress have asked the US Treasury Department for information on what type of license American pop star Beyonce and rapper husband Jay Z obtained for a highprofile trip to Cuba to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Beyonce and Jay Z celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary this week in Havana, where big crowds greeted them as they strolled hand in hand through the Cuban capital. They ate at some of the city's best restaurants, danced to Cuban music, walked through historic Old Havana and posed for pictures with admiring Cubans, who recognized them despite the past half-century of ideological conflict that separates the United States and Cuba. In a letter dated on Friday, U.S. Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, asked Adam Szubin, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, for "information regarding the type of license that Beyonce and Jay-Z received, for what purpose, and who approved such travel." Ros-Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart represent districts in south Florida where there is a high Cuban-American population. "Despite the clear prohibition against tourism in Cuba, numerous press
The 50-year-old musician had predicted his own death weeks before his fatal overdose.
reports described the couple's trip as tourism, and the Castro regime touted it as such in its propaganda," the letter said. "We represent a community of many who have been deeply and personally harmed by the Castro regime's atrocities, including former political prisoners and the families of murdered innocents." Representatives for Beyonce did not immediately respond for comment.
LONDON: Weeks before his actual death, King of Pop Michael Jackson had feared being shot on-stage while performing in a concert, says singers' close friend Jason Pfeiffer. The dermatologist also claimed that the 50-year-old musician had predicted his own death weeks before his fatal overdose that actually killed him, reported Sun Online. "The last time I saw him he was saying his goodbyes to everyone in the office. It was like he knew he was never coming back, and he would often say he thought he was going to be shot on stage," Pfeiffer said. Pfeiffer believes Jackson chose UK for his long-awaited stage return as he thought there was less chance of being gunned down there. "He said the comeback was in England due to the gun laws there. That's why he ditched a US comeback as people had access to guns here and would shoot him. He thought America was too dangerous," his office manager said. Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine overdose on June 25, 2009, after suffering from a cardiac arrest. -SHOWBIZ DESK
VANCOUVER: The story of a deaf and mute boy, ‘Barfi!’ turned out to be the top winner at the maiden edition of the Times of India Film Awards cornering the best film, best director, best actor and best actress trophies. At a glittering awards function, Anurag Basu picked up the best director award while Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra carried home the best actor and best actress trophies, respectively. Southern actress Ileana D'Cruz, who made her bow in Bollywood with ‘Barfi!’, won the best debut female award for her performance. The award for the best debut
Ileana D'Cruz receiving her award for debut female
male went to Ayushmann Khurrana for super hit ‘Vicky Donor’, in which he played a sperm donor. Rishi Kapoor won the best actor in a negative role trophy for "Agneepath". In the critics awards category, Gauri Shinde won the best debut director critics award for telling a heart-warming tale in ‘English Vinglish’, best actor female critics award went to Deepika Padukone for ‘Cocktail’; best actor male critics award was given to Irrfan for playing the steeplechase-runner turning into a dacoit in the ravines of the Chambal in ‘Paan Singh Tomar’. Anurag Kashyap-directed "Gangs of Wasseypur", a gritty celluloid saga of the coal mafia and blood thirsty vengeance, won the best film critics award.
Ranbir Kapoor's winning moment
Sound waves by Gohar Mumtaz I
t's been six years since Goher Mumtaz, the vocalist and lead guitarist of Pakistan-based band Jal, promoted an album in India. "Our last album Boondh was released in 2007 and the past six years have been spent on creating Pyaas," he says. Pyaas has 12 songs, including remixes of the group's new numbers Tanhai and Dil Harri. At a show at Hard Rock Cafe on Friday, Mumtaz and guitarist Shazi performed songs from Pyaas and popular hits such as Woh Lamhe and Aadat. The former also talked about love and loneliness, the band's cancelled gig in Mumbai, and why he is listening to Enrique Iglesias. Why did you title your new alum Pyaas? Because of our desire to produce good music for our fans. The name is also synonymous with the name of our band, Jal. There's a lot of heartbreak in your new album. The theme revolves around falling in love, rising up again from heartbreak, loneliness and the loss of love. Dil Harri, the new video of which has become popular on YouTube, is about losing your heart to someone when you are in love. This is also the first album that we have produced. The
album has a lot of fusion apart from the acoustic guitar, we have used the harmonium, tabla, percussions and Punjabi words. The line-up is different from when the band was formed in 2002. How did you deal with the departures of vocalists Atif Aslam and Farhan Saeed? I think what matter is the kind of music one produces. When Atif left, I wondered what to do after this. I just wanted to make sure we brought something new for music lovers. With Sajni and Moray Piya, which were big hits, we did just that. People will
follow you depending on what you do with music. Why was your Mumbai show called off last week? The official reason is that there were permission issues. We are sad and disappointed because Jal has a huge fan base in Mumbai. We are trying to come back next month to perform in Mumbai. What is the next project that you are working on? We are working on an album with Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias where we would be mixing our tracks with his. It will be out this year.