'Sex is the best workout'

NEW DELHI: Charismatic Koel Purie who's given laudable performance in movies like White Noise, Mixed Doubles and Nazar, loves to live life her own way. In this hot encounter, this free-spirited girl speaks out her mind. Read on...

Good girls go to heaven; bad girls go everywhere. Where would you go?
I would rather go everywhere and enjoy my life to the fullest!
Your view on skin show to get success.
For some people, ends justify the means. But one should never adopt one particular means to get something because then you're finished. For me, it is the journey that is important and I strongly believe in it.
Sex to you means...
The best workout!
Why do girls get attracted to wild/bad boys?
We all want to have all the things that we were told from our childhood not to have! Flirting with danger gives an ultimate kick and I guess that is why girls get attracted towards wild boys.
Are you pro-homosexuality?
It is a matter of personal choice. Each to his own!
What do you feel about live-in and pre-marital sex.
Live-in or pre-marital sex is no more a big issue these days. Commitment from heart is what is needed in any relationship. One gets to know the other better in a live-in relationship.One should know where to draw a line.Live-in is anyday a safer bet than getting married and leading a miserable life.
On exploitation of women in the industry.
It takes two to tango! One will get the treatment as per the treatment you give yourself. If you respect yourself and treat yourself with respect, no one would dare to exploit you. On the contrary, when you allow others to exploit you, how can you blame the others?
Nothing comes free?
Tell me one thing, who would want anything if everything came free?
Your oomph factor lies in…
My energy level and fashion!
More and more marriages are leading towards divorce now-a-days. What's your opinion?
The pace of life has changed our priorities. Marriage is not an end but the means to lead a happy life. Well, the choice is in one's hand. So stop blaming others.
Love to you means...
I am die-hard romantic person in reality. I live and love with just the idea of being in love. Love is truly inexplicable!!!

Porn star Jameson replaces Spears

NEW YORK: Pop queen Britney Spears has got more bad news as she has been replaced by porn star Jenna Jameson as the word's most popular celebrity. According to pagesix.com , Jameson has been awarded the title of 'No.1 Internet Peach' by Britain's magazine Zoo.

The magazine said: "The grand dame of adult entertainment owns a production company, is a New York Times best-selling author and has debated at Oxford University."

Sex drive linked to genes, says study

LONDON, May 31: Individual differences in human sexual desire can be attributed to genes, says a new finding that may help treat sexual disorders in future.

Researchers led by Richard P Ebstein, a professor of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, examined the DNA of 148 healthy male and female Israeli university students, reported science portal News-Medical.

When they compared the results, they found that common variations in the sequence of DNA impacted sexual desire, arousal and function and led to differences and diversity in the human sexual phenotype.

Little has been known about the biological basis for individual differences in normal, human sexual behaviour. Most significant variations in the expression of human sexuality are considered historically to be the result of learned behaviour or psychological problems.

But the new findings show that individual differences in human sexual desire are linked to genetic variations, which scientists believe could have an impact on people's understanding of their own sexuality as well as on the treatment of sexual disorders.

Oops! Negar is at it again!

CANNES: Oops! Negar Khan does it again! Well, the actress recently created a stir at the Cannes Film Festival when one of her breasts popped out of her sultry, strappy black dress. It seems wardrobe malfunctions and Negar have become synonymous. So, how many more slip-ups to come Negar?

Negar was in news last year when her top came off on ramp in Norway. The actress was deported from India in 2005 due some visa issues. She got married to actor Sahil Khan though they have parted ways now.

Evangelical group to preach value of virginity

LONDON, May 24: To inculcate the value of virginity and celibacy until marriage -- among the youth -- a six-week course has been devised by an Evangelical group to give Christian students the moral strength to fight sexual pressure.

Recently a survey stated that children as young as 12, under pressure to indulge in sex, are turning to alcohol to help them get through losing virginity. The course called Pure will be launched nationwide in the autumn after being piloted in 15 campuses. It will be run by the Evangelical University and College Christian Fellowship and will offer 65-minute sessions led by students in the hope of spreading the gospel of sexual abstinence before marriage.

The fellowship expects thousands of students to flock to the course, where they will be taught to ward off "evil thoughts" in the current culture of promiscuity. The course, believed to be the first of its kind, is somewhat like the Silver Ring Thing, an American scheme, in which teenagers are persuaded to wear a silver ring to show that they intend to remain celibate until they marry.

The director of the fellowship, Rev Richard Cunningham said that Pure was conceived when a Christian Union leader approached them saying was dismayed at the number of people going out with non-Christians.

Are you a virgin? Here's a deal

BERLIN, May 9: A brothel has become the first in Berlin to offer special deals for virgins with prostitutes trained in the delicate art of catering for customers who have never had sex, a German newspaper reported on Friday.

The brothel in the red light area of the Kreuzberg district of the city charges 60 euros for a half an hour of sex and works within the laws of Germany where prostitution is legal. "These are men who either never had sex before or have never been in a brothel before," the brothel's operator was quoted as saying in Berlin's B.Z. tabloid.

"It's the first house of love in Berlin that specializes in taking care of beginners," wrote the daily on its front page. Prostitutes are given "sensitivity training" for first-time clients, who the brothel operator said are not necessarily young but often 40 or older: "They need to be aware of how much courage it takes to go to a brothel the first time."

Katie Holmes is now 'mature' Kate

Hollywood actress Katie Holmes has dropped her 'girlish' name Katie in favour of a more 'mature' name Kate. The actor decided to alter her name after discussing it with fiancé Tom Cruise and concluded that Holmes would henceforth be known as Kate instead.

"Katie is a young girl's name," Contactmusic quoted Cruise, as saying."Her name is Kate now she's a child-bearing woman," he added. Holmes also converted to Scientology. and followed the Scientology friendly silent birth while giving birth to Suri and is determined to bring her up in the controversial religion.

Tania Zaetta sets ramp on fire

NEW DELHI: Hot Aussie beauty Tania Zaetta got many sweating at Neeta Bharagava's India Fashion Week show. With just a skimpy bikini beneath, the model was painted with gold and bronze from top to bottom. As Tania prowled like a cat on the ramp, the hottie had media drooling all over her after the show got over.

"I just enjoyed the experience. It took five hours to get my body painted with these colours and four people were occupied in doing the same. The feeling itself is so sexy and the concept was so unique that I wouldn't mind flaunting my booty again," quips Tania.

The sultry siren just about managed to rush into the restricted area, before she could get mobbed. The Autralian beauty shot to fame with an AXN show. She also has few Bollywood films (Bunty aur Babli and Salaam Namaste) to her credit.

India Fashion Week on target: Rathi Vinay Jha

NEW DELHI, April 4: Rathi Vinay Jha, often dubbed a one-woman army who has raised the India Fashion Week to a highly professional level, can't help smiling - the seventh edition of the event is heading for its Wednesday opening here like clockwork.

"Everything is going on schedule. We worked a lot on the planning and organisational aspects this time and this has helped us because the logistics are working out very well," said Jha, director general of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) that organises the event.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed because till it all happens, one should not speak. But I have a feeling we are going to be very much on time to take on the event. In fact, till the last event, we used to hand over the stalls to designers hardly 24 hours before the event. Last year, we were even more late," Jha said. This time it will be earlier, she said.

The event will be known as the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WLIFW) from this year with hospitality major ITC coming on board as the principal sponsor. One MSA (main show area - the runway and its attendant props) is coming up inside the huge ballroom of The Grand hotel where the event is being held.

Outside, another MSA is being replicated under a sprawling black marquee. This will enable the staging of eight fashion shows a day - a staggering 40 during the five-day event that runs till Sunday.

"Having the second ramp's been good because this gives us a little more breathing space. All this has led to a much bigger event and therefore, much more expenditure," Jha stated, citing a confidentiality clause against naming a figure. Opposite the MSA marquee is another of equal size that will function as the trade area.

"We are evolving. And each year, we are learning by whatever did not happen the previous year. I think we've learnt out lessons, the experience has been fantastic. Therefore, we are more prepared," said a confident Jha. "I must say every designer has complimented us on the arrangements this time. Everyone seems to be very happy," she added.

The twin runways apart, WLIFW will also see other significant changes. "Our guidelines have gone beyond designers this time to choreographers as also the other talent teams," Jha said. "The designer docket is what we give every year to designers covering all the dos and the don'ts, what to expect and what not to expect and if they want to do anything more than what is in the guidelines, how they should approach us and ask us."

For example, she said, "a lot of designers want to have fancy props. Most understandable, but very often, we have to say no. For example, last year, someone wanted to have candles and we had to say no because of the safety requirements. Now, very often, we look at what is happening, what they want and we try to see whether they can do it in the time limit we are giving them," Jha explained.

J.Lo shares her beauty secrets

WASHINGTON: Disclosing the secret of her gorgeous looks, actress-singer Jennifer Lopez has surely given all women in their mid-thirties some hope on how to stay young and beautiful for their husbands.

The superstar has revealed that her beauty regime is basic and she rates rest as the main reason she still looks fantastic at 36. Since this comes without any pennies spent on luxurious spas, and other beauty enhancing treatments, women would most likely follow the star's beauty tips.

"Sleep is my weapon. I try to get eight hours a night. I think what works best is sleep, water - and a good cleanser," Contactmusic quoted her, as saying. Meanwhile, the actress also hasn't ruled out the possibility of going under the surgeon's knife in future, when her beauty starts to fade. "I don't really see myself having any. But I'm not at that point yet, so I don't know," she said.

Woo your lady with sex!

NEW YORK: Gone are the times when women became starry eyed if their lovers gifted them flowers, emotional cards or chocolates on Valentine's Day. A new poll suggests that ladies today prefer to move straight to the bedroom and forego all the nuances of a mushy courtship.

More than 52 per cent of American women said they wanted to have sex on the most romantic day of the year, according to a survey sponsored by a condom company. While 45 per cent were looking for a greeting card, 41 per cent were hoping for flowers and a surprisingly low 30 per cent counting on chocolates. Only 27 per cent of women were angling for jewellery and one in 10 held out for sexy lingerie, reports the New York Daily News.

The craving for some Valentine's Day action was highest among younger women, with 76 per cent of those 18 to 34 saying they wanted sex, compared with just 24 per cent of those older than 55, according to the poll, paid for by LifeStyles condoms.

Payal Rohatgi and Virendra Sehwag together

NEW DELHI: The unusual pairing of Payal Rohatgi and Virendra Sehwag will be seen onscreen soon. The duo recently shot for an ad for Dabur's Lal Dantmanjan. It has been directed by Pradeep Sarkar of Parineeta fame.

Payal will shed her glam girl image for the ad and will be seen in a whole new avatar of a village belle. In the ad, Sehwag goes to a mela and sees Payal chewing sugarcane with her teeth. Her teeth are strong as a result of using Dabur's Lal Dantmanjan.

Sarkar feels that the on screen chemistry between Payal and Sehwag is great. Talking about her experience, Payal thought that Sehwag was a thorough gentleman.

Sex.com website sells for whopping $12 m

San Francisco: In one of the biggest sales of a website name, sex.com has changed hands for $12 million, its new owners say.

The group of Boston-based investors Tuesday said they plan to use the instantly recognisable name to create 'a market-leading adult entertainment destination by offering compelling, next-generation web interaction experiences'.

The site was owned by a web entrepreneur who also founded the online dating site match.com. The deal is the highest price ever paid for an Internet domain name, easily beating the previous high of $7.5 million paid for the domain name business.com in 1999.

Now, operate your iPod from jeans pocket

LOS ANGELES: Call it the 21st Century watch pocket. Denim giant Levi Strauss said on Tuesday it had designed jeans compatible with the iPod music player, featuring a joystick in the watch pocket to operate the device.

The Levi's RedWire DLX Jeans for men and women, which will be available this fall, also have a built-in docking cradle for the iPod and retractable headphones. Pricing was not immediately available.

Apple Computer Inc's iPod is the No. 1 digital music player. The company on Tuesday attributed a 63% jump in holiday quarter sales in part to the iPod's popularity and said 42 million of the devices have been sold to date.

Levi's is not the first company to feature iPod-friendly apparel, although it may be the first to make iPod-compatible jeans. Haute couture fashion houses began featuring pricey iPod carrying cases after the device's 2001 launch, while outdoor company Burton Snowboards unveiled what it called the first iPod-compatible waterproof snowboarding jacket in 2003. Last fall, Kenpo launched men's jackets selling at Macy's featuring iPod controls on the sleeve.

Pirelli Calender

PARIS, Nov 21: The 2006 Pirelli calendar is already making waves. Top brands from the fashion and film world including Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen, actress and singer Jennifer Lopez of the US, British supermodel Kate Moss and Russian model Natalia Vodianova modelled for the 2006 Pirelli calendar in Cap d'Antibes in France in these undated handout images released by Pirelli. The 2006 calendar from the Italian tyre firm Pirelli was launched in Paris on Friday.

Motherhood made Madonna's music

WASHINGTON, Nov 27: Music may be the the sound of life for many, but for pop queen Madonna, motherhood is the way to music, creativity and even success.

People may call her Material Girl, but for her kids she is a mum full of the nectar of love. She says it is her affection for her children that helped her learn so many things in life and boosted her creativity.The mother of two - Lourdes, nine, and Rocco, five - claims being a mother has enriched her life so much that her music wouldn't be as good without it.

"My work probably wouldn't be as good (if I didn't have kids). Having children made me go down a road of serious introspection and self-examination. I think it's informed and hopefully enhanced my creativity," Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

Where girls are married by age 10

JAIPUR, Nov 26: India has the lowest average age of marriage in the world and around 15 per cent girls are married by the age of 10 despite socio-economic curbs, a report says.

The practice of child marriage had been continuing in the country despite the minimum age for marriage being raised to 21 years for boys and 18 for girls and the offences being deemed cognisable, the report presented at the national workshop of the Rural Health Mission in Jaipur said.

It said Rajasthan had the lowest median age of marriage in the country and "this tradition is ingrained in its culture, which has an adverse effect on the life and health of the girl."

Rajasthan's Health Minister Digambar Singh said child marriages in rural areas of the state could not be contained unless the literacy level among the women increased.

He asked NGOs and social organisations to propagate the ill-effects of early marriage by changing the mindset and create awareness among the rural people.

Child and Women Welfare Minister Kanak Mal Katra said the state government had already launched a campaign to educate the people in this regard and the results were encouraging.

Now, women can sniff on their libidos: Study

NEW YORK, Nov 18: A new drug that enhances sexual behavior in women, with just a snort from a nasal inhaler, could give women their very own version of the male Viagra,according to Canadian scientists.

"The bottom line is that women have been really shortchanged," The New York Daily News quoted Laura Berman, Ph.D., author of The Passion Prescription: Ten Weeks to Your Best Sex - Ever! as saying. "Hopefully, this will be another option for women with physiologically based sexual dysfunction."

"There's nothing in the arsenal now to treat female sexual dysfunction," Jim Pfaus, a researcher at Concordia University in Montreal who is working on PT-141, told the BBC. "That's one of the things that's really promising about this drug," she added.

PT-141 is a copy of the hormone that stimulates the melanocyte-receptors in the brain that play a role in sexual arousal. In lab trials, female rats exposed to PT-141 immediately began seeking out male rats for sex. Women who took part in trials told New York magazine that within minutes they felt a "tingling and a throbbing" along with "a strong desire to have sex."

Even men revealed that a snort made them feel "younger and more energetic" as well as randy. PT-141 is being developed by Palatin Technologies, a New Jersey-based drugmaker. The company expects it'll take up to three more years before the drug goes to market.

Jackson does his make-up in ladies room

DUBAI, Nov 18: Rock star Michael Jackson has stirred a small controversy in the United Arab Emirates by entering the ladies room in a shopping mall.

His publicist said Jackson, who arrived in Dubai this week as the guest of a champion rally driver, did not understand the Arabic sign on the door and left the bathroom as soon as he realised his mistake. But local newspapers reported that the 47-year-old performer was spotted applying make-up in the women's toilets in a Dubai mall.

Jackson's host, Mohammed bin Sulayem, dismissed the story as rumour. "People are always interested in gossip and in portraying a negative image of(Jackson)," bin Sulayem said on Tuesday. The reality is that he's an easy person to be with, not demanding and not difficult."

In a statement late Tuesday, Jackson's publicist, Washington-based Bain and Associates, said: "Mr Jackson mistakenly entered a ladies room in Dubai, labelled in Arabic, during an outing with friends. Upon realising his mistake, he quickly exited."

"Upon his exit, he was recognised and a crowd ensued. He had to wait in a nearby bookstore until police arrived to escort him through the crowd," the statement said. Bin Sulayem said Jackson was considering buying property in Dubai. This week's visit is his second after a stay in August.

Victoria's Secret show back on runway after hiatus

NEW YORK, Nov 11: The Victoria's Secret fashion show staged an exuberant return on Wednesday evening as the lingerie retailer brought back its sexually-charged runway extravaganza for the first time in two years.

The fashion show, a multimillion dollar televised showcase of lacy titillation, was scrapped last year amid a wave of broadcasting modesty that followed singer Janet Jackson's breast-baring Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction" in 2004.

The show was filmed for broadcast December 6 on CBS television, which carried the event for two years before the hiatus and drew only modest viewership.

Wednesday's event was held at the New York State Armory in Manhattan, the streets surrounding the building were packed with long lines of hopeful fans, some of whom were turned away.

The standing-room only crowd eyed celebrity supermodels including Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum making her first appearance after giving birth decked out in the latest over-the-top Victoria's Secret designs.

The runway was decorated as a holiday toy room, with giant pink teddy bears emblazoned with Sexy Little Bear, supersized gift boxes, candy canes and alphabet building blocks.

The models pranced down the runway in holiday-themed lingerie that an R-rated elf might wear, such as a tiny Santa skirt with feather trim, fur-trimmed stiletto boots. Other items included a feather plume bustle, an embroidered bra and a fishnet thong with Swarovski crystals.

Unlike a typical runway show where models wear stony pouts, the models walking the runway were smiling and lip-syncing to the music. They closed the show by lining up at the top of the runway, dancing and embracing one another.

The show opened with jazz musician Chris Botti playing the trumpet. Singers Seal and Ricky Martin also performed.The crowd cheered the musicians and supermodels, especially Heidi Klum and Tyra Banks, who has been focusing on her new career as a talk-show host and television producer.

The show's return comes as Victoria's Secret parent company, Limited Brands Inc, is trying to revive investor interest. Shareholders of the retailer, which also operates Bath & Body Works, Limited, and Express, have suffered a disappointing year so far.

The Columbus, Ohio-based company said earlier this week it is planning a business overhaul, which including an overhaul of its beauty products division, and introducing more high-end apparel.

Asians have least active sex lives!

SINGAPORE, Nov 8: Stressed out Asians have the least active sex lives globally with India and eight other countries from the region making up to the bottom ten in terms of love-making, condom maker Durex said on Tuesday. Japan was at bottom of the list of 41 countries and territories covered by this year's Durex survey.

Japanese had sex at an average of 45 times annually, less than half the global average of 103 and far behind that of Greece which topped the poll with 138 romps a year. Singaporeans ranked second-last with 73. Indians (75), Indonesians (77), Hong Kong residents (78), Malaysians (83), Vietnamese (87), Taiwanese (88) and China (96 times a year) were the other Asians ranked as having the lowest libido.

In second place behind Greece was Croatia with 134 times a year, followed by Serbia and Montenegro at 128 times. Britons were more fired up than the Americans, having sex 118 times a year compared with 113 for the United States, but the French were more amorous still with 120. The Swedes were the only non-Asians in the bottom ten, with 92 love-making sessions a year. The Thais had sex 97 times a year.

The stress of living in fast-paced Asia, home to some of the world's fastest growing economies, could be the reason why couples make love less, Durex said. "If you look in fact at the East Asian economies, they are the ones that are moving faster," Cesar Balota, Durex country manager for Singapore and Indonesia told reporters. More than 317,000 people took part in Durex's ninth annual survey on sexual attitudes and behaviour.

Racy sex festival reveals all!

BEIJING, Nov 8: More than 50,000 people flocked to the opening day of a racy sex festival in southern China in a sign the conservative nation is shedding its sexual taboos, state media reported on Monday.

The three-day event, which began on Saturday in the southern province of Guangzhou, featured lingerie shows and adult toy exhibitions as experts and local authorities sought to convey information about the dangers of unsafe sex. "Holding this festival shows the mainland is open and bold about sex," said Xu Tianmin, president of the China Sexology Association, a sponsor of the Third (Guangzhou) Sex Culture Festival, according to the China Daily.

Other cities are planning similar festivals. Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province in north China, is next in line to host such an event, the paper said. Experts worry that sex education in China has fallen behind over the past 25 years as economic development changed people's attitudes about sex.

In one of many recent studies, the average age of first sexual experience for most Chinese had dropped to 18 from 22 only a few years ago, the newspaper said, citing a survey by global condom manufacturer Durex. Xu said a lack of classroom education and general ignorance about safe sex was one reason that HIV/AIDS and venereal diseases were spreading in China.

The government estimates China has 840,000 HIV-positive cases, although a new survey is now being carried out. About 30 per cent have been infected through unsafe sex, and that figure has been rising steadily, prompting calls from health experts for 100-per cent condom use programs throughout China.

The United Nations has warned that China may be on the brink of an AIDS epidemic, with potentially 10 million HIV-positive people by the end of the decade.

'Eternal lovers' in sexual union for 65 mn years!

LUCKNOW, Nov 4: This was no one-night stand. Scientists in India say they have discovered two fossils fused together in sexual union for 65 million years.

The findings were published in the October edition of the Indian journal Current Science, which said it was the first time that sexual copulation had been discovered in a fossil state, according to a news agency.

But voyeurs will need a microscope to view the eternal lovers. The fossils are tiny swarm cells, a stage in the development of the fungus myxomycetes, also known as slime molds. The cells reproduce by "fusing," Ranjeet Kar of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany in Lucknow reportedly said. Once the cells fuse, long, threadlike appendages known as flagella, are lost, he said.

Finding the fossils in a fused position and with their flagella shed, is evidence that the two cells were having sex, Kar said. "The sexual organs being delicate and the time of conjugation short lived, it is indeed rare to get this stage in the fossil state," the study said. The cells were discovered in a nine-meter (30-foot) deep dry well in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Jolie's latest tattoo says 'Know Your Rights'!

LONDON, Oct 28: "Know Your Rights" are the latest words etched across the back of stunning Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie. The Tomb Raider star, who has 11 tattoos in total, including a large Asian tiger on her back and a black cross on her left hip, showed off the new tattoo at the New York bash for the Worldwide Orphans Foundation.

According to femalefirst, she is an avid supporter of the charity and is set to become a representative of the foundation. Earlier this year, it was reported Angelina wanted to have the names of her two adopted children - son Maddox and daughter Zahara - tattooed on her back. She was also allegedly planning a bunny, which represents her boyfriend Brad Pitt's Chinese birth year, on her butt.

I hate guns, yells new Bond daniel Craig

LONDON, Oct 27: Daniel Craig may have bagged the coveted role of James Bond but the actor is no gadget flaunting gun weilding fellow in real life, in fact he has revealed that he hates guns.

"I hate handguns. Handguns are used to shoot people and as long as they are around, people will shoot each other,"Craig was quoted by OK magazine, as saying.

"That's a simple fact. I've seen a bullet wound and it was a mess. It was on a shoot and it scared me. Bullets have a nasty habit of finding their target and that's what's scary about them," he added.

And Craig is not the only Bond who hates guns, Roger Moore, who played the superspy from 1973 to 1985, said after quitting the role that he hated 'that awful pose' of Bond with his gun which has become an iconic movie image, reports the Sun.

The actor later became an ambassador for children's charity UNICEF and declared: "Today I am completely opposed to small arms and what they can do to children. "I played every role tongue-in-cheek because I don't really believe in that sort of hero. I don't like guns."

Craig was unveiled earlier this month as the successor to Pierce Brosnan, also doesn't share Bond's love of Martinis 'shaken not stirred'.
The 37-year-old also admitted "I love a Martini straight up," He will play a tougher, grittier 007 in Casino Royale, which is based on Ian Fleming's first Bond book. The movie is due for release in November next year.

Gulshan Grover to play villain in new Bond film

LONDON, Oct 27: Bollywood's famous villain Gulshan Grover has been cast as the baddie opposite Daniel Craig in the next James Bond movie, Casino Royale.

Grover, 50, a veteran who has essayed several memorable roles in Hindi films, will play the role of Le Chiffre in the film based on Ian Fleming's first James Bond book by the same name. Grover said "to be in Casino Royale would be a real honour to me and my country."

Shooting for the Bond film is due to begin in Prague in February 2006. Grover said although he had commitments around that time, he would drop everything else, if required, to act in the film.

He told the Evening Standard: "In India the character of the villain is so integral to our storytelling. I have always enjoyed playing memorable 'bad men' and which villains are more memorable than Bond villains such as Blofeld from You Only Live Twice and Scaramanga from The Man With The Golden Gun?

Grover added: "I have played so many negative characters in my time that people in India are often too scared to talk to me." Grover will be the first Indian to act in a Bond film since tennis star Vijay Amritraj and Kabir Bedi played important roles in Octopussy (1983). He has featured in several films outside India including Beeper (2002), a thriller starring Harvey Keitel.

Grover met Prince Charles at Clarence House on Tuesday night and later said: "It was great to meet the prince. He is a man I have much admiration for."

Semi-naked Pamela can be on your phone card!

SHANGHAI (China), Oct 12: A year after raising the censors' hackles with bus stop ads, Pamela Anderson's nearly naked image is returning to China on phone cards telling people not to buy fur. The Canadian-born actress appears topless with her back to the is returning camera and an arm partly hiding her right breast behind the slogan ""Give fur the cold shoulder."

Behind her, an image of falling snow appears above Chinese characters reading "Cold shoulders are nothing compared to the pain they feel," and "Please don't wear fur."

Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said it and government-owned China Telecom have printed 70,000 of the cards, a toned-down version of Anderson's bus and train stop ads that were altered three times to reduce the amount of skin on show before being approved for public display.

PETA says China has become the leading fur producing nation, but no laws cover how rabbits, foxes and other animals are raised and killed. A recent undercover investigation found animals raised in squalid conditions and killed in brutal ways, including having their pelts removed while still breathing, it says. "The people of China deserve to know about the immense suffering of animals killed for their fur," Anderson as quoted as saying in a PETA statement.

"Once people know that animals are electrocuted, drowned, bludgeoned to death and sometimes skinned alive, they realize fur is disgusting and that there's nothing luxurious or fashionable about it," she said. The former Baywatch star and ex-wife of Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee is a longtime PETA supporter.

British women say knickers to g-strings

LONDON, Oct 12: British women are deserting g-strings in favour of more substantial undergarments, while bra sales are busting all expectations as ladies grow larger.

Consumer research group Mintel said on Wednesday that spending on thongs has fallen 14 percent since 2003, meaning that the minimalist undies on show above waistbands everywhere now account for fewer than one in four of women's undergarments sold on the 388 million-pound ($684 million) UK knickers market.

Instead, women are opting for boy shorts, maxi pants or French knickers, Mintel suggested, adding that the "control bottom" sector was also in good shape. "The popularity of trousers was largely responsible for the dominance of the thong, which originally had the practical purpose of avoiding a visible panty line," Mintel said in its landmark survey "Bras and Pants in the UK".

"But there has been something of a backlash against this style which is now often seen as uncomfortable, unflattering and for some, a bit on the brash side," it added.

Who will be Miss Earth 2005?

PHILLIPINES, Oct 10: Eighty beauties from across the globe are in Philippines, fighting for the much coveted Miss Earth title. Here are facts about some:

Miss India: Niharika Singh: She is the proverbial beauty with brains. Singh passed her class XII exams with a smashing 82 per cent and is an avid reader who is greatly inspired by Ayn Rand's work.

The ethereal beauty has fashion and beauty in her blood. Her mother runs a fashion istitute in Delhi. She feels close to nature. Social work, too, beckons her. Her connection with an NGO has hardened her resolve to share the miseries of the unfortunate.

Miss Brazil: It is difficult for any Brazilian to be not hot and Isabella Chaves is no exception. If the 22-year-old wins, she'll be the second one to take the title home. The 5'7" tall babe was very busy during the last few days and has made sure her body is in top shape.

Miss Australia: Ann-Maree Bowdler, 19 , 5'7", is used to winning. Model Quest 2004 winner, she also won the 'Best in Swim wear Miss Philippines/Australia 2003' award. According to her, forest destruction is the biggest problem our environment faces today. "Ozone depletion is another major issue. We only have one ozone layer we need to take care of it," she has been quoted as saying.

Miss Dominican: Here's another tall beauty. Amell Santana, 18, is 6'1". A student of accounting, she was the first runner up and won the Miss Photogenic Award at Miss Dominican Republic contest 2005. She was also the winner of the "Modelo Revelacion del año 2004". This Dominican Beauty is a professional model and has participated in national & international runways.

Courtney Love hits out at mom for tell-all book

LONDON, Oct 4: Troubled rocker Courtney Love has hit back at her mother Linda Carroll for claims in her book that the singer was a violent person and a drug and booze addict since her teens.

Carroll has penned a new tell-all "Her Mother's Daughter" which claims, among other things, that the troubled rocker started taking drugs at the age of four.

Pagesix.com quoted Love's representative as saying: "We find it astonishing, and profoundly depressing, that any mother would write a book containing numerous allegations about her own young daughter.

"This is especially true of Ms. Carroll, who abandoned her daughter when she was seven years old and whom Ms Love thus barely knows at all. We strongly suggest that the book be viewed for what it is, a work of vicious and greedy fiction."

Last month, Love, widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, was sentenced to 180 days in a live-in drug treatment facility after pleading guilty to violating her probation.

Tony Blair had his first kiss with a judge's daughter

LONDON, Oct 4: British Prime Minister Tony Blair had his first kiss with his schoolmate Amanda Hay, a judge's daughter nearly four decades ago it was revealed recently.

According to a report in The Sunday Telegraph, while Cherie Blair revealed the details of her first kiss at the Labour Party conference in Brighton last week, Amanda Hay, an independent film producer and a married mother of two, laughed off her school romance with Tony Blair. She, however, did not deny that she had been close to the Prime Minister.

"How would I know if I was the first girl to kiss him?" she giggled, according to the newspaper. Hay, 51, lives in a spacious, detached house on the outskirts of Oxford with her husband, Professor Michael Hay, who is deputy dean of the London Business School. However, she still remembers the Prime Minister as warmly and affectionately.

"I was his girlfriend. He was so bright, so engaging and very funny," she has said. "He could always get away with teasing the masters and, looking back, I suppose it was because he was cleverer than most of them. He was not really into politics at the time it was more Led Zeppelin and Cream but I was never surprised that he joined Labour. That was always there."

Asked whether she was still in contact with Blair, Hay said last night "No! No! No.! I have absolutely nothing to say on this subject." A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister was invited last week in Brighton to say when and where his first kiss took place, and with whom, but he declined to respond."

Hilton Says She's Not Ready for Marriage

LOS ANGELES, Oct 3: Paris Hilton said Saturday she ended her five-month engagement to a Greek shipping heir because she's not ready for marriage and didn't want it to end up in divorce.

The 24-year-old celebutante-turned-model broke off wedding plans with Paris Latsis, 22, because she didn't want to rush into marriage too quickly. "I have seen the breakups between people who love each other and rush into getting married too quickly," Hilton said in a statement. "I do not want to make that mistake."

The couple became engaged in the spring and Latsis gave the hotel heiress a 24 carat, $5 million diamond engagement ring. Hilton said she still loves Latsis and the pair will continue to work together on business endeavors and have "movies together in the works."

"I'm still young and still have a very active career that I'm not prepared to give up," she said. "I have worked very hard to get to where I am. Paris is a great guy and we will handle this with dignity and respect."

Erotic chat grounds for divorce?

BRUSSELS, Sept 29: Erotic talk with a virtual partner in chatrooms on the Internet are enough grounds for a spouse to file for divorce, a legal magazine said Wednesday, citing a recent ruling in Belgium.

Belgian legal publication De Juristenkrant said the Brussels Appeals Court ruled that although transcripts of the erotic chatroom conversation do not prove adultery, they do constitute proof of "grossly insulting behavior" which is sufficient grounds to file for divorce.

Most expensive bra and underwear: $15 million

In 2002, Victoria's Secret out-did all of their records and created a $15 million bra and underwear titled Red Hot Fantasy. This bra was made of 1,300 gemstones, including rubies and diamonds. Before this, they had launched a one of a kind bra and underwear set made of platinum, sapphires and diamonds.

The Star of Victoria Fantasy Bra is studded with a total of more than 2,500 carats of diamonds, sapphires, and other gemstones stones. The rose and leaf motif alone on the Star of Victora is made up of 320 carats. Its still up for sale for an easy $10 million!

Unseen Monroe photos exhibited in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Sept 17: Almost 30 previously unseen photographs of legendary US actress Marilyn Monroe went on display in a Barcelona gallery on Thursday, taken shortly before her death by photographer Arnold Newmann.

The 29 black and white originals, which will be on display at Barcelona's Hartmann Gallery until October 24 date from January 1962, when Monroe was attending a gathering at the Beverly Hills villa of Hollywood producer Henry Weinstein. Monroe is pictured surrounded by friends, including poet Carl Sandburg, in a series of stylised scenes.

Seven months later Monroe was dead, having taken an overdose of barbiturates according to a controversial official autopsy. Photo-journalist and portrait snapper Newmann, 84, immortalised various personalities from Picasso and Stravinsky to Bill Clinton and Francoise Sagan, for various publications including Life magazine.

Britney Spears gives birth to her first child

LOS ANGELES: The pop star Britney Spears gave birth to a healthy baby boy, entertainment websites have reported. The baby was delivered in a cesarean section shortly after 1 pm in Santa Monica at UCLA medical centre, according to US Weekly magazine's website.

Spears, 23, who rose to fame as a teenager, had said beforehand she was dreading the pain of childbirth and hinted she would opt for a cesarean, the website E!Online reported. A spokeswoman for Spears contacted by this agency however declined to confirm the reports.

It was Spears' first child with husband Kevin Federline, 27, a former backup dancer, who wed the star a year ago. Federline has two other children from a previous relationship with actress Shar Jackson. Since her marriage, Spears has broken with her manager and spoken about settling down to start a family in her lavish mansion on the California coast.

NY Fashion Week

NEW YORK: Model Galit Gutman with an 18K Gold Bra valued at $150,000 poses backstage at the Gottex Spring 2006 fashion show during Olympus Fashion Week at Bryant Park on September 9, 2005 in New York City.

Disney opens theme park in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Sept 13: Hong Kong Disneyland threw open its gates to the public Monday, marking Mickey Mouse's biggest push into China - a market the U.S. company hopes will flood the theme park with splurging tourists from the world's most populous nation.

With the pink Snow White Castle behind them, Disney executives and a senior Chinese leader celebrated the opening with musicians clanging cymbals, Chinese lion dancers prancing precariously on tall poles and fireworks bursting in the sky.

The ceremony ended with a parade of skipping Disney characters old and new: Mickey, Donald Duck, Mushu the dragon, Lilo and Winnie the Pooh.
Robert Iger, president of the Walt Disney Co., said it was exciting being part of China's future. "As millions discover the wonders of Hong Kong and China - one of the most rapidly growing travel destinations in the world - the future is indeed bright," he said. Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong called the park, "Hong Kongers' eternal carnival."

Hundreds of visitors lined up outside the park's gate, waiting to get in amid muggy, sweltering heat. Michael Kuzma, of Celebration, Fla., began queuing up a day early and was first in line. "I think for over 50 years, the American people have experienced the happiness of Disney theme parks. I hope the people of China can enjoy the happiness," the 36-year-old consultant said.

The attraction and its two resort hotels are surrounded by mountains on lush Lantau Island, just 30 minutes away by subway from bustling central Hong Kong. It looks much like the first Disneyland in California, with a Space Mountain thrill ride, a classic Cinderella Carousel and Sleeping Beauty Castle - which Disney predicts will be one of the most photographed buildings in Asia.

Hong Kong's government - the biggest investor in the $3.5 billion park - says the attraction will help turn this global financial capital into Asia's best family holiday spot. Disney hopes the park, the 11th in its global empire, will be a magnet for increasingly wealthy Chinese tourists, who have a reputation for being big-spenders.

Iger, president of Walt Disney Co., has said the Hong Kong park is a "first big step" in expanding the company's reach into China, where generations have grown up with little or no familiarity with Mickey Mouse.

Iger said the park would create a media buzz and word-of-mouth excitement that would ignite interest in Disney films, TV shows and other products. Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television broadcast the Disneyland opening live to viewers across China. Michael Eisner, Disney's chief executive officer, said China and Disneyland will be a perfect match because they both value families.

"You go to the park and you see mothers, daughters and kids and grandparents. The family unit in China is unbelievably strong. It's not just Hong Kong, it's mainland China," Eisner said.

An hour before Monday's opening ceremony, a small crowd of labor, human rights and anti-Disney activists gathered outside the park's front gate, chanting "No Conscience" and "Evil Mickey." They were protesting alleged labor abuses at factories making Disney products in China. Disney has said it's investigating the claims.

Hong Kong and Disney struck a deal to build the park in 1999 - just two years after the former British colony returned to Chinese rule. The city had been battered by the Asian financial crisis, and desperately needed a new project to boost its spirits and troubled economy. Disneyland says it employs 5,000 people and will draw 5.6 million visitors in its first year.

So far, the biggest complaint among some of the thousands who got a sneak peak at the park during a soft opening period has been that Hong Kong Disneyland is too small. It's Disney's smallest park at about 100 acres. The entire attraction - including the two hotels - is 298 acres, and there's room to expand to nearly 500 acres. Chinese tourist Zhang Wei predicted the park would be a big hit with the mainland Chinese.

"Disney has a big name and it will definitely attract people and be a success," said the 38-year-old businessman from Beijing as he finished watching the daily parade of floats carrying a waving Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland and Buzz Lightyear.

Hong Kongers have a reputation for being brusque and unsmiling, but the Disneyland staff - including cleaners and guards - have been trying to master the Disney tradition of giving guests a warm smile and hello.

Britney to screen baby birth for Katrina victims!

Pop star Britney Spears is reportedly planning to film the birth of her baby for the next series of her reality TV show Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, and will donate the fund raised to victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.

The US TV networks are locked in a bidding war to raise a sum which could tempt Britney to share her intimate moment, with some offers reportedly hitting 9 million dollars.

Despite previously rejecting the idea, the singer is now reconsidering, as her one move can save the lives of hundreds of victims of the natural disaster.

"Britney has been horrified by what has happened in new Orleans, she's a good Louisiana girl and she loves her home state. She's not particularly keen on filming the birth, but with all this talk of money she had to stop and think about what she could do with it. All she's concerned about is that the programme is tastefully done and she gets her privacy," femalefirst quoted a source as saying to the Daily Star.

Club owner held for threatening Karisma's hubby

New Delhi, Sept 1: Delhi Police have arrested a Mumbai club owner suspected of sending an e-mail demanding Rs 50 crore from Karisma Kapoor's estranged husband Sanjay Kapur.

The threatening e-mail was sent on August 25 and Kapur complained to the police the next day. A case of extortion and criminal intimidation was registered. The sender allegedly posed as Sameer Kulkarni and asked Kapur to get in touch with "gangster" Ravi Bhai Pujari.

Police identified the IP address of the computer from which the e-mail was sent and traced it to suburban Mulund in Mumbai. A team of special cell officers was sent there.

"Our officers were able to track down the cyber cafe in Mulund (West) and the computer through which the e-mail was sent," Karnal Singh, Joint Commissioner, Special Cell, said.

The cyber cafe owner was questioned and records of customers using the cafe on August 25 checked. It appears the computer from which the e-mail was sent was used by Raj Kumar Wazir Chand Vazirani, owner of Royal King Club situated in 2 Sri Niwas Building, Zever Road, Mulund (West). Raj Kumar had used the same computer the previous day and on August 22, Singh said.

A quick check with local police revealed that the club owner has been involved in extortion and impersonation cases. In one instance, Kumar allegedly posed as a customs officer and tried to extort money from air passengers. Police say he has also been caught extorting money from train travellers.

The club owner has allegedly been extorting money from locals, but no one dared complain against him, Delhi Police officers said. "He was also wanted in a CBI case but the details are awaited," the joint commissioner said.

The special cell team questioned regular users of the internet cafe who confirmed that Kumar was at the cafe between 1 pm and 1.35 pm, as the cafe's register shows.

At first the club owner tried to duck questions and said he was innocent but he eventually confessed to having sent the e-mail. "Though Raj Kumar had a computer and internet facility, he used the cyber cafe to send the threatening email," a police officer said.

Singh said Kumar would be asked if he knew gangster Ravi Pujari and why he threatened Kapur. Police have seized the hard disk of the computer from which the e-mail was sent as well as the club owner's computer.

Swazi girls end chastity rite meant to fight AIDS

MBABANE (Swaziland), Aug 26: Thousands of girls gathered on Tuesday to burn their tassels of chastity, some celebrating the end of a rite scorned as archaic and ineffective, but others saying they felt vulnerable without the badges donned in hopes of stopping AIDS. Swaziland's King Mswati III, Africa's last absolute monarch, announced last week that he was abandoning the "umchwasho" rite banning sexual relations for girls younger than 18.

Tuesday's bonfire marked the official end. Experts said the ban on teen sex had little impact on slowing the AIDS rate in Swaziland, where 42.6 percent of pregnant women are infected with the virus _ one of the highest rates in the world. The king himself was accused of flouting umchwasho when he chose a 17-year-old as his ninth wife in 2001. His aides, though, argued the ban was designed to discourage casual relationships, not marriage.

Mswati reinstated the ancient rite for five years in 2001. The move was ridiculed as old-fashioned and unfairly focused on girls. With criticism mounting, Mswati decided to end the ban a year early. During the ban, Swazi girls were instructed to wear tasseled scarfs as a symbolic badge of virginity. If an umchwasho girl was approached for sex by a man, she was expected to throw her tassels at his homestead, obliging his family to forfeit a cow. Monday, girls arrived at the queen mother's residence at Ludzidzini singing: "Saphose safa ngumchwasho" _ loosely translated as: "We were sick and tired of umchwasho." They dropped the tassels in a heap for Tuesday's bonfire, and bathed in a river in a ritual intended to purge the bad omens associated with wearing the tassels.

The abandonment of the rite comes days before the annual reed dance ceremony at which Mswati traditionally picks a new bride from thousands of young girls who appear before him dressed in little more than beads and traditional skirts.

Nkonto Dlamini, head of a traditional regiment made of unmarried girls, said Mswati is expected to send them to gather the reeds used to build wind breakers for the queen mother's compound Wednesday. When they return, there will be dancing on Sunday and Monday, which has been declared a public holiday in Swaziland.

Over 20,000 Swazi girls have registered to take part in the reed dance, with more expected to come from the Zulu kingdom in neighboring South Africa.

At 36, Mswati already has 12 wives, one bride-to-be and 27 children. His late father, King Sobhuza II, who led the country to independence from Britain in 1968, had more than 70 wives.

Hilton-Latsis split?

LONDON, Aug 24: Hotel heiress and socialite Paris Hilton has reportedly split from her fiance shipping heir, Paris Latsis because he apparently didn't tell his parents they were getting married.

According to Femalefirst, the sexy reality TV star was incensed, when she threw a lavish party several weeks ago to celebrate their upcoming nuptials, only to discover that her handsome lover hadn't told his wealthy Greek parents about their engagement.

"It was like a bad scene out of Meet The Parents. Two of the world's richest families meet to celebrate their kids' engagement, but one set of parents knows nothing about it," a source was quoted by The News of the World. Friends say Latsis will have to do "a lot of grovelling" if he wants Hilton back.

Earlier this month, Latis's father, Grigoris Kasidokostas, confessed his 22-year-old son hadn't discussed the wedding with him." "If he hasn't discussed this with his own father, how serious could it be? That should tell you the whole story. My son is much too young to even consider a subject like marriage," the source added.

'Bigamous' Britney has another husband!

LONDON, Aug 24: Britney Spears could well be a bigamist if TV presenter Richard Bacon is to be believed. Twenty nine year old Bacon, a DJ on 95.8 Capital FM, has said that he legally wed Britney, while interviewing her in a hotel room for Channel 4's The Big Breakfast, reports The Daily Mail.

He said that the Britney even signed a marriage certificate with his name on it. He said that under such circumstances his marriage to Britney was still legally binding and her later marriage to Kevin was void.

"It was the first time she'd told anyone she'd split with Justin Timberlake and I had a bit of plan, as I had hoped to get the admission out of her about the split. I had a vicar waiting round the corner with a real marriage certificate. I went down on one knee in front of her and said 'would you marry me?' and she said 'hey sure'," the paper quoted Bacon as telling to listerners on the radio programme.

"So I signalled to the vicar, the vicar walked in with the real marriage certificate. I signed it, she signed it... vicar pronounces us married. Obviously the interview concluded and the cameras packed up. I walked off with the marriage certificate down the corridor when this massive security guard came hurtling after me, took it out of my hand and tore it up as he realised what I'd done and that it was legally binding," he said.

"You can't just get rid of it by tearing it up, which means I actually could still be legally married to Britney Spears, which means her marriage to Kevin doesn't exist and that Britney Spears a bigamist," he added.

Britney's spokesperson has however rubbished the claim. "Sorry to break Richards heart, but Britney Spears is legally married to her husband Kevin Federline and is expecting their first child together very soon. I hope Richard is able to accept this and move on from what must be a confusing time for him," said the spokesman.

A uniquely Singapore sex show

SINGAPORE, Aug 21: SEX in Singapore? A non-event, going by surveys of global sexual habits. But one local company is hoping to change this, by organising Singapore's first sex exhibition.

On display will be adult novelty products and sex-friendly furniture, and there will be demonstrations of intimate dancing and a look at the evolution of undergarment and sensual wear.

To be held in November at the Singapore Expo, it will be called - what else - Sexpo 2005. The company behind the event, also called Sexpo, was set up in March. "We got the idea from the sex exhibitions in Australia which are organised by the adult entertainment industry," said Mr Kenny Goh, a Sexpo director. "But for us in Singapore, we want to do it from a 'health' angle.

"The exhibition will deliver frank, accurate and updated information on sexual education in a family-friendly setting," said Mr Goh, 35. "There is certainly a vacuum in terms of educational information on sex-related issues and we see a lot of potential in the market. The exhibition will be the first in a whole series of events. Just like how we have computer and furniture shows every year, a sex exhibition can be held to de-stigmatise sex."

Soon after the company was formed, Sexpo applied to the police for a licence to hold the exhibition, said Mr Goh, who is also a director at Cherubim Exchange, a medical diagnostics distributor. In May, after he was asked to give more details, he was told that it had to be cleared by "higher authorities".

To his relief, the in-principle approval was granted in July. Sexpo will continue to work closely with the police in screening the programmes and participants at the exhibition.

Paris Hilton to marry in Greece

LONDON, Aug 21: Hotel heiress Paris Hilton, who is dating Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis, has revealed that she will walk down the aisle in Greece.
Hilton made her way to the country last month to find the perfect location for their wedding, and after a long search and weeks of locialising, she returned to the US satisfied with her final decision.

"(Paris and I) are really happy. We had an amazing summer in Europe together. Everything's amazing. We were looking all over Greece and we found some really beautiful places. Right now I'm finishing up work and then we'll do the wedding," the Sun quoted Hilton as saying to Access Hollywood.

Being married to Britney was sh*t, says ex-hubby

LONDON, Aug 17: Britney Spears' first husband Jason Alexander, has confessed that being married to her was "sh*t". The latter claims his shock at the Las Vegas wedding to the pop princess, which lasted just 55 hours, has ruined his life.

He insists he was serious about marrying the sexy singer, and says he didn't receive any money from her - but everyone slates him for cashing in on the marriage, reports Femalefirst.

Jason revealed in the TV documentary Britney's Redneck Roots, which will air on Britain's Channel 4: "People think I was paid off. But I got zero. Nothing. Every time I pull up in my car people say, 'Britney bought you that, huh?' I want to break their face. I never thought the wedding was a joke. I was serious about everything I said. But being married to Britney Spears was sh*t," he added.

Meanwhile, Britney - who is expecting her first child with new husband Kevin Federline - has reportedly donated 18,000 pounds to a Kabbalah kids club.

Jude Law has the sexiest butt in showbiz!

LONDON, Aug 15: Hollywood hunk Jude Law has the sexiest bottom in films, according to a poll. he Alfie star beat rivals Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in a poll after his nude bath scene in The Talented Mr Ripley, reports the Sun.

Third, and the top-rated female celebrity, was 20-year-old Scarlett Johansson who showed her rear in Lost In Translation. The poll of 1,000 film-goers was carried out by Odeon cinemas. he Top Four with the sexiest bottom in films were: 1 Jude Law 2 Brad Pitt 3 Scarlett Johansson 4 Tom Cruise.

Bollywood's leading actor Aamir goes mainstream

NEW DELHI, Aug 13: He demands scripts before agreeing to a movie, acts in an unheard-of one film at a time, and his last new project was four years ago. Yes, Aamir Khan is a Bollywood superstar. Now he's taking aim at the rest of the world with "The Rising," an English-language colonial epic that is one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.

"I've been very fortunate that right from my first film, I've really seen huge success and by and large I've been able to maintain it for 17 years now," Khan said. "I don't think (success) mattered. I was more interested in what I was doing and I don't think I'm distracted by the success of it."

You wouldn't believe this from any other actor in movie-mad India, where the poor spend an entire day's wage of 50 rupees (a little more than a dollar) to see the latest film. Bollywood stars are flamboyant, larger than life, just like their towering billboards plastered all over the country. But when Khan says he's not drunk on success, you believe him.

Bollywood actors often straddle more than four films a year, jumping between various sets in a single day, so people snickered when Khan said he wanted to complete one movie before starting another. "I've been advocating it as far back as 1994-95," said Khan, casual in jeans and a gray sweatshirt, sipping tea from a large mug in a producer's office in central Bombay.

"But at that time it was a very alien concept for filmmakers," said Khan. He put it into practice when he acted in and produced "Lagaan" ("Land Tax"), a historical drama which won India's third-ever Oscar nomination.

Long before then, Khan, 40, had a huge following among South Asians living around the world. But the Oscar nomination drew notice from fans unfamiliar with Bollywood's musical spectacles, and Time magazine profiled him as the young standard-bearer for India's movie industry.

"The Rising" aims to break new boundaries by targeting a mainstream international audience. Producer Bobby Bedi said it cost $10 million to make; Khan has said $20 million. Set in 1857, it's about a failed uprising against the British, who ruled India for 200 years before independence in 1947.

Khan, playing the Indian soldier who triggered the rebellion, says the film is about freedom and liberty: "It's completely about today, it's extremely contemporary."

"The Rising" is short by Indian standards - just under 2 1/2 hours. It also includes eight song-and-dance numbers. While Western audiences are often flummoxed when lead actors in Indian movies launch into a coordinated series of gyrations with no link to the plot, Khan compares dance scenes in Indian films with musicals made in the West in the 1940s and '50s.

"This is our form of cinema," says Khan, whose foot-tapping dance moves often draw wolf whistles from audiences. In "The Rising," the dance scenes are also part of an ancient Indian oral traditions, where traveling folk singers told tales - this time the tale of the soldier Khan plays - to villagers.

He grew a scraggly mustache and sported unkempt shoulder-length hair for the movie. "It took me very long - more than a year - to grow my hair," laughed Khan, his brown eyes crinkling. "My mustache took me six months to grow."

Notorious for wanting to be involved until the final cut and peppering a director with questions, Khan has often been criticized for his hands-on approach. And in an industry where stars are commonly handed their scripts on the first day of filming, Khan also demands to see the script before agreeing to a project.

But veteran director Ketan Mehta, who worked with Khan in "The Rising," described him as dedicated and focused. "Which Indian actor would give more than 2 1/2 years to one project?" asked Mehta. "And he's an actor at the peak of his career."

Known for his research, Khan visited libraries and read letters, books and memoirs about the mid-19th century for his latest movie. "Aamir is one of a kind. He is one of the rare guys in the film industry who has a certain credibility attached to him," said Rauf Ahmed, jury member for India's national film awards. "He analyzes and questions everything."

Khan's blockbuster debut came in 1988 when he played a romantic youth who fights his family for the girl of his dreams in "Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak" ("From Doomsday to Doomsday"). But it was in the 1990s that he emerged as a major star in a wide range of roles, from street-smart, Bombay tough guys in "Rangeela" ("Colorful") and "Ghulam" ("The Slave") to a no-nonsense cop in "Sarfarosh" ("Martyr"), to a smooth city slicker who doesn't believe in love in "Dil Chahta Hain" ("What the Heart Wants").

"I enjoy the love I receive from my fans and my audience," said Khan. "But I think I know what is real for me and what is not." His son and daughter are part of his reality check. "My son is a harsh critic," grins Khan. "He's 12 and he's rarely impressed by what I do. The best he has ever said to me was, 'Not bad.'"

Bleeping bikini to stop babes from beach burn-up

LONDON, Aug 11: A new bikini which bleeps every 15 minutes to prevent holidaymakers from sleeping in the sun was to be shown off in Britain on Thursday. The invention could stop the traditional ghastly seaside sight of bright-red Britons on beaches across the world.

New Look, Britain's third-biggest women's clothes retailer, was to launch the Tan-Timer Bikini on Brighton beach on the south coast. Some 59 per cent of Britons admit to nodding off in the sun, so the electronic device, which attaches to the swimsuit, bleeps every quarter of an hour to remind dozy Brits to wake up and seek shade or roll over to toast the other side.

The bikini is to hit stores across the kingdom next week. "As well as the health implication of over-exposing your skin to the sun, burnt or peeling skin is not a good look for the image-conscious," said New Look's marketing director Hash Ladha.

"With 56 per cent of men finding sunburnt peeling skin unattractive, we hope the Tan-Timer Bikini will help our customers avoid that mistake and feel confident when slipping on their summer dresses." A spokeswoman for the company said a male version could be in the pipeline.

Hudson says monogamy is tough

LOS ANGELES, Aug 10: Kate Hudson, the Oscar nominated actress and daughter of screen legend Goldie Hawn, says even though monogamy is a tricky business she has remained faithful to her husband.

According to People magazine, she said: "I don't believe (monogamy) is realistic, but I believe that we, as people, have the power to make it happen." She was quick to add, "I will not disrespect my husband and stray."

On whether she thinks her husband, rocker Chris Robinson, has remained faithful to her, she said, "If you focus your attention on that, then you are always wondering if your husband or men are out there cheating on you. ... If for some reason, that's what he has to go do, I just don't want to know. As long as things are good in our house, just please, don't get caught." Hudson and Robinson have a baby son name Ryder who was born last year

Girls just want to have sex!

LONDON, Aug 9: A new survey has revealed that women today are more comfortable about their sexuality and have no qualms about experimenting with sex, to satisfy their growing cravings.

Lesbian romps, one-night stands, steamy affairs behind their partners' back, wild threesomes-you name it, more women than ever will do it.

According to Newsoftheworld, The Great British 2005 Sex Survey - the largest ever conducted - shows that women's sexual behaviour has changed since the last 12 years.

According to the poll in which 5,500 people participated, nearly half of them women, about 57 per cent) would jump at the chance of a one-night stand, compared to 44 per cent in 1993. A total of 43 per cent of women admitted to cheating on their men as against 32 per cent 12 years ago.
Nearly half the females polled (47 per cent) would have sex with another woman if they knew nobody would find out.

Exactly half would like to try a threesome, six out of ten said they had been tied up during sex, and a shocking 66 per cent of women didn't think you had to love a man to sleep with him. However 50 per cent of men said they had to be in love first.

Dr Kristal, who analysed the survey results, said: "There is clear evidence that women are exercising much more freedom in their quest for sexual gratification. The most striking figures are for those between 19 and 24."

Script your story on your body

Got something significant to say? Put it on your skin. That seems to be the mantra of celebrities today. That's certainly the case with David and Victoria Beckham, who have recently opted for matching Kabbalah tattoos sporting the Hebrew phrase, "I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine."

This seems the perfect kiss and make up gift for the beleaguered couple, whose marriage was threatened after stories appeared about Beckham's infidelities. Beckham, a family man, had earlier tattooed a winged cross on the back of his neck - a talisman to protect his children after kidnap threats in Spain.

He's also had the names of wife Victoria (in Hindi) and his three sons tattooed on his arms. Actor Angelina Jolie, known for her love of the exotic, has many tattoos.

There's an Arabic one meaning 'will' or 'determination', a Buddhistprayer of protection on her right shoulder after her adoption of Cambodian orphan Maddox, and the Latin Quod me nutrit me destruit (what nourishes me also destroys me) on her stomach.

Jolie had tattooed ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton's name on her arm which she later had removed by laser, causing interviewer Barbara Walters to ask her why she kept marking her body.

"Keep a journal instead," she said. Hip hop star Eminem had 'rot in pieces' etched onto his belly after his divorce from wife Kim, a portrait of daughter Hailie Jade on his arm and a memorial tattoo to his mentor, his Uncle Ronnie, on his upper left arm.

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline got themselves matching dice tattoos - hers in pink, his in blue. While actor Drew Barrymore has made butterflies and angels... her symbols, rocker Eve has pawprints of an animal on her breasts.

Miki Borwankar, tattoo artist, says, "While tattoos are still a decoration for some, others come with a specific idea in mind. It's not only for ornamentation." Many go for dragons or snakes which represent their past, or for images of deities or the third eye to indicate their present path.

A girl recently came for a tattoo to commemorate her forthcoming marriage. She wanted her initials along with her fiance's name in the tattoo, along with stars to represent the occasion. "We sat together and worked it out," says Miki, "It stood for something meaningful she was going through."

Paris Latsis not serious about Paris Hilton, says dad

LONDON, Aug 7: Grigoris Kasidokostas,father of Paris Latsis, has reportedly denied claims that his son is serious about marrying hotel heiress Paris Hilton.

He claims that his son is in no hurry to marry fiancee Paris Hilton, because he has not yet discussed the marriage plans with him, which went to show his lack of seriousness over the affair. "If he hasn't discussed this with his own father, how serious could it be? That should tell you the whole story," Femalefirst quoted Kasidokostas as telling website PageSix.com.

Kasidokostas has also asked young Hilton to patiently wait for marriage with Latsis, if she loves him. "He doesn't have a lot of experience with women. If Paris Hilton really loves my son, she'll have to be patient," he said.

Sharon Stone loves lesbian sports!

WASHINGTON, Aug 7: Basic Instinct star Sharon Stone has revealed that she is a huge fan of "lesbian sports" like fishing, golfing and baseball.
The 47-year-old actress believes her hobbies are very much in line with those favoured by gay females.

"I love to fish. I'm kind of mad about the fishing thing. I go back east and fish with my brother. I like the fly fishing thing," she was quoted by Conntactmusic, as saying.

"Fishing, golfing... I like the boring sports. (Golfing) is kind of a lesbian sport. I also like baseball. I just like a lot of the lesbian sports, I have to say. I'm a little heavy loafers - it's true, if you think about it. I can hit an 80-mile-an-hour hardball," she added.

The strict 10-point guide issued by the Italian Association for Public Bathing also forbids playing football on the beach, hanging up wet clothes to dry on beach umbrellas and drinking alcohol.

The guide also restricts mobile phone use and says people who shout down their mobiles will be asked to turn them off. Association president Riccardo Scarselli, said the behaviour of holidaymakers on the beach was getting worse: "People feel entitled to do whatever they want, just because they've put on a bathing suit," he said.

And the new regulations even ban people from changing into swimwear under their towels. "There are always plenty of cabins for people to get changed in and they should use them," said Mr Scarselli.

Nude Nipslip

NORWAY: Iranian Norwegian bollywood superstar Negar Khan had been in the news in the recent past for several reasons. Recently, Negar Khan faced a nude nipslip at a bikinishow in norway. Here are some shots:

Cruise can't restrain himself over Katie Holmes!

LONDON, July 28: Tom Cruise might have had some embarrassing moments, but despite that he couldn't help but tell the whole world how much he loves his fiancie Katie Holmes.

"I just can't restrain myself, I honestly can't. I've never felt like this before - and I want to communicate it - it's good to communicate happy things. People like hearing it," Hello magazine quoted him as saying.

"Lately I've had so many people come up to me and tell me about how they got engaged, and it's like an outpouring of this type of conversation, and what I think is: 'Let's have more of this. This is a good thing to have'," he added.

Highland Park single malt named world's best spirit

EDINBURGH, July 28: Scotland's famous 18-year-old Highland Park single malt whisky has been declared the world's best spirit by the American Spirit Journal (ASJ), a leading drinks magazine in the United States. Produced at a distillery in Orkney, Highland Park topped a list of the world's 100 best distilled spirits.

American drinks specialist Paul Pacult compiled the list after judging thousands of whiskies, rums, gins, vodkas, tequilas and other distilled spirits for the list. "Out of the hundreds of whiskies from Scotland, Canada, the US, Japan, India and Ireland, Highland Park 18-year-old is the finest of them all and right now is my favourite distilled spirit," scotsman.com quoted Pacult, as saying.

He further stated that the whisky had all the qualities required for it to be declared the best in terms of it having no rough edges "and everything is melded together brilliantly."

Ken Grier, the director of malts for the Orkney Distillery, said: "It's not only a huge accolade for Highland Park, it's a major achievement for Scottish whisky." Highland Park was established in 1798 and is Scotland's northern most distillery. The brand, which has already won awards from Whisky Magazine and the Chicago Beverage Testing Institute, launched the 18-year-old single malt in 1997. It is priced at 58 pounds a bottle.

'Desperate Housewives' eyes awards for Longoria

WASHINGTON, July 23: The creator of the hugely popular TV series "Desperate Housewives" has planned to pen in more "fantastic scenes" to boost Eva Longoria's chances of winning awards. The actress was overlooked for the Golden Globes and the more recently announced Emmy nominations.

"I don't know if it's because she's the youngest or so incredibly gorgeous or because the other women have been kicking around for longer and have a lot of (voting) friends in the industry who are so happy they've caught a second wave," writer Marc Cherry was quoted as saying by the Internet Movie database.

"I'd bet Eva was the sixth nominee, just a couple of votes behind someone else. I'm going to work a little harder this season to make sure she had some fantastic scenes just to try to fix this horrendous error." Her publicist also added, "Eva knows her time will come for an Emmy. She has two movies under her belt and is well on her way to becoming a major film star."

Ash to get British honour

MUMBAI, July 23: As the Indian press continues to hammer at Aishwarya Rai, one more international honour has come her way -- the British government's The Next Step World Diversity Champion award.

The award, to be given by the British foreign office on November 24 this year, was instituted to honour individuals who have encouraged pride in being a member of the ethnic minority community as well as a stronger sense of personal fulfilment. The award, in collaboration with the Next Steps Foundation, is considered a prestigious step ahead for Ash in the international arena.

She is expected to address issues related to ethnicity at the conference in November, where the other speakers are expected to be former US secretary of state Colin Powell and actor Jackie Chan. Says the actress: "I think it's a great honour. Today beauty has come to be defined by many other far more profound qualities than looks and posture. I hope people would stop holding my looks against me and labelling me giggly and frivolous.

"Look at Angelina Jolie. I think she's so gorgeous... and so real. She's a student of yoga and she works for the United Nations. She's a complete personality, and illustrates what feminine beauty means in the new millennium."

Murli Manohar, who's the producer of Ash's much talked about "Provoked" and also a prominent spokesperson of the Indian community in London, says the award is vital to her image as a fashion icon.

Who's the hottest beach beauty?

LONDON, July 23: 2005 Bond Girl Ursula Andress has been voted the top beach beauty in a new poll conducted by bottled water firm Evian. According to The Sun, she beat Celebrity Love Island presenter Kelly Brook, Elle MacPherson and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie to the top spot on the list.

While, Catwoman actress Halle Berry, Welsh singer Charlotte Church and Wayne Rooney's fiance Coleen McLoughlin also feature in the list, Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson couldn't make it into the Top 20.

Top 20 Beach Beauties are: 1. Ursula Andress 2. Kelly Brook 3. Elle MacPherson 4. Halle Berry 5. Gisele 6. Cameron Diaz 7. Charlotte Church 8. Bridget Bardot 9. Angelina Jolie 10. Coleen McLoughlin 11. Bo Derek 12. Heidi Klum 13. Jennifer Anniston 14. Sienna Miller 15. Gwyneth Paltrow 16. Kate Moss 17. Eva Longoria 18. Charlize Theron 19. Cat Deeley 20. Helena Christenson.

Girl in 'Mallika' sex MMS was Mexican

After all the speculation about whether it was actually Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat in the MMS sex clip which was reportedly widely circulated, comes the news that the girl who was seen in the porn clip is actually a 19-year-old porn actress from Mexico. The actress' name is Lolly and the short clip being circulated on mobile phones was allegedly part of a regular porn video.

Lolly, apparently is a Mallika lookalike and has absolutely no idea about the furor her video has created, and is said to have acted in several blue films in Europe. Mallika, meanwhile, is surely breathing a sigh of relief.

We hear she's been facing a lot of bad publicity and trauma over the whole incident, especially since certain Bollywood personalities had gone so far as to claim that it was definitely her in the MMS clip.

Jordan to wed in world's longest dress

London, July 21: Stunning model Jordan is set to make a world record by wearing the world's longest wedding dress when she ties the knot with beau Peter Andre at a castle in the Midlands in September.

According to sources, Jordan, who recently gave birth to her second child, wants to break the world record with an extra-long bridal train. "No one will believe how huge the dress is until they see it. She wanted her special day to be remembered by everyone and she has certainly made sure of that. It will steal the show and everyone will remember it for years to come," The Sun quoted a pal as saying. The current world record is held by a Dutch bride who walked down the aisle in 2002 with a 776-metre train.

Computer game is a sex trip

MUMBAI, July 20: The many joys of boyhood are directly linked to hoodwinking parents. And these are good times for boys chafing at the oppressiveness of parental 'guidance'. The latest version of a popular computer game called The Grand Theft Auto (GTA) looks like any other action-packed 3D animation fare in which the player goes on a mission down city lanes. The innocent user will play within the apparent boundaries of an imaginary city, modelled after Los Angeles.