Pooja Bhatt to take UTV to court owing to title row over Thank You

Even before its release this Friday (April 8), UTV Motion Pictures’ multi-starrer Thank You, directed by Anees Bazmee, finds itself in the midst of a controversy over its title. Actress and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt has been crying foul over the last few days claiming that the title Thank You belongs to her and was taken by UTV without her knowledge.

The actress has been fuming with rage and has even sent many mails to the Indian Motion Pictures’ Producers Association (IMPPA) and the Association of Motion Picture and TV Programme Producers (AMPTPP) in a bid to retain her title but her plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Fed up with the loopholes in the system, Pooja now plans to take the matter to court.

Meanwhile producers UTV are confident that they have done no wrong and have all the documents in place which suggests that the title Thank You rightfully belongs to them.

One will have to wait and watch what turn this case takes in the days to come.

Libya coalition launches 22 Tomahawk strikes: US

WASHINGTON: A coalition of countries conducting air strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces launched 22 Tomahawk missiles in the last 24 hours, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

Federer eyes return to top in 2011 after ATP win

LONDON: Roger Federer believes his ATP World Tour Finals triumph against Rafael Nadal will provide him with the perfect springboard to return to the top in 2011.

Although Federer is publicly adamant he has nothing to be disappointed about over the last 12 months, privately he will feel a nagging sense of regret at the loss of the world number one ranking to Nadal, who also took the French Open and Wimbledon titles from the Swiss star.

That was what made the 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Nadal in the final at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday so significant for the world number two.

In Federer’s mind, his record-equalling fifth title in the prestigious end-of-year event was secondary to the message the win sent to Nadal and his other rivals at the top of the rankings.

“I’m happy I made my ninth final this season. I’ve won five titles, won a slam. That obviously

India district bans cell phones for unmarried women

UTTAR PARDESH: A local council in northern India has banned unmarried women from carrying mobile telephones to halt a series of illicit romances between partners from different castes, media reports said Wednesday.

The Baliyan council in Uttar Pradesh state decided to act after at least 23 young couples ran away and got married over the last year against their parents’ wishes.

“The panchayat (assembly) was convinced that the couples planned their elopement over their cell phones,” village elder Jatin Raghuvanshi told the Calcutta Telegraph.

The rules of inter-caste marriages are complicated and extremely rigid in many rural communities in India, with some lovers even murdered in “honour killings” by relatives trying to protect their family’s reputation.

“All parents were told to ensure their unmarried daughters do not use cell phones. The boys can do

Primary school blown up in Mohmand

Staff Report

MOHMAND AGENCY: Unknown miscreants on Monday blew up a government primary school in Safi tehsil of Mohmand Agency.

According to reports, militants planted explosive material in the premises of the school and blew it up with a time device.

The number of schools destroyed by extremists over the last two years rose to 68, out of which 24 were girls and 44 were boys schools. Trend Pk

Street crime on rise in Karachi ahead of Eid

Staff Report

KARACHI: Karachi is witnessing a sharp surge in incidents of street crime ahead of Eid ul Adha.

According to official figures, 192 vehicles, 695 motorcycles and 978 mobile phones were either snatched or stolen in different parts of the country’s largest city over the last 15 days.

On showing resistance, nine citizens were murdered and 33 others were wounded.

Despite tall claims of heightened security, 122 people were robbed of cash outside banks and automated teller machines (ATMs).

The growing incidents of street crime have added to the woes of the inflation-hit public. Trend Pk

DI veteran Neil Sadwelkar joins Prime Focus

Neil Sadwelkar, a Post-production technology and Digital Intermediate (DI) veteran, who has contributed to the Bollywood industry with his expertise in film DI & editing and six years of long stint with post-production major Pixion, has now moved on to Prime Focus as the Head – Technical Operations.

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama.com, an elated Neil Sadwelkar said, “I will be involved in supervising day to day digital workflows, collaborating with data asset management efforts, broadcast technology, sound, and others exciting frontiers.”

To start with, Sadwelkar will be looking at the Indian operations of Prime Focus. Being a DI expert, he will also be involved with day to day workflow challenges at the DI division, and will be closely involved with Rohan Desai, DI head.

Neil holds a Masters degree in Physics with specialization in Electronics and has played a number of roles in the Indian media industry including sound recordist, editor, asst. director and so on. As a DI professional, he has worked on some of popular Indian movies -Chocolate, Don, Namastey London, DevD, Peepli Live, Dabangg and nearly a hundred titles spanning over the last five years.

Taliban blow up school in Mohmand

Staff Report

MOHMAND AGENCY: Taliban militants blew up a boys’ school in Mohmand Agency tribal region on Tuesday.

The number of schools bombed by militants in lawless tribal areas over the last two years rose to 58.

According to reports, militants detonated explosives planed around the Government Model Boys School located in Safi teshil of Upper Mohmand Agency.

A Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman later claimed responsibility for the attack. SAMAA

Govt. will complete its term: PM Gilani

Staff Report

LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is confident that his government will complete its constitutional term and will also emerge the winner in the next general election.

Addressing a gathering of the party’s parliamentary leaders here on Saturday, he said that PPP will not deviate from its reconciliatory policy with PML-N, despite political challenges.

“We are keeping our promise on the charter of democracy and will continue to do so in the future also,” he said.

PPP, he said, ended politics of vendetta, due to which there is no political prisoner in the country.

The meeting also reviewed the overall performance of the government over the last two and half years.

In addition, PPP members of the Punjab Assembly complained about non-release of development funds. SAMAA

Obama calls on China to free Nobel prize winner Liu

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Barack Obama called on China on Friday to release imprisoned Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo as soon as possible.

“Over the last 30 years, China has made dramatic progress in economic reform and improving the lives of its people, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty,” Obama, last year’s Nobel peace laureate, said in a statement.

“But this award reminds us that political reform has not kept pace, and that the basic human rights of every man, woman and child must be respected,” he said. AGENCIES

Next Page »