Who to cast in Milkha's role, gave Rakeysh Mehra sleepless nights

Mumbai: Filmmaker Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, geared up for the release of 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', based on Milkha Singh, confesses that the search for an actor to play the former athlete gave him sleepless nights.
He finally zeroed in for Farhan Akhtar to play the part in the movie, penned by the National award-winning Prasoon Joshi.
"It took us two and a half years to write the script of 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag'. Prasoon Joshi has written the screenplay. But once the script was ready, the biggest question was who will play Milkha Singh? It gave me a lot of sleepless nights," Mehra said here Tuesday.

"I could not sleep at nights due to the tension that who will play this role," he recounted on the set of singing reality show 'Indian Idol Junior', where he was present with Farhan to promote the movie.
'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' talks about Milkha's struggle, his perseverance as an athlete and also his courageous human spirit.
Mehra said he wanted such an actor for the role, who has his own interpretation for the character.
"I would not say this role is difficult but with the kind of films that are made in our cinema, it's a very different role. It requires more of the interpretation of an actor," Mehra, known for films like 'Aks', 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Delhi 6', said.
"We were not making an exact copy of Milkha Singh, and there shouldn't have been mimicry and all that. Suddenly one morning Farhan's name came to my mind. I immediately messaged him. Then we met, spoke and this is how it was done," he added.
Releasing July 12, 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' features Sonam Kapoor opposite Farhan.
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Michael Douglas calls attention to cancer caused by oral sex

A very candid Michael Douglas has called attention to one of the little-talked-about causes of throat cancer.

In an interview with The Guardian, the Oscar-winning actor blamed an STD–transmitted via oral sex, he said–for his life-threatening condition.
When asked about his years of smoking and drinking, often considered contributing factors to the disease, Douglas replied: “No. Because without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by something called HPV, which actually comes about from cunnilingus.” The 68-year-old added, “But yeah, it’s a sexually transmitted disease that causes cancer.”

The actor’s rep Allen Burry later downplayed the comments, suggesting Douglas was simply talking about the cause of oral cancers in general, not his own cancer specifically. “In a discussion with the newspaper, they talked about the causes of oral cancer, one of which was oral sex, which is noted and has been known for a while now,” he told the AP.
In 2010, Douglas underwent eight weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments after being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, which is often terminal. He’s been cancer-free for two years and is currently starring as Liberace in “Behind the Candelabra.”
Dr. Hilda Hucherson, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology and associate dean at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, applauds Douglas for bringing awareness to the connection between HPV (human papillomavirus) and throat cancer.
“Michael Douglas is my hero,” said Hucherson on MSNBC’s The Last Word. “To stand before the world and say, ‘I have cancer and it’s caused by a virus that’s transmitted though oral sex’… It’s educating America and the world about the fact that this virus–that most of us are going to get in our lifetimes–can cause throat cancer.”
HPV is a sexually-transmitted virus most often associated with types of cervical cancer in women and genital warts, but it can also cause throat cancer in some cases. While doctors can track strains of HPV in women through the help of pap tests, it’s difficult to detect HPV in men because there’s no test.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is responsible for 63% of the estimated 11,726 cases of oropharyngeal cancers diagnosed every year. In 2011, research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggested HPV-linked throat cancer may be on the rise.
Hucherson called it “shocking because young people still think that oral sex is safe sex, and that you can’t get something as serious as a cancer from oral sex.” The doctor said, however, that the public doesn’t need to be “overly-fearful” because it’s still a relatively low risk. Hucherson recommended using condoms and dental dams as a preventative measure, as well as the vaccine, if possible.
While the HPV vaccine is marketed primarily as a way to protect against cervical cancer among females, the CDC now recommends both girls and boys receive the vaccine. It’s been a controversial topic among parents: 50% of girls get the vaccine, but only 2% of boys are vaccinated in the United States for the HPV virus.
HPV is rampant in this country: approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and 14 million contract new infections of the STD yearly, health officials said.
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Croaking: Winner of The Voice UK a chart flop as album sells 895 copies

To compound her failure to even make the top 100 with her release, Leanne Mitchell is understood to have sold a mere 895 copies in her first few days.
The chart flop will prompt many to question the value of winning the BBC1 show if it results in so few sales and little chart success.
Mitchell - who was guided to victory by Sir Tom Jones - released her album a week ago, a year after winning the 2012 series.
But the holiday camp entertainer limped to just 134 in the chart yesterday. Coaches from the series Will.i.am, Jessie J and Danny O'Donoghue from The Script all have albums in the top 100, as does Bo Bruce, who was runner-up in the contest last year.
Mitchell's album is even 71 places behind a reissue of a 1975 album by space-rock act Hawkwind, Warrior On The Edge Of Time.
Her poor chart placing comes as last night's knockout stage show drew the lowest figures of the series so far for The Voice with an average of 5.6 million tuning in. Nonetheless, the BBC has ordered a third run of the show for next year.
Thousands of people backed for her to win the contest last year, beating Bruce and fellow runner-up Tyler James, although they seem to have been unwilling to follow through by buying the album which resulted from their phone votes.
With the album selling for £8.99 on iTunes, it would suggest that it has generated little over £8,000 in total sales during its first week.
She was reported to have landed a £100,000 deal after winning the contest and later signing with Decca Records, part of the music giant Universal.
Mitchell's fortunes stand in contrast to those of James Arthur, who was the victor in rival show The X Factor.
Although he is not due to release his debut album until later in the year, his debut single Impossible has sold more than 1.1 million copies in the UK alone.
It was the fastest-selling single of 2012 and the biggest selling X Factor winner so far.
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From Ram Gopal Verma to Big B: Bollywood reactions to Jiah Khan’s death

Bollywood actress Jiah Khan allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence in Juhu, according to the Mumbai police.
Jiah made her acting debut in the controversial Ram Gopal Varma’s Nishabd where she acted opposite Amitabh Bachchan. She then appeared alongside Aamir Khan in AR Murugadoss’s Ghajini.
Later she appeared as a supporting actress in Sajid Khan’s comedy film Housefull.

The bollywood actress’ suicide has left many shocked, given that she was only 25 years old. Jiah was born Nafisa Khan and had changed her name to Jiah for her debut film Nishabd. In 2012, she changed her name back to Nafisa Khan.
Here are some reactions from the Bollywood fraternity to news of her death.

T 1128 -WHAT …!!! Jiah Khan ??? what has happened ? is this correct ? unbelievable !!!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) June 3, 2013

Shocked and choked to hear about Jiah

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) June 4, 2013

The whole unit of Nishabd was literally in love with Jiah

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) June 4, 2013

Shocked n saddened to hear about jiah khan … Very disturbing … RIP ….may her soul rest in peace

— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) June 4, 2013

 Shocked and saddened by the news … Gone way too soon… RIP Jiah Khan

— Neha Dhupia (@Neha_Dhupia) June 4, 2013

 I’ve never been able to accept VJ Nafisa taking her own life & now hearin about Nafisa Khan brings it all back. It’s all so wrong.

— SOPHIE CHOUDRY (@Sophie_Choudry) June 4, 2013

 No one knows the sadness behind the smile of a pretty face. RIP @jiahkhan . You shouldn’t have taken ur life. There are always choices.

— Farah Khan (@FarahKhanAli) June 4, 2013

 Shocked to hear about Jiah Khan, she was too young to give up on life… RIP

— arshad warsi (@imarshadwarsi) June 4, 2013

 I’ve never been able to accept VJ Nafisa taking her own life & now hearin about Nafisa Khan brings it all back. It’s all so wrong.

— SOPHIE CHOUDRY (@Sophie_Choudry) June 4, 2013

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From Nishabd to Housefull: Who was Jiah Khan?

Jiah Khan’s foray into Bollywood didn’t follow the usual song and item-dance routine. In fact, the concept of Nishabd (2007) her debut film, where she was the subject of the obsession of a much older man played by Amitabh Bachchan, didn’t go down too well with most Bollywood fans. The film sank at the box office and many people questioned Bachchan’s decision to act in the Ram Gopal Verma film.

However, the film made Jiah, then 18-years-old, an actor to watch out for given her apparent willingness to take up roles categorised as ‘bold’ in Bollywood. Therefore, almost immediately after her debut, Jiah was perhaps conveniently categorised as a girl who would never fit into a Yash Chopra or a Karan Johan romance.

Jiah Khan. AFP.

Despite a Filmfare nomination for Nishabd, Jiah’s career never really took off. Her second film was Ghajini, where she reportedly got the role of a medical student aiding the hero in part thanks to her acting talent and also due to fellow actress Kangana Ranaut’s inability to keep a secret.

However, the role did little for her fledgling career with south Indian actress Asin walking away with whatever plaudits remained after critics and fans were done praising Aamir Khan.

In a bid to dive in to the mainstream movies that seemed to have steered clear of her, Jiah then appeared in Sajid Khan’s Housefull in 2010. No one works the mainstream better than Sajid Khan, and Jiah dutifully went through the grind on screen. She wore a bikini, mouthed three or four inane dialogues, danced and remained relegated to being another female extra.

Soon, apart from appearances at parties and product launches, Khan gradually seemed to have disappeared from Bollywood. However, she resurfaced in 2013 and gave an interview to a leading daily saying she was back, had signed new films and had changed her name to Nafisa Khan, the name her parents gave her.

In an interview she said, “Yes, I had changed my name to Jiah when I was 16. But now I want to be myself, so I am back to my real name. I was always Nafisa Khan. My family and friends call me Nafisa and I am used to it.”

Hailing from London, Khan’s father is an Indian American and her mother a former actress from Lucknow, and the actress in a recent interview to The Times of India claimed she had vanished briefly only to hone her skills in her home town.

See, I wasn’t in India for quite some time. I was learning acting in London all this while. And I had taken a deliberate sabbatical – I wanted to hone my skills a bit more and also give myself a break. That’s why I haven’t been seen in any film lately.”

Her career had perhaps even begun to show signs of recovery and according to an NDTV report:

Jiah was also cast opposite Shahid Kapoor in Chance Pe Dance and shot a large portion of the film before being replaced by Genelia D’Souza. However, she was signed for a two-film deal by UTV Motion Pictures and a three-film deal by Ghajini producer Madhu Mantena. She had also signed a Hollywood film, according to her website.

However, not a lot is known about the status of those projects. For now, little is known about what troubled the starlet enough to take the extreme step that she did. power by: www.firstpost.com

Fast & Furious 6 wins box office race

Fast & Furious 6 remains the leader at this weekend’s domestic box office.

The action thriller featuring motor vehicles moving at swift rates of speed earned $34.5 million in its second week at theatres. Justin Lin directed the picture which has amassed $170 million since its release. Fast & Furious 6’s line-up is impressive with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris all taking on roles in the film. The movie has almost immediately become profitable as it cost $160 million to make.

Now You See Me occupied second position this week in its debut with earnings of just over $28 million. The crime thriller starring Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo and Woody Harrelson follows an Interpol and FBI agent on their quest to capture illusionists who share their heist monies with members of the audience attending their magic performances. Now You See Me had a production budget of $75 million.

Sci-fi action film After Earth which stars Will Smith and his son Jaden brought in an even $27 million in its premiere. After Earth’s story centres on a young boy who roams around an abandoned planet with his estranged father after their spaceship crashes. It is up to the son to save his father when peril ensues. The M. Night Shyamalan feature that was created with a $130 million budget opened to disappointing results and has been panned by critics.

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Carrie Underwood To Join Taylor Swift As 2013 CMT Music Awards Performer

'American Idol' judge Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and host Jason Aldean will also perform during the June 5 broadcast.

If you thought the 2013 CMT Music Awards couldn't get any bigger, well it just did. A new batch of performers has just been announced for the June 5 show, adding more of Nashville's shiniest stars to the lineup.

Carrie Underwood, "American Idol" judge Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum join already announced performers Taylor Swift, Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan and the Pistol Annies. It's also been confirmed that Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, George Strait and Jason Aldean will also take the stage. Aldean, is hosting the show along with "Veronica Mars" star Kristen Bell.

The fan-voted show will be broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena at 8 p.m. ET/PT next month. Presenters will be announced soon.

Fans can vote online now at CMT.com, their mobile devices and the CMT Insider on the iPhone, iPad and Android now through June 2. The night's big nominees are Church, Bryan and Lambert with four nods each. Trailing closely behind are Aldean, Chesney, Rascal Flatts and first-time nominees Florida Georgia Line with three nominations each. Meanwhile Underwood, Paisley, Hayes, Jana Kramer, Journey, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, Swift and McGraw go into the show with two nominations apiece.

The six finalists for Video of the Year will be announced at the beginning of the live show and fans can then vote throughout the live telecast (ET/CT only) to determine the night's big winner.

The nominees for that award include: Brad Paisley ("Southern Comfort Zone"), Carrie Underwood ("Blown Away"), Eric Church ("Springsteen"), Florida Georgia Line ("Cruise"), Hunter Hayes ("Wanted"), Jason Aldean ("1994"), Kenny Chesney ("Come Over"), Little Big Town ("Tornado"), Luke Bryan ("Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye"), Miranda Lambert ("Mama's Broken Heart"), Taylor Swift ("We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together") and Tim McGraw ("One of Those Nights").

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