(23 Nov) Be it “Kabul Express”, “New York” or his latest film “Phantom”, Kabir Khan’s films have openly discussed terrorism but the director says that cinema cannot combat this growing global menace, which is plaguing countries. Kabir says not all filmmakers think alike and some like him may be comfortable dealing with the problem of terrorism through films while others may not be. “Cinema can’t be carrying crusades; it is ultimately the individual filmmakers. If I feel strongly against terrorism then I will express it. But I don’t know if I will try and muster more filmmakers into making films against terrorism .

A lot of films are being made about global terrorism,” Kabir said in an interview on the sidelines of IFFI. “Cinema can help in making people think about issues and discuss and debate. It helps in throwing up certain questions. But it can’t directly help in fighting terrorism. I think that would be giving cinema a lot responsibility.” With the theme of terrorism,comes a lot of action, which is visible in all of Kabir’s movies. The “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” director says his films may have been high on action, but he has never glorified violence through them, which unfortunately some directors in Bollywood tend to do. “.

Yes there is a lot of violence being used in Bollywood films and sometimes it glorifies it in a certain way. It is a very tricky space. Sometimes to appeal to the youth, you can easily cross the line and go into a space where you would rather not venture. Ultimately, it is left to individual filmmakers to decide where he or she draws the line.” Kabir started his career working in documentary films in Afghanistan. He then made his feature film directorial debut in 2006 with “Kabul Express” which was partly inspired by his experiences in war-torn Afghanistan. The director says even though he has now become an established Bollywood filmmaker, he still might one day go back to making just documentaries. “When I was doing documentaries, there was no platform for it in our country. I wanted my work to reach the mainstream audience and so I shifted to films. But I can still one day take the camera, go somewhere and get back to making documentaries,” he said.

Deepika Padukone’s ex flame Ranbir Kapoor had earlier revealed that he saw Deepika for the first time on OM SHANTI OM sets. Ask Deepika when did she see Ranbir for the first time and she says,”When he saw me, that time I didn’t see him. We discovered that much later. That day, I was shooting the scene before the song ‘Jag Soona Soona Laage’ on OM SHANTI OM sets. It was one of those days when we were shooting in Filmistaan when apparently I walked out and he had come out for a break from his set and saw me going to his van. But he didn’t take very long – that evening he got my number and we connected.” Ranbir Kapoor said, “It became like a circus because everything you did was about that and things related to it.

We were really ambitious people and somebody who really wanted to make their own identity apart from the relationships that we have in our personal lives. I guess with time and age you understand that probably when you get closer to marriage and become a little serious, it’s better that we don’t be open about the relationship because of what gets written.” Deepika Padukone, on the other hand, said, “Yeah absolutely. I think if there’s certain kind of aspect of our life now that we wouldn’t be comfortable in sharing, it’s because of our past experience.

What happens is that I guess that from a journo’s point of view, it’s only reporting. But from a human being point of view, it causes a lot of stress on a relationship, especially if negative or untrue things are reported. Relationships and emotions are really fragile. There’s conflict and unnecessary unrest. More than that, after a point you realize that you only want to be remembered for your work, films that you do. What we witnessed is that being honest and open with each other, there was no end to the speculation. When are they getting married? When are they having children? Is his family ok? Is my family ok? I don’t think even we had ever discussed those things but the speculation was already there. We’ve learnt that now it’s important to protect some things and keep it to yourself.” Point taken, Ranbir and Deepika. Here’s hoping you guys stay cute and do more movies together!

We challenge you to find one red-blooded male — or for that matter, female — who wasn’t celebrating when the sinfully sexy Monica Bellucci was cast opposite Daniel Craig in Spectre.

At 51, she’s definitely got a few years on the nubile vixens 007 usually lures into his bed. But that’s not going to stop La Bellucci from steaming up the windows/shower cubicles/office cabins or whatever location Bond picks to do the deed. Still in doubt? Here are 20 photos you can’t argue with.

13 Nov) The Goethe Institute/Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai is celebrating the 25th anniversary of German reunification, with a five -day festival of critically-acclaimed, award-winning German films, which recall the turbulence around this historic moment in German history.And at the Liberty cinema, Osianama, a cultural institution, is holding a four day program of Russian Film Days in partnership with the Filmmakers Union of the Russian Federation (the schedule was unavailable at the time of going to press and may be accessed at www.osianama.com Monday,November 16) Both festivals open at 6.30 pm on Monday, Osianama hosting the World Premiere of “Without Borders” a rom com about love and adventure while MMB starts with the East German classic Der geteilte Himmel / The Divided Heaven. Helmed by Konrad Wolf, the film has been acknowledged as one of Germany’s 100 Most Important Films and is based on Christa Wolf’s second book whose publication in 1963 brought her national and international fame.The title refers to the erection of the Berlin Wall on 13 August 1961, which finalised Germany’s division in the Cold War. The title also indicates the structure of the novel – the division of a (former) whole into (now) two halves which are mirror images of each other. The German Consul General Mr. Michael Siebert will address the audience on November 17 at 6.00 pm, followed by the film Das Leben der Anderen / The Lives of Others directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. Set in that Orwellian year, 1984 in East Berlin, the film’s central character is an agent of the secret police, who is spying on a writer and his lover, and finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed in their lives.

Donnersmarck’s debut drama won 75 awards globally, including best foreign film at the Oscars and BAFTA. Good Bye Lenin! directed by Wolfgang Becker, will be screened November 18.Nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA, it won 32 awards and tells the story of a young man who in order to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, must keep her from learning that her beloved East Germany as she knew it has disappeared. Barbara (Director: Christian Petzhold) which will be screened November 19,all about bagged a doctor working in 1980s East Germany who finds herself banished to a small country hospital. The film bagged the prestigious Silver Bear for Best Director at the 62nd Berlin International Film among ten other global awards. Westen / West directed by Christian Schwochow, closes the fest on November 20.The film follows a single mother Nelly Senff and her son Alexej from the GDR to the FRG where they try to start a new life. But in the West, the Allied secret services demand information on her dead ex lover who was a spy. Jördis Triebel won several awards for her portrayal of the increasingly paranoid woman who can’t escape the past.

Los Angeles, Nov 6: Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez says she’s never had any intention of coming across as raunchy in her music videos because she has always been a “good girl.” Speaking to Marie Claire about the famous track, Lopez said: “I wanted it to be beautiful and sexy, not sexy and raunchy. Sometimes when you’re younger, you go for raunch, or shock value, but I don’t need to do that. “I did sexy things (growing up) but I was always more the good girl who was falling in love as opposed to the naughty girl who was running around.” The “Waiting for Tonight” crooner, who is believed to be dating backing dancer Casper Smart again, split from her third husband Marc Anthony, with whom she has Max and Emme, in July 2011 after 10 years of marriage, reports femalefirst.co.uk. It was a difficult and heartbreaking time for her, but she believes the split brought her closer to her friends.

“I think I realised they were as important – if not more important – when I divorced Marc. I just realised that I had been through that a couple of times and there they still were. Like they say, men come and go, but my girlfriends are always there for me,” she said

Diwali, this year for Bollywood was more about get-together time! From Bachchans to Anil Kapoor to Ekta Kapoor to Saif Ali Khan to Shilpa Shetty, they all hosted a grand Diwali bash and saw an attendance of ample celebs. Where Bollywood these days appears to be divided on few matters, Diwali seemingly united them with everyone making rounds to each other’s place to ring in the festival. While it was a great thing to see the industry uniting during the festive season, let’s take a look at each of their parties and you can decide whose bash was truly grandest!

People might brand Prince Narula’s proposal to Yuvika Chaudhary on “Bigg Boss Nau” a publicity stunt, but the actress says his feelings for her are real.

The Om Shanti Om actress becomes the latest contestant to be evicted from the controversial reality show and Yuvika said Prince’s behaviour after her elimination was announced makes her believe the genuineness of his feelings.

“I felt he was genuine, he also said i was real. He looked very upset while I was leaving the house. He could not even muster the courage to come and hug me. He was looking at me from far. Had he been acting, he would have easily come to meet me one last time, thinking now she is going and it is okay’,” Yuvika told PTI.

Reality TV star Prince was one of Yuvika’s closest friends in the Bigg Boss house and she feels he has strong chances to win the game.

“I was closest to Kishwer (Merchant), Suyyash (Rai), Prince and Rishabh (Sinha). I think Kishwer and Prince are strong players. At the moment, I feel they can win.”

The actress was not expecting her own elimination and thought she would stay on the show because of the new “liking” angle between her and Prince.

“I thought I wouldn’t go this time, as in the last two-three days this angle came up, of liking… I felt people would not let me go now. Everybody felt that. It happened suddenly, no one thought he would confess his feelings for me. I seriously thought it would be either Aman Verma or Digangana Suryavanshi’s turn to go this time. But, I think now people inside will up their game as they will think if Yuvika can get eliminated, anyone can.” Yuvika added she is open to be back on the show.

“I would love to be back as a wild card entry. The response from my fans over my eviction has been amazing. I would want to be back for them,” the actress said.

Los Angeles: Boy band One Direction has released a new song titled ‘History’, as a dedication to its fans, ahead of its fifth album ‘Made in the AM’ on November 13 followed by the group’s announced hiatus.
The hand-clapping, sing-along song is about all the band has been through and accomplished alongside the One Direction fans for the past five years, reported Aceshowbiz. The lyrics include, “You and me, we got a whole lot of history/ We could be the greatest thing the world has ever seen/ This is not the end/ We can make it, you know it, you know.” One Direction also shared a video of Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson talking about the new track. Harry Styles wrote on Twitter, “You’ve got to help me, I’m losing my mind,” along with a link to “History”. Horan, meanwhile, tweeted, “Loving the trend again today.. Love how u are responding to history.. It’s one our favourite songs we’ve ever done.. So this makes me happy. Loving the trend again today.. Love how u are responding to history.. It’s one our favourite songs we’ve ever done.. So this makes me happy.” Liam Payne described ‘History’ as a ‘modern version’ of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”. “More than anything, the song is about the way the fans and everyone have created this massive thing – One Direction – over the past five years,” he shared, “Out of (‘History’) comes a little bit of closure for this chapter of One Direction.” He said bringing fans to the recording studio for the chorus of ‘History’ was actually his idea, but he wasn’t able to go himself. “That was actually my idea. It’s really great because obviously that song is mainly about the fans and what they’ve done. I think it was important that they were a part of it, to close the album.”