MTV awards agog for Lady Gaga

 LOS ANGELES: Flamboyant diva Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" won best video at the MTV awards, sealing her reputation as the larger-than-life queen of the pop scene.

The Video of the Year gong was one of eight MTV Moonmen for Lady Gaga, 24, who, true to form, changed from elaborate dress to elaborate dress throughout the ceremony in Los Angeles.

"I was so nervous tonight that I'd let my fans down," she said accepting the top award, a tear rolling down her cheek. She then revealed the name of her upcoming album, "Born this way," and sang part of the title song.

"I promised if I won I'd announce the name of my record," she said.

Earlier, Gaga, whose prizes also included Best Pop Video, Best Female Video and Best Collaboration, thanked her fans whom she calls "little monsters."

"Tonight, little monsters, we're the cool kids at the party," she said.

The other big beast at the MTV Video Music Awards was rapper Eminem, who picked up Best Hip Hop Video and Best Male Video and opened the live televised show with a performance of his winning song, "Not Afraid."

Among the male performers, another notable success was teeny bopper sensation Justin Bieber, who won Best New Artist after arriving at the theater pursued by screaming teenage girls.

"This means a lot to my family. I come from a little town in Canada, I never thought I'd be in this position," Bieber said.

No less gripping for music watchers were the appearances of the protagonists in last year's most memorable VMAs moment -- when Kanye West shocked viewers by rudely sabotaging country sensation Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech.

Although they didn't meet on stage again, Swift sang what was quickly interpreted as an acceptance of Kanye's repeated apologies.

"You're still an innocent. Thirty two and still growing up now. Who you are is not what you did," she sang in the gentle song.

Although comedian Chelsea Handler urged the audience to behave badly -- going as far to call on tongues to be "shoved somewhere where they're not supposed to be" -- the show passed off without disruptions.

MTV now plays relatively few music videos, having relegated the genre behind the more lucrative reality shows such as "Jersey Shore," whose cast turned up on stage in their trademark Jacuzzi.

MTV awards agog for Lady Gaga

 LOS ANGELES: Flamboyant diva Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" won best video at the MTV awards, sealing her reputation as the larger-than-life queen of the pop scene.

The Video of the Year gong was one of eight MTV Moonmen for Lady Gaga, 24, who, true to form, changed from elaborate dress to elaborate dress throughout the ceremony in Los Angeles.

"I was so nervous tonight that I'd let my fans down," she said accepting the top award, a tear rolling down her cheek. She then revealed the name of her upcoming album, "Born this way," and sang part of the title song.

"I promised if I won I'd announce the name of my record," she said.

Earlier, Gaga, whose prizes also included Best Pop Video, Best Female Video and Best Collaboration, thanked her fans whom she calls "little monsters."

"Tonight, little monsters, we're the cool kids at the party," she said.

The other big beast at the MTV Video Music Awards was rapper Eminem, who picked up Best Hip Hop Video and Best Male Video and opened the live televised show with a performance of his winning song, "Not Afraid."

Among the male performers, another notable success was teeny bopper sensation Justin Bieber, who won Best New Artist after arriving at the theater pursued by screaming teenage girls.

"This means a lot to my family. I come from a little town in Canada, I never thought I'd be in this position," Bieber said.

No less gripping for music watchers were the appearances of the protagonists in last year's most memorable VMAs moment -- when Kanye West shocked viewers by rudely sabotaging country sensation Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech.

Although they didn't meet on stage again, Swift sang what was quickly interpreted as an acceptance of Kanye's repeated apologies.

"You're still an innocent. Thirty two and still growing up now. Who you are is not what you did," she sang in the gentle song.

Although comedian Chelsea Handler urged the audience to behave badly -- going as far to call on tongues to be "shoved somewhere where they're not supposed to be" -- the show passed off without disruptions.

MTV now plays relatively few music videos, having relegated the genre behind the more lucrative reality shows such as "Jersey Shore," whose cast turned up on stage in their trademark Jacuzzi.

Wife directs Bollywood star Aamir Khan in latest film

 TORONTO: Bollywood icon Aamir Khan was "nervous" about his wife Kiran Rao's directing debut and shocked by her initial refusal to cast him in "Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries)," he said at its world premiere in Toronto.

The film features Khan as brooding painter Arun who strikes up a flirtation with an American Indian woman named Shai (Monica Dogra) visiting her family in Mumbai with the city's sprawling laundry district, or dhobi ghat, as the backdrop.

"When (Rao) told me she was writing a script I was very nervous," Khan said, "because I was thinking one of these days this script is going to be completed and I'll have to read it and what if I don't like it, it won't be a very comfortable situation."

"I was feeling bad," he said. "I thought, I hope she doesn't complete the script."

When it was finished, Khan pressed Rao to go visit his cousin and they would all read it together, hoping that if both he and his cousin disliked it "at least I'd have numbers on my side. "I was really quite terrified."

But after reading it, Khan said he became "fascinated by what she had written."

"It's so delicate and beautiful," he said. "Her characters speak in such a different and unique voice, and all of that hit me and I thought, 'Wow I married a really talented women here.'"

"When I fell in love the first time, I didn't know how really talented she was. When I read the script I was really amazed and I fell in love with her again," he gushed.

Then, when Rao refused to cast him -- shock. Rao explained that she did not want to work with known actors. "She didn't want me in the film. I was most upset," Khan quipped.

Of course, she would later relent, saying he "tricked" her into it with his "diabolical and Machiavellian" cunning and charms.

"Actually, this character is so crabby and unpleasant and one morning she saw me in my usual crabby self, and she said, 'You know you're perfect for the role,'" Khan said.

And so how was it to be directed by his wife? "I felt like I was at home," Khan quipped.

"They're just the cutest together," commented Prateik Babbar, who earned a standing ovation at the premiere for his performance as Zohaib, a laundry man shared by Arun and Shai.

The film is among a handful of Indian films screening at the Toronto film festival this year, as in years past.

Its release comes just as Canada launches audiovisual co-production negotiations with India, hoping to boost its film sector.

Canada's Heritage Minister James Moore said last week that co-productions attract foreign investment and rake in 30 percent more at the Canadian box office.

Khan noted, however, that recognition at an international film festival does not help with distribution back home in India, only with foreign distribution.

Receiving an audience award at the Toronto film festival or the Palme d'Or at Cannes, for example, is a "sure, sure way of telling (Indian) audiences not to go to a film," he said.

Wife directs Bollywood star Aamir Khan in latest film

 TORONTO: Bollywood icon Aamir Khan was "nervous" about his wife Kiran Rao's directing debut and shocked by her initial refusal to cast him in "Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries)," he said at its world premiere in Toronto.

The film features Khan as brooding painter Arun who strikes up a flirtation with an American Indian woman named Shai (Monica Dogra) visiting her family in Mumbai with the city's sprawling laundry district, or dhobi ghat, as the backdrop.

"When (Rao) told me she was writing a script I was very nervous," Khan said, "because I was thinking one of these days this script is going to be completed and I'll have to read it and what if I don't like it, it won't be a very comfortable situation."

"I was feeling bad," he said. "I thought, I hope she doesn't complete the script."

When it was finished, Khan pressed Rao to go visit his cousin and they would all read it together, hoping that if both he and his cousin disliked it "at least I'd have numbers on my side. "I was really quite terrified."

But after reading it, Khan said he became "fascinated by what she had written."

"It's so delicate and beautiful," he said. "Her characters speak in such a different and unique voice, and all of that hit me and I thought, 'Wow I married a really talented women here.'"

"When I fell in love the first time, I didn't know how really talented she was. When I read the script I was really amazed and I fell in love with her again," he gushed.

Then, when Rao refused to cast him -- shock. Rao explained that she did not want to work with known actors. "She didn't want me in the film. I was most upset," Khan quipped.

Of course, she would later relent, saying he "tricked" her into it with his "diabolical and Machiavellian" cunning and charms.

"Actually, this character is so crabby and unpleasant and one morning she saw me in my usual crabby self, and she said, 'You know you're perfect for the role,'" Khan said.

And so how was it to be directed by his wife? "I felt like I was at home," Khan quipped.

"They're just the cutest together," commented Prateik Babbar, who earned a standing ovation at the premiere for his performance as Zohaib, a laundry man shared by Arun and Shai.

The film is among a handful of Indian films screening at the Toronto film festival this year, as in years past.

Its release comes just as Canada launches audiovisual co-production negotiations with India, hoping to boost its film sector.

Canada's Heritage Minister James Moore said last week that co-productions attract foreign investment and rake in 30 percent more at the Canadian box office.

Khan noted, however, that recognition at an international film festival does not help with distribution back home in India, only with foreign distribution.

Receiving an audience award at the Toronto film festival or the Palme d'Or at Cannes, for example, is a "sure, sure way of telling (Indian) audiences not to go to a film," he said.

Salman’s dabangg not to be released in Pakistan

KARACHI: Salman Khan upcoming talk of the nation ‘Dabangg’ will not be available for his Pakistani fans.

The Pakistani government has banned all Indian releases on Eid and has also more than doubled the entertainment tax on Indian films from thirty percent to a whopping sixty five percent.

And that’s not all; Pakistan has banned all Indian shows on their channels also.

Talking about the news, producer Arbaaz Khan said “The film is releasing all over. I have no problems if it doesn’t release in Pakistan. We are overwhelmed at the response we have received in India itself during the promotion. We have made a good product and we are proud of it. The fate of the film finally rests with the audience.”

Abhinav Kashyap is the director of the movie and Arbaaz Khan is the producer. Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha are the lead roles in the film.

Yesterday, Salman Khan promoted ‘Dabangg’ in Hyderabad, the actor feels that it is his lucky place since both the movies ‘Wanted’ and ‘Veer’ did

Salman’s dabangg not to be released in Pakistan

KARACHI: Salman Khan upcoming talk of the nation ‘Dabangg’ will not be available for his Pakistani fans.

The Pakistani government has banned all Indian releases on Eid and has also more than doubled the entertainment tax on Indian films from thirty percent to a whopping sixty five percent.

And that’s not all; Pakistan has banned all Indian shows on their channels also.

Talking about the news, producer Arbaaz Khan said “The film is releasing all over. I have no problems if it doesn’t release in Pakistan. We are overwhelmed at the response we have received in India itself during the promotion. We have made a good product and we are proud of it. The fate of the film finally rests with the audience.”

Abhinav Kashyap is the director of the movie and Arbaaz Khan is the producer. Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha are the lead roles in the film.

Yesterday, Salman Khan promoted ‘Dabangg’ in Hyderabad, the actor feels that it is his lucky place since both the movies ‘Wanted’ and ‘Veer’ did

New York Fashion Week kicks off in new digs

 NEW YORK: New York's Spring-Summer 2011 Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday in new digs at the prestigious Lincoln Center.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg opened the event and temporarily renamed the city's number one subway route the "Fashion Line" in honor of the week running until September 16th.

Starting Thursday, designers from around the world will show their creations in tents set up in Damrosch Park within the Lincoln Center complex hosting the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet and New York Symphony Orchestra.

The New York event is the first of the four principal twice-a-year fashion weeks, followed by London, Milan and Paris.

"Starting tomorrow, one of the world?s most eye-catching events comes to one of the world?s greatest cultural institutions, as we kick off Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center," Bloomberg said.

"For years, the famed fashion tents have drawn people from all over the world to New York City, and the buzz is even greater this year with it debuting at its new home at Lincoln Center."

Fashion Week in New York is attended by some 230,000 people and brings an estimated 770 million dollars in economic activity to a city where 175,000 people are employed in the fashion industry, the mayor's office says.

Until this year Fashion Week always took place in more cramped conditions at Bryant Park, near Times Square.

"Lincoln Center is an ideal location for the semi-annual events, with more outdoor space than was available at Bryant Park and terrific transit access, including the Number One subway line, or as it will be called this week: The Fashion Line," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg was accompanied at the opening ceremony by designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president Diane von Furstenberg, whose collection will be shown Sunday.

Friday will feature "Fashion Night Out" when city stores stay open late and fashionistas are encouraged to shop and party into the wee hours.