Sridevi suffered from a makeup malfunction

Bollywood diva Sridevi has always managed to turn heads with her looks and style. However, at a recent event the actress did turn heads but due to a different reason.

The actress suffered from a make-up malfunction at a launch event. Her makeup was all messed up and there was loose white face powder clearly visible on her nose and under her eyes.

It seems her makeup artist had forgotten to blend her makeup properly. Hence, as a result her makeup turned white when she was clicked. It was indeed a freaky picture. We suggest you change your makeup artist, Sridevi.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

I worked as a store keeper for Rs 365 a month: Abhijeet

Page 1 of 3

Abhijeet Bhattacharya, 52, may not be a perfect human being, but he is a loyal friend, who will stand by people in their tough times. He is deeply emotional and gets hurt easily. While his arrogance comes from him being self- respecting and his sarcasm from his being funny, the one thing no one can call him is a hypocrite.

In a conversation with TOI, post his latest song Dil Ka Jo Haal Hai from Besharam, composed by Lalit Pandit, he talks about his struggling days, being RD Burman's discovery and why he believes his wife is his lucky mascot. Excerpts:

Let's talk about your childhood?
I was born and brought up in Kanpur. My father was initially a businessman who owned coal mines, but once the government took over the mines, he got into service and we lived hand-to-mouth. My oldest brother, who is ten years older to me, took up a job at the ordnance factory at 15 and supported the house. I had decided that if I became something in life, I would look after my elder brother. So, when I bought my house in Mumbai, I bought a house for him too, in Jabalpur, where he lives. I was only interested in music and from a young age, I would play several instruments. From Class X, I started singing for Chatterjee Orchestra and supported myself. By the time I was in college, I was even contributing at home. My brothers were settled and because I had no responsibilities, I could gamble. From the beginning, I have always done everything with a lot of planning and I had one dream that I would give my parents the life a star's parents have.

I knew a sound person, Baitulla Siddiqui, who lived in Kanpur but worked in Mumbai and so I wrote a letter to him telling him that I was coming to Mumbai and landed here.

How did you get your first break?
When my train landed, Siddiqui sahab came to receive me and took me to stay with him in Dharavi, which is where he lived. Despite the love they gave me, I could not handle the living conditions there and decided to go back to Kanpur. My sister was married in Mumbai. She came to know that I was here and I moved in with her for a month, during which I would visit studios of music directors. Obviously, nothing happened and I took up a small job I got as a store keeper for `365 per month with the help of Ghulam Mustafa sahab, who also I knew through a Kanpur connection. I missed my mother everyday, but would call her to say I was fine so that she would not be worried about me. I would bunk office everyday in the afternoon to go visit RD Burman's office and lost my job in the bargain. I knew Ravindra Jain sahab through a neighbour in Kanpur and he was the only music director whose house I used to visit. When I lost my job, I went to him and told him that and he kept me as a helper.

Article continues

Page 2 of 3

Since his visibility was very little, I was of help to him for his odd jobs like taking him out for a walk at 5 in the morning and lived with him in his house. At that time he was single. Dada liked me and got used to me and I lived with him for a year-and-a- half. But it was clear to me that I would not get a break as a singer as Dada did not have confidence in me. But I had learnt by just sitting in his music sessions and by just being in his company. While I was there, I would often go and meet Pancham da, who along with Jagjit ji, gave me my first break.

That was the era of Kishore Kumar. How did he take you?
That time it was impossible for him to approve a new singer. I had visited Pancham da for six months and everyday he would say, 'Come tomorrow.' I had decided to go back to Kanpur, finish my studies, take up a job, get married, make my wife sit on the Vespa behind me and take my mother for tirath. Living in Mumbai, I started dreaming of Kanpur. I went and met Pancham da for one last time telling him that I was going back and that he should just listen to my recording once for my satisfaction before I left. Somehow he agreed. It was a really bad recording, but a johri can judge. Pacham da asked me to stay back for a few more days but did not say anything more. I had, by now, moved into a Wadala colony, a 25-minute-walk from the station. It was a government chawl and I had no phone, so I had given the number of Major Natkar, who lived in Mahim and was known to help strugglers by taking down messages for them. I would call him everyday to find out if there were any messages for me, but there were none. Fifteen days later, I had high fever that lasted three days, when I did not call Major Natkar. But Pancham da was trying to reach me. So when I called Major Natkar after three days, he started abusing me as I had not called on the three most important days of my life. My heart sank and for the first time, I took a taxi with whatever money I had and landed at Pancham da's house. Pancham da had a cook Manu da, who was also his right-hand man and was known to shut the door on the face of strangers, who would often land up there to meet Pancham da. But this time, when I rang the bell, Manu da welcomed me and said in Bangla, 'Where are you, yaar?' I recorded my first song with Pancham da and sang for Dev sahab's son for Anand Aur Anand, while Kishore da sang for Dev sahab. It was my first duet with Kishore da. I still remember Kishore da telling me 'Tum bahut sur mein gaate ho.' I became very close to Pancham da, but that made people around him jealous and they concocted a story about me to him. They told him that I had sold one of his tunes to his competitor, which, of course, was far from being true.

Later, Pancham da came to know it was not true as, obviously, no competitor had made that song, but it was too late as Pancham da had already distanced himself from me by then. The film did not work and my career finished before it started. My father went into depression and died shortly due to it. He could never see my success. My mother moved in with me after he died and lived with me, till she died three years back. I am still most attached to my mom and even now, when I look back in life, my worst years were the four years I struggled without her in Mumbai.

Article continues

Page 3 of 3

How did you meet your wife Sumati?
Her father was a senior Navy person and they lived at Cuffe Parade, whereas I was a struggling singer. We met at a common friend's place, where I was performing. She was the first person I met who not only knew my flop song, but was also my fan. She was eleven years younger to me and an amateur singer. Her father was dreaming about her becoming a singer and requested me to guide her thinking me to be a senior. But he forgot to tell me that I was to guide her only in music. She was so silly that in just 15 days, she had decided that her future was with me. They would brainwash her quoting Kishore da's three marriages, but she was adamant. Even though I was a struggling singer, I thought in my mind, 'Wah, they think I can become Kishore Kumar!' Sumati was keen to get married but I could not, as I did not even have a place. From the day she had entered my life, things just worked out for me. I had applied for a government 1BHK flat under the artist quota and got rejected, but I took Sumati with me and she was so lucky for me that they allocated the flat to me that day. That gave me hope and we got married. Our first son was conceived on our wedding night itself, but that put me into more depression as I now had to support a family, but did not have work. That is when Anand Milind gave me my break in Baaghi. After that, I never looked back.

Did you go back to meet RD Burman after you became successful?
I am the only singer who was discovered by Pancham da. He may have sent me away from him when he was at his peak, but two years before he died, he had no work and his house that was always full of so many people with music, stopped getting its visitors. I was at the peak of my career and would go to Pancham da during this time, as I knew he had no one around him. He would be sitting in the balcony of his first floor Santacruz flat all alone and would be irritated seeing me. I could see that he did not want anyone to come. This was the time he was doing his last album 1942 A Love Story. There would be just Pancham da, his mother in the inside room lying in a coma and, of course, good old Manu da. Seeing him like that I decided that while I was at my peak, I would secure myself financially and started investing all my money into property that I continue doing till this day.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

It's OK if minorities don't repay loans, Karnataka Congress chief G Parameshwara says

BANGALORE: In the race to appease the minorities in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections next year, KPCC president G Parameshwara on Saturday suggested it's all right for them to cheat by not repaying loans taken from government agencies.

At a Congress workshop for here on schemes for minorities, Parameshwara said several people who had taken loans had cheated the government by not repaying them. "The Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation, instead of giving small loans, should sanction huge amounts like Rs 50 lakh. Never mind if the beneficiaries don't repay the loans. Topi hakidre parvagilla (colloquial for 'no issues if they cheat'). Many people and officials have duped government agencies of several thousands of crores of rupees. It's part of the development process," he said.

Also present at the workshop were Union minister for minority affairs K Rahman Khan, former MP CK Jaffer Sharief, minister Qamarul Islam, R Roshan Baig and Naseer Ahmed.

The opposition was quick to react. Former chief minister and Karnataka Janata Party supremo BS Yeddyurappa said a person in a responsible position should not make such statements. "Statements appeasing minorities is wrong. Such statements will definitely have a bearing on the administration," he said.

State BJP president Prahlad Joshi alleged that the Congress has been duping the minorities. "There is nothing surprising in this statement, and Parameshwara has made the party's intentions clear," he said.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Is Ranbir Kapoor's 'Besharam' a big flop at the BO?

Seems like Ranbir Kapoor starrer 'Besharam' has not impressed many and it's box office collections are a proof of this.

Ranbir who has had two back to back hits (Barfi! and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani), is one of the most popular actors these days who is highly in demand. In fact Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is amongst the top grossers of 2013. Also, his last few performances have won him rave reviews and many awards.

But Besharam has not proven to be too lucky for him or director Abhinav Singh Kashyap. According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the total collection on Wednesday was Rs 21.56 crore and Rs 7.13 crore on Thursday. He further tweeted on micro blogging site Twitter, "#Besharam sinks further. Fri *early estimates* Rs 5.75 cr."

Despite the fact that Besharam had a solo release and also released on a national holiday (October 2), the film has got an average response. Perhaps the Wednesday release proved detrimental for the film since with negative word of mouth the business dropped drastically on (working days of) Thursday and Friday. With the collections falling steadily by the day, it seems quite improbable that the business might pick up over the weekend.

The fate of Besharam will be decided by Monday!

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Karnataka salesman ends life, names Prime Minister in suicide note

BANGALORE: A 32-year-old salesman Santosh Gowda with a shoe company committed suicide, citing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's alleged "bad administration" and failure to repel attacks by Pakistan as the cause.

Santosh Kumar Appaswamy Gowda was a resident of Dasarahalli on Tumkur Road and a native of Sakleshpur, Chikmagalur district.

The suicide came to light when a neighbour peeped though the half-open door of his single-bedroom residence around 7.30pm Thursday. Santosh was hanging from the ceiling by a rope.

A Pre-University course dropout, Santosh had moved to Bangalore 12 years ago and worked as a salesman with various companies before joining a footwear major four years ago.

Santosh, a bachelor, was upset that he couldn't be a success in life. He was also addicted to alcohol and gambling, his colleagues told police.

Police recovered a three-page suicide note in Kannada from the room. In the first two pages, Santosh lamented his inability to earn enough to buy assets and come to terms with life in Bangalore. The last page was devoted to the political situation in the country. He charged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with "failure in giving good administration".

Colleagues told police he was also depressed over his failure to take care of his parents in their old age.

The body was shifted to MS Ramaiah Hospital for the autopsy and handed over to his family on Friday.

Excerpt of suicide note

I have spent 12 years working in Bangalore but have miserably failed to earn money and make assets... Due to financial constraints, I could not look after my aged parents and this pains me a lot. I hate Bangalore as it is difficult to live here. There is no meaning for words like truth and human values in Bangalore... I am upset with prime minister Manmohan Singh for his failures... Pakistani soldiers are foraying into our territory, killing our Armymen and beheading them at will. Still, the Indian government is doing nothing. If there is something called rebirth, I will be reborn as an Indian solider and serve the country.

-- Santosh Kumar Appaswamy Gowda

Expert speak

Santosh seems to have suffered from major depression disorder. Further, he must have been riven by conflicts with his loneliness which perhaps added to his depression. People like this have high ideals but get disappointed when they realize there's no place for them in real life. Born and brought up in a village, he couldn't adjust himself to life in Bangalore. The desperation born out of his realization that he hadn't lived up to his ideals is reflected him invoking the Prime Minister's name in his suicide note.

Dr Anand Pandurangi | psychiatrist

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Madonna reveals being raped at knifepoint when first arrived in NYC

Pop sensation Madonna has revealed that she suffered a horrific rape at knifepoint when she first arrived in New York to pursue her career.

The 55-year-old singer made the revelation in November issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine, News.com.au reported.

The Queen of Pop wrote that New York wasn't everything she thought it would be, as it did not welcome her with open arms.

She said that during the very first year, she was held up at gunpoint and was raped on the roof of a building after being dragged up with a knife in her back.

In the article, she also wrote about her childhood and rise to fame, admitting that during her teenage years, most people thought she was "strange".

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jailed for 5 years, Lalu Prasad asks ‘How can I be punished?’

(Lalu Prasad Yadav ceases…)

RANCHI: Former Bihar chief minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad was finally sentenced for five years with fine of Rs 25 lakh in case no. RC20A/96 of the Rs 950 crore fodder scam by CBI special Judge PK Singh on Thursday.

He is one among the 37 people accused in the same case.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Congress slams BJP over Modi's 'toilets first, temples later' remark

("My image is that of Hindutva…)

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP of double standards after its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said toilets had to be a greater priority than temples in India.

Addressing college students on Wednesday, the Gujarat chief minister rued that many Indians still do not have access to basic sanitation.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sonu’s response to Chhota Shakeel’s threat

Page 1 of 2

Post The Times of India's exclusive story on Chhota Shakeel threatening Sonu Nigam for his life, we received a letter from Sonu. We felt that this letter is straight from his heart and have reproduced it below as is.

"The first time Chhota Shakeel threatened me through his man, was in 2000. I was merely 26 at that time, didn't know how to cough up the money that was being asked. Eventually at his behest, I made him speak to a family friend whom he'd address as Didi or sister, and ended up assuring me that I shall never receive a call from them. I was relieved.

His messaging me again last month after so many years, was not as ugly as it has become post the news leak yesterday. I was trying to keep it under the wraps all this while because I know all this amounts up to unnecessary publicity, especially when he was threatening me in a civil way, uptil now! But I guess it is not in my hands to keep the press from procuring information, in fact I had told him last month too, that one cannot underestimate Indian Police and Indian press these days, and that I don't want to get into this mess!

So much has changed in me from his last call to this call. Back then, I didn't have much money. Today, I don't work for money. People who belong to my category, cannot be understood so easily. Shakeel could very well ask me that if you do not work for money, why wouldn't you work with the person whom I want you to work with, and give me the discount I'm asking for? Fair enough question to ask!

The answer is when you reach a point when you are walking up the stage, and you have this feeling that you are going on a cosmic pilgrimage, and you have gratitude for the parents, dead or alive, of all the people gathered to listen to you, to bless you, to make you feel the chosen one, how can you work or perform under a threat?

Article continues

Page 2 of 2

Perhaps Shakeel doesn't know singing to me, is like namaaz would be for him. Am sure if he knew that, if he knew me as a person, he would just leave me alone. But how can I blame him for not knowing me, when my wife still hasn't figured me out, and vice versa!
So much has happened this year, I have lost some major relationships to death or to other factors. My grand father, my beautiful mother, my father's best friend, and then some friends' tragedies like Sajid Wajid's father, Salim Suleiman's mom, Toshi Sharib's father, my friend and young colleague Ajay Jhingran, my friend Chintan's dad, and many more. This year has made me surrender to the temporality of life. Also made me death friendly as there are so many loved ones on the other side already.

I'm sure Shakeel wouldn't despise me, or think of me as his enemy, because I've done no wrong to him. I'm sure at least one of the thousands of songs I've sung, would be in his favorite list. He's elder to me and I'm sure by now he wouldn't wanna indulge in petty things like "Sonu Nigam Has to work with Bharat Jotwani, his front man, from New Jersey!" I am sure he knows the love of a mother and sister, but wish he knew for someone like me, more than death threats, it's too saddening to have my mother and sister abused by somebody else!

So does that give me reasons to feel hatred for him, or feel superior? No! I have no right to judge anyone. Not even the one threatening me. My loved ones fearing for my life, concerned journalists or cops calling me up frantically, should not make me feel victimized or aggrieved. The cosmos works on the principle of cause and effect. There is a reason this is happening. And even if I don't get it now, I'll get it eventually.

Till then I'll pray for Shakeel and his family, everyone has a sweet family who prays for his wellbeing as much as my father prays for mine today, and hope that one day, he can love me and see that I'm a free soul as a musician. I can't be tied to a condition and then made to work. The only way to work with people like us, is giving us the freedom and space to grow and evolve, for only then shall we be able to give you all, an experience that will reflect the bliss that we ourselves experienced, while creating it. Love and Prayers."

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fodder scam: Lalu Prasad gets five years in jail, Jagannath Mishra four

RANCHI: Former Bihar chief minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad was finally sentenced for five years with fine of Rs 25 lakh in case no. RC20A/96 of the Rs 950 crore fodder scam by CBI special Judge PK Singh on Thursday.

He is one among the 37 people accused in the same case. Another former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra has been sentenced for four years with fine of Rs 2 lakh whereas JD (U) sitting MP Jagdish Prasad has been sentenced for four years with fine of Rs 5 lakh. Former MLA, RK Rana, has been slapped with the maximum fine of Rs 30 lakh and imprisonment of five years.

Four IAS officers and 25 suppliers who were accused by the CBI in the same case have been awarded imprisonment of four years each.

Hearing arguments of counsel of the accused and CBI in the first half, court of special CBI judge pronounced the final verdict at 2.30pm which sent shock waves across political fraternity.

Lalu, who was convicted in the case on Monday along with 44 others, including former chief minister Jagannath Mishra is currently lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail here.

The 65-year-old leader has lost his Lok Sabha seat and stands disqualified as an MP and is also barred from contesting election for six years following the sentencing thanks to a Supreme Court order.

During the argument in the court earlier today, Lalu's counsel pleaded a lenient sentence underlining that the former CM was a senior and law abiding citizen. Lalu's lawyer also argued he was too old and suffered from many diseases. On the other hand, CBI demanded maximum punishment 'which would act as deterrent in similar cases.'

The 17-year-old case involves fraudulent withdrawal to the tune of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa treasury in the 1990s.

There were a total of 56 accused in the case. But during the trial, seven accused died, two turned approvers, one admitted to the crime and one was discharged.

Judge PK Singh had fixed July 15 as the date for verdict, and had asked the remaining 45 accused to be present in the court.

Lalu Prasad moved the Jharkhand high court and later the Supreme Court, seeking change of the judge in the case. Both the courts dismissed his petition, and directed him to complete argument in the case before the CBI special court.

Lalu Prasad quit the chief minister's post in 1997 when his name figured in the CBI investigations in the scam, which surfaced in 1996.

Around 54 of the 61 cases were transferred to Jharkhand, after it was created as a separate state from Bihar in November 2000. Different CBI courts have passed judgments in more than 43 cases. Former CMs Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra are accused in five cases.

Key politicians in the case apart from Lalu and Mishra are former AHD minister, Vidya Sagar Nishad, Chandradeo Prasad Verma, former JDU MP, Jagdish Sharma, former RJD MP, RK Rana and former BJP MLA Dhruv Bhagat, while bureaucrats convicted in the case are Phulchand Singh, Mahesh Prasad, Beck Julius and K Arumugham.

22.14 | 0 komentar | Read More