Anil wants to forget 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Anil Kapoor says he is tired of his link to Oscar winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire' and wants to move on.

The 50-year-old star played game show host Prem Kumar in Danny Boyle's 2008 movie.

In an interview to Britain's GMTV, Anil urged his fans and friends to stop asking him about his "Slumdog..." success, reports contactmusic.com.

"It was such a long time (ago). Very nostalgic, but I want to get over it. I want to forget about it but people won't let me forget about it. I just want to move on. Please, let's move on. I'd been in 100, more than 100 films, (before Slumdog)," he said.

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In Pics: Freida Pinto attends the GQ Awards at Royal Opera House in London

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In Pics: Freida Pinto Spotted

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In Pics: Freida Pinto and Dev Patel Spotted in London

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Rahman moves from Slum to Stars

Just when we thought the Slumdog mania is over, here’s a smack up. A R Rehman is making a big song and dance.

In his next big international venture, he is going to team up with Mick Jagger, Kylie Minogue, Pussycat Dolls and Joss Stone as they are on his favourite list for the new project he wants to produce.

The mini Mozart of Madras is currently busy working on a special track for the film Blue, after which he will finish work on Couples Retreat, which also has his son singing in it. Now that’s a combination we all want to hear.

Earlier, Rahman worked with Pussycat Dolls and took up the Slumdog fever one step up on music charts across the globe. And now with more names adding to an all out international project, things can only get better for the musician from Slum land!

A source confirmed the news, “Rahman has been getting a lot more names who want to associate with him after his new found success in the international arena. He is also finalizing the list, and since it is going to be a compilation of various artistes he wants to insure he has the best.”

Very soon there will be an official announcement as the work on the album has already kickstarted with super acts like Pussycat Dolls and Kylie more than willing to be a part. Kylie not only sang, but also features in an item number in Blue.

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In Pics: Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto make first public appearance

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Dev Patel, Freida duck papparazi

Multiple Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" couple Dev Patel and Freida Pinto are avoiding being photographed together.

Following a romantic dinner in a New York restaurant, the stars left for their hotel but when the pair spotted waiting photographers, Dev made a comic run away, reports newstin.co.uk.

Seeing the funny side of it, Dev began laughing while making his dash, and Freida, 25, also appeared to be amused as they out-foxed the snappers and giggled away. Frieda sauntered on alone in a white butterfly T-shirt dress.

Rumours surfaced in February as "Slumdog..." mania swept the globe that Freida and Dev, 19, were more than just friends.

Their cover was blown, however, by co-star Anil Kapoor who revealed: "When I meet them, I feel there is something happening," before adding that the couple shared "a magical chemistry".

Dev has recently been in Philadelphia filming "The Last Airbender" while Freida is being chased by casting agencies for modelling and film work.

He is also rumoured to have been lined up to play a lead role in a Hindi remake of south Indian hit "Nadodigal".

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Dev Patel, Freida duck papparazi

Multiple Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" couple Dev Patel and Freida Pinto are avoiding being photographed together.

Following a romantic dinner in a New York restaurant, the stars left for their hotel but when the pair spotted waiting photographers, Dev made a comic run away, reports newstin.co.uk.

Seeing the funny side of it, Dev began laughing while making his dash, and Freida, 25, also appeared to be amused as they out-foxed the snappers and giggled away. Frieda sauntered on alone in a white butterfly T-shirt dress.

Rumours surfaced in February as "Slumdog..." mania swept the globe that Freida and Dev, 19, were more than just friends.

Their cover was blown, however, by co-star Anil Kapoor who revealed: "When I meet them, I feel there is something happening," before adding that the couple shared "a magical chemistry".

Dev has recently been in Philadelphia filming "The Last Airbender" while Freida is being chased by casting agencies for modelling and film work.

He is also rumoured to have been lined up to play a lead role in a Hindi remake of south Indian hit "Nadodigal".

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'Jai Ho', 'Slumdog' in race to be millionth English word

'Jai ho', 'cuddies' and 'slumdog' are among the 73 other finalists from across the globe to become the millionth English word.

The Global Language Monitor, an Austin, Texas-based firm that analyses and catalogues the latest trends in word usage and word choices with a particular emphasis on English, will choose the millionth word on June 10 at 10.22 a.m. GMT.

At present, there are 999,927 words in their 'English language world clock'.

According to the firm's site languagemonitor.com, 'cuddies' - the Hinglish word for ladies underwear or panties; jai ho - used as a term of praise in Hindi that became popular through the Oscar winning "Slumdog Millionaire"; as well as slumdog - a disparaging description of slum dwellers - are all in the race to becoming the millionth word in the English language.

"The million word milestone brings to notice the coming of age of English as the first truly global Language," said Paul J.J. Payack, president and chief word analyst of the Global Language Monitor.

According to the site, owing to the "global extent of the English language, the millionth word is as likely to appear from India, China or East Los Angeles as it is to emerge from Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's home town)".

Payack who authored "A Million Words and Counting" also said that there were three major trends involving the English language at present.

"First - an explosion in word creation - English words are being added to the language at the rate of some 14.7 words a day. Second is a geographic explosion where some 1.53 billion people now speak English around the globe as a primary, auxiliary, or business language. Third - English has become, in fact, the first truly global language."

Other English millionth word finalists are Australia's alchopops - sugary flavoured mixed drinks; bangster - a Polish combination of gangster and banker, de-friend - Internet lingo for no longer following a friends update on sites, sexting - texting of sexual content, quendy-trendy - British youth slang for hip and up to date, and mobama - relating to the fashion trends of US first lady.

Another word in the list is 'OK' - called "the most recognised English word on the planet".

Global Language Monitor has been tracking English word creation since 2003.

In Shakespeare's time, there were only two million speakers of English and fewer than 100,000 words. He himself coined about 1,700 words.

Former US president Thomas Jefferson invented about 200 words while George W. Bush created a handful, including misunderestimate. US President Barack Obama's surname passed into the word list last year with the rise of obamamania.

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Slumdog kids invited for grand tea party in The House of Commons, London

Oscar and Bafta Award winning film Slumdog Millionaire seems like going a step further in recognising its star cast to the world audience. Be surprised because it's not Dev Patel and Freida Pinto. Slumdog Millionaire's Azharuddin Mohammed and Rubina Ali have received a special invite from Britain's MP Keith Vaz to attend a grand tea party to be held at the House of Commons in Westminster later this month. Keith Vaz wanted to invite both the kids in the month of April but due for reasons unknown, it didn't work out. Now he has made sure that there are no further delays. Both the kid's family accepted the invitation sent by Vaz and are now ready to leave for London in the near future to attend the grand tea party. Though the date of the party is still to be decided, Vaz wished that both Azharuddin and Rubina meet the UK media and their well wishers who've praised their performances in the multiple award winning film.

Speaking exclusively from London with UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent, Keith said, "Both the kids have left a lasting impression on the people of UK to such an extent that they are now interested in knowing about the personal lives of the kids after what was badly written about them in the Indian and world press. I haven't yet decided the date when the party will be held but it sure is going to happen in the near future."

Well, these kids deserve much more than just slums. Way to go kids!

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Dev Patel desperate to remain a 'normal kid'

"Slumdog Millionaire" teenage star Dev Patel is so desperate to remain a "normal kid" that he still uses public transport in his native London.

The 17-year-old is re-adjusting to superstardom after his big screen debut in the multi-Oscar winning movie catapulted him into the spotlight and Patel refuses to let fame go to his head, and still uses London's underground tube trains to remain as grounded as possible, reports contactmusic.com.

"I've been meeting all these people I've watched for years on TV, and they actually know who I am. The other day I jumped on the tube, and all the faces in the carriage turned my way. I can't get used to that, man. I'm still pretty much a normal kid," he said.

He's also been following the advice "Slumdog" director Danny Boyle gave him after the success of the underdog drama.

"Danny said to take each day at a time, not to let it overwhelm me, and just be myself," he said.

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Leave Slumdog stars alone!

Director Danny Boyle has pleaded with the press to leave the young stars of “Slumdog Millionaire” alone - because the constant attention is ruining their lives.

The Oscar winning movie's child actors, Azharuddin Ismail, 10 and nine-year-old Rubina Ali, were catapulted into the limelight following the global success of the film, which has grossed $353 million at the worldwide box office.
But both kids have been hit by scandal and tragedy since they became famous.

Ali's father was quizzed by Indian police over allegations he attempted to sell his young daughter for $300,000, although he has since been cleared of the claims.

And Ismail's dad was forced to apologise to the world's press after he was seen beating his son just days after the film's Oscar glory in February.

Boyle is convinced their sudden fame is responsible for the incidents - and he has begged the media to leave the pair in peace.
He tells Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, "The parents are good people who love their children. All the pressure and tension on the family is media-dominated and there has been a lot of miscommunication because we live in London and have only been able to read the news stories from afar."

Both families were also forced out of their homes in Mumbai, India in May when local authorities bulldozed swathes of the city's slums - before Boyle stepped in to buy new apartments for the young stars and their relatives.
And the director is dedicated to building a happy future for Ismail and Ali - away from the prying eyes of the press.

He adds, "They are really wonderful kids who have been brought up in very difficult circumstances. It has obviously been a very difficult period, but the best possible benefit that this film could ever give them is an education and we are very, very proud that they are making progress and have passed all their exams.

"Things are looking positive - they will be in their houses soon. I certainly hope this is the last time I have to speak to the media about Azhar and Rubina in this context."

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Slumdog… kid's father slams Danny Boyle

"Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle, who rushed to India on Wednesday (May 28) to help the film's child stars, was stunned when a child's father accused him of ignoring them.

Some of the children have become homeless after civic authorities razed their shanties. Boyle had come down to offer them help.

However, Rafiq Qureshi, father of Rubina Ali, 9, left their meeting in anger accusing the filmmaker of neglecting them after the film's global success.

"A house is being provided for the kids...we have been listening this for the last five months...I don't see any house coming our way. The shanty that we were living in has already been razed...where are we getting a house from?

"If they are providing us a house, when are they going to do it? Our kids are literally living on the road now," an exasperated Qureshi told a news channel later.

"Slumdog" producer Christian Colson also participated in the meeting held at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on the outskirts of the city.

"We are looking for a legal accommodation that should be held by the trust (Jai Ho) to ensure the safety of these kids and it would be properly monitored as well," a calm Boyle told the reporters.

The kids including Azharuddin Ismail M. Shaikh, 10, the main child star of the movie, apart from Rubina, were both thrown on the streets after Mumbai civic authorities demolished their shanties May 14, terming the slum unauthorised.

The producers of the multiple Oscar-award wining underdog drama had earlier announced a setting up Jai Ho Trust to look after the two child stars and ensure that they receive quality education and a house to live in.

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Danny uncle must be busy now

Shyam’s Secret, the Swiss film for the promotion of which Ayush Mahesh Khedekar walked the red carpet at Cannes, needs to be kept a secret, at least for the time being and the child actor knows best.

He wouldn’t part with any details about the film, but is happy blurting out all about his experience, the little trivia, the inability of sharing which weighs heavy on his little chest. He begins the interview with a confident ‘Hi’ and goes on chit-chatting about the little world to which he belongs and the big dreams that the film called Slumdog Millionaire has brought with it.

To begin with, Ayush can’t get over his Cannes hangover and is fiercely vocal about the same. “People knew me there. And when I walked the red carpet, they would be like, ‘Yo Ayush, yo Ayush’. The shutterbugs would also make a beeline to take my pictures. Bahut saare artistes bhi thhe wahan pe, bahut saare fancy kapdon mein.” So, did he take a special liking to any? The child actor says should he mention one, it has to be Eric Cantona, the larger-than-life former French footballer, who appeared in Cannes to promote the Ken Loach-directed movie, Looking for Eric, in which he plays himself. “He’s super cool,” Ayush quips.

The Slumdog experience is also hard to get over and though Ayush can’t talk about Shyam’s Secret, he’s happy talking about the movie that has made him a known face. “I would play games with Danny uncle and Loveleen aunt, who were really nice. But now, Danny uncle must be really busy, so we don’t get to talk much,” Ayush says like a grown up. And what about Freida aunt? Ayush correctly points out that the actor is Freida didi to him and not ‘aunt’. “Freida didi and Dev bhaiya dono hi mere achhe dost hai.”

Mention the famous scene where the youngest Jamal jumps into a pool of excreta, which was made out of chocolate and Ayush gets nostalgic, “Woh toh mere dummy ne kuda tha.” But wasn’t the thought of jumping into a pool of chocolates tempting? “Oh, that was butter chocolate. I don’t like that,” he explains.

Ayush, who aims at giving a shot to Bollywood as well apart from Hollywood ventures, wants to do a movie with his fave hero, Hrithik Roshan. Perhaps a Koi Mil Gaya or a Krrish like venture? “I haven’t thought about the kind of film it could be, but there has to be just the two of us.” Ask him about his fave heroine and the nine-year-old puts it diplomatically, “I like all of them.”

Movies apart, the child actor also places a lot of importance to education. He says it isn’t difficult managing both acting and studies at the same time and it also has to do a lot with two careers that he wants to pursue in future. “I want to be an actor and a scientist when I grow up.”
Now, that’s so sweet!

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Danny Boyle to Slumdog... kids' rescue

Director Danny Boyle has jetted to India to help find a home for the displaced child stars of his Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire”.

The director met with several of the film's stars at the private lounge of Mumbai's JW Marriott hotel on Tuesday (May 26) as part of his ongoing efforts to provide financial aid for the young actors.

Boyle established the Jai Ho Trust last year to ensure nine-year-old Rubina Ali and her co-star Azhar Ismail, 10, would receive financial backing to ensure their educations after plucking them from impoverished obscurity to star in his film.

But the children don't appear to be receiving any monetary aid - Ali was left facing life on the streets after authorities demolished her shantytown shack earlier this month, days after her co-star Azhar Ismail suffered the same ordeal.

A source tells British newspaper The Sun, "Their lives do not appear to be any better."

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'I don't have a fixed address'

While she is travelling all around the world and meeting famous people, Freida Pinto, heroine of the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire", feels Mumbai will always be her home.

"I don't have a fixed address as I'm making movies all over the world. I'm filming in Israel at the moment and who knows after that, so I'm not making plans to buy my own place yet," dailymail.co.uk quoted Freida as saying.

"Ultimately, Mumbai will always be home. That's where my family is," she added.

The 24-year-old actress is presently working on a film, "Miral", in Israel and has also been signed by Woody Allen for an untitled film to be shot in London.

Freida, a model and a travel show presenter in India, said when she auditioned for Danny Boyle's "Slumdog...", she didn't know that it would become such a big hit.

"I had no idea 'Slumdog Millionaire' would become such a huge success. In fact, when we were filming, none of us expected it, so the feeling of surprise and shock is still with me."

"The film won eight Oscars and I was nominated for Best Supporting actress at the Baftas, and now, when I look back at photographs in magazines of me at the film awards I can still hardly believe it's me," she added.

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Rubina Ali loses home

After Slumdog kid, Azharuddin lost his home to the MC, it was Rubina’s chance to lose the smile off her face.

The shanties along Bandra station, a plush Mumbai suburb, were razed on Tuesday.

The little girl is sad to have lost the roof over her head in the blink of an eye but she is more upset to have lost her mobile phone is all the commotion. “I used to play games on it. Now I have nothing to play with,” she complains.

The girl’s mother, Munni says that her success from Slumdog has got her nothing. She wishes the government gave her a house to live in.

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"Slumdog" child actor homeless - News In Video

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Freida upset with calender pictures

Freida's hotshots from a 2006 calender have bothered her. The shoot was apparently quite bold and the revealing pictures, which are being spread across the world, have not made her happy.

Only one film old, she is the toast of Hollywood and is currently in Israel shooting for her second film. She is currently dating 18-year-old Dev Patel, her costar in Slumdog Millionaire.

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Slumdog kid, Azharuddin loses home

Slumdog Millionaire star Azharuddin Ismail’s bamboo and plastic hutment at Kala Nagar in Bandra East, suburban Mumbai, was demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on the grounds of it being illegal. Take a look at how Azhar and his family dealt with the ordeal, as if they were used to it.

Azhar stands among the remains of his house

His parents interact with the media and smile for photos.

Surrounded by his belongings, family members and the media, Azhar speaks to media persons.


At the end of it, he gets tired of the media circus and runs away from it all


He seems unperturbed by his house being demolished as he poses with his friends, shouting ‘Jai Ho!’


Like any other boy his age, he cycles likes a carefree soul. That is the spirit, boy!

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