Solar-powered band rocks for a green earth

NEW DELHI - Armed with solar panels, rechargeable batteries, specially designed gizmo guitars and a unique drum kit, they are no cyborgs from the future, but the world’s only solar-powered music band, Solar Punch. They play songs of ‘peaceful activism’ to spread environment awareness.

Sophia Myles enjoyed tough stunts in ‘Outlander’

NEW YORK - Playing a tough action role in Howard McCain’s sci-mythic ‘Outlander’ was a dream come true for British actress Sophia Myles because she wanted to be pushed to her physical limits.

I won’t get provoked by marriage rumours: Katrina Kaif

MUMBAI - After spending six years in Bollywood, British-born actress Katrina Kaif has learnt to handle rumours and criticisms. While she rubbished reports of her marriage to Salman Khan, she also denied speculation about her sister Isabel entering the Hindi film industry soon.

My Chinese co-star is sweet, cooperative, says Shilpa

MUMBAI - Actress Shilpa Shetty, who plays an Odissi dancer in an upcoming Sino-Indian film venture titled ‘The Desire’, is full of praise for her Chinese co-star Xia Yu, whose name she says is invariably mispronounced by Indians.

Chhattisgarh Maoists offer peace talks in ‘public interest’

RAIPUR - Faced with relentless attacks on their forested hideouts, Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh have offered to hold peace talks with the government ‘in public interest’ but police have termed the move a ‘divisionary tactic’.

Gandhi’s bust unveiled in Canadian city

TORONTO - The Canadian city of Brossard honoured Mahatma Gandhi on his martyrdom day Friday by installing his bust at the city centre.

Management guru C.K. Prahlad among 9 NRIs/PIOs honoured with Padma awards

NEW DELHI - Noted management guru C.K. Prahlad and Khalid Hameed, a member of Britain’s House of Lords, are among the nine NRIs/PIOs to be conferred with the Padma series of civilian awards in the Republic Day honours list.

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is wonderful, I’m happy for Rahman: Bachchan

JAIPUR - Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, who had stoked a controversy by slamming ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, Friday said the movie was ‘wonderful’ and expressed happiness that composer A.R. Rahman won three Oscar nominations for his score and songs in the movie.

Chandni Chowk to China ‘banned’ in Nepal

KATHMANDU - As protests continued to erupt on the streets of Kathmandu Thursday over Bollywood’s first Kungfu comedy ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, cinemas in Nepal stopped screening the controversial film, saying they had replaced it with other films.

Tagore revisited in new contexts, formats at NSD festival

NEW DELHI - Participants in the ongoing 11th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the annual theatre festival of the National School of Drama (NSD), revisited classics by Rabindranath Tagore to take them to a wider cross-section of people.

Quaint melody - young musicians play for street children (Feature)

NEW DELHI - Adheer Ghosh, 20, is very busy like many other Delhi University students who are juggling daylong extra-curricular activities in addition to academics. But there is a distinction in this young guitarist’s weekly schedule - a two-hour session when he conducts music workshops for street kids at Shastri Nagar in north Delhi.

‘Ghajini’ outstrips DDLJ to become biggest domestic earner

NEW DELHI - Aamir Khan starrer ‘Ghajini’, which released to packed houses Dec 25, is on its way to create history by taking over the mantle of the biggest domestic earner so far, leaving behind ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’.

INX News sold to Indi Media Company Pvt. Ltd.

NEW DELHI - Just a few months after its launch, INX News Pvt Ltd, part of the Peter Mukerjea owned INX Group, has been sold to Indi Media Company Pvt Ltd, a newly formed company.

‘Aap Ki Kachehri’ may be extended owing to popularity

NEW DELHI - Reality show ‘Aap Ki Kachehri’ featuring former top cop Kiran Bedi might be extended by 52 episodes owing to its popularity among the audience.

Sikkim student commits suicide in Allahabad

ALLAHABAD - A meritorious B.Tech student, hailing from Sikkim, allegedly committed suicide in his hostel room here Wednesday, officials said.

Pancham used to keep best romantic songs for my sister: Asha Bhonsle

MUMBAI - Singing legend Asha Bhosle reveals she used to often fight with her late husband, composer R.D. Burman, because he would give the best of the romantic songs to her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar.

I want to beat Shah Rukh on screen energy: Shweta Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI - ‘Mission Istaanbul’ actress Shweta Bhardwaj says she has the ability to beat King Khan’s energy on screen.

Aamir Khan rewrote ‘Ghajini’ climax: Director Murugadoss

MUMBAI - ‘Ghajini’ director A.R. Murugadoss is completely enamoured with Aamir Khan’s creativity and admits that the actor rewrote the entire climax of the Hindi version of the action thriller to make it more contemporary and palatable to a cosmopolitan audience.

I’ve always wanted to work with Hrithik: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Interview)

MUMBAI - Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali says he always wanted to work with Hrithik Roshan and he’s doing exactly that in his new venture that also stars his favourite actress - Aishwarya Rai. The two have already created wonders together in ‘Dhoom-2′ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’.

In 2008, urban terrorism stalked Assam (Yearender - 19)

GUWAHATI - Nothwithstanding a decline in the number of insurgency-related casualties in 2008, Assam saw the bloodiest face of urban terror with the region remaining the most violent theatre of conflict in India’s northeast.

Change was buzzword for TV industry in 2008 (Yearender-11)

NEW DELHI - Change, they say, is the only constant in life. The saying may not have been true for India’s Rs.226 billion/ Rs. 22,600 Crores television industry for the past seven years but it certainly seemed apt for 2008.

Bombay High Court allows ‘Ghajini’ release

MUMBAI - The Bombay High Court has allowed ‘Ghajini’ to be released on Dec 25 (Thursday) even though the case filed against its producer for alleged violation of copyright is still pending in the court.