starbytes


Shahrukh and Amitabh neck to neck

 
The tug of war seems to be getting more and more intense as tensions build between Shahrukh Khan and the Bachchan clan. Kaun Banega Crorepati is fast gaining momentum to its premiere date, January 22 and that must be a sore spot for Amitabh as the Big B reportedly wanted Abhishek to replace him on the show. The producers opted for Shahrukh instead. There's more. Shahrukh is evidently hell bent on making KBC a bigger hit this season and is even shooting a music video as a promo. Conceptualised, directed, choreographed and sung by Ganesh Hegde (who choreographed the song 'Main Hoon Don'), the video titled 'Kar-Le Kar-Le Tu Ik Sawaal' will be done
up in hip-hop style and SRK will be seen dressed in a red velvet jacket with KBC symbolic 'Question Marks' reflecting on his shades. It will go on air with the show. Savvy! If that doesn't agitate the Bachchans enough, there's more. London's famous wax museum Madame Tussaud has announced that they will be putting up a stature of SRK this year. He will be the third Bollywood celebrity to be acknowledged here after Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. Amitabh must have been wishing for Abhi again; it certainly would've made the family picture perfect (even without Jaya and daughter Shweta). Well, you win some, lose some and with the industry's biggest wedding up ahead on the calendar, we're sure the Bachchans will manage to steal the thunder once again!  
 
Sushmita Sen hauled to court
 
Sushmita Sen has always spoken her mind and gotten in trouble for it. This time, she's given her opinions about chastity and premarital sex and a Madurai-based advocate has filed a criminal complaint against the ex-miss Universe for insulting the chastity of all Indian women. What exactly did she shoot off the hip? She was captured saying that, "chastity has no meaning in the current period, and it applies to both men and women." In another instance she reportedly said that inquiring whether a man was married or not, while falling in love was beyond her comprehension. The remarks which were published in a Tamil newspaper and two TV channels have infuriated the lawmakers and action has already been taken
under the Indian Penal Code and Indecent Representation of Women Act. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for February 23rd 2007. Coming from South India where obscenity is glorified in films and item numbers pick up highest ratings, this allegation is way off mark. We admire Sush for being honest about her beliefs and wish the rest of the nation could learn from her. After all, for a country that scripted the Kamasutra and displays copulating deities on the walls of temples, a little sex-talk shouldn't offend anyone at all!
 
Brangelina move to New Orleans
 
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are continuously shifting focus from stardom to social work and their recent move to Katrina-struck state New Orleans is another feather in their humanitarian cap. The couple was said to be hopeful that their move would help draw attention to the Gulf Coast's continued struggle to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and Pitt has already teamed up with nonprofit organization Global Green USA to jointly commission 20 eco-friendly homes in low-income neighborhoods. That's just one part of it. Reportedly Angelina has stated that she was hoping to distance herself from Hollywood so she could spend more
quality time with the kids. The couple also confessed to plans of expanding their family, more likely through adoption this time. At the recent Golden Globes where the couple was spotted together on a red carpet after a long time, Brad joked about the couple's family-planning strategy. "We're thinking soccer team. World Cup. We are going to start our own country and enter the World Cup – and dominate," he said. Well the estate they have bought sure will serve as perfect practice ground. According to real estate records, Pitt and Jolie have paid 3.5 million dollars in cash for a six-bedroom home in the French Quarter, with plenty of space for the family.
 
Grey's Anatomy strikes another controversy
 

A while back we reported that one of the leading cast members of Grey's Anatomy, Isaiah Washington, who plays Dr. Preston Burke made an anti-gay remark against his colleague T. R. Knight. As a result, Knight came out to People Magazine and there was an on-location spat between Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd). Later, Isaiah apologized to all cast members. Last week, Grey's Anatomy picked up its first big award at the Golden Globes for Best Drama. It has now been reported that Isaiah took on the microphone in the pressroom, after picking up the globe with his colleagues and passed and tried to speak about his spat with Patrick Dempsey on the sets. Washington was heard slurring

derogatory remarks at the globes. Later, T.R. Knight appeared on the Ellen Show and openly admitted to the hostility shown to him by Isaiah. Right now, Isaiah's character is the only one that can be knocked off because the storyline has drastically changed since the first season. Realising his mistake, Isaiah issued a statement after the globes and said, "By repeating the word Monday night, I marred what should have been a perfect night for everyone who works on Grey's Anatomy. I can neither defend nor explain my behavior." For the sake of the show, we sincerely hope that Washington does not repeat the same mistake thrice. He is one of the key cast members but ABC won't keep up with him if this attitude continues. The good news is that 3-4 more episodes of the show have just been aired in US and have hit local markets right now. So do check the new episodes out.