Bollywood turns obsessive!
Being in love can be bliss. But what happens when the love of your life loves you a little too much for comfort?
Seeking or showering constant attention from/on your partner can be quite suffocating. Either way, certain lines, under the pretext of jealousy or suspicion, are never meant to be crossed.
Even the seemingly infallible Bollywood stars have their share of grey days and blunders.
While the grapevine is abuzz with rumours of Saif Ali Khan getting a tad too close for girlfriend Kareena's comfort, Jannat heroine Sonal Chauhan is still recovering from the public humiliation she faced at the hands of her beau.
Previously too, Salman Khan's violent escapades with ex-flame Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made headlines.
Art imitates life in larger-than proportions. And so, on-screen possessiveness has been effectively exaggerated in several movies. Be it Raj Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna's jealousy-inflicted husbands in Andaaz and Aap Ki Kasam or Raj Babbar and Amjad Khan's bad-boy obsession with an indifferent party in Lava and Muqaddar Ka Sikander respectively.
Fropki.com takes a look at this breathing-down-the-neck breed in Hindi films:
Shah Rukh Khan in Darr, Anjaam and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam
In the early years of his career, playing bad caught SRK's obsession, pun intended.
He stammered to perfection as the neurotic lover-boy in Darr, chased the girl of his dreams with devious devotion in Anjaam and eavesdropped on wifey when not cribbing for her attention 24/7 in Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam.
Even today, K-k-k-kiran wins hands down.
Madhuri Dixit in Pukar
Jealousy plays dirty tricks on Madhuri Dixit's mind. Her single-minded obsession towards childhood sweetheart (Anil Kapoor) comes to a rude halt when she discovers he's in love with another (Namrata Shirodkar).
When all her charms and flattery fail to beguile Kapoor into submission, she makes a fatal move. One that will cost him his career and her credibility. But it's Madhuri for crying out aloud, needless to say all is well that ends well.
Urmila Matondkar in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya
He loves me. He loves me not. For Urmila Matondkar's Ria, fixated on a dishy photographer Fardeen Khan, it's a sad case of the latter.
Her need to be constantly pampered proves detrimental to FK's marriage when pretty Ria's not-so-pretty actions take a dangerous, aggressive turn.
Salman Khan in Tere Naam
Salman Khan takes a break from comic capers to rag Bhoomika Chawla. He threatens to gobble the contents of her tiffin in a long-haired avatar in this hit remake of Tamil film Sethu.
His Radhe continues to serenading Ms Chawla with crazy dedication, which entails kidnapping too, before she is forced to give in.
Kajol in Gupt
A far cry from her usually affable, chirpy self, Kajol goes all out, in an alarming manner, to protect the man she loves.
Let's see; she kills his dad, his dog, the magistrate, and tries to impale anyone who even comes close to her beloved with her antique collection of daggers.
Suniel Shetty in Dhadkan
In Takkar, Suniel Shetty gets into a scrap with creepy cop Naseeruddin Shah for nursing indecent thoughts about his girlfriend (played by Sonali Bendre).
But in Dharmesh Darshan's musical hit Dhadkan, he plays a over-protective, hyper-emotional Romeo (with Bollywood brand of justification) willing to go to any lengths to woo back his leggy love (Shilpa Shetty) now happily married to a Mr Nice Guy (Akshay Kumar).
He didn't get the girl but a Filmfare trophy for Best Villain? Oh yes!
Nana Patekar in Agnisakshi
Clearly Julia Roberts-starrer Sleeping With the Enemy left an indelible impression on the creativity of directors Partho Ghosh, David Dhawan and Abbas-Mustan.
All the three remade it around the same time but only Ghosh's version featuring an effortlessly intense Nana Patekar as the bossy and possessive pati of Manisha Koirala made big bucks at the box-office.
Esha Deol in Ankahee
As the depressed and suicidal protagonist of Vikram Bhatt's semi-autobiographical Ankahee, Esha Deol is quite compelling.
Her idea of romance is slicing wrists or popping sleeping pills when her married guy refuses to pay heed.
Sharad Kapoor in Dastak
Sharad Kapoor's debut act in Dastak suffered from a strong SRK-in-Darr hangover.
This one's about an overenthusiastic fan who kidnaps a beauty queen into a remote location.
Obviously, the latter is most displeased with his disturbing definition of reverence. Going by the box-office collections, so was the audience.
Pitt manager denies Jolie twins have been born
CORRENS, France (AP) — The Brangelina clan began settling into their new home in the south of France as a report that Angelina Jolie's twins had been born was denied by Brad Pitt's manager"Entertainment Tonight" first reported on its Web site Friday that the actress had given birth in France. The TV show stood by its story Friday night, with host Mary Hart saying on the air that "just this morning, a source who says she was inside the delivery room tells us yes, the babies were born and yes, mother and babies are fine."
Pitt's manager, Cynthia Pett-Dante, told The Associated Press: "We have no comment except the story is not true."
Several celebrity news outlets also reported the story was false. A spokeswoman for "Entertainment Tonight" did not return a call for comment Friday.
Jolie has said previously that her twins are due in August. She and Pitt have four other children: 6-year-old Maddox, 4-year-old Pax and 3-year-old Zahara, who are adopted, and 2-year-old Shiloh.
In southern France, where locals say the couple recently moved, officials at the Etoile Maternite Catholique de Provence in Aix-en-Provence, one of the region's top maternity clinics, said that Jolie had not been there and did not appear scheduled to come.
Privacy rules about health matters are extremely strict in France.
The pair recently moved into the Miraval Estate villa in the French hamlet of Correns, in the Provence region, according to the mayor and a local inn owner.
Traditionally, the region has lured tourists mostly for rock-climbing excursions on the rolling hills of the verdant region and leisurely strolls in its quaint medieval villages.
Mayor Michael Latz trumpets Correns as France's first town where all locally grown produce is organic — and his villagers teem with pride about that reputation, and seem mostly bemused about the invasion of Hollywood buzz.
"I like to joke that I'm happy to be able to contribute to the image of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, because Correns is so well known," Mayor Michael Latz said with a smile outside the ochre-colored town hall.
Latz said that Tom Bove, an American businessman who owns Miraval, recently told him that Jolie and Pitt had agreed to a three-year lease on the property, known for producing high-quality organic wine.
The couple is "in the process of moving in," said Latz, adding that he hadn't met them and knew nothing about whether Jolie had given birth or not.
"They are people who I hope will live normally here," he said. "I would think the choice of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie ... is tied to the quality of life in Correns."
Latz also rejected speculation about an imminent wedding, and said that under French law they'd need to alert local authorities if they want to officially tie the knot here.
Security guards were blocking the gates to the estate Friday, while a postal truck and other maintenance vehicles regularly passed in and out. The castle and accompanying buildings can't be seen from public roads.
Onno Stijl, owner of the L'Auberge du Parc inn, said it was a good thing they were moving in and could help business. He said he gets his wine from the estate's vineyards.
"It's a couple living here now like everyone," he said.
The area, he said, "is a bit isolated but that gives it a certain ... privacy."
According to its Web site, the Miraval estate dates from pre-Roman times. It includes fountains, aqueducts, moats, a lake and vineyards that produce an organic wine distributed worldwide.
Pitt and Jolie may be Miraval's first movie stars in residence, but Miraval has seen its share of rock stars. The estate includes a studio which has hosted the likes of Sting, the Cranberries and Pink Floyd, who recorded tracks for "The Wall" album there.
Home at center of 50 Cent lawsuit destroyed by fire
DIX HILLS, N.Y. (AP) — A multimillion-dollar home at the center of a bitter dispute between 50 Cent and the mother of his son was destroyed by a suspicious fire early FridaySix people, including 50's ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins and their 10-year-old son, Marquise, were taken to a hospital after suffering smoke inhalation and later released. A firefighter also suffered a minor eye injury, officials said.
50, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, doesn't live in the home and wasn't there at the time.
"Informed this morning while filming a new motion picture on location in Louisiana, Curtis Jackson expressed deep concern over this fire at his property," a representative for 50 said in a statement. "He is extremely thankful that everyone including his son, Marquise, escaped the burning house safely. He is confident that authorities will be conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and is eager to review their findings."
The home was essentially burned to the ground, with charred embers and wreckage littering the lot where the home once stood in the tree-lined neighborhood in Dix Hills.
Investigators from the Suffolk County arson squad were called to the scene after Dix Hills Fire Chief Larry Feld deemed the blaze suspicious. The fire was reported at 4:59 a.m. and was extinguished about 45 minutes later, Feld said. The arson squad had finished its work at the scene six hours after the blaze.
He referred the case to the arson squad "because of the intensity of the fire, and also being that who belongs to the house."
Police said the victims included the rapper's former girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins and two of her children, and Marquise. Three other adults in the home weren't immediately identified.
A passing off-duty police officer helped rescue the six people off an elevated deck in the home's backyard, Feld said.
The home has been the subject of an intense feud between 50 and Tompkins.
Tompkins filed a lawsuit against 50 earlier this year claiming he had promised her a house more than a decade ago, but that since their breakup, he now wants to evict her and their 10-year-old son from the home.
Tompkins' lawyer, Paul Catsandonis, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dispute over the house had become "extremely, extremely contentious" in recent days. Although he declined to be specific, he said there was an "extremely dangerous incident" Monday in his Manhattan office while taking a deposition for the lawsuit.
The dispute was "involving the parties in question," he said.
He said the case was back on the calendar in state Supreme Court in Manhattan on June 10.
Catsandonis said the 31-year-old rapper paid about $2.4 million for the house last year, one of the largest in the Long Island neighborhood of Dix Hills. He said 50, who grew up surrounded by violence and was once shot outside his grandmother's Queens home in 2000, had told the 32-year-old Tompkins that he wanted her and their son to live in a safe and secure place.
He also contended the rapper signed an agreement that would give Tompkins half of all his earnings as a hip-hop superstar. "Everything that's his is hers, everything that's hers is his. He memorialized in an e-mail that he intended to give her the house."
50 has been nominated for 13 Grammys, including nominations for the song "In da Club" and the album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'." In 2005, he starred with Terrence Howard in a semi-autobiographical movie based on that album.
Celebs Flock to Christian Audigier’s Birthday Bash
There's no overestimating how much celebrities love fashion designers. And at last night's birthday party for Christian Audigier, the stars were out in droves.
Held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, stars like Britney Spears, Fergie, Kim Kardashian, Pamela Anderson, and Alessandra Ambrosio all came out to show some love.
But the biggest moment of the night was definitely a shocker to all of the partygoers, as Audigier had a top secret appearance up his sleeve.
While onstage addressing his guests, Christian suddenly announced that he had a surprise. And a moment later, Michael Jackson walked out waving to the partygoers.
The iconic designer called Jackson the "King of Pop" with the "Thriller" singer returning the favor, calling Audigier the "King of Fashion."
Rowling wins court photo appeal
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has won a legal battle to ban publication of long-lens photographs taken of her son when he was 18 months old.
The author claimed the boy's right to privacy had been infringed after a picture of him was published in 2004.
The case went to the Court of Appeal after she lost an action last year.
Ms Rowling, 42, said she had taken action because she wanted her children to grow up "free from unwarranted intrusions into their privacy".
The writer brought the case against photo agency Big Pictures under her married name Mrs Joanne Murray.
She and her husband Dr Neil Murray released a statement after the ruling, saying: "We understand and accept that with the success of Harry Potter there will be a measure of legitimate media and public interest in Jo's professional activities and appearances.
"However, we have striven to give our children a normal family life outside the media spotlight.
It is at least arguable that a child of 'ordinary' parents could reasonably expect that the press would not target him and publish photographs of him
Sir Anthony Clarke
Judge
"We are immensely grateful to the court for giving our children protection from covert, unauthorised photography; this ruling will make an immediate and material difference to their lives."
The agency photo - taken in November 2004 - showed Ms Rowling pushing David in a buggy on a street in Edinburgh.
The picture was published in the Sunday Express and the newspaper later settled the claim.
Judge Sir Anthony Clarke said: "If a child of parents who are not in the public eye could reasonably expect not to have photographs of him published in the media, so too should the child of a famous parent.
"In our opinion, it is at least arguable that a child of 'ordinary' parents could reasonably expect that the press would not target him and publish photographs of him."
Argentina faces new farm protests
Farmers in Argentina say they will resume protests against tax increases on food exports, following the collapse of talks with the government.
Farm leaders say they plan to prevent shipments of grain from leaving.
Argentina is one of the world's top exporters of corn, wheat, soya and beef.
Correspondents say a prolonged dispute could have an impact on international markets at a time when food prices are already at record levels.
The farmers are particularly angry about an increase to the export tax on soya - a commodity which last year earned the country $13bn (£6.6bn).
In March protesting farmers blocked roads for three weeks, preventing trucks from delivering produce, leading to food shortages.
Road of confrontation
Several weeks of negotiation have ended without agreement, and the farmers said they would resume the protests, although they promised not to block highways, as they did in the previous strike.
"After 57 days, we haven't advanced," said Eduardo Buzzi, president of the Argentine Agrarian Federation.
"The government has chosen the road of confrontation. It's the only reason we haven't reached an agreement," he added.
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has said the taxes are a means to raise badly-needed revenue, curb inflation and guarantee domestic supplies.
The BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Buenos Aires says the March protests threw the country into disarray, and plunged the government into crisis.
The economy minister, Martin Lousteau, was sacked over the crisis.
Looking fit and fine, Eva Mendes was spotted going for a jog in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday.
