Carey Mulligan and Ryan Gosling get into gear as they start filming new movie Drive

Carey Mulligan is seen here on location for her latest film project in Los Angeles.

The British actress, 25, was pictured on set with co-star, Canadian actor Ryan Gosling for their new movie, Drive today.

The action-thriller is being produced by Universal Studios and will also star Mad Men's Christina Hendricks.


The film is based on the James Sallis novel about a Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway car driver in heists.

In the book, the stuntman’s already-exciting existence gets jolted when he discovers that a contract has been put out on his life.

Wall Street Star Mulligan, who won acclaim for An Education last year, will play the girlfriend of Gosling's character.


Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn is at the helm.

Carey looked a little glum as she headed back to her trailer between shoots today, wearing a red top and patterned dress.

Meanwhile, Gosling was looking a bit more cheerful, showing off his biceps in a white vest top.

John Travolta interested in Bollywood movies

Hollywood actor John Travolta is eagerly waiting to hear from Bollywood. The actor is known for Grease and Saturday Night Fever, the two greatest Hollywood’s musical albums.

“I would love to work in Bollywood, but I have just never been approached by anyone. I keep hearing that people want to work with me, but none of that has ever materialized into a meeting,” said the 56-year-old actor, who was honored at the GQ Men of the Year Awards ceremony in Mumbai on Sunday. The event saw Travolta mingle with Bollywood biggies like Aamir Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Though he hasn't heard of any Indian imitations of his style, incorporated in films like Disco Dancer (1983) by Mithun Chakraborty, he's aware of the importance of song and dance in Hindi cinema.

“I love to perform, and I'm sure I will enjoy singing and dancing in Bollywood,” said Travolta, adding that he does try and watch some Bollywood films, the last one he saw being Ashutosh Govarikar's Lagaan.

Travolta, who played a woman in his last musical, Hairspray, said, “They knew they needed a man to play the part, but they also needed a man to sing and dance, which is not very common any more in Hollywood, unfortunately. I thought it would be fun to create that illusion. The reactions to the film were phenomenal, because there was such a contrast from the macho roles I have played in the past. They couldn't believe I could do that. But then I grew up watching incredible women perform. We are all from that genre.”

Bollywood has hijacked Punjabi pop: Harbhajan Mann

Punjabi pop singer Harbhajan Mann believes Bollywood and piracy are the reasons behind Punjabi pop music taking a backseat. He says he is not interested in singing
for the Hindi film industry as he is happy with his individual identity.

"Six-seven years ago Punjabi music was popular at the national level, people used to love to listen to it. But now due to piracy, the sales of the albums have decreased," said Mann, who came to 92.7 Big FM's studio to promote his new album Wari Wari.

"Moreover, Punjabi being a regional language, big companies hesitate to invest money, which is the reason it has taken a backseat."

"I think to some extent Bollywood is also responsible for the fading popularity of the genre. The film industry has hijacked Punjabi music. There are so many films that have Punjabi songs. And if you have actors like Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif dancing to Punjabi beats, who would see our songs," he added.

Mann, who spent his childhood in Vancouver, Canada, started singing in 1980-81. He used to perform for the South Asian community while still in school.

He cut his first album Chithiye Ni Chithiye in 1992, but it was his 1999 album Oye Hoye that made him a name to reckon with in India.

The singer insists that the industry is suffering because they are facing a stiff competition from Bollywood.

"If we look at Hollywood, their songs have a different place, while films are separate. The problem in India is that everything is being merged into Bollywood. I know it's a hard fight, but I am optimistic that things will get better soon," he said.

Asked if he plans to do playback singing in Bollywood, he said, "I have no interest in singing for Bollywood. I have an individual identity for myself and I am happy with that.

"As a solo singer I have created an identity for myself and have been maintaining it. By god's grace everything is going great. I can't go in front of people and beg for work," he added.

Mann is not just a good singer but also a well-known actor in the Punjabi film industry. He has starred in and produced seven movies, namely Ji Aayan Nu, Asa Nu Mann Watna Da, Dil Apna Punjabi, Mitti Wajaan Mardi, Mera Pind, My Home, Jag Jeondiyan De Mele and his most recent movie Heer Ranjha.

"I have always tried to do new things and find new ways to move forward in life. At the time when pop music was not that popular, I decided to venture into acting and started producing films. I keep all the options open. It is necessary for survival," he added.

Meanwhile, Mann is gearing up for his US tour that starts in October. And after that he will start shooting for another Punjabi film in November.

James Cameron voted 'most powerful man' in film world

Cameron voted 'most powerful man' in film world Avatar director James Cameron has been named the most powerful man in the film world, beating Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan to the top spot.

The Canadian director beat Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Nolan in the list by the Guardian newspaper's Film & Music supplement, which proclaimed him the most influential man

"Cameron occupies the top two spots in the list of the highest grossing movies of all time, with Titanic (worldwide gross: $1.8 billion) second only to Avatar ($2.7 billion). Those figures are so high that it seems scarcely worth mentioning that other of his films, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, stands in the lower reaches of the top 100 with takings of over $519 million; loose change, really," said a statement from the Guardian.

The list created by experts, including the Guardian's film editor Andrew Pulvor, studio executive Colin Vaines and former artistic director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival Hannah McGill, also highlighted the importance of Brad Pitt, Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney in its top 10.

Other notable entries in the top 100 include British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen at number 26, Prince of Persia producer Jerry Bruckheimer at number 45 and Kick-Ass screenwriter Jane Goldman at number 96.

The following are the top five among the 'Film Power 100' by the Guardian newspaper's Film & Music supplement:

1. James Cameron (director)
2. Steven Spielberg (director)
3. Leonardo DiCaprio (actor)
4. John Lasseter (director)
5. Brad Pitt (actor and producer)

Brazilian film about Lula to vie for Oscars

A movie tracing the life of Brazil's popular President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been entered into the race for best foreign-language film nominations at the 2011 Oscars, the Brazilian government said Thursday.

"Lula, the Son of Brazil" will be among 95 titles from around the world competing to be chosen for the shortlist at the US Academy Awards ceremony on February 27, the culture ministry said.

The list of Oscar nominations will be known January 25.

"We voted for the film that seemed best-made to us, that highlights Brazilian filmmaking," the head of the Brazilian Film Academy, Roberto Farias, said in a statement.

"Our position has nothing to do with politics. Lula is a star here and abroad," he said.

The movie recounts the early life and adulthood of Lula, a one-time shoe-shine boy and metalworker who became an influential trade union leader before becoming Brazil's president in 2003.

Last year's foreign-language winner at the Oscars was an Argentine movie, "The Secret in Their Eyes."

Commonwealth Games 2010: Shahrukh Khan to Attend for Opening Ceremony

Bollywood actor, Shahrukh Khan is expected to attend for the Commonwealth Games 2010 opening ceremony on Oct 3rd, 2010. Commonwealth Games 2010 will starts on October 3 and closed on October 14.

Viraf Sarkari, the director of opening and closing ceremonies of Commonwealth Games, says, “I am sure the organizing committee will invite Shahrukh Khan and he can decide according to his schedule, whether he will be able to make it or not. It will be great to have him though.”

The organizers plan to show the Indian culture and make the event as a big success. Earlier, Oscar winner, AR Rahman has launched the Commonwealth Games theme song, ‘India bula liya’. It is known to every one that Shahrukh Khan is very interested in sports. Shahrukh Khan is also the owner of ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’ team.

Carey Mulligan dreams about playing Juliet

Actress Carey Mulligan has revealed that she is very keen to play Juliet in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet on Broadway.

The 25-year-old actress said she hopes to hit the stage as Juliet in a new production next year.

"I've been talking to someone about Romeo & Juliet and I'd never sort of gone after it and tried to make that happen. I've never done Shakespeare, so that really scares me. But it's exciting," contactmusic.com quoted her as saying.

"I won't be able to play Juliet in a couple of years and if I'm ever gonna do it I should do it now," she added.
The Education star insists she'll always return to the stage in between movies because she's more comfortable on stage.

She said: "I love doing film, but I do think I'm more comfortable on stage because the film was never the dream."

Museum of Tolerance to honor Clint Eastwood in November

Clint Eastwood, whose most famous movie roles were trigger-happy vigilantes but whose directorial work has shown a more open-minded world view, will receive an award from the Museum of Tolerance this fall.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker will accept the museum's Tolerance Award that will be presented as part of its first international film festival, which is devoted to showcasing movies that address human rights issues. The Eastwood ceremony will take place at the festival's main gala on Nov. 14 in Los Angeles.

In a statement, Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Museum of Tolerance, said that Eastwood is "a superb choice for this award, which celebrates those whose work shines a light on themes of acceptance, inclusion, tolerance and forgiveness."

Though he rose to fame as the gun-toting Man with No Name and the insensitive Dirty Harry, Eastwood has spent the later part of his career making movies that not only question the nature of violence but also advocate greater social acceptance.

As a director, he has gravitated toward stories that criticize masculine violence ("Mystic River," "Unforgiven"), interrogate the necessity of war ("Flags of Our Fathers," "Letters from Iwo Jima"), explore racial intolerance ("Gran Torino," "Invictus") and embrace nontraditional families ("Million Dollar Baby," "A Perfect World").

Eastwood's latest film, "Hereafter," is slated to open in the U.S. on Oct. 22.

The full lineup for the museum's 2010 film festival is expected to be announced in October. The festival is scheduled to run from Nov. 13 to 18 at the museum's three theaters in L.A.

Rajinikanth’s Enthiran on October 1?

The Kollywood trade is abuzz that Sun Pictures big budget magnum opus, Rajinikanth’s Enthiran, directed by Shankar is likely to be postponed from September 24 to October 1. However, there is no official confirmation so far on the matter.

After a very successful trailer launch last Saturday, the buzz was that the film will take a gargantuan opening worldwide. The final copy is being made ready and it should not be rushed just for the sake of a September 24 release.

Perfection is the key word. One more week delay does not matter at all for a film which has been in the making for two years.

Remember Sun Pictures are making it a worldwide event, a Tamil film has not been showcased on the international scene so big. It has to get the best of the screens and a wide release. Enthiran’s Hindi version Robot is being released like a Bollywood biggie.

However Ranbir Kapoor-Priyanka Chopra’s Anjaana Anjaani has locked in on September 24 well in advance. Remember Robot was earlier to release on September 3, then September 17, but got delayed due to post production work.

It makes better sense to go for a October 1 release, as then Robot would be the biggest movie of the week worldwide.

Kajol delivers boy baby

Kajol delivered a baby boy at 9.20 am at Lilavati hospital in Mumbai.

Kajol and Ajay have a 7-year-old daughter Nysa. Duo got married in 1999. Entire film industry has congratulated the couple on the birth of baby boy and new member in the family.

Priyanka Chopra congratulated Ajay and Kajol for bringing new life on the earth. Shah Rukh Khan, Ritesh Deshmukh and Madhur Bhandarkar also congratulated them.

According to the close family sources, mother and baby are healthy and responding well.
Coincidently, Kajol’s latest flick “We are Family’ has also been released recently, in which she has donned a role of a responsible mother.

Samaylive also extends greeting to Kajol and Ajay.

Avatar director accepts invitation to tour oilsands

Canadian film director James Cameron will visit Alberta's oilsands at the end of the month to learn more about the industry and its impact.

The tour was confirmed by George Poitras, a former chief of the Mikisew Cree First Nation.

Poitras said the director of movies such as Avatar and Titanic will be in Fort McMurray on Sept. 27. Cameron will take a helicopter tour of the oilsands to get a sense of the scale of the development. He also wants to meet with First Nations leaders, oil executives and government officials.

The next day, Cameron will travel to Fort Chipewyan to meet with the three chiefs of the area's First Nations and Metis bands, and with the community.

Earlier this year, he called Alberta's oilsands development a "black eye" on Canada's environmental record.

Actor Murali death shocks his fans and film industry, A closer look at his life

Murali is the son of Kannada director Siddalingaiah. With the help of his father he debuted acting in Tamil film in 1984 titled Poovilangu and directed by his father. With acting gene in his blood he earned a good name with that film. He then acted in his second film Pagal Nilavu, he along with actress Revathi. The movie introduced the director Mani Ratnam to the Tamil film industry.

Though this movie garnered Murali great recognition he could smell success not much longer. He starred movie after movie that only harnessed his acting career. In 1990, he starred in Vikraman's Puthu Vasantham along with Sithara and Anand Babu where he played one among four friends who find themselves unexpectedly saddled with a young woman. The movie was such a big hit that it re-wrote Tamil movie history, sparking a whole range of "friendship" films and also propelling his career.

He has a unique style of acting, was loved by his fans for his wonderful expression of feelings through his acting. What bothers most of his fans is that he died at a very young age at 46.

Recently, Murali had introduced his son Atharva with the movie Baana Kaathadi in which he himself had played a pivotal role. Now he's dead his son has the honor to continue his father's passion which is acting.

Murali passed away at the Ramachandra Hospital in Chennai at 4:00 am on 8th September. He was rushed to the hospital on Monday after he complained of chest pain on Monday. But he died on Wednesday morning following a massive heart attack.

He is survived by his wife Shobha and daughter Kaavya and son Atharva.

He managed to appear around 60 films or more in his entire career.

Cricket controversy inspires new film

A sequel to the 2008 hit Jannat is reported to have been inspired by the recent match-fixing scandal involving the Pakistan cricket team.

According to the Hindustan Times, actor Emraan Hashmi is keen to use the controversy as the basis of a script.

"Even though we fictionalised it, cricket coach Bob Woolmer’s death was the take-off point for Jannat. And the recent match-fixing scandal could be the trigger for Jannat 2," said the actor.
Mohd Asif, one of the Pakistani players involved in the scandal is being considered for a part in the film, after recently losing work in another Bollywood production.

Producer of Jannat Mahesh Bhatt, stated, “The match-fixing controversy has the potential to be a great storyline to Jannat’s sequel. And since Mohd Asif has said in the past that he would like to try his luck in Bollywood, we may approach him to play a key character.”

Michael Douglas Optimistic Despite Stage 4 Throat Cancer

Hollywood actor Michael Douglas remains optimistic despite admitting that his throat condition is apparently a lot more serious than he first thought.

On the Letterman show, the actor talks about his situation candidly.”It’s a stage four, which is intense, and they gotta go at it,” he says on the Late Show last Tuesday.

Douglas tells that he found out about his illness after having time-off with his family. He is married to Hollywood actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and has two young kids with her. Upon returning to the United States, a doctor took a look at his throat, did a biopsy, and discovered that he has Stage 4 throat cancer. All these things, including his family vacation, all happened in a span of three weeks.

Michael, whose father is the legendary Kirk Douglas, said on his interview that before things got worse, he already had throat problems for several months. Each time he would go for a check-up, doctors couldn’t find anything until after his visit to the hospital when he got back from vacation.

He told Letterman Tuesday: “I am head and neck, I am above the neck, so nothing’s gone down and the expectations are good. You like to be down at stage one but the big thing you worry about is it spreading. The percentages are very good. I would hate to say, but right now, it looks like it should be 80 percent, and with certain hospitals and everything, it does improve.”

He went on to share what he and his family did during the summer. They visited Spain, Russia and St. Petersburg which were all great and fantastic places.

Douglas’ new movie, the remake of Wall Street which is now called “The Money Never Sleeps” is set to hit the big screen later this month.