Close on the heels of that uproar in her conservative Muslim home country, a Paris-based Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, has allegedly been banned from returning to her homeland after posing nude for a French magazine.

The Telegraph from Britain has reported that Iranian government officials have informed the 29-year-old Golshifteh that she is no longer welcome in Iran after posing naked for Madame Le Figaro magazine, an act perceived to be anti-Islam.

Golshifteh told the Telegraph that the Iranian government has sent a communication telling her not to travel back to her homeland.

“I was told by a Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guide official that Iran does not need any actors or artists. You may offer your artistic services somewhere else”, Farahani said.

“The idea that a woman can demand her freedom of expression through a shock of nudity is not new to the world, but continues to spark the ire of both conservatives and liberals alike.

Terming it anti-Islam, blasphemy or issuing fatwas could be far from the solution,” says Bollywood PR guru Dale Bhagwagar, who has also been credited for Veena Malik’s entry into the Indian entertainment industry through Bigg Boss, following a controversy with his then PR client Neetu Chandra.

In the recent past, Golshifteh has appeared topless in a short black-and-white film Corps et Âmes, meaning Bodies and Souls.

She also starred along with Leonardo Di Caprio in the Hollywood film Body of Lies, as a nurse who helps an injured American secret agent to recover and carry out his mission in a Muslim country.

Farahani moved to France after being criticized in 2008 for failing to wear a veil at an Academy Awards ceremony. Recently, she also sparked controversy by posting a bare-chested photo of herself on her Facebook page.

However, that hasn’t deterred the leggy lass from joining the Chennai team of the celebrity cricket league as their brand ambassador. The lady, who finds Australian cricketer Shane Watson “Chikna, chocolate-faced and everything a girl would want to see on a cricket field”, talks to CS about cricket and cricketers:

Cricket crazy
I must confess that cricket never interested me when I was kid nor in my teens. My dad used to watch the boring five-day long Test matches which seemed to go on and on.

But the IPL got me hooked onto cricket with its 20-20 game format, glamour and high drama. It’s one tournament I follow religiously. The kind of hype cricket generates in India is enough to attract women.

I guess ladies love the excitement that surrounds a cricketer, which is why you see many glamorous and beautiful women getting attracted to players. It is also about power.

A scary toss to win
I find the thought of dating a cricketer a little intimidating. Trust me, there’s more drama in a player’s life than in a film star’s. It is sometimes scary.

I don’t think I would enjoy the extreme excitement and constant scrutiny that follows a cricketer- actress relationship. But then, you never know. I might just fall for someone someday (smiles). A few cricketers are on my Blackberry and send friendly messages to me.

But I am not going to disclose any names because it doesn’t take even a proper chingari (spark) to kick off the rumour mills (laughs out loud). But there are some similarities in an actor and cricketer’s life. We’re both as good as our last match/film.

I remember how everyone wrote off Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) in 2010, but post the World Cup win, he was once again the heartthrob of the nation. Fame is indeed fickle!

Boys will be boys
The post-match parties are great fun. With so much testosterone packed in one room, there is bound to be some tempers fraying and flirting as well (laughs). Cricket, even if it’s a galli (lane) match between two teams, is serious business.

Our Chennai boys are very passionate about the game. We have a solid captain in Vishal and the rest of the team is also good. In fact, the final of the last league between Chennai and Karnataka was as intense as an India-Pakistan match.

As far as the current India-Australia series is concerned, I am as upset as any other Indian fan. I think that Dhoni and his boys ought to buck up and focus on their game.

They’re hot!
I am a big fan of Yuvraj Singh. He has great flair and plays from his heart. Shane Watson is another favourite. He’s extremely sweet, courteous and gracious as a person.

And a handsome bloke too! I had the chance to see Chris Gayle in action last year, and those blitzkrieg sixes were a treat for me. Virat Kohli has a lot of style and attitude too, both on and off the field.

Lastly, Kumar Sangakkara is one of the few remaining gentlemen to play the gentleman’s game.

Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

Nargis, who’s been inundated with film offers post Rockstar, has gone home to spend the Christmas holidays with her mother and close friends. Busy making plans with her mom, Nargis talks to CS about her favourite festival from NYC:

NYC calling
I’ve come to the New York City to spend the holidays with my mum and friends. It’s a great feeling to be back home, even if it’s just for a few weeks, as I have not been home for Christmas in a very long time.

Last year, I was in New Delhi as we were shooting there and the years before that I was travelling all over the world. So it’s nice to be here. Spending time in NYC for Christmas is a great experience.

I believe that everyone should come here at least once in their life to feel the energy in this city during this time of the year.

The bond of love
It’s going to be a quiet Christmas. My sister may join us and a few friends may drop by, but nothing big is happening. I think the festival is all about being next to each other, being able to talk, laugh and spend time with each other.

Also, my mum is just so happy to have me with her that she wants to spend time with me. We may cook and watch films at home.

And though I love sweets, I’m not going to make any at home. We have some amazing bakeries here in NYC, so I’ll just hop into one and buy myself loads of goodies. Then come back home and watch my favourite films like Scrooged with Bill Murry.

Light it up
While growing up, Christmas at home meant decorating the tree. I would string up the lights and decorations at night and end up waking up on the floor right by the tree the next morning.

There is something about the smell of pine trees and the hypnotising lights that make you feel warm and safe.

Snowy dovey
And then, when it snows on Christmas Eve, it’s like magic. You wake up the next day and all you see is that beautiful blanket of white clean snow.

My sister and I used to wake up early and run and play outside, making snow angels and building snowmen. It was a good time. I actually miss that, so maybe I will get lucky this year. I hope it snows soon!

Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

Story and Screenplay: Farhan Akhtar, Ameet Mehta, Amrish Shah

Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Director: Farhan Akhtar

Rating: ****

Both Salman and Shah Rukh Khan are, perhaps, the biggest prisoners of their own success stories in Bollywood. While the former is deeply mired in his ever brooding Bhai image it is SRK, who at times, redeems himself with his suave performances.

No, I certainly have no doubts about their acting prowess. They both are extremely talented gentlemen and a treat to watch on screen. But for that you need to have capable directors like Farhan Akthar or Abhinav Kashyap who don’t get too deferential to the biggest stars of our times. Perhaps that’s why a Chulbul Pandey or Kabir Khan charms the pants off you while Lovely Singh and Shekhar Subramanium look like a poor joke.

So yes, Don 2 is FARHAN AKHTAR’s film who gives us SRK we all love to see – funny, witty and never too loud.

Barely ten minutes into the film and you are sold to his Don who is back with his eviler designs and delectable wisecracks. He is a suitable cousin to Ethan Hunt and Danny Ocean, an anti-hero planning to rob a Berlin bank of its euro printing plates in a daring heist.

To do so he escapes with his old foe, Vardhan (Boman Irani) from a Malaysian prison giving yet another heartburn to ex-flame Roma (Priyanka Chopra) and veteran cop Malik (Om Puri). 

What ensues is high octane action, deadly car chases, treachery and of course unpretentious dark humour.

I’m sure the human moments will be missed by some in this slick thriller but then they may have very well worked against the film which has some ruthless men saying very mean things to each other. Well, how can you expect a man like Don to go all mushy over a girl, who puts his enemies under a bone crushing machine and exhorts them to make a right choice by saying “Main Nahi Chahta Tum Kisi Dabav Mein Koi Faisla Lo.”

Shah Rukh Khan is spot on as Don. Perhaps with this film, he is out of the shadow of the original Don. Now, he can certainly look forward to the subsequent sequels of this franchise without getting compared to Mr. Bachchan.

Priyanka Chopra looks convincing as Roma. She is still not over her failed affair with Vijay/Don, looks impervious to his charm before finally giving in. But remember… it’s still complicated.

Lara Dutta glitters in her small cameo as Don’s liaison. Kunal Kapoor as Sameer Ali, Don’s technology consultant, is just okay for his screen space. Hrithik Roshan who makes fleeting appearance as a masquerading Don looks pleasant but sticks out like a sore thumb in otherwise believable Don adventures.

The script is taut. Music and background score are cracking. Songs don’t impede the story telling. The cinematography captures the virgin locales of Berlin in full glory as King Khan goes all wild on German streets.

Farhan Akhtar makes a welcome comeback behind the camera. Undoubtedly an accomplished actor, he should certainly direct more often. A special mention is in order for his writing team Ameet Mehta and Amrish Shah who make Don 2 not only a slick but a smart thriller as well.

So, while catching Don may be an impossible task for the Police force around the world you can and certainly should catch him at a theatre near you.

Malaika Arora Khan tells MiD DAY about her next item song and more in an exclusive during her touch-and-go visit to town yesterday

Your next item number is Anarkali Chali Disco for Sajid Khan’s Housefull 2.
I have collaborated with Farah Khan yet again. I dance with Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Mithun Da and Boman Irani in the song.

It was great fun as this is not the first time I’m working in this environment, which is a Sajid Khan film. I have been a part of all his films.

I truly believe Farah, who has choreographed this number as well, is very talented and manages to do something different every time and bring out the best. So, I’m quite excited.

The success of Munni Badnam Hui can be partially attributed to its risque lyrics. What are the lyrics of Anarkali like?
They’re not risque. It’s a completely different song. Munni was very tongue-in cheek and had a North Indian feel to it. The reason I decided to do it is because it’s very different from Munni. It’s a hardcore disco song. I’m wearing club wear. We have finished shooting it in Mumbai. The film releases in May.

What’s keeping you busy right now?
Right now what’s keeping me really busy is pre production of Dabangg 2. We are in the process of finalising everything because we start early next year. What I am really enjoying is that I’m very hands on as a producer this time. The first time, I was merely a rubber stamp.

Chitrangada Singh recently said that her she idolises you.
Oh my god. I think that’s really sweet. I know her and she’s absolutely fantastic, beautiful and talented. And it’s great to see mommies today are giving young girls a run for their money.

It’s flattering to hear someone admires you and great to see women post marriage and babies, out there, looking better than ever and not letting themselves go after marriage and children. That, for me, is more exciting.

Designer Sanchita recently said in a fashion magazine that everything about you is flawless except that you don’t experiment too much with your hair.
(laughs) I shall definitely take that into consideration. I think I am very straight jacket when it comes to my hair and make up. I don’t experiment too much with that. I like to reinvent myself every now and then though.

Your New Year’s Eve performance last year was the talk of the nation. Where are you performing this year?
This time I’m not so sure. I haven’t quite decided whether I’ll be in Mumbai or travelling with my family.

According to your D.O.B in a website, you will be 40 in the next two years. How are you so ageless?
Not really. You are ageing me way before my time. They have my birth date and year wrong. I have another five years to go. As for being ageless, the secret is yoga. If you’re happy on the inside, you’re happy on the outside.

Courtesy: Mid-Day.com

The Pakistani-Czech actor says she learnt Hindi for three months and cried every night because she was finding it difficult to get rid of her American accent

While Nargis Fakhri has been praised for her looks, she has come under some intense criticism for her Hindi. What many perhaps don’t know is that the voice in Rockstar isn’t even hers.

Fakhri, we hear, is going all out to rectify the handicap.

Says the actor, “I dubbed for 10 scenes, but after that, I don’t know why I wasn’t allowed to. I never really asked. Maybe it was felt that I still had a bit of an American accent. Let me tell you, I really wanted to dub my own lines.”

The New York resident born to a Pakistani father and a Czech mother has moved to Mumbai and plans to work hard on her Hindi. “I want to speak Hindi with my friends but everyone speaks English. When I try Urdu with them they don’t know what I am saying, ” she said.

Fakhri said she can’t be faulted for not trying. “I worked nearly 10 hours a day on my Hindi, for three months. I tried so hard to master the language that I’d cry every night wondering how much harder I had to try. I have an aptitude for languages and I know I can do it.

But then, I went away to America for four months and lost all connection with Hindi again. My American accent has come back.”

Meanwhile, the actor is basking in the success of her debut film.

“There has been some criticism too. But I never take criticism badly. I don’t consider it a negative thing. If someone feels the colour of my eyes needs to change, I can’t do anything about it, but if someone feels my acting needs to improve, I can certainly work on that.”

Fakhri said she didn’t take acting classes to prepare for her role in Rockstar.

“I remember wondering how I’d be an actress if I never took acting classes. Then I thought, I’ve travelled so extensively and experienced so many cultures. I think I’ve imbibed a lot of character.”

“Would you believe, I didn’t know who Imtiaz Ali and Ranbir Kapoor were? I knew AR Rahman only because of Slumdog Millionaire.

By the time we finished shooting, I realised I was working with some of the biggest artistes. Now when I see how big they are, I say, ‘Wow, the universe has been very kind to me’, ” she said.

Fakhri admitted that she has been inundated with film offers but she is no hurry to accept them. “I’m waiting for a role that I can connect with like I did in Rockstar.”

Apparently, the actress has expressed a desire to meet the American rapper

Several Bollywood folk are slated to meet Pitbull during his India tour next week. And on top of the list is Katrina Kaif, who supposedly is a fan of the American rapper and his music.

Says a source, “Katrina has expressed a desire to meet him. She is clued into his tracks and his recordings with Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias.”

A meet and greet event is being held for the Bollywood stars with the I Know You Want Me singer. Some of them are also slated to attend his concert.”

Apparently the organisers are also in dialogue with Ranbir Kapoor for a meeting with Pitbull.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan‘s son Aryan and Sohail Khan’s son Nirvaan, who are fans of the singer are also slated to interact with him and attend the concert.

Adds the source, “With several international artistes collaborating with Indian musicians or rendering tracks for Hindi films, the Bollywood folk is keen on checking out the feasibility of him working in an Indian scenario.”

Pitbull’s India tour kicks off with his concert in Delhi on December 2. He will perform in Mumbai on December 3 at the MMRDA Grounds followed by a show in Pune on December 4.

His concerts aim to raise funds for HIV-positive patients in the country by donating its proceeds to an NGO.

Pitbull to visit Mount Mary

Apparently the hip-hop star has heard a lot about the Mount Mary Church, Bandra, and insists on visiting it. Special security arrangements will be made for the singer’s visit.