British reality TV star Jade Goody dies of cancer

LONDON, England - British reality TV celebrity Jade Goody died early Sunday morning following a public battle with cervical cancer, her publicist has announced.

Jade Goody married her fiance Jack Tweed weeks before her death.

Goody, 27, died in her sleep at home in Essex, east of London, just before 4 a.m. (midnight Eastern Daylight Time), a spokeswoman for Max Clifford Associates said.

Goody's husband, Jack Tweed, who she married last month in a lavish wedding ceremony, was at her bedside when she died, Clifford said.

Her mother, Jackiey Budden, who was also at the house, said: "My beautiful daughter is at peace."

Goody leaves behind two sons, Bobby, 5, and Freddie, 4, by former boyfriend and TV host Jeff Brazier.

"She died knowing that she had touched a lot of hearts and minds across the world," Clifford told CNN by phone from Portugal.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "deeply saddened" by Goody's death.

"Her family can be extremely proud of the work she has done to raise awareness of cervical cancer which will benefit thousands of women across the U.K. Every death from cancer is a tragedy and my thoughts go out to her two sons, husband and family at this time," Brown said in a statement.

The British media has reported a rise in the number of screenings for cervical cancer since Goody announced she had the disease, a phenomenon some have dubbed the "Jade Goody effect."

Goody's death marks the tragic end to a very modern tale. Images of her shrinking frame and bald head have dominated the pages of British media since she announced she had just weeks to live.

However, she has openly courted the attention since bursting into the spotlight courtesy of the British version of "Big Brother" in 2002.

At first the former dental nurse was a hate figure for Britain's vociferous tabloid newspapers, who attacked her for being ignorant and stupid.

The public, however, warmed to her loud, honest streak.

She did not win the series, but was able to parlay her popularity into a series of reality television and business deals.

Her face was soon regularly boldly looking out from the cover of gossip magazines and you could buy the fragrance Shh... Jade Goody, fitness DVDs or pick up a copy of her autobiography.

In 2007, with her fame starting to dip, she agreed to return for the celebrity edition of "Big Brother," with her mother and then boyfriend, Jack Tweed, joining her in the house.

It was to prove an ill-fated decision.

Goody was soon accused of making racist comments and bullying her housemate -- the Indian actress Shilpa Shetty. More than 50,000 complaints were received.

When she was voted out of the house the show's producers took the unusual step of banning the public from attending her eviction.

Goody was tearful and apologetic but British PR guru Clifford summed up the general opinion at the time by saying: "It looks like she has ruined a very lucrative career."

Ever resilient, Goody had a Christmas cookbook out at the end of 2007 and in 2008 signed up for India's version of "Big Brother."

Two days into the show her cancer diagnosis was revealed on air. She flew home immediately to begin treatment.

Last month Goody revealed her cancer was terminal and that she only had weeks to live.

With typical bravado she, with Clifford's help, organized her wedding to Tweed, who had only just been released from prison after serving a sentence for assault, selling the exclusive rights to OK! magazine for a reported $970,000. It was also filmed for her reality TV show.

The British government even stepped in to extend Tweed's 7 p.m. curfew, a condition of his release from jail, so the couple could spend their wedding night together.

Despite her weakening state Goody continued to open her door to the media, saying she needed to keep selling her story to help secure the future of her sons.

In the days leading up to her death there were newspaper stories on a hammer-wielding woman getting into her room, the baptism of her sons, her last view of "sun-kissed" fields and final farewells with family.

There was also controversy when OK! published a memorial issue nearly a week before she died. The issue, with a coverline announcing "Jady Goody, 1981-2009," went on sale Tuesday.

Clifford said Goody had loved her time in the spotlight.

"I think they've (she and the media) exploited each other. Both have benefited. In Jade's own words, she's loved the last 7 years. They've been wonderful. All the people's she's met, all the things she's done."

CNN's Glen Scanlon and Per Nyberg contributed to this report.

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Kajol the best dancer!



Kajol is nowhere in the news of late... How is it that we suddenly remembered her? Well, it’s thanks to dance expert Sandip Soparrkar.

While in conversation with him, we gradually went on to speak about the dancing talents in Bollywood. And, he bravely claimed, “Kajol is one of the best dancers we have! Nobody has tapped her dancing talent on screen as yet. I have seen her doing the salsa and have to say that she is simply superb. She can do hip-hop, folk, any form of dance with equal ease!” Ajay Devgan, it’s time to make a musical next and get wifey dearest dancing to your tunes all over again!
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Amisha joins politics!

Amisha Patel, whose film career is not really going anywhere, will now be standing as a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Gujarat in the general elections.

Jayant Patel, NCP Gujarat unit president, said she will be standing from the Rajkot parliamentary constituency.

“I called up Amishaji and sought her consent. She agreed immediately,” Patel told news wires in India.

The NCP leader said the actress has her roots in Gujarat, which would help to secure victory for the party.

"“I have known the family of the actress for years and can say with confidence that her contesting will be a winning proposition for NCP in the Saurashtra region,” he added.

Patel said the party could also field another celebrity from the Ahmedabad (East) constituency.

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Police head to Mumbai, looking for Asin's missing assistant

A special police squad flew to Mumbai on Friday to search for one of actress Asin's former employees who has allegedly gone missing. The star, meanwhile, said he had called her many times asking for huge sums of money.

"A team headed by a deputy superintendent of police flew to Mumbai today (Friday) to find Asin's missing assistant N Muthu Kumar on the basis of a complaint from his mother S Vadivu," a police official told IANS.

Kumar's family has alleged that he has gone 'missing' because of abuse by the actor - a charge Asin has denied. The actress said Kumar had stopped working for her but had called her up and demanded money.

"After the aide left my employment, he has called me several times asking for money up to Rs15 lakhs to settle unpaid bills, although I am in no way concerned with his problems. I have, however, offered to cooperate with the police personnel to find Kumar in Mumbai," Asin said in a statement.

Vadivu, who said Kumar worked with Asin for four years, has alleged wrongdoing on the part of the actor.

"While Asin's father Joseph claimed to have sacked my son after he joined the Mumbai underworld several days ago, Asin has been saying different things and now I suspect Kumar is being detained because he knows the family's dirty secrets," Vadivu said.

"I am afraid that if I speak out, my son's life will be endangered," she added.

Asin has said that all accusations against her were false.

Greater Chennai Police Commissioner Sangram Jangid said the matter was just "being blown out of proportion".

"For reasons best known to the media, the issue is being blown out of proportion. The registered complaint is being investigated by my subordinates. There is nothing more to it," Jangid said.

Asin is currently shooting for London Dreams as the female lead with Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan.
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Anil Kapoor to star in American TV series 24



After starring in the multiple Oscar winning Slumdog Millionaire, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor will play an anti-terrorist cop in hit American TV action drama 24.

Contactmusic.com reports that Anil will play an Indian counter-terrorist cop who teams up with Canadian actor Kiefer Sutherland in the eighth season of the long-running programme.

"Anil would play Jack Bauer's counterpart in India. It's not known yet whether Anil will appear in just one episode of whether he'll be a recurring character. Either way the producers are very excited about having him onboard," said a source from the production house.
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Deepika Padukone longs for classic role

Deepika Padukone has had a dream-run in Bollywood with just three releases, but the model-turned-actress says her dream is to play the elegant Audrey Hepburn, her style icon.

"I would like to play Audrey Hepburn, my style icon, in movies like Breakfast At Tiffany's or Roman Holiday," Deepika told IANS on the sidelines of the Wills India Fashion Week (WIFW) on Saturday, where she walked the ramp for Ranna Gill and Rina Dhaka's collections sponsored by luxury brand Fiama Di Wills.

After debuting opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2007 hit Om Shanti Om, and acting in Bachna Ae Haseeno and Chandni Chowk To China, Deepika's next is Love Aaj Kal alongside Saif Ali Khan. And she is all praise for filmmaker Imtiaz Ali of Jab We Met fame.

"I enjoyed working with Imtiaz Ali in his movie Love Aaj Kal, where he cast me opposite Saif. It was a dream working for a sensitive director like him. Imtiaz just seemed to know the kind of person we were and brought out the best in us. He guided us all through the movie," said the leggy beauty who was dressed in a simple black halter-neck.

Deepika is now looking forward to begin work for newcomer Vijay Lalwani's Kartik Calling Kartik, which also stars actor-director Farhan Akhtar and Boman Irani.

"It is an offbeat movie, a psychological thriller. But I am not going to talk much about it," she said.

The actress admits she has a soft corner for action movies, though all genres appeal to her.

"An action movie is something I have always wanted to do, but I cannot specify any real genre that appeals to me. Cinema today is changing. And as an actor, I will never throw my hands up... will never be happy saying this is the best character I have portrayed. I am critical of myself, rarely happy," said Deepika.

As Indian cinema changes to adapt new formats and contents, Deepika feels the role of women in cinema is also changing.

"It is becoming more challenging. Even in the past, there were movies where women did not have to run around trees. An actress could opt to show off her talent instead."

People, she explained, have this strange notion that if a woman wears make-up, she cannot be taken seriously.

"Take off your make-up and only then you can do serious cinema. But glamorous roles and a glamorous screen presence do not make one a non-actor. The content of cinema is also changing, evolving... it is no longer the regular boy-meets-girl story," the actress said.

Deepika usually decides on the projects she takes up after reading the scripts.

"The movies are my call though I run my parents through what I am doing. But they are new to movies, hence unfamiliar. But after Om Shanti Om and Bachna Aai Haseeno, I have matured," she said.

The actress confesses that she is not much of a bookworm. "But I am reading the Kite Runner now and it might turn out to be the best book I have ever read. I have grown up listening to all kinds of music - from Kishore da to Mohammed Rafi," she said.
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Aa Dekhen Zara not a copy: Neil Nitin



Is the forthcoming film Aa Dekhen Zara very similar to the British movie Freeze Frame? Incidentally, the Neil Nitin Mukesh-Bipasha Basu starrer was earlier titled Freeze. But the lead actor maintains the two are very different.

"What nonsense! I will reaffirm that Aa Dekhen Zara is an absolutely original film based on a completely original concept. It's not at all a copy of any film. There is not a single element in the film that has been copied," Neil told IANS.

Freeze Frame, a 2004 film starring Lee Evans in a lead role, was about an ultra-paranoid murder suspect who takes to filming himself round-the-clock to provide an alibi just in case he's ever accused of another crime.

Directed by Jehangir Surti, Aa Dekhen Zara tells the story of a man who gets a camera that can tell the future.

"Just because the two films have a camera in the middle of it all doesn't classify one as an original and other as a copy. You can't bring two and two together and make it 22. Once you see the film you will realise that Aa Dekhen Zara has nothing to do with Freeze Frame," Neil said.

He also explained: "Freeze was always the working title of the film and we always knew that it would change later. The kind of subject that we had in hand, the title Freeze wasn't really going with it."

So is he happy with the title Aa Dekhen Zara?

"Of course, it's the apt title. The film is about something that may happen tomorrow, courtesy the powers that the camera comes with. It's like 'let's go and see what's going to happen next'. So doesn't the phrase Aa Dekhen Zara convey the same point? The same cannot be said about the word Freeze. You can't excite people to peep into the future with that," Neil remarked.
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Aishwarya has a 'super-busy' shoot schedule ahead

Aishwarya Rai sure has a crowded year ahead, having signed movies with filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj, Rituparno Ghosh, Abhinay Deo and Vipul Shah.

And the actress says each of these films is equally challenging and "special" to her.

The former Miss World has something unique to say about each movie and filmmaker.

"Ritu-da and I have agreed to work together again after Chokher Bali and Raincoat in Bengali and Hindi respectively. Our next film together is bilingual. And a very challenging one," said Aishwarya.

"As for Abhinay Deo's film it's got me and Abhishek (Bachchan) in it. But it covers a territory very different from what audiences have seen in Guru, Dhoom 2 and Sarkar Raj. Abhinay's film is also very different from Mani Ratnam's Raavan. It's a special challenge to work with my husband because we've to make sure we don't repeat ourselves," the Bachchan daughter-in-law added.

The 'super-busy' star is also looking forward to working with Akshay Kumar after a long time in Vipul Shah's next movie.

"It's something that Vipul, Akshay and I haven't done before. The last time Akshay and I came together in Khakee we played almost antagonists. This time we'll hopefully play a more compatible couple," Aishwarya laughed.

So why the sudden flurry of activity?

"These are projects with directors whom I've wanted to work with for a long time. To say no to them when we both are so keen to work with one another seems inappropriate," she explained.

Aishwarya also teams up with filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj for the first time.

"Vishal and I have wanted to work together ever since he was the music composer on a project that got shelved. We had promised one another that I'd star in his film whenever he turned director," she said.

Right after his directorial debut with children's film Makdee, Vishal had offered Aishwarya a film called Timbuctoo, but it got shelved.

"I was very impressed by Vishal's work. But he insisted that we'll work together only when he finds the absolutely right project. That has finally happened. Vishal has bounced the script off me. And we both feel this is the right project for us to come together."

The project will go into production by the year-end.
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