“Logan’s Run” on track with “28 Days Later” scribe

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Alex Garland, the writer behind the Danny Boyle-directed movies “28 Days Later…” and “Sunshine,” is in negotiations to tackle “Logan’s Run.”

Film

Although best remembered as the 1976 film starring Michael York, Jenny Agutter and Farrah Fawcett, “Run” began as a 1967 novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson; it’s the book, which had a greatly expanded world compared to the movie, that Warner Bros. is turning to.

The studio has long been trying to get a movie version off the ground, and late last month began talking with commercials veteran Carl Rinsch to come aboard as director.

“Logan’s Run” is set in a future society that demands the death of everyone upon reaching a certain age. Anyone who veers from that destiny is dubbed a “runner” and is hunted by operatives known as Sandmen. Logan is a Sandman who is forced to go on the run.

Garland wrote the novel and screenplay for “The Beach,” launching a fruitful collaboration with Boyle that included 2002′s “28 Days Later…” and 2007′s “Sunshine.” He adapted Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel “Never Let Me Go” and is a producer on the upcoming Fox Searchlight drama starring Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Andrew Garfield.

UK film industry facing most hostile environment in years, say insiders

London, Aug 25 (ANI): The stupendous success of Danny Boyle’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is unlikely to be repeated, say insiders.

The ongoing credit crisis has hit independent film companies quite hard, as 59 such companies have wrapped up in past 18 months, while others are struggling for funds.

According to the report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers, indie companies such as Lucky 7, which made film Modigliani about the life of the Italian artist and Palm Tree UK, behind feature films Lost in Landscape and Winter Warrior, have gone bust.

The company Stormrider Films, which had scheduled to bring out “a British sci-fi feature film like no other ever produced in the UK” with CGI effects, called Kaleidoscope Man, has also gone bankrupt.

Christian Colson, producer of Slumdog Millionaire, fears that the trend might ultimately leave Britain drained of creativity

“It will be easier to get a 100m dollars film made than a really good 15m-dollar film,” The Independent quoted him as saying.

John Woodward, chief executive of the UK Film Council, admitted that independent film companies “are facing something of a perfect storm”.

“The debt which essentially financed their films is harder to secure… and the transition to digital has prompted a rise in piracy – so there’s a real strain on traditional fund raising.”

He, however, added that despite these challenges, the best projects were “still getting financed”.

The economic downturn has discouraged banks and high-risk investors to put in their money.

“Investors are more risk-averse than usual, so are either looking for more genre-driven material, more established directors, or bigger name cast before they’ll invest…,” said Andrea Calderwood, an independent film producer with Slate Films who won a BAFTA for the film The Last King of Scotland.

“Films are also taking longer to come together – either because the top talent is not available, or because financiers are taking longer to make decisions,” Calderwood added.

The PwC report stated that while big studio blockbusters were drawing huge audiences to cinema multiplexes, indie films were deteriorating.

It said: “The recession has sent hoards of consumers to the cinema and therefore large scale, expensive films such as Harry Potter remain in production and eagerly awaited. However, due to the credit crunch, sources of financing for smaller indie films have dried up – meaning many plots remain on the story board.” (ANI)

Julia Roberts to shoot “Eat, Pray, Love” in India ashram in September

Nevada (US), Aug.9 (ANI): Oscar winner Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman) reportedly will be in India in the third week of September to shoot “Eat, Pray, Love”, and Hindus are concerned about the authenticity of the depiction of sacred ashram (retreat) and other Hinduism objects in the film.

Indian American leader Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA), said that Hinduism and its belief system were quite often misunderstood and incorrectly depicted outside India and urged the filmmakers to stay to authentic traditions. Film, being a powerful medium, misrepresentation would not be fair to Hindus and Hinduism, Zed added.

Based on Pushcart Prize winner Elizabeth Gilbert’s spirituality/travel memoir (played by Roberts), this film is currently being shot in New York till end of August, and the shooting will move to India to film ashram sequences after about over two weeks stint in Italy. Some of the Indian crew of Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle) will also be helping in the India part of the production, though the shooting schedule is being kept hush-hush, according to reports.

Filmmakers are yet to select the actress to play 17-year old tomboy Indian girl Tulsi, who will be on the ashram floor-scrubbing crew interacting with Roberts, and who is equally devoted to God and hip-hop music.

People of India will be anxious to see how perfectly Roberts does her job of cleaning ashram floors as a part of her devotional duty, trying to recite 182-verse Sanskrit chant, and going through grueling hours of meditation while being feasted on by mosquitoes. Gilbert reportedly spent four months in India, trying to find her spirituality.

Oscar nominated Richard Jenkins (The Visitor) and Oscar nominated Viola Davis (Doubt) will also reportedly be in India for the shooting. Rest of the cast includes Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Paris Film Festival award winner Billy Crudup (Almost Famous), Golden Globe winner James Franco (Pineapple Express), Luca Argentero (Lezioni di cioccolato), etc. Directed by Emmy nominated Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck) and produced by Columbia Pictures, Brad Pitt’s (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) Plan B Entertainment and Roberts’ Red Om Films, it is aimed at a release in 2011.

Gilbert’s bestseller memoir ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ is about her self-discovery and soul-searching after her nasty divorce, exploring through India, Italy, and Indonesia, a journey which is pleasurable as well as enlightening. It was number one on New York Times Paperback Nonfiction List for over a year and its over five million copies were reportedly now in print. She has also authored a short story collection “Pilgrims”. “Eat, Love, Pray” T-shirts, baseball caps, throw pillows, and mugs are already on sale.

Gilbert goes to India to learn the “art of devotion”. A critic has defined it as “the worst in Western fetishization of Eastern thought and culture”.

Gilbert, who currently lives in New Jersey, was born in Waterbury (Connecticut) in 1969 and grew up on a tree farm in Litchfield (Connecticut), where the family reportedly had no neighbors, no TV and not even a record player. According to reports, Gilbert’s former husband is also writing his own memoir of world travel titled as “Displaced”.

Zed further said that if the filmmaker needed any help concerning depiction of Hinduism or related issues, he or other Hindu scholars would be glad to assist. (ANI)

“Slumdog” child star gets a new home in Mumbai

Mumbai, July 4 (ANI): Azharuddin Ismail, child star of the Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire” got his new home in an upmarket Mumbai suburb on Saturday.

Ismail, who played the youngest Salim in the movie Directed by Danny Boyle, was exuberant about his newly allocated apartment.

“I like it here, it is really nice. But I will miss my old friends back in Bandra. Maybe I will go and visit them once a while,” said Ismail.

Ismail and his family moved into the 250 square foot ground floor flat, it is a short drive away from Juhu.

The Jai Ho Trust, named after the film’s award-winning track and set up by the producers, bought the Rs.21 lakh home on Ismail’s behalf and will give it to him when he turns 18.

“We really thank the organisation because of which we have got this home,” said Ismail’s sister Pinky Shaikh.

Meanwhile, the child actor’s neighbors said they were happy to see a star shifting to their neighbourhood.

“We are feeling really good that a star has come to reside as our neighbour,” said Kamini Patkar, a neighbour. (ANI)

Shanghai film festival sees Tibetan film scooping Jury Grand Prix

New Delhi, June 23 (ANI): The 12th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) saw Tibetan director Pema Tseden’s movie ‘The Search’ bagging the Jury Grand Prix.

The film follows a director’s search for a leading actor for his drama set in picturesque Tibet.

The festival, which ended on Sunday, also saw Christina Yao’s ‘Empire of Silver’, a mainland-Hong Kong-Taiwan co-production about a young heir to a giant banking empire in 1899, scooping the Jury Award.

A comedy titled ‘Original’, jointly produced by Danish and Swedish filmmakers, took the Golden Goblet Award.

Directed by Antonio Tublen and Alexander Brondsted, the film tells the story of a man who gets tired of living up to others’ expectations, and tries to chart his own course.

According to Jury leader Danny Boyle, the film was “a light, touching and subversive study of mental illness that is both compassionate and never sentimental.”

The film’s leading actor Sverrir Gudnason was also named Best Actor, reports the China Daily.

“I feel so good. This is the best thing that anybody has given to me and will keep me going,” he said. (ANI)

Danny Boyle in India to help homeless child artistes of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’

Mumbai, May 28 (ANI): Once under fire for not doing enough for its impoverished Indian child stars, the makers of Oscar winning movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ said that they had bought a flat for one of them whose shanty, unfortunately was demolished in Mumbai recently.

This was disclosed by Danny Boyle, director of the movie while interacting with media persons here on Wednesday.

Earlier, Boyle along with producer Christian Colson flew into Mumbai after pictures of Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali picking through the debris of their demolished homes, which the civic authorities had termed as illegal, were splashed by the media.

Smiling and hugging the children, Boyle said a home had been bought for Azharuddin Ismail (9), who played the character of Salim as a child in the movie.

Further, he mentioned that very soon, they would also buy one for Rubina Ali, who played the role of young Latika.

Boyle blamed the media for raising the expectations of families by sensationalising their joys and sorrows.

He also noted that they were given access to a world, an extraordinary and glamorous world, and they understandably want their lives to be completely transformed.

“It’s obviously a concern. We have been trying for a long time to move them into legal accommodation. Both initially rented and eventually bought by the Trust and held by the Trust so that they are perfectly safe for long term accommodation, ” said Boyle.

Boyle and Colson disclosed about the setting up of Jai Ho Trust, named after the film’s award-winning song. This Trust, they said is meant to pay for the education and basic living expenses of Ismail and Ali until they turn 18.

In February, consequent to the success of the movie, the government of Maharashtra had announced that it would allot the two child artistes, suitable apartments.

However, Rafik Qureshi, father of Rubina Ali said that till date, both the families have not heard from the concerned authorities.

“The government providing us house is a secondary thing. Firstly, it is ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ team responsibility to get us houses as children have done so much hard work in the film. They are still living in slums only. It has been six months now that we haven’t got any house to live,” said Qureshi.

Boyle said he was hastening with the Jai Ho Trust to find a place for Ali before the onset of monsoon, which the meteorologists say would be around June 10.

A functionary for the Trust said the apartment for Ismail was ‘comfortable, in a good neighbourhood and near his school and cost over two million rupees.

Boyle and Colson last month also donated 500,000 pounds to a non-profit organisation to support a programme for children in a slum in central Mumbai, where the major part of the film was shot. (ANI)

Murgadoss Strikes Co-Production Deal With Fox Star Studios

Murgadoss Strikes Co-Production Deal With Fox Star StudiosGhajini maker AR Murgadoss has signed up two film deal with the Indian movie arm of Hollywood giant studio, 20th Century Fox, Fox Star Studios.

However, the agreement has been signed to make Tamil films.

The deal, which is yet to be made official, has Fox Star Studios (FSS), a production and distribution concern set up between Twentieth Century Fox and Star Group entering into a multi-film agreement with Murugadoss and his production company.

Murgadoss is a well-known name down South in both Tamil and Telugu film industry.

He had given many hit films in the past including the bumper hit ‘Ghajini’, Deena (2001) and Ramana (2002).

Moreover, his Telugu film Stalin, which stars Chiranjeevi was a huge success as well.

He entered the Hindi film industry with Aamir Khan starrer ‘Ghajini’.

According to the sources, Murugadoss will play an active role as a creative producer in accessing the stars as well as script to work on the best with Western Production House.
FSS will have the exclusive rights for distribution and marketing of these films.

It can be remembered that Fox Star Studios signed a film contract with Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s production house Blockbuster films, which has delivered under its banner super hits comprising Waqt, Namastey London and Singh Is Kinng.

FSS had productively marketed and distributed the multiple Oscar winning Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire in the Indian market.

According to the agreement, Murugadoss will initially co-produce and direct two Tamil movies on a whopping budget of Rs 60 crore!

When contacted, he said he will tell all things after the official declaration of the transaction is made by FSS.

Oscar winning sound mixer of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ meets slum kids in Delhi

New Delhi, May 20 (ANI): The street kids of New Delhi had a rendezvous with Oscar winning sound mixer of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Resul Pookutty here last evening.

Continuing his association with the rags to riches Oscar winning flick, Resul interacted with the homeless kids as part of the initiative of a self-help group ‘Butterflies India’, working for the cause of street children.

Resul posed for photographs and also chatted up the kids.

“It feels great because I have come here to spend time with them and to see how they are. So, it is also an attempt to bring the marginalized people in the forefront. Its time for change,” said Resul.

Winning an Oscar has changed the life of this small town sound mixer who shared the Sound Mixing Oscar with Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke for his work in the Danny Boyle’s film “Slumdog Millionaire”.

Post Slumdog Millionaire, work has started pouring in for Resul from both Indian and international filmmakers.

“Slumdog Millionaire”, a rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slum dweller, who goes on to win 20 million dollars in a quiz show, was adjudged the best film.

“Slumdog Millionaire” was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and best director. It already has won at the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, and the British BAFTA awards.

AR Rahman and Resul Pookutty won three Oscars for India as the “Slumdog Millionaire” juggernaut swept the annual Hollywood awards.

It also fetched Danny Boyle the Best Director award, Simon Beaufoy best Adapted Screenplay and Anthony Dod Mantle the best Cinematography award. The film was also awarded for Best Editing. (ANI)

‘Slumdog-inspired’ Bollywood bug bites Britain

London, May 10 (ANI): Thanks to the runaway success of Slumdog Millionaire, Britain’s film industry has undergone “the Bollywood makeover”.
Following the triumph of the Oscar-award winning film, several British films are either set in India or poking fun at the culture clash experienced by British Indians.

What’s more, these films are scheduled for release, hoping to catch the same East-West audience that made such a hit of Danny Boyle’s tale about a boy who wins India’s version of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’.

Studio bosses in the UK are hoping to replicate the success of Slumdog Millionaire, which has so far taken 227million pounds at the international box office, reports The Independent.

New films in production include Indian Summer, which is being filmed on location in the subcontinent. It tells the story of the last days of colonial rule and is directed by Joe Wright.

“India is a fascinating, extraordinary place. What’s happening there is going to affect us more and more, whether in film-industry terms or politically with what’s happening in Pakistan,” Wright told Variety magazine.

Gurinder Chadha, who directed the 2002 sleeper hit Bend it Like Beckham, is currently making It’s a Wonderful Afterlife, which is set in London.

It stars the Indian actress Shabana Azmi and is a comedy about a British Asian mother’s attempts to marry off her daughter, which leads to a bout of serial killing.

Blame it on the Bhangra is another comedy about a British Asian girl trying to break into the macho world of bhangra dancing. It is being developed by Origin Pictures.

Rafta, Rafta is another comedy set in an Indian community in the north of England, in which two newlyweds find it hard to consummate their marriage. (ANI)

Slumdog star Rubina Ali shoots Schweppes ad with Nicole Kidman

Melbourne, May 07 (ANI): Rubina Ali Qureshi, the child star of Slumdog Millionaire, has shot an advertisement with Aussie actress Nicole Kidman.

The advertisement, for a soft drinks company Schweppes, was produced by American Gangster director Ridley Scott and directed by Shekhar Kapur in Udaipur recently.

It also features Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Qureshi, nine, was plucked from the slums of Mumbai to star as Latika in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning movie.

Previously, a British newspaper had reported that Rubina’s father Rafiq Qureshi tried to sell her for adoption to a family from Middle East for nearly 200,000 pounds to escape the Mumbai slums.

However, Rafiq has denied media reports that he put his daughter ever on sale.

While talking to reporters in Mumbai, Rafiq claimed that all this was nothing but a trap laid out for him. (ANI)

Amitabh Bachchan felicitates Oscar winner Resul Pookutty

Mumbai, May 6 (ANI): Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan felicitated Oscar winner Resul Pookutty of the ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ fame here last evening.

The function was organised by Western India Motion Picture and TV Soundngineers Association.

Pookutty, who hails from Kerala’s Kollam district, shared the Sound Mixing Oscar with Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke for his work in the Danny Boyle’s film “Slumdog Millionaire”.

Speaking to the mediapersons after receiving the award, Pookutty said that it made more meaning as the appreciation came from his own peers.

“This function with especially Amitabh Bachchan coming and honouring me at one level and on other hand, the award is being given by my peers, my working people, my own friends, my co-workers who are a part of this industry. So, it is an appreciation from my peers. So, it obviously matters a lot,” said Pookutty.

On the other hand, Amitabh Bachchan was as humble as ever and said it was great honour for him that the sound association had invited him.

“I consider it as a great honour that the sound association has considered it worthy of inviting me here to honour Pookutty,” said Bachchan.

Rahman and Resul won three Oscars for India as the “Slumdog Millionaire” juggernaut swept the annual Hollywood awards.

It also fetched Danny Boyle the Best Director award, Simon Beaufoy best Adapted Screenplay and Anthony Dod Mantle the best Cinematography award. The film was also awarded for Best Editing. (ANI)

You need an opportunity to succeed, says Oscar winner Pookutty

Chennai, April 29 (ANI): After all you need just an opportunity to be successful, was the message Oscar winner Resul Pookutty conveyed on Wednesday to all aspiring artistes in film industry.

Resul Pookutty, Oscar winner for best sound mixing of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ said if someone is given the right opportunity, success in the film industry could follow on its own.

“We have great potential. If right opportunity is being given to (right) people they will come up like the way me and Rahman (A.R Rahman) had come up. We knew Rahman is a great guy and he is someone who deserves as Oscar. But someone has to give an opportunity,” Pokutty said during the audio release function of a Malayalam film ‘Pajhassi Raja’.

Pookutty, who hails from Kollam district of Kerala, shared the Sound Mixing Oscar with Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke for his work in the Danny Boyle’s film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.

Together A.R Rahman and Resul Pookutty won three Oscars for India as the ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ swept the annual Hollywood awards this year.

‘Pajhassi Raja’ is Pookutty’s first Malayalam film since winning the golden trophy.

Pookutty got his big break in Bollywood with the critically acclaimed Bollywood film ‘Black’ directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. (ANI)

Dev Patel’s mum confirms son’s off-screen romance with Freida Pinto

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London, April 27 (ANI): Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel’s mum has confirmed her son’s off-screen love with Freida Pinto./pp
Patel and Pinto have always denied dating each other but the pair was recently caught enjoying an intimate lunch date in Israel, where Pinto, 24, is filming on location./pp
And Patel’s mum Anita says she is really pleased to see the two in love./pp
First it was the film and now everything else seems to have slotted into place, the Mirror quoted Anita as saying./pp
Life can’t get any better for him. Freida is really beautiful and I am really happy for them. Yes, we knew he was flying to Israel to see her, she added./pp
The real life love story is said to have started on the set of Danny Boyle’s multi-Oscar-winning film. /pp
And they have become increasingly close since travelling the world together to promote the movie. (ANI)/p

Slumdog’s ‘Jai Ho’ Trust hires social worker to look after Rubina Ali

Washington, Apr 22 (ANI): Slumdog Millionaire trust has come out to the rescue of the film’s child star Rubina Ali by hiring a social worker to look after her.

The Jai Ho Trust was established with financial support from the filmmakers to ensure the welfare of the movie’s child stars, including Rubina and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail.

The trust has offered to help by hiring a trained social worker to look after the welfare of Rubina – amid allegations that the nine-year-old girl’s father Rafiq tried to sell her for 2,00,000 pounds.

However, Rafiq has denied the claims.

“Both Danny [Boyle, the director] and I remain committed to working the trust and the family to secure Rubina’s long-term best interests,” Usmagazine quoted Slumdog producer Christian Colson as saying.

One of the Jai Ho trustees, Noshir H. Dadrawala, said that “the trust will support Rubina, her parents and responsible authorities to ensure that the rights and best interests of Rubina” are protected.

“The trust is in regular contact with Rubina Ali and her family and has hired a social worker to assist in looking after her welfare and that of her co-star,” he added.

“Danny and I both fully support Mr. Dadrawala’s comments,” said Colson.

The independent trust was set up to ensure that the family of the child stars receive suitable accommodations and a fixed sum of money each month for living expenses.

It also covers the education costs for Rubina and her siblings and provides her with a lump sum of money after she turns 18 years old. (ANI)

Rubina’s father rubbishes allegation of selling daughter

Mumbai, Apr 19 (ANI): Father of child actor Rubina Ali Qureshi of the Oscar winning movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ fame has denied media reports that he put his daughter ever on sale.

A British newspaper had reported that Rafiq Qureshi tried to sell off his nine-yearld daughter for adoption to a family from Middle East for nearly 200,000 pounds to escape the Mumbai slums.

Qureshi, while talking to reporters in Mumbai claimed that all this was nothing but a trap laid out for him.

“All these accusations on me are wrong. They (the Sheikh couple) wanted to set a trap around me and take my child. This has been happening from a long time now. Earlier my first wife also created several problems to take my child away from me. I do not know who is behind all this, ” said Qureshi.

“We just went to meet them. We thought they have come from abroad and have requested us a lot, so we went to meet them. I am a simple man and I am not greedy. I never wanted to go and meet them firstly. But they created an emotional trap saying that wife of Sheikh (Arab national) did not have a child so wanted to meet my children. They don’t have a child but have lot of money and they were trying to buy me with money,” he added.

Rubina also denied the reports and said that his father was speaking theruth.

“Whatever my dad is saying is right,” said Rubina Ali.

Rubina had played young Latika in British director Danny Boyle’s film that picked up eight Oscars.

Rubina, along with other child actors in the film, was flown to Los Angelesor the awards ceremony. (ANI)

Slumdog bosses donate 500k pounds to educate poor kids in India

London, Apr 17 (ANI): Slumdog Millionaire bosses have donated 500,000 pounds to kick off a programme aimed at educating poor kids in India.

The filmmakers have teamed up with Plan, an international kids’ development organisation, to create the five-year programme targeted towards providing healthcare and education.

“Having benefited so much from the hospitality of the people of Mumbai, it is only right that some of the success of the movie be ploughed back into the city in areas where it is needed most and where it can make a real difference to some lives,” the Daily Express quoted director Danny Boyle as saying.

“Slumdog Millionaire has shown audiences around the world a snapshot of what life is like for one in six people on the planet,” added Plan U.K.’s chief executive, Marie Staunton.

“Education really is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty so we will focus the funds on getting children into school, keeping them there and ensuring they are healthy,” she added.

The Oscar winning director had previously he set up the Jai Ho Trust to ensure that the film’s two young stars Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, who played Latika and Salim in the early scenes of the film, get proper education. (ANI)

UK’s Royal Albert Hall to host first ever Bollywood Prom

London, Apr.8 (ANI): The Royal Albert Hall will host its first ever Bollywood Prom as part of a day dedicated to Indian music, called Indian Voices.

The BBC, which organises and supports the Proms, is touting it as “an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza”.

The evening Prom on August 16 will be hosted by Shaan, a popular Indian singer and talent-show host, The Telegraph reports.

Roger Wright, director of the Proms and controller of BBC Radio 3, made the announcement as he disclosed the line-up for the Proms 2009 season.

It will run from July 17 to the famed Last Night of the Proms on September 12.

Wright said the Proms were not simply jumping on the Slumdog bandwagon, after the success of the Danny Boyle-directed film, and said the BBC started talking about a Bollywood concert “last June or July”.

Slumdog, hailed as a success of British and Indian collaboration, was a box office hit last winter before winning eight Oscars in February. (ANI)

Sonia, Tata, Mukesh in Time’s top 100 list

India’s Congress party president Sonia Gandhi and industrialists Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani are among the finalists for Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2009 that also includes US President Barack Obama.

The first African-American President of the US is currently ranked 13th, while the top position is held by a person who goes by the name ‘Moot’, the founder of 4chan.org, a website for posting images and discussions anonymously.

Gandhi, who is leading the ruling Congress party’s bid for a re-election in the coming Parliamentary polls, is ranked 43—ahead of Tata (102), the maker of the world’s cheapest car Nano and Ambani (169), who the publication referred to as ‘petrol prince.’

The 203 finalists includes seven people of Indian origin. The four others are are cola-queen Indra Nooyi of Pepsico, movie moghul Ronnie Screwvala of UTV, public face for Washington’s Troubled Asset Relief Programme Neel Kashkari, and Harvard-educated management consultant Ram Charan.

Besides, Slumdog Millionaire-fame British filmmaker Danny Boyle, who hit the headlines with the Oscar-winning movie shot in Mumbai slums, is also among the finalists.

Time would publish the final list later in the year. In a continuing online poll on Time’s website, Screwvala is currently top-ranked among Indians at 33rd overall place, Nooyi is at 89, Kashkari 187 and Charan 193.

The site of moot (pseudonym), the highest ranked person at present, is said to have been started in 2003 by a then 15-year-old student from New York City.

On Gandhi, 62, who has figured on Time’s 100 most influential people list twice before, the publication said that the “the Italian-born head of India’s most influential political party is beloved by her constituents, not only because of her family history (she came to power after her husband Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated) but also because of her efforts to combat poverty.”

However, in a negative for her, the Indian National Congress party President “has been bogged down by a public spat with one of her rivals,” it said, without specifying who her rival is.

Among those from outside India, the prominent names include US First Lady Michelle Obama, former US President George Bush, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and US finance secretary Tim Geithner.

Sarah Palin, who ran for US vice-president’s office, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan’s army chief Ashfaq Kayani, Tibetan leader Dalai Lama, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and US treasury chief Ben Bernanke are among other finalists.

Besides, high-profile businessmen like Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim Helu, Rupert Murdoch, Steve Jobs, Jeff Immelt and Michael Bloomberg also find a place in the list.

There are celebrities from media, entertainment and sports such as Oprah Winfrey, Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwazznenger, Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps, Kate Winslet, Rafael Nadal, George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Jay Leno.

Interestingly, the finalists also include the alleged scamster Bernie Madoff and Thomas Beatie, who is popularly known as The Pregnant Man and has become a sort of icon in the transgender community with his second baby due in June.

About Obama, Time said: “He overcame the Clinton machine, the McCain brigade and America’s racial history to win nearly 53 per cent of the vote and a shot at what’s beginning to seem like the least enviable job in the world.”

But, “for a guy whose campaign was renowned for order, Obama’s Cabinet appointments have been a tad messy. But let’s face it: he’s the most powerful man in the world,” it added.

—PTI

Danny Boyle all set to lead Shanghai fest jury

Washington, Mar 26 (ANI): ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ director Danny Boyle will be the leading member of the jury at the Shanghai Film Festival.

The Oscar-winner filmmaker told the Xinhua news agency that he had never been on a fest jury before.

Boyle also revealed his plans to make a flick in China.

“When you have a city that is full of people and stories like Mumbai, Beijing or Shanghai, it’s just so much excitement and potential for a filmmaker. It’s like a dream come true,” Variety magazine quoted him as saying.

The Shanghai fest, which runs from June 13-21, will include more than 600 features.

As many as 200 shorts have already been submitted to the fest committee. (ANI)

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ kids visit Shirdi

Shirdi (Maharashtra), Mar 23 (ANI): Child actors of the Oscar-wining movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ paid a visit to the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple in Maharashtra.

Rubina Ali, who essayed the role of a young Latika in the film, said she cherished her visit to the shrine.

“I really felt good after coming to Shridi and getting the blessings of Sai Baba which I really cherished,” said Rubina.

Azharuddin Ismail, who played the role of a young Salim in the film, said that never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would be an actor some day.

“I did not even think that I will ever work in the film, but then I eventually worked in the film. It not only did well but eventually went on to win an Oscar,” said Ismail.

“Slumdog Millionaire”, a rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slum dweller who goes on to win 20 million dollars in a quiz show, was adjudged the best film.

It also fetched Danny Boyle the Best Director award, Simon Beaufoy best Adapted Screenplay and Anthony Dod Mantle the best Cinematography award. The film was also awarded for Best Editing.

“Slumdog Millionaire”, based on Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup’s novel “Q and A”, came to the 81st Academy Awards ceremony with 10 nominations and failed to win only in the Sound Editing category. (ANI)