Oscar winner Resul Pookutty”s autobiography released

Mumbai, May 14 (ANI): An autobiography of Oscar winning Bollywood sound designer Resul Pookutty was released here on Thursday.

Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan launched the book with music maestro A. R. Rehman and acclaimed Bollywood lyricist Gulzar receiving the first copy of the book.

Written in Malyalam, ”Shabdatharampadam” (Way of Sound Track), is an oral narrative which is an interesting mix of music, technology, philosophy and humour.

The book is a travelogue of an ordinary person who confronts extraordinary situations.

Talking to mediapersons, Pookutty said that he wrote the book as he had a lot to say.

“I don”t think age has anything to do with stories that you want to tell, and as long as the story touches you, as long as it can touch people”s mind, it should be told. You can call it an autobiography or a biography, a short story or a novel, whatever it is. I think I had something to say and I put it down and it ran into pages; that”s because I had a lot to say,” he added.

He said though he is not sure whether to take up writing as a profession, but he would surely write in future if he feels something needs to be told.

“I do not know if I am going to continue writing as a profession but obviously if there are things that touches my heart and needs to be told, I will write again,” he added.

Pookutty won the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing for ”Slumdog Millionaire”. He has worked for Hollywood, Bollywood and Malayalam film industries. (ANI)

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novella to be free on Internet

London, Mar 31 (ANI): American author Stephenie Meyer is set to let her fans read her new novella for free on the Internet.

Meyer, 36, who is famous for her Twilight saga, will let readers have access to the 192-page novella ‘The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner’ for a month.

The novella is a spin-off from Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight series, and it will be published simultaneously in Britain and America on June 5, and two days later it will be available to read for free online.

It will be on special website, www.breetanner.com, and it will remain online until July 5. The book will not be downloadable, only available to read online.

According to a spokesman, Meyer is allowing the book to be read for free online “as a special thank you to fans”.

The novella, published by Atom, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group (UK), is the first new title from Meyer in nearly two years. The hardback will cost 11.99 pounds.

“I’m as surprised as anyone about this novella,” the Telegraph quoted Meyer as saying.

“When I began working on it in 2005, it was simply an exercise to help me examine the other side of Eclipse, which I was editing at the time.

“I thought it might end up as a short story that I could include on my website.

“Then, when work started on The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide, I thought the Guide would be a good fit for my Bree story.

“However, the story grew longer than I anticipated, until it was too long to fit into the Guide,” she said.

Sarah Clarke, children’s book buyer for Waterstone’s, added: “A new Twilight Saga book from Stephenie Meyer, no matter how short, is the best news in the world for her legions of fans, and great news for bookshops everywhere – this could be the biggest selling book of the year.” (ANI)

Twilight author Stephenie Meyer accused of plagiarism

London, Aug 21 (ANI): Twilight author Stephenie Meyer has been accused of plagiarism by an American woman.

Jordan Scott has alleged that the 2008 novel Breaking Dawn has a “striking and substantial similarity” to her 2006 fantasy The Nocturne.

She has now sent a cease and desist letter to the publishers of the fourth book in the hit Twilight series.

Scott has also filed a lawsuit to stop the sale of the novel and seek damages, reports the Daily Express.

According to TMZ.com, Scott notes in legal document that the two texts “show striking, articulable and substantial similarities in the… plot lines, themes, dialogue, mood, setting, pace, characters, sequence of events (and) ideas.”

Another argument is that the new book is a “significant literary departure from (Meyer’s) early books” and appears to be “written by a teenager” – just as Jordan’s novel does, as she started writing it when she was just 15.

However, Meyer insists that the charges are “completely without merit.”

This is not just the first time that Meyer has been accused of plagiarism.

Her former college roommate Heidi Stanton had filed a lawsuit earlier this year claiming that the hit series was based on a short story she wrote while both of them studied at Brigham Young University, Utah. (ANI)

Rob Pattinson to act in Bel Ami

Washington, May 20 (ANI): Hollywood actor Rob Pattinson is all set to star in an adapation of Guy de Maupassant’s short story ‘Bel Ami’.

Scripted by Jenny Lumet, the flick will be directed by Allen Couter.

Though the female lead of the flick has not been finalized as yet, Rob has revealed that the female character would be well read.

“The girl needs to be literally inspirational,” Variety magazine quoted Rob as saying.

Rob was also full of praise for scriptwriter Lumet, as he did not hesitate in calling her a “genius”. (ANI)

Mills and Boon picks Milan Vohra as its first Indian writer

London, May 2 (ANI): Mills and Boon, the biggest, most breathless romance publisher in the world, has completed its search for fresh literary talent. And its first writer from India is Milan Vohra.

In the hope of discovering new literary talent to appeal to the country’s expanding middle class, the British-based firm had held a writing competition in India, reports The Telegraph.

It was Vohra’s short story, the Love Asana, that impressed the judges.

The 44-year-old advertising executive, who’s a self-confessed “foolish romantic”, is now poised to become one of the publisher’s star writers.he wrote her winning 2,000-word entry in one night and will not receive specialist coaching to hone her erotic writing skills.

Her story tells the story of love conquering all in a yoga class.

Vohra, who met her husband at the age of 17 and married at 24, told The Times newspaper: “I see the typical M and B reader in India as a young middle-class woman who travels to her data-entry job by bus every day.”

The married mother-of-two added: “She keeps her M and Bs tucked away, hidden among her delicates in a cupboard at home.” (ANI)

Susan Boyle ‘can’t find publishers for tell-all book’

New York, April 30 (ANI): Britain’s Got Talent’s star Susan Boyle is having a hard time finding publishers for her tell all book despite her sudden rise to international stardom, according to reports.

The 48-year-old had wooed all with her jaw-dropping performance of the Les Misirables song ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ on the talent show.

And now the church volunteer from Scotland was reportedly shopping for publishers through her agent, Richard Pine of Inkwell Management, reports the New York Post.

But few publishing executives were said to have been interested in splashing miilions on her “short” story. (ANI)

Filming for ‘New Moon’ to go on as scheduled

London, Apr 22 (ANI): Filming of American author Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ sequel ‘New Moon’ will be going on as scheduled despite the lawsuit that has been filed against her.

Meyer, 35, is facing legal action from her former college roommate, who alleges that the writer based the novels on a short story she wrote as a student.

As per reports, the lawsuit is said to have interfered with the filming of the second film, and Internet gossips also speculated that its shooting in Canada has been halted.ut now a spokesperson from Summit Entertainment, the company behind the movie, has insisted that New Moon will be released on November 20 as scheduled.

“Production is underway, in Vancouver, totally as planned. There is no delay. Whatever you’re hearing about a lawsuit interfering with the film (and) its release, all I can say is it’s totally false,” the Daily Star quoted the rep as telling MSNBC.com. (ANI)

New Moon filming halted over ‘plagiarism lawsuit’

London, Apr 21 (ANI): Filming of ‘Twilight’ sequel ‘New Moon’ has reportedly been put on hold, as its author Stephenie Meyer faces a plagiarism lawsuit over the vampire franchise.

‘Twilight’, which was filmed in 2008, starring Robert Pattinson, became a major international hit and its sequel ‘New Moon’, currently being shot in Canada, followed.

But now production on the second film has reportedly been halted after it emerged that Meyer is facing a lawsuit filed by her former college roommate.

As per I’mnotobsessed.com, Heidi Stanton, who studied alongside Meyer at Brigham Young University, Utah, claims that the vampire books are similar to a short story she wrote when she was a student there.

Stanton filed her lawsuit against Meyer in Utah on April 14, alleging idea infringement.

“Quite frankly, I was shocked when I began watching the movie with my husband last week. I immediately told him that she got that idea from me! I wrote a fictional short story with the same ideas when we were in college together,” the Daily Star quoted Stanton as stating in the papers.

Meyer has, on the other hand, claimed that the idea for her popular series came to her in a dream in 2003 and she completed the first novel three months later.

The website has reported that the lawsuit has cast doubt on the movie, and now its production has been “put on hold” until the case is resolved.

New Moon is scheduled for release at the end of the year. (ANI)

Grandma’s grand values

Parents today are a worried lot. Their young children want them to buy things that are not healthy for the proper development of their minds and personalities.

Attracted by the trendy goods of our materialistic world, they force their obliging parents to buy the latest mobile phones, MP3s and so on. The children do not know anything about the harmful effects of these things.

Munshi Prem Chand, in his short story, Chimta, has beautifully dealt with this theme and he has shown how children can be made to think in a more positive and constructive way. Prem Chand writes about a small village near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh where Id fair used to be a great attraction every year.

A young boy, Hamid, was living with his grandmother. He used to call her Khalajaan.

His parents had died when plague had broken out in the village and the old grandmother had brought him up with the best of values. One day a few boys of the village asked Hamid to join them in their visit to the fair.

His grandmother gave him two paise, not a small sum in those days, and asked him to go and enjoy with his friends. The boys rushed to the fair.

Some bought toys, some ate sweets and others bought other things of their liking. Hamid too was keen to buy something.

He moved around seriously, looking for his choice of things. He purchased a chappati-catcher (chimta).

The boys laughed at him. But he didn’t bother.

He returned home and gave the chimta to his grandmother, and said, ” Khalajaan, now your fingers will not burn when you make chappatis.” His grandmother embraced him with tears in her eyes.

Why cannot we have this kind of stories in the primary schools books? Our children need to imbibe good values that promote healthy thoughts and habits.

Jennifer Aniston to star in “The Baster”

Washington, Feb 6 (ANI): Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston has been signed on to star in fertility-themed comedy “The Baster” alongside actor Jason Bateman.

Will Speck and Josh Gordon, who previously teamed for the comedy “Blades of Glory,” will helm the project based on Jeffrey Eugenides’ short story “Baster,” which was first published in The New Yorker.

The film revolves around a neurotic and insecure man (Bateman) who finds out his best friend (Aniston) wants to have a child through artificial insemination.

He surreptitiously replaces her donor’s semen with his own and is then forced to live with the secret that he is the child’s real father, reports Variety.

This is the second artificial insemination film to get the green light in recent weeks.

CBS Films is moving forward with the Jennifer Lopez starrer “Plan B.”

Last year’s comedy “Baby Mama,” also about a fertility-challenged woman, proved to be a box-office success for Universal Pictures, earning 64.3 dollars million worldwide. (ANI)