One of US President George W. Bush's twins (who have not spared him his share of fatherly worries and trouble in the past) has caved in to the lure of a settled, happily married life over the party scene that both twins are known to love.

Jenna Bush got engaged to Henry Hager, 28, a former White House aide who used to work with Karl Rove.  His father, John Hager, is the chairman of the Virginia Republican Party.

Hager proposed in Maine on Wednesday, according to the first lady's office. He is returning to the University of Virginia in the fall, where he is getting his master's degree in business. He went to Wake Forest University for his undergraduate studies, The Associated Press reported.

The couple have been dating for nearly two years, according to The Washington Post.

We would be remiss in not addressing the hottest rumor around the world these days, i.e. J K Rowling is going to kill two central characters in Book 7 and Harry is one of them.  Thousands of fan sites (Aishwarya's popularity is second only to that of Harry Potter!) are rife with anxious fans discussing their theories about who will die and who will live.  The most popular death candidates for now are Harry, Hermione, and Ron - in addition, of course, to the most evil dark wizard of all times, Lord Voldemort.  We think Harry will live, only because we want to keep the option of another follow-up Harry Potter series in the future :)

JK Rowling herself admitted to having wept profusely while finishing the 7th book.  "I was in a hotel room on my own, I was sobbing my heart out, I downed half a bottle of champagne from the mini-bar in one and went home with mascara all over my face,'' Rowling, 41, said in a BBC interview to be broadcast on July 6, 2007 on BBC One.

The widely anticipated final book of the Harry Potter series launches worldwide on July 21, 2007.  It is already Amazon's all-time most "pre-ordered" item, selling 1.6 million copies ahead of its worldwide release.

While Ram Gopal Verma did not consider Bobby and Abhishek to play their dads in his remake of Sholay, the duo will remind audiences of who is truly the heir to the throne in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. Pictured on the right, Abhishek and Bobby will ride a similar bike as a comedic tribute of sorts to their fathers who sang "Yeh Dosti" in the original Sholay, among other shenanigans, on such a bike. Bobby Deol said about the scene, "Abhishek was a little scared in the bike scene because I am not a bike rider. I guess his life was in danger. Everyone clapped when the scene was okayed!"

The Sholay remake has Ajay Devgan and Prasant Raj in the roles originally played by Amitabh and Dharmendra.

Okay fine, we are not insinnuating anything untowards, after all SRK is a married man.  But rumor has it that Shahrukh Khan has been actively, keenly, and very assuringly recommending and vouching for Priyanka Chopra as "la femme" for many different kinds of gigs.  Starting with a leading watch company, for whom Shahrukh is the brand ambassador, to Aamir Khan's upcoming movie Gajgamini, SRK has been recommending Priyanka as the best choice.  Rumor also has it that it was Shahrukh who got Priyanka to replace Sushmita Sen in Don (thank you Shahrukh!).  Now, we agree that Priyanka is talented - she is goodlooking, a good dancer and acts well too (given the right role and director).  But since this is a gossip column, we have to wonder, out loud, if that's all there is behind the sudden support she's getting from Shahrukh Khan?!?!?

Well, okay, not against the Bachchans but in a movie (what did you think, Einstein?).  She will be playing Jhansi Ki Rani in director Ketan Mehta's upcoming epic.  Mehta, whose last venture Mangal Pandey was not too great, has bought the rights to the Jhansi Ki Rani epic, ousting none other than Sushmita Sen from the running.  Sushmita, God bless her heart, it seems has now started producing movies so she can cast herself in grand roles.  Tsk Tsk.  Anyway, we did not have any good words for Mangal Pandey, but we are completely behind Mehta for casting Aishwarya as the Rani, thus sparing us another...hmm, what's the right word...feeble? wobbly?...performance by Sushmita.  At least Ash looks good even when she is not acting that well. 

A seemingly intoxicated or otherwise out of his mind Richard Gere has raised hell in India by climbing on stage and then on top of actress Shilpa Shetty in front of a huge public gathering at an AIDS benefit. 

Shilpa brought Richard on stage, holding his hand, and presented a very nice welcome to him in Hindi.  Apparently, Richard's Hindi tutor had given him some bad advice, because while Shilpa was saying "I would really like to thank this man who has come from another country", Richard seems to have heard "I would now like to ask this man to jump me in front of all of you and have fully clothed Bollywood style sex with me on stage."  Not waiting for her to finish, Richard turned his back to the audience and went on to, oh well, why are we wasting our breath - just click on the darn photo and see what happened.

Richard, Richard, Richard - are you so inspired by Prem Chopra and Ranjeet?  We thought you'd be more of a Bachchan challenger, but this seems like you are craving for the next big rapist villain role!!

Bollywood's about to get a formal new first couple - Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are all set to tie the knot in a small family ceremony on April 20, 2007. 

The couple were engaged in January and while the whole thing's been kept a big secret, millions (maybe billions?) of Aishwarya's fans have sniffed out the details.  The wedding ceremony will be a small, private affair at the Bachchans' home "Prateeksha" in Juhu.  Less than a couple of dozen close friends are rumored to be on the guest list.  The reason behind the rush as well as the hush, is the state of Amitabh's mother, Teji Bachchan, who has been sick and hospitalized for some months now.  Aishwarya, who is supposed to be "manglik" (a girl who can have a fatal impact on her husband by virtue of her birth time and date!), had to cleanse herself and nullify the manglik effect through much puja at various temples. Looks like it's more than "killer looks" in this dame's case :)

But fans take heart!  Unlike Kapoor bahus, Aishwarya will continue to work in movies after her marriage.  Amitabh is often heard saying that "It is up to Abhishek and Aishwarya to decide whether she wants to work or not".

In a very unconventional, even for crazy morning radio show hosts move, a local DC area radio station Hot 99.5FM posted bail for singer Bobby Brown on the condition that he would come work for them!  First the station announced "Bobby Brown was recently arrested for failure to pay child support, so Hot 99.5 became the good-will ambassador, offering to step in to pay the child support that was owed. In return, Bobby has agreed to work here at Hot 99.5".  Then DJ Kane called up Bobby Brown to confirm his start date when the singer first refused to understand what the station had done and then, ahem, hung up on them! Later today, the station posted another press release saying "Hot 99.5 and Kane, Morning Show Host weekdays from 5:30am to 10am, have decided to rescind the offer made to Bobby Brown and agreed upon as of Thursday, March 1, 2007. "  They added that "We thought we clearly communicated to Bobby our intentions, but once we had him on the air this morning it was clear that we were not on the same page," said Kane. "At this point, we feel that there are better things we can do with the money locally and we'll use this weekend to figure out how we'd like to use the money. We'll take suggestions from listeners on Monday."

Visit the station to hear the recordings because this is one hilarious piece of morning radio!

After three years together, Hugh Grant and Jemima Khan have decided to call it a day.  Robert Garlock, the actor's representative, said in a statement that they "have decided to split amicably''. Grant's last public appearance with Khan was at the New York premiere of his new movie, Music And Lyrics. Khan, the daughter of billionaire James Goldsmith, has two sons from her marriage to world cricket legend and Pakistani politician Imran Khan.

Until very recently the relationship looked healthy, with Grant describing his girlfriend as a strong woman who made him "get on with things", including encouraging him to start writing a novel. Khan had even been including Grant in some of her international charity work, taking him to Kenya to see the deprivation experienced in Nairobi. But in January last year Grant's ex-girlfriend Liz Hurley dismissed media speculation he was about to marry Khan. Miss Hurley, 40, who dated Grant for 13 years before they split up in 2000, said the actor and Khan had no plans to marry. "I don't see him as much these days, but I do know that he's not getting married either, even though that has been written about in the newspapers," she said of her best friend.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Hurley herself, has revealed details of her wedding plans with Indian businessman Arun Nayar. Hurley is to marry Nayar at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire, according to a legal document on public display at the registry office in nearby Cheltenham.

The 4 time Play Boy cover girl, heiress to a disputed fortune worth millions, a favorite of gossip mongers and paparazzi, Anna Nicole Smith died suddenly on February 8, 2007 after collapsing in her hotel room in Florida. More than 30 hours later, still no clue as to what happened to her! (And they say diagnosis/investigation is bad in Pakistan!)

The circumstances surrounding her death are rife with controversy and conspiracy.  From the private nurse who apparently didn't perform CPR to the forensics doctor who got his 15 minutes of fame and (sorry to say it) the only chance to be in a room alone with Anna, everyone seems whacked.  Most people agreed that the circumstances scream of foul play or some unnatural hand in this sudden death.  But chief medical examiner Dr. Joshua Perper said his initial probe was unable to pinpoint either a cause or manner of death.  Okay!! Without getting into what the "initial probe" is or does, what do you expect? Stick another 80-90 year old with a former play mate, not wearing much at all, without him having to leave her a single penny of his inheritance ....do you seriously think he'll be able to concentrate on the autopsy?  Couldn't they get a heterosexual woman to do the autopsy?

Bachelors, take note!  Known to some (a very, very few) as the Aishwarya Rai of Pakistan (only because of her colored lenses, we assure you), she is nevertheless the reigning queen of Lollywood.  And now she's on the hunt.

As reported by local newspapers, Reema is looking for Mr. Right.  And what, pray, does Ms. Right want? Definitely not the sun, moon, or the stars, but short of that, everything! She wants the man to be neither stingy nor a crazy wild spending freak.  She wants him to be compassionate towards others but mostly her, so he can keep her completely happy.  According to the Pakistan Times, "she made it clear that so far she had not met the man having such qualities and did not know whether and when she would find him."  She also pledged that she would take care of her spouse and cater to his needs.

So far, we haven't heard anything that any other woman in her mid-twenties (yes, she's kind of stuck there for the last ten or so years) wouldn't say.  But we still wish her luck. 

Probably romanticized by millions of women for his knight-in-shining-armor role in Pretty Woman, Richard Gere is now transforming lives of prostitutes in Bombay.  Participating in an AIDS awareness event, Richard Gere urged thousands of sex workers in Mumbai on Wednesday to insist their clients use condoms to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.  "No condoms, no sex!" exclaimed Gere repeatedly to the audience as they echoed his words back.  Gere teamed up with Bollywood bombshell Bipasha Basu to present awards to those recognized for their public service work for HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.  Gere launched the "Heroes Project" four years ago to spread the message of prevention to the average Indian, as India (with 5.7 million documented infections) has the world's largest number of people living with HIV and AIDS.  This is another great example of how celebrities can selflessly engage in public awareness and education, compelling their fans to focus on serious issues.  Good job Richard and Bipasha!

Famous Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, known for his recent blockbusters Devdas and Black, was signed on by famed French opera house Theatre du Chatelet to create a stage production. 

"It's an honour,’ Bhansali told the Times of India newspaper. "It's a very exhilarating and exciting prospect to use my operatic vision on stage." Bhansali added that Devdas was the film that prompted the French Opera House to contact Bhansali.  "I'm already very nervous. It's a very lavish production, involving a huge cast and production values."  From what is known of the as yet untitled opera, it is an old literary work by a French author of the 1920s.

Way to go Sanjay!

After his famous snack-break mid-fight when he bit off Evander Holyfield's ear, and several interim run-ins with the law, Mike Tyson was arrested this week for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and being in possession of cocaine.  Sgt. Larry Hall said the boxer was stopped after his car almost struck a sheriff’s vehicle while leaving the club at about 1:45 a.m. “He showed signs of impairment and voluntarily submitted to field sobriety tests,” said Hall, a member of the Buckeye Police Department who was working in the area as part of a holiday DUI task force. Hall said Tyson was placed under arrest after “showing more signs of impairment” during the field sobriety tests. Police then found cocaine on him and in his car, Hall said. The boxer was alone in the car. Tyson was booked at a Maricopa County sheriff’s jail and was expected to have an initial appearance before a judge later Friday to determine bail, Hall said.

The latest buzz has it that none other than George Clooney will be taking on Bollywood. Apparently, Clooney is quite a fan of Bollywood films and if given the opportunity to work in one, "I'd love to. There are some filmmakers whose films when you see [them] you say, 'That could be an interesting story to tell,' " the 45-year-old actor said in an interview on the private CNN-IBN channel.

So after "George Ka Pakistan", we may end up seeing "George Ka Bollywood".  We just hope he doesn't go and pair up with Miss I Can't Act to Save My Life but I'm Pretty As Heck Aishwarya.  George, please choose Kajol, Rani, or Priety! And remember, Solaris won't fly in India either!!

Not too long ago, Ms. Rai appeared on national US television first with Oprah Winfrey then with David Letterman...emphasizing both times that kissing a man on screen was a big no-no for her.  Well, it didn't take too long for her to shatter their poor, surprised hearts. In Dhoom 2, Ash engaged in some mouth to mouth, not with current beau Abhishek but a married co-star, Hrithik Roshan.  (Abhishek seems to be reserved for 3:00 AM Pooja).

In and of itself, the smooching session would have made news, but no, when Ash is involved, the sky's the limit.  An enraged fan, who apparently has been out of touch with Bollywood movies for many years, SUED Ash and Hrithik for obscenity. Yes, Mr. Shailendra Dwivedi of Indore (near Bhopal) has filed a law suit which the judge has agreed to listen (we are sure in the hopes of dragging Ash to his court!). Mr. Dwivedi alleges that such on screen romance degrades the dignity of women (and all the nanga dances in other Bollywood movies don't?)

Now, Mr. Dwivedi, you either haven't been watching Bollywood movies or you are just personally affronted by Aishwarya (or maybe Hrithik, who knows) breaking your heart by kissing someone else.  Otherwise, the Bollywood flicks we've seen would make a simple kiss seem very PG. Maybe like Julia Roberts' character in Pretty Woman, you think that everything goes as long as there's no kissing!

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan have fueled fiery rumors of a wedding after they visited a temple in Varanasi to perform pooja at 3:00 AM.  The couple were accompanied by Mr. & Mrs. Amitabh Bachchan plus a rew relatives and close friends.  Rai was reportedly dressed in a white shalwar kameez with a pashmina shawl wrapped around her.  After the early morning arti at Kashi Vishwanath temple, Rai and the Bachchans went on to Sankat Mochan temple.  The pooja is seen as a sign of the couple's impending marriage and it is rumored that they may have exchanged rings.  Other stories deny that the pooja was for the couple and claim that it was a Bachchan family occasion to which Rai simply accompanied them as a good friend of Abhishek's.  Yeah RIGHT!!  How many good friends would go for a 3:00 AM prayer unless it had something to do with them?

Singer Mariah Carey's good deed of the season has disappeared! Yes, the animal lover had donated a $7,500 mink coat (sent to her by a fan) to PETA: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  PETA collects discarded fur products and sends them to homeless people in Mongolia. (Who was it that said if the poor don't have bread, why don't we give them cake?)

Speaking to Reuters, a spokesperson for PETA said, "After (Carey) received two floor-length minks from a rich admirer, she resealed the box and sent them to PETA. One coat was on its way to Switzerland where it was to be included in a sealed container bound for Mongolia as part of a worldwide fur-coat drive in conjunction with the Swiss Animal Protection Society...but the coat never arrived."

Ah well, looks like there may be some people working against the distribution of minks to nomads!

But not Abraham Lincoln, of course.  It's our good old Johnny Boy, i.e. John Abraham who has joined hands with former US President Jimmy Carter for Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat is a non-profit which rallies volunteers from all walks of life to help build houses for the needy.  John is going to be the face of Habitat's Indian campaign, called "India Builds".

Here's what John had to say about the campaign: "If Jimmy Carter , at 90 , can do so much for our people , it would be embarrasing for us not to do anything on our own.  Even if 0.1 per cent of our population in the age group of 18 to 40 comes to our aid , it would make a huge difference."

Way to go John - putting all that hard-built muscle to such a great cause! We're really impressed!!

Papa Roshan's blue eyed boy Hrithik is in the process of signing a Rs.350 million (35 crore) deal with Adlabs.  The deal is for a total of 3 movies.  Adlabs Films Ltd. is controlled by Anil Ambani and is at the forefront of Hollywood-Bollywood collaboration and state of the art movie making.

An Adlabs spokesperson said in India on Wednesday, "Yes, we are in talks with Hrithik for a three-movie deal, but neither the final formalities have been completed nor the amount disclosed."

If the deal goes through, it will be one of the biggest in Bollywood history according to industry pundits.

What the movies will be about and how quickly we'll get to see them is all a mystery...we'll keep you posted!

The ever controversial queen of pop is back on the headlines. This time (again) she's rattling Christian conservative groups, who are accusing her of sacrilege for performing while suspended from a giant cross wearing a crown of thorns. Her use of the cross while performing in Moscow and Rome drew severe protests from the Roman Catholic Church and Russian Orthodox Church, both of whom issued a "fatwa" of blasphemy against the singer.

The footage in question was to be aired in an upcoming 2-hour prime time special set to air on NBC on Nov. 22, 2006. The special was filmed during Madonna's performance at Wembley Stadium in London.

Several Christian religious groups are urging NBC's affiliate stations to refuse to air the program until the footage is removed. As a result, NBC has backed down and agreed that they will pan out the cameras and show other shots while Madonna is "being crucified" and zoom back to her when she steps down.

Madonna, according to her spokeswoman, has acquiesced but is not happy about NBC's decision. She had issued a statement last month that her intent was neither sacrilegious nor blasphemous, but a plea to mankind for seeing the world as a unified whole. "I believe if Jesus were alive today, he would be doing the same", she added.

While in Pune, India, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt took a rickshaw ride alongwith baby Maddox. Apparently, the ride was not as "undercover" as they may have thought - of course, we are not sure if they wanted to keep it a secret. After all, rickshaws are open from all sides and any good looking passenger is bound to catch the public eye, especially if it is two of the hottest looking people in the world!

Here's a link to the video clip at AOL Entertainment's TMZ.com (We can't guarantee how long it will be up there, so if it doesn't work, do a Google search!)

Bollywood movies are a huge success in the UK.  According to The Times, 69 Bollywood films have been released in the UK and 14 productions financed by Indian film industry are being shot there.  The three largest multiplex chains - Odeon, Vue Cinemas and Cineworld -routinely screen Hindi films that continue to appear in the UK's top 15 films lists.  Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna has already grossed over 2 million pounds, which is the same as Vera Drake, a BAFTA award winner and Oscar nominee made in 14 months! Lucy Jones, of Nielsen EDI, which measures box office performance in 14 countries, said: “It’s a recent development. Bollywood is not just a specialist cinema any more.” Pranab Kapadia, UK head of Adlabs Films, one of India’s largest entertainment companies, said: “More and more Indian producers are looking at the potential of this market. They are gearing the productions to suit the South Asian international palette — films which people living here can relate to.”

Hell NO! She is laughing her head off on the rumors that kept TV stations abuzz in India...that she had killed herself while in the Australian continent!  Speaking to news sources, Priyanka said, "Arrey, why would I want to do something like that? Okay…my last film didn't do well. But so what?" She was very impressed with the people who start these rumors because, "News about my 'suicide' spread like wildfire. I had anxious inquiries all day long, including from the family. Fortunately my bua is here in Adelaide with me, so she spent her time assuring everyone I was alive."

What with adopting a baby girl, fighting a cobra on the sets of a movie, talks of opening a night club, Sushmita does not cease to amaze (we just hope and pray her acting starts doing the same).  This time the news is interesting for two reasons.

One, dear old Sush is apparently not just an on-screen artist, but also an off-screen one - of the oil and canvas type and apparently a GOOD one.  The actress, who says she mainly paints as a hobby, recently sold one of her paintings at a charity action for $55,000 (£28,985)....WOW!  In an interview with a leading Indian daily, published Thursday, she said, ‘I paint, but for myself and sometimes for my friends. I have never taken it up as a profession. This is the first time that I put up my paintings for an auction, to raise money for charity. I am glad it has gone for a noble cause.’

Now here's the second reason why it's interesting...this is where we raised our eyebrows and said "Hmmmm....": The painting titled ``Ibaadat`` was sold during a telethon to raise money for a hospital built by former Pakistani cricket star Imran Khan.  Okay, slam us if you want for bringing scandal into charity, but unless you were born in the 80s, and missed the whole Zeenat Aman saga, we don't need to say much more...

Amrita Arora is fast following in her sister's footsteps when it comes to films.  Amrita is set to do a sizzling item song in a Pakistani film which will have both Bollywood and Lollywood cast. The film "Godfather" will be directed by Indian director Hriday Shetty who was approached by Pakistani producers to direct for them.

Amrita will play a Bollywood actress in the film...now the question is.. which one of the Lollywood ladies will be in this film??

We will keep you posted we promise!

It was just announced that Strings are the brand ambassadors for Mobilink World. Defining the partnership between Pakistan's favourite cellular company and country's leading musical group.

Mobilink customers will have access to exclusive Strings content which includes their songs, ring tones & wallpapers, concert invitations, exclusive promotional offers etc.  

Good news for American Strings' fans! The latest buzz is that the duo are coming to the US for another tour. They enjoyed fantastic sucess with their Zinda tour this summer, here's wishing them even more sucess this time around!!

According to a story in the Gulf Times, Miss Rai has destroyed the gentleman pictured on the right.  So obsessed is he with Ash, that he's been spending ALL his cash, on gaudy dresses that have Ash herself printed or embroidered on them.  The man earns about 10,000 riyal per month, but spends them all on creating these not-for-sale dresses for the Bollywood Queen.  He does not send any money to his family (wife and two daughters).  When he goes back to India, he doesn't see his family but plots himself outside Ms. Rai's home to see if she would consent to meet him and try on one of the dresses.  Now, someone needs to tell this Mr. Sultan that nobody wears their OWN face on their dresses.  Maybe he'd be better off wearing these dresses himself!!  For heaven's sake man, get a life and treat your wife and children with some respect and issue a prompt divorce.  What a horror story the wife's life must be with this gentleman.

The Lollywood queen, Reema, sometimes fondly criticized for her English has decided to go back to school and attend English classes.  Now that's a good move, as opposed to Meera, who wanted to learn what was it...Bhojpuri?  At least Reema's actions indicate she is interested in improving her global skills while hopefully representing Pakistan.

We must say that while the ability to speak good English is an asset for global interaction, there is nothing wrong with not being able to speak it.  Still, if Reema has chosen to learn something she thinks she can benefit from, we say, "good luck and happy learning!"

The one-time super action hero Jean Claude Van Damme is eyeing Bollywood, specifically zeroing in on the single most successful Bollywood ambassador, Aishwarya Rai.  He reportedly met with Ash at the IIFA event in Dubai, and the two had conversations about his upcoming flick "Asterix at the Olympic Games".  The movie's premier will coincide with the 2008 Olympics.

If this is true and Ash signs up, she will be starring with Gerard Depardieu, Claudia Cardinale, and supporting stars like the soccer idol David Beckham.

Seems like a desperate attempt at Van Damme's part to restore some of his erstwhile status as an action hero.  But with Bollywood audiences running into billions, bringing in Aishwarya (again, she's the one person who's taken Bollywood farther on the global front than any other actor), will certainly be a boost to his international image.

Seriously!

But in a movie.

Big B is playing an old man who falls in love with an 18 year old, played by Jiah Khan, a second generation Indian born and raised in England.  For years, Jiah had been training (practising her Hindi) and craving for a role in a Bollywood flick.  Her dream came true not just in any movie with any actor, but in a highly controversial movie with none other than the evergreen king of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan.

The movie Nishabd is Ram Gopal Verma's adaptation of the Vladimir Nabokov novel, Lolita.  By casting an 18 year old, RGV is tampering down the age difference "a little".  So now, the girl is old enough to be the older granddaughter as opposed to the youngest child in the third generation.  Apparently, there are also some other politically correct things in the movie, e.g. some guilt and remorse on Amitabh's part.  The movie was shot in Kerala, all within 20 days.  Wow.  Talk about Lolita on Speed!

RGV did a superb job of adapting God Father (see his movie Sarkar if you haven't already).  So we have high hopes for his original spin on Lolita as well.  Let's see how it fares for the actors and the director.  We hope Jiah Khan finds this to be the start of a good, long movie career.  She seems to have really worked for it.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are now the proud parents of a baby girl, Shiloh, with an excessively long full name.  The baby was born in Namibia, where the couple are continuing to stay to avoid the public eye, and get some much needed rest, we are sure!  The Namibian government has restricted press visas to the country to afford the maximum privacy to the couple.  Still, a handful of paparazzi have found their way into Swakopmund, a small town on the western coast of Africa. Their mission: to get a picture of the baby, whose parents are considered to be among the best looking people in the entire world.  While we all respect the Jolie-Pitt family's privacy, we too are dying to see what the jumbo prize winner of a genetic lottery looks like.

All curiosity aside, we wish Angelina, Brad, their other kids, and Shiloh the very best of everything in the future.  Angelina has gone out of her way to help Afghan refugees and was among the first to visit the earthquake affected areas in Pakistan.  We truly respect her for her selflessness and wish her and her family all the best!

Former playmate (known to decent people only through her legal battle for a bazillion dollars she was left by her 9300 year old husband), is expecting a baby girl.  Until a couple of days ago, her legal representative, Howard K. Stern, (hopefully it's not the Howard Stern decent people don't watch or listen to), says ""If Anna Nicole is pregnant, she obviously doesn't want anybody to know yet. If she's not pregnant, she's not denying the rumour, because she thinks it's funny how much of a stir it's causing. She'll leave it up to you to guess which one it is."

Meanwhile, the photo journalist (paparazzo) father, Larry Birkhead, was saying "I have seen the ultrasound and have spoken to doctors. I am very excited." (Quoted on tmz.com).

Finally, Anna quashed all the gossip by posting a video on her website, saying ""Let me stop all the rumors. Yes, I am pregnant. I'm happy, I'm very, very happy about it. Everything's goin' really, really good and I'll be checking in and out periodically on the Web, and I'll let you see me as I'm growing." 

Oh boy!! No thanks Anna...people have already seen enough of you!

This will be a first...of sorts.  Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding fame) is all set to direct Chris Tucker as Gangster MD, in the Hollywood version of Munna Bhai MBBS, originally played by Sanjay Dutt.  Of course, given Mira Nair's Indian origin, one can't truly say that it's mainstream Hollywood picking up a Bollywood script.  Nevertheless!  The movie plans are still being finalized and may include some of the original cast as well.  Filming is expected to begin after Tucker finishes shooting Rush Hour 3 with Jackie Chan in Paris this summer.

With all this copying going on, one wonders why that poor girl from Harvard got blasted for plagiarism in her How Opal Mehta Got Kissed and Got a Life (or How Opal Mehta Got Caught and Had Her Book Taken Off the Shelves).  After all, we've all grown up seeing blatant plagiarism in hundreds of Bollywood movies.  Maybe she thought it was okay to borrow from here and there?

We couldn't decide whether this story belongs in the Humor section or here.  But the latest news has it that in his first set of public appearances since his acquittal in the child molestation case, Michael Jackson visited an orphanage in Tokyo.  The star has been living in Bahrain where he moved after his acquittal.  

The star was in Japan to receive a "Legend Award" from MTV Japan, during which he apparently choked with emotion and thanked his fans for their loyalty. 

We almost choked ourselves as we read the accounts of how Jackson made his way through throngs of screaming adults...to walk into a "gymnasium" full of Japanese kids.  “I’m happy to be with you lovely people”, he said to a gathering of more than 100 kids aged 2-18.  He also said “Aishiteru”, Japanese for “I love you” to all the kids.

What is with this guy?  Can his publicist please just keep him away from anything to do with children for a couple of years? 

Apparently, we are not the only ones who don't like Fanaa.  However, our reasons were critical of the movie, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other politicians are giving the movie a hard time in Gujarat due to some statement made by Aamir Khan.  Apparently, Aamir had spoken in favor of a Supreme Court judgement about the rehabilitation of oustees in the Narmada Dam case.  This did not go over well with politicians in the state of Gujarat.  Student unions were rallied, posters were burned, theater owners and exhibitors threatened, and all in all, Fanaa is sitting on the shelves.  According to news sources, producer Yash Chopra is losing over a ten million rupees a day.  The film industry has now rallied behind Aamir and is defending his freedom of speech and "dissent".  The industry spokespersons have issued their own threat to Gujarat giving them a deadline of this Friday to release the film or "we will not be responsible for the consequences" (which are hitherto unknown).

We don't know what the fuss is all about.  BJP would love to see Aamir malign Muslims by playing the most popular stereotype that the world holds about this religion's members...i.e. a terrorist.  He even meets an end that would warm the hearts of all anti-Muslim groups.  Maybe they should let him go off without an apology for his political statement based on the mass statement he has made by playing this role.

Rakesh Roshan's new film Krrish starring son Hrithik Roshan has been accused of plagiarism!

According to sources this film is the brainchild of an independent film writer Ivan Rana. Rana says that this story was written by him, and in 2003 he took his story which was titled Superhero along with some sketches of the character to Rakesh Roshan. According to Rana, Rakesh told him that he was not interested in his story.

Ivan left for America to work on an independent film. On his return he was shocked to see his story stolen and used by Mr. Roshan. He says even the costume and the mask are copied, down to the minor details. Unfortunately Mr. Rana made the mistake of not registering the story or reserving any copyrights, making it impossible for him to file a complaint or to sue the Roshans.

Mr. Rakesh Roshan denies all these allegations and says that the story of Krrish is written by him.

There are rumors in Hollywood that Mrs. Federline, better known as Brittany Spears, is expecting again. Though the rumors have not been confirmed, sources say that she has been spotted shopping for baby clothes, and this time she is hoping to buy pink for a girl. Whatever the sex of the child we wish her a healthy pregnancy!

Interestingly enough, Brittany has also hired a baby sitter for her husband, Kevin Federline, an aspiring rap star. She wants to make sure that he is under a watchful eye and that he behaves himself when she is not accompanying him.  The babysitter (or guard) is paid to report everything back to her..... WOW!  You can't mess with Brittany that's for sure!

According to a recent interview, our very own Lollywood actress Resham is dreaming of becoming a movie producer.  She is very excited about venturing into the telefilm industry.  As for her acting future, she says, "I am tired of the glamorous roles; I want to accept roles where I can grow as an actress." Of all the Lollywood actresses, Resham (after Neeli) is a rare specimen of consistency and originality.  And unlike some others who are parading shamelessly to Indian producers, she is now investing in our own domestic industry.  What can we say except "best of luck!!"

Akbar Khan's Bollywood movie Taj Mahal_ An Eternal Love Story, is set to be shown in Lahore next week. The female lead in the film Sonia Jahan, is the granddaughter of our very own Noor Jehan. The premiere of the movie is the most talked about and anticipated event in Lahore. Actors Fardeen Khan and Hrithik Roshan are scheduled to attend along with other bollywood stars. The Ministers of Culture of both countries are also invited to attend. This is another step towards promoting peace and culture between both countries.

Congratulations are in order for Actor Tom Cruise and fiance Katie Holmes, who are the new proud parents of a baby girl. The baby has been named Suri, which means red rose in Persian, and princess in Hebrew.  (Interestingly, some news reports suggest that Hebrew speaking people are not familiar with the name and radio stations in Israel are announcing it as a new word in Hebrew).

The baby was born in an LA hospital on April 18, weighing in at 7 pounds and 7 ounces and 20 inches in length. The mother and child are believed to be doing well, and were released from the hospital within 24 hours of the birth.

This is the first child for Katie 27, and the first biological child for Tom 43. Tom has two adopted children with ex wife actress Nicole Kidman.