Madonna to release new album

London: Pop star Madonna has confirmed she will release her 12th studio album next spring. It will be a follow-up to 2008's Hard Candy.

The singer said she has started working with producer William Orbit.

"I've started a little bit of work in the studio and then when I go back to New York I'll be recording until the end of the year," contactmusic.com quoted her as saying.

When asked what fans can expect from her latest offering, she replied: "More good music."

The first single from the record is expected to be released in February with the LP out a couple of months later.

Jeeva replaces Ram in Gautham Menon film

Reigning Tamil hero Jiiva, who is playing the lead role in the Tamil version of master storyteller Gautham Menon's upcoming bilingual, will also be the hero of the Telugu version, replacing the original hero Ram. This decision was taken by the film's makers after Telugu hero Ram walked out of the project. The official announcement is awaited.
Ram opted out of the film due to the delay in completing the shooting. Though the actor was excited when Gautham Menon decided to add a Hindi version to the film, and even did four days of shooting in Chennai, Ram walked out rather annoyed with the delays in shooting.
Sources said that since the same scene was being shot with Hindi actor Aditya Roy Kapur, Tamil star Jiiva and Telugu star Ram, the daily rotation of the shooting schedule irked Ram.

Ranbir Kapoor proud of Kareena

Kareena Kapoor's cousin Ranbir was recently heard praising her at an event in Delhi. Says a source, 

"One of the young girls who attended the event asked him if Bebo and he would ever work together, and RK said, "Everyone knows she's my first cousin, so we can't act opposite each other, but yes, I would love to work with Kareena if there's any brother-sister role offered to us and we both like it. 

She has made the entire family proud." The source adds that Ranbir and Kareena are both working but despite their hectic shooting schedule they sometimes meet discuss their films."

Rajinikanth and Shah Rukh going to act together

New Delhi: Superstar Rajinikanth has agreed to do a cameo role in Shah Rukh Khan's much awaited film 'Ra.One'. If media reports are to be believed than Rajinikanth is going to shoot for the film on October 4, at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad.

The music of 'Ra.One' is already released and catching up fast with the audiences. International pop singer Akon has sung for the first time in any Indian film in 'Ra.One'.

'Ra.One' relies heavily on its big star cast that boasts of Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra. Now, superstar Rajinikanth's inclusion into the credit list will only add more charm to it.

This will be a double bonanza for Hindi film lovers, who will get to watch two superstars working together for the first time.

Shah Rukh Khan had earlier said that 'Ra.One' has a tribute for Rajinikanth.

This will also indicate the return of Rajinikanth to shooting, who has avoided shooting in recent times due to bad health.

The promos of 'Ra.One' shows a lot of similarities in between Rajinikanth's 'Robot' and Khan's 'Ra.One'.

Lady Gaga lead MTV EMA nods

Lady Gaga leads the way in the nominations for this year's MTV Europe Music Awards.

The New York singer has picked up nominations in six categories including best live, best pop and best female.

She's followed by Katy Perry and Bruno Mars who have both picked up four nominations, Adele, Justin Bieber and Thirty Seconds To Mars also have nods.

This year's ceremony is to be held at Belfast's Odyssey Arena on 6 November.

Adele, the biggest selling artist of 2011 so far, is up for three prizes including best song for Rolling In The Deep, best video for the same song and best female.

Justin Bieber will compete in three categories - best pop, best male and biggest fans.

Last year's EMAs were held in Madrid and were watched by 22.2 million people.

Lady Gaga walked away with the gongs for best pop, female and song - she accepted her prizes via satellite whilst on tour.

Rihanna, Kanye West, Plan B, Kings Of Leon and Katy Perry were amongst the performers on the evening.

Always try to bring freshness into her characters

27 years old Bollywood Actress Katrina Kaif has taken everyone by surprise with her refreshing portrayals.

She would be seen in the Yash Raj movie, a romantic comedy starring Imran Khan and Ali Zaffar, in the role of a rockstar.

As per Latest Katrina Kaif Interviews, she said that, "I try to get some freshness in each of the characters that I play and they do make a difference. Like you do two films a year and if you show something that is a bit different from the previous film then the audience won't get bored."

"It was destiny which I always believe in and it is different from luck. I always see God's hand in the success I have got. Maybe I do have a knack for selecting the right scripts but I am unaware of it."

"I go by my instincts. I have been extremely lucky that I have had quite a number of successful films. If you ask me whether it has been a conscious strategy on my part...then I would say it is not because there is no way that you can plan something like this consciously."

"I was quite apprehensive about it. I had an issue with the heavy Punjabi lyrics which I could not understand. But everyone convinced me. To add a touch of reality, I learnt to play the guitar and it helped me to portray the act convincingly."

"It is just a portion. I am learning to play guitar and I can play one song - 'Knocking on Heaven's Door'."

"It was my dream to work in a Yash Raj film. It is a romantic comedy, very exaggerated...tongue-n-cheek. I play Dimple in the movie...she is completely mad and is very bindass. In fact it took me a while to completely feel the madness but I guess that is the challenge."

Why Namitha won't act in Tamil films

In spite, of getting a good start in the Tamil film industry, Namitha did not get to place a strong foothold in this industry. Sources in the industry say that Namitha's glam doll image was the main reason for her career sliding down as she was soon relegated to guest appearances and item numbers. This situation has forced the actress to seek greener pastures and she has found it in Telugu and Kannada film industries. Speaking about her future plans, Namitha says that she

Lady Gaga And Katy Perry Banned In China

Lady Gaga, Backstreet Boys, and Katy Perry songs have all been banned in China.

The Asian country's ministry of culture has deemed 100 tracks by artists unsuitable for its citizens telling websites selling and streaming them both legally and illegally to remove them before September 15 or face prosecution.

The ministry follows guidelines to ensure tracks are not in "poor taste and vulgar content," and claims the songs on its latest list have not been submitted for approval, which has to be done by the song's writer themselves.

While most of the songs are by artists from Taiwan and Honk Kong, six of Lady Gaga's tracks have been banned: 'The Edge of Glory', 'Hair', 'Marry the Night', 'Americano', 'Judas' and 'Bloody Mary'.

Katy Perry's 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)' has been banned, most likely for its lyrical content, which includes describing drinking alcohol, running naked and a "menage a trois".

Similarly Beyonce's banned 'Run the World (Girls)', is likely banned due to the implied profanity in the line: "We run this mutha".

Other axed songs, such as Backstreet Boys' 'I Want it That Way' and Britney Spears's 'Burning Up' remain a mystery, as they have no apparent or implied subversive meaning.

Eminem, Christina Aguilera and Kylie Minogue have previously had their songs banned by theministry, and concerts by Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones have had to exclude certain numbers the ministry does not deem suitable for the Chinese public.

Brad Pitt slams marriage to Jennifer Aniston, gushes about life with Angelina

Brad Pitt has one word for his marriage to Jennifer Aniston: “pathetic.”

The “Fight Club” star landed the shocking verbal sucker punch on his long-suffering ex-spouse in an upcoming interview with Parade magazine.

Pitt, who was promoting his new flick, “Moneyball,” talked about how uninteresting his life was during his time with Aniston and how his new life with Angelina Jolie and their six kids is bliss.

“I spent the ’90s trying to hide out,” he told Parade, which is to be published in The Post this weekend.

“I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out. It started feeling pathetic,” he said.

PATRICK MCMULLAN
THAT WAS THEN: With their Hollywood careers on the rise, sweethearts Brad and Jen seemed like the picture of bliss in 2003, midway through their five-year marriage.


“It became very clear to me that I was so intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn’t living an interesting life myself.

“I think my marriage [to Aniston] had something to do with it: trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn’t.”

Pitt, 47, was married to Aniston, the star of TV’s hit show “Friends” and widely acclaimed as America’s sweetheart, from 2000 to 2005.

He dumped her after reportedly getting to know Jolie while filming 2005’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Rumors of their burgeoning romance swirled throughout the filming.

After dishing on Aniston, 42, he bragged about how fulfilled he is now that he has joined Jolie, 36, on her many goodwill crusades around the world.

“I put much more emphasis on being a satisfied man,” he told the mag.

“Happiness is overrated. There has to be conflict in life. You get to a plateau, and you’re spurred on to the next plateau, the next direction the next season.

“I’m satisfied with making true choices and finding the woman I love, Angie, and building a family that I love so much.”

Pitt told Parade that he and Jolie “home-school” their kids and, if they are out of town for a while, they fly their children’s pals out to wherever they are.

He called Jolie “a great mom,” but said he still has no plans to marry her. “We’ll get married when everyone can,” he said, in a reference to the couple’s support of same-sex marriages.

He also gushed: “Oh, man, I’m so happy to have her.

“With a partner like Angie, I know that when I’m working, the kids are happy, safe and prospering. And when Angie’s working, she knows she has the same.”

He glowingly added, “One of the smartest things I ever did was give my kids Angie as their mom.”

Pitt meanwhile talked at length about his activism with Jolie, including their adopting kids from around the world.

“I’ll tell you why: I hit the lottery -- the whole cliché of moving to Hollywood and getting paid silly amounts of money,’’ he said. “I’ve traveled the world and seen mothers and babies dying because they don’t have a 30-cent treatment that is available in industrialized nations.

“I feel like I have to share whatever I can. You’re culpable if you don’t act.”

Parade asked Pitt why he and Jolie adopted kids from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam instead of the United States.

“I can’t place the importance of one child over that of any other,” he replied. “I have seen children suffer far beyond what we experience in America -- like our oldest daughter [Zahara]. I know she would not be alive [if she hadn’t been adopted]. I know what care was available to her, and it was nil.

“I guess I just don’t see America as separate from Vietnam or Ethiopia.

“This mentality of our team’s better than yours -- it’s a high school idea. My kids don’t see those dividing lines, and I don’t want to either.”

He described his kids’ home-schooling as superior to the education others get.

“Our kids can get through the normal school day -- what took eight hours in a public school -- as well as homework in four hours or so in home school,’’ he said.

“It allows extra time to develop their other interests --music, sports.”

The “Ocean’s Eleven” star said his kids with Jolie were the key to enrichment:

“I’ve learned so much about myself though them. I’ve become a better person because of them. They are so sharp.”

People have suggested that given his activism, he might someday decide to run for public office.

“I have no desire to be in politics because I want to live free, and I don’t know how you can do that as a politician,” the star insisted.

“For one thing, I would be like making Bushisms, like, every third day,’’ he quipped.

“One malapropism after another.”

Justin Bieber working with Boyz II Men for new christmas album

Teen pop star Justin Bieber has fulfilled one of his dreams by working with Boyz II Men on his upcoming Christmas album. The U Smile hitmaker is thrilled to have his idols accepting the offer to join forces with him in one of the holiday songs recorded for the record. Justin tweeted yesterday: "2day i woke up and realised that the group that made me want to sing @BoyzIIMen are now on the christmas album singing with me." He added: "I used 2 listen to their music… that is how i learned how to sing. now im in the studio with them making music 2gether… im telling you…never say never…never stop dreaming….never give up." Some members of Boyz II Men joined the 17-year-old Canadian singer onstage a year ago on his My World tour at New York's Madison Square Garden.