Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

Israelis and Palestinians, who differ on almost every issue, have a common love superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who rules over their hearts. The popularity that Bachchan enjoys here will be envied even by Hollywood stars. Walking through the streets of Jerusalem, one can hear songs from Bollywood movies, especially those starring the Big B. DVDs of Hindi movies are available in most video shops here, with films starring Amitabh Bachchan a big hit among locals. A single DVD costs 50 Shekel (Rs 500). The challenge Bachchan faces here is only from Gabbar Singh - the character played by late Amjad Khan in the classic film Sholay - who is equally popular among people of all ages, from teenagers to the elderly. "I like watching the movies of Amit (Bachchan) and Amjad, I love their action movies," said 22-year-old Yassar, who runs a small shop near the church of Sepalca, where, according to Catholic beliefs, Jesus Christ was crucified. "My friends and I wa...

The costliest film to be made in Tamil, ‘Sivaji’ took more than a year to make. Shootings were done in Hyderabad, Pune in India and USA and Spain. Will be releasing worldwide on 15 June' 2007 ! Even as his innumerable fans are making hectic preparations to celebrate the release of his 100th film in Tamil, Sivaji on June 15, Rajnikant has sought to restrain them by directing them not to go overboard and cause public nuisance. Rajnikant fans, who had been waiting for the release of 'Sivaji' two years after their celluloid hero's hit Chandramukhi , are virtually painting Tamil Nadu red, as it were, putting up huge cut outs and digital banners hailing their celluloid hero. However, Rajnikant, who after a long gap met with his fans in Chennai last month on the eve of the release of 'Sivaji’ on Thursday issued 'five commandments' to his fans asking them to maintain decorum while indulging in the bash. 'Sivajis' Image Gallery: Rajnikant’s directives issue...

By SALIM MIA Dhaka: French superstar footballer Zinedine Zidane delighted thousands of Bangladeshi villagers on Tuesday with an impromptu show of his legendary skills. Zidane was on a visit to the village of Kamar Basulia near the capital Dhaka to meet former beggars who had transformed their lives through tiny loans from Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus’s pioneering Grameen Bank. “He is my hero. I never thought I would see him in my own village. I still cannot believe this is happening,” said 16-year-old schoolboy Zakir Hussain as he watched Zidane play from a tree top. Zidane, who is on a twoday visit to the Muslimmajority country at Yunus’s invitation, was showered with flowers by the villagers. Some 10,000 people turned out to watch him play. “I am completely taken aback,” Zidane, a Muslim, told the private NTV television channel. “I never thought that people living thousands of miles away in small villages here in Bangladesh would know who I am,” he added. But he brushed aside qu...