Look who?s teaching

The controversial premise of Mera Naam Joker returns to the silver screen with Tauba Tauba ? only this time, the teacher-student relationship goes far beyond the spy-a-thigh sequence. With Payal Rohatgi (picture right) playing a 25-year-old teacher seducing a 15-year-old student, Simi Garewal?s fleeting flesh flash (that left young Rishi Kapoor breathless and blushing) seems more like a moral science class. Just before the release of Tauba Tauba, there was a big question mark on how much to cut, but there?s still quite a heady dose of skin show to call in the crowds.

Running at all the multiplexes in the city and also at Roxy, Navina and Basusree, Tauba Tauba is pulling in quite a decent number of college students. The film also sees small-time Tollywood actress Monalisa making her Bollywood debut in a no-holds-barred role that demands very little histrionic abilities and even lesser clothes.

But the star remains Payal ? and there?s lots of her ? who made her debut a couple of years back in Hansal Mehta?s Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai, in a similar but less bold avatar. Then came Hriday Shetty?s Plan, where she couldn?t keep the sinking film afloat despite her raunchy act. Her next release Police Force was a washout, to put it mildly. Rakht had her wearing too much for box-office comfort. Tauba Tauba, though, can change Payal?s fortunes in tinsel town. Despite its B-grade production values and the absence of stars, the bikini babes can spell success. With hit benchmarks like Murder, Hawas, Julie and Girlfriend in the recent past, it will come as no surprise if the flesh factor acts as box-office booby trap yet again, tauba tauba.

Crowe with Connelly: Fair game

Inside his mind

He has been an insider and a gladiator, a master and commander and a man with a beautiful but troubled mind. Russell Crowe has dazzled audiences on screen and it?s no surprise that the Australian is among Hollywood?s best-loved leading men.

Three Academy Award nominations is no mean feat, but Crowe has managed that with The Insider, The Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. The tale of a fallen Roman soldier won him the coveted best actor award, but fans and critics alike couldn?t stop cooing about his performance as schizophrenic scientist and creator of The Game Theory, John Nash. Catch the film that won actress Jennifer Connelly a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in the role of Nash?s wife Alicia, on Star Movies on Wednesday, 9 pm.

The New Zealand-born part Maori made his Hollywood debut when Sharon Stone obeyed her instincts after watching him in the Australian film Romper Stomper and got him to play the part of a robber-turned-priest in The Quick and the Dead.

The father of one, has perhaps played more real-life characters than most in tinsel town, from the whistleblower on tobacco companies Jeffrey Wigand in The Insider to John Nash and English captain Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

In his next release, Cinderella Man, Crowe plays the Depression era heavyweight boxing champion James Braddock, portraying his rise and fall and the travails of providing for his family. Despite an injury while shooting, he?s back on track. Co-starring Renee Zellweger and Craig Bierko, it reunites the Beautiful Mind team of producer Brian Grazer, director Ron Howard and Crowe.

He is also set to begin work on Eucalyptus, co-starring fellow Australian Geoffrey Rush, in which Crowe is a story-telling stranger who falls for Rush?s beautiful daughter Ellen. But the tree-test: he has to name every one of the hundreds of eucalyptus varieties that the obsessive father has planted in his meadow. Take that!

Jimmy Neutron: Kid cut

Child?s play

James Isaac Neutron is true to his near-namesake?s talents. He?s a boy genius who would give good competition to Dexter and his lab. Jimmy Neutron?s inventions range from the wild to the wacky ? he?s an innovative inventor with a great sense of humour. Nickelodeon?s most famous scientist made his break from small to silver screen in Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, in 2001.

One of several kids? specials on HBO this month, the movie was nominated for an Oscar in the new category of Best Animated Feature Film in 2002. Back to Retroville, Jimmy sneaks out to Retroland Amusement Park with his droid dog Goddard after his parents forbid him to go. He wishes for them to disappear, and to his utter consternation, when he comes home, they are actually gone.

Another film that?s sure to have parents and kids giggling in delight is the 1994 classic The Little Rascals. The He-Man Woman Haters Club members have a problem ? one of them, Alfalfa, is in love with a girl! So Spanky and the others set out to rid him of his ridiculous infatuation and bring him back to the hallowed fold.

But there?s a bigger problem. While the gang gets ready to race in the derby, the rival bad boys are out to steal their precious go-kart. And then, one member?s indiscretions jeopardise the others. But smiles are soon back on the freckled little faces as they put their plan into action?

Carnival time

It?s time to return to the last great age of magic ? the age of titanic sandstorms, drought and pestilence, epitomising ?the signs of God?s fury?. On October 7, at 9 pm, HBO presents its original series, the multiple award-winning Carnivale, which premieres on Asian television.

Taking us back to the 30s? Dust Bowl, it is a journey full of colours thanks to characters like the midget carnival boss (Michael J. Anderson), a lizard man (John Fleck), a blind mentalist (Patrick Bauchau) and a tarot card reader (Clea Duvall).

An epic tale of good versus evil, Carnivale is a mystery drama that comes with a per-episode price tag of approximately $3 million. After the premiere on Thursday, you can catch the fascinating period piece every Monday after the prime-time movie.

At the 56th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Carnivale bagged five out of the seven awards it was nominated for, including categories like costumes, hairstyling, art direction, cinematography and main title design.

The plot thickens after the carnival picks up a quiet 18-year-old youth, Ben Hawkins, who conceals his gift of healing powers and is often haunted by strange and traumatic dreams. Nick Stahl, last seen in Terminator 3, gives a power-packed performance as Ben, who is trying to rediscover his roots while suppressing his magic powers.