Miss talkathon

She is in showbiz and she is not mad about movies. ?Let me just clarify ? I like watching them but I do not feel I have to be in films just because I am offered roles,? announced VJ Shruti (picture above), in town to kick off the Calcutta edition of [V] Super Singer.

The pretty tele-face is an economics graduate and wanted to be an interior designer. ?Now that I am into the world of media, you will find me acting till I play old grandmas on screen.?

By screen she does mean the chhota avatar where Shruti is a hit in the serial Shararat. But clearly, it is the sound of her voice that keeps her going. ?I eat so much. You know how I burn my calories? By talking.? That?s something which she does quite well and specially when she is travelling. ?Yes, the travel show is my favourite on Channel [V] which took me to Malaysia and Rome,? Shruti confessed.

The vivacious veejay is also the host of a Bollywood interview show on the small screen and is all ga-ga about the stars. ?They are perfect gentlemen and they all are so cordial with me. It?s just that all of us have demons in our heads and are always wary about their attitude.?

There is a slim chance though for Shruti to enter filmdom. ?The day our films have characters and not stars, I will definitely take up a role.? Till then, it?s more bak bak for the bindaas babe.

New news

Prime time now starts at 5 pm. Star News has gone for a complete recast of its evening programming line-up. The changes include new timings, formats and a revamped presentation style.

The concept of prime time on the channel is being redefined with the special evening bulletins now starting at 5 pm and extending right up to 1 am. The changes have been triggered after a careful analysis of news viewership patterns that suggest a longer time spent with significant traffic starting early in the evening, a channel spokesperson said.

According to officiating CEO and editor & director of news, Uday Shankar, ?content must evolve constantly and evolution should be determined by popular need?. The new programming changes are a reflection of this belief.

Notable changes have been brought about in some of the channel?s popular news bulletins like Desh Videsh, which now becomes a two-hour capsule with special segments on business, sports, crime, entertainment and lifestyle, and weather. The two-anchor bulletins are being aired from 5 pm to 7 pm.

In terms of the overall format and presentation, the channel?s new programming and scheduling is benchmarked against international standards. The new changes will be applicable only to the weekday programming, but the weekend programmes on STAR News remain unchanged.

Keeping in mind the special coverage for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the changes are being rolled out in phases.

Mahima: Tennis elbow

In the Game

She may have foot-faulted on personal territory in the recent past but Mahima Chaudhuri is anything but finished in her filmi career. The actress whose last release Dobara failed to pull in the audience, thanks to an oft-repeated storyline and an old-school narrative technique, does have some interesting films lined up.

The big catch is of course Tanuja Chandra?s Filmstar where Mahima plays a fading star in tinseltown and the personal and professional devils she has to fight off. The film, which is slated to bring Mahima back to the top fold in Bollywood, is stuck for quite some time now.

The Pardes woman has already moved on to other ventures. She has bagged a big role in critic-turned-director Samar Khan?s debut film Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye. The film also stars Arshad Warsi, and a real big Bollywood star. Who?s who?