rare moment: John Abraham with Kajol at Zee Muzic’s launch of the John Abraham calendar shot by Subi Samuel in Mumbai

n After more than a month of dal, rice and khichdi, the eight inmates of Bigg Boss were allowed to serve up a feast on Thursday (to be shown on Friday night on Sony at 9 pm). The Bigg Boss house became the Sher-e-Bigg Boss house with the inmates given two hours to prepare a grand meal from the mouth-watering ingredients in the storehouse.

The preset menu to be readied in the couple of hours included Shammi Kebab, Sheekh Kebab and Chicken Tikka for non-vegetarians and Paneer Shashlik and Hara Bhara Kebab for vegetarians. While the girls — Roopali, Carol, Anupama and Ragini went about preparing the heavy-duty meal, the men — Ravi, Rahul, Deepak and Amit — waited with bated breath to pounce on the food.

The kebab platter was not the only treat awaiting the eight. Bollywood hunk John Abraham was the star surprise of the evening, turning up for a tete-a-tete with the Bigg Boss inmates. John even had a special screening of Kabul Express for the bunch completely shut out from the outside world in a house in Karjat, two hours from Mumbai.

n STAR Movies is paying tribute to the Star Wars phenomena by showcasing all the six titles in the $ 3.5 billion franchise every Sunday night, starting December 17. So, this Sunday at 9 pm tune in to one of the most anticipated films of all time, Star Wars Episode I — The Phantom Menace.

The film, which was nominated for three Academy Awards and raked in $ 924 million at the worldwide box office, stars Liam Neeson and Natalie Portman, British heartthrob Ewan McGregor and martial artiste Ray Park.

The first of three prequels to George Lucas’s celebrated Star Wars films, Episode I — The Phantom Menace is set some 30 years before the original Star Wars Episode 4 — A New Hope in the era of the Republic.

n Portraits of the Living Legend III, organised at Gaganendra Pradarshashala till Friday, presents 37 frames (mostly portraits) attempting to capture the many facets of Mrinal Sen.

Photographer Pratap K. Dasgupta has been working on this series since 1998, earlier presenting expositions on Sunil Gangopadhyay and Soumitra Chattopadhyay.

The film-maker’s photogenic features, his active participation and advice had made this effort memorable, said Dasgupta, who has tracked Sen’s expressions at home and away.

n Zee TV brings popular TV actor-cum-host Hussain, currently on a high with Nach Baliye, to Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai this Saturday at 8 pm.

On the show hosted by Roshan Abbas, Hussain talks about how he struggled in his initial days and ate roadside watermelons to save money. His college professor reveals how Hussain always wanted to show his muscles and how he had gifted him a vest.

Wife Tina walks in and the two talk about their nine-year courtship. Tina talks about how Hussain took her for a date in New York, ordered a pineapple and cheese pizza and then noodles!