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| Fantasia: Winning edge |
Time for the real one
If you?re hooked to Indian Idol, then here?s the opportunity to catch the original. In its fourth season, American Idol is back in a new avatar on January 18. But why bother? Well, because the corny capers of American wannabe popstars will be telecast in India for the first time, and that too as and when it happens across the Atlantic, via satellite.
The antics of the good, bad, melodious and mad will be on view as Americans between the ages of 16 and 28 take a once-in-a-lifetime shot at instant stardom, with judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson enduring the pains and pleasures of selecting the right one. Last season?s winner was Fantasia.
This time round, though, the format of the popular reality show has been tweaked a little to keep the interest levels high. The audition round will feature guest judges like LL Cool J, Gene Simmons, Brandy, Kenny Loggins and Mark McGrath. The semi-finals have been shortened to three weeks and there will be four episodes of ?going to Hollywood? instead of just two.
There?s a lot more excitement in store, but why give the fun away? Watch it on STAR World to find out.
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| SpongeBob SquarePants: Now on big scree |
SpongeBob SquarePants ? the cube-shaped yellow sponge with eyes like marbles, two front teeth and a cocky disposition, the star of the hilarious animation series on Nick ? is set to come alive on the big screen. And kids here have an offer to keep a date at the Asian premiere of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie on January 30 on Sentosa Island.
Nick and Singapore Tourism Board are looking for a family of four to win an all-expense-paid trip to Singapore. There was a contest to pick the family of four from India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Japan to be flown to Singapore on January 28 to enjoy a four-day, three-night holiday celebrating the premiere of The Spongebob SquarePants Movie.
Produced and directed by Stephen Hillenburg, the full-length animation feature is based on his own story. The movie sees the simple, quiet life of the underwater paradise, Bikini Bottom, get a little wild when SpongeBob SquarePants and his dim-witted best friend Patrick set out on an epic quest to reclaim King Neptune?s stolen crown and save Mr Krabs? life.
The film sports a fleet of famous voices including Hollywood hotshots like Alec Baldwin, Scarlet Johansson and Jeffrey Tambor, with a special voiceover by David Hasselhoff as himself, as well as the original voices from the TV series.
The Asian premiere of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie will be celebrated over two days on Sentosa Island through a beach party filled with Bikini Bottom-themed games, a sand-sculpting competition, a SpongeBob SquarePants toon-a-thon, prize giveaways, meet-and-greet activities with SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward.
?The phenomenon of SpongeBob SquarePants has hit Asia and the much-anticipated movie has finally arrived on our shores! Sentosa Island was a natural choice for us to host such an important event,? said Lucy Young, vice-president marketing & communications for Nickelodeon Asia.
It?s time to give a break to the pastries and cakes. The New Year has set in and the festive season?s on its way out. It won?t be that bad an idea to lose those extra calories at this point of time.
To help you out, STAR One, the new niche entertainment channel, brings India?s first do-it-along fitness show, Figure it Out.
Every morning from Monday to Friday, at 7.30 am, this daily reality fitness show will give viewers an opportunity to train from the confines of their homes along with four participants who chart their fitness regimen over 100 days.
As the young but overweight go through an interesting routine each morning to shed those extra kilos on the small screen, all in 100 days, you too, can get rid of that flab with help from fitness experts Simmi Sakuja and Rajiv Kuchroo.
Speaking on the new show on STAR One, Deepak Segal, executive vice president content, STAR India, said: ?Figure it Out, with its simple health mantra ? lose weight and stay fit ? promises to change your existing lifestyle.?
Get in shape with help from the experts.
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| Kabir Bedi: Building bonds |
After the immensely successful Indian International Film Awards, it?s time for the Global Indian Film Awards to take the Bollywood bandwagon to Dubai. To be held at the famous Al Wasal Stadium on January 27, the organisers have announced the names of the jury members, which include such stalwarts from the world of film as Aziz Mirza, Om Puri, Kabir Bedi, Umesh Mehra, Feroze Nadiadwala, Bharti Pradhan and Priti Hiranandani.
What also makes the Global Indian Film Awards, referred to as GIFA, a first-of-a-kind is that the people of the UAE will get to vote for their favourite Bollywood stars and movies. So even though there is a panel of jury members who will nominate the various categories, the ultimate decision to select the award winners will be by popular vote.
Speaking about GIFA, film-maker Aziz Mirza says: ?I am happy that such an award function has been conceptualised. What interests me the most is the transparent voting process with the people of the UAE getting to choose their favourite Indian film stars and movies.?
The suave Kabir Bedi felt that awards ceremonies like this will put Indian cinema more and more on the global map. ?I am delighted by the increasing importance given to Bollywood films by the UAE. The GIFA awards is an important symbol of the great mutual respect between us, which is destined to endure,? he said.
