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| Michael Jackson: What?s ahead? |
Even before the jury selection is done with, the King of Pop has taken ill and been rushed to hospital, further delaying the much-in-news Michael Jackson trial. But the drama has just multiplied manifold on the small screen with MJ?s parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson, talking about their prodigal son.
While the American viewers have already heard their side of the story, Indian audiences will get to watch the exclusive interview today at 9 pm on STAR World. How much are the Jacksons worried about the outcome in their son?s case? Could it be money or racism or something else that lies hidden beneath all this tumult? Watch the Jacksons bare their souls as they get candid in front of the camera.
Forty-six-year-old Michael has been dogged for more than a decade now by rumours of inappropriate behaviour with children. As the singer again confronts these accusations in a California court, he faces the danger of landing up in prison for years, if convicted with charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy in March 2003.
With the seriousness of the charges sharply in contrast with the spectacle outside the courtroom, the whole thing has turned into another high-profile celebrity trial where the questions of fairness, fame and public opinion are intertwined with matters of guilt and innocence.
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| Priyanka Chopra with the Indian Idol contestants: Three to go |
From millions of aspirants just three are left in the race to become the first ever Indian Idol. So, with days to go to know who will come out trumps, Abhijeet Sawant, Amit Sana and Rahul Vaidya visited their family and friends in their hometowns, prior to the shooting of this Thursday?s episode.
When Rahul visited his family at Andheri, the entire building was abuzz with excitement. Having missed his mom?s home-cooked food (dal-chawal with ghee) all this while, it?s no wonder he has lost nine kilos in the last couple of months. After a delicious dinner, Rahul decided to go down and have ice cream from his favourite street-corner shop, getting mobbed in the process.
Abhijeet?s homecoming began at his school, Raje Shivaji Vidyalaya in Mahim. Over 2,500 kids were waiting for him and as soon as they saw his car, a stampede ensued. After tea with the principal and his teachers, Abhijeet visited his family. Relatives, neighbours, friends and acquaintances turned up in huge numbers to tell him how proud they were. A friend gifted him a guitar while a local businessman gave Abhijeet Rs 25,000.
Bhillai-resident Amit Sana is such a big favourite that the crew members of Indian Airlines offered him an executive class seat instead of the economy class ticket that he was scheduled to travel on. What?s more, he met Mohammed Azharuddin and Mandira Bedi on his flight. Both of them congratulated him on his excellent performance and confessed that they were his fans. Greeted by an entourage of 20 cars at the Raipur airport, he headed straight home and cherished a simple home-cooked meal of dal, roti, chawal and sabzi.
With the three returning to the Indian Idol sets for yet another gruelling episode, Bollywood?s new queen Priyanka Chopra was ready to greet them as she appeared as the fourth judge for this all-important episode.
Harish Arora heads a typical middle-class family. He works with the State Bank of India and is married to Sweetie Arora. The Aroras have two kids ? Himani studies in third year and Himanshu is in Class IX. The Aroras reside in a posh South Delhi flat.
But here?s the twist ? Harish is going to be on Zee Business for the entire month of February facing the camera everyday to give an account of his as well as his wife?s income and expenditure, paisa by paisa. The programme will focus on the Aroras? daily expenditure and monthly savings.
Zee Business? Harish Arora Ka Budget is India?s first ever business reality show. It is about a common man?s budget and the way he manages his finances.
Commenting on the show, Sameer Ahluwalia, editor, Zee Business said: ?We believe that Harish Arora is one of us who earns, spends and dreams like the common man. The programme is designed to make viewers understand the implications of the budget and how a major exercise like the national budget can impact our own household budget.?
Zee Business will take the audience through the month-long journey with Harish till budget day, everyday, 8.30 pm.
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| Ray with Benegal: Bond with the best |
A bouquet of independent films and documentaries, retrospectives and foreign films. That?s the offering at the Fourth International Social Communication Cinema Conference, organised by Roopkala Kendro from February 19 to 23, at Nandan.
To be inaugurated by chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on February 18, film-makers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Goutam Ghose and Tarun Majumder will be present. The inaugural screening will be Gopalakrishnan?s Kathapurushan.
The event is a platform for independent film-makers from around the world to showcase their movies, highlighting socially relevant issues like violence against women and children, human rights and the environment.
Being the 50th year of Pather Panchali, there is a section of documentaries dedicated to the maker of the movie, including Satyajit Ray by Shyam Benegal.
Another special offering this year is the retrospectives category of Goutam Ghose?s documentaries, from Beyond the Himalayas to films on Odissi and theatre.
There is also The Fall of Fascism package, commemorating 60 years of the event. Movies from Vikalp, an Indian organisation of independent film-makers, will also be screened.
There will be an open forum during the evening session on February 21. There?s also an evaluation session on the final day, followed by the closing film, Paisan by Roberto Rosselini.
