Bollywood News and Stories From India

Well and truly, Allah Rakha, Rahman! In the nick of time: A R Rahman While all the hoopla and euphoria surrounding A R Rahman's double Oscar has been talked about, no one knows that the composer had a close shave with death during the rehearsals for his stage performance for the Oscars. This came to light after Rahman's return to India yesterday. Split-second move Recalling the nerve-wracking experience Rahman says, "I really don't know what happened. Two days before the Oscars, we were rehearsing at one of the theatres for the Oscars, the Jay Leno Show and the Oprah Winfrey Show; when a massive chandelier, covering a portion of the ceiling crashed on the spot a split second after I moved away." Rahman recounts, "If I hadn't moved away, I'd have become history after making history in no time at all. The incident left me shaken but not terrified. I guess it was God's warning not to take any of the good things happening to me too seriously." Ru...

It should have been a joyous occasion for Rubina Ali. She'd just returned home after having the time of her life in the US after the commercial and Oscar success of Slumdog Millionaire and she is famous as the film's little Latika. But when she reached home at the Garib Nagar slum in Bandra, her biological mother (circled in the below Photograph) tried to snatch her away. Rubina's parents are divorced and both have since remarried. But Rubina stays with her father and stepmother. The little girl started crying, saying she wanted to stay with her father. After some time, her mother left screaming abuses. Picture: Rubina Returs Home TO Mumbai Picture: Rubina's biological mother (circled) tries to snatch her away The girl saying she wanted to stay with her father

After being on practically every magazine cover this last month, The Slumdog Millionaire girl now makes it to two more — Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Check it out. Freida Pinto On Cosmopolitan India Magazine Cover Freida Pinto On Vogue Magazine Cover

Music maestro A R Rahman, the first Indian to win two Oscars, returned to his home city of Chennai to a rousing welcome by his fans and friends in the wee hours of today. Pictures: A R Rahman is escorted out by policemen as he arrives at Chennai airport after receiving two Oscars, for best original score and best song, for Slumdog Millionaire. Rahman (43), who won the Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Song for his compositions in Slumdog Millionaire at the 81st Academy Awards, arrived in Chennai from London by an Emirates Airways flight at around 2.30 am. A large number of people, who waited at the airport for the 'Mozart of Madras', cheered as he emerged out of the international terminal to the beats of drum specialist Sivamani and his troupe. Kerala's "Kottu Melam" (percussion instrument) artists gave a performance on behalf of the Indian Airlines. On behalf of the state government, Tamil Nadu Information Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi received Rahman with...

THE SOUND OF GLORY Who would've thought that the boy from the backwaters of Kerala, from a village that only got electricity ten years ago, would make history at the Oscars? 36-year-old Resul Pookutty is the first Indian to bag the best sound mixing Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire. Resul is in a state of disbelief as he is swamped with congratulatory messages from the likes of Angelina Jolie and sound mixers for The Dark Knight and Wall E. "It feels like I've gone from Black to black-out," Resul jokes about his work for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black. "I can't believe that a boy from the backwaters of Kerala is today holding the most coveted statuette. I'm a holding a piece of history in my hand and I'm so glad to have made my country proud." Resul's story could make for a riveting potboiler, as we discover on a trip to his village. It's the rise of young talent from Vilakkupara, a small village near Anchal in Kollam district of Kerala. ...

The Jai Ho stars failed to receive official letters from the Oscar Committee at the nth minute and could not attend the much-awaited function… As India was still celebrating the success of Jai Ho, India’s bona fide contribution to the British production Slumdog Millionaire, two of its key participants, singer Sukhvinder Singh and lyricist Gulzar, found themselves watching the event unfold on television, miles away from Los Angeles where they were meant to be. The irony is sharper for Singh, who was supposed to perform live along with AR Rahman at the 81st Academy Awards ceremony at Kodak Theatre. The singer and lyricist could not make it to the event because their paperwork was botched. Their absence has raised quite a few eyebrows in the music industry. A reliable source close to the singer said, “Sukhwinder was charged up and was looking forward to the live performance at the Oscar event. Rahman had worked out an updated version of Jai Ho and the two were to sing the new version at ...

AR Rahman with his haul of two Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire raises the bar for excellence The name A R Rahman has become a chant by now in America, and the reticent musician is clearly elated. “I am very excited, it (the evening of the 81st Academy Awards) has been a lovely amalgamation of Indian and American people. The love and response that we have received has been immense.” Was he expecting to win? “I was expecting nothing, I had no expectations at all. There had been speculation here that we would not receive the award as the music is very Indian. So I was completely engrossed and concentrating on the performance. When I got the first award I went numb. On receiving the second award I realised the impact. I feel that that this can be seen as a bridge or a starting point for India. People have an aversion to different cultures. That this film has been so hugely accepted by the Americans is a great crossover.” “It totally felt like it was an Indian evening, with the Americans wa...

A R Rahman today became the first Indian to win two Oscars for his scintillating music in "Slumdog Millionaire” which swept the Academy awards Pictures Alicia Keys presents the Academy Award to composer AR Rahman. A R Rahman giving his acceptance speech after winning his 2 Oscars. A.R. Rahman holds up his Oscars for best original song and best original score for "Slumdog Millionaire" backstage at the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, February 22, 2009. A R Rahman's performance at the Oscars, complete with Bollywood music and dance, became the highlight of the star-studded event, enthralling Hollywood bigwigs in attendance at the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

Images: Reuters

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire Best Direction: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire Best Original Song: A R Rahman and Gulzar Best Original Score: A R Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire Best Sound Mixing: Resul Pookutty wins for Slumdog Millionaire Best Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle for Slumdog Millionaire

Following is a complete list of winners at the 81st annual Academy Awards, held in Hollywood on Sunday. BEST PICTURE Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) LEAD ACTOR Sean Penn in Milk LEAD ACTRESS Kate Winslet in The Reader DIRECTOR Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Departures — Japan SUPPORTING ACTOR Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight SUPPORTING ACTRESS Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Dustin Lance Black for Milk ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire ANIMATED FEATURE Andrew Stanton for WALL-E ANIMATED SHORT FILM Kunio Kato for La Maison en Petits Cubes ART DIRECTION Donald Graham Burt for art direction and Victor J. Zolfo for set decoration on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button COSTUME DESIGN Michael O'Connor for The Duchess MAKEUP Greg Cannom for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button CINEMATOGRAPHY Anthony Dod Mantle for Slumdog Millionaire LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Jochen Alexander Freydank for Spielzeugland(Toylan...

Photographs From the engagement ceremony of Freida Pinto and Rohan Antao Freida Pinto and Rohan Antao Party With Friends