I am ready to stay with“Grey’s Anatomy”atherine Heigl said

march,28,09
Los Angeles: Katherine Heigl said on Friday she’s ready to stay with “Grey’s Anatomy” and the decision rests with the show.

Attending a studio party to mark the ABC medical drama’s 100th episode, Heigl said it’s premature to think her days as Dr. Izzie Stevens are numbered.

“I was assuming that at one point and I got a lot of shrugged shoulders and shakes of the head, so I don’t know if that’s a yes or a no. No one will tell me and I don’t know how this is going to go,” Heigl said, noting series creator Shonda Rhimes’ passion for plot secrecy.

“I don’t know if I live or die. I don’t know how Izzie fares,” said the actress, who’s played the character since the show debuted in 2005.

“I’m there” if Izzie remains part of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Heigl said. She called the set “one of my favorite places to be” and said her colleagues are also friends.

She and fellow cast members, including Ellen Pompeo (Dr. Meredith Grey) and Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd), were on hand for the celebration that included a cake decorated with scalpels and syringes made out of icing.

Rhimes, who’s also an executive producer for the show, called the milestone a “huge accomplishment” and thanked the cast and crew for their efforts.

In an interview, she dropped a tantalizing clue about the episode airing May 7.

“The only thing I’ll tell you about the 100th is that it takes place on Meredith and Derek’s wedding day,” Rhimes said. “That’s big … and that’s all I’m going to say.”

On Thursday’s episode, Izzie was seen surviving brain surgery. There’s been speculation that Heigl wants to pursue her blossoming film career (”Knocked Up,” the upcoming “The Ugly Truth”) full-time, and that her character might be killed off.

Rhimes declined comment on what would happen to Heigl’s character.

Last month, fellow cast member James Pickens Jr. said Heigl was leaving the show, along with T.R. Knight, both of whom declined comment at the time. Knight missed the studio party because he’d previously scheduled the day off, an ABC spokeswoman said.

On Friday, Heigl said she’s comfortable balancing movies and TV by working on big-screen projects during the summer hiatus for “Grey’s Anatomy.”

“I’m more than happy to make that compromise. As my agent likes to say, ‘High-class problems,’” Heigl said.

“I don’t know if I want to continue for five years working 12 months a year, but I can take at least another year or two,” she said.

Dempsey said he intends to fulfil the remaining two years on his contract with “Grey’s Anatomy and “then we’ll

Michelle Ryan is being eyed to play Jade Goody in a film

march,28.09
London: Ex-EastEnder Michelle Ryan is being eyed to play Jade Goody in a film about her life, it has emerged.

The 24-year-old, who appeared in US show The Bionic Woman in 2007, is said to be top of the list to star in the biographical movie that will focus on Jade’s meteoric rise to stardom.

The flick, which could rake in millions, will follow her through the years of being a dental nurse, applying for Big Brother and later bagging TV deals, writing books and getting her own perfume, reports a newspaper.

It will also feature her bittersweet wedding to Jack Tweed and her christening alongside sons Bobby, five, and Freddy, four.

Other big names being considered are Ugly Betty star Ashley Jensen, 39, while Danny Dyer, 31, and Sean Maguire, 32, are being tipped to play husband Jack, 21.

Danny Hayward, who is a trustee of Jade’s estate, said: “Her story lends itself to a biographical film. She has captured the mood of the nation. We want to tap into raising awareness of cervical cancer.”

Producers on the project are said to be keen to keep an all-British cast.

A source said: “Nothing has been decided yet. But a number of names have been put forward, including Michelle and Ashley.”

Jade Goody sons to Miss Mom’s

Late Brit celebrity Jade Goody’s sons will not be attending her funeral, as they may find it very upsetting. The decision to spare Bobby, five, and Freddie, four, from more heartache was made by their father Jeff Brazier and Goody’s mother Jackiey Budden.

“The boys are so young — Jackiey said she doesn’t think their broken hearts will be able to bear it,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.

“It’s also about the safekeeping of their memories of their mum for when they are older,” the source added.

‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbai"Kangana Ranaut To play

march,28,09
Mumbai: Madhubala, the legendary beauty of Bollywood, has been the inspiration of many actresses and starlets till date. But the honour of playing the gorgeous actress has been bagged by none other than the sultry Kangana Ranaut.

Directed by Milan Luthria, ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbai’, is a very tender romance between the yesteryear actress and underworld don Haji Mastan (played by Ajay Devgan).

Kangana Ranaut fears that she may not look as ethereal as Madhubala. Talking about the role to a news daily, Kangana says, “I’ve never thought of myself as beautiful. In fact I’ve always suffered from the lowest self-esteem. Till recently, I’d look at my pictures and cringe. I still have the pictures from my first portfolio I got done in Chandigarh. They remind me of how ugly I can look. And to now play Madhubala in ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbai’. How will I do it?”

“I’m proud of my so-called territory as an actress. If playing traumatized women is my territory then I’m glad. Because I know I’m good at it. Madhubala’s role is not as tragic as my other roles. It’s basically a very tender romance between this really funny don (played by Ajay Devgan) and this female superstar who can’t understand his personality. How will I manage to play the most beautiful woman that Indian cinema has ever seen? My characters have always had a dark and light side. And this one is no exception. But the challenge for me is to look almost ethereally beautiful, like Madhubala. How will I manage that?” says Kangana.

However, Kangana is taking the role very seriously and has been watching Madhubala’s films. Let’s see whether Kangana manages to bring alive Madhubala on screen or not.

in ‘Kambakkht Ishq’Akshay, Kareena Kapoor Set to Scorch Screen

march.28.09
Mumbai: The on-screen chemistry between Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar is being touted as one of the highlights of the action comedy “Kambakkht Ishq”.
Akshay plays a Hollywood stuntman, while Kareena features as a model in the film.
“The two look hot together. Akshay and Kareena will set the screen on fire. The duo share such a good chemistry on screen,” said a source close to the project.

Ever since their 2004 film “Aitraaz” became a hit, their on-screen chemistry was touted as one of the best. Apart from “Aitraaz”, they teamed for films like “Talaash”, “Bewafaa” and “Tashan”, but none of these could ape the success story of Aitraaz”. Now all eyes are set on “Kambakkht Ishq”.

The film, which is scheduled for May release, also stars Hollywood biggies.

“The film is an exciting marriage between the East and the West. The movie is a romantic comedy but features a lot of action. Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Routh and Denise Richards play interesting roles in the film,” said producer Sajid Nadiadwala in a press statement.

Pop Queen "Madonna urged to rethink adoption "

march,28,09

Pop star Madonna has been urged by Save the Children to reconsider her apparent plans to adopt another Malawian child.

Malawian officials have indicated she will arrive in the African country this weekend in an attempt to adopt a four-year-old orphan called Mercy James.

The UK-based charity said ideally orphans should be cared for by their extended family or community and taking them abroad was "not a solution".

Madonna took then 13-month-old David Banda to the UK from Malawi in 2006.

The Reuters news agency reported that it was told Mercy James has "no father and mother, they both died", and an assessment had been completed on Thursday.

Madonna is expected to arrive in Malawi to attend a procedural hearing at the country's High Court on Monday.

Adoption papers

Save the Children spokesman Dominic Nutt told the BBC's Newshour programme: "For the most part so-called orphans in poor countries tend to have family still available to them, if not actually a parent still living.

"It is vital, we say, that children should not be taken abroad to be looked after but should be cared for in their own environment by their own community, ideally by their own family, particularly their extended family."

He said even if an orphaned child had no extended family, it was "much easier and better" to continue looking after them in their own country.

"The thing to do is to support the community, to support local agencies and charities who can look after the child so that the child is at least cared for in their community," he said.

"You cannot literally take every poor child who may only have one parent living, or no parent living, across the world and transport them all into Kensington in London. It's not a solution."

Madonna took David Banda to the UK from an orphanage three years ago and the official adoption of the boy was confirmed last year.

An official at the Malawian department of women and child welfare told the BBC's Raphael Tenthani that the pop star had already filed adoption papers and her case could be heard as early as next week.

The official later told the Reuters news agency: "We expect her over the weekend or earlier than that... but without a doubt she is coming before the end of this month."

Madonna's spokeswoman in New York, Liz Rosenberg, and her lawyer in Malawi, Alan Chinula, have not commented.

However, a US government official - speaking under condition of anonymity - told Reuters that an adoption bid was under way.

'Role model'

Writing in response to e-mailed questions from Nation readers last week, Madonna said: "Many people - especially our Malawian friends - say that David should have a Malawian brother or sister.

"It's something I have been considering."

In 2006, critics accused the Malawian government of sidestepping laws banning foreign adoptions in order to allow the celebrity to take David home with her.

After the adoption was legalised, Madonna said the difficulties had arisen because "this adoption essentially was the beginning of the creation of adoption laws in Malawi".

She hoped it would make it easier for others to adopt from the country and explained: "I am the template or the role model, so to speak, for future adoptions."

The star also has two biological children - Rocco, her son with former husband Guy Ritchie, and Lourdes, whose father is Carlos Leon.

Film director Ritchie and Madonna's divorce was finalised in November.

Malawi does not, as a rule, approve adoptions for single or divorced people, but the official at the country's welfare department said that each case was considered on merit.

Lucky Dube death verdict delayed ,Hollywoo....

march,28.09

The Johannesburg High Court has delayed the verdict in the trial of three men accused of killing South African reggae singer Lucky Dube.

One of the men recently confessed he had taken part in the crime and said all three deserved to be punished. They had originally denied murder.

The 2007 killing of Dube, during a carjacking in a Johannesburg suburb, shocked the country.

The judge said he hoped the judgement would be concluded on Monday.

The Sapa news agency reports that the courtroom was packed with members of the public, including Dube's widow and son, as the judge started to deliver his decision on Friday.

Judge Seun Moshidi did say that one of the accused, Julius Gxowa, had not been an impressive witness.

Dube was South Africa's best-selling reggae artist.

He recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans during his 25-year career.

On Tuesday, the judge in charge of the case said the court had no evidence that Dube had been specifically targeted.

The court heard that the three men did not know the identity of their alleged victim until they read about it in the newspapers the following day.

At the start of their trial in February, Julius Xowa, Sfiso Mhlanga and Thabiso Maroping also denied unlawful possession of firearms and attempted hijacking.

Death penalty calls

Four suspects were initially taken into custody, but one was later released under the instruction of the directorate of public prosecutions.

Dube was shot dead in front of his son and daughter in Rosettenville, a suburb south of central Johannesburg.

The killing led to renewed domestic calls for the restoration of the death penalty in a bid to stem one of the world's highest murder rates.

The BBC's Mpho Lakaje in Johannesburg says South Africa's international image has been tarnished by its alarming crime levels.

Nearly 19,000 people were murdered last year, according to official statistics.

Millions of visitors are expected for next year's football World Cup.

Lucky Dube began his career by singing mbaqanga (traditional Zulu) music and recorded his first album with the Super Soul band in 1982.

He later moved into reggae, producing Rastas Never Die, which was banned by the apartheid government.

His albums Slave, Prisoner and Together As One won him global recognition.