His is a story that ushered in the modern age of science fiction, inspiring a century of authors and sparking the imaginations that launched "Star Wars" and "Avatar" into the cultural canon. But it's only now, a century after Edgar Rice Burroughs penned his first excursion to the red planet, that John Carter's adventures on Mars are being presented on the big screen.

And to read the rumors surrounding the film's four years in production, the story of how the epic Disney movie got made seems nearly as legendary a tale.

"It's frustrating, because it's wrong," Lindsey Collins, one of the film's co-producers, says of years of trade reports that the film, the first live-action effort from Oscar-winning "WALL-E" director Andrew Stanton, was a bloated, over-budget mess.

"There's no way to talk about it without sounding defensive, but I'm going to sound defensive for a second and say this movie was made on budget," Collins asserted. "I think Disney took a huge leap of faith with us early on and said, Okay, we believe your number and it's higher than we wanted but we believe it so make it for that ... And in fact, in most areas, it came in under, and the one area we came in slightly over was offset by all the underages of the others, so it came within I think two percent of the budget."

The budget they say they hit was $250 million, which went into live shoots in desert locations and massive computer graphic work to create an elaborate world in which a leather-clad Taylor Kitsch, as Carter, leaps into a war between two rival nations and a race of green, horned, four-armed natives. Barsoom, as Mars is called by its inhabitants, is a rocky desert-scape littered with ornate cities, mystical ruins and anachronistic flying machines. And it's one that took over seventy five years of technological development to make believable on the screen.

Various attempts at adapting Burroughs' seminal, serial adventure series have been made since MGM and "Looney Toons" director Bob Clampett approached Burroughs in 1935 with the idea of making a cartoon feature from the Civil War veteran-turned-space hero's exploits. The test footage, however, did not impress, and the movie was scrapped. The property was acquired by Disney in the '80s -- Tom Cruise was wooed to star -- but that fell through, as did Paramount's attempts to make it, with both Robert Rodriguez and Jon Favreau attached to direct at different points.

Stanton, the current director, grew up a massive fan of the stories, and had always wanted to make the movie himself. Once that was mentioned to Pixar's chief John Lasseter, a quick meeting with then-Disney exec Dick Cook led to the studio scooping up the rights to the seemingly impossible-to-make movie.


"The Curse of John Carter? Yeah, I think everybody felt that the fact that this was a huge property," co-producer Collins laughed, adding that a meeting with Danton Burroughs, the author's grandson, gave her a sense of the books' long legacy. "If it's not done right, it's just going to seem silly and campy, you're never going to buy a live action person sitting next to a CG person. And at least that part, I completely appreciated. I was like, oh my god, how the hell are we going to do this?"

Luckily, Collins' co-producer on "John Carter" was Jim Morris, a Pixar exec who spent nearly two decades working for and then running leading special-effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ironically, "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' company -- how things come full circle).

"Our basic theory was that we wanted to have real stuff under peoples' feet and around them at all times," Morris said. "So what we did was shot them in these big landscapes and just did a little bit of enhancement. We would add ruins here and there and take natural formations and turn them into ruins, and the interior stuff, whether it's in the palace or light or whether it's in chambers, that work we shot on stage [in front of a green screen]."

Joan Rivers has never been shy about telling celebrities exactly what she thinks of them. But now, Joan has her eye on a gentleman attempting to lock down the Republican presidential -- Newt Gingrich.

"Newt can never become president," Joan tells me. "Just the thought of him naked, gross!"

This isn't the first time Joan Rivers has spoken out about politicians. Just over a year ago, she went after Sarah Palin, saying critics were "right' to blame her for the tragedy in Tucson, following the shooting of Gabby Giffords. Joan even believes that the comment resulted in her getting banned from Fox News, an accusation that the network has since denied.


"I don't care about what Newt thinks -- what is he going to do to me," Joan asks. "He can go f--- himself. I have the perfect life; I have four days a week with Melissa [Rivers] in L.A. where we do our show, 'Melissa and Joan: Joan Knows Best' on WETV, plus 'The Fashion Police' on E!, then three days back in New York. My two hip replacements are working, you know old people. The diapers are fabulous and I am over the bulimia!"

This is something really exciting for Karsima Kapoor and Vikram Bhatt. The movie is turning out to be bigger than they must have expected. It has recently been revealed that Karisma Kapoor will be walking the Red Carpet of Cannes Film Festival. Not only this the more exciting news is that Dangerous Ishq will be showcased in the festival along with giving a strict competition to other movies across the world. This coveted film festival is to be held during 16th to 27th May this year.

A source from the industry says, “The film has shaped up brilliantly and now the makers are confident enough to take the film to an international platform. Everyone around Karisma feels that ‘Dangerous Ishq’ deserves to be not just screened at Cannes but also compete with other international films. Plans are already been put into place for the film’s showcase there.”

Well, this is not the first film to reach Cannes. Even earlier there had been entries from our Bollywood. But this one is special for Vikram and Lolo. On one hand where Aishwarya and Sonam Kapoor are regular ones to the Cannes, Kareena missed it last year due to her busy shoot schedules. Nevertheless, Karisma will make up this year by attending the festival with her movie.

The same source adds, “Though it was earlier being contemplated that ‘Dangerous Ishq’ would be premiered at Cannes, just like Kareena’s ‘Omkara’ had in 2006, the plans were dropped since the film’s release in India would then have been extremely close to the IPL finals. The makers didn’t want to take any risk and hence decided to bring it on 11th May itself. However it has made it to the competition and would now be showcased in Cannes after its worldwide release.”
We tried to confirm the news with Vikram Bhatt also and much to our happiness, he confirms the same.

शादी करने और फिर ससुराल का सामान लूटकर चंपत हो जाने वाली एक दुल्हनिया बुधवार को अहमदाबाद पुलिस की गिरफ्त में आई है। गिरफ्तारी के बाद पुलिस ने इसकी गैंग की अन्य तीन महिलाओं को भी गिरफ्तार कर लिया है।

गैंग की मुखिया फिलहाल फरार है। पुलिस थाने में दर्ज शिकायतों के आंकड़ों के अनुसार यह महिला अब तक 15 विवाह कर लूट की घटना को अंजाम दे चुकी है।

दरअसल शहर सैजपुर इलाके में रहने वाले मुकेशभाई गढवी के बड़े बेटे प्रफुल्ल के मानसिक रूप से अस्वस्थ होने के चलते उसका विवाह नहीं हो सका था। इसीलिए परिवार किसी दूसरी जाति की लड़की से भी उसका विवाह करने के लिए राजी था। इसी बीच परिवार का संपर्क मैरिज ब्यूरो चलाने वाली 60 वर्षीय हंसाबेन से हुआ।

हंसाबेन ने अनसुइया अमरचंदाणी (60) से परिवार की मुलाकात कराई। अनसुइया ने मुकेशभाई को एक श्वेता नामक लड़की बताई। परिवार ने श्वेता को पसंद कर लिया और सौदा 60 हजार में तय हुआ। शादी (कोर्ट मैरिज) 7 फरवरी को हो गई।

दूसरे ही दिन कहानी में आ गया मोड़...


शादी के दूसरे दिन सुबह से दूल्हे के भाई वरुण का मोबाइल कहीं गुम था, जो दोपहर को उसे घर में ही मिल गया। यहां दूल्हे के परिवार की खुशकिस्मती यह रही कि उस मोबाइल में फोन रिकॉर्डिंग सिस्टम था।

जैसे ही वरुण ने उसे ऑन किया उसमें से भाभी श्वेता की आवाज सुनाई दी। श्वेता की बातचीत के शब्द कुछ इस तरह थे.. ‘मैं अहमदाबाद में गेम बजाने आई हूं, और गेम बजाकर शनिवार को यहां से निकल जाऊंगी। दूसरी लड़की भावनगर में गेम बजाने गई है, तू उससे अहमदाबाद रेलवे स्टेशन के वेटिंग रूम में पहुंचने का बोल दे।’

वरुण को स्थिति समझने में देर नहीं लगी, उसने तुरंत यह बात पुलिस को बता दी। कुछ ही देर में महिला पुलिस की टीम यहां पहुंच गई और इस तरह नई-नवेली दुल्हन को यह 16वां विवाह महंगा पड़ गया।

The sensational adult star Sunny Leone will scorch the theater screen with her hot performance. Sunny Leone grabbed eye balls of Indian audience with her stint in Bigg Boss 5. What else could Sunny have asked for when Mahesh Bhatt approached her in the show and offered her the film.

However, after her eviction from the show, she was in talks with Pooja Bhatt. There were some legal formalities like Visa and all that needed to be sorted out. Then sprouted a money issue between the two, which was resolved later.

Now when everything is settled, Sunny Leone is all set to romance two men on screen for Jism 2. With Jism 2 she will be making her Bollywood debut.

Spying on the background of the movie "Agent Vinod" engaged in preparations for the performance of actor Saif Ali Khan has said that the film's lead actress Kareena Kapoor's 'allowance' to give a fresh and exciting.
With her boyfriend Saif Kareena in the film appear. Kareena has set off on the silver screen. "Best of My Heart" is a song choreographed by Saroj Khan.
Kareena will be exciting enough to give a presentation on this song. So we see that the people involved in all things interesting. If the viewer to appreciate the people that we feel we got what we wanted.
It seems that Saif in this film directed by Sriram Raghavan is a blend of old and new style and is designed in different ways. The film will be released in theaters on March 23.
This is the first time in her career, which spans over a decade, that Kareena is endeavouring to do a Mujra in a film. Although the actress does not have formal training in the classical dance form, Kareena Kapoor has attempted a “Mujra” for “Agent Vinod”, a home production of beau Saif Ali Khan.
The Mujra that is choreographed by Saroj Khan took Kareena almost 22 hours to shoot. She toiled laboriously to rehearse every bit of the performance until she had perfected her moves before she moved on to shoot the dance sequence. Even the bruises on her hands and knees that she received during the practice sessions, did not stop her from learning the steps as they should be.
Looking absolutely stunning in a Manish Malhotra creation with loosely tied hair, Kareena dazzled everyone with her radiant beauty and brilliant red attire that she had donned for the dance number.
We can certainly see that Bebo is not going to leave a single stone unturned, to make this film a success for Saif’s production house. The other actresses had better watch out! The Kapoor girl is set out to give them yet another tough competition!

Current and former aides to Sarah Palin lashed out Wednesday at HBO's "Game Change," describing the upcoming film's depictions of her on the 2008 campaign trail as "sick" and inaccurate.
None of the aides said they have yet seen the movie, which debuts March 10, and some said they had asked for an opportunity to screen the film but had been denied.
Trailers for the film, which is based on the bestselling book chronicling the 2008 presidential race, have been released, however, and some snippets appear to cast Palin in an unfavorable light. As portrayed by Julianne Moore, Palin is seen complaining about how she's being handled by political advisers and mumbling about missing her baby, who was born in April 2008. In one snippet, campaign strategist Steve Schmidt, portrayed by Woody Harrelson, describes her as being on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Aides said none of that jibes with their own experiences with the former Alaska governor, and they defended her vigorously Wednesday.
Jason Recher, who handled vice presidential road operations for the McCain-Palin campaign, called Palin "one of the most engaged public servants I'd ever observed." Tom Van Flein, her former personal attorney, called her diligent, sharp and enthusiastic about the campaign.
Meg Stapleton, a former spokeswoman, said that she, unlike some of the others who worked with Palin during the campaign, had not been contacted by anyone associated with either the book or movie.
"They don't want to hear anything good," she said, her voice full of passion. "We all know Palin sells and the dramatization of Palin sells even more. This is sick."
"They mock Gov. Palin, you mock Gov. Palin, as weak and unable to cope and press forward," she told reporters on the conference call. "And the movie and the trailer ... say that. And yet look with your own eyes at what she and her family have endured and inspired over the last few years. Any lesser man would have hanged himself by now. So who's weak?"
Recher noted that Palin wasn't the primary focus of the book, and he said he told screenwriter and co-executive producer Danny Strong that the book "absolutely, unequivocally" did not accurately reflect his time with the McCain campaign.
Filmmakers have said that they sought historical accuracy.
Director Jay Roach last month said he wrote a long letter to Palin seeking an interview with her to help the film, "but I got a very quick email back from her attorney saying, `I checked, she declined.'"
Strong, in an email, acknowledged that members of Palin's camp asked to screen the film but said filmmakers responded that they would privately screen the movie for Palin and her husband. He said Sarah Palin declined the offer.

Former Rajasthan water resources minister Mahipal Maderna was on Friday questioned for the second day by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the Bhanwari case.

Maderna's wife was also questioned by the investigating agency.

Cong MLA Malkhan Singh was also at the CBI office for questioning.

A sex tape that reportedly implicates Maderna has also been sent by the CBI to Forensic Lab for analysis.

Meanwhile, sources tell CNN-IBN that the CBI wants to conduct narco-analysis test on chief suspect Shahbuddin, but he is reluctant.

As per a Supreme Court order, the narco-analysis can't be conducted without consent. Shahbuddin has reportedly given some vital leads in the case.

Kiran Bedi today claimed that Team Anna was not against any political party, but wanted the Jan Lokpal Bill passed in the forthcoming winter session of Parliament.
Without naming the Congress, she said that the party which did not support the Jan Lokpal Bill was defeated in the recently held Hissar by-election.
"We will be forced to launch an agitation if the government fails to keep its word," the Team Anna member said delivering a lecture at 'Idea Summit' organized by XLRI school of Business and Human Resources here.
Justifying the demand for the Lokpal Bill, she said if it came into being, even the prime minister would come under its purview and there would be no need to seek permission of the government to start investigations.
She also said that corruption was not possible without the connivance of the bureaucracy.
"No corruption is possible without the connivance of the IAS, IPS and others," she said referring to former Jharkhand chief Minister Madhu Koda who is behind bars in the a money laundering scam.
"I am sure that no money can be withdrawn from the state treasury without the approval or noting of the bureaucrats concerned," Bedi said.
Claiming that CBI was not independent and was controlled by the government, she said non-existence of an independent investigative agency was one of the reasons for corruption.