Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan announces new baby

NEW DELHI: Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has confirmed that he's the father of a new baby amid feverish media speculation.

Talking to reporters at a news conference to promote the music from his latest film, Khan said late Wednesday that the news was "extremely personal."

There's been much speculation in Indian media over the last few weeks that Khan and his wife became parents to a baby boy via a surrogate and that the actor knew the baby's gender ahead of the birth — an act that is illegal in India to prevent the practice of aborting female fetuses due to a cultural preference for sons.

Khan did not give any details Wednesday and did not mention the baby's gender, but said he would share more publicly when the speculation settles down.

Khan said he wanted everyone, including government officials who are investigating whether he knew the baby's gender before the birth, to work with the same "alacrity in finding out and doing the enthusiastic investigation they are doing upon my baby upon other things which they should be lending their thoughts to right now."

"When the sad part gets over, I will share everything with you," Khan said.

Khan and his wife have two other children, a son and a daughter, both in their teens.

The 47-year-old actor is busy promoting his latest film, "Chennai Express," which is set to be released in August.

In 2011, actor Aamir Khan spoke openly about how he and his wife, filmmaker Kiran Rao, had struggled with fertility issues before they decided to have a baby using a gestational surrogate

Indian film 'Raanjhanaa' banned in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has banned an Indian film about the love affair of a Muslim-Hindu couple on the grounds that it could offend viewers in the conservative Islamic republic, officials said Friday.

"Raanjhanaa" was scheduled for release in June, but Pakistan's Film Censor Board refused to clear it for cinema showings.

"The censor board did not clear this movie because of its controversial story," Arshad Ali, a senior government official and chairman of the board, told AFP.

"The board recommended that the movie's storyline could offend the majority Muslim population in the country and a law and order situation could arise in response," he said.

According to press reports the film is the love story of a Hindu man and a Muslim woman.

While a huge array of Western and Bollywood films can be bought over the counter on pirated DVD in Pakistan, the censor board routinely bans productions deemed too sensitive for cinemas.

Pakistani movie distributors boycotted Hollywood film "Zero Dark Thirty" about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, who was killed by US troops in Pakistan on May 2, 2011 to the country's humiliating.

In 2012, Pakistan banned Agent Vinod, India's answer to James Bond in which an Indian secret agent thwarts Pakistani spies from detonating a nuclear bomb in Delhi.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from British rule in 1947.

In 2010, censors also refused permission for Indian film "Tere bin Laden", which poked fun at bin Laden. The board claimed it would incite suicide attacks.

Pakistan's own film industry declined in recent years, finding itself unable to compete with the huge popularity of Bollywood productions.

Oops! Alia fails on her commitment due to Arjun Kapoor's bash

Saturday, June 29, 2013 13:15 IST

Alia Bhatt skipped a scheduled event a day after Arjun Kapoor's bash as she was apparently in a mood to party 

So much so that after having fun through the night and up to the wee hours of the morning, the newbie slept so hard that she had to skip a previously scheduled event during the day.

According to sources, Alia was to attend an art exhibit around 11 in the morning. After the actress called to cancel, the event was postponed to 4 pm.

An insider says, `Alia had to request the organisers of the event, who were her family friends, to delay it. She was up partying till late and overslept in the morning. But she was right on time for her evening appointment.`


However a source close to the actress says that it was not because she partied hard but because of her early morning ballet class that Alia skipped her morning schedule.

`Alia's ballet class takes place at 11 am. That's why the timing was altered,` says her friend. Alia was unavailable for comment. 

My biggest strength is my gift of the gab: Malaika Arora Khan

Saturday, June 29, 2013 09:46 IST

Malaika Arora Khan who has been lying low, talks about her life as an entrepreneur

After scorching the screen with her act in Pandeyji Seeti from Dabangg 2, Malaika Arora Khan has been lying low as far as film appearances are concerned.

However, the lady is busy with her business ventures. Here's what Malaika had to say about life as an entrepreneur to CS:


Life is a journey
I have always taken life as it comes, and tried to give it my best. The same philosophy applies to my entrepreneurial life as well. What I love about being a businesswoman is the fact that it is a 24x7 job. You just can't take time off. The very task of keeping a business afloat is a huge challenge in itself. I am learning the ropes, and hope to venture into other avenues as well.

Beauty and the boardroom
Women with a strong business acumen can be glamorous as well. Nothing can stop a woman from enjoying her feminine side. According to me, my biggest strength is my gift of the gab. I can talk my way out of any situation. Moreover, I am extremely hard-working and a hands-on person.


My inspiration
I am a Mumbai girl, and this city really supports the spirit of entrepreneurship. Right from the woman who makes tiffins for office-goers to the guys who sell trinkets in the train, people here believe that where there's a will there's a way. I feel that every woman should explore and challenge herself in life. All of us have the latent potential that just needs a little push.

Time management
Women are born multi-taskers, and we can manage our time quite well. I try and lead a disciplined life as much as possible. At the same time, I believe that delegation is very important in the modern world.

You should learn to prioritise and take on tasks in order of their importance. Though all of us would love to do many things on our own, we just can't do them all. Somewhere, women should draw the line and create that little time for themselves.


Bonding with the family
I love to de-stress by spending time with my kids. Nothing beats their innocence and enthusiasm. Cooking for family and friends is another hobby of mine. Once in a while, I like to go for a nice lunch with all my girlfriends too. 

Flab to Fab: Why Huma Qureshi is trying to get in shape ASAP

Saturday, June 29, 2013 09:41 IST

After Vidya Balan and Sonakshi Sinha, apparently, Huma Qureshi is on a serious weight loss trip

Her plus size figure was apparent in her debut film Gangs of Wasseypur as well as later in Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana and Ek Thi Daayan.

The actress considers herself a foodie and her father is a restaurateur so meal times are serious business. However, the constant talk about her weight issue has made the actress do a rethink. Shedding the flab is high on her must-do list for now.

Says a source, `Huma has been working out regularly and is on a strict diet. She has been gymming for almost two hours everyday. She has already knocked off quite a bit.`


Adds the source, `The kind of films she featured in so far always required her in a certain look. So size matters were not exactly the issue. In fact, the filmmakers preferred the way she was as it suited her characters.

Even in her upcoming film directed by Nikhil Advani, she needed to have a certain look. As she plays a RAW agent in the film, the idea was to make her look her part and not stand out.`

As soon as Huma wrapped up

the shoot of the film, she began knocking off the inches and has already done a photo shoot in a bid to look svelte.