'Katrina Kaif' Barbie at Bloomingdale in New York

They say 'For every Taj Mahal, there's a Qutub Minar, and for every India Gate, there's a Gateway of India'. Likewise, for every Madam Tussauds museum, there's a Bloomingdale. If the name doesn't register (read 'ring a bell') in your mind, then, trust us that it soon will. For starters, Bloomingdale is the official domain for the world famous Barbie Doll and that it even has a museum dedicated to the same!

And the desi touch to this videsi story is that our very own Katrina Kaif, who, after being recently chosen as the 'Indian face' of Barbie Doll' will now be seen moulded into Barbie, the world's famous doll. An excited Katrina said that the customized Barbie that's being made for the American museum will just be like her. With this, Kats joins the likes of international celebrities like Beyonce Knowles and Diana Ross, no less.

With so much going for this young actress, one wonders what she would be honoured with next. Any guesses?

Karisma, Kareena to open Salman Khan's Dus Ka Dum 2

New Delhi, Bollywood sisters Karisma and Kareena Kapoor will kick off the second season of Salman Khan-hosted quiz show 'Dus Ka Dum', which will go on air Saturday on Sony channel.

According to a source from the unit, on the show Salman points out the contrast between Karisma and Kareena's personalities.

'Salman said, 'If Karisma was not an actress she would have been a nun',' said the source in a press statement.

While Karisma teamed up with Salman in films like 'Andaaz Apna Apna', 'Jeet', 'Dulhan Hum Le Jaayenge' apart from others, Kareena did 'Kyon Ki...' with him and their next film together is 'Mr. & Mrs.Khanna'.

Star or struggler - Mumbai addresses reveal all

Mumbai, If you’re in India’s entertainment capital and in showbiz too, then it’s not hard to tell whether you are a Bollywood celebrity or a television actor or a struggler - just by knowing which part of town you live in.

While stars can afford to live in the posh lanes of Bandra and Juhu, the amateurs share cheaper rented apartments in Oshiwara and Lonkhandwala in Andheri West.

“Most of the established celebrities stay in areas like Bandra, Vile Parle and Juhu because these are posh areas. While upcoming actors prefer Lokhandwala, strugglers, TV and small-time movie actors hub around Oshiwara,” Divakar Shetty of D.S. Estates told IANS.

Added Suresh Wadhwani of Sunville Agencies: “But the star presence in Bandra is only restricted till Carter Road and Pali Hill and not beyond that.”

Superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Dilip Kumar (Pali Hill), Salman (Galaxy Apartments, Bandstand), Jackie, Sanjay Dutt etc stay in Bandra, “which is the highest priced place in Mumbai, both on lease and outright sale because of its star value and prime location,” said Shetty.

Other big names like Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Dev Anand and Mahesh Bhatt live in Santa Cruz and Juhu.

While Shetty has had a clientele of celebrities like Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, Jackie Shroff and singer Shaan, Wadhwani has helped finalise deals for John Abraham, Sarika who recently moved here and artists from Balaji Telefilms.

Shetty says actors’ house preference is influenced by the traffic status.

“Celebrities avoid south Mumbai. Lokhandwala is in fact becoming a new place where stars are moving in because it’s close to the main road (SV Road), making it accessible to different studios. Asin (Thottumkal of ‘Ghajini’ fame) recently bought a flat there (Green Acres). Sridevi already lives there among others,” he said.

Wadhwani told IANS: “Most of the industry is located in west Mumbai, especially the Mhada colony, SVP Nagar, therefore celebrities prefer Lokhandwala because it’s spacious, upcoming and in close vicinity of studios. Even hi-fi builders like the Oberois etc are coming up with independent penthouses there.

“Newcomers prefer Andheri West because of its close proximity to various production and editing houses. These areas also have multiple recruitment agencies and offices as well as a lot of dancing and acting schools.”

Stars like John Abraham and Bipasha Basu also have their flats in Andheri West. Other areas that suit the pockets of newcomers are Malad West, Jogeshwari and Goregaon, said Abhishek Jain, an upcoming actor.

Shahrukh Khan apologizes to Aishwarya Rai at Karan Johar's party

Karan Johar’s birthday party puts an end to Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s dushmani. They came, attended the party and became friends thereby putting an end to the year’s long rivalry. The two has been sharing a bitter relationship from the days of ‘Chalte Chalte’ after King Khan dropped Ash and signed Rani Mukherjee. Their relationship further damaged when SRK and his family were not invited to Ash-Abhi’s wedding.

Their relationship finally came to an end after SRK passed unceremonious comment against Aishwarya during Katrina’s birthday bash. After that very event, the Bachchan family had almost cut ties with Shahrukh. On Monday night, when Shahrukh with family and Ash with hubby Abhishek came across, SRK extended olive branch to Ash and apologized to her for the wrong.

A source gives an inside details of the happening, “A few minutes into the conversation with Ash, SRK apologized to her.” He said, ‘I think I owe you an apology because in some way I have wronged you.” Then what after the patch-up, the Bachchans and the Khans set the dance floor on fire, they danced, chatted and had fun the entire night.

Adeel Hashmi

An offspring of a creative family, Adeel Hashmi has carved his own space in the media industry in Pakistan. He is a talented director, actor, and creative producer behind several TV shows, documentaries, and commercials.

Adeel's productions are considered to be "hutt ke", or atypical of the usual commercial formula productions that have become the norm on South Asian TV channels.

Adeel shares stories about his own life as well as his views on the state of media in Pakistan. Read on to learn more about this talented man!

Tell us a little bit about where you grew up, education and family?
I grew up in an old part of Lahore called Model Town. Model Town was designed by the British is the early 1920s. If you go to google earth and find Model Town, you'll know why it is perhaps the best designed residential area in the country even today.

There were old and big houses, with tall trees in every garden, everyone knew everyone else. All the neighbors' kids were our best pals. We grew up among two dozen friends of all ages. We played cricket, hockey, football, stone fighting, hide and seek, water fights, dark room, cards, monopoly, God knows what not. It was a dream childhood. Looking at kids today, it seems like I grew up in a dream. Yes, it was a dream childhood. Those were innocent times. There were hardly any cars. I don't remember if our main gate was ever locked, even at night. Nobody felt the need. We didn't even have walls around the houses, we only had bushes. It says so much about those times.

After finishing school in Model Town, I went to Government College Lahore like all my other family members. After my graduation I did my MBA from Imperial College, then a few years later MFA in filmmaking from Academy of Art University, San Francisco.

My mother worked for the Pakistan Television for 40 years. She's retired recently and still continues a prestigious career in the media, traveling, lecturing, chairing international conferences etc. My father is a practicing psychologist, and my brother is a psychiatrist and lives and works for a big hospital in Arkansas, USA.

Ali Saleem aka Begum Nawazish

Q: How do you manage to rope in such hot-shot personalities to appear on your show?

A: Initially, it was not difficult at all because my very first guest was Makhdoom Amin Fahim, whom I had known for quite some time. Hence, other politcians also agreed to come on my show. After a few episodes went on air, the show became really popular, and it became easier to rope in high-profile guests. Now a lot of people call in themselves and say, "Do you want us in the show?"

Most of our guests are politicians belonging to opposition parties, who are always looking for an opportunity through which they can communicate with the people and put their viewpoint across. When they come, they talk about more than just politics. I wouldn't really call it a conspiracy, but I feel in the past few years, there has been a systematic effort to tarnish the image of politicans in Pakistan. A lot of people do not want to hear about politics anymore. And because this programme has a certain touch of humour and fun and is entertaining, it has attracted people to watch the show and made politicians eager to come on it.

Q: Are there any personalities who have declined to come on your show?

A: There have been quite a few. Every person has a right to refuse, I have been asked to give various interviews and have refused. I don't hold it against them. If I invite somebody, that is my way of showing them respect. The people I invite are people whom our viewers want to listen to. But if they refuse to come, like Imran Khan and Ghinwa Bhutto, they have their reasons, and I believe that people's choices have to be respected.

Q: You are often outrageous, especially with your male guests. Does it ever lead to awkwardness on the sets or a reprimand from them?

A: Never, ever! Most of my guests have played along and have enjoyed it. There are some very serious things said between the lines in my monologues. Yet, it's all presented as a sugar-coated pill. Therefore, there has been no backlash since day one.

Q: How do you make the more conservative, reserved guests in your show become more forthcoming?

A: 'Conservative' people would probably not agree to appear on my show. All the people who come have seen the show and have some idea as to what they are going to be subjected to. So, they are prepared for the flirtation and outrageousness. And it is this very outrageousness and flirtatiousness, that disarms even the most introverted.