Bollywood News Yash Chopra cremated in Mumbai

Veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra, who passed away last evening after suffering from dengue and multiple organ failure, was cremated today afternoon at Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai. Needless to say the who's who of the film fraternity was present to pay their last respects to one of India's greatest filmmakers.

Earlier this morning, Yashji's body covered with white flowers had been kept on stage number 3 of the YRF studio since morning for people to come and pay homage. A huge black and white photo of the director was also there with several candles lit around it. Among those who were present this morning at YRF studios were Bollywood biggies like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Ramesh Sippy, Gulzar, Subhash Ghai, Shyam Benegal, Prem Chopra, Ashutosh Gowariker, Shankar- Ehsaan- Loy and many more. 

Surely Bollywood and its fans world over will forever miss the legendary filmmaker!

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Bollywood News Amrita Arora names her baby boy Rayaan

Amrita Arora is now a mom twice over. In 2010, her first son Azaan was born. On Saturday, Amrita and her husband Shakeel Ladak were blessed with another baby boy.

The couple has named their second son Rayaan.

And to think that just a few days earlier Amrita was seen at her best friend Kareena Kapoor's mehndiceremony, looking radiant and heavily pregnant.

Says a friend of Amrita, "Despite doctors' orders, Amrita insisted on attending Kareena's sangeetceremony. She insisted she wouldn't miss it for the world."

Confirming the news Amrita said, "Yes, we've named our baby boy Rayaan. He's adorable. His name means, 'the door to paradise'. I am happy to be looking after my two boys and have no plans of returning to films."

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Bollywood News Prem Raj diagnosed with cancer

The upcoming Preity Zinta film Ishkq In Paris has been delayed for quite a while now, though various speculation were made for this delay, we hear that its due to the director Prem Raj's ill health. In fact the 35-year-old Prem has been diagnosed with cancer of the gall bladder. This diagnosis has apparently sent the movie's post-production, and release completely off-track.

Prem who suffered a loss on Sunday with the demise of his father had been putting up a nonchalantly brave front for the past few months. While in fact he has been diagnosed with first stage cancer of the gall bladder.

Prem who was initially supposed to release the film on November 2 has delayed the film as he will be heading for a minor surgery. However, due to the personal loss he suffered in the past few days, the surgery has consequently been delayed. Though doctors who have been treating the director have claimed that since the cancer was detected in the first stage it is curable.

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Vashu to organize 5 premieres in 5 cities on Thursday

Vashu Bhagnani is an enterprising producer. No two opinions on that. The prolific film-maker is doing something that no producer has dared to do in the past. He's organizing not one or two, but five premiere shows of his new movie AJAB GAZABB LOVE on Thursday, 25 October. Yes, you read it right -- five premiere shows in a single day!

What makes the five premiere shows interesting is that each of those premieres will witness the active participation of the common man. "We generally hold premiere shows in Mumbai or Delhi and the norm is to invite the cast and crew of the film, besides celebrities. But the premiere shows of AJAB GAZABB LOVE will have the cast of the film walking the red carpet and interacting with the common man. These screenings are entirely for them. We make movies for them and I felt we should include them in our celebrations," Vashu informs me. 

What also sets the premiere screenings apart from the usual wine-and-cheese events is that Vashu will have breakfast/lunch/tea/dinner, depending on what time the premiere screening is taking place. The first premiere in Amritsar will begin with breakfast, followed by lunch + premiere in Chandigarh, high tea + premiere in New Delhi, late evening snacks + premiere in Jaipur and dinner + premiere in Indore. 

Wow! That's an ajab gazabb strategy, what say? 

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SAFF to felicitate Randhir Kapoor

The South Asia Foundation hosts the 7th annual South Asian Film Festival (SAFF) 2012 in Goa with the theme ...dissolving boundaries. SAFF is also celebrating the remarkable journey of '100 glorious years of Indian Cinema'. This is the first ever effort to celebrate 100 years of Indian Cinema that is being celebrated at the South Asian Regional level in the presence of prominent film-makers of all the South Asian Countries.

While the festival is all set to kick off on October 25, we hear that the organizers will be felicitating Randhir Kapoor for his immense contribution to the Indian cinema. In fact Randhir will be the Special Guest of Honour at the gala, while Tariq Anwar will inaugurate the Festival.

SAFF is all set to bring some of the finest cinema from all the South Asian Countries. Beginning on October 25, the four day long festival will have filmmakers from South Asian Countries celebrating the spirit of South Asian Cinema to promote and propagate peace and harmony in the South Asian Region with a spirit of oneness. SAFF is also an initiative of the Foundation to bring people to people contact through the medium of cinema where it tries to reach to the grass-root level also.

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