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TAMBARAM

Tambaram is an important division in the south west of Chennai city. The place is about 25 kilometres from the city center and connected by major roadways and railways. The Great Southern Trunk Road and Southern Railways provide access into the region. A number of small townships have been developed along these road and rail links. Tambaram as a division occupies great territorial lands in the south of the city. The rail and road links that come from the city proceed further south and into the region of Chengalpattu, a district of Tamil Nadu. The region is further connected to the south east regions and the adjoining district of Mammalapuram by Velacheri Road. The place is also known for providing numerous educational facilities.

Tambaram is spread over a good land area (precise figures not available). The major road and railway head that comes from the Chennai city bisects the region into Tambaram East and Tambaram West. The entire region forms an important trade and commercial centre in the South Chennai. Chrompet and Pallavaram are two renowned district suburbs in the Tambaram division. The division houses many important establishments encompassing colleges and schools, hospitals, banks, worshipping places, etc. Some important establishments in the region are given as
Schools: Some important schools in both East and West Tambaram include Vidyalaya Valmigi Street, Seetha Devi Garodia School, Govt. Missrimal Girls School High School, Christ King Girls School Hr. Sec. School, Christ King Girls School Hr. Sec. School, Sri Sankara Vidyalaya Hr. Sec. School, Municipal School High School.
Colleges: Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Arts & Science, Bharth Engineering College, Madras Christian College Arts & Science, Anbarasu Institute of Medical Research Centre, Anna I.T.I, Madras Institute of Technology.
Hospitals: The region is provided with a number of hospitals and medical centres. Most of these centres are privately owned. However, there are some distinguished government establishments that provide facilities and services to the residential population of the division. These note-worthy institutes include Government Hospital Chrompet, Government TB Sanatorium, Government Leprosy Rehabilitation Promotion Unit, Municipality Health and Maternity, Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine.

Accessibility

One of the conevenient means of reaching Tambaram is by boarding a train at Chennai. The Southern Railways provide the services. Tambaram Railway Station is located in the premises of Tambaram locality. The place lies to the south west of the city center.
Buses plying on the Grand Southern Trunk Road provide access into the region. From the city center the place is about 20 kms away.
Chennai Airport is also convenient means of accessing the place from other important cities.

Areas Under Tambaram

Chrompet
Chitlapakkam

WORLD

Thursday 31 March 2011 5:55 PM IST

The World Cup finals are closing in on us and after all the spotlight on the players, we think we should give our salute to the wives and girlfriends who stood by their men throughout the tournament.

We, therefore, compile a list of who, we think, are the hottest WAGs of cricket. The list features WAGs of different countries landing a spot in the Top 10 based on their hotness and their popularity. These women don't just follow their husbands or boyfriends like a shadow but ascertain their individuality and come forth as equals to their famous partners and we laud them for this.

UFOs expected at royal wedding, says retired Air Force major

London, Mar 31 (ANI): A former Air Force major has said that the royal wedding is not only expected to be viewed by over a billion people around the world - but also by a few UFOs.

Former military officer George Filer runs the National UFO Centre and says it's common to see the extraterrestrials around important events, and is highly possible they may be watching the royal wedding too.

"The craft seem to have an interest in anything important. They've been sighted recently over Libya and near the Japanese tsunami," the Daily Mail quoted Filer as telling AOL News.

He says his UFO Centre tracks over 1,000 sightings each month and has been getting reports from British Royal Air Force pilots over the past few weeks, who reported seeing UFOs over the English Channel.

Filer is also expecting sightings around Westminster Abbey on April 29 because he says the royal family have shown interest in UFOs. (ANI)

US lesbian student wins right to wear tuxedo to senior school prom

Belinda Sanchez, 18, had been devastated when she was told that she would have to wear a dress to her prom, as being a lesbian, she had wanted to wear a tuxedo.

The Proviso East High School student, who hopes one day to become a civil rights attorney, refused to take the "dresses for girls and tuxes for boys" rule sitting down.

She contacted the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois over the situation and the group sent the school an email backing her decision, following which she was allowed to wear the tuxedo.

Sanchez said she has been open about her sexuality since freshman year and said the school has an active gay-straight alliance very supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.

"This sends a negative message to other students that they can't express who they are," the Daily Mail quoted the director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Project at ACLU John Knight, as saying.

"It's a First Amendment right, a free speech right, and that includes her right to send a message through wearing male clothing that she doesn't think women should be restricted to traditional female clothing," he said.

The Proviso Township school district sent a response to Knight saying that Sanchez could wear the tux to the prom and that they had decided she could before the ACLU even got involved.

Sanchez is delighted by the decision and has picked out a white tuxedo and black bow tie to wear to the main event of her senior year on April 22.

"I'm happy. I didn't just stand up for myself. I did this for everyone who's in a position like I'm in. It's like a fairy tale gone totally fairy," she added. (ANI)

Golden Temple honors Hindu statesman

Nevada (US), April 03 (ANI): In a remarkable interfaith gesture, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed was honored with a siropa on March 19 evening in Amritsar (India) in the Golden Temple complex, which contains the holiest shrine and highest seat of Sikhism.

Siropa (robe of honor) was presented by Punjab Education and Language Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan in the Information Office of the complex. Zed was also given a set of books about Sikhism, its scripture and Code of Conduct; Sikhs; Golden Temple; etc. Hardalbir Singh Shah, Member of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee, was also present on the occasion.

Rajan Zed was recently honored by Nevada (USA) Governor with a certificate for his work in interfaith dialogue, which stated: "For exemplary service in building a dialogue between the various faiths in Nevada and around the world; for building unity and creating awareness about the diversity of our state; and for sharing those messages on behalf of the state around the world".

Rajan Zed has taken up interfaith, religion, Hindu, environment, Roma and other causes all over the world. He is one of the panelists for "On Faith", a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced by The Washington Post, and has been bestowed with "World Interfaith Leader Award". He is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, Senior Fellow and Religious Advisor to New York headquartered Foundation for Interreligious Diplomacy, Director of Interfaith Relations of Nevada Clergy Association, Spiritual Advisor to National Association of Interchurch and Interfaith Families, etc.

Sikhism is fifth largest religion in the world and Sikhs believe in one immortal Being; Ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; the Guru Granth Sahib; the utterances and teachings of the ten Gurus; and baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru. Personal contact with Sikhs usually impresses the outsider with energetic hospitality. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.(ANI)

Unemployed Americans complain of discrimination when looking for work

Washington, Apr 2 (ANI): A survey has found that unemployed Americans are having a tough time re-entering the job market, with most complaining that they face discrimination.

Researchers from UCLA and the State University of New York-Stony Brook found that the discrimination was not related to their skills sets or to the conditions of departure from their previous jobs.

"We were surprised to find that, all things being equal, unemployed applicants were viewed as less competent, warm and hireable than employed individuals," lead researcher Geoffrey Ho, a doctoral student in human resources and organizational behaviour at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, said.

"We were also surprised to see how little the terms of departure mattered. Job candidates who said they voluntarily left a position faced the same stigma as job candidates who said they had been laid off or terminated," he stated.

With a special emphasis on the psychological impact of being out of work, the conference, 'Reconnecting to Work: Consequences of Long-Term Unemployment and Prospects for Job Creation', will bring together Ho and 31 other researchers on labour and unemployment.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the psychological stigma of unemployment," Margaret Shih, a co-author on the study with Ho and an associate professor of human resources and organizational behaviour at UCLA Anderson, said.

"We found that individuals tend to make negative associations with those who are unemployed, which often leads to unfair discrimination," she stated.

Researchers have long known of the existence of a bias against the unemployed, said the study authors, who also include Todd L. Pittinsky, an associate professor of technology and society at Stony Brook, and Daniel Walters, a UCLA Anderson M.B.A. student.

In fact, economists have determined that the longer individuals remain unemployed, the lower their chances of finding work.

But until now, the situation has been attributed to legitimate concerns over the unemployed worker's skills set or a lack of persistence in looking for work.

"Economists have tended to chalk up long-term unemployment to the probability of skill decay or discouragement, or employers' perceptions of skill decay," Shih said.

"But we're finding that when there's no evidence that skills have deteriorated, out-of-work job applicants are still at a disadvantage.

"The stigma may help explain why the unemployed may have systematically lower chances of reconnecting to work," she added. (ANI)

Islamabad police to work on beat system as crime rises

Islamabad, April 2 (IANS) Concerned at the rising crime graph in the capital city, Islamabad police authorities have decided to introduce a beat system for their constabulary to ensure effective policing, according to media reports.

The beat system will see special induction of inspector or sub-inspector level official as a beat in-charge at every police station in the Pakistani capital, The Nation quoted Islamabad's senior superintendent of police Tahir Alam Khan as saying.

The rationale behind this move is to share the burden of the station house officer (SHO) and ensure effective policing, as crime rate in the federal capital has witnessed an upsurge in recent months, mounting by 18 percent in year 2010 compared to 2009, the daily said quoting sources.

Stalemate in Libya a likely outcome: US paper

Washington, Apr.2 (ANI): US officials are beginning to accept the possibility of a stalemate in Libya, with rebels retaining control of east Libya and Colonnel Muammar Gaddafi controlling west Libya, as the rebels lack the ability to dislodge the tyrant from power, according to the Washington Post.

A deadlock backed by a formal cease-fire agreement, could help ensure the safety of the Libyan civilians caught in the crossfire between the two warring sides.

A stalemate could mean an open-ended mission for the coalition of NATO and Arab countries now enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya, increasing both financial and political costs for the participants.

However, analysts are confident that Gaddafi can be contained within a divided Libya, unable to significantly threaten his neighbors and gradually weakening over time.

An opposition spokesman had publicly called for a cease-fire to halt the fighting and to essentially freeze the battle lines, if Gaddafi would withdraw his troops from Libyan cities and allow people to speak freely, which the Libyan government rejected, saying that it would not withdraw from its own cities.

British officials have also disclosed a recent visit by a senior aide to one of Gaddafi's sons to London, to discuss an exit strategy, prompting speculation that those close to the leader were looking for a way out.

As Gaddafi loyalists continue to crush rebel fighters in the key oil hub of Brega, a town that had been claimed by the rebels less than a week ago, intelligence assessments suggest that the rebels are capable of maintaining control of strongholds such as Benghazi and key oil fields in eastern Libya, with continuing NATO air support.

US analysts have concluded that Gaddafi is not likely step down voluntarily, despite recent defections by top aides an he is also not likely to be driven from his Tripoli base, where he has surrounded himself with highly paid fighters and tribal kinsmen who remain fiercely loyal, anytime soon. (ANI)

REGIONAL

Kajol during Padma Award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday. PTI Photo

Bips is my senior, Shriya is my friend: Rana

Last updated on Fri, Apr 1, 2011

Is Rana Daggubati dating Bipasha Basu, his co -star in 'Dum Maaro Dum'? Did he dump his 'girl friend' Shriya Saran because of Bipasha? The rumour mills have been working extra time since the trailers and photos for the movie has been coming out. Rana is fed up of these rumours. He clears the air. What does he have to say?

Game (2011)

Abhinay Deo's 'Game' is high on the style quotient but Bollywood is yet to master the art of successfully pulling off a thriller without leaving gaping loopholes in the narrative. While the pace and the action sequences might manage to hook you for a while, it makes you wonder why Farhan Akhtar decided to put his money on a disjointed plot like this one.

BIAL bags Best Airport India award

On Thursday 31 March 2011, 2:11 PM

Bangalore, Mar 31 (PTI) Bangalore International Airport Limited has bagged the prestigious ''Best Airport India'' award at the Skytrax World Airport Awards in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The award is based on a survey completed by over 100 nationalities of world air travellers, covering more than 240 airports worldwide in 2011, a press release said.

At the global level, Bengaluru International Airport earned a special mention for being among the three airports nominated for the best improvement in one year in global rankings.

The award was presented at an event in Denmark yesterday.

"We at Bengaluru International Airport are thrilled and honoured to receive this prestigious award. This award is testimony to the tremendous effort the team has put into maintaining the highest levels of operational excellence at Bengaluru International Airport," said Bangalore International Airport Limited Managing Director G V Sanjay Reddy.

"It is heartening to note that the results are being seen and felt by passengers across the globe who have rated BIAL to win this award," he said.

India to create 1.6 mn jobs in 2011: Survey ( IANS )

Indo Asian News Service, On Thursday 31 March 2011, 7:43 PM

Chennai, March 31(IANS) For the second successive year, more than one million new jobs will be created in India's organised sector in 2011, led by the healthcare sector, but there will be no attractive pay hikes for those in harness, states a survey on employment opportunities released Thursday.

Another dampening factor is that there will not be any attractive compensation package for freshers as the wage bill hike across sectors for 2011 is pegged between 8.82 percent and 12 percent, says the Ma Foi Randstad Employment Survey

According to the survey, around 1.6 million new jobs will be created in 2011 on the back of capacity expansion by companies.

As per the survey conducted amongst 650 companies across 13 industry sectors in eight major cities, the healthcare sector is expected to create 248,500 new jobs. Sectors like real estate, hospitality and manufacturing of non-machinery products together would create 223,400 new jobs.

'The estimated wage bill hike across the sectors will be in the narrow band as most companies are under margin pressure,' Ma Foi Randstad's managing director and CEO E.Balaji told reporters here.

According to the survey recruitment of freshers will be high - up to 70 percent - in hospitality, transport, media, retail and education sectors while others like would opt for experienced hands.

Amongst the cities, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai offer better options and would offer 270,000 fresh jobs.

Election official accuses Madurai Collector of harassing him

Madurai, Apr 2 (PTI) An election official in Madurai district today accused his senior poll officer of harassing and pressuring him to file cases against Union Minister and DMK strongman M K Alagiri and his party workers.

The Revenue Divisional officer, Sugumaran, who is Election Officer of Madurai-East constituency, charged that Collector U Sahayam phoned him frequently and was harassing him though he was maintaining a neutral stand.

Sugumaran, who has been admitted to a private hospital, with complaints of high blood pressure, said he had also sent the copy of the complaint to the Election Commision, and had requested the EC to relieve him from election work.

Reacting to Sugumaran''s complaint, the Collector denied he had asked the RDO to file any case. "Will anybody do like this? I have no time for election work itself. It is a lie."

He did not harass the RDO, the Collector said.

When reporters asked him if he was working against ruling DMK, the Collector appealed to them not to give political colour to his actions, adding he was acting only as per the directions of the EC''s rules and regulations.

He regretted that the RDO had complained to the EC directly and said it was not proper for an official at that level.

"When I don''t have sufficient time for my work..How can I harass any person? There is no need for me to harass any person," the Collector said.

Madurai, where Alagiri, son of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, wields tremendous clout, is considered politically sensitive. Alagiri had criticised Sahayam recently for reportedly stating that it was natural for people to look for a change during elections.

Sahayam has denied having said so.

Meanwhile, Revenue Officials Association today threatened that they would not work beyond duty hours and not work on holidays if officials did not arrest those who roughed up a Tahsildhar at Keezhavalavu last night.

Alagiri and over 50 partymen have been booked by the police in connection with the alleged assault of Tahsildar M Kalimuthu, who is Assistant Returning Officer for Melur Assembly segment, and a videographer.

The two were allegedly assaulted when they videographed Alagiri''s visit to a temple in the area.

The Association also described Sugumaran''s charge as "bogus" and alleged he was biased towards the ruling party.PTI SSN BN RA

Govt aiming at raising student enrolment to 45 million:Sibal

New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) Government is aiming at expansion of gross enrolment ratio in higher education to 30 per cent with 40-45 million students in the next 10 years, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said today.

Addressing the IGNOU convocation through videoconferencing, the minister said the government''s endeavour is to raise the GER in the country to the global average of 30 per cent.

"I am setting sights to raise it to the global average by 2020, which by then will be around 30 per cent. It will mean that the enrolment should expand to 40-45 million from the mere 13 million today," he said.

IGNOU Vice Chancellor V N Rajasekharan Pillai said the University has set a target of enrolling seven million students with the majority from disadvantaged section in the next five years.

He said there was growing demand for higher education from a rising lower-middle class and from the women due to which distance education is increasingly becoming popular.

"We are targeting an enrolment of at least seven million students with a majority from the disadvantaged sections and locations, during the next five years," Pillai said, adding IGNOU has identified 120 districts with gross enrolment ratio (GER) ranging between 3 to and 7 per cent to tap the prospective learners in the age group of 18-23 years.

As many as 78 students received gold medals this year. In all, 44,926 bachelor''s degree, 20,775 Master''s degree, 59,042 diplomas, 90,618 certificates and 3 Ph.Ds were awarded to students during the ceremony with 10 gold medallists from Delhi and four cash award recipients.

India committed to promotion of South-South cooperation: Azad

New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today asked Asian countries to work towards institutionalisation of South-South mechanism in various areas in the health sector.

Azad said India is committed to the promotion of South-South Cooperation and strengthening of Partners in Population and Development (PPD).

He was presiding over the meeting of the 17th Executive Committee of PPD here today.

He called upon the member countries to increase their annual contribution and provide long-term fellowships and work towards institutionalisation of South-South mechanism in various areas.

The Vice Chair of PPD and Health Minister of China, Dr Li Bin and Dr Ruhal Haque, Health Minister of Bangladesh, also participated in the meeting.

PPD is an inter-governmental initiative created specifically for the purpose of expanding and improving South-to-South collaboration in the fields of reproductive health, population and development.

The initiative was launched at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), when 10 developing nations from Asia, Africa and Latin America formed an inter-governmental alliance to help implement the Cairo Programme of Action (POA).

The POA, endorsed by 179 nations, stresses the need to establish mechanisms to promote development through sharing of experiences in Reproductive Health (RH) and Family Planning (FP) within and among countries and to promote effective partnerships among the governments, Non-Governmental Organisations, research institutions and the private sector.

India is currently the Chairman of PPD and China is the Vice-Chair. The Secretariat of PPD is situated in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Annual Meeting of PPD in 2010 was held at Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The 2011 Annual Meeting of PPD is being held in South Africa in November, 2011.

NCP asks Orissa govt to clarify on exact number of tigers

Bhubaneswar, Apr 2 (PTI) The NCP today asked the Orissa government to clarify on the exact number of tigers in the state.

The issue was raised by the NCP legislature party leader Amar Satpathy during the Zero Hour where he sought a clarification over the number of big cats in the state.

Terming it as "utter confusion", Satpathy said that while the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) says there were only 31 tigers in Orissa, the state government claimed that the number could be more than that.

"The state''s principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) had already rejected the Centre''e report," Satpathy pointed out asking the state government to give the actual figure on the tiger population if the Centre was wrong on head counts of big cats.

The NCP leader, however, agreed with the state government''s argument that many tiger habitations were not taken into consideration during the All India Tiger Estimation Exercise for 2010.

"Will Orissa government undertake a fresh survey on the tiger population in the state," he asked.

Tiger counting could not be undertaken in different places including Sunabeda forest and Chitrakonda area in Malkangiri district due to Maoist fear, Satpathy said.

While the state government had claimed that there were over 100 tigers in the state basing on the pug mark method of tiger counting, the MoEF''s camera trap counting claimed lesser number of big cats in the state, the NCP leader said.

HOLLYWOOD

Liz Taylor's nude photo released

London, April 2 (IANS) A nude picture of Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor has been released by a private collector, just over a week after the actress died of heart disease.

The picture is from the time when Taylor was just 24, and it is a possibility that it is the first time that the photograph has been shown publicly, reports dailymail.co.uk.

Taylor kneels down passionately on a white fur rug, and looks extremely sensual in the picture, which is said to have been an engagement gift from her to producer Michael Todd, her third husband.

The photograph was taken by one of her closest friends, actor and photographer Roddy McDowall. He persuaded her to pose naked by promising her it would be done tastefully, and that he did.

Taylor presented the intimate picture to Todd after his proposal in 1956. They married a few months later, but it was short-lived as Todd was killed in an air crash, just 13 months after their wedding day.

After the tragic incident, Taylor is believed to have given the nude photograph to her assistant and make-up artist Penny Taylor.

It was bought by private collector Jim Shaudis in 1980 and had been thought lost. But after her death March 23, he decided to release the image in public for fans of the star.

India's tech city logs out for Mumbai final

Bangalore, April 2 (IANS) As the World Cup cricket final between India and Sri Lanka cruised for an exciting finish in Mumbai late Saturday, India's tech city logged out within a hour after the do-or-die match got underway as frenzied fans, both men and women scrambled to homes, pubs and clubs to watch the action live.

In contrast to a bustling weekend when denizens are on the move for an evening out or on a shopping spree with families in tow, compounding the ubiquitous traffic snarls and grid locks on the thoroughfares in downtown, an eerie atmosphere spread across the city, with rain-bearing clouds hovering over and cool breeze wafting through.

'After a long time, I am seeing near empty roads and very few people in the central business district, especially on the first weekend with the Kannada new year festival (Ugadi) around (Monday). Vehicular traffic is about 20 percent of a normal Saturday and less than it was Wednesday during the India-Pakistan match at Mohali,' Assistant Commissioner of Police A. Raghuveer told IANS.

In a desperate bid to catch up with the game from the first over, thousands of commuters were seen crowding the roads in two-wheelers, cars, autos and public transport (state-run buses) to head homes, bars, restaurants and the nearest neighbourhood to avoid getting caught in traffic jams and missing the fun.

When word went around by word of mouth, through SMS and mobile radios that Lanka won the toss and elected to bat, there was a bit of relief for many who couldn't reach their destination in time and were relaxed as they had enough time to watch the 'men in blue' (India) bat in the second half.

'We are waiting for India innings to start. We want to see (Virender) Sehwag and (Sachin) Tendulkar fire. We came out of the restaurant to relax as the Lankans are batting a bit slow and nothing exciting is happen on the ground there,' N. Gautham, a techie with a software firm, said at a corner off M.G. Road.

Though shops and malls were open with salesmen and owners waiting for an odd customer to walk in, several pubs and restaurants on Brigade Road and Church Street in the heart of the city were packed with die-hard fans savouring every moment while sipping beer or vodka and munching snacks.

'For a change, the Indian bowling and fielding has been very good. They have been able to contain the Lankan batsmen. Hope Lanka will be restricted below 300 runs so India can chase to win the World Cup,' said Deepak Kumar, a sophomore, who was at Java City pub with other six college friends.

Even as curious fans in dozens huddled at electronic shops and other showrooms to watch the proceedings in hush, a bookshop owner in a shopping plaza on M.G. Road lured as many customers inside by showing the game on a laptop by logging into www.espnstar.com, which was streaming the final live.

'I walked in to check out some books I have been looking for and was able to know the latest score and get updates from the owner who was more glued to the laptop than to his customers,' said Ayub Khan, a marketing executive and a fan of Indian speedster Zaheer Khan.

With the booming IT industry having an extended weekend, as Monday is a public holiday for Ugadi fest, many back-office companies providing business process outsourcing (BPO) services and call centres decided to maintain essential operations and allowed majority of their employees to report for shift after midnight.

'Business is down to a trickle. The regular crowd is missing. We are hoping for a good number of customers to walk in for late dinner, as we are also showing the match live in our bar and restaurant,' Empire Hotel manager Hameed said.

Japan nuclear struggle focuses on cracked reactor pit

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese officials grappling on Sunday to end the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl were focusing on a crack in a concrete pit that was leaking radiation into the ocean from a crippled reactor.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said it had found a crack in the pit at its No.2 reactor in Fukushima, generating readings 1,000 millisieverts of radiation per hour in the air inside the pit.

"With radiation levels rising in the seawater near the plant, we have been trying to confirm the reason why, and in that context, this could be one source," said Hidehiko Nishiyama, deputy head of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), said on Saturday.

He cautioned, however: "We can't really say for certain until we've studied the results."

TEPCO has begun pouring concrete into the pit to stop the leak, he said.

Public broadcaster NHK said late on Saturday that water was preventing the concrete from hardening and the pit was still leaking.

Officials from the utility said checks of the other five reactors found no cracks.

Nishiyama said that to cool the damaged reactor, NISA was looking at alternatives to pumping in water, including an improvised air conditioning system, spraying the reactor fuel rods with vaporized water or using the plant's cleaning system.

PM UNDER PRESSURE

As the disaster that has left 28,000 dead or missing dragged into a fourth week, Prime Minister Naoto Kan toured devastated coastal towns in northern Japan on Saturday, offering refugees government support for rebuilding homes and livelihoods.

"It will be kind of a long battle, but the government will be working hard together with you until the end," Kyodo news agency quoted him as telling people in a shelter in Rikuzentakata, a fishing port flattened by the tsunami which struck on March 11 after a massive earthquake.

Unpopular and under pressure to quit or call a snap poll before the disaster, Kan has been criticised for his management of the humanitarian and nuclear crisis. Some tsunami survivors said he came to visit them too late.

Kan also entered the 20-km (12-mile) evacuation zone and visited J-village just inside the zone, a sports facility serving as the headquarters for emergency teams trying to cool the six-reactor Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Operators of the plant are no closer to regaining control of damaged reactors, as fuel rods remain overheated and high levels of radiation are flowing into the sea.

Japan is facing a damages bill which may top $300 billion -- the world's biggest from a natural disaster.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday the Japanese economy would take a short-term hit and it could not rule out further intervention for the yen.

The consequences for the world's third largest economy have already seen manufacturing slump to a two-year low. Power outages and quake damage have hit supply chains and production.

Hundreds of thousands remain homeless, sheltering in evacuation centres, as the death toll from the disaster rises.

Thousands of Japanese and U.S. soldiers on Saturday conducted a search for bodies using dozens of ships and helicopters to sweep across land still under water along the northeast coast. The teams hope when a large spring tide recedes it will make it easier to spot bodies.

Radiation 4,000 times the legal limit has been detected in seawater near the Daiichi plant and a floating tanker was to be towed to Fukushima to store contaminated seawater. But until the plant's internal cooling system is reconnected radiation will flow from the plant.

(Additional reporting by Chizu Nomiyama in Tokyo and Damir Sagolj in Rikuzentakata; Writing by Paul Eckert; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

Rooney hat-trick inspires Man United comeback

LONDON (Reuters) - A quickfire Wayne Rooney hat-trick rescued Manchester United on Saturday as they stormed eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after coming from two goals down to beat West Ham United 4-2.

Sloppy defensive mistakes looked like they might be costly as United found themselves 2-0 down in 25 minutes after Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic gave away penalties that Hammers midfielder Mark Noble converted.

Reinvigorated by the introduction of Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov, United put themselves back in the match with a curling Rooney free kick midway through the second half before levelling through his low drive.

The England striker completed a 14-minute treble by converting a penalty given for Matthew Upson's unlucky handball before Hernandez put the seal on the fightback with a well-taken goal from close range after being set up by Ryan Giggs.

Giggs had switched to an unfamiliar left back role as manager Alex Ferguson, watching from the stands while serving the second of a five-match touchline ban, shuffled his team in a second-half transformation that has become a hallmark of their season.

GIGGS PRAISE

"It sends out a sign we don't give up. No matter what the score is in the game we keep going and we're grinding out results," Giggs told Sky Sports.

"Some games we are not playing at our best but I thought today we were brilliant all over the park. Even when we've not been playing well we've been grinding out results so hopefully now with seven games to go we can keep doing that."

United have 66 points from 31 matches while second-placed Arsenal are on 58 having played two games fewer.

The Londoners face Blackburn Rovers later in the day (1630 GMT) and will rue what might have been at Upton Park, as will relegation-threatened West Ham.

The Hammers had looked like recording a second victory over United this season, following the 4-0 rout in the League Cup, as the visitors struggled.

Captain Vidic, returning after injury and suspension, had a miserable first half as he gave away a penalty and was lucky to escape a red card for hauling down Demba Ba when the striker was poised to go clear on goal.

But Rooney showed he was still a class act, despite a below-par season, as he chalked up 101 league goals for United.

He said his 101st was the key strike as United edged closer to a record 19th league title.

"To score the goal that put us in front ... we were going to win the game from there so I'm delighted with that," said Rooney.

(Writing by Sonia Oxley, editing by Tony Jimenez. To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Giant yellow teddy bear to brighten New York City

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - London has Paddington Bear but New York now has a giant yellow teddy bear, a great sculptural masterpiece that could sell for more than $9 million at auction in May, Christie's said on Saturday.

A 23-foot (7-metre) high, bronze teddy bear slumped under a black bedside lamp will be on display for five months in midtown Manhattan from next week and be a highlight of the Post-War & Contemporary sale on May 11.

The 35,000 pound (15.8 tonnes) sculpture, Untitled (Lamp/Bear), is the work of New York-based Swiss artist Urs Fischer. Brett Gorvy, Christie's deputy chairman for Post-War and Contemporary Art, described Fischer as the Jeff Koons of his generation.

"We have seen contemporary sculpture works by Jeff Koons selling at $25 million and Urs Fischer is the leading pretender to the throne," he said. "He is considered the most important, the most provocative of contemporary artists today."

Gorvy said the U.S. collector selling the sculpture, whom he declined to name, had already turned down a private offer of $9 million.

"The anticipation is that it will make more than that," he said. "There's a very good chance it's going to go to a museum or a private institution."

The teddy bear, which has button eyes, is currently being assembled in the plaza of the architecturally acclaimed Seagram Building skyscraper on Park Avenue. Gorvy said getting the city permits to install the sculpture was a project in itself.

An added feature of the sculpture, according to the auction house, is that the table lamp above the bear's head works, so the bear can be lit up at night.

"A true landmark sculpture of this nature appeals to private collectors and museums around the world, but could be acquired by a city as a means of attracting cultural tourism," said Gorvy.

Christie's said the sculpture had been inspired by Fischer's own much-loved teddy bear. Fischer sewed together a one-foot tall teddy bear and scanned it with a 3-D laser to generate drawings to create the sculpture.

It is one of three created in 2005/06. The other two teddy bears are privately owned. U.S. collector Adam Lindemann has installed his sculpture on a bluff at his property on Long Island in New York.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Patricia Reaney)

Kuwaiti teenagers' heads shaved for reciting love poems

Dubai, April 2 (IANS) Police in Kuwait shaved the heads of three teenagers after they were caught using a loudspeaker to recite love poems to girls leaving their high school, a media report said.

The youngsters parked their car near the school and tried to grab the attention of girls by using a loudspeaker to shower them with flirtatious messages, the Gulf News reported, citing the Al Anba daily.

Police said the boys also gave their phone numbers to the girls in the hope that some would call them.

A police patrol heard the noise and apprehended the youngsters. They also found that they were underage and did not have driving licences.

The head of the police station in Al Jahra, 32 km from Kuwait City, ordered that their heads be shaved off, the daily said.

Dog rescued three weeks after Japan quake

Tokyo, April 2 (IANS) A dog has been rescued by Japan's Coast Guard 21 days after the devastating magnitude-9 earthquake rocked the country, a media report said Saturday.

Rescuers found the dog on the roof of a partially destroyed building Friday. After efforts to rescue the dog using a helicopter failed, they used a boat and succeeded, RIA Novosti reported citing the Kyodo news agency.

The toll in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami has risen to 11,800, while 15,540 people were still unaccounted for till Saturday, the National Police Agency said.

The disaster triggered a number of explosions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Sachin stays second-highest run-getter in 2011 World Cup

Mumbai, April 2 (IANS) Sachin Tendulkar got out for 18 in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka here Saturday and missed out on being the highest run-getter in the tournament.

Sachin edged a Lasith Malinga delivery to wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara to fell 19 runs short of Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan's 500 runs in the tournament. Tendulkar ended his Cup campaign with 482 runs from nine matches.

Sachin will have to wait for his hundredth international century.

Sachin, a veteran of six World Cups, was the leading run-getter in the 1996 and 2003 editions.

BOLLYWOOD

Akshay, Suniel organise love-ride to promote 'Thank You'

Mumbai, April 02 (ANI): Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty promoted their upcoming film 'Thank You' in Mumbai on Thursday. As a part of the promotion, a bus named 'Pyar Do Pyar Lo' was flagged off for the day in which couples enjoyed a ride.And if you are wondering the connection between the ride and the movie, then here's the answer from lead actor in the film, Akshay Kumar. Directed and written by Anees Bazmee and produced by Akki's wife Twinkle Khanna, the film also stars Bobby Deol, Irrfan Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Celina Jaitley, and Rimi Sen among others.

Northeast India's ancient theatre comes to capital

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) The ancient theatrical genres of northeast India will come out of their traditional bastions with the 'Indigenous Theatre Festival of Northeast India' beginning at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) in the national capital April 2-10.

The third in the series of theatre panorama from the northeast, the festival this year will turn its attention to the ancient and traditional forms of theatre from the region unlike last year, when the festival established an inter-cultural dialogue between the northeatern states and Southeast Asia.

The 10-day festival will be accompnaied by a four-day dialogue on 'Theatre of Northeast India - Past, Present and Future' to be inaugurated by culture secretary Jawhar Sircar April 4. Thirty-six scholars and performing artists will deliberate on the key issues being faced by traditional theatre.

The showcase will begin with 'Devi Durga' - a traditional play by the Kamarupia Dhulia Dal, followed by 'Sakei Lu Lam' by the Mizo Theatre Guild on April 2.

The subsequent schedule includes 'Balan (Sikkim)', 'Tangkhul Nurabi (Manipur)', 'Konxalaya (Srimanata Sankardeva Kalakshetra)', 'Lichaba's Daughter (Nagaland)', 'Longtoraini Ekolobya (Tripura)', 'Janong Jinong (Assam)', 'Chati Kango (Arunachal Pradesh)', 'Loikaba (Manipur)', 'Lianhnuna and Tlanthangi (Mizoram)', Du-Kon (Megalaya)', 'Radhar Man Bhajan (Tripura)' and 'Kao Phaba (Manipur)'.

'The canvas like last year is large and significant because we are reviving many dying forms of theatre which are rarely performed outside the regions to which they belong. The forthcoming generations may not be able to see these genres,' Alka Saikia, associate coordinator of the festival, told IANS.

According to Saikia, one of the objectives of the festival is to open up cultural dialogies between the eight northeastern sisters states.

'Many states are not familiar with performing arts traditions elsewhere in the region,' Saikia said.

It will also be a platform to resolve several points of cultural differences stemming from the prevailing spcio-political situations in the region. The plays will retain the purity of traditions and story-telling,' Saikia said.

The majority of the themes will be tales from mythology, folk and scriptures 'at a time when Bollywood is taking over theatre', she said.

She said, 'The lack of re-orientation of the institutional culture estiblishments in northeast India and the lack of new thrusts in universities about the subject of performing arts are creating deep vacuum in the discourse of creativity in northeast as a whole'.

'The festival also aims to address the need by creating discourses and recommending policy guidelines for performing arts in the region,' Saikia said.

Amitabh signs for two more seasons of 'KBC'

New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who made a roaring comeback to the small screen with the fourth season of the game show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' on Sony Entertainment Television last year, has been signed on for the next two seasons as well.

'Sony and I have signed on for KBC for the next two seasons... your blessings and encouragement needed in abundance!' Amitabh posted on his Twitter page.

'Kaun Banega Crorepati', the Indian version of internationally popular show 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?', was first launched in 2000 on STAR Plus with Amitabh as the host. The show returned for its second season in 2005 once again with Amitabh, but superstar Shah Rukh Khan was roped in as the host of its third season on STAR Plus.

Sony Entertainment Television brought back the show with Amitabh in 2010, and it recieved an overwhelming response, before it ended in December.

Now the channel is excited to carry forward their association.

'We have certainly tied up with Mr. Bachchan for the next two seasons of KBC. The next season will be on this year itself, but we have not planned when it will go on air,' Ajit Thakur, executive vice president and business head, Sony Entertainment Television, told IANS.

All's well between John and me: Bipasha Basu

New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu has finally put an end to rumours that she has parted ways with long time beau, actor John Abraham, saying they are very much together and 'fine'.

'Hi all! Speculation is a part of r business! I knw d warmth n love tht i get frm u al!Everything is fine wth John n me:) Thank u! (sic),' Bipasha posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.

The actress, who has been with John for the past eight years, does not like rumours about her relationship.

'I hope ppl realise tht evryones life n relationships cn b treated wth a lil dignity here n nt GOSSIP!Al of us r real human beings after al!? (sic),' she wrote.

For now, Bipasha is excited about her first international film, English-French director Roland Joffe's 'Singularity', and posted the first look of the movie on Twitter as well. She plays Tulaja, a Maratha warrior in the film, which has been extensively shot in Australia.

Bipasha stars opposite Josh Hartnett in the movie.

Sri Lanka hotels left high and dry after 2010 IIFA awards

Colombo, Jan 17 (PTI) The hotels that provided accommodation to Bollywood stars during the 2010 IIFA awards in Sri Lanka are yet to be paid and many service providers have also been left high and dry, media reports said today.

Nearly 100 million rupees in unpaid bills remains to be settled, the Lanka News web portal reported adding that deluxe hotels in Colombo have become "victims" after welcoming the Indian stars.

According to reports Sri Lanka''s tourism authority had hosted the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA)awards as part of tourism promotion with the Indian organisers having to pay virtually nothing for their stay.

The awards was marred by boycott calls and the absence of many top names, including IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. His actor son Abhishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai and megastar Shah Rukh Khan too were absent from the Colombo event.

Sri Lanka as a venue for IIFA has angered many Tamil supporters in India, who accused the Sri Lankan army of killing Tamils civilians during the peak of the conflict between the army and LTTE last year.

The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce (SIFCC) had said it would boycott Bollywood actors participating in the event.

Music of 'Angel' launched in Mumbai amid much fan fare

Mumbai, January 19 (ANI): The star cast of the forthcoming Bollywood film 'Angel' on Tuesday launched its music amid much fan fare. The producer and director of the flick Ganesh Acharya said that he has primarily focused on the music to lure youngsters.Many renowned Bollywood celebrities like Akshay Kumar and Bobby Deol, among others, were spotted at the event. Maddalsa Sharma, the debutante actress of the film, said the story made her want to begin her Bollywood career.

Abhay Deol wants to surprise audiences with every film

Mumbai, Jan 16 (PTI) Bollywood actor Abhay Deol, known for starring in unconventional films, says he loves experimenting with innovative and never-tried-form of cinema.

"As an actor I want to do something that has never been seen before.. I want to try the zone that has never been tried by anyone. I want to surprise my audience with every film," he told PTI.

The actor, who has acted in unconventional movies like ''Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd'', ''Dev D'', ''Manorama Six Feet Under'', ''Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local'' and ''Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye'' intends to astonish the audience with ''Shanghai'' directed by Dibakar Banerjee, which goes on floors by March-April.

Abhay will be sharing screen with actor Emraan Hashmi in the political thriller, adapted from the book called ''Z'' by Greek novelist Vassilis Vassilikos on the real-life assassination of a dynamic politician.

"The story dwells on how people are at the receiving end of politics. How the decisions taken by politicians affect a common man," the 34-year-old actor said.

"In this film I will be in a never seen character like before... it is a negative, cold, vicious character. We are still in the scripting process.

"Dibakar is one of the finest directors... I had the opportunity to work with in ''Oye Lucky...''. I love the way he creates his own world through his scripts. He has a brilliant way of telling stories," Abhay said. (More) PTI KKP VKV.

18-year-old raga pianist idolises Pt Ravi Shankar

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) Utsav Lal, all of 18 years, who has made a name for himself by playing the ragas on piano, looks up to veteran sitar player Ravi Shankar and wants to take Indian music global like him.

The Dublin-based pianist, often referred to as a child prodigy as he has been playing the western instrument since the age of seven, is looking to share Indian music with the rest of the world.

"I look upto Ravi Shankarji since he was the first person to take Indian classical music global. It''s something that I am passionate about. Also Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, because what he did for the Santoor what I''m trying to do for the Piano - create a place for it in Indian classical music," Utsav told PTI.

Although he is deeply immersed in the ragas now, Utsav began by playing old, classical-based Bollywood songs, which opened his eye towards the magic of Hindustani music.

"It was the music of composers like Roshan, Naushad in songs like "Madhuban mein radhika" or "Laaga chunari mein daag" which were clearly Raga based, that first pulled me towards Hindustani Classical. It drew me to the challenge of expressing raga music on piano," said Utsav, who was in the capital to perform at ''Ragas to Reels'' - a musical evening presented by Yes Bank.

Utsav is currently on his third tour in India. In 2007 he did a concert series called ''Jaane kahan gaye woh din'' recreating Raj Kapoor''s music on piano and in 2009 a five-city tour titled ''Ragas dance off piano keys''.

"In the west, my efforts are always to educate them at a concert, so that they can appreciate the music. But here I can focus on just making music, as people know and enjoy classical ragas. It feels just right to perform in India."

The Delhi boy moved to Ireland five years ago with his family and Utsav says the shift has helped his career.

"Moving to Ireland has had dual benefits as it helped me enhance my Western Classical & Jazz training with the music teachers and schools there. It has also given me a platform to reach out to music lovers in the western world," said Utsav.

At the age of 14, his name featured in the Limca Book of Records and Utsav was officially recognized as a ''Young Steinway Artist'' in February 2010; the accolades have encouraged him to keep up the good work.

"I want to make a place for myself in the Indian music scene and carve a place for ragas on the piano. As far as Bollywood is concerned, my approach is one that welcomes any avenues which allow for further exploration of my music.�It could be an interesting challenge," said Utsav.

KOLLYWOOD

kaavalan, Aadukalam, Siruthai, Ilaigan In The PONGAL Race................

The festive season has already started in Tamil Nadu as Pongal has arrived again with as many as four big movies hitting the screens this weekend. Like previous years, Kollywood has geared up for yet another clash of big movies. This time, it is Vijay’s Kaavalan, Dhanush’s Aadukalam, Karthi’s Siruthai, and Namitha’s Illaignan, which are all releasing for Sankranthi. Expectations from the audience are sky high for all these latest outings and trade analyst are also not lagging behind as they have engaged in movie predictions. Now, let us have a brief look at all these movies.

Kaavalan
Starring: Vijay, Asin Thottumkal, Vadivelu
Director: Siddique
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Genre: Comedy – Romance
After a series of flops, Vijay is back with Kaavalan, which will eventually decide his film career in Kollywood. He is desperate for success and he hopes that the lady luck would favor him this time. The movie has been in troubled waters from the day one. First, it was Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association, who openly threatened that they will not screen Vijay’s movie until he pays a portion of the loss of his earlier movie Sura. The lead actress also landed in trouble after she dared to attended the IIFA Awards function in Srilanka, which had also created stir in the industry. However, the movie is a remake of Malayalam blockbuster Bodyguard and the makers of the film are expecting the same magic in Tamil version. The audio and movie trailers have already impressed the audience and his hardcore fans are hoping that the movie would become a milestone in Vijay’s career. His histrionics, Asin’s chemistry with the actor and Vadivelu’s rib-tickling comedy are the highlights of the film.

Aadukalam
Starring: Dhanush, Tapasee, Sindhu Menon
Director: Vetrimaaran
Music Director: GV Prakash Kumar
Genre: Action – Drama
Polladhavan hit combination is back with another mass film Aadukalam. The super combo of Dhanush-Vetrimaaran-GV Prakash Kumar is ready to create the magic again. This time, it is said that the director has chosen a real life story, which occurred during 1970s in Madurai. The trailer of action-filled drama has created a lot of curiosity among the audience and the songs of the film have added fuel to their expectations. The actor will face tough battle from the other big releases and this will be his third face-off with actor Vijay. Dhanush’s performance, stunning actions and powerful dialogues are the highlights of the film.

Siruthai
Starring: Karthi, Tamanna Bhatia
Director: Siva
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Genre: Action – Comedy
Having given four hit movies in a row, Karthi is returning with Siruthai. He has paired Tamanna Bhatia for the second time. Their chemistry, which had mesmerized in Paiyaa, is ready to create the wonders again. For the first time, Karthi is essaying dual role of a thief and a cop. The movie is a remake of Telugu blockbuster Vikramarkudu and subsequently remade by Sudeep in Kannada as Veera Madakari, which also went on to become a superhit. Now, director Siva has made some minor changes in the script and remade the film in Tamil to suit the tastes of Kollywood audience. The tight screenplay with a right mixture of action, sentiment and comedy are the highlights of the film.

Ilaignan
Starring: Namitha, Meera Jasmine, Pa. Vijay, Khushboo, Remya Nambisan
Director: Suresh Kumar
Music Director: Vidyasagar
Genre: Drama
Ilaignan is a period film based on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi’s Thaai Kaviyam novel, which is set in the pre-independence period. The movie banks on actress Namitha as Karunanidhi himself confessed that the script is written keeping the actress in mind. She is playing an out and out negative character in the film. The movie also marks the silver jubilee film of director Suresh Kumar. It is obvious that the audience will expect something special from this movie. Watch our for Namitha’s new avatar and the storyline of the film.

Well, now the obvious question, which comes to one’s mind, is that which among these films will win the race. Fans of respective actors will always hope that their favorite actor should be on top. But it is general audience, who decides the fate of the film. Trade analysts say that the big releases at a time will certainly affect and it will eat each other’s business. They also points out that these movies will also face theatres issues like shortage of theatres, getting good cinema halls etc. However, if all these movie gets good review from the critics, then it will be a happy headache for the audience, says a positive trade analyst. He also adds that though the big releases would hamper initial collection but it will not affect in long run.

Meanwhile, advance booking for Kaavalan, Aadukalam and Siruthai are in full swing. It is said that tickets for this weekend for all these movies have been sold out in most of the parts in Tamil Nadu.

Selvaragavan to marry geetanjali.................

Selvaraghavan has at last found true love in Geetanjali and they are marrying soon. The director has recently confirmed that he is in love with Geethanjali, his associate in Erandam Ulagam film. They fell in love for each other during the course of film’s shooting. In fact, she has transformed his life by making more responsible person than ever, says the director.

“Geetanjali is an angel who came into my life and set it right. I was going through bad times and was not able to concentrate on my work. Geetanjali pulled me out of this pit that I’d fallen into. She made me a better person.”, Times of India quoted Selvaraghavan as saying.

They are planning to enter martial bliss in June second week soon after the release of Erandam Ulagam. Sources also revealed that they will have an engagement ceremony shortly, which will be a simple affair restricted to close family members and friends.

It may be recalled that Selvaraghavan was married to actress Sonia Agarwal in 2006. But their marriage did not last long as they parted ways in 2009.

Sultan to Hara to Rana.............

It was initially ‘Sultan the Warrior’. The first animated movie starring Superstar Rajinikanth in the lead role was then buzzed to be renamed as ‘Hara’.

And now, sources have it that the film directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth has been once again rechristened, and this time as ‘Rana’. “But nothing is official till an announcement is made,” they are quick to add.

“The film is currently in its final stages of shooting,” they say, adding: “Some parts of the movie, where the real Rajini would appear, would be shot by K S Ravikumar, whose earlier ventures with the Superstar are blockbusters.”

With Vijayalakshmi of ‘Chennai 28′ and ‘Anjathey’ fame playing the leading lady, the film was announced when the top actor’s ‘Sivaji’ hit the screens. Music is by A R Rahman.

Bhavana to Wed Soon.......

It all began with her recent interview with a prominent Malayalam film weekly! Asked whether she had ever felt attracted to any of her co-stars, actress Bhavana admitted her affair with a co-star, who is not a Malayalee, saying they have a very strong relationship!

The latest news is that Bhavana is now gearing up to enter wedlock with her dream boy soon with the consent of her parents. Bhavana’s family members, who were looking for suitable match for her, have reportedly accepted her affair with her co-star, whose name is yet to be revealed.

Bhavana is now busy with a couple of projects in Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada: Kudumbasree Travels, The Metro, Mister Love and Double Decker in Malayalam, Naan Ninaithathai Mudippavan and Vetri Nadai in Tamil and Dwarakish’s Kannada film Sampath Kumar.

Ranjitha Returns........

Ranjitha is making a comeback in the tinsel town. The actress, who was in a hibernation mode for reasons known to everyone, will be seen in a Malayalam film titled ‘Puthumughangal’, which is expected to hit the screens very soon.

If sources are to be believed, she is playing a crucial role in the movie, jointly directed by Dawn Alex and Biju and produced by Salavuddin. Actors like Sarassi, Salimkumar, Thushar, Harisree Asokan, Ameera, Silsila Githa and Lalu Alex are playing pivotal roles.

The screenplay and dialogues have been scripted by Pradeep Kavunthara. Lyrics are by Ramesh Kavil and Vayalar Saratchandra Varma. While Syam Dharman has composed music for ‘Puthumughangal’.

It may be recalled that Ranjitha convened a press conference all of a sudden in Bengaluru last week, only to deny allegations made on her involving controversial godman Swami Nithyananda. “I will remain his devotee forever,” she said however.

Ajith's big Briyani Bash........

For all Kollywood fans, here is interesting news! Vijay met Ajith on the sets of Mankatha recently and the two had some serious discussions. Apparently Ajith served his trademark ‘Thala biryani’ to Vijay on the sets and in turn, Vijay gifted him a watch.

It is learnt that Ajith and Vijay are shooting at the same spot for Mankatha and Velayudham respectively. Interesting, Ajith served biryani in his party to the whole Velayudham team (around 250 members).

Apart from that, director Venkat Prabhu, Ashwin Kakaumanu, Mahat, Premji and Vaibhav were also present.

It is said that Thala is a great cook and an expert in making biryani.

Samantha Mobbed in Tirupati............

Pretty actress Samantha had a bitter experience on Friday when she was a couple of young men began crowding around her at a private function in Tirupati. The actress was in town to inaugurate a jewellery store at the Mega Mall on PGR Junction.

On hearing that Samantha was at the mall, more than 500 people gathered nearby to catch a glimpse of the star. Soon after she stepped out of the mall, she was mobbed. Reportedly, Samantha slapped a person to protect her dignity when he was getting uncomfortably close to her.

“Initially I tried to ignore him. Even my staff told him to keep a safe distance. But his intentions were nasty, so I had to slap him to protect my dignity,” the actress said. Later, the mall authorities came to her rescue and put an end to the whole chaos!