'Raajneeti' is a Royal Hit!
The film industry is rejoicing and it has every reason to. 'Raajneeti' has infused oxygen in the lungs of an ailing industry. What a relief!

Only goes to prove that the magic of the big screen still works and how! The terrific start of 'My Name Is Khan', 'Housefull', 'Kites' and now 'Raajneeti' proves that big-budget films, made by reputed names, can draw viewers in hordes. The Day 1 numbers of all four biggies underline this fact. In the case of 'Kites', of course, the film slipped considerably on Day 2 [Saturday] and crashed completely after Monday, but its poor content is responsible for that.

'Raajneeti' continues to rock the box-office and its super-success proves, yet again, that you can't read the viewer's mind. People within the industry have this misconception that only entertainment-driven films lure viewers to cineplexes. 'Raajneeti', in their opinion, is a dry film, which was expected to appeal to the audience in the Hindi belt only, not the multiplex junta or viewers in metros. But all calculations have gone for a toss, as 'Raajneeti' continues to gallop and how!

'Raajneeti' is expected to have approx. 55 crore to 56 crore net Week 1, which is next to '3 Idiots' and 'Ghajini'. Also, the film should enjoy a bountiful Week 2, since there's no major opposition this Friday.

What does one attribute its super-success to? Plenty of reasons. The massive star cast attracted viewers in hordes, the superb promotion proved sone pe suhaaga, but most importantly, for a film to sustain after its opening weekend, it ought to have solid content and 'Raajneeti' is, without doubt, a superior product. Besides, I think the Ranbir-Katrina pairing played a big role in luring a big chunk of the junta. Especially Ranbir, who, I strongly feel, is the Pied Piper of the box-office.

Let's hope the box-office keeps smiling, an air of optimism continues to prevail in the industry and viewers continue to throng cineplexes in multitudes in weeks to come. Only then will the industry limp back to normalcy!

AR Rahman's America
AR Rahman and MTV Iggy have partnered together to present AR Rahman's America. The historic programme includes creation of new content with the music legend as he captures the hearts and minds of the American public. The program kicked off last week with Rahman's America Sweepstakes rolling out in five cities across the US - New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Houston. This one-of-a-kind interactive sweepstakes gives fans the chance to meet the Academy Award and Grammy Award winning musician on the first leg his major world tour, The AR Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home.

In addition to Rahman's America Sweepstakes, MTV Iggy will feature exciting programming throughout the leg of his USA Tour.

Winfrey launches hunt for new TV host
Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has launched a hunt for a new TV host for a show due to go on air on her television network.

She has teamed up with reality TV producer Mark Burnett for the show, which starts in January when OWN - The Oprah Winfrey Network - goes on air.

The hopefuls are already being invited to upload videos in a number of categories including interior design and cooking, reports bbc.co.uk.

'Much in the way 'American Idol' finds unknown people, there's no reason we can't find someone who deserves their own show,' said Burnett.

While visitors to Winfrey's website can watch hopefuls and vote for them, auditions will take place in Texas and California this month.

Madonna''s daughter Lourdes turns cover girl for magazine
At thirteen, she looks like a younger version of Madonna and now daughter Lourdes is all set front the cover of a European magazine. Lourdes, who has already had her encounter with showbiz by appearing in a video clip of her mother, has made her first outing as a cover girl for the July issue of Europe''s Quality magazine, Daily Mail reported.

While it is being touted as her first outing as a cover girl, there is no suggestion she posed for the magazine. Lourdes, who is also known as Lola, has her eyes set on the silver screen.

She has enrolled in the New York acting school made famous by child star Macaulay Culkin, Scarlett Johansson and Sarah Jessica Parker. Lourdes is studying at the Manhattan School of Acting and was approached over a year ago to appear in film ''The Secret Life Of Bees'' but she turned down the part because Madonna didn''t want her to get into the business so early.

The part finally went to Dakota Fanning. The 51-year-old star was happy to include her daughter the clip for her 2009 single ''Celebration''.

The mother and daughter duo also recently designed a clothing range, called ''Material Girl'', for New York department store Macy''s.

I want to be known for meaningful cinema: Emraan Hashmi
He does enjoy his ''Serial Kisser'' image but actor Emraan Hashmi says he is not too ecstatic about it and would rather be known for giving meaningful cinema to Bollywood. "I love it.

it''s uncoventional. It''s first of it''s kind and it does not bother me at all," Hashmi told PTI here while shooting ''The Crook: Its good to be bad.

'' "Its something people tag you with. which I do enjoy but I m not very ecstatic about it," he said.

Hashmi feels his main purpose in being Bollywood is to give meaningful and entertaining cinema. "These tags do not last long very long and I am here to give a meaningful and entertaining cinema for which I want to be around and known," Hashmi said.

After some successful performances in thrillers like ''Gangstar'', ''Raaz'', ''Awarapan'', and ''Jannat'', Hashmi said he can call himself as a successful star. "I guess its very important to be a successful actor who can give box office hits which I have been able to do," he said.

"It''s important to give back to those who have invested in you apart from being a good actor," he added. Commenting on his new controversial film on racism that is being shot in Australia, Hashmi said his character in the movie was like a wild child who was from a middle class family with a dream to migrate to a developed country.

"My character in the movie is a crook who at times uses unfair means in his life which are not appropriate but it does not mean that makes him a bad person," he said. "We do apply unfair means sometimes in life that we don''t expect ourselves to do.

We make mistakes. we realise and we change ourselves and I think thats a sign of growth," he added. "Crook is a film that deals with that and deals with a guy who wants to get out India like millions of those middle class youths who believe that opportunity for them is anywhere in the world except in their own country,'' Hashmi explained.

Other projects lined up for the star is ''Once upon a time in Mumbai'', a Ekta Kapoor production, where he will be playing a gangster.

'Raajneeti' has coffers ringing with political winner
Critical acclaim or box office earnings -- most Bollywood films on politics have been able to manage one, not both. But Prakash Jha's full-on political drama 'Raajneeti' has broken the jinx by earning almost Rs.62 crores (Rs.620 million) in the opening weekend.

Experts feel that the response to the film is proof enough that the Indian audience is opening up to better and intelligent subjects, says noted film critic Anupama Chopra.

' 'Raajneeti' (which means politics) has a powerful and engrossing script. The story and characters are engaging a lot of people. It goes a long way to prove that films don't have to be funny and entertaining in the basic sense of the word. These days, if a film is engaging, it is entertaining and that's what people grab,' Chopra told IANS.

'Raajneeti' has big names like Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Katrina Kaif, but doesn't have exotic foreign locales, glamour, item numbers or any other add-ons considered a must for a commercial movie. Yet this violent thriller on the clash between two brothers of a political family set somewhere in northern India has set the cash registers ringing.

'I am very afraid to make films like these. It is not easy to work on these subjects because you just can't go wrong. Then there is also the uncertainty of whether or not the audience will accept the film. It is all very risky, but I am glad people are taking it well,' Jha, who has earlier made films like 'Damul' and 'Gangaajal', told IANS after 'Raajneeti' released Friday.

The filmmaker says he added a romantic streak to the script to increase the interest factor but took enough care not to let it overpower the main agenda. Actor Manoj Bajpai, who has played a key character in the film, feels it is tough to helm a film on Indian politics.

'Politics, especially in India, is one such topic on which making a film is an extremely difficult task. Actually, politics isn't just about governing, but it also encompasses various aspects of human behaviour like greed, power, hate and oppression.

'Encapsulating all these emotions in a two-and-a-half-hour film wasn't an easy task, but 'Raajneeti' has not just tried to explore these complex emotions but has also tried to dwell deeper into politics,' Manoj posted on his blog.

In the past, films like 'Aandhi', 'Aghaat', 'Satta', 'Nayak', 'GangaaJal', 'Gulaal' and 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi' made audiences sit up and take notice of crime and corruption in politics. But none turned out to be a money spinner.

Ram Gopal Varma, who earlier made 'Shiva' on student politics and is now busy with 'Rakta Charitra', a two part series on the life of slain political leader Paritala Ravindra, must be hoping that the 'raajneeti' trend continues.

'The movie is so powerful that it will have a strong bearing on the politics of the region where it is based (Andhra Pradesh). It is based on real events and people and it is essentially an Indian political epic drama, on the rise and fall of a political superhero,' said scriptwriter Prashant Pandey.

'Raajneeti' is one in a series of films trying to chart a different path. Recent unconventional hits have been 'Bheja Fry', 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', 'Dasvdaniya', 'A Wednesday' and 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye' - they focused on complex subjects but had an entertaining undertone.

'Our audience has definitely become more sophisticated and intelligent over the past 15-20 years and is totally open to every kind of movie - which is wonderful. But it is a generalisation to say the audience has become discerning. How else would you explain the success of films like 'Welcome' and 'Housefull'?' said Chopra.

'The audience is more visually exposed these days. But that doesn't mean they are ready for arty, European cinema. There's still a long way to go,' she added.