Ghazal singer Chitra Singh, who is fighting a lone battle to get her husband and late ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh the Bharat Ratna, says he deserves the country's highest civilian honour.

"I think he deserves the Bharat Ratna, no less...The country must give him his due. Manmohan Singh-ji released two commemorative stamps on Feb 8 of Jagjit-ji. That was okay. But what about the recognition that Jagjit Saab deserves," Chitra asked.

The ghazal maestro's widow, herself a renowned ghazal singer in the 1970s and 1980s, had been persuading Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi for many years to award the Bharat Ratna to her husband.

"They gave Jagjit-ji the Padma Bhushan in 2003. Eleven years have passed since. Every year we expected him to get the Bharat Ratna," she said.

In 2012, for a function in Delhi on Jagjit Singh's first death anniversary, Chitra had met Sonia Gandhi to invite her.

But she couldn't help with the Bharat Ratna.

"Sonia-ji was extremely gracious. I was told I wouldn't be given more than five to seven minutes. But she spent 40 minutes with me. I raised the subject of the Bharat Ratna for my husband. But it didn't go any further.

"I raised the issue with Manmohan Singh-ji who was very close to Jagjit-ji. He too was very gracious. He said he'd try his best. But nothing happened," she said.

Chitra feels Jagjit's fans should begin an online campaign for him to get a Bharat Ratna.

"When I meet his admirers and fans they all say say he should get the Bharat Ratna. But that's it. It never goes beyond that. If his fans really feel he should get the Bharat Ratna, then they need to hammer it into the new government."

She feels the new Bharatiya Janata Party government would do the needful.

"Narendra Modi-ji had said on Jagjitji's death that not only had we lost a great musician but Gujarat had lost a friend. My husband had a soft corner for Gujaratis. He had also met Modi-ji," she said.

Jagjit, known as much for his ghazals and bhajans as for his work in Hindi cinema, had died following a brain haemorrhage. He was 70.

Actress Kritika Kamra, the host of cyber crime-related TV show "MTV Webbed 2", became a victim of hacking. Her email and Facebook accounts were hacked recently, but she says her experience on the show helped her take notice of the issue quickly.

"My Gmail and Facebook accounts were recently hacked into. Someone sent me a Google document claiming it was a script. I clicked on it only to find a blank document. The next thing I knew - my accounts were hacked. But the tips I learned from 'MTV Webbed' really helped me identify this immediately," said Kritika.

She said that in one of the episodes of the show, she learnt that Gmail gives a user an option of logging into his or her account via multiple devices or restricting login to one device at a time.

"So if you choose the restricted setting, Gmail alerts you in case someone is trying to log into your account from another device. This is what alerted me and prevented the hacker from doing damage," she said.

This is not the first time that Kritika has faced this hacking.

"Such a thing happened to me in the past too and back then my images and other important documents were stolen. But this time I was prepared. Now thanks to what I learned on the show, I surf smart and hence I stayed safe," she added.

"MTV Webbed 2" is a show conceptualized to raise awareness about the safe usage of the internet. It was recently extended to 24 episodes from the initial run of 16 episodes due to its increasing popularity.

Veteran actress and social activist Shabana Azmi, who often raises her voice on gender issues, Saturday began work on a short film on domestic violence.

"First day of filming for #Nasheed Faruqis short film#OUTSIDE on domestic violence. Looking 4ward 2 b directed by a girl I've seen as a child," Shabana posted on her Twitter page.

The actress, along with her godchild Namrata Goyal, run NGO Mijwan Welfare Society (MWS). It aims to empower rural India with a focus on the girlchild and women. Apart from that, she has fearlessly condemned wrong doings against the female gender.

"Outside" is being produced in association with domestic violence charities in US, Britain and India.

The film's plotline as described on its official Facebook page reads: "A young girl witnesses an act of brutality she cannot understand. Meanwhile a mesmerising Hindi film song beguiles her away from harsh reality. But she has seen too much and is driven to repair what has been broken.

"Who will repair her? Will she be left a ghost, unseeing and uncanny, ruined and emptied by what she has witnessed?"

Faruqi is not just directing the short film, but has also penned its script and screenplay. It will also feature Christopher Simpson, Bhasker Patel and Yasmeen Siddiqui.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, a sports enthusiast, whose son and actor Abhishek Bachchan has invested in a franchise each in a football and kabaddi league, finds the world of sports changing for the better in the country.

"Abhishek comes into ISL, the Indian Super League for Football, buys into Chennai FC.. the world of sport changeth in India," the 71-year-old thespian posted on Twitter.

The junior Bachchan owns the Jaipur Pink Panthers - the Jaipur franchise of the Pro Kabaddi League. He was also unveiled as the team owner of the Chennai franchise of the Indian Super League (ISL) during the official launch of the glamorous football league earlier this week.

Big B, along with Abhishek's wife Aishwarya Rai and daughter Aaradhya also visited Jaipur to support the Pro Kabaddi League team recently.

On Friday, after the Pro Kabaddi League semi-final, Amitabh tweeted: "@JaipurPanthers in the Final .. we WON .. !! COME OONNNNNNNN !!!"

Amitabh has received a positive response to Abhishek's efforts to support these games in the country.

One Twitter user wrote to Big B: "He is doing GR8 efforts for sports in INDIA. You should keep encouraging him..."

The team of "Rock On!!" turned nostalgic as the hit Bollywood film clocked six years since its release.

The movie released Aug 29, 2008.

Its writer-director Abhishek Kapoor tweeted Friday: "HBD #rockon!! 6 yrs ago, u made a diff and changed lives.. @rampalarjun @FarOutAkhtar @Purab_Kohli and a shout out 2 all who made it happen."

The film, a rock musical, launched the acting careers of Prachi Desai and Farhan Akhtar. Farhan even produced the film, which also stars Arjun Rampal, Luke Kenny and Purab Kohli.

Farhan tweeted: "Happy 6th Movieversary to the entire team of Rock On!! ... Shine On beautiful people", while Arjun posted: "Happy Anniversary Rock On!!!"

The film, which had blockbuster music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, is about the fate of a Mumbai-based rock band Magik, members of which reunite after a decade-long split.

If you're shopping for your wedding trousseau, don't miss 'Wedding Collection: A journey of Pakistan from Pret to Couture', a range of innovative and detailed ensembles from across the border, available at PFDC - The Boulevard, a high-end store located here.

PFDC stands for Pakistan Fashion Design Council, which facilitates exchange of fashion between the two countries. Its store, in South Extension here, retails designer wear from Pakistan.

Its new collections bring together unique colour combinations and cuts in an attempt to give a refreshing change to Indian trousseau wear.

There are ensembles like shararas, ghararas, suits, anarkalis, lehengas and jackets with intricate antique embroidery, mukaish work, zardozi, garra and Kashmiri handwork.

“The USP of this collection is young silhouettes, unusual styling, yet classic with the customary handloom,” Sahibjit Singh Bindra, director, PFDC - The Boulevard, said in a statement.

With use of fine thread work, the designs have unusual fabrics, texturing and detailing, with dazzling embellishments in vibrant colours.

“Fluid silhouettes with emphasis on the structure of the hip-line and detailed crafted straight jacket and blouses, with a strong emphasis on silk velvets, gauzy, delicate fabric hand-woven jacquard creates a luxurious and opulent look,” he added.

The designs are available at the store at a starting price tag of Rs.5,000. They can go upto Rs.500,000.

Political and social activists Saturday filed police complaints against Bollywood filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his series of objectionable tweets on Lord Ganesh, officials said.

Sumit Khambekar, chief of the Mumbai unit of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, and social activist Shahzaad Poonawala filed separate complaints against Varma in police stations in the city.

Khambekar told media persons that Varma's tweets "hurt the sentiments of a large number of Hindus, especially devotees of Lord Ganesh".

Poonawala said Varma's tweets have "angered" not only Maharashtrians but also Muslims of the state.

The 11-day Ganeshotsav is being celebrated across Maharashtra with glittering decorations on roads and bylanes, rows of fairy lights, and patriotic and social themes.

Varma Friday posted certain tweets and jocular remarks on Lord Ganesh, which many people said were objectionable and in poor taste.

Police said they will investigate the case before taking further steps.

Social activists and organisations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, have condemned Varma's comments and demanded an apology from him as well as police action.

Actress turned director Divya Khosla Kumar has received the Rajiv Gandhi Award for excellence for her 2014 movie "Yaariyaan".

"It's a great honour and definitely my journey and growth as a creative person doesn't stop here. I am proud to be a woman and making my foray in a field absolutely dominated by men. Cheers to Indian women managing their families," Divya told IANS.

Divya could not be in Delhi Friday to receive the honour. Her parents received it on her behalf.

Veteran actor Dimple Kapadia, who will be soon seen on the big screen when the English-language film "Finding Fanny" hits the screens Sep 12, says she found the script of the film "brilliant" and her role "lovely".

There are not too many filmmakers in Hindi filmdom who attempt to make a film in English, but Dimple says, "It didn't matter to me whether it's an English film as long as I was working with Homi Adajania."

"The script was brilliant and the role was lovely, which I thoroughly enjoyed doing. So, it didn't really matter to me. And where it's going to reach is not my concern. My concern is with what I'm doing, and I'm happy doing that," Dimple, who had worked in the director's dark drama "Being Cyrus", told IANS in an interview.

And she's happier that the family is loving the promos of "Finding Fanny".

Dimple may be seen as an accomplished and strong actress, but the "Kaash" and "Rudaali" star, who displayed her versatility in films like "Zakhmi Sher", "Arjun", "Aitbaar" and "Drishti", is not yet creatively satisfied.

"I'm not satisfied in the sense I am not looking for any roles, but I do make peace with myself saying that 'I am not the best in the world'. But I have tried to give my best and I want to get better."

"That struggle will remain till the time I really feel that I have achieved it in my head. I keep falling short," the 57-year-old said.

But she is happy to get good scripts at this age.

"At the moment I am very happy and the kind of scripts I am getting and the feedback I am getting is making me feel happier and makes me feel that whatever I am doing is right. It just helps me to choose my roles better," she added.

"Over the years, a lot of things change. You start off when you are young and you are fearless. And then a lot of things keep happening and a little bit of fear sets in and you are not as brazen as you have been. Overall, (it's) okay," added the actress whose life has seen many ups and downs.

She became an overnight star with "Bobby", but turned her back on stardom to marry Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood's first superstar. But the acting bug kept bugging her and after a decade of absence, she returned with "Saagar". Meanwhile, her marriage hit rock bottom and she started living separately with her two daughters - Twinkle and Rinkie.

But as Dimple said with time things change, her relationship with her estranged husband took a turn for the better. In fact, she stayed by Rajesh Khanna's side when his health started deteriorating and was with him till he breathed his last in July 2012.

When asked if she would like to share some memories of her late husband, she took a long pause and then said with tears in her eyes: "No. Once I start, then there is so much to talk. I don't want to speak about him."

She utilises her free time travelling and hunting for antiques.

"I travel a lot, I go hunting for antiques. For me, antiques are a passion. I love to scout for them... I am a gypsy, basically."

On the professional front, unlike her contemporaries, Dimple chooses to do unusual films.

"It's a mental frame of mind. I was never a 'Mills and Boon' kind of a person. I was never a chiffon and satin person. I am always a cotton person. It's just the way I am."

"I get attracted to different things. I have a different take on everything. I like to do different things. I don't like the regular stuff."

Actress-turned-director Divya Khosla Kumar's directorial debut "Yaariyan" may have failed to impress the critics, but she is all set to wield the megaphone for the second film.

"It will go on floors by February 2015,” Divya, who made her first film, a youthful college drama, with fresh faces, told IANS.

“It's a very youthful cinema with sensitive element in it. My husband Bhushan Kumar will produce the film. This time you will see semi-established actors. I will soon make an announcement about it," she added.

Divya is yet to decide the title of the film, but in terms of locations, she has zeroed in on Shimla and Mumbai.

Her future plans also include a sequel to "Yaariyaan".

She said: "People have been asking me to direct a sequel to 'Yaariyan' and that is certainly in my mind, but not now. 'Yaariyaan' is a brand in itself. I will direct it sometime later."

After making his acting debut in Bollywood with upcoming film "Hotel Beautifool", casting director Imam Siddique says his next wish is direct a film with Amitabh Bachchan.

He has already decided the title for the film.

"Direction is my lifetime ambition. I will direct a film, which will be titled 'Bhagwan (god) Of Bollywood'. I would want Amitabh Bachchan to be part of it because this film is meant for him," Imam told IANS.

Meanwhile, Imam, known for his notoriety on the "Bigg Boss", a reality show, is busy with his "Hotel Beautifool". He will be in Goa for the second schedule of the film.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is down with fever and says that he had to cancel the shooting due to health reasons.

Currently, the eighth season of “Kaun Banega Crorepati" and Shoojit Sircar’s “Piku” are keeping the 71-year-old busy.

“DAMN!! Just discovered... Down with fever!! (sic),” he tweeted Saturday night.

“Still down! Shoot cancelled! Not happy about that! But shall persevere and be up for it by the morrow ... Resting,” he posted on Twitter Sunday.

He also thanked his fans for sending good wishes for his recovery.

The ongoing Pro-Kabaddi, a professional kabaddi league, has made actress-producer Dia Mirza nostalgic.

“My mom would always know when I walked into the house after school that I had played #kabaddi! Mud in the hair, scraped knee a give away,” she tweeted Sunday.

The “Bobby Jasoos” producer also praised Pro-Kabaddi for making the sport popular again.

“It is awesome what @ProKabaddi has done to make this ancient Indian sport popular again. Kudos @juniorbachchan and @RonnieScrewvala #WIN,” she tweeted.

While Abhishek Bachchan owns the Jaipur Pink Panthers - the Jaipur franchise of the Pro-Kabaddi League, Ronnie Screwvala is the owner of U Mumba team.

Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh, who is making his Tamil debut with upcoming action film “Kaththi”, is away from home and missing out the ongoing Ganesh festival.

“Shooting in Chennai. Last few days of KATHTHI left. Missing home!!! The celebrations are on full swing,” he tweeted Sunday.

The “Johnny Gaddaar” star will be seen as an antagonist in the film that also stars Vijay and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

A police case was registered here Sunday against filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma for his objectionable tweets on Lord Ganesh.

On a complaint by lawyer Karuna Sagar, a case was filed against Varma at the Saroornagar police station in Cyberabad.

"We have registered a case against Varma. We will seek legal opinion before proceeding further in the case," Saroornagar police inspector B. Naveen Reddy told IANS.

The filmmaker was booked under four sections of the Indian Penal Code - sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), and 298 (hurting religious feelings).

The complainant alleged that Varma hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by insulting Lord Ganesh through his series of tweets.

Several police complaints were also filed against Varma in Mumbai for his objectionable remarks on Lord Ganesh, though he apologised for thesen later.

On Aug 28, a day before the 11-day Ganeshotsav began in Mumbai, Hyderabad and other places, the filmmaker posted a series of tweets about Lord Ganesh.

The next day, he gave a clarification, saying they were made in a usual manner.

"All tweets I put on Ganesha were in my usual manner but unintended by me to hurt anyone's sentiments... but if they did I sincerely apologise," he tweeted Saturday.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan visited Lalbaug along with his son Abhishek Bachchan and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai to participate in the ongoing Ganesh festival.

The 71-year-old went with his family Saturday and shared photos on his official blog srbachchan.tumblr.com soon after their visit.

“The divine presence of Ganesh at Lal Bagh ... Lalbagh cha Raja...! The largest Ganesh during the entire festival of Ganapati... been going there since 1974,” read Big B's post on Sunday.

On the work front, he is currently hosting the eighth season of “Kaun Banega Crorepati" and is also busy with “Piku”, directed by Shoojit Sircar.

Actress Priyanka Chopra is excited about her younger brother Siddharth’s new venture in the hospitality industry and is trying her best to support it.

He is coming up with The Mugshot Lounge in Pune.

“My baby brother Siddharth's new place in Pune! Can't wait to kick start it. Polishing my bartending skills. Chk it out (sic),” the 32-year-old tweeted Saturday.

She also shared a link of The Mugshot Lounge. It leads to an invitation that gives a chance to her fans to meet and greet her on Sep 7 at the lounge.

The same week is also important for Priyanka as her much-awaited film "Mary Kom", on five-time World Champion boxer M.C. Mary Kom, will hit the screens Sep 5.

Recently she was touring Lucknow to promote “Mary Kom”, which will have its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), starting Sep 3.

Bollywood actor-producer Abhishek Bachchan, whose Pro Kabaddi League franchise Jaipur Pink Panthers won the final match against U Mumba, says the victory feels like a dream.

"Last night feels like a dream. Can’t believe that we won the Pro Kabaddi League. All the hard work of the boys, coach and staff came through," Abhishek posted on Twitter Monday.

"Thank u all for the unbelievable support!Any sport is made by the fans and Kabaddi has awesome fans! Thank u for supporting @JaipurPanthers," he added.

His team won against Ronnie Screwvala-owned franchise U Mumba, 35-24 in an enthralling final of the eight-city franchise-based Pro Kabaddi League here Sunday.

Abhishek seems to be taking a keen interest in the country's sports scenario. He was also recently unveiled as the team owner of the Chennai franchise of the Indian Super League (ISL) during the official launch of the glamorous football league.

On day one of a new month Monday, actress Alia Bhatt began the shooting for her new film "Shaandaar" with Shahid Kapoor.

"Today is day 1 of #Shaandaar!!! Wish me luckkkkkk :D start of a new beautiful journey!!! Wohooooo @shahidkapoor @FuhSePhantom @karanjohar," the 21-year-old actress tweeted Monday.

The film is being directed by Vikas Bahl of "Queen" fame, and it's a co-production between Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions and Phantom Films.

Alia was recently in news for taking a potshot at herself via an entertaining online video titled "Alia Bhatt - Genius of the Year".

Actress-politician Hema Malini says her multiple responsibilties as a performer, homemaker and her commitment to her constituency Mathura barely leave any time for herself.

The 65-year-old took to Twitter Monday morning to share how packed her everyday schedule is due the "different facets" of her life.

"Good morning! Busy for past 2 days with so many things to attend to! Everythg piles up when one is away & I have to sort & prioritise things. There are different facets to my life & all are equally impt. I continue to be an artiste, I have my duties as MP, I have my house to run," Hema tweeted.

In between, she also has to take care of her health and fitness.

"I find I hardly have time for myself! My early morns are for exercise, yoga & pooja - the rest of the day is divided between various activities," she added.