Pakistani actress Veena Malik has expressed "shock" at a Pakistan court sentencing her and her husband, among others, to 26 years in jail on blasphemy charges. However, she says her faith in the country's judicial system is intact and she plans to take the fight for justice forward.

An anti-terrorism court in Gilgit-Baltistan Tuesday sentenced Veena, her husband Asad Bashir Khan Khattak, Geo TV owner Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and TV host Shaista Lodhi over a controversial morning show, which was aired May 14.

In the episode, Veena was seen dancing with her husband while a group of Sufi musicians sang a devotional song about the wedding of the Prophet's daughter.

The court also sentenced the convicts to pay fines of 1.3 million Pakistani rupees (about $12,500) each.

Veena sent out a statement Wednesday, saying: "It's a shock to me but I have complete faith in Pakistan's higher courts and judiciary... This court works separately from the other courts in Pakistan. There are higher courts in Pakistan such as the Supreme Court."

"Whenever there is an issue, a court will look into the facts of the case. We were not even present in the court at the time of the verdict. I have belief and trust in courts."

The actress has always courted controversies like a magnet -- be it for her closeness with Indian actor Ashmit Patel during her stint on reality TV show "Bigg Boss 4" or her shelved 'swayamvar', or her bold photoshoots. This time it is for hurting religious sentiments.

Her lawyer has already started the work on an appeal against the verdict in higher courts. Veena, who is in Dubai, asserts that she is innocent.

"We are planning to return to Pakistan in December. I have always been a person who faced troubles by looking it in the eye. I have faced highs and lows in my life. But I am sure I haven't done anything wrong," she added.

Organisers of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Wednesday paid homage to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack by lighting candles in the shape of '26/11' at the festival venue.

"This is in honour of those people who lost their lives in the terror attack in Mumbai," Damodar Naik, chairman of the Entertainment Society of Goa, a government agency which co-organises the IFFI, told reporters.

Ten heavily armed Pakistani terrorists sneaked into Mumbai from Karachi through the Arabian Sea route on a small boat and fanned out to targeted locations Nov 26, 2008. They held at ransom important sites for around 60 hours and indiscriminately opened fire, killing 166 people and injuring more than 300.

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, who has chronicled his journey in "And Then One Day - A Memoir", says the book is a mirror reflection of his life and that he has no plans to come out with a second part of the publication.

"My book talks about my entire journey from getting into theatre to struggles, hardships, love, family, and friends. I think I would not be writing a second part of the book as this includes everything of my life," the 64-year-actor, who has been part of filmdom for almost four decades, said at the launch Wednesday.

The book was launched by director Shyam Benegal in the presence of the seasoned actor. The event was held by Literature Live! Evenings and Penguin India in association with National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA ) at its Experimental Theatre.

Columnist Anil Dharker was also present at the launch.

Naseeruddin has carved a name for himself in theatre, acting and direction.

A National School of Drama alumnus, he has been lauded for his powerful performances in acclaimed films like "Nishant", "Aakrosh", "Sparsh", "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro" and "Masoom".

He has featured in his share of commercial cinema with projects like "Hero Hiralal", "Tridev", "Vishwatma" and "Sarfarosh". In the recent past, he has been part of entertainers like "The Dirty Picture", "Ishqiya" and "Finding Fanny".

Naseeruddin's memoir not only accounts his life, but presents his story in tongue-in-cheek manner.

"I made my dear ones read the book and my wife (actress Ratna Pathak) found it really hilarious and entertaining," the actor said.

The book narrates the story of his struggle to earn a living through acting, his experiments with the craft, his love affairs, his early marriage, his successes and failures in a candid manner.

“My Husband Made Me a Prostitute”, a short film that spreads the message of “Don’t Drink and Drive” through a fictional tale, has been viewed over 700,000 times online.

Published on online video-sharing website YouTube Monday, the over three-minute video has been viewed 796,280 times -- and still counting.

Directed by Pankaj Thakur, the film shows what is the worst thing that can happen to a man who drinks and drive. It is a fictional account about his family -- how his wife battles the world to survive and to pay the bills.

The movie opens with the protagonist getting ready for a party, sitting in front of a mirror and voicing her thoughts out loud to herself. She explains how her husband compelled her to become a prostitute without even saying a word.

Her family has also accepted her choice of profession, a choice she opted for, to keep her husband alive after his near-fatal accident left him in coma.

The movie closes with her wishing her husband had decided to take a taxi rather than driving himself and shattering his spinal cord. It gives out a final message in the end: "It’s your family who’ll pay the price. Don’t drink and drive."

Thakur said in a statement: “The video stresses out one clear message -- Realise how you, as an individual affect the life of your family to the extent of them becoming handicapped by just one wrong decision made by you.”

Actor Ali Fazal says he had to turn down a role in Pritish Nandy's son Kushan Nandy’s upcoming directorial due to date issues and a look change required for the comedy thriller.

Ali, who was then shooting for "Khamoshiyaan", had given away his dates for the promotions of the film, which releases in January next year.

That being one reason, the other was that Ali's character being an edgy one, was meant to shave off his head at one point in the script.

Ali had to maintain his current look for other movies which he had already committed to.

“I was really excited to do the film. But dates and my need to change my looks were holding us up. And they weren't okay with changing the dates. And eventually we had to take the call which was right for the project and me,” Ali said in a statement.

The “Bobby Jasoos” actor will be seen in Pooja Bhatt's next production.

Remember Sridevi in a tight leather suit, carrying a hunter in her hand in "Himmatwala"? Or the fearless actress and stunt woman Nadia in "Hunterwali"? An exhibition of film memorabilia in the capital is celebrating the immortal era of these screen seductresses, vamps and anti-heroines.

Around 30 posters of several Bollywood films that go back to 1945 are mounted in an exhibition, "The Other Woman", at Khoj Studios that was launched Thursday. The posters are from the personal collection of Priya Paul, chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, who is an ardent art collector and design aficionado.

"I used to collect oleographs from calenders and advertising material. When I saw these posters I realised how fragile they were and my first instinct was to salvage them," Paul told IANS.

"While expanding my collection, I looked for images with strong graphic quality that juxtaposed tradition with modernity," she added.

Paul has been collecting these posters for over two decades from various dealers spread across the length and breath of India. Calling it "antique hunting" she admitted it never crossed her mind that she would collect more than 300 posters in the process.

One look at the exhibition would take lovers of pulp fiction down memory lane, with posters from some forgettable films like "Masterji", "Geeta Mera Naam" and "Daku Rani Himmatwali" making the cut.

But what links these films with other popular movies like "Yudh" and "Laila Majnu" are women who have played the roles of vamp and seductresses in the movies, taken to guns and hunters and subdued their sexuality or overplayed it.

Along with the exhibition, a few horror films from Pakistan will also be screened.

The exhibition ends Dec 8.

Warren Anderson had shut his life out and chose to remain inhuman, says the very accomplished Hollywood actor Martin Sheen, who essays the Union Carbide chief in "Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain", a movie which relives the Bhopal gas disaster, 30 years after its occurence.

In an interview, Sheen has spoken about his life, cinema, career and new role as Anderson in Ravi Kumar's "Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain", which releases Dec 5.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. You’ve portrayed Warren Anderson in "Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain" as an out-and-out villain?

A. We didn’t want to do a hatchet job on him, if you’ll pardon the expression. We didn’t want to make him an easy target. Anderson was still very much alive when we did the film. We tried to contact him and his family to show him our script. But he never made a single move towards us.

Q. It was almost as though he had shut that entire episode out?

A. Well, in that case, he had shut his life out. He had an opportunity to become human. He chose to remain inhuman.

Q. You have spent a major part of your life trying to be a responsible human and artiste. Amazingly enough, you’ve never won an Oscar?

A. (laughs heartily). I am not amazed.

Q. Why? Aren’t you aware of your talent?

A. It’s a gift from god. So it’s nothing I can brag about. I’m very happy that I’ve been able to make a living doing what I love most in the world. I’ve been able to do things that I never thought possible. I’ve travelled to many enchanting places, including India. I’ve led an amazing life and I give thanks every day that I’ve had such a life. I don’t think I can be any happier even if I received an Oscar.

Q. So you don’t covet an Oscar in spite of your brilliant body of work?

A. It wouldn’t make me sad if I received it. But I don’t look forward to it. In life, sometimes, you just do what you have to do without thinking of the rewards and affect on the audience. You do it (the acting) for yourself. I do what I do because I cannot not do it and be myself.

Q. You’ve worked with some of the best directors including Francis Coppola, Richard Attenborough, Oliver Stone, Terence Mallick, Mike Nichols and Martin Scorsese. Whom did you enjoy working with the most?

A. All my directors have a place in my heart. Terence is an old and dear friend. I also enjoyed working with Mike Nichols and Francis Coppola. But if you’re asking me which of these directors I’d like to work with again, I’d say Martin Scorsese without hesitation.

Q. Why is that?

A. I’ve never worked with a director who loved his actors more. I adore him. And I’m a huge fan of his work. When I did 'The Departed' with him, it was a great experience.

After filming her award-winning documentary in New Zealand, Green Oscar recipient Ashwika Kapur is currently working on a pan-India show related to wildlife.

The 26-year-old science and natural history filmmaker from West Bengal is the youngest Indian recipient of the international honour.

"I am working with an international television network on a pan-India show. There will be a lot of opportunity to travel around the country and know the wildlife. I am thus absolutely involved in doing what I should be doing, India-based stuff," Kapur told IANS at the Oxford Bookstore here recently.

Kapur shot to the limelight after bagging the award for her 15-minute film on a Kakapo parrot named Sirocco earlier this year.

Kakapos are critically endangered bird species native to New Zealand.

The film "Sirocco - How a Dud became a Stud" narrates the "rags-to-riches" story of Sirocco, the parrot, so popular that the New Zealand government made it the country's official spokesbird for conservation.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher says he was blown away by the trailer of Neeraj Pandey's "Baby", which also stars Akshay Kumar.

"Just watched the Theatrical Trailer of Neeraj Pandey's BABY. I wish I had a better word than MIND-BLOWING.:) #awesome. Titoo is going to be proud of what @akshaykumar & Neeraj Pandey have achieved together in BABY. Proud 2 b part of this extraordinary film," Anupam tweeted.

The film also features Rana Daggubati and Danny Denzongpa and is scheduled to release early next year. Its trailer is due to release Dec 3.

Earlier this month, Akshay Kumar took to Twitter to unveil a glimpse of the movie, and it hints that "Baby" will be packed with some great action moves by the 'Khiladi' star.

Actor Arjun Kapoor is devoted to promoting his forthcoming film "Tevar" though he is not in the pink of health.

"In sickness or in health...I vow to fulfill my promotions for @TevarMovie music channel interviews today even though I am under the weather," Arjun tweeted Thursday.

"Tevar", directed by Amit Sharma, also stars Sonakshi Sinha and Manoj Bajpayee in key roles. It's a remake of 2003 Telugu film "Okkadu".

Fit and fabulous Bipasha Basu works out a lot and keeps a check on her diet to remain her slim self, but she says she finds it tough to say no to sweet delights, thanks to her Bengali roots.

"Being a Bengali and saying no to sugar is toughhhhhh...But the battle begins...Let's see how long I can control my sweet tooth! Phewww," she tweeted.

On the big screen, Bipasha was last seen in "Creature 3D".

Film: "Zed Plus"; Director: Chandraprakash Dwivedi; Cast: Adil Hussain and Mona Singh; Rating: ****

This Prime Minister cannot speak Hindi. No, he is not female and of Italian origin. Played by the very authentic Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Mr. Prime Minister in Chandraprakash Dwiwedi's heartwarming political satire, is a bearded, canny, suave and wily patriarch.

Like many films with political resonances, "Zed Plus" conceals to reveal. While we can immediately identify the politicians and their party-based manoeuvres, the script, nimbly knitted into a powerful parable by Dwiwedi and Ram Kumar Singh, pulls back just in time. So, no accusing fingers can be pointed at the characters for being too close to the cabinet.

Dwivedi's movie is a delightfully homespun take on the politics of communalism. The location is a dusty, closely-knit Muslim town in Rajasthan called Fatehpur, which gets an unlikely VVIP visitor in the English-speaking South Indian PMA, who wishes to visit a 'dargah'.

There is this wonderfully written sequence inside the 'dargah', where the custodian of the sacred place explains to the PM through his right-hand man (K.K. Raina, as capable as ever) what he, the PM, must do to please the god. Here, Adil Hussain plays against Kharbanda with a remarkable restraint.

Episodes such as these work because Dwivedi has cast male actors who blend into the film's freewheeling yet pertinent fabric without much ado.

I wish I could say the same about the female actors. There are some very important women in the plot who appear unconvincing because of the discursive tone in which they speak their lines and the make-up that they wear, and which has no business here. Feelings, in their case, are not about the spirit, but the faces.

Also lacking is a tight editing pattern.

Very often the effort to make pungent political statements outruns the need to tell a tightly-edited story. But then Adil doing a complete turn-around from his wry urbane part in "English Vinglish", tends to fill the fissures in the fearless frequently loose-limbed narration.

As the 'puncture-wallah' who suddenly finds himself at the vortex of a fierce political 'tamasha', Adil gets his character's personality and thoughts from the script to screen, losing none of the fervour and flavour of the character's reluctant heroism in the transition.

Adil's Aslam is a bit of a horny, dishonest rogue. The sense of mischief in the character never forsakes the plot. But the plot doesn't make excuses for his shenanigans. Before the film is over, Aslam must redeem his conscience. And by god, the character does a fine job of finding his bearings in a world where morality is a bankable commodity.

Even when at times the storytelling becomes less than engaging, Adil's Aslam remains watchable. Mukesh Tiwari as Adil's belligerent neighbour also contributes a pitch-perfect performance. Together, the two actors provide a delectable illustration of the Indo-Pak equation: warring and snapping at one another. But at the end of the day, bhai-bhai.

In the rarest of rare cases does a political satire make us laugh and weep so unconditionally. "Zed Plus" is that precious work of art where every actor and technician gets into the correct mood without caring about who's watching.

Tongue wedged firmly in cheek, Chandraprakash Dwivedi delivers a trenchant and ticklish comment on present-day politics where individuals get sucked into exploitative politics more by will than force.

The film's locational luminosity is unimpeachable. It is ensconced in the cinematography and art work. H.M. Ramachandran looks through the camera lens and sees not the dusty gallis of a Rajasthani hamlet, but the spirit of ownership that makes the characters occupy the ramshackle space with pride and dignity.

Muneesh Sappal's production design is not so much about design as intuition. These are visuals that come closest to describing the lives of Dwivedi's characters.

You may not agree with the cheeky politics of "Zed Plus". But you can't deny its integrity, warmth and humour.

The Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal spewed poisonous gas on the night of Dec 2-3, 1984, killing about 3,000 people instantly and thousands more over the years. Presenting one of the world's worst industrial disasters on the big screen, especially when the incident is approaching its 30th anniversary, was not easy for director Ravi Kumar through his film "Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain".

The film hit screens in the US Nov 7 and is set to release in India Dec 5.

"In my opinion, the timing of the film's release is irrelevant to the Bhopalis who rightly describe their suffering as the second tragedy, which may be worse than the disaster itself," Ravi Kumar told IANS in an interview.

Thousands were injured and maimed, many suffering lung cancer, kidney failure, liver disease and eye disorders after coming into contact with methyl isocyanate (MIC). Warren Anderson, the former CEO of Union Carbide Corp (UCC), the chemical plant in Bhopal that let out the massive toxic gas leak, died Sep 29 in Florida.

Legendary actor Martin Sheen plays Anderson in the film, which was lauded at a special screening in Manhattan Sep 18.

Jointly produced by Sahara Movie Studios and Rising Star Entertainment, the social thriller had a special screening at the youth assembly in the United Nations. The director feels that youth hold a huge responsibility to bring a change in society, and that is what he is aiming at.

"When we screened the earlier version of the film, few young people thought it was a great story. We had to add new footage and statistics to establish that this is a real story," said Kumar.

Ravi Kumar, who had previously directed 2006 release "Guilty Hearts", hopes other filmmakers also make movies on "true stories like Bhopal", but feels that "the film industry is famously risk averse and usually prefers a beaten track of commercial movies."

Making a film that takes its inspiration from real life was not easy for Ravi Kumar.

"I read an excellent book by Sanjoy Hazarika, in which few pages were like a thriller... We wrote it like a thriller and later added emotional and moral dilemmas to add depth to the story (of the film)," he said.

He "undertook in-depth research" by analysing Carbide documents, court proceedings, survivors' testimony and forensic evidence from medical records.

"We knew we had a moral obligation to represent the truth," added the director, whose film reportedly came under attack from several NGOs.

But he is unperturbed as he admits he was aware of the complications and controversies that come with such issue-based films.

"We're aware that we are microscoped by everyone-the survivor groups, the NGOs who support action against multinationals and above all the discerning audience. This is the reason we spent years researching, refining and amending the script and the film," said Kumar, adding that it "would have been much easier to make a commercial film".

He is now in talks with international distributors to release it in other countries.

Kumar wanted to shoot the film at real locations in Bhopal, but "there's little infrastructure for a big film like '...A Prayer For Rain'."

"We chose Hyderabad as it could be described as Bhopal's twin city with its Mughal influence and architecture. Of course, we shot streets and cafes and the Carbide plant in Bhopal for authenticity," he said.

Apart from Sheen, Hollywood actress Mischa Barton, Indian American actor Kal Penn and Indian artists Raajpal Yadav and Tannishtha Chatterjee feature in the cast.

Ravi Kumar says that all the actors were convinced with the "strong script of the film" and he knew who all he wanted in his film since inception.

"For the US actors, the strong script was the main attraction-as they told us later on-and convincing them to come to India became somewhat easier for the producers.

"Sheen was always our first choice due to his advocacy of social justice and environment causes, apart from being a legend. Penn's acting abilities fits perfectly he plays this ridiculous characters with absolute sincerity and is one of the few characters with an arc."

"Barton brings youth and naivete to the role when confronted by a smooth Anderson," he said."

"Raajpal was the most difficult, and my only choice. His talent, warmth and innocence bind the whole story together," said the director, who is also working on a comedy based in the US that according to him consists of a story "where everyone lives happily ever after and no one dies."

Actress Mona Singh, who features in the recently released "Zed Plus", says it's satisfying for an actor to be part of a movie like the political satire as it requires one to portray a range of emotions.

"It is very satisfying for an actor to be a part of a film like 'Zed Plus' because there is a wide range of emotions involved and the audience will get to see it when they watch the film," Mona told IANS.

A socio-political satire, "Zed Plus" takes a humorous take on existing polity and dance of democracy, and where the protagonist is the common man. Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, "Zed Plus" also features Adil Hussain, Mukesh Tiwari and Sanjay Mishra. The film released Friday.

Mona, who has played memorable roles on the small screen in shows like "Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi" and "Kya Huaa Tera Vaada", was last seen on the big screen in films like "3 Idiots" and "Utt Pataang".

She does films few and far between as she feels there's a scarcity of good scripts in the Hindi film industry.

"Most of the movies that we are seeing are all romantic films. I'm not against romantic films, but there should be some intelligent cinema as well," she said.

"There are very few films that I can count, saying I want to watch them again. I can watch 'Queen' several times, and then 'Aankhon Dekhi' is a brilliant film. I just love these films. It's different cinema."

"It takes time to get good scripts and there is scarcity of good scripts in our industry," Mona added.

Ace Indian fashion designer Rajesh Pratap Singh's collection will be showcased at an exhibition at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The Fabric of India, the exhibition at the museum, aims to explore the captivating world of handmade textiles from India. It will be held from Sep 26, 2015, to Jan 10, 2016.

Singh's iconic gamchcha jacket and ajrakh jacket will be displayed at the exhibition. His pieces are also a part of the museum's permanent textile archive.

Ajrakh jacket is a quintessential blend of handmmaking skills with technology. The designer has recreated the traditional ajrakh print by integrating floral repeats as depictions of human skull imagery.

The gamchcha jacket, on the other hand, is a depiction of intricately woven handloom silk linen bringing together finesse in technique, design and craftsmanship. It also symbolises Indian heritage.

Singh is known for unifying local traditions with global aesthetics and this exhibition aims to manifest the key relationship between the rural artisan and the urban designer.

Actor Adil Hussain says he was surprised when he was approached for a satire like "Zed Plus" as he felt that people only saw him fit for intense and serious roles on the big screen. It was a role he had waited for long.

About "Zed Plus", Adil said: "Someone had thought that I could be capable to do a light-hearted film, which is unlike serious drama! That was surprising. Very few people know that I have been trained as a clown and stand-up comedian. I wanted to do a light hearted film for a long time."

Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, "Zed Plus" is a socio-political satire, which takes on the politics of communalism.

Adil says: "For me, this film is like breaking the stereotype. In Bollywood, the trend is that if you do one kind of role, you are offered the same kind of roles. I was surprised by this offer, and then Dr. Chandraprakash narrated the story to me. I was blown away."

The actor shares screen space with Mona Singh.

Praising the work of the actress, famed for TV show "Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin", he said: "Mona is a free spirit with a lot of sense of responsibility... she is full of life and has a sense of appreciation for good things. She has the courage to go forward with what she likes to do. As an actor, she did a fabulous job in the film. She was such a pleasure to work with."

The film, which released Friday, also features Mukesh Tiwari and Sanjay Mishra.

Director Param Gill, whose “Last Supper” won several awards, is geared up to make a big budget epic period film.

Gill starts filming his next Bollywood film in January which, according to sources, is a Rs.100 crore epic period film that already has a big star cast attached to it.

Gill remained tight lipped about the project and the star cast, but he has confirmed that the film is scheduled to start in January and has some of the top international and Indian technicians working for the film.

His latest film “Last Supper” swept the Los Angeles Film Festival with five awards including Best Film and Best Director, Best Actor for Eddie Griffin and Best Actress for Najarra Townsend. The film also won the Platinum Award at Oregon Film Festival and Award of Merit at the Indie Fest Awards, San Diego.

Earlier Gill's first Bollywood film “Death of Amar” won the Audience Choice award at the 22nd San Francisco Global Movie Fest and is ready for release early next year. The film, produced by Remo D'Souza Entertainment also stars Rajeev Khandelwal and Zarine Khan.

He has also signed another project with Narender Bajaj of Sidhi Vinayak Films.

Member of the English alternative rock band Dinosaur Pile-Up is ready for the “culture shock” on their maiden visit to India for the NH7 Weekender, says the lead singer and guitarist Matt Bigland.

Formed in 2007, the band comprises of Bigland along with drummer Mike Sheils and bassist Jim Cratchley.

“It will be quite a culture shock in terms of differences from the UK , but that's the sort of thing we love. We've all heard that it's a beautiful country and very spiritual,” Bigland told IANS in an interview when asked about their visit to India.

Dinosaur Pile-Up performed at the NH7 Weekender in Pune Nov 23 and are set to perform here Sunday. They also featured a performance in Bangalore Thursday.

“We're looking forward to playing our songs to a completely new audience and getting a vibe of what crowds are like over here. We have literally no idea what to expect so that's really exciting for us. We love playing in festivals and being able to do one in India is really surreal,” he added.

The singer has also asked the Indian crowd to take it easy on his alternative rock band.

“This is the first time (in India) for all of us so be gentle,” said the frontman.

The band is also interested in the cultural heritage of India and plans to take time out for a visit to Taj Mahal.

“We're gonna try and squeeze in as much as possible, seeing the cities we're playing in obviously then we're planning to go to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise on one of our days off. (We will )just try and soak up as much of the culture as possible,” said Bigland.

The band was inspired by 90's bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer and Nirvana. They released their first official album “The Most Powerful E.P In The Universe” in 2009 followed by “Growing Pains” in 2010. Their latest release, “Nature Nurture” came out in 2013.

Bigland also admits that although they sometimes feel the need of another member in the three-person band, they always opt against it.

“We've toyed with the idea before because I write a lot of lead guitar parts which could sometimes do with a rhythm but then we always sack it off because three pieces are just radder. Plus letting someone else into our weird world would probably end badly,” he said.

The band is currently working on a new record for the coming year and doing “a lot” of touring.

Southern composer G.V Prakash Kumar, who has worked with Anurag Kashyap in both parts of "Gangs of Wasseypur", has made his Hindi singing debut with the filmmaker's upcoming psychological thriller "Ugly".

Prakash, nephew of A.R Rahman, has also composed the music for the film.

"It was wonderful working with Anurag in 'Ugly'. I've sung my first Hindi song called 'Suraj hain kahan' in the album. I've mixed trance into dubstep for this track," Prakash Kumar told IANS.

In Tamil, the composer has started work on his 50th album, which will be his second collaboration with actor Vijay after "Thalaivaa".

He also has over half a dozen Tamil projects in his kitty.

Pakistani actor Mikaal Zulfiqar, who has become a household name in India with his TV show “Aaina Dulhan Ka’, says he prefers to watch reality television over drama.

And in India, TV show “Bigg Boss” is an epitome of reality television, famous for it's acrimonious fights, bickering and controversies. But the actor says it's not his cup of tea.

"I like to watch reality television rather than drama. I was offered 'Bigg Boss' before. But I don't think it's my thing. I think I am too nice for the show," the actor told IANS over phone from Lahore.

"I think they will kick me out in the first episode only as I will not generate any controversy. I think I will be pretty boring," the actor added.

The actor's show, which is aired on Zindagi channel, has been appreciated by Indians. Ask him if he is an avid viewer of Indian serials and the actor admits that he has not followed any Indian serial religiously.

"To be honest I have not followed any Indian serials. They are famous in Pakistan but I only know some name through flickering of channels like 'Kumkum'," Mikaal said.