Aishwarya's wax model displayed at New York museum

Bollywood superstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai yesterday became the first Indian celebrity to have her wax model displayed at Madame Tussaunds Museum in historic Time Square here.

Within minutes of unveiling of her life-like model dressed in intricately patterned red Sari, her fans in New York began flocking the museum to admire the waxwork.

The unveiling of the model, borrowed by the New York Madame Tussaunds from its parent museum in London, coincided with the India's 60th Independence Day celebration and will be on display for six weeks before being sent back.

But several of her fans, who had gathered at the museum, said the six weeks were too short a period for all fans from New York City and neighbouring states to see their favourite star in wax.

A group of dancers, dressed in 'lahengas' and matching blouses, gave a scintillating performance during the 15 minute unveiling ceremony. The dances portrayed several of her popular songs.

In the museum, Rai is in the company of several other celebrities including Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

Besides Rai, the only Indian film personalities immortalised at Madame Tussauds in London are her father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, super star Shah Rukh Khan and Tamil superstar Rajnikanth. Other Indian attractions at the museum are Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

But Rai became the first Indian celebrity to be displayed in New York. Rai's waxwork was unveiled in London in 2004, timed with the release of her first international film, "Bride and Prejudice", directed by London-based Gurinder Chadha. She was present during the unveiling in London.

Director of Marketing of the New York Museum Rosemary Preta said the coming of Rai's waxwork to New York fulfills the long standing demand of her fans.

Set up by Frenchwoman Marie Tussauds in London in 1835, the world famous museum now has branches in Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Shanghai, besides New York, with Washington DC to be added to the list in October 2007

Aishwarya Rai honoured : wax figure at the museum’s New York franchise.

India is the flavour of the season at London and Madame Tussauds is doing its bit too. It will install Aishwarya Bachchan's wax figure at the museum's New York franchise.

In London , the museum has already started its India celebrations, which will be on till the end of September . "It is called the India Hours. It is our way of celebrating 60 years of Indian independence," says Ben Lovett, spokesperson, Madame Tussauds.

The museum has already started a hunt to decide who will be the next Bollywood star to grace its premises. "From August 13 to 30, we will be having a poll to choose the next Bollywood figure to become a part of Madame Tussauds ," says Lovett.

Those who have made it to a shortlist include Hrithik Roshan, Kajol, Karan Johar, John Abraham, Lata Mangeshkar, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit.

The other Indian film actors immortalised at the museum are Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Rajnikanth

Aishwarya Rai to join all-star cast for Pink Panther 2

Heavyweight actors Alfred Molina, Andy Garcia, Aishwarya Rai and John Cleese have been inked for working title "The Pink Panther 2" to shoot in Boston.

Cleese and company will appear with Steve Martin in the sequel to the first Pink Panther, for a 2009 release date.

Not everyone is pleased that the venerable actors are stooping to the pedestrian material.

Russ Fischer of CHUD.com writes: "Sullying their good name along with Cleese will be Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina and Aishwarya Rai, with second appearances by Jean 'Soulless' Reno and Emily Mortimer. For Bollywood veteran Rai, I guess this could conceivably seem like a good move."

Variety reports "The Pink Panther 2" will be directed by Harald Zwart from a screenplay by Scott Neustadter, Mike Weber, Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel and Steve Martin.

Aishwarya's role as a detective assisting the bumbling French police detective Jacques Clouseau, played by Steve Martin, in MGM's The Pink Panther 2 was earlier rejected by Celina Jaitley.

"Celina didn't want to sign the film because she hardly had any role in it," as source close to the actress tells TOI.

Celina herself refuses to comment.

So far Aishwarya has played lead roles in all her appearance outside Bollywood - Bride & Prejudice (2004), The Mistress of Spices (2005) and Provoked: A True Story (2006).

However, it is possible that she agreed to do a minor role in The Pink Panther 2 because the film features A-list actors and is targeted at a world wide, rather than a select, audience.

Her motivation to do a minor role in The Last Legion, which features Hollywood stars Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley, may have been similar.

It is also possible, if not likely, that Aishwarya’s role in the film has been enhanced to go with her standing and stature in the industry.

Celina, meanwhile, has just wrapped up filming for Love Has No Language, her first foray out of Bollywood, at locations in New Zealand.

In the film directed by Ken Khan, Celina, who is paired opposite Australian actor Ben Mitchell, plays the role of an Indian girl, Marina Roy, who has lived her entire life in New Zealand with her conservative parents.

The story revolves around the difference in ideologies between Marina and her parents.

Having played a lead role in a major international venture there is no looking back for Celina who is currently eyeing other Hollywood offers.

54th Filmfare Awards Pictures, Gallery

The prestigious annual Filmfare Awards function was held on a grand scale this year as well. The function is being held to felicitate the 'Best' of the artistes and technicians in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam language films and to present them these Awards by the leading film magazine of southern India 'Filmfare'. That means, the south Indian film stars and technicians would be presented these awards. The Filmfare Awards function was held at International Convention Centre in Hyderabad this year at 6.30 pm on August 5.

Those who attended the function include the top stars of the Telugu film industry Padma Bhushan, Mega Star, Dr Chiranjeevi, Yuva Samrat Nagarjuna, Amala, Victory Venkatesh, Bollywood Baadshah and All India Super Star Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aiswarya Rai, Raviteja, Malayalam super star Mammootty, Kannada young hero Puneet Rajkumar, Ramcharan Teja, Vijay, versatile directors, Shankar, Puri Jagannath, K Raghavendra Rao, Gautham Menon, Muralimohan, AM Ratnam, Dr D Ramanaidu, Allu Aravind, YVS Choudary, Jesudas, Music Magician AR Rahman, besides Krishnamraju, K Viswanath, Arjun Rampal, Devisri Prasad, Lawrence, Vineet, Jayasudha, Ramyakrishna, Amala, Namrata, Tabu, Ooha, Nayanatara, Roma, Chitra, Bhavana, Sandhya, Trisha, S Gopal Reddy, Veturi Sundararama Murthy, and several other top film personalities from Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam participated in the programme.

Padma Bhushan, Mega Star, Dr Chiranjeevi, and Malayalam Super Star Mammotty received Legendary awards, while Rebel Star Krishnamraju and popular playback singer P Suseela received the Lifetime Achievement Awards for the year 2006 as part of the 54th Annual Filmfare Awards function.

Bommarillu bagged the Best Film category, while Puri Jagannath bagged the Best Directors category, Maheshbabu won the Best Hero, Genelia won the Best Heroine, Devisri Prasad as Best Music Director, SP Balasubrahmanyam as Best Male Singer, Mamata Mohandas as Best Female Singer, while Ram and Ileana bagged the best Debut hero and heroine awards. In technical sectioni, S Gopal Reddy bagged the Best Cinematography award, Lawrence as the best choreographer, Veturi Sundarama Murthy as the best lyricist, Saikumar in the Best Supporting Actor category, while Sandhya received the Best Supporting Actress category, besides others.

Legend Award winner in Telugu Chiranjeevi says, 'While receiving such prestigious awards, we remain dumbstruck. At this moment, I feel that I am still a student and talking in front of a Headmaster. That Headmaster is none other than Big B Amitabh Bachchan. He is an inspiring personality for many artistes. I thank all the producers, directors, technicians and co-stars on this occasion. Especially, it was my fans who refill energy every time. This legendary award is the result of all the power that was given to me by all these people.'

SP Balasubrahmanyam says, 'After the Filmfare started announcing awards to Best Playback Singers, I am the first-ever person who bagged this award. Moreover, I am very happy to receive this award especially in presence of my brother-like Viswanath and Jesudas.'

P Suseela, who bagged the Lifetime Achievement Award says, 'It was Prakasa Rao who gave me the first-ever opportunity to sing a song in 1951. My career continued all these days because of the blessings of all the elders and the producers and directors. I feel proud to bag 'Lifetime Achievement Award.' I will continue to safeguard my honour by rendering songs even with this present generation singers.'

Another Lifetime Achievement Award' winner Krishnamraju says, 'This is my fifth Filmfare Award. My journey in the film industry was started with 'Chilaka Gorinka.' Though I announced earlier that I don't receive any private awards, I am receiving this award in honour to the prestigious Filmfare Awards. In my first film, I had a chance to play with SV Ranga Rao. After 40 years, I bagged an award instituted on his name this year. I am very happy for achieving to great honours in the same year.'

Dil Raju, who bagged three awards for his film 'Bommarillu' in the categories of Best Film, Best Director and Best Heroine, says, 'We can produce many successful films. But great films would not come very often. This award should go to Bhaskar and his team, who had brought out a film like 'Bommarillu'.