Among the Bollywood stars expected to attend the Cannes film festival is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is scheduled to walk the red carpet on May 24. The Times of India reported rumours that Bachchan will be bringing along her six-month-old daughter Aaradhya. Designers are reportedly scrambling to dress Bachchan to the event. At last year's festival she chose Elie Saab, Armani Prive and Lanvin. Bachchan's post-pregnancy weight gain has been the talk of the town in Bollywood, but designer Pria Kataaria Puri said it won't hinder the actress from looking her best: "Aishwarya is a gorgeous girl, irrespective of what shape she is in. It doesn't matter!"
Shah Rukh, Kajol to reunite
After the blockbuster success of their tandem in 2010's My Name is Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol Devgn have reportedly been cast together for an upcoming romantic film directed by Karan Johar. Johar, who has just returned from shooting his latest project in Thailand, is rumoured to make the announcement in the coming months. The untitled movie is set to begin production early next year. Khan is currently shooting the film Happy New Year, directed by Farah Khan.
Akshay Kumar talks Rowdy Rathore
Akshay Kumar is returning to the big screen after seven years, in the upcoming film Rowdy Rathore. "After a long time I'm doing action films. I'm worried, stressed out," Kumar admitted to reporters. Asked to describe his con artist role, Kumar said: "Rowdy, but at the same time he has a clean heart. I myself had been rowdy during my college days. There is rowdiness in everyone." Kumar stars alongside Sonakshi Sinha in the film, slated for a June 1 release.
Prabhu Deva to choreograph Indian awards
The Rowdy Rathore director Prabhu Deva is all set to choreograph the performances at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards this year. "It is going to be a different experience for me personally, choreographing Bollywood's finest," said the dancer-turned-director, who himself will perform in the awards show. "The energy on stage is always fascinating. There are so many talented young actors in Bollywood right now and I look forward to working with them." The IIFA awards will be hosted in Singapore from June 7 to 9, showcasing the best of the Indian film industry. * PTI
Priyanka Chopra on her multiple roles
Priyanka Chopra plays three different roles in her upcoming film Teri Meri Kahaani, set during three eras. She says among the three, her favourite is Aradhana, a character from 1910. "I wanted Aradhana to be very Punjabi, so I learnt the accent and a few words," Chopra told reporters. "The most interesting thing was the look of 1910, specially around Lahore, the Punjab-Pakistan border. Over there the ladies would dress up with the dupattas on their heads and very delicate jewellery. The colours were very Indian." The film is set for a June 22 release.
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The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
Specs
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5