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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Agony of doctor's receptionist paralysed by swine flu jab :: myasthenia gravis

 

A receptionist at a GP’s surgery has been left unable to walk properly after having the
swine flu jab.

Alison Dygnas, who as an NHS worker was advised to have the vaccination, also
experienced the paralysis in her face, had slurred speech and found eating difficult.

Doctors believe the jab triggered a rare condition affecting the nervous system known as myasthenia gravis.

Alison Dygnass with her horse

Alison Dygnas

Jab: Alison Dygnas led an active life before the vaccine, but now struggles to walk

When she had the vaccination in December, the mother of two said she felt ‘full of energy’.

Six weeks later she started feeling stabbing pains in her legs, which quickly intensified.

Almost overnight the condition spread to her face, paralysing one side and causing
her eyelids to become puffy and droopy.

She was taken to hospital as an emergency and doctors performed MRI scans to
provide detailed pictures of the muscles in her back and legs.

At first they were baffled, but then a neurologist diagnosed her with myasthenia gravis.

One specialist told her the condition was ‘almost certainly’ caused by the vaccine, but that it was a ‘one in a million’ case.

‘Doctors told me I had more chance of winning the lottery twice than contracting this illness,’ said Mrs Dygnas, 47.

‘I don’t feel any anger towards the Government for not warning about this condition. I have just been very unlucky.’

Mrs Dygnas, who owns a horse and used to walk her two dogs every day, has been forced to give up her job and spends most of her time at home.

The leg paralysis can be reduced by very strong tablets that can be taken up to 20
times a day.

However, the medication causes nausea and vomiting, and takes several weeks for the body to get used to it.

Mrs Dygnas takes five tablets a day and as a result she has regained some of the movement in her legs – enabling her to ‘shuffle’, rather than walk.

But the illness is made worse by extreme temperatures so she cannot have a hot bath or go on exotic holidays.

Her facial paralysis has almost gone and she can eat most foods, with the exception
of steak or other meals that require lots of chewing.

‘At the moment I am able to walk normally for a few hundred yards then I have to shuffle,’ she said.

‘I just take very small steps.

‘I can’t even wash my hair. I have to go to the hairdresser’s twice a week to have it shampooed and blow-dried.

‘The worst time is in the middle of the night when I get these stabbing pains in my legs and I can’t move them to make it go away. I also get pins and needles all over.’

Mrs Dygnas, who lives with her husband Maciek, 63, in Welshampton, Shropshire, is
optimistic about the future.

‘Hopefully once I get used to the medication I can increase my treatment to 20 tablets a day and then I’ll be able to walk further and return to work.’

Myasthenia gravis affects around one in 5,000 people. It is most common in women in
their late 40s, and both sexes between the age of 50 and 70.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247535/Agony-doctors-receptionist-paralysed-swine-flu-jab.html#ixzz0eFK3gUIH

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China bans dog and cat meat

china

China has decided to ban consumption of dog and cat meat in the country through a new law which seeks a fine of $730 and up to 15-day detention for offenders.

A proposed draft of China's first law on animal welfare, being prepared by a panel of legal experts, has provision of a fine of up to 5,000 yuan ($730) and up to 15 days' detention for the guilty.

Those found guilty of selling the meat can be fined anywhere between 10,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan, China Daily reported quoting Beijing-based Mirror Evening News.

"There are still many difficulties to overcome before (legislators) include the article against consumption of dog and cat meat into the draft law," Chang Jiwen, head of the legal panel was quoted as saying.

"I hope the problem can be solved as soon as possible, although it will be solved sooner or later," he said.

Chang said the prohibition, however, would not affect the lives of common Chinese a lot as very few people eat dog or cat meat in the country.

He said the proposed draft, which focuses on preventing animal mistreatment, protects six categories of animals -- those on farms, in laboratories, pets, working animals, animals for entertainment purposes, and wild animals.

The proposed draft will be submitted to relevant government departments in April.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/restofasia/China-bans-dog-and-cat-meat/Article1-502351.aspx

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Mahatma Gandhi ashes to be scattered in South Africa

ela gandhi

Some of the ashes of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi are to be scattered at sea off South Africa's coast on Saturday.

Gandhi's grand-daughter, Ela Gandhi, told the BBC that a family friend had kept the ashes for decades. They were handed over to the family last year.

After Gandhi was assassinated 62 years ago, his ashes were distributed among family, friends and followers.

Ashes are customarily scattered over a body of water shortly after cremation.

These ashes will be scattered at sea exactly 62 years after his death.

Boats carrying about 200 family members and friends will be joined by South African navy vessels in the sea near Durban for the ceremony, Ms Gandhi, who lives in Durban, said.

Correspondents say it is difficult to estimate how many people received a portion of Gandhi's ashes after he was cremated in 1948.

The majority would probably have been scattered in a river or at sea shortly afterwards, according to Hindu custom.

Silver container

"A family friend, Vilas Mehta, decided to keep some of Gandhi's ashes as a memento, not realising that according to Hindu customs they should be immersed," Ms Gandhi told the BBC.

She handed over a "little silver container" to her daughter-in-law on her death bed and told her to "keep it very safe".

"The daughter-in-law thought the family should have the ashes and she brought it to us last year.

"We started thinking - what shall we do with it? We had a couple of options. But then our broader family said, the ashes must be immersed."

In 2008, some of Gandhi's ashes, kept for years by an estranged son, were donated to a museum in Mumbai which arranged a ceremony to scatter them in the Arabian sea.

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic on 30 January 1948.

Gandhi made South Africa his home for 21 years, working as a lawyer and activist.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8486549.stm

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

'Too much Bollywood, where is Sachin, Kalam in Phir mile sur?'

Deepika Padukone 4

Phir mile sur, the new version of the vibrant music video of 1988 showcasing the myriad colours and hues of India, features over 65 prominent faces from various walks of life, but viewers are critical of an overdose of Bollywood and exclusion of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and former president APJ Abdul Kalam.

The 16-minute-long video is available on Youtube site and surfers thronged it after it was unveiled on Tuesday on the occasion of the 61st Republic Day. They have posted their reactions too. Many say it has been dominated by Bollywood personalities and exclusion of iconic Tendulkar or Abdul kalam eclipses the true essence of national integration.

"I don't understand what those Bollywood people are doing in there? It's like India is just about Bollywood. They could have shown all these Khans (Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir) in a frame like they showed in the old song. And no sports heroes, no political leaders, no one... this was like another film song. Very disappointing," posted surfer named as sandhu2111 soon after the video was unveiled.

Another one said: "The old one was more loved by us... this video is more of Bollywood. National icons like Sachin Tendulkar, scientist like Kalamji (APJ Abdul Kalam) are not there, instead Deepika Padukone is showing her legs."

"How can Deepika's legs help us to initiate the national integritation feeling... Should have cast more national heroes who made us proud... guys, words from Sachin is more mass appealing than Deepika, Karan Johar and Abhishek Bachchan," said the post.

There, indeed, seems to be an overdose of Bollywood in "Phir mile sur", with not only megastar Amitabh Bachchan but his son Abhishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai along with Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty and Juhi Chawla featuring in it.

Viewers feel the video has not done justice to national icons.

"Where are the fighters like Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar? Where is our eminent scientist APJ Abdul Kalam? Where are our prize-winning authors? Is Mile sur only for artistes? What is Deepika Padukone doing showing her legs. Sania Mirza should have been there. Where is Vishwanathan Anand, Leander Paes, Rajyavardhan Rathore?" posted a surfer.

"However, I appreciate the message on women's education, women empowerment and Salman's effort with deaf and dumb," added the surfer.

Another added: "Whoever made this music video should note that India is not only about Bollywood. The makers of the video have definitely not done justice to the title Mile sur mera tumhaara. Parts attached to Deepika, Ash-Abhi, Ranbir and SRK make no sense and are just forced into the video. There are a few bright aspects as well in the form of parts attached to Priyanka, Salman, Mahesh Babu and Aamir."

Some have commented on the wardrobe of the celebs.

"Taking into account the nature of the video, the least the people featured in it could have done was to dress appropriately. The old video was really special! The new one is just an attempt, that's all."

"Aren't there any other great personalities other than movie actors and musicians in India? It's a shame not having personalities like Abdul Kalam, Ratan Tata, Ambanis in this song," said a surfer.

The new video, Phir mile sur, travels to 15 locations with over 68 known personalities, be it Bollywood's macho man Salman Khan or badminton ace Saina Nehwal or musician A. Sivamani. From beaches to deserts, from mosques and temples to high rises, it gives a feel of modern India.

Each artiste speaks of a cause and the video is shot at places which have historic value and significance. Amitabh Bachchan has featured both in the original and in the new one.

Corporate couple Arti and Kailash Surendranath have produced Phir mile sur.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Where-are-Sachin-Kalam-in-Phir-mile-sur/H1-Article1-502037.aspx

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Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi 'to be freed from house arrest'

 

Burma's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, will be freed when her house arrest ends in November, according to a government minister.

But that will probably be too late for this year's parliamentary elections - the first for two decades - which observers think will be held the month before.

The 64-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, who has been detained for 15 of the past 21 years, was sentenced last year to 18 months of house arrest for harbouring an American who swam uninvited to her lakeside home.

Aung San Suu Kyi is set to be freed from house arrest later this year

Aung San Suu Kyi is set to be freed from house arrest later this year

Major General Maung Oo, Burma's home minister, told a meeting of businessmen and officials last week that she would be released in November when her sentence is due to end, according to witnesses.

Home ministry officials could not confirm that he had made the comments.

The planned election would be the first since 1990, when Miss Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party scored a landslide victory, which the country's junta refused to recognise.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246006/Burmese-opposition-leader-freed-house-arrest.html#ixzz0djmSn2bi

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Father and daughter reunited on Facebook after 50 years apart

 

A father and daughter who have not seen each other for nearly 50 years have been reunited after meeting on Facebook.

Frances Simpson, 51, last saw her father when she was just three-years-old after her parents separated.

She had spent 33 years trying to find him with no joy until a friend researched her family tree as a surprise.

Frances Simpson discovered her father Tony Macnauton (right) on Facebook, 50 years after they last saw each other

Reunion joy: Frances Simpson discovered her father Tony Macnauton (right) on Facebook, 50 years after they last saw each other

Frances discovered for the first time she had a half-sister called Kim Macnauton whom she never knew about.

She looked Kim up on Facebook and sent her a message in which she wrote: 'This is going to be a bit of a shock... but I think I am your sister.' 

By chance, the two women's father Tony Macnauton, now 72, was sitting by Kim's side when the message arrived.

Stunned Kim, 19, immediately wrote back confirming they were indeed related.

They exchanged phone numbers and Frances spoke to her father for the first time in 48 years. The pair have now met face to face in an emotional reunion.

Frances, from Market Drayton, Shropshire, said: 'It's unbelievable, I'm absolutely over the moon.

'I don't have the words to describe how I'm feeling, it's amazing.

'After all these years I've finally got my dad back.' 

She has now introduced Tony, a retired lorry driver from Poole, Dorset, to the five grandchildren and great-grandchild he never knew he had.

Frances Simpson kept this picture of herself as an 18-month-old toddler with her father and mother

Treasured memories: Frances kept this picture of herself as an 18-month-old toddler with her father and mother

Frances, a full-time mother, had not seen her father since she was a toddler when he left the family home after splitting from her mother.

She began searching for him when she turned 18, scouring phone books, electoral rolls, and newspapers across the country to track him down.

But unbeknown to her, he had changed his name to make a fresh start and despite her best efforts she never found him.

It wasn't until her friend started researching her family tree that she found him, living 200 miles away in Poole.

After searching social networking site Facebook for clues about him, Frances made contact with Kim, his daughter from his second marriage.

Frances said: 'When I first started looking for him we didn't have the internet and things were so much harder.

'But as soon as I knew Kim's name, I looked her up and sent her a message saying: "This is going to be a bit of a shock if you are who I think you are, but I think I might be your sister." 

'It only took a few minutes before I got a message back saying: "Do you want to talk to my dad? He's sitting right next to me." 

'I couldn't believe it. I started talking to him and we haven't stopped since.

'I've got so many memories of him. I remember him being able to play the accordion and I remember him making me a swing.

'And now we're finding out all these other things we have in common - we've got the same sense of humour and we've even been on holiday to all the same places over the years.

'My children are absolutely thrilled to be able to meet him - I've always talked about him and they're so excited to finally meet him.' 

Frances travelled to Poole to meet her father and half-sister for the first time last Friday.

After an emotional weekend, she took Tony back to Shropshire on Sunday to meet his grandchildren Robert, 25, Jody, 22, Callum, 19, Andrew, 17 and Kelvin, 15, and great-granddaughter Jessica, two.

Tony said: 'Even though we lost touch, I've never ever forgotten Frances.

'It's remarkable. We've each been clinging on to a precious photograph of the two of us together - the only ones in existence.

'I've always dreamed of being reunited again, and now I've finally got my daughter back.

'It's absolutely marvellous. I don't know what cloud I'm on at the moment.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246102/Father-daughter-reunited-Facebook-50-years.html#ixzz0djXdc7ko

Tab Totty is back: Cambridge undergraduates strip to their bikinis for controversial student newspaper

 

They go together hand in hand - students and pubs.

But Cambridge dons will be having a blue fit after this undergraduate draped herself across a bar in a revealing bikini for a controversial student newspaper.

The girl, who goes under the name Brittany and is studying social and political sciences at Homerton College, is the latest to pose for online students' magazine The Tab.

brittany

Tab Totty is back! Brittany from Homerton poses for a saucy shoot in Tab HQ: the Maypole pub

Previous models have been pictured in a punt and wearing boxing gloves, provoking criticism that the photographs demean women.

But Britanny, who had her photoshoot done at The Maypole, a popular student haunt, defended her decision, saying it showed beauty and brains could be found in the same package.

'Cambridge used to have this preconception that you can't be both smart and beautiful but the Tab's kind of smashing that,' she said.

'It's not like I'm naked, it's just a bit of fun. I was worried that I'd be really nervous but it was actually really casual. No pressure.'

Brittany

Brittany is studying Social and Political Sciences at Homerton College

In an interview that was filmed and posted online, Brittany reveals she had briefly considered her father's reaction - but this hadn't dampened her enthusiasm.

She says she chose a pub because she wanted to appear in a traditional English setting and used a hot chocolate instead of alcohol to build up some Dutch
courage.

'I considered beer but I thought at 11 in the morning I would probably barf,' she added.

Readers have posted appreciative comments, with one who identifies himself as Will saying: 'Shotgun a bar stool at the Maypole. Glad the Tab has kept its
sense of humour.'

Brittany

Brittany pulls a pint or two - and potentially a future customer

Another fan, called James, wrote: 'The Maypole barman never looked so good.'

The Tab was launched in May last year to 'shake up' traditional student journalism at the university in the year it celebrated its 800th anniversary.

Its so-called Tab Totty has included a blonde student, Becky Adams, standing in a punt wearing a pink bikini and high heels, a brunette English graduate from
Downing College called Heidi dressed in a kickboxer outfit, and 'size 12 stunner' Emmalina Thompsell, from Gonville and Caius, who was pictured in a
bikini on her college lawn.

Courting controversy has helped it pass the one million online hits mark, compared to a print run of 20,000 for each edition of traditional student newspapers
Varsity and The Cambridge Student.

tab

The controversial photos have seen The Cambridge Tab's website pass the million hits mark

Cambridge Student Union women's officer Natalie Szarek has called for the editorial team to remove the photos, saying: 'Tab Totty plays into the idea of  women as sexual objects.'

But co-founder George Marangos-Gilks, 22, a third-year politics student from Downing College, said yesterday:

'The purpose of The Tab was to get away from the patronising and dull style of other student papers. We want to give students what they want.

The university declined to comment.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246090/The-Cambridge-Tab-Undergraduates-strip-student-newspaper.html#ixzz0djWBIKdB

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Miraculous recovery of teenager who grew back her face after suffering 'one-in-a-million' allergic reaction to paracetamol

 

A teenager has grown back her entire face after being struck down by a rare skin disease.

Eva Uhlin, 19, suffered a bizarre one-in-a-million allergic reaction to household paracetamol that left her unrecognisable.

The potentially fatal condition - Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis - gripped her entire body, causing her skin to burn up and scab over before falling off.

Eva Uhlin

New face: Eva Uhlin suffered a bizarre one-in-a-million allergic reaction to household paracetamol that left her unrecognisable

The illness left the Swede, who currently works as a waitress, lying in a hospital bed for weeks as it ran its devastating course.

Forty per cent of people who contract the disease do not survive.

Now, more than four years later, Miss Uhlin is finally comfortable revealing her face to the world for the first time after completely growing back all her skin.

Her nightmare began as a 15-year-old in September 2005 when she suddenly fell ill while holidaying in her home country.

More...

She was diagnosed with a fever and told to take a couple of paracetamol tablets to relieve her symptoms.

But the combination of her virus and the drug created a reaction nobody could have predicted, triggering a disease that has taken Miss Uhlin years to fully recover from.

She woke up the next day to find blisters covering her face and spreading over the rest of her body.

The teenager was rushed to the University Hospital of Linkoping on September 12, where she was admitted to the burns unit.

Doctors immediately gave her morphine and applied soothing ointment to her face and chest.

But her skin began to fall off on a doctor's fingertips as he examined her eyes.

Eva Uhlin

All smiles: Miss Uhlin has grown back her face, from which she had lost most of the surface

Over the next few years she lost most of the surface of her face. Parts of her chest, arms, back and stomach also fell away and she even lost her eyelashes, fingernails, toenails and some of her hair.

Miss Uhlin said: 'It felt like something was crawling around under my skin, I was in total shock - it was like something out of a horror film.

'I couldn't believe what was happening, I had taken paracetamol many times before and doctors still aren't sure why I had this extreme reaction to it on that occasion.

'It was terrifying, because at the time they didn't know what was wrong with me or what would happen to me.

'When I looked in the mirror for the first time after it happened I didn't recognise myself.

'I've always been a positive person, and I didn't let myself think about the chance that my skin would never be normal again.

'I thought to myself - this is what has happened and now I have to deal with this.

'As well as the pain, the affect that the reaction had on my confidence for that time was pretty terrible. I was so ashamed of the way I looked, I hated anybody to see me.'

Fifteen doctors examined Miss Uhlin in her first 48 hours in hospital.

At one point during her month-long stay her mouth and lips were so badly damaged they grew together. The resulting pain meant she was unable to sleep for most of the time.

Miss Uhlin was discharged in October 2005 but had to return to hospital for regular check-ups on her skin and eyes for months.

Today, she still takes eye drops twice a day and has skin remains sensitive to bright sunlight.

Professor Folke Sjvberg, who treated Miss Uhlin, said he was pleased she had made such a good recovery.

He said: 'The condition is very uncommon and it strikes only one in a million people.

'When it is really bad it manifests itself in the way it had done with Eva. At its worst it covers all the skin on the body and can scab over the eyes and mouth.

'In very basic layman's terms the skin reacts against itself because of the allergic reaction - it is very much like a burn injury, although it does tend to heal much better.

'It was caused by the combination of a paracetamol and a viral infection Eva was suffering from at the time.

'It is treated like a burn with pain relief and fluid replacement, you just have to try and make the skin function properly again.

'With this condition you have to just let it run its course because there is no way to stop it.'

The skin disease can kill and 40 per cent of sufferers do not survive the condition, due to the fact it leaves patients vulnerable to other dangerous infections.

It is also known as Lyell's syndrome and is characterised by the detachment of the top layer of skin from the lower layers all over the body.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1242556/Eva-Uhlin-Miraculous-recovery-teenager-grew-face-suffering-rare-skin-disease.html#ixzz0cUdkKvJk

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

India unveils transsexual talent show

Celine JaitleyIndia's first talent show for transsexuals was launched on Monday, promising a heady mix of Bollywood stars, glitzy dancing and nervous hopefuls desperate to capture the limelight.

One lucky transsexual person or eunuch will be crowned 'Indian Super Queen 2010' after battling through two weeks of nationwide auditions and a last round of 12 short-listed finalists.

Organisers of the competition hope the prize of one million rupees (22,000 dollars) will help promote awareness of India's marginalised transsexual and eunuch community.

"We were always the invisibles. We hope the pageant takes us a step forward," said Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a transsexual and activist. Transsexuals and eunuchs - men who have been castrated - live on the fringes of Indian society, often resorting to prostitution, begging or menial jobs that leave them mired in poverty.

They also attend births as uninvited guests and extract money by threatening to strip or resort to violence. "We want them to portray what is inside them," said Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley, a former beauty queen and campaigner for sexual minority rights.

"Speech, poise and confidence to work for the community will be important criteria," she said.

Jaitley, fellow actress Zeenat Aman, and superstar Salman Khan are set to be the jury at the televised finals next month. Last year, India's eunuchs and transsexuals won a longstanding demand to be listed as "others," distinct from males and females, on electoral rolls and voter identity cards.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/trendspotting/India-unveils-transsexual-talent-show/Article1-496568.aspx

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Saturday, January 9, 2010

'One minute we were eating, the next everything went dark': Curry-murder fiancée tells of night her partner was poisoned

 

By Emily Andrews
Last updated at 9:49 PM on 08th January 2010

 Gurjeet Choough

Gurjeet Choough told how she and her fiancé were poisoned after eating re-heated curry

The grieving fiancée of the man allegedly poisoned by his former lover relived the horror of his death in court yesterday.

Gurjeet Choough, 23, told the Old Bailey that immediately after eating a chicken curry she and her fiancé Lakhvinder Cheema began to feel ill.

Just minutes later, she watched in horror as the 39-year-old became almost paralysed, lost his sight and begged 'please help'.

But she too then began to feel dizzy. She said everything went dark and she couldn't stand up as the poison took hold.

Miss Choough survived after two days in a coma but Mr Cheema, who had eaten more curry than her, died within hours of the meal.

Lakhvir Kaur Singh, 40, is accused of planting an ancient toxin known as the Queen of Poisons or aconite in leftover curry to kill Mr Cheema, her boyfriend of 16 years, and Miss Choough.

Although married herself, she was jealous that her lover had decided to marry and tried repeatedly to break up their relationship.

She had allegedly tried to poison him in December the previous year.

The court heard that two lodgers saw Singh entering Mr Cheema's house before putting something in the curry earlier in the day.

When Mr Cheema was told this by the pair as he was fighting for breath, he immediately suspected Singh of poisoning them.

Giving evidence, Miss Choough said on the evening of January 28 last year she had microwaved the leftover curry and then served it for the two of them at the dining table.

Mr Cheema, known as Lucky, had two helpings while they talked of their marriage, which was arranged for Valentine's Day. He then complained of feeling unwell.

Miss Choough said: 'He said that his face was becoming numb and when he touched it, he couldn't feel anything.

She added: 'Lucky said he couldn't see anything and he was losing all feeling in his body.'

Lakhvir Singh

Lakhvinder Cheema

Trial: Lakhvir Kaur Singh, left, is accused of planting an ancient toxin known as the 'Queen of Poisons' in leftover curry to kill Lakvhinder Cheema, right

By this point Mr Cheema had called an ambulance and telephoned his sister Narinder Khalon for help.

Wiping away tears, Miss Choough said: 'I was feeling the same as Lucky. Everything was going dark, I began to feel dizzy, I wasn't able to stand up and my tummy was hurting. Lucky also started vomiting.'

She added that Mr Cheema said the symptoms were the same as when he had spent a week in hospital in December 2008 after Singh had allegedly tried to poison him for the first time.

Mrs Khalon and her two sons arrived at the house in Feltham, West London, and again called for an ambulance but to no avail.

She then drove the couple to West Middlesex hospital. Mr Cheema died within an hour of arriving, but was able to name his alleged killer.

Although Miss Choough suffered the same symptoms, she was put into a medically induced coma to stabilise her heartbeat and made a full recovery.

Police later found two bags of aconite, also known as wolfsbane, thought to have come from India, in Singh's coat and in a handbag at her home in Southall, West London.

When she was arrested she claimed the herbs were for a neck rash.

She denies murder, attempted murder and administering poison. The case continues.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1241627/Curry-murder-fiancee-describes-terrifying-night-partner-killed.html#ixzz0c8lJdySo

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Hugh Grant talks about settling down and having kids - as he gets up close and personal with a bikini-clad model

 

It's not often that Hugh Grant is lost for words when face-to-face with a scantily-clad woman.

And last night was no exception as a model in a black bikini sauntered up to the star to give him a kiss live on television.

The actor, 49, was appearing on daily Spanish TV show El Hormiguero - which means The Anthill - last night while on a promotional tour of the country for his new film, the romantic comedy Did You Hear About The Morgans?

Hugh Grant

Ola, senorita: Hugh Grant can't help smiling as he is introduced to a scantily-clad model on Spanish TV show El Hormiguero last night

Apart from being accosted - which he didn't look too upset about - by the half-naked woman, he chatted with presenter Pablo Motos and spoke about the funniest moments of the movie, in which he appears alongside Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker.

The film, which was released in the UK on New Year's Day, is about an estranged couple who are put into a witness protection scheme after they witness a murder.

It is Grant's first film since he starred in Music and Lyrics with Drew Barrymore in 2007, and he told Motos that he was 'flirting' with two new projects.

Enlarge Hugh Grant

Enlarge Hugh Grant

Continential: Hugh keeps his hands to himself as the model moves in to kiss him on both cheeks

He said: 'Neither are romantic comedies. One involves animals and the other involves music. I just need to pluck up up the courage to do them.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1241577/Hugh-Grant-talks-settling-having-kids--gets-close-personal-bikini-clad-model.html#ixzz0c73pqjQ4

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Friday, January 8, 2010

Lady Gaga wears her craziest headgear yet... a hat made from her own hair.

 

She's worn lace hats, latex face masks, and even tea cups on her head. But Lady Gaga's latest headgear must be her craziest yet.

Her over-the-top hat was made of nothing more than her own hair.

The pop star wore her blonde locks splayed out and teased into the shape of a sunhat as she appeared in Las Vegas yesterday.

Hair hat: Lady Gaga swears headgear - made from her hair - as she promotes Polaroid during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

Hair hat: Lady Gaga swears headgear - made from her hair - as she promotes Polaroid during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas

She was unveiled as Polaroid's new Chief Creative Officer during the Consumer Electronics Show.

The 23-year-old star announced that she will be creating fashion, technology and photography products which will hit shelves later this year.

She had earlier matched her pink lipstick to the ends of her bob cut for her guest role on U.S. reality show Launch My Line.

Who needs a hat? Gaga was named Chief Creative Officer for the brand

Who needs a hat? Gaga was named Chief Creative Officer for the brand

But when it came to offering advice to the aspiring fashion designers, Gaga left them confused.

'For me, when I'm thinking about either designing a piece or choosing a piece to wear, I think about a shape,' she said.

'If you, as a designer, your aesthetic were to walk through a wooden door, what shape would it leave?'

After telling the contestants she was a 'creative thinker' she cryptically added: 'Just because we're doing a heightened avant-garde sense of who we are, doesn't mean that we start shredding things and making giant hats. It still has to be you.'

Welcome to Vegas: Gaga's hair was the star of the showWelcome to Vegas: Gaga's hair was the star of the show

Welcome to Vegas: Gaga's hair was the star of the show

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1241507/Lady-Gaga-wears-craziest-headgear--hat-hair.html#ixzz0c0dT9QJ9

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Charred remains of Playboy model Paula Sladewski found in a Miami rubbish bin

 

Tragic: Playboy model Paula Sladewski, whose burned body has been found dumped in a bin in Miami

Tragic: Playboy model Paula Sladewski

The charred remains of an aspiring Playboy model have been discovered in a Miami rubbish bin.

Paula Sladewski, 26, was so badly burned that police had to use dental records to identify her.

The LA-based model had been holidaying in the city over New Year period with her boyfriend, Kevin Klym.

She was last seen at about 7am on Sunday at the city's Club Space, hours after rowing with 34-year-old Klym.

The couple had attended a Lady Gaga concert on New Year's Eve, before spending the weekend visiting nightclubs and bars.

They were seen arguing at Space in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Klym was eventually thrown out of the club. His girlfriend was allowed to stay on even though he claimed she was 'too drunk'.

He returned to their Miami Beach hotel, and told police it was the last time he saw Miss Sladewski.

Klym filed a missing person report the same day. A few hours later a member of the public reported a bin on fire in a back street in North Miami and the Playboy model's remains were discovered.

It took until yesterday for a positive identification to be made.

Lt. Neal Cuevas, a North Miami police spokesman, said the body was 'burned beyond recognition'.

Police believe she was dead before she was set on fire. The cause of death has yet to be established.

Detective confirmed that Klym is a 'person of interest' in the investigation.

In the hours after Miss Sladewski went missing, he printed fliers with her photograph and canvassed the area in an effort to find her, according to his lawyer.

'He's devastated and traumatised,' Marc Beginin told reporters, adding that Klym had 'no involvement whatsoever' with the model's death.

Enlarge Crime scene: The area where Ms Sladewski's body was found

Crime scene: The area where Ms Sladewski's body was found

Sladewski's family learned she was missing on Monday when Klym called them

Her stepfather, Richard Watkins, told the Miami Herald that she and Klym had a 'volatile' relationship.

He said of the discovery: 'We were praying it wasn't her. It's been real hard. I didn't know this many tears could fall.'

Court records show that domestic violence charges were filed against Ms Sladewski in California last June.

Ms Sladewski had appeared in the video 'Playboy: The ultimate Playmate search'.

The couple, who had been together for two years, split their time between Michigan and Rancho Cucamonga, California.

A missing persons report filed after she disappeared lists her occupation as a stripper, his as a labourer.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1241304/Playboy-model-Paula-Sladewskis-burned-body-dumped-bin-Miami.html#ixzz0c0abISOT

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Thursday, January 7, 2010

I tried to save my girlfriend from terrorists - and ended up crippled - now she's my saviour every day

 

By Tessa Cunningham

Last updated at 9:18 AM on 07th January 2010

Will Pike and girlfriend Kelly Doyle were dressing for dinner at the famous Taj Hotel in Mumbai in November 2008 when terrorists stormed the building. Will, 30 and Kelly, 33, hid in their room as the Pakistan-trained gunmen set about slaughtering guests and staff - in all 172 people died. Fearing for their lives, the couple, both freelance film-makers from London, decided to flee - with devastating consequences.

WILL SAYS: I hit the big 30 on December 30th. It's a milestone. And as friends gathered around to toast me, there were so many reasons to feel happy.

I've got a fantastic girlfriend I'll be with for ever, wonderful friends, a terrific family and a great career.

But, while I'm determined to make the most of my 30s, my life is totally different to what I expected. And some days it's hard not to feel angry and bitter.

Kelly Doyle and Will Pike

Battle: Kelly Doyle and Will Pike were caught up in the Mumbai hotel massacre last year and he had to leap from a third floor window to save their lives

There are mornings when I look in the mirror and see myself grappling with all the rituals that used to be so simple and the shock hits me anew. How did I end up like this - paralysed from the waist down, unable to do all the things I once took for granted like getting into the shower?

Confined to a wheelchair, I will never walk again. I can never even enjoy a full sex life nor father children normally.

My life wasn't supposed to be like this. But suddenly everything went into freefall.

It was November 2008 and we had decided to take a break in Goa. After two fantastic weeks there, we made the fateful decision to spend our last day in Mumbai.

And so, early in the afternoon of Wednesday November 26, we booked into the Taj Hotel. A magnificent Edwardian throwback to the colonial era, it's one of the world's most famous hotels.

After a spot of sightseeing in Mumbai, we were back in our room changing for dinner when I heard the first gunshot. I'd only ever heard shots on TV but I knew instantly this wasn't a car backfiring.

'All that mattered was protecting Kelly. I grabbed her hand and we ran back to our room'

I rushed to the window and saw a guy ducking behind a car as a second and then a third shot rang out. Something terrible was happening but I didn't know what - or how much danger we were in.

In fact, terrorists were already in the hotel shooting staff and guests at random while their fellow conspirators were attacking other Mumbai landmarks.

I told Kelly what I'd heard and we raced along the corridor to the top of the stairwell to peer down to the foyer three storeys below. It was full of smoke from the gunfire which seemed incessant.

My mind was racing. The hotel was six storeys high. We were trapped on the third floor with no escape route.

All that mattered was protecting Kelly. I grabbed her hand and we ran back to our room.

We locked the door and barricaded ourselves in with furniture. By now the gunshots were getting closer. We knew it must either be terrorists or a crazed gunman who would eventually run out of ammunition.

I rang my dad in London and asked him to find out what he could, though I tried to keep the panic out of my voice.

By now the hotel lights had gone out and we were in total darkness. We crept around the room, desperately looking for a hiding place. We even tried to prise up the floorboards.

Finally we hid in the bath. There wasn't any real logic. We just remembered seeing films where people caught up in bomb attacks take shelter in the bath. The most bizarre thing was that, although we were both petrified, neither of us panicked.

Carefree: Kelly and Will on holiday before the terrorists struck

Carefree: Kelly and Will on holiday before the terrorists struck

We were together and that gave us the most enormous comfort. At least we stood a fighting chance of getting out safely and - if the very worst happened - we would die together.

We'd been in the room for two hours when Dad rang back. 'They're looking for anyone with a British or American passport,' he said. Fear hit like a body blow.

How could we disguise ourselves? We started practising our rusty French. Then we tried out South African accents. It was hopeless. We'd been barricaded in the room for almost three hours, listening to intermittent gunfire, when the internal phone rang.

We both froze in panic. Then I picked it up. I still don't know why. It was a woman's voice. 'Mr Doyle?' she said, using Kelly's surname. 'I'm ringing from hotel reception to tell you not to leave your room. The police are here but it's still very dangerous.'

I tried to ask her more questions but she hung up. Putting down the receiver, I was filled with a sense of doom. How could I have been so stupid? If this wasn't an innocent call, the terrorists now knew we were in our room and could pick us off at any moment.

'Terrorists were prowling the corridors with AK- 47s, picking off tourists'

Kelly was wonderful. She tried to reassure me, but I felt sick with dread.

And now the gunshots were getting closer. Terrorists were prowling the corridors with AK- 47s, picking off tourists.

I was convinced they were coming for us and grabbed the only weapons I could find - a hotel knife and fork - and took guard behind the door. Suddenly there was a series of massive explosions.

Smoke started seeping under our door. The terrorists had started a fire two floors above us. It was now sweeping through the hotel. We couldn't use the stairs.

The only way to safety was through the window - with a 50ft drop to the road below.

We'd been under siege for six hours and were convinced no one was coming to rescue us. We didn't know police were finally in the hotel, tracking down the gunmen.

Kelly found a pair of sewing scissors and started cutting up the curtains and towels. I knotted them together to make a primitive rope. By now thick black smoke was billowing under the door.

We could be engulfed in flames at any moment. I knew I had to go first. We tied one end of the 'rope' to a heavy wrought iron bedside table then smashed the double glazed window and threw the rest out.

We hugged and kissed. I whispered: 'I love you.' Then I crawled onto the balcony and launched myself off the ledge. Seconds later, I felt the rope unravel. I didn't have time to panic. I felt myself falling, then I blacked out as I crashed to the ground.

I came to briefly in an ambulance, then again on a hospital bed, and finally in a scanner. Every time I was shouting Kelly's name. I wanted to know that she was alive.

The Taj Hotel under attack

Ablaze: The Taj Hotel under attack

Suddenly she appeared - safe and uninjured having been rescued from our room by the fire brigade.

Finally, I fell asleep. Surgeons spent eight hours repairing my spine. But it would be at least three months before they'd know whether I would walk again, so I put any fears to the back of my mind.

They also operated on my shattered pelvis, my right elbow and my left wrist. I was in such a haze of pain and anaesthetic I couldn't really take in what had happened. I just felt glad we were both alive.

After ten days my insurance company arranged to fly me home. I'd expected the Foreign Office to help. After all, we'd been targeted largely because we were British. But we got no practical assistance, just a couple of courtesy visits from officials.

Everything fell to Kelly, who was deeply traumatised.

I flew home on a stretcher in the economy class section of an Air India passenger plane, surrounded by stunned holidaymakers. But it was just the beginning of my problems.

Surgeons at London's University College Hospital had to start painstakingly rebuilding my shattered body. My left wrist was so badly damaged, they feared I might never be able to move it again. I was so weak I suffered a collapsed lung and caught endless infections.

'We're both alive - when so many others were killed - and that's the most important thing'

The only thing keeping me going was Kelly. She moved into the hospital, sleeping beside me in a makeshift bed every single night. There were so many operations - eight on my arms alone - that I never allowed myself to worry about the future.

I had some feeling in my right leg and was convinced feeling would return to my left leg, too. It was only when I was transferred, two months later, to the Spinal Injuries Unit at The National Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore, that the truth dawned.

I'd been there a week when the consultant called us into her room. Her demeanour was sombre. Gently she explained that I was paralysed from the waist down. I would never walk again.

I hit ground zero. I broke down and sobbed. Kelly tried to comfort me, but what could she say?

I was raging with anger. I didn't blame the terrorists, just fate that had put us in the wrong place a the wrong time.

The next few weeks were the worst of my life. I felt angry for Kelly. Why should my injuries ruin her life, too?

I knew she'd feel it her duty to stick by me, so I begged her to leave and get on with her life.

'I'm not going anywhere without you,' she said. It was a turning point. How could I wallow in self-pity when I had Kelly to think of? 

Terror: Unidentified guests at The Taj Hotel try to keep calm as the attack takes place around them

Terror: Unidentified guests at The Taj Hotel try to keep calm as the attack takes place around them. Will and Kelly hid in their room for hours

Every day brings new challenges which we deal with together. I finally left hospital in July - almost eight months after the attack. But coming to terms with our new life is hard.

Being confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk are just the tip of the ice berg. I'll never make love again normally. We can never have our own children naturally. Losing so much is like a constant physical ache.

But the worst part has been fighting bureaucracy. I assumed the government would compensate us because we'd been caught up in an outrage triggered largely by government policy.

Not a bit of it. I am not eligible for any compensation; not from my travel insurance, not from the Indian Government and not from the British Government. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme doesn't cover injuries abroad; and standard travel insurance does not cover acts of terrorism.

Tessa Jowell, the minister in charge of helping terrorist victims, has told us she'd like to change things. But so far nothing has happened despite all our lobbying.

On top of all that we've suffered, it's the final insult. Money is being poured into the war against terror but innocent people like me who end up on the front line are forgotten.

It's totally wrong. We have set up an appeal to help cover all the necessary costs of living with a spinal injury, from home adaptations to physiotherapy. We will also be campaigning for change, because this could happen to anybody who is a victim of terrorism abroad.

There are still very dark moments - like when I wake in pain at 3am. But I refuse to be bitter or to dwell on the past.

There's no point wondering about 'what ifs'. I jumped out of that window because I was convinced it gave us the best chance of survival.

We're both alive - when so many others were killed - and that's the most important thing.

William Pike and Kelly Doyle

Heartbroken: Kelly grieves every day for the relationship she and Will lost

KELLY SAYS: It broke my heart when Will asked if I wanted to leave him. How could he possibly imagine I'd love him any less because he can't walk? I simply don't want a life without Will. If anything, I love him even more.

Although our lives are now on a totally different track, I don't have the slightest doubt that we'll be together for ever.

To me he's the same Will - good humoured, charming and fun loving. He even managed to keep the other patients laughing through all those grim months in hospital.

But there's one thing I didn't realise about him until now - how extraordinarily brave he is. He did everything in his power to protect me. He's battled through endless operations and even now, he will never admit he's in pain although I know he is.

We originally met at work and had been living together for just ten months when we went to India. After dating for almost two years we knew each other well but not inside out.

Within minutes of that first gunshot, Will worked out what was happening and what we should do. He was incredibly practical and protective.

I was petrified and I knew he must be, too, but somehow he maintained this incredible air of calm which kept me going.

As the hours dragged on we became more and more frightened. The worst part was hearing systematic gunfire along our corridor. I honestly thought we were going to die. My only comfort was that at least we were together.

When smoke started billowing under our door we knew we had to act. We heard explosions and realised fire was ripping through the building. We looked through the peephole in the door and saw orange flames. We were trapped.

Will insisted on going out of the window first. Watching him teetering on the edge, I was petrified for him. We hadn't had a chance to test our rope. Then seconds later I saw it unfurl and Will was crashing to the ground. I didn't know what to do.

Suddenly I heard a girl's voice. She was leaning out from the balcony above. 'I can see your boyfriend. He's dead,' she called.

I was hysterical. I still couldn't see Will and I didn't know whether I should jump, too.

WHO KNEW?

The Prince of Wales, Mick Jagger, Jackie Kennedy and Elvis Presley have all stayed at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai

Then I heard Will's voice from a long way away. 'What's happening?' he was yelling. At least he was alive. Everything happened so fast after that.

A passerby called an ambulance and I saw Will taken away on a stretcher. His body was horribly tangled up so I knew he was terribly injured. Then the fire brigade arrived with a cherry picker machine.

I got in and they lowered me down. All I wanted was to find Will. I fought my way through the crowds to the hospital. Inside it was like a war zone. There were bodies everywhere - some clearly dead.

I wandered from room to room, calling Will's name. Finally I found him in a room, surrounded by doctors and nurses. He was bright yellow from the shock of his injuries, covered in blood and completely delirious.

I paced the floor for eight hours as the surgeons operated on him. They were the longest hours of my life. I knew his condition was perilous. During the operation they ran out of blood. I had to take a taxi across town to another hospital and plead for blood, which I carried back in a plastic pouch.

I've never felt so alone or desperate. My mother and Will's father flew out to support me and, finally, after almost two weeks, Will was well enough to be flown home.

But it was just the beginning of his long path to recovery. He had 13 operations to repair his shattered arms and pelvis. I couldn't bear to leave him alone. Besides, with both arms strapped in the air, he was helpless.

So I moved into his room for two-and- a-half months. We got such joy from each tiny milestone - like the first time he sat up unaided.

I brought in food for him every day. Watching him eat his first Big Mac was so trivial but utterly magical.

I didn't dare think about the future. I just hoped he would totally recover, although as the weeks passed I began to worry.

Discovering he would never walk again was a killer blow. I watched his face drop and I just wanted to hug him and make it alright. We went out into the snow-covered car park and bawled our eyes out.

For the next few weeks all we seemed to do was cry. But I admire Will so much because, once he'd got over the terrible shock, he refused to wallow in self-pity.

He was moved into a room with other spinal patients, mostly young men like him who'd been injured in car accidents. 

I returned to work in March, four months after the attack. Driving an hour each way to see Will after work was exhausting, so it was wonderful when he finally came home in June.

Waking up in the same bed for the first time was amazing. But it has heralded new problems. Will can't do anything around the house - even hanging out the washing is impossible. And, until we are able to afford an adapted car, I have to drive us everywhere.

Luckily, we are both very positive people. I don't want the fact that Will is in a wheelchair to stop us doing anything.

He plans to return to work as a film maker. In the meantime we have bought a puppy, a miniature Dachshund, Hans, so we have something to focus on. We still go out regularly to restaurants and the theatre. People stare. I guess it's unusual to see a young fit-looking couple like us with one in a wheelchair.

If anyone asks, we explain that Will was caught up in a terrorist incident abroad. Our lives changed for ever that night. We try not to talk about it, although I have very vivid dreams some nights when I wake up petrified.

Will can comfort me instantly. He knows exactly what I'm going through. I grieve every day for the relationship we've lost. I know Will does, too.

Life is a constant struggle, particularly as we now have only my income. I don't hate the terrorists. I feel sorry that they were brainwashed into killing and maiming so many people.

But I feel very angry that Will has been forgotten. He suffers every single day for something that was not his fault. Money wouldn't give him back his life. But it would help us both rebuild a new one.

To support Will and Kelly's campaign for compensation or to find out more, go to www.willpikemumbaiappeal.co.uk

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1241181/I-tried-save-girlfriend-terrorists--ended-crippled--shes-saviour-day.html#ixzz0bwije4Qb

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Sunday, January 3, 2010

Accident on Hill Road: Celina Jaitley

celinaj_w1_800x600

Celina Jaitley looks super hot in Accident on Hill Road. The film is based on a true story of a young medical intern who becomes a victim of drug and alcohol abuse in USA in the early '90s. Celina Jaitley will be sporting a new look in this film. Accident on Hill Road is directed by Mahesh Nair, and releases on December 31.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

It’s about behaving with grace, you idiots!

Three Idiots

Image via Wikipedia

Vir Sanghvi

Hindustan Times

Here are two images you may remember from television. The first was the Oscar ceremony. Simon Beaufoy won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire. It is no secret that Beaufoy’s script differed significantly from the book by Vikas Swarup on which Slumdog was based. But Beaufoy made it a point to thank Swarup on stage and to say that without his book there would be no screenplay, no movie, and no Oscars.

Later that same night Slumdog director Danny Boyle, while accepting his own Oscar, apologised to the choreographer Longinus, whose name had been left out of the end credits of Slumdog. When the film won the Best Picture Oscar, the entire unit went on stage including Vikas Swarup who had been flown in to Los Angeles by the makers of the film at their expense.

And here is a second image. It is a press conference in Noida on Friday. The cast and makers of 3 Idiots are answering questions from the press as part of the publicity campaign for the film. When journos keep asking about the lack of recognition accorded to author Chetan Bhagat, on whose book the film is based, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra stands up, points a finger at an inquisitive journalist and shouts ‘Shut up’. Chopra is prevented from saying much more by his colleagues and Aamir Khan then swings into damage control mode. He tries to sound reasonable but manages to abuse Chetan Bhagat, calls him publicity hungry — a bit rich considering the stunts Aamir staged to gain publicity for 3 Idiots — and berates journos for believing Bhagat.

What is the difference between the two images?

I think one word sums it up: grace.

Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy and the Slumdog unit behaved with grace. Vinod Chopra and his star behaved with a complete lack of grace.

If you’ve missed the controversy, here’s what it is about. Vidhu Vinod Chopra bought the rights to Chetan Bhagat’s novel and then turned it into 3 Idiots. Nobody disputes that 3 Idiots is based on the Bhagat novel and indeed Bhagat is credited as such in the movie.

The point of discord is the placing of the credit. Bhagat suggests that it should have been at the beginning along with all the other writer credits. Instead it appears at the very end.

In his defence, Chopra says that the end is an appropriate place for the credit because his scriptwriters, including Rajkumar Hirani, the film’s director, changed so much of the story that the final film has little to do with Bhagat’s novel.

Bhagat says that this is not true. Yes of course there is a lot in the film that he did not write but it is still recognisably his story and on his blog he lists several points of similarity.

For the purposes of argument, I am quite prepared to believe Aamir and Chopra when they deny Bhagat’s version of events. I am also prepared to accept that the screenplay is significantly different from Bhagat’s novel.

But here’s the thing: it shouldn’t make a difference.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra is contractually obliged to give Bhagat credit as the writer of the source material for the movie. So, the issue is not whether the script is 95 per cent based on the book or 25 per cent derived from Bhagat’s novel. The only issue is one of placing. Should Bhagat have been part of the opening credits? And was it graceless to bury his name in the end credits?

In Hollywood, it is not uncommon for scriptwriters to significantly alter the plots of source material or to only use a part of the book. Slumdog differs significantly from Vikas Swarup’s Q&A. The Firm dispenses with John Grisham’s ending and invents a new one. In Papillon, a major character who was not even in the book was invented by the scriptwriters. David Lean’s Dr Zhivago junked the second half of the book. The recent My Sister’s Keeper differs substantially from Jodi Picoult’s bestseller of the same name.

In every single case, however, the original novel was properly credited and the author mentioned in the opening credits. Nobody believed that this detracted in any way from the screenwriter’s achievements. It just demonstrated a certain grace and honesty on the part of the movie’s maker.

So why, you may well ask, is Vidhu Vinod Chopra being so bloody-minded about denying Chetan Bhagat his opening credit?

The honest answer is I simply cannot understand Chopra’s pettiness.

I hold no brief for any of the principals in this drama. At the HT, we’ve had a bad experience with Chetan Bhagat, who we believe behaved unprofessionally when he was a columnist. On the other hand, I have met Vinod Chopra, have worked with his wife and have always thought well of him. Personally, I have the highest regard and admiration for Aamir Khan, whom I know slightly.

So, this is not about personalities. It’s not even about principle — Chopra has conceded the principle by giving Bhagat his credit even if he has buried it in the end.

It is about grace.

What does it cost the makers of 3 Idiots to give Chetan Bhagat his credit in the space where a writer’s credit is traditionally placed in the international movie business? It would make no difference to the movie’s massive box-office performance. We would not think any less of Rajkumar Hirani, a fine director with a great track record. And Aamir’s reputation as the most consistently successful star of our times would remain intact.

Finally, it comes down to how big a human being is prepared to be. Even people who did not think much of Slumdog Millionaire were overwhelmed when Danny Boyle used the Oscar platform to say sorry to Longinus for leaving his name out of the credits. That was the single-biggest night in Boyle’s life, a culmination of everything he had worked for. And he still found the time to mention an Indian dance director he would probably never meet again.

That’s what I call class.

Our own film industry, however, has not covered itself in glory by the way in which it has behaved over Bhagat’s credit. Our producers, directors and actors have come across as mean-spirited and petty and ready to get into fights over something as minor as the placing of a credit.

Just as India has the potential to become a superpower in the 21st century so Bollywood has the opportunity to become the world’s leading film industry in this century. Certainly, we are not short of talent or of audiences.

What we are short of, however, is grace. And our directors need to learn that no amount of box-office success can buy you class. Our film industry will never hit the big time if its leading lights continue to think like small-timers.

It’s time for Aamir, Chopra and Hirani to show some grace. Otherwise they risk coming across as three idiots.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/It-s-about-behaving-with-grace-you-idiots/H1-Article1-493145.aspx
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