February 23, 2009, - AR Rahman was a blend of humility and pleasure while walking down the red carpet with wife Sairaa, and later receiving two Oscars, at the 81st Annual Academy Awards 2009 at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, February 22.
Rahman won Oscars for unique Score and Original Song for Slum dog Millionaire, the runaway success story of the evening which swept the awards night with 8 wins from 10 nominations.
Rahman also performed O Saya and Jai Ho during the evening watched by millions all over the globe.
Known to be creative and fertile when composing music, Rahman was largely at loss of words when collecting the Oscars.
"I just want to thank again the whole crew of Slum dog Millionaire, especially Danny Boyle, for giving me such a great opportunity," the composer said in his award acceptance speech.
"All my life I've had a option of hate and love. I chose love, and I'm here. God bless," he added.
For the red mat walk, the 43-year-old composer from Tamil Nadu in India wore black single button satin collar suit with dark grey satin shirt and silver grey silk tie.
His wife Sairaa was stylishly dressed in a black and gold salwar and kameez set. The kameez with full length sheer sleeves was overstated with zardozi work. Elegantly draped around her head was a similar dupatta with heavy zardozi work and red edges.
Her auburn crimped locks peeped through the dupatta.
She wore coral lip color and golden eye shadow with broad black eyeliner on the eyelids.
Rahman becomes the 3’rd Oscar winning Indian after costume designer Bhanu Athaiya for her work in Gandhi (1983) and director Satyajit Ray in year 1992.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Music Composer A.R.Rahman Winning Oscar Awards in 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Malaysia intention 9 per cent increase in Indian visitors this year
Tourism Malaysia on Wednesday said it expects around nine per cent increase in the number of Indian tourist arrivals in the country this year, although the overall global tourist arrival in the Southeast Asian country could drop by two million.
"Due to the current financial crisis, the overall global tourism is not doing well. So, we have cut down our target of global tourist arrivals from 22 million to 20 million. However, this is a time to focus on neighbouring countries and other Asian countries, including India," Tourism Malaysia Director Manoharan said.
Manoharan said Malaysia is expecting around six lakh Indian visitors this year compared to over 5.5 lakh visitors last year. "People are finding more economical to spend their holiday within the Asian region than to fly to the West. Tourists are not favouring long haul destinations at this point of time.
"Due to the current financial crisis, the overall global tourism is not doing well. So, we have cut down our target of global tourist arrivals from 22 million to 20 million. However, this is a time to focus on neighbouring countries and other Asian countries, including India," Tourism Malaysia Director Manoharan said.
Manoharan said Malaysia is expecting around six lakh Indian visitors this year compared to over 5.5 lakh visitors last year. "People are finding more economical to spend their holiday within the Asian region than to fly to the West. Tourists are not favouring long haul destinations at this point of time.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Powerful earthquake hits Indonesia, magnitude 7.2
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A powerful earthquake off eastern Indonesia briefly triggered a tsunami warning Thursday, causing a stampede of residents to higher ground. Hundreds of building were damaged and at least 42 people injured, some seriously.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the shallow, 7.2-magnitude quake struck off Sulawesi island's coast at around 1:34 a.m. (1734 GMT; 2:34 p.m. Wednesday EST), shaking people from their sleep. It was followed by dozens of aftershocks, the strongest measuring 6.2.
The Talaud island chain, in waters just south of the Philippines, felt the quake most intensely, said Rustam Pakaya, a government crisis center official, adding that Melonguane and Kabaruan were the towns hardest hit.
Nearly 500 buildings were damaged, including several schools, hospitals and churches, he said. Of the 42 people receiving medical care, 10 suffered serious injuries. Thousands of others were seeking refugee in shelters.
The quake briefly triggered a tsunami warning — delivered over mobile loudspeakers and by radio and television. It was lifted about an hour later, however, after the threat of killer waves had passed.
"We were so afraid," said Damian Geruh, a Melonguane resident who described women screaming as they fled their homes. "We ran to nearby hill. I saw others climbing trees."
The USGS said the early morning quake, and nearly three dozen aftershocks that followed, were centered 195 miles (320 kilometers) from Manado, the northernmost city on Sulawesi island, and 12 miles (20 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.
Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
In December 2004, a massive earthquake off the country's western island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that battered much of the Indian Ocean coastline and killed more than 230,000 people — more than half of them in Indonesia's Aceh province alone. A tsunami off Java island in 2007 killed nearly 5,000.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the shallow, 7.2-magnitude quake struck off Sulawesi island's coast at around 1:34 a.m. (1734 GMT; 2:34 p.m. Wednesday EST), shaking people from their sleep. It was followed by dozens of aftershocks, the strongest measuring 6.2.
The Talaud island chain, in waters just south of the Philippines, felt the quake most intensely, said Rustam Pakaya, a government crisis center official, adding that Melonguane and Kabaruan were the towns hardest hit.
Nearly 500 buildings were damaged, including several schools, hospitals and churches, he said. Of the 42 people receiving medical care, 10 suffered serious injuries. Thousands of others were seeking refugee in shelters.
The quake briefly triggered a tsunami warning — delivered over mobile loudspeakers and by radio and television. It was lifted about an hour later, however, after the threat of killer waves had passed.
"We were so afraid," said Damian Geruh, a Melonguane resident who described women screaming as they fled their homes. "We ran to nearby hill. I saw others climbing trees."
The USGS said the early morning quake, and nearly three dozen aftershocks that followed, were centered 195 miles (320 kilometers) from Manado, the northernmost city on Sulawesi island, and 12 miles (20 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.
Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
In December 2004, a massive earthquake off the country's western island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that battered much of the Indian Ocean coastline and killed more than 230,000 people — more than half of them in Indonesia's Aceh province alone. A tsunami off Java island in 2007 killed nearly 5,000.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Katrina Kaif refuses to look hot
After having done numerous glamorous roles in her run up to success, Bollywood's reigning queen Katrina Kaif is now in a serious mode.
The Namastey London star has taken on meatier roles, which will allow her to prove her mantle as a good actress. And to begin with Kats will be seen in a completely de glamourised role in Prakash Jha's Rajniti.
Reports also suggest that Jha wants Katrina to sport a non-make up look for the major part of the film. Jha, who in the past has done wonders with his heroines including Madhuri Dixit, Bipasha Basu, is taking a keen interest in Katrina's characterisation.
Reports suggest that Katrina has been advised to undergo voice modulation since she is required to speak in a certain dialect in the film's second half. The film, which is a contemporary take on Mahabharata, also stars Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgan among others.
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Pics: Katrina is Asia's sexiest
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Pics: Akki, Katrina rule
Pics: Katrina's saree debut
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