Exposed: How Veena Malik, Poonam Pandey and Rozlyn Khan took the Indian media for a jolly good ride

EDITORIAL

By A Salian – Futuristic Media Network (editor.fmn at gmail.com)

For the controversy-crazy Indian media Veena Malik, Poonam Pandey and Rozlyn Khan are gods and for the content-hungry media which has become lethargic and lazy to dig and find ‘good stories’, Veena Malik, Poonam Pandey and Rozlyn Khan have become their knights in shining armour. We have become Facebook correspondents, Twitter correspondents and Online Media correspondents. In fact, it’s high time that publications and news TV channels now have an official designated beat – the online correspondent.

Each day the PR-machinery of these “sell-a-brities” dish out press releases in the form of exposes which are easily lapped up by the media – not just websites or gossip publications, even the mainline media has fallen prey to the controversial and easily sell able stories. Surprisingly, even senior journalists have succumbed to the pressure of controversy and mass appeal. We bring you an exclusive expose on how Veena Malik, Poonam Pandey and Rozlyn Khan have been minting the moolah with their “fake nudes” which have been lapped up by a hungry media and given pride of place in mainline publications.

We all know how Veena Malik’s so-called controversies were eventually proved to be pre-planned publicity stunts. Whether it was the disappearing act or the FHM magazine photo shoot any media person could tell what would come next. In spite of knowing the easily predictable nature of her stunts, the media still continues to feed from the crumbs that fall from her PR machinery’s table. Case in the point is the recent producer Hemant Madhukar kissing controversy which was followed up by a press release about how Madhukar’s wife was unhappy with Veena Malik’s ‘advances towards her husband’. Surprisingly, the badly-written press releases and photographs were published in a well-known Mumbai tabloid. The quality of the snippets sent out by the above ‘strip queens’ would shame any high school English student. But then who cares about the English language any more.

Veena Malik’s photographs for FHM magazine were not nudes. They were shot in a bikini and were photo shopped later on and the bikini removed. Similarly almost all of Poonam Pandey and Rozlyn Khan’s photographs are not real nudes. In fact, photographs shot and sent out months earlier are re-edited, the backgrounds changed and bikinis removed electronically to give them a nude effect. They are then proudly displayed on Facebook and Twitter as though they are Olympic medals. The trick is very simple – rope in a real celebrity’s name like Dhoni, or SRK or Sachin Tendulkar. Of course, when the media questions them, neither would Dhoni or SRK or Sachin in their humility criticize the strip queens. They make some nondescript comment which also becomes news propelling the strip queen on the front page.

And even if they did, it would be a bigger controversy. While the girls are free to do what they deem fit, it is the Indian media which has fallen prey to their stunts and been taken for a ride.

With a little bit of publicity, these strip queens calling themselves actresses and super models have begun to demand huge sums of money for public appearances and modeling assignments. Poonam Pandey charges (or at least claims to charge) Rs 1.5 lakh for a public appearance. She recently refused to do an item song for a lesser known producer. Veena Malik charges upwards of Rs 2.5 lakh for an appearance. According to her rival Nisha Yadav, Veena Malik has taken lakhs from producers in cash as signing amounts. The producers modus operandi is simple. They pay a strip queen a ‘signing amount’ and get a ‘confirmation letter’ stating that she is in the project. They then get huge sums from other financiers who advance the money towards the project. Rozlyn Khan too is demanding astronomical sums for shoots and appearances based on the mileage that ‘we the media’ have given them all for a song while genuine stories get passed on because they are not “nude”.

In smaller towns and cities like Ranchi, Lucknow, Indore, etc, Veena Malik, Rozlyn Khan and Poonam Pandey charge 2-3 lakhs for appearances. Since clients cannot afford the huge appearance fees of the real stars, the space has been filled up by the strip queens with their “fake nudes”. A few years ago it was the item girls led by a particular drama queen who ruled the roost. With the craze for item girls weaning away – given the fact that there are several hundred of them today, Poonam Pandey, Veena Malik, Rozlyn Khan and their ilk have found a new “positioning” for themselves in the media circus. With hardly any professional training or repertoire of good work and merely by faking their photographs, these unscrupulous elements are taking everyone concerned for a ride. It is high time the media woke up to their “stunts” and showed them the door – or their right place.

IFFM announces the Mr & Ms India Fitness Model pageant

Mr & Ms India Fitness Model pageant to be held in Mumbai

 

The Indian Forum of Fitness Modeling (IFFM) has announced its Mr & Ms India Fitness Model pageant in Mumbai. The pageant will be held on 1^st July at Mumbai, said a spokesperson for the IFFM. The IFFM is the representative body of all amateur and professional fitness models in India and boasts of a membership of about 2500 registered male and female fitness models and enthusiasts.

Fitness modeling as a competitive sport has for a long time been pushed under the carpet and has not been given the importance it deserves in a huge country like India where roti, kapda aur makan is more important than other issues like health and fitness. The Mr & Ms India Fitness Model pageant will be held in two categories – amateur and professional. There will be two sub groups in each category – light weight and heavy weight. The pageant is open to all males and females from India irrespective of their marital status. All male and females between the age group of 18 to 40 can participate in this event. The registration fee for this event is Rs 1000/- (one thousand only). Several fitness brands have pledged their support for this event and it will be first of its kind in India.

Fitness trainers Karuna Swami and Uday Swami of UK Fitness Mumbai, have been roped in as pageant trainers and will guide and groom the participants for the one month prior to the event.  Karuna Swami is the recent Indian Body Building Federation’s (IBBF) Ms Fitness Physique winner and will represent Indian at the International Fitness Physique Competition in China in September 2012.

Participants wishing to participate in the Mr & Ms India Fitness Model pageant must send in their bio data and photographs to pinnaclepromos@gmail.com. Latest pageant updates and event Terms and Conditions as well as Contest Rules can be viewed at http://futuristicmedianetwork.wordpress.com

World’s longest Fashion Show to be held in Mumbai on 30th June

The World’s longest Fashion Show – the FMN Fashion Pageant will be held in Mumbai on 30^th June 2012. 75 fashion designers, about 300 male and female models and about 25 choreographers are expected to participate in the event to create a new World Record or break an existing record. Says Andy John of Futuristic Media Network – the organizers of the event: “We have written to the Guinness World Records (GWR) for details regarding the World’s longest or continuous fashion show. To the best of our knowledge, the longest fashion show record is for 14 hours. We will attempt to break that record. In case the GWR does not have such a record category, we will set a new record for the longest continuous fashion show. Our application is pending with the GWR and we are awaiting their feedback. Fashion designers, models, choreographers, accessory designers and manufacturers and others from the fashion industry who would like to be part of this event are requested to check out http://futuristicmedianetwork.wordpress.com for the latest updates or contact editor.fmn at gmail.com

 

“We are doing it for charity. To support Indian tailors, small designers, artisans, craftsmen, etc. The theme is Indian Traditional Outfits. The 75 designers will attempt to create and display designs and outfits including footwear, headgear and accessories from the 26 Indian states,” he explained, adding that Umair Zafar and 10 others designers have already signed up for this event. 

 

An adjudicator from the Guinness World Records will be present during the entire event and will verify the facts of the record before handing over the official certificate for the World Record, said Andy John.

Fashion designer Umair Zafar designs for Ms Bikini India 2012

 

Mumbai-based fashion designer Umair Zafar has been selected to design costumes and outfits for the Ms Bikini India 2012 beauty pageant. He will design some of the bikinis, sarongs and even outfits for the Indian Wear round.

Says Umair Zafar, ‘I am happy to be part of the mega glamour event Ms Bikini India 2012. My bikini designs will incorporate trendy and stylish Indian embroidered embellishments to promote Indian crafts and craftsmen. As times are changing and so is the definition of fashion, we cannot restrict our crafts only for traditional outfits. There is immense scope to explore, embroidery and embellishments for lingerie and bikinis as well. Bikinis and lingerie need not be the ‘plain-jane’ version.  We have beautiful thread embroidered motifs especially Persian crafts and handiwork.

 I will be designing the Bikini Collection for Ms Bikini India 2012. The USP of my collection would be different embroidered embellishments like Lucknowi chikan kaari, bead, sequence and kasab work. The embellishments will be inspired by various rulers of India and their official stamps, emblems etc.  

Fashion designer Umair Zafar who has been designing clothes nearly for the last 7 years is clearly one of the favourite designers amongst TV artistes and Bollywood actors. Some of his clientele include Shahbaaz Khan, Vivian Dsena, Vishal Gandhi, Padmini Kolhapuri, Geeta Basra, Aditi Sharma, Nisha Kothari, Sayali Bhagat, Deepshikha Nagpal, Yukta Mookhey, Rituparna Sen Gupta to name a few. There are many others, but celebs are very secretive about the source of their clothing and at least another ten of Umair’s clients requested us not to mention names.

 

 

Nisha Yadav promises to go nude again – if Mumbai Indians wins the IPL

By Rashmi Dasgupta – Futuristic Media Network

If Poonam Pandey and Veena Malik can do it, can Nisha Yadav be far behind? Mumbai’s latest addition to the nude brigade Nisha Yadav has promised her fans that she would shed her clothes once again in a span of 30 days – this time if Mumbai Indians wins the IPL. Let’s see if she really does it or does a Poonam Pandey on us. Well Mumbai Indians will have to first win the IPL for that.. What say?

Nisha Yadav: Veena Malik indulging in illegal activity in India

Nisha Yadav: Veena Malik is making a lot of black money in India

Nisha Yadav has fired her biggest salvo till date. In a very bold interview to news blog futuristicmedianetwork.wordpress.com, she has openly accused Veena Malik of minting black money or “Doh number ka paisa” in India. If one remembers right, Nisha Yadav was in the forefront of the agitation against Veena Malik along with the IAAF when she was selected by Imagine channel for the Swayamvar show. Here are excerpts of her exclusive interview to Futuristic Media Network:

“Veena Malik is doing a lot of illegal activity in India and nobody is questioning it. She is making a lot of illegal money or black money here and depriving Indian actors and girls of an income. She sent a legal notice to FHM magazine and has not followed up with it.  The notice and the rejoinder by FHM magazine were both pre-planned and it was just a drama. She has taken the entire nation for a ride with her publicity stunts which are only meant to get her publicity and mileage so that she can get “signing amounts” from producers and financers. She is undertaking illegal activity in India which is against the law. I do not want to specify what she is doing, but the Income Tax authorities must investigate her source of income. While it is true that she does films officially for a pittance and is hardly paid for her films, how does she manage to pay for all her expenses? There should be an investigation against her. She has used various unfair tactics to get her visa extended time and again.  And she is making lakhs of Rs every month which are illegally repatriated to her foreign accounts,“ claimed Nisha Yadav.

Nisha Yadav also alleged that Veena Malik is concealing her true income from the concerned authorities in India. She has amassed a huge fortune of black money here by indulging in various illegal activities.

Uncle’s Kitchen, Malad – Mumbai’s oldest and best Chinese Restaurant completes 25 years of service

 

Mumbai’s suburban landmark and gourmet point Uncle’s Kitchen celebrates 25 years of great Chinese Food.

 

 

By Frank Franklyn – Futuristic Media Network

For the last 25-plus years, Uncle’s Kitchen at Malad has been a landmark, an enigma and a delightful dining experience. Thousands of youngsters from the suburbs have taken their dates there for a quick, yet romantic (and not to forget affordable) dinner.

Says Franklyn Remedios, media personality and a regular customer,  “I have been going to the place since I was 14 years old. It started off as a small Chinese joint at Mith Chowky that over time got famous as the Uncle’s Kitchen Junction and which is even today known by the same name.

 We used to visit the place for a Chinese snack every time we went to Manori. My first lunch date with my college girl friend was at Uncle’s Kitchen and almost 22 years later as I look back and think, I cannot fail to remember the nostalgic memories associated with Uncle’s Kitchen. This place has been like a lighthouse – standing proud and tall, a symbol and example of a good and affordable dining experience. Even today my family loves the place. It is the first place we go to whenever we are in Malad.”

Starting off as a humble 20-25-seater restaurant in 1987 by 68-year-old Jerome D’Souza, regular customers remember Uncle’s Kitchen as the only place where one could get good, affordable food after 11 pm. “Many a times after work, we would travel all the way from Bandra to have a quick dinner post 11 pm and the experienced chefs at Uncle’s Kitchen never disappointed us,” recalls Remedios.

The restaurant moved to a new venue in the vicinity three years back as the widening of the Link Road took its toll.

Says Ronnie Dsouza the captain and the younger son of Jerome Dsouza who along with his brother Sunny now pilots the ship called Uncle’s Kitchen, “My father loves to cook. He believes that cooking and serving good food with love is a blessing and a service.” Talking about the early days of Uncle’s Kitchen, he says, “In 1986 Gregory D’Souza a social worker in the Malad-Orlem area was ready to sponsor a location for my dad. The Orlem area was a per-dominantly Catholic locality and there was no good, affordable restaurant, forget about a decent Chinese restaurant. My dad had received a job offer abroad and thought he could work abroad for a while before jointly opening his own eatery. Unfortunately, after six months Gregory passed away and my dad immediately returned to Mumbai and we started Uncle’s Kitchen. It began as a small enterprise in Gregory’s memory who was lovingly known as ‘uncle’ in the locality,” reminisces Ronnie D’Souza, Jerome’s younger son.

 “Soon Jerome’s brother Peter and Jerome’s sons Sunny and the younger son Ronnie joined him and the D’Souza family started with a menu of 12 to 15 Chinese dishes. Those were times when Mumbai’s suburbs were untouched by the Chinese cuisine craze. Malad’s residents got their money’s worth, as the years rolled by.

Says Dj Jenny D, Mumbai’s popular female DJ and aspiring actress and a regular at Uncle’s Kitchen: “Uncle’s Kitchen is a landmark. It serves some of the best yet affordable Chinese food in Mumbai and is a place I regularly frequent.”

Several well-known Bollywood film stars, TV stars and directors while shooting in the Manori-Madh Island vicinity drop in on their way back from their shoots and pack their dinner from Uncle’s Kitchen. Then there are others who will send their drivers all the way from Film City in Goregaon East to pack some of Uncle’s Kitchen’s delicacies.

Till date, the specialty here remains the Chicken Chilli (made without the coating of batter) and Chicken Lollipops, which Ronnie claims to be his father’s invention.

Along with older brother Steven loving called Sunny by guests, the duo has been working at the restaurant since they were 12 and 16-year-olds, respectively. Initially, Ronnie waited tables, cleaned dishes and even took care of the car service at the restaurant. He still entertains guests and personally takes orders. Sunny takes care of the take-away and purchase requirements of the restaurant.

Uncle’s Kitchen shifted to its present location three years back after they had to vacate the original spot due to road widening project, “It was for a good cause,” says Ronnie. Locals still refer to their earlier location as the Uncle’s Kitchen Junction.

Patrons at Uncle’s Kitchen who would visit the place as kids today drop by with their girlfriends or wives and even children, recalls Ronnie explaining that three generations of Malad’s residents have enjoyed the food at Uncle’s Kitchen. The restaurant that was formerly a 20-seater now seats 150 people in the AC and non-AC sections.

Apart from people packing off their much-loved Schezwan sauce for their trips abroad, the restaurant is a favorite with police officers who frequent the eatery even after transfers. Several police chiefs and deputy commissioners have been regular guests at the restaurant though they may not be actually seen dining there. Bollywood celebrities including Mithun Chakraborty, Raza Murad, music director Pritam, Kiran Kumar Anupam Kher, Ajay Devgn and Suresh Oberoi are regulars. They pick up a take away when they are shooting in the vicinity.

“We don’t wish to open more outlets or franchisees because we prefer to keep our personal rapport with patrons,” admits Ronnie who is flooded with franchisee offers. Today, their menu boasts of over 250 dishes.

Ronnie has introduced a new dish – the healthy Chinese Pasta, which is an Italian-Indian-Chinese mix. This was created as a result of youngsters who would visit the restaurant and complain about the cheese-laden calorie-heavy pasta. “We have introduced a few low-calorie Chinese dishes to cater to the lifestyle needs of the new generation,” says Ronnie.

 

Here is what others have to say about Uncle’s Kitchen:

Hotkhana.com

Uncle’s Kitchen, Malad – A budget restaurant with a strong fan following known for its robust earthy Chinese cooking and affordable prices.

Uncle’s Kitchen is a small eatery which has a strong fan following. The place is small but hygeinic and serves good Chinese dishes like Sichuan Fried Rice and Chicken Chilli.  Verdict: Good service, good food and affordable prices

Veena Malik’s latest publicity stunt with Hemant Madhukar

By Ashwin Salian – Futuristic Media Network

Veena Malik is really desperate for publicity ! Or is it producer-director Hemant Madhukar to promote his film Mumbai 125 Kms. We wonder why Veena Malik can’t use her brains (and body) more sensibly and in a more diginified manner. Dear Veena Malik here is a bit of advice from a senior film industry professional – such publicity stunts dont work in the long run. They may get you reams of news print but will never get you good work. Unless of course you are not looking for good work and a short-cut route to quick money.

Any here is wishing Veena Malik and producer Hemant Madhukar our best regards for the release of their film Mumbai 125 kms.

Will Sunny Leone walk the ramp for Ms Bikini India 2012

Will adult entertainer and Bollywood actress Sunny Leone walk the ramp for Ms Bikini India 2012? That’s the big question; the organizers of the glamour event must be asking themselves today.

It is learnt that Futuristic Media Network, the organizers of Ms Bikini India 2012, has approached Sunny Leone’s managers with a request that Sunny Leone walk the ramp during the main finale of the Ms Bikini India 2012 – in a bikini of course. It goes without saying that Sunny Leone will be paid a huge sum for her two minute ramp walk and though the figure is not known as yet, the big question is will the hottest sensation in Bollywood agree to grace the event? Given the fact that the Bhatt’s have locked her in a 3-film contract? Only time will tell.. For the latest updates visit the Ms Bikini India 2012 Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ms.bikini.india

CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR SUNNY LEONE’S PHOTO GALLERY

http://futuristicmedianetwork.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/sunny-leone-photo-gallery/

“Underground” producer Hemant Nilim Das threatened by North-Eastern Ultras

 

BREAKING NEWS: PRODUCER THREATENED BY TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

 

Producer and director of India’s first Uncut film Hemant Nilim Das’ was threatened by an alleged militant organisation from the North-Eastern sector on Wednesday night. The call was received by Associate Producer R Franklyn  who said that a caller claiming allegience to the USLF or United September Liberation Front threatened Hemant Nilim Das  with dire consequences to his family and himself if his film portrayed the ‘organisations working for the liberation of the North Eastern people in poor light’.

Hemant Nilim Das has not yet registered an official police complaint and is discussing with his lawyers about the right course of action. Dismissing the threat, Hemant Nilim Das said that he has researched the subject matter of his film for over one year and has got all his facts right. “No doubt it is a controversial subject and I am not scared for such threats,” he said.

The film Underground which features Rekha Rana and two other well-known actors, with a special appearance by DJ Jenny D in a promotional video for the film, was recently completed after being shot in a bunker on the Indo-Chinese border. It is produced and directed by Hemant Nilim Das. The film is likely to be released in end-June this year, say sources.

The story of the film revolves around the murder of an activist who was killed by alleged terrorists in the North-Eastern belt of India. The three protagonists in the film are captured by terrorists and imprisoned in an underground bunker.

This is not the first time that Hemant Nilim Das has received threats about his film. About a month ago, similar threats were made by another north-eastern outfit demanding that he scrap the project.

Underground stars Nihar Thakkar in the role of a son of Pakistani dipomat while Awadesh Mishra, a national award-winning actor plays the role of a NGO activist who was kidnapped by a terrorist organisation way back in 1997 from a north-eastern river island.