Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band wowed fans on Sunday by opening their first concert in South Africa with a tribute to the late Nelson Mandela. Springsteen kicked off the show in Cape Town with Free Nelson Mandela, a song made famous in the 1980s by The Special AKA. It was Springsteen's first performance in South Africa, nearly three decades after he and his band took part in the famous Artists United Against Apartheid in 1985. Earlier he told reporters that the country's transformation to democracy "was a miracle" and that it was "very special to be here". He and the E Street Band have three concerts scheduled for Cape Town and one billed for Johannesburg. – AFP
Arjun Rampal’s restaurant in legal trouble
A restaurant run by Arjun Rampal in a top hotel faces closure after the Bollywood actor defaulted on paying the rent, The Times of India reported. The India Tourism Development Corporation, which runs Hotel Samrat in New Delhi's Chanakyapuri area, has served him an eviction notice. The actor has been running his restaurant Lap since 2009. Rampal has not made an official comment but posted a tweet about it: "So I am Bankrupt now!!! According to media reports. So everyone cash out ur checks now ...#ridiculous." – The National staff
Cuarón takes Directors Guild prize
Alfonso Cuarón and his space spectacular Gravity edged ahead in the Oscars race on Saturday when he triumphed at the Directors Guild of America awards. "I'm humbled. I still have this kind of teen crush [for directors] and it makes me very nervous talking to them," said Cuarón, 52, as he picked up the prize in Los Angeles. In each of the past 10 years the DGA winner has gone on to take the Oscar for Best Director, with the exception last year of Ben Affleck for Argo. Other winners at the 66th DGA included Vince Gilligan for Breaking Bad and Steven Soderbergh for Behind the Candelabra. – AP
Shahid Kapoor returning to Kashmir to finish filming
Shahid Kapoor will soon return to Kashmir for the final phase of his forthcoming film Haider, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Kapoor, 32, took to Twitter to announce the news and to confirm that he will shave his head for the role: "Reading scenes for the final schedule of Haider ... Nervous and excited ... Last four days of hair I can run my hands through. Snowed-out Kashmir calling." Last year, Bhardwaj had to abandon filming in Kashmir following protests by students at the University of Kashmir in Hazratbal. The film, which co-stars Irrfan Khan and Shraddha Kapoor, is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. – The National staff
[ artslife@thenational.ae ]
