Brad Pitt attacked at Jolie’s Maleficent premiere

Also, Eva Longoria’s Las Vegas Strip steakhouse closes; Yash Raj Films launches fashion line in Mumbai; Kush Sinha to direct Indian TV adaptation of Jeffrey Archer book.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt wave at fans as they arrive at the premiere of Maleficent at El Capitan theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday. Reuters

A man was jailed on suspicion of battery after rushing up and touching Brad Pitt on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of the movie Maleficent, witnesses and police said, though Pitt was apparently unhurt and soon resumed signing autographs.

Witnesses saw the man from the fan area jump over a barrier onto the red carpet at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and rush at Pitt, touching him briefly before security guards wrestled him back across the barrier.

The man was led away in handcuffs and arrested on suspicion of battery, said Los Angeles police spokeswoman Nuria Venegas, who did not know the suspect’s name. She could only confirm that he made contact with Pitt, and could not classify it any further.

Pitt kept greeting fans and walked into the theatre.

Pitt's longtime partner Angelina Jolie stars in Maleficent, Disney's new live action spin on its animated classic Sleeping Beauty"

Before the incident, Jolie said that the El Capitan is like a local theatre for herself, Pitt and their kids, who usually don’t attend her premières but did on Wednesday night.

“Well, oddly, we usually go to the El Capitan, that’s where we take the kids. That’s the closest theatre to us,” Jolie said. “This is the first time they were able to come to mommy’s premiere.”

The man got to Pitt despite security that was heavy for a movie premiere, with guards keeping a large gap between the stars and the crowd.

Email messages left for representatives for Pitt and Disney were not immediately returned. – AP

Eva Longoria’s Las Vegas Strip steakhouse closes

Eva Longoria’s female-focused steakhouse closed over the weekend, less than two years after opening in a swanky shopping centre on the Las Vegas Strip.

Officials with the parent company Landry’s said SHe by Morton’s shut down effective on Sunday. The restaurant had opened in late 2012 with a theatrical nightclub on the upper floor, but the club portion closed in early 2013.

“The restaurant was looking into alternatives to repurpose the space to enhance its dining experience,” said Scott Marshall, SHe’s chief operating officer. Unable to agree with the landlord on an overhaul after the club closed, “we were left with no alternative other than to sell the space back.”

The restaurant was located inside the Crystals shops at the Aria casino and featured a catwalk and smaller portion sizes for female customers. Mirrors on the back of the dessert menus were designed for patrons reapplying lipstick after their dinner.

The steakhouse ran into trouble last month when the Southern Nevada Health District temporarily closed the restaurant. Health inspectors gave the restaurant numerous demerits, mostly related to keeping food at proper temperatures and maintaining accurate thermometers.

The eatery quickly reopened with a grade “A” from the health district. – AP

Yash Raj Films launches fashion line in Mumbai

Yash Raj Films’ fashion brand Diva’ni has been launched in Mumbai, the second city to house an outlet after New Delhi. The store is a tribute to Mumbai for the city’s contribution to cinema, said a statement. The flagship store was inaugurated in the western suburb of Santa Cruz.

YRF, which has set several fashion trends across its over four decade-old existence through films like Lamhe, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil To Pagal Hai, Mohabbatein, Bunty Aur Babli and Band Baaja Baaraat, has tied up with the ethnic-wear brand Karol Bagh Saree House for the label. – IANS

Kush Sinha to direct Indian TV adaptation of Jeffrey Archer book

The actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha's son Kush, who has assisted the filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali on several projects, will direct an Indian televised version of Jeffrey Archer's political bestseller First Among Equals.

The rights to film the novel were bought by producer Sheetal Talwar at a reported 15 million rupees. The series “will be one of the most lavish and expensive to be produced for Indian television”, a production source said.

Kush said: "Yes, I am doing Jeffrey Archer's First Among Equals for television. It's a layered subject with lots of depth and complexity. Most important of all, the story is extremely adaptable for Indian tastes." – IANS