Vidya Balan to promote Indian Film Festival in Melbourne

Plus Karan Johar says work is his lifeline; Amitabh Bachchan named best TV host, content comes first for Adnan Sami's albums.

The actress Vidya Balan will be brand ambassador for Melbourne's Indian Film Festival for the second time in a row. AFP

The Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has been named the brand ambassador for the Indian Film Festival to be held in Melbourne in April. In a press conference in Mumbai, Balan said she was delighted to be the face of the festival for the second time in a row. "I feel extremely proud. Thank you very much, the State of Victoria." The film festival will celebrate Indian cinema, showcasing the diversity of the Indian film industry. The event will also pay tribute to the Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra, who died last week, by showcasing some of his greatest work. Chopra apparently was originally tapped to appear in the festival for a retrospective of his movies. - IANS

Karan Johar: my work is my lifeline

The filmmaker Karan Johar candidly admits he's obsessed with cinema. "My work is my lifeline. My films move me and I don't have a life besides my movies. They are my primary passion," Johar said in an interview. The director, who debuted in the industry in 1998 with the romantic comedy Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, says he doesn't follow any trends. "I am driven only by my instinct. I don't go by what is happening around. If remakes are being made, that does not mean I will also make one. Or just because action films are working does not mean I will make one," he said. "I make what I believe in and hope to achieve the best with it. I make what motivates me." Johar is also the head of the film studio Dharma Productions, which recently released the comedy Student of the Year. The 40-year-old director says it's a project he's always wanted to make. "I've wanted for so long to make a campus film about friendship. It was different for us because we worked with newcomers for the first time. The whole idea excited me," he said. - IANS

Big B wins best TV host award for game show

The Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan was awarded the People's Choice Award for Best Television Host for his popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?). The award ceremony was held in Mumbai on Sunday. "How did it happen? Thank you all who voted for me," Bachchan posted on Twitter. First broadcast in 2000, the game show marked the veteran actor's first gig in Indian television. The show is currently on its sixth season. Among the celebrities who attended the awards show were Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Hema Malini and Kareena Kapoor. The movie Ek Tha Tiger was awarded Best Film. - IANS

Adnan Sami: for music albums, content comes first

The Pakistani musician Adnan Sami, who has roped in Bollywood A-listers such as Rani Mukerji and Govinda to collaborate with him, says ultimately it is the content that makes an album successful. "I always believe that you may have the most amazing line-up of artists to be part of your project, but at the end of the day it is the content of your project that has to be great," Sami said in an interview. "There have been many examples when there were celebrities involved, whether in an album or a music video, but it did not guarantee any success. For it to be successful, I believe it is the combination of both that works. The music should be strong." The 39-year-old debuted in the industry in 1991 and has produced countless chart-toppers. - IANS