Whitney Houston, who died suddenly, last month in a Beverly Hills hotel room, has left her fortune to her 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, according to the singer’s will. Under terms of the will filed late on Wednesday in Atlanta, funds from the singer’s estate will be put in a trust to benefit her daughter. The young woman will get part of the principal when she turns 21, more money at age 25 and the balance when she celebrates her 30th birthday. Houston had long guarded against media intrusion into the life of her only child, whose father is entertainer Bobby Brown. But Bobbi Kristina, who turned 19 on Sunday, has been thrust into the spotlight since her mother’s death at age 48. Bobbi Kristina has given an interview to Oprah Winfrey that will air on the television personality’s OWN cable network this coming Sunday. The singer did not enjoy a very large share of revenues from her work because her label, Sony’s Legacy Records, owned the catalog of her albums and paid the singer royalties for her performances. Houston did not write her hit songs, and did not have revenues for those publishing rights. The pop star, whose powerful voiced fueled her rise to global fame in the mid-1980s, was found underwater in a bathtub at a Beverly Hills hotel on February 11. An exact cause of death has yet to be deter-mined, but authorities do not suspect foul play.

Vidya Balan prefers to step out in saris and traditional attires but she admits that after the success of The Dirty Picture she has become bolder in her personal life though not in appearance but in attitude. When asked whether she has become bolder, she is quick to reply: “yes, I have. I am no more apologetic to anyone for whatever I did in my life. People’s perception towards me has changed a bit and I am fine with it.” After the release of the movie director Milan Luthria revealed that he chose to cast Vidya in Silk’s role because he wanted to associate respect with sleaziness.

This was the one compliment that Vidya still remembers. “I kept asking Milan why he cast me but he said he will tell me later and when I heard his compliment I was over-whelmed.”Vidya Balan prefers to step out in saris and traditional attires but she admits that after the success of The dirty Picture she has become bolder in her personal life though not in appearance but in attitude. When asked whether she has become bolder, she is quick to reply: “yes, I have. I am no more apologetic to anyone for whatever I did in my life. People’s perception towards me has changed a bit and I am fine with it.” After the release of the movie director Milan Luthria revealed that he chose to cast Vidya in Silk’s role because he wanted to associate respect with sleaziness. This was the one compliment that Vidya still remembers. “I kept asking Milan why he cast me but he said he will tell me later and when I heard his compliment I was overwhelmed.”

As many as 71, 240 men have expressed their desire to marry Pakistani actress Veena Malik on Imagine’s show ‘Veena Ka Vivaah – Swaymavar Season 4′. While men across the globe, from countries like the US, UK, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand, Nepal and Pakistan are hopeful of making Veena their bride, majority of the entries have come from India. Reacting to the response for her swayamvar, a delighted Veena said , “I am hum-b l e d by the response I have received and am thrilled that majority of the entries have come from India. I want to thank everybody for their continuous love, support and faith in me and I hope they will hold my hand in the most important journey of my life.”

Bollywood actor Asin who has been quite tied up off late juggling the promotions of her upcoming release Housefull 2 and the shoot of Rohit Shetty’s Bol Bachchan recently got a day off for herself. The actress who is currently in Panchgani for a schedule of Bol Bachchan was delighted to get an unexpected off from her professional commitments and decided to make the most of it. Now not many people know, but the talented actress is a fan of adventure sports and loves trying out new activities all the time. So when she found out about the paragliding facility in Panchgani, she immediately made a plan to try it out as she wanted to spend her time doing something exciting. And that’s not all! It is heard that the pretty lady hires a cycle in the evenings after her shoot to go cycling on a track which is made especially for cyclists, to make most of her stay in the beautiful town.

Salman Khan is currently busy with the shooting of dabangg 2. He speaks about his former girlfriend Katrina Kaif. He says its a fantastic feeling to work with Katrina, after a long hiatus. Sallu and Kats will be seen together in their upcoming film, Ek Tha Tiger. This will be their first film together after their break up. The couple’s reel life bonding is does excite their fans. However, they are not in love again. The duo share pure friendship.

“ ..When I go back to visit Sri Lanka, yes there is over-arching tragedy that the civil war implicates, but at the same time it’s a country like anywhere else where people live day to day lives and have the same kind of human journey that you have anywhere..”

Photo By: Holly Brooks

“..In terms of being passive, I’m quite a contrast from this character and there was a struggle in achieving that but I was able to bring some of my experiences to it by my own upbringing..”

Photo By: Holly Brooks

Snow is a film for a lot of different people, not just immigrants or people dealing with a natural disaster. Like Breakaway, it gives the South Asian parents in Canada food for thought. These parents choose to immigrate to Canada. In Canada their kids have to navigate between two different worlds. Sometimes these worlds contradict and conflict without parents and kids’ knowing how exactly to behave. It also gives parallels to Shafia sisters whose trial and murder and shocked not only Canadians but people around the world.

Nevertheless, Suzanne Lively, the producer of the film explains “Snow’s portrayal of grief and transformation struck a chord with my own history and although people’s stories are different, the emotions we feel are not; I wanted to be part of a film that allowed the audience to experience the unity in the human condition.”

The audiences of Snow can relate to the film from many different angles whether it’s an immigrant story, or one of loss and grief, or dislocation.

With $350,00 budget and non-professional caste, Rohan Fernando, Writer, Director, Producer has created a film that’s theatrical release is on Feb 24^th only at the Cumberland Cinemas and continuing across the country after that.

Generation Next interviewed Kalista Zackhariyas, lead actor of Snow and Rohan:

Would you call the story of Snow a typical immigrant story with typical immigrant problems?

Rohan: I think it’s typical in the sense that the emotional journey she takes to better circumstances is exaggerated by extreme loss that she goes through. So in a way, I was working towards an iconic journey, exaggerated by extreme emotional loss.

While filming did you sense the need for Canadian audiences to understand the implications of natural disasters like tsunamis?

Rohan: In some ways the focus was about the loss of identity that the many immigrants go through. The tsunami as a natural disaster was a way of going about that in a non-political way because the loss is from a natural disaster rather than warfare or other reasons.

In Canada where multiculturalism is a national policy do you feel there was a need to discuss loss of identity?

Rohan: I guess it depends on where you’re living. Like in Toronto with its large Sri Lankan community, there might be less of a loss of identity; you grow up entrenched in your culture to some extent. But this character comes to a place like Nova Scotia where they come face to face with an outside culture that they have to kind of make sense of.

Kalista: I’m an immigrant to Canada and I came when I was around 10 ears old and even though I didn’t come after a loss or natural disaster, and even though I came to Toronto where we have a large South Asian population, I still felt the difference. There is a lot of coping and getting used to because Sri Lankan community here is very different from the way it is back home.

You wanted to focus on the emotional journey, but the moment you mention Sri Lanka, doesn’t it become political?

Rohan: I think that’s one of the things I try to combat; you have an imposed political identity just because you come from a country where majority of the political news is about the Civil War. When I go back to visit Sri Lanka, yes there is over-arching tragedy that the civil war implicates, but at the same time it’s a country like anywhere else where people live day to day lives and have the same kind of human journey that you have anywhere. So I wanted to focus on the human aspect of character.

Was the setting of Nova Scotia chosen deliberately?

Rohan: I actually wanted to set the story in a place where the character is forced to encounter the outside culture.

Do you think that is trauma in itself- personal decision making?

Rohan: Absolutely. It was interesting that when I took it to broadcasters, one of the comments that people kept saying was why doesn’t she stand up for herself? She’s so passive. They were talking about it in terms of a weak character; the reality is that many women from that culture tend to be passive because a lot of decisions are made for them. I feel her journey is one where she starts to take more control of her identity and starts to make more decisions and stronger decisions that you wouldn’t expect of someone from that culture.

Kalista, how did you play this passive character? Did you relate t oit?

Kalista: I was raised very traditionally Sri Lankan. My parents for a long time decided what was going to happen, with whom, and how in my life. And I rebelled against that, because I did come to Canada when I was very young. In that sense I faced the struggle between being raised very traditionally and figuring out my own identity. In terms of being passive, I’m quite a contrast from this character and there was a struggle in achieving that but I was able to bring some of my experiences to it by my own upbringing.

Was it difficult to work with non-professional artist actors?

Kalista: I wouldn’t say it was difficult. I don’t know how Rohan did it but he managed to pull off a non professional cast that brought a tremendous amount of professionalism and dedication to the film.

Rohan: They were also picked because they had similar life experiences to the characters they portrayed so it really a question of letting them be honest and be themselves.

How did you recruit these artists?

Rohan: I knew a lot of them, many of them growing up.

How long did it take to film?

Rohan: We shot for 18 days.

What was the budget you were working with?

Rohan: $350 000.

Were you surprised to hear there would be a theatrical release of the movie?

Rohan: We’ve been working hard towards it so it wasn’t a surprise but it was welcomed. And I have to give a lot of credit to Telefilm and Kenosmith, for the theatrical release.

What are your expectations of community reactions to the movie?

Rohan: I would love for it to create discussion. I think there are some controversial things in the film and they are worth discussing in terms of the way we view our identities as Sri Lankans or South Asians in Canada. It’s worth considering the options that are open to immigrants to Canada.

Do you think there are parallels between the story and Shafia trials?

Rohan: Of course you’re dealing with a culture that is highly restrictive of their daughters and it ended in tragic circumstances. And it’s a difficult struggle for the parents because they have to let go of what they feel their culture is and what is best for their kids..

Debutant Director Puneet Issar’s “I am Singh” is a story about a Sikh family affected by racial discrimination post 9/11.

Ranveer Singh is youngest son on the family, who is living in India. However when he hears the news of his family being affected by racial discrimination, he rushes to America in order to find answers for himself.

Upon his arrival he realizes that he is stuck in between political turmoil and will have to take the battle upon his own hands. The movie provides viewers with suspense, action keeping its audience at the edge of their seat for the first half of the movie.

Puneet Issar, attempts to summarize aftermath of 9/11 attacks with a new perspective, highlighting the affect the incident had particularly towards the Sikh community.  The movie followed a great screenplay, acting, and editing, however viewers loose interest towards the end of the film, when it becomes just a cat and dog chase between the protagonist and antagonist. The movie ends unexpectedly and does not come to concrete conclusion.

There is nothing special about the songs in the film, neither do they complement the film.  The use of item number in the film is pointless and does not suit such genre of the film. Overall Puneet Issar tried to create an innovative film with a serious plot, however failed to keep viewers interest till the end of the film.

By Saurabh Agarwal

A classical galore greeted music lovers on November 17, 2011 at the Panasonic theatre in an elegant manner that could only leave the great Bach, Beethoven and Chopin brimming with pride.  One of the most successful plays in the history of Canadian Theatre relives the magic on stage with a celebrated performance of 2 Pianos 4 Hands.  Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, the creators, directors and performers of this Canadian play provide a catchy storyline that masks the well known masterpieces lyrically gliding underneath the movement of their fingers.

Music lovers of all kinds could not help but fall in love with this classical journey that our two stars take you through beginning and ending with an encore breathtaking performance of Bach’s 1^st movement, Concerto in D minor.  Every ticket holder took home an experience they not only was a treat to watch but a memorable treat hear as well.

“I think I have a long way to go before I am considered anything close to a Youth Icon! But if you ask my advice I would say just be yourself and have faith and that is the image I would want the youth to know me by, I just want to be myself!”

“Anyone who inspires is a role model and for me that person is my dad. I learn something from him everyday.”

Recently Yash Raj Films’ new youth film studio released India’s first ever movie based on Social Networking called “Mughse Fraaandship Karoge”. The story entails a new era of love story where Facebook is the platform of falling in love. MFK tells a story of individuals named Vishal and Preity who use fake identities to impress their love choice. The story leading with series of miscommunication results in rib-tickling laughter riot which definitely keeps viewers interested in the film. The film marks the debut of four very talented actors, Saqib Saleem, Saba Azad, Tara D’Souza & Nishant Dahiya besides director, Nupur Asthana.

Generation Next got an opportunity to speak to Saqib Saleem and share his experience playing the character of Vishal in “Mughse Fraaandship Karoge”.

GN: What attracted you to the script of Mughse Fraaandship Karoge?

The freshness of the script along with the fact that it used Facebook as its backdrop appealed to me. Social networking is a very relevant subject- our lives are literally documented through it!  Also the character of Vishal was very relatable, as I believe we all have insecurities, which we need to overcome. Also the faith bestowed upon me by Yash Raj Films was overwhelming.

GN:  After the success of Mughse Fraaandship Karoge, you have now also established yourself as a youth icon? What kind of image do you want to portray for the youth and what advice would you give to them?

I think I have a long way to go before I am considered anything close to a Youth Icon! But if you ask my advice I would say just be yourself and have faith and that is the image I would want the youth to know me by, I just want to be myself!

GN: Mughse Fraaandship Karoge is made on backdrop of Facebook, how important do you think social networking is today?

Social networking is a great medium to connect and stay connected. However, one must not forget the fine line between the virtual and the real or else you know what happens in the movie

GN: Mughse Fraaandship Karoge is based on two people interacting with each other with hidden identities via social networking websites. This is very common in today’s society. So do you believe Facebook and twitter are good for youth?

I feel everything in life has its pros and cons and so does social networking. As long as the youth realizes that Social networking can be very interactive and fun.

5. How active are you on twitter and Facebook? Would you ever accept a “fraaand” through Facebook/twitter?

My day is not complete if I don’t access my Facebook or twitter account! I like to keep people around me updated and posted! And yes I might accept the friend request if it is interesting or has something different to it…

GN:  Today’s generation often feels a gap between their school of thought versus their parents. What are your views on that?

I think times have changed and therefore both the generations need to take a step forward to gain a better understanding and mend the gap.

GN:  Who do you consider your role model?

Anyone who inspires is a role model and for me that person is my dad. I learn something from him everyday.

GN:  You are not from filmy background, how did you become an actor? Furthermore how hard do you think is it for someone to make it to Bollywood without a family connection with the industry?

Acting happened by a twist of fate, modeling was my first step towards it. I realized very soon that I loved being in front of the camera and gave acting a serious thought and then Yash Raj happened. I definitely feel blessed and overwhelmed with all the love around me.

I think once you get past the intimidation of the industry anything is possible. You just have to put yourself out there and prove yourself and with time you will be rewarded

GN: How did your parents react when you told them that you want to be an actor for living?

Initially my parents thought that my wanting to be an actor was a crazy phase which would pass but soon they realized the passion I had towards it remained the same and since that day they have been nothing but supportive.

GN: Bollywood has evolved greatly overtime, do you think these changes are good for industry?

The very nature of art is to evolve and I think that change is important so yes I do appreciate the transformation in terms of the discipline, technology etc. We as an industry will only move forward from here.

GN: What are your future projects?

I am taking some time off after MFK… But yes I am being offered a few interesting projects, when anything becomes official, you all will know.

By Saurabh Agarwal

DJ Khushi, who has shot into fame with “Chhammak Challo” an item song of Ra.One. DJ Khushi chats up with Generation Next on what inspires him, his recent success and future plans.

His visits to nightclubs and parties inspired Khushi to become a DJ as “whenever I went to any nightclub or party, I would notice that the DJ is the one that sets the mood for any party. The DJ is the key person who ensures that people have a good time and forget about their everyday stress. This was something that really fascinated me towards this profession. Also the fact that a DJ can make you dance to his own tunes and get paid for it, is a win-win situation for me.”

Though he has been through numerous ups and downs, DJ Khushi never gave up and seized the opportunities that came his way. His persistence finally led him to the Bollywood and he has successfully completed remixes for films like ‘Tum Mile’, ‘Main aur Mrs Khanna’, ‘Kaminey’, ‘De Dana Dan’, ‘Always Kabhi Kabhi’ and ‘Chammak Challo’.

He recalls the challenge he faced in remixing “Chammak Challo” as he needed to produce a track that not just complemented the original, but had its distinct identity too.  “I gave in all I had,” he says. Vishal and Shekhar have made a brilliant song and Akon did an amazing job singing it.” The remix, he says, is intended for clubs and combines the sounds of Indian instruments like dholki along with electro.

Looking ahead, DJ Khushi is excited about some big-budget Bollywood movies he is currently working on. And following the success of “Chammak Challo”, he is also looking forward to collaborate with more international artists.

This highly successful Bollywood DJ has a few wise words as advice for others seeking to follow his path. “The way to success is dedication, consistency and patience. Be dedicated to your dream, be consistent with your work performance, and be patient for success to come to you at the right time. Even though DJing looks like fun (which it is), it still involves a lot of hard work and requires you to deliver your best,” he says.

By Saurabh Agarwal