The Daily Indian

Model Katie Price, also known as Jordan, has reportedly inked a one million pound deal for her new series on ITV2.

The 31-year-old model will get 100,000 pounds per episode, along with a bonus 200,000 pounds ‘golden handcuffs’ deal to keep her at ITV2, reports dailystar.co.uk.

Jordan’s ex-husband Peter Andre has also inked a 105,000 pounds per episode deal for his new series, ‘Peter Andre-The Next Chapter’, which starts in May on ITV2.

But sources says they were more worried about losing ‘What Katie Did Next’ than 37-year-old Pete’s show as she has got more ‘pulling power’.

Her new series, which is already on air, covers her time in the celeb jungle, her split and reunion with Alex Reid, 34, and Christmas without Andre.

Cameras also followed the couple as they got hitched in Las Vegas just days after Alex won ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ in January.

‘Love her or hate her, Jordan is a huge hit for ITV2. Her series pulls in over 1.5 million people an episode, which is a massive audience,’ said a source from the channel.

It’s almost the end of February, two months have passed into the new year, (way quicker than I expected) and I thought it’s time to take stock of my New Year’s resolutions! My three resolutions in order of priority were: One, have more awareness – of my actions, words, the food I eat, my body. The second was to learn to drive, and the third was to complete at least one of the projects I’ve been writing. How have I fared? On the awareness one, I’m genuinely trying. I didn’t think I was going to master the ‘Power of Now’ in a few months, but I keep reminding myself to be more conscious from moment-to-moment. This has its own pitfalls because this ‘awareness’ seems to rear its head at the most inopportune moments! Like, when I have stuffed another spoonful of low fat yogurt with chocolate sprinkles into my mouth, I can hear a voice in my head say, “what are you doing? You know this is going straight to your hips, don’t you? That’s when I sheepishly try to drown out awareness by telling myself I’ll run an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill tomorrow! On the driving front, I’ve got all the details.

I know how many hours it’ll take me to learn, the number of classes, the car I would need to learn on, the timings and the instructor. Now I just need to ‘commit’. That’s a scary word! I hate ‘committing’ to anything if I know there is a possibility that I might abandon it before completion! I need to set a deadline. “I will learn to go around the block and back alone (and park) in a week”, and I need to see it through. No more “I’ve got rehearsals” or “I’m shooting”. It needs to be done systematically and thoroughly! I guess that’s the military background in me. So as soon as I can find the time (22 hours of classes, by the way) I will “commit”)! Writing. That’s the only thing that’s doing fine. But it’s opened a Pandora’s box! I’ve taken on writing more things in my enthusiasm, this column being one of them (I’m enjoying it though!). So I guess one of three is not so bad and hey; there are a 10 more months to go! (Famous last words).

And I hope you’ll be honest with yourselves about how far you’ve come and if you have slipped along the way. I hope you’ll be kind to yourself and promise that you’ll try just a little harder! Enjoy the rest of your year.

Dev D, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye and now Road Movie.Abhay Deol seems to have created a new brand of cinema,which is not only realistic, but commercially viable too.

After creating buzz with his string of hit films,Abhay Deol is set to recreate the magic with his next too.

After undergoing treatment for his back in Germany, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has returned to doing what he does best – dangerous action stunts.

Before he left for his back treatment, Akshay Kumar was unsure if he could ever return to normal health-related activities that he liked, let alone action sequences. In fact, Vipul Shah’s action-laden climax for ‘Action Replay’ which was to be shot after Akshay’s return, was seriously jeopardized.

But after the hydro-therapy that he underwent in Germany last week, Akshay Kumar returned to work, more confident than ever before, ready and eager to shoot heart-stopping stunts for ‘Action Replay’.

When Vipul offered to change the climax, Akshay laughed and told him to change his plans to change.

Speaking from Manori where director Vipul Shah shot Akshay’s action sequences with action director Allan Amin immediately after the actor’s return from Germany, the director confided: ‘It’s true we were very unsure about what shape Akshay’s back would be in once he returned from his hydro treatment. The climax of ‘Action Replay’ required very complex and strenuous stunts on wire-cables. I offered to change the climax and do away with the cable stunts.’

‘After all those are tough even for actors with normal healthy backs. Akshay told me to wait until his return before taking a final call,’ he added.

The actor’s recovery post his treatment has been far more quick and complete than imagined.

Vipul just can’t stop gawking at the actor’s recovery level. ‘Why just me? The entire cast including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav and others just can’t believe Akshay’s capacity to bounce back on his feet.’

‘Here we were thinking of doing away the cable stunts and somehow managing the climactic action without the planned aerial shots. But Akshay has been wired and suspended midair for almost a week now. Cable stunts are really tough on the back. But Akshay was super-confident on his return.’

Akshay was so kicked by the idea of starting afresh on his newly-repaired back that he even encouraged Kirron Kher to join him on the cables in Manori.

Vipul said: ‘A shot required her to join Akshay in the air. Kirronji was at first hesitant. But we assured her it was fully safe to be suspended with cables. Akshay is so charged and enthusiastic he will soon have the whole cast and crew on cables. We are shooting funny action sequences. But hanging midair from thousands of feet is as dangerous whether done for fun or otherwise.’

Akshay who sounded discernibly pained before his restorative trip to Germany is raring to go. ‘I’m back on my feet and doing action scenes for Vipul’s film. The treatment worked fully and I am completely recovered,’ he said.

Apparently, Akshay has recommended the hydro-treatment to Sunny Deol who suffers a chronic back problem and has undergone major surgeries to repair his back. For Akshay, surgery was never an option, even when his back had given way a decade back and he was laid up for six months.

Cheryl Cole has been voted as the ideal teacher by schoolchildren.

Cole, 26, aced the poll of 2,000 pupils – aged six to 18 – for children’s trading website Swapit.co.uk, with former Doctor Who actor David Tennant bagging the second place.

Miley Cyrus, 17, was given the third spot by children, while Katie Price stood seventh in the list.

Simon Fry, the host of BBC1 series QI, came ninth in the poll.

Footies David Beckham and Wayne Rooney also made it to the top ten.

“Kids and adults alike love the glitz and glamour of the X Factor and Cheryl is rapidly becoming a great role model for kids,” the Mirror quoted David Soskin, Swapit’s chairman, as saying.

In all her films so far, Katrina Kaif has kissed only once,in Kabir Khan’s New York.She decided she wasn’t too comfortable doing it,and told a close friend that she had decided never do another kissing sequence again.

Katrina has now decided to make it official.She won’t do a kissing sequence,even if the producer-director uses the oldest trick to persuade her:the script demanded it.

Says a friend of the actress,Katrina has said no to kissing scenes in all her films barring New York.And believe me,the directors are very keen to see her kiss her co-stars.

Katrina cleverly keeps dodging all the so-called must-kiss scenes.She is a very conservative girl at heart.

Filmmakers Abbas-Mustan have cleared the air about rumours that actor Abhishek Bachchan urged them to remove actress Priyanka Chopra from the cast of the Hindi remake of ‘The Italian Job’ saying she wasn’t offered the film at all.

‘The star cast of ‘Italian Job’ was finalised long time back. We had signed Abhishek Bachchan, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Katrina Kaif in the first go and Katrina was always our first choice so there was no question of talking to Priyanka Chopra,’ Abbas told.

‘She was never approached or spoken to for this role so how can Priyanka lose out on a role she was never even considered for?’

Priyanka’s spokesperson confirmed it saying: ‘There have been no discussions with Priyanka for this film (‘Italian Job’).’

Rumours have been abuzz that Priyanka was dropped from the film on Abhishek’s insistence after he learnt that she had refused a role in his friend Rohan Sippy’s film ‘Dum Maaro Dum’.

While Abbas has denied any such casting pressures from Abhishek, Sippy says the actor is non-interfering in this regard.

‘Abhishek is a consummate professional, who has never interfered in any part of the creative process on all the films we have worked on, including ‘Dum Maaro Dum’,’ said Sippy who has earlier worked with the actor in the hit film ‘Bluffmaster’.

‘Any media reports suggesting that he has been for or against any casting is categorically false and contrary to his position as a wonderful actor who is collaborating with some of the most respected directors and producers in the industry today,’ he added.

Priyanka Chopra was apparently very keen to work in director Rohan Sippy’s next but unfortunately she had to decline the offer as the shooting dates clashed with Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Ek Bataa Saat’, in which she plays a woman with seven husbands.

Rohan, who had earlier worked with Priyanka in ‘Bluffmaster’, was also keen to cast her in his Goan drug-busting film. He wanted to cast Priyanka in a powerful role opposite the southern star Rana Daggubati, who is entering Bollywood.

The earlier plan was to cast Priyanka opposite Abhishek Bachchan. But now a newcomer will be paired with Abhishek while Priyanka was seriously considered opposite Daggubati.

‘Unfortunately the dates on which Priyanka was required for Rohan’s film clashed with Vishal Bharadwaj’s film,’ said an industry source.

After ‘Kaminey’, Priyanka has a unique chemistry with Bhardwaj. And in his ‘Ek Bataa Saat’, she plays a woman with seven husbands, a big challenge for the actress.

‘There was no way Priyanka could let go of Vishal’s ‘Ek Bataa Saath’. So she regretfully opted out of Rohan’s film,’ the source added.

Hollywood superstar Angelina Jolie has criticised US President Barack Obama’’s policies dealing with the worsening situation in the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan. In an opinion piece titled ”Justice Delayed is Not Justice Denied”, published at Newsweek.

com on Thursday, the 34-year-old actress has complained that Obama’’s administration “has not yet announced any serious moves” to bring corrupt Sudanese leaders to justice, Us magazine reported. “How is the Obama administration’’s approach to Sudan an evolution of justice? In addition, when the administration says it intends to work to ”improve the lives of the people of Darfur,” I would like to know what that means, besides the obvious point that their lives could hardly get worse,” wrote Jolie, who is also a UN goodwill ambassador.

The ”Mighty Heart” star has expressed her worries about the situation in Darfur, where “government supported militia have left 3,00,000 dead and 2.7 million people internally displaced.” She also recommends a new report “funded by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation” which the administration and the UN should use to the prevent future atrocities worldwide.

“On this Human Rights Day, the same day President Obama receives his Nobel Peace Prize, we must also remember those who have been deprived of their rights,” she wrote.

Kareena Kapoor says there is nothing ‘vulgar’ about her backless shot being used for the publicity posters of forthcoming release ‘Kurbaan’, an intense thriller about terrorism. In fact, she says, it subtly reveals a lot about the story.

‘This shot of me in a backless posture and Saif with a wound on his chest tell so much about the film’s theme,’ Kareena told.

‘There is love, passion and violence – all combined in here and what better way than to show it through a single still? You too would agree that there is nothing sleazy or vulgar about it. Knowing the sensibilities of Karan Johar (producer) and Rensil D’Silva (director), that’s the least one could have expected,’ she added.

Kareena said that after Geet in ‘Jab We Met’, her character of Avantika in ‘Kurbaan’ will make people sit up and take notice.

‘The girl’s role has a lot of edge in ‘Kurbaan’, something which starts becoming more and more visible as the film unfolds. In any case the film is not one of those cliched love stories. Every character has quite a few layers to it and Avantika, the character I play, is no exception. She is quite pivotal to ‘Kurbaan’,’ she said.

Kareena plays a professor in ‘Kurbaan’ who gets married to her colleague, played by Saif Ali Khan. They move to New York after marriage, but as a series of events unfold she finds herself into a vortex of danger and intrigue.

She further realises that she is a pawn in a huge game and no one could be trusted.

‘What made this role special is the fact that I play this young beautiful professor who is quite normal. She reacts to terrorism for the first time and life is never the same again for her,’ she said.

‘Actually if you ask me, then technically ‘Kurbaan’ is the story of this girl. She is the light of the screen. I am sure people will cry with Avantika…so strong is her characterisation,’ the actress said.

After ‘Jab We Met’, Kareena was seen in ‘Main Aurr Mrs Khanna’, ‘Kambakkth Ishq’, ‘Tashan’ and ‘Golmaal Returns’. And except ‘Golmaal Returns’, none of the films did well at the box office.

Kareena is delighted about the prospects of audiences seeing her in a different light after the film and says it is not a frothy romance drama.

”Kurbaan’ has a deep-rooted love story to it, but it is not a frothy romantic film that we are time and again exposed to. The love story is much deeper here. There is a definite meaning, purpose and reason to it. Also, the film is quite powerful in its own way since it’s the voice of moderate Islam,’ she said.

The film, which also stars Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri, Kirron Kher and Dia Mirza, is releasing Nov 20.