Hollywood remakes are official now

Good news for movie buffs tired of watching "unofficial" Hollywood remakes or "inspired" movies.

Mukesh Talreja and Nikhil Advani of Orion Pictures are in talks with Warner Brothers to remake Hollywood blockbuster Wedding Crashers.

The company is in talks with two big actors to play the lead in this remake. "I have seen Wedding Crashers and think it is a great property that would certainly lend itself to a Bollywood remake and I am very happy that we will be doing this in the right way in association with Warner Brothers," Talreja said.

Warner Brothers will also take legal action against any party who plans to remake this film in concept or as a remake, according to sources.

Warner Brothers is also presenting Orion Pictures' Akshay Kumar-starrer Chandni Chowk to China in association with Ramesh Sippy Entertainment.

This news was brought to me by NDTV 24x7, the best news channels for NRIs seeking the latest news about India. People in the US can access this channel through DirecTV that guarantees excellent picture and voice quality.

Marsh takes Kings XI to thumping win

I missed the IPL Twenty-20 match between Kings XI Punjab & Deccan Chargers. It's not possible for me to watch all the IPL matches. Life is busy in US.

NDTV 24x7 covers all the matches so I watch their crisp coverage when I miss the matches. It's one of the channel available in the US though DirecTV.

Shaun Marsh made a telling IPL-debut, his compact defence and crunchy offence getting him 84 quick runs in a comfortable, seven-wicket win for the Kings XI Punjab.The knock was matched only by Rohit Sharma's 76, a 42-ball effort that revived Deccan Chargers Hyderabad and gave them a competitive score of 164-8 after their top order had fallen to luxurious strokes at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

That innings seemed sharp in contrast with Rohit's 76, which was pure counter attack batting with the tail on a two-paced wicket. Surprisingly, still, no seamer on the day walked away with good figures.

ISRO sets world record with 10 launches

NDTV Reports: India's PSLV-C9 has successfully injected ten satellites into orbit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), set up 35 years ago, may be a baby among the world's space faring nations. But, it is competing with the other biggies to set world records.

And the mission, which has given ISRO an edge over other competitors, is the launch of India's latest Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

The launch vehicle took off from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh and has launched 10 satellites - a feat which has created a world record.

PSLV weighs 230 tons - the weight of almost 50 elephants - and is as high as a 12-storey building.

The launch vehicle has put two Indian and eight foreign satellites into orbit, it has beaten the current world record of hoisting eight satellites at one go accomplished by Russia almost a year ago.

This is definitely a great achievement by ISRO. This really has made us Indians all over the world proud. I wish ISRO all the best for all its future endeavors, especially the Chandrayan mission to the moon.

I saw a report on this issue on NDTV 24x7 which is available here in the US only on DirecTV.

India to have more billionaires by 2017: Forbes

I was not surprised that I saw the news on NDTV 24x7, the channel always covers India-centric news. I was surprised because I saw the news first on NDTV 24x7. Forbes' poll are credible and most of the times the news is broadcasted on all news channels.

Ten years from now, India will have more billionaires than any other country in the world, says a poll by American business publication Forbes.According to the Internet poll being conducted by the magazine, which lists the world's richest billionaires every year, more than half of respondents believe that India will have the maximum number of billionaires in 2017.

According to the online poll on Forbes' website, where over 11,800 votes were cast at the last count, only 17 per cent of respondents believe that the US would have the most billionaires in 2017.

The India-centric news channel is available in the US through DirecTV. DirecTV's exceptional picture and sound quality coupled with NDTV 24x7's up-to-the minute coverage is a must for Indians living in the US.

Reunion of Shahenshah-Badshah

NDTV Reports: The rivalry between Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan has been the subject of speculation in the media for ages.

Recently it was said that Amitabh would feature in the multi-starrer song from Om Shanti Om, but it didn't happen.

Amitabh clarified that there is no competition between them.

"Please let there not be any comparisons between me and Shah Rukh. It's not fair," he said.

Vivek Sharma's Bhootnath will have the Badshah and the Shahenshah together. Amitabh plays the role of a deceased grandfather, who returns to his grandson as a ghost. Shah Rukh plays a cameo as the boy's father.

Speaking about his role Big B said, "Earlier in my career I only got to play certain characters. I am heartened that at my age film-makers are choosing me for roles which are widely different. I am playing a ghost in Bhootnath, something I never would have dreamt of."

NDTV 24x7 is the best news channels for news from India. And what makes it even better is that its also available here in the US for us NRIs, only on DirecTV... So go ahead and get a DirecTV subscription and keep in touch with the latest in India!

IPL: Royals to take on Kings

It will be Hollywood vs Bollywood today. Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royal's take on Preity Zinta's Kings XI later this evening.

Both the teams lost their opening ties, and so both have something to prove. Jaipur in particular have some work to do with many believing that its one of the weakest squads in the league.

Despite the Hussey heroics that wiped out her team, the smile on Preity's face has not faded and she's looking for a turn-around.

I got this latest update on NDTV 24x7. It is an excellent news channel for NRIs since it provides the most comprehensive news related to India. DirecTV makes it possible to access this channel in the US.

Tough call: Will Indians make the right choice?

NDTV reports: There is a flurry of excitement, laced with conflicting emotions as Indian Americans get set for the last and crucial phase of the US Presidential polls 2008.

For many Indian Americans, it is a tough call choosing between the Democrats and the Republicans.

While many ethnic Indians have Democratic leanings because of the party's social policies especially on closer-to-home issues like immigration, recent times have seen a shift as well.

There are many Indians who are turning towards Republicans because the party is seen to take a lot of interest in professionals coming in on H1B visas - something that is of vital importance for the Indian community.

What also makes the choice difficult is the fact that while Hillary Clinton has close ties with India and the Indian community in New York, they have a strong predilection for Obama since they feel he knows the Third World and will be able to understand them better.

But what remains undisputed is the tough battle that the race for US Presidency is heading towards. For the Indians, whoever they vote for, or even side, the results will definitely have a bearing on their status in the US of A.

NDTV has excellent coverage of the US elections. NDTV 24x7 is now available here in the US only on DirecTV.

H1B visa: Cap reached; lottery later this week

NDTV Reports: A lottery later this week would decide the fate of thousands of skilled professionals, a significantly large number of them from India, who have applied for the sought after H1B visas, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Tuesday.

The USCIS's announcement came a day after it stopped receiving petitions for H1B work visa for the fiscal beginning in October this year. In a statement, USCIS said, it has received enough petitions to meet the congressional mandated cap.

As approved by the US Congress, the USCIS for the fiscal year beginning on October 1, 2008 can approve a maximum of 65,000 H1B visas and another 20,000 for those having Masters or higher degree from a US university.

The applications for the same were received between April 1 to April 7 by the USCIS.

Although the agency did not divulge the number of H1B petitions it received during the five business days, a USCIS spokesperson told NDTV that it is likely to cross the last year figures. Last year 1,33,000 H1B petitions were received.

''We expect to receive more (petitions) than last year as in 2007 the process was closed on the second day itself as against five days this time,'' the official said. This is the fifth consecutive year that the H1B cap has been reached before the start of the fiscal year.

As expected, the lottery would be done in two phases - enough to select the number of petitions needed to meet the cap of 65,000 in general category and 20,000 under the ''advanced degree'' exemption limit. Rest of the petitions would be rejected and filing fees would be returned.

Once the process of lottery is over, the USCIS would send the approved petitions to the State Department, which issues the visas through its consulates and embassies all over the world.

Simultaneously, it would send approval notifications to successful applicants and their companies. The process is expected to be completed in about a fortnight.

The US needs to realise how much it really needs Indian skilled workers. It will only help America to allow more Indian citizens into the country. Its about time it liberalizes its Visa regime. Watched an interesting report on this issue on NDTV last night. I'm glad i got the DirecTV connection... you should get it too.

Shoaib can't play in IPL unless ban is lifted

Two days after being handed out a five-year ban for bringing cricket into disrepute, Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Thursday suffered another major setback with the Indian Premier League (IPL) also debarring him from taking part in the cash-rich event.

The IPL's Governing Council made it clear that Akhtar would not play in the Indian Premier League unless its counterpart, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), lifted the five-year ban on him.

Shoaib, who was banned after several run-ins with the board on disciplinary issues, had on Wednesday said that he intended to take the Pakistan cricket board to court if necessary. The bowler asserted that he had always thought of Pakistan's cricket interests and never gave in to the offers made by match fixers.

I received this latest update on cricket through NDTV 24x7. It is an excellent news channel for NRIs as it provides the most comprehensive news related to India. DirecTV makes it possible to access this channel in the US.

India may lose chance to host Hockey WC

India is losing the chance to host the 2010 Hockey World Cup. The International Hockey Federation has decided that the progress on its pet project 'Promoting Indian Hockey' is still far from satisfactory, and that means the world body has already started looking at alternate venues.

The provisional award to India was announced last year.

India's failure to qualify for the Olympics and cold-shoulder to Technical Advisor Ric Charlesworth, its long-standing struggle to find a sponsor for the event and the lack of progress on the infrastructure front are reasons for the mess.

This is due to India’s early exit in the Olympics. I saw this news on NDTV 24x7. It is the best news channel for NRIs who want to receive the latest news about India. This channel is available through DirecTV in the US.

Tata inks JLR deal with Ford

Homegrown auto major Tata Motors has clinched the Jaguar and Land Rover deal estimated to be valued between $2-2.5 billion.

According to sources close to the development, the deal was signed last evening and is estimated to have cost the Tatas between $2-2.5 billion.

The deal has taken almost nine months to finalise as both Ford and Tata and their financiers sought to iron out issues seen as crucial to the future of the two British marques.

It is expected to cover long-term supply of engines to both brands from Ford.

During the race for JLR, in which India’s Mahindra & Mahindra was also in running for sometime, Tatas gained the crucial support from Unite - main trade union of Jaguar and Land Rover.

Tata has made India proud once again. I came to know about this news from NDTV 24×7. It is an excellent channel for NRIs that provides comprehensive coverage to news related to India. This channel is available in the US only through DirecTV.

Indian Sherwani goes global

In another global recognition of India's haute-couture, world-renowned Italian fashion brand Armani has included Sherwani in its latest collections.

Sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn in India and is similar to an Achkan or doublet. It is worn over kurta and churidar, pyjama, salwar or dhoti.

With increasing income and rapidly changing lifestyles, the Indian high-end brand market would join the league of the US, Japan, the UK, China, and Germany.

India's consumer base of high-end brands is expected to grow up to 50 million from less than 1,00,000 at present.

Though I live abroad I am proud to know that India is going global. Isn’t it great that Armani has included Sherwani in its latest collections? I saw the news only on NDTV 24x7. This is an excellent news channel for NRIs who yearn for India related news. This news channel is available in the US only through DirecTV. I was guaranteed excellent voice and picture quality with DirecTV and I wasn't disappointed.

N-deal: UPA-Left committee to meet today

I saw the coverage on NDTV 24x7 about the never-ending saga of the Nuclear deal. The UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal is meeting on Monday to discuss a crucial draft safeguards agreement.

The Left had earlier demanded that the government spell out its nuclear plans by the end of this month.

This is the first time that the government will meet Left leaders after talking to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about an India-specific safeguards agreement.

The government is expected to hand over copies of the draft agreement it has reached with the IAEA. It will also brief the Left on the three-month long negotiations with the nuclear watchdog.

I have been tracking the news on NDTV 24x7 since the very beginning. The Indo-US nuclear deal has played out for over two years with both the government and the Left sticking to their positions. The government believes it is a great deal, but the Left argues otherwise.

NDTV 24x7 is window to India for Indians living in the US. The insightful news channel is available in the US only through DirecTV.

New US President: The India factor

As the US Presidential election is reaching to a decisive phase, many in India debate as to which party will be good for the country, once the final results are declared.

The issue interests me as well. All the more because I am an Indian living in the US. NDTV 24×7 is doing a commendable job of covering the current elections in context to India.

While most Indians are supporting the Democrats in their battle against Republicans for the White House, ironically, analysts say Republicans are probably better for India on issues ranging from outsourcing to the nuclear deal.

Democrat Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are known for their opposition to the nuclear deal. In fact, Obama was one of several Democrat senators who tabled what were called ”killer amendments” to kill the deal.Obama also rubbed Indians the wrong way when his campaign staff called Hillary the Senator from Punjab because of her close ties with the community.

Republican John McCain, on the other hand, has suggested that India should replace Russia in the G-8.

The election is a complicated issue with lot of variables but NDTV 24×7 makes it crisp & extremely simple for me to understand. The incisive India-centric news channel is available in the US only through DirecTV. For more information visit the Squidoo Lens.

Video game to create awareness

I saw the coverage on NDTV 24x7 about another video game. A New York-based Human Rights group has created a video game called ICED, designed to create awareness about US immigration policies.

The video game allows players to walk in the shoes of an undocumented immigrant in America who constantly faces the threat of being arrested and deported.

"ICED or I Can End Deportation, video game that looks at the unfair immigration policies in the United States."

The characters in ICED are based on the case studies of five immigrants who were deported. These include Ayesha, a 16-year-old green card holder from India, who was deported after writing a critical essay on freedom of speech and the Department of Homeland Security.

NDTV 24x7 is an incisive news channel and it is a very good source of information for India-centric news.

The news channel is available in the US only through DirecTV. The TV service provider offers crystal clear sound & video and I have not experienced any technical snags so far.

Here is the URL for DirecTV:

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/packProg/channelChart2.jsp?assetId=1200042

There is also a Squiddo Lens on NDTV 24×7. The news channel is a must for Indians living in the US.