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Pakistani actress Veena Malik, known for her stint in reality television show Bigg Boss 4, has been granted divorce from her husband Asad Khattak. The couple were married for three years and have a son and a daughter together. A Lahore court passed a decree in favour of Veena after Khattak failed to proceed with the case, says lawyer Ali Ahmed. Veena filed for the divorce after a rift with Khattak and his family over her return to show business, reported The News International. The 33-year-old actress has worked across the film and TV industry in Pakistan and India. In Bollywood, she took part in the film Dirty Picture: Silk Sakkath Maga. — IANS
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Alia Bhatt and Amitabh Bachchan scoop top acting awards
Alia Bhatt won the Best Actress Award for the movie Udta Punjab and Amitabh Bachchan won Best Male Actor award for his performance in Pink at the Zee Cine Awards in Mumbai. Entertainment highlights of the night came from actress Kareena Kapoor Khan paid tribute to Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and her husband Saif Ali Khan, with a dance show. The 36-year-old star was dressed by designer Manish Malhotra and performed a dance medley of hit songs from her films with the famous family. The star-studded evening was hosted by Bollywood actor and TV presenter Manish Paul. — IANS
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Joni Sledge of Sister Sledge dies aged 60
Joni Sledge, who along with her siblings formed the group Sister Sledge and recorded the enduring hit We Are Family, has died aged 60. Sledge was found unresponsive at her home in Phoenix, the cause of death has not been determined. The Philadelphia-born star, along with her sisters Debbie, Kim and Kathy, formed the group Sister Sledge in 1971. Aside from We Are Family, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became an international hit, the group also was known for He’s the Greatest Dancer, Lost in the Music and a cover of the Motown classic My Guy. — Reuters
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Ghostbusters star Kevin Hart wins big at Kids’ Choice Awards
Kevin Hart and the bad bunny he plays in The Secret Life of Pets were both winners at the Kids’ Choice Awards. Hart was named Favorite Villain for voicing Snowball, who claimed the prize for “most wanted pet” at the fan-voted show in Los Angeles. Hart also shared the “BFF” award with Dwayne Johnson, his co-star in Central Intelligence. The Ghostbusters remake was a multiple winner, claiming the Favorite Movie award and acting honours for Chris Hemsworth and Melissa McCarthy. Meanwhile, Finding Dory was named favourite animated movie, and star Ellen DeGeneres was the favourite voice from an animated film. — AP
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Backlash over coverage of Amal Clooney’s baby bump
Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney recently urged the United Nations to step up pressure on the Islamic State extremists, yet her baby bump was what made most of the headlines. Criticism against select media agencies has been swift from members of the public on social media sites. The Mirror newspaper in London led with: “Amal Clooney is a vision in yellow as she shows off hint of baby bump in chic dress,” while E! News ran: “Amal Clooney Shows Baby Bump in What Could Be the Ultimate International Women’s Day Poster”. Clooney became an international celebrity after her union with Oscar-winner George Clooney. They married in 2014 and are now expecting twins. — AP
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Ashley Lobo set to make dance film
After choreographing Bollywood films like Cocktail, Guzaarish and Dhoom, Ashley Lobo is keen to take more creative control and direct a movie himself. “I am in the process of writing a script,” he says. “Right now I am very busy with my company. We are touring in different countries this year. There are two new stage productions as well. So, maybe next year I will make a movie.” While the plot of the movie is yet to be revealed, it’s unlikely to stray far from Lobo’s field of expertise. “It will be a dance film with a strong story,” he says, “I’ve thought of many actors, but I’ll have to see who would be available. The script will tell me whom to cast.” – IANS
