`Music humanizes what politics demonizes,' author says

Salman Ahmad, the Pakistani musician, activist and United Nations goodwill ambassador for HIV/AIDS, has taken on a new role ­ that of author.

The founder of Junoon, one of South Asia's first rock bands to achieve global fame, Ahmad has sold 30 million records. His new book, "Rock & Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star's Revolution," which features a foreword by Grammy-winner Melissa Etheridge, reveals his passion music and using it to unite people. The Sufi rocker, who lives in Rockland County, N.Y., with his wife, Samina, and their three sons, interacted with fans through a webcast co-hosted by South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment (SAMMA) and the South Asian Journalists (SAJA) Association Jan. 28.

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Long Island teenager hosts TV show to mark Republic Day

Long Island teenager Riti Sunshine Bhalla hosted her annual Republic Day show to mark the 60th anniversary of India's Republic Day.

New York Gov. David Paterson was one of the guests on her televised show.

Through the show, Paterson connected with his counterpart in Delhi, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, and congratulated her on the occasion, a press release said.

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Khan and Kajol charm New York

Nearly a decade after "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham," the Bollywood hit pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol will be seen in the highly anticipated "My Name is Khan."

"The essence of the film is that goodness and humanity will conquer all," Khan said at a press conference at the Fox Searchlight Pictures offices in Manhattan Feb. 1. He was joined by Kajol at the press conference, and the actors talked about the film, what it meant to them and their expectations.

Fox Searchlight will release "My Name is Khan" in the United States on Feb. 12, the same day as its worldwide release, with a premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.

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Rahman wins two Grammys for `Slumdog Millionaire'

`Slumdog Millionaire" composer A.R. Rahman struck gold twice at the Grammy Awards on Jan. 31, adding to the Oscars he won last year for the film's soundtrack and theme song "Jai Ho".

Rahman, 44, beat Grammy veteran Bruce Springsteen in the motion picture song category while "Slumdog Millionaire" swept aside "Inglourious Basterds" and "Twilight" to win best compilation soundtrack for a film.

"Insane eh? I never even dreamt about winning all these awards," the composer said on his Twitter account.

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Is `Slumdog Millionaire' Rahman's best score?

Waking up on a Monday morning is so much nicer when you wake up to good news, isn't it? A.R.Rahman winning two Grammys for "Slumdog Millionaire" certainly made my day, but as television channels played its theme song "Jai Ho" over and over again, I found myself wanting to hear some of his other compositions.

"Dil Hai Chota Sa" from "Roja" perhaps or "Naina Milaike" from "Saathiya", "Ay Hairathe" from "Guru" and my favorite -"Arziyan" from "Delhi 6?.

While "Slumdog" and "Jai Ho" have captured the world's imagination, I wonder if it is his best work. When Rahman won the Oscar last year, I remember lyricist Gulzar telling me he thought Rahman's music for Mani Ratnam's upcoming film "Ravana" was his best.

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Black and Paes win Australian mixed doubles title

Zimbabwe's Cara Black and Leander Paes of India won the Australian Open mixed doubles title on Jan. 31, defeating Russian Ekaterina Makarova and Czech Republic's Jaroslav Levinsky 7-5 6-3.

The win gave Black and Paes another grand slam title, after their U.S. Open triumph in 2008.
It also helped erase some of the disappointment of failing to defend their title at Flushing Meadows last year.

"I think that just our expertise and the way we play doubles, the way we cover the right shots at the right time,

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Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor win top honors at Stardust Awards

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan won the Reader's Choice Award for Best Actor for "Paa," while Kareena Kapoor was adjudged best actress for "Kurbaan" and "3 Idiots" at the seventh Stardust Awards held Jan. 17 in Mumbai.

Rajkumar Hirani's "3 Idiots" won the Reader's Choice Award for Best Film of the Year, but the Dream Director award went to Imtiyaz Ali for "Love Aaj Kal," news reports said.

While "Wanted" bagged the Best Film in action thriller category, "All The Best" was adjudged the Best Comedy.

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