Kate Winslet reveals early Oscar dream

Winning the best actress Oscar was the realisation of a childhood dream, an emotional Kate Winslet revealed in her acceptance speech.

Winslet, 33, who won the award for her role as Hanna Schmitz in The Reader, said she had first practised her speech in the mirror aged eight.

Pointing to her Oscar, she said: "This would have been a shampoo bottle. Well it's not a shampoo bottle now."

She won an Oscar at the sixth attempt for her part in Stephen Daldry's film.

Previous nominations she failed to capitalise on included a best actress nod for Titanic in 1998.

Winslet continued: "I feel very fortunate to have made it all the way from there to here and I'd like to thank some of the people along the way who had faith in me - my friends and my family, especially my mum and dad who are in this room somewhere.

"Dad, whistle or something 'cos then I'll know where you are."

After her father whistled, she picked him out in the crowd and screamed: "Yeah! I love you."

'These goddesses'

She paid tribute to director Daldry and said there had been "no division between the cast and the crew on this film and that's what made it so special".

Winslet beat fellow nominees Meryl Streep for Doubt, Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married, Angelina Jolie for Changeling and Melissa Leo for Frozen River.

"I want to acknowledge my fellow nominees, these goddesses," Winslet said.

"I think we all can't believe we are in the same category as Meryl Streep at all.

"I'm sorry Meryl but you have to just suck that up."

The actress also thanked her film director husband Sam Mendes and her two children "who let me do what I love and who love me just the way that I am".

Winslet received her first Oscar nomination in 1996 for supporting actress in period drama Sense and Sensibility.

She starred in Hollywood blockbuster Titanic, co-starring Leonardo DiCaprio, a year later.

She was last nominated two years ago for best actress for Little Children.

The Oscars 2009

Hit British film Slumdog Millionaire has won the top prize at the Academy Awards, winning eight Oscars including best director and best picture.

In a great night for Britain, Kate Winslet won the best actress Oscar for The Reader, finally clinching the award on her sixth nomination.

The big surprise of the night was Sean Penn, winning best actor for his role as gay rights activist Harvey Milk.

Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for supporting actor for The Dark Knight.

The actor's family received the award on behalf of Ledger, who died in January 2008.

"We have been truly overwhelmed by the honour and respect being bestowed upon him with this award," his mother said.

Ledger becomes only the second performer to win a posthumous Oscar, following Peter Finch's win for Network in 1977.

But the night belonged to Slumdog Millionaire, the rags-to-riches tale that has enchanted audiences around the world.

Director Danny Boyle, 52, bounced up and down in delight as he received his award, telling the audience: "I swore [to my children] if this miracle ever happened I would receive it in the spirit of Tigger."

Optimism

The film, set in the slums of Mumbai (Bombay), won eight awards in total, including gongs for best adapted screenplay, cinematography, sound mixing, film editing, best original score and best song.

"There are certain places in the universe you never imagine standing. For me, it's the moon, the South Pole, the Miss World podium and here," joked British screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, previously best known for writing The Full Monty.

Indian composer AR Rahman, who received two Oscars - for best song and best score - praised the city which inspired the book, and subsequently the film.

He hailed "all the people from Mumbai and the essence of the film, which is about optimism and the power of hope and our lives".

"We had passion and we had belief and if you have those two things, truly, anything is possible," said Christian Colson.

As anticipated - after years of waiting in the wings - Winslet, 33, won her Academy Award for playing a Nazi prison officer in The Reader.

"I'd be lying if I hadn't made a version of this speech. I think I was probably eight years old and staring into the bathroom mirror," she said.

"I feel very fortunate to have made it all the way from there to here."

In a night of predictable outcomes, Sean Penn's best actor triumph for his portrayal of gay rights activist Harvey Milk seemed to win the A-list audience's approval.

"You Commie, homo-loving, sons of a gun," said Penn, addressing his fellow performers.

"I did not expect this, and I want to be very clear that I know how hard I make it to appreciate me," said the 48-year-old, who often attracts criticism for his outspoken views.

In an impassioned plea - and to rapturous applause - Penn called on "equal rights for everyone".

"I think it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame," he said.

His thoughts were echoed by Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, who won best original screenplay for Milk.

"I heard the story of Harvey Milk and it gave me hope ... that one day I could live my life openly as who I am. And that maybe I could even fall in love and one day get married," he said.

Musical medley

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie both went home empty-handed, while The Curious Case of Benjamin Button converted just three of its 13 nominations - all in the technical fields.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were eager to breathe new life into this year's ceremony, after a continued decline in TV viewing figures.

Australian actor Hugh Jackman hosted the show, and showed off his musical talents - opening with a medley of songs paying tribute to the best picture nominees.

He went on to join singer Beyonce in a tribute to Hollywood's best-loved musicals.

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz became the first winner of the night, picking up the best supporting actress award.

The 34-year-old star won her first Oscar for her performance as a passionate artist in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

"Has anybody ever fainted here. I might be the first one," said Cruz, who was previously nominated in 2007.

Cruz, who becomes the first Spanish actress to win an acting Oscar, dedicated her award "to all the actors from my country".

"Thank you Woody for trusting me with this beautiful character," she said.

Comedian Jerry Lewis received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which recognises humanitarian efforts.

"This award touches my heart and the very depth of my soul because of who the award is from, and those it will benefit," said 82-year-old star.

The Nutty Professor star has raised over $2 billion (£1.3bn) for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through his annual Labor Day telethon.

Rihanna's makes first public appearance after assault

Singer Rihanna was seen in the public for the first time since she was allegedly assaulted by her former boyfriend Chris Brown.

The 20-year-old put on a brave face during her first public outing since the infamous incident that happened nearly two weeks ago on the eve of the Grammy Awards.

The 'Umbrella' singer was photographed wearing a pair of sunglasses in a car in Los Angeles on Thursday night, the same evening a website published a picture of hers taken after the assault, where she is seen with a swollen and bruised face, the Contactmusic reported.

The injuries were reportedly inflicted by Brown after the pair started arguing over a text message he received from another woman. The altercation got so violent that Rihanna had to call the police and later was taken to the hospital while Brown fled the spot.

Reports suggest Rihanna flew to Barbados to escape the media and to celebrate her 21st birthday on Friday.

The star also released her first statement since the alleged attack via her spokesperson on Friday thanking all her fans and well wishers.

"She (Rihanna) wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time," read the statement.

Story of UP village girl Smile Pinki wins Oscar

Residents of Dabai village in Uttar Pradesh's Ahura district have a lot to smile about today.

Smile Pinki, based on the life of a girl from the village who was born with a lip deformity, has won an Oscar for best Short Documentary.

Megan Mylan's film depicts the saga of six-year-old Pinki, who becomes a social outcast because of her cleft lip. In the 39-minute documentary, the girl from this obscure Uttar Pradesh village undergoes corrective surgery and gets a normal childhood. The film was shot in Mirzapur and Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh.

Elated at the victory, Mylan thanked the eight-year-old girl, who could not smile due to her cleft-lip and was teased as "othkatti' (one with a cut lip) for letting her tell her story.

"Thank you Pinki. Thank you for letting me tell your incredible story," said Mylan while accepting the Oscar.Pinki then underwent a simple surgery with the help of social workers that almost changed her life. Mylan also thanked the NGO Smile Train, which funded the surgery and Pinki's Los Angeles trip to attend the Oscars.

Mylan also thanked Dr Subodh K Singh, who performed the surgery. Smile Pinki edged past The Final Inch, which was also shot in India and documents the struggle of polio workers as they travel from village to village to administer polio drops under the polio eradication programme of India, to win the award.

Ledger's tryst with the Oscars, wins after death

Heath Ledger on Monday became the second actor in Oscar's history to win the coveted award posthumously for his memorable portrayal as the villain 'The Joker' in The Dark Knight.

Ironically, the honours come exactly a year after his tragic death which cut short his promising acting career in Hollywood. The golden statue will go to his 3-year-old daughter Mathilda Rose.

Ledger, who died in January last year at the age of 28, is also the second Australian after Peter Finch to win the Academy trophy. Finch won a posthumous Oscar for his 1976 classic Network.

Ironic but true the tragic star never got the kind of recognition in his lifetime that he is getting after his death for his villainous act in The Dark Knight. In his lifetime, Ledger desperately tried to break away from his chocolate boy image by accepting unusual roles.

The Aussie hunk has already won a posthumous Golden Globe and BAFTA for his role as 'The Joker'. Ledger, born on the April 4, 1979, in Perth. He left school and went to Sydney at 17 in the hope of making it big in the acting world.

He got his first break with Blackrock in 1997 which was a small budget movie about a teenager's struggle. Thereafter, Ledger continued doing small and insignificant roles inTV show Sweat in 1996 where he played the role of a gay cyclist. He also had a small role in Paws in 1997.

The major break-through in his career came with Two Hands in 1999, which was written and directed by Australian director Gregor Jordan. The crime movie was highly acclaimed and helped Ledger secure a role in teen-comedy 10 Things I Hate About You in the same year.

But Ledger was not satisfied as he felt he was being typecast as a romantic actor and moved on to play a serious role in the war drama The Patriot in 2000 where he starred
as Mel Gibson's son.

From 2000 to 2005, Ledger played a host of characters where he was cast both as supporting actor and lead hero. He played the small role of Sonny Grotowski, the son
of Hank Grotowski in Monster's Ball (2000). The lead role in A Knight's Tale in 2001, The Four Feathers an American period film directed by Shekhar Kapur in
2002.

Ledger also starred as Casanova in 2005 based on the life of Giacomo Casanova.In 2001, Ledger won a ShoWest Award as Male Star of Tomorrow. With his gay turn in Brokeback Mountain in 2005, the actor finally got his slice of fame.

In this movie Ledger plays the role of a gay cowboy who has an affair with aspiring rodeo rider Jack Twist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The role earned him a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination for Best Actor category. Ledger also received Best Actor of 2005 awards from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the San Francisco Film Critics Circle for his performance in the film.

After Brokeback Mountain, Ledger played the the character for which he would be best remembered -'The Joker' in The Dark Knight. Ledger was found dead on January 22, 2008 in his apartment in the New York in neighbourhood of SoHo, with a
bottle of prescription sleeping pills nearby.

It was concluded weeks later that he died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs that included painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication. However, the show is still not over for Ledger, who will be seen in the fantasy time travel movie Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

Big B hits out at critics for mixed Delhi 6 reviews

Mega star Amitabh Bachchan has hit out at film critics for judging the recently released Delhi 6 and the Oscar bound Slumdog Millionaire on different yardsticks.
Bachchan said Delhi-6 portrays the philosophy that the system needs strength, honesty and needs to look within.

"The system...needs strength..needs an honesty... needs to look within... a philosophy, ironically, portrayed so beautifully in Delhi-6 and an aspect, so mercilessly criticised in the reviews and opinions," the mega star wrote on his blog.

"Are we being reluctant and fearful then, of looking into the mirror?? he asked.

The actor said the same "learned critics" had derided those who had expressed negative opinion on Slumdog Millionaire, vociferously defending the contents of the film, by arguing, that those who opposed it, did so, because they were reluctant to accept someone who was showing them a mirror.

"So then, metaphorically speaking, or should it rather be, philosophically speaking, what are we saying - Slumdog.. is ok and Delhi 6 not?" the actor said adding that he was baffled at the reviews given by critics.

Taking a dig at critics for the mixed reviews of Delhi 6, Bachchan said, "they (critics) are masters of the game. They are trained and knowledged in the job. Their opinion counts and forms basis of analysis in attracting the customer to the theatre.

"So how feasible is their report when their observations differ to such an extreme and large extent?" he asked.

The actor said Delhi 6 is a mirror on today's society, its complications and its frailties. It addresses cultures and beliefs, human nature and influences.

The mirror to the society is cleverly and even physically demonstrated through the 'mad' baba who maniacally keeps appearing in the streets holding a mirror to the characters of the film.

The black monkey menace has been symbolically taken into the story as being that a hidden black monkey exists within all of us, Bachchan said.

On the eve of the release of Slumdog Millionaire in India, Bachchan wrote that the film had received global recognition because it was made by a westerner.

Oscar man Pookutty studied under a kerosene lamp

Slumdog Millionaire undoubtedly has brought the best out of Kerala-born sound
engineer Resul Pookutty besides helping him win an Oscar.

Pookutty has also won a BAFTA and a Cinema Audio Society (CAS) award for best sound mixing for the film. Hailing from a small village of Vilakkupara in Kerala's Kollam district which didn't have electricity, he studied under a kerosene lamp.

He then went to the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune from where he graduated in 1995. The sound designer accepted the Oscar along with re-recording mixers Ian Tapp and Richard Pryke.

He made his debut in 1997 in Rajat Kapoor's Private Detective and went on to work in films like Sanjay Leela Bansali's Black, Gandhi My Father and Ghajini. His film credits include Saawariya, Zinda, Musafir and Amu.

He won the Zee Cine award for the best Sound Designer for Musafir while he won critical acclaim for his work in Black and won all the major awards in India.

Rahman's musical journey from Chennai to Hollywood

It was a remarkable journey from Chennai to Hollywood for music maestro Allah Rakha Rahman who on Monday made a billion Indians proud, adding another feather
in his cap by bagging two Oscars for his score in Slumdog Millionaire.

It was a Jai ho for the soft-spoken Rahman, hailed by Time Magazine as the 'Mozart of Madras', when he walked to receive the award for Best Original Score and Best Song Jai Ho.

The 'Mozart of Madras', who redefined contemporary Indian music and has been a role model for millions of Indians, has already won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his
music in Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

The 43-year-old music wizard, who has enthralled audience in the country and abroad with his heartwarming symphonies, is creating waves on the international stage with
his composition in Slumdog Millionaire.

Born as AS Dileep Kumar in a musically affluent family in Chennai on January 6, 1966, he changed his name to Allah Rakha Rahman after his family converted to Islam in the
late 1980's. Rahman was forced to shoulder the responsibilities of his family at the age of nine after his father RK Shekhar, who was a composer, arranger and conductor for Malayalam movies, died due to illness.

The music genius came to the limelight with his music for a Bombay Dyeing ad and Leo Coffee in 1980's which became very popular. But the major break in his career came when noted filmmaker Mani Ratnam approached Rahman, who was then a keyboard player with composer Illayaraja, to compose for his film Roja in 1992.

The music of the film, which was a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill renditions, made Rahman a star overnight and brought him his maiden Best Music Director trophy at the National Film Awards, the first time ever by a debutante film composer.

Rahman was introduced to the Hindi film industry in Ram Gopal Verma's Rangeela. The music of the film became a rage and the genius continued to give some brilliant
compositions for films such as Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Lagaan and Rang De Basanti among others.

What made Rahman's music click with the listeners was the refreshing use of percussions, sound and melody, most of which were inspired from the Indian folk music.

Rahman developed a trademark by mixing traditional Indian tunes with International beats from African drums to electronic funk. The composer is also famous for his fondness to the newest sound and technologies in the world of music.

His 1998 super-hit composition 'chaiyya chaiyya' which was deeply rooted in Sufi mysticism, became a rage among Indians and is still considered one of the best compositions of the musician. Rahman gradually became a known face on the
international platform and in 1999 he performed with Michael Jackson in Munich for 'Michael Jackson and Friends Concert'.

In 2002, he gave the music for his maiden stage production Bombay Dreams directed by legendary musical theatre composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Rahman's music was also a hit from London's "West End" to New York's "Broadway".

In 2004, with Finnish folk music band "Varttina", he composed the music for The Lord of the Rings theater production. Rahman's composition "Jai Ho" for British director
Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire has been lapped up by western audiences and made headlines when world renowned fashion designer John Galliano used it as a theme during his fashion show.

The music has already earned him the Critics Choice Award for Best Composer in 2008 and the Golden Globe in the category of Best Original Score. A four-time National Award winner, Rahman was honoured with the Padma Shri and received six awards at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, besides 11 awards for his scores at the
Filmfare and Filmfare Awards South each.

In 2006, he received an honorary award from Stanford University for his contributions to global music. In 1995, he also received the Mauritius National Award and a Malaysian Award.

The music director, who is known for his humble demeanour, gave a new definition to patriotism with his modern rendition of 'Vande Mataram'. His latest tract 'Jiya Se Jiya'
is another attempt to send the message of peace and love through music.

Rahman, who maintains a low-profile, tied the knot with Sairo Bano in 1995 and the couple has three children -- Khadijah, Rahima and Aman. The music composer is also involved with charitable causes and had conducted concerts to raise funds for cancer
patients.

In 2004, Rahman was appointed as the global ambassador of the Stop TB partnership, a project by the World Health Organisation (WHO). He also recently launched the A R Rahman foundation, which is a step towards eradication of hunger and poverty.

Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire makes it India's night at the Oscars

It was a night to remember for India at the 81st annual Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday (early Monday in India). Slumdog Millionaire swept the Oscars with the film bagging eight awards, including Best Director and Best Film.

Among the winners were three Indians, music composer AR Rahman (best Original Score and best Original Song, Jai Ho), lyricist Gulzar (Jai Ho), and sound engineer Resul Pookutty (best Sound Mixing). AR Rahman became the first Indian to win two Oscars.

Danny Boyle picked up one of the biggest awards of the night, the title of Best Director, for Slumdog Millionaire. The cast and crew of the film went on stage to collect the Best Film award, which went to producer Christian Colson.

Simon Beaufoy was awarded for best Adapted Screenplay, Anthony Dod Mantle for best Cinematographer, Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, and Pookutty for best Sound Mixing and Chris Dickens for best Film Editing.

Earlier, Pookutty became only the second Indian to win the prestigious award, after Bhanu Athaiya for the costumes of Gandhi in 1982. (Filmmaker Satyajit Ray was given an honorary Oscar while he was on his deathbed in Calcutta in 1992.)

Accepting the accolade, Pookutty said, "This is not just an award. This is history being handed over to me."

He was soon overtaken by Rahman, however, who became the first Indian to win two Oscars. Rahman shared the Oscar for Best Song for Jai Ho with lyricist Gulzar, who wasn't present at the function.

Other winners of the most coveted categories included Kate Winslet as Best Actress for The Reader and Sean Penn as Best Actor for Milk.

Heath Ledger won the Oscar posthumously for best Supporting Actor for his diabolical act in The Dark Knight while Penelope Cruz picked up the best Supporting Actress Oscar for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Dustin Lance Black scooped the Oscar for best Original Screenplay for the film Milk.

Dev Patel wrecked our relationship, says Freida's fiance

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto's fiance blames the movie, and co-star Dev Patel, for the end of his relationship with the actress.

Jilted fiance Rohan Antao revealed that Pinto not only compelled him to stay mum about their engagement for the benefit of the movie, but also snubbed him to be with her on-screen lover.

The 24-year-old said his former love gave him the thumbs down in a phone call while she was promoting the film with her co-star, who is six years younger to her.

"She ended it with me after getting close to Dev Patel," News of the World quoted Rohan as saying. "Now everywhere I go, I see them on billboards. I am devastated.

"I hate the film. It wrecked my relationship. As soon as it became a success and she started spending all her time with Dev, she ended it," Antao said.

He continued: "She decided she didn't want to be with me anymore. She said she wanted us to be friends. But how can I be when she has destroyed my faith in love?

"She is infatuated with Dev. I don't know if they were having a sexual relationship, but if I came face to face with him I would have things to say.

"This is a very hard time for me, because as much as I don't want to let go, I have to.

"I wish her success in her career, but I can't watch the Oscars, and I don't want to watch the film -- it wrecked our love."