MUMBAI: The week special series of Superstars Superlives is all set to feature all about your favorite star kids and their star parents, they need no introduction; they have made a name in Bollywood backed by their eminent family of Bollywood. The star kids brigade includes Bobby Deol, Esha Deol, Tusshar Kapoor and Twinkle Khanna among others.

Bobby Deol made a name in Bollywood, though coming from the reputed Deol clan. Acting is in his blood and he is known to be the only male from the family who Bollywood regard for his dance and acting talent, from action to a romantic hero he has done it all.

Commenting on his experience being in the limelight, Bobby Deol said, ?People say that because Barsaat was my first film and it was really hyped. It didn?t meet the expectations that the people had but it did well. Because it was the most expensive film sold at that point people expected it to do the phenomenal business but it didn?t. It was a hit and did enough business to be called a hit but not the scale of success people were looking for. So it did well and I was happy?. Esha Deol on the other hand, with her sensuous look is known from her acting talent and versatility. She is the dream girl of the younger generation. She is both trendy and traditional, her looks, style and perfect figure managed her a place in Bollywood as the upcoming star who will soon take forward her parents legacy. Says Esha, ?I am quiet satisfied but I am never 100% satisfied with everything, I am extremely ambitious person, I still have a long way to go?.

They say, life is a bed of roses for star kids and entering Bollywood is a cake walk for them but Tusshar Kapoor proved critics wrong. He created a unique identity for himself in the industry all through hard work and conviction. Says Tusshar on making it big in Bollywood, ?Well I always worked with people who I think have convinced me with the narration or people who believe in me, my talent. I think it is a good trend to believe in people who are not yet successful, taking them to the higher ground and working with them as a team?.

Here is a beauty with chiseled face and feline grace for whom stardom holds little attraction now. Totally committed to her family, she comes across as a woman steeped in traditional roots. She is Twinkle Khanna. ?I would like to describe myself as a very frank girl, who is not carrying around the label of her parents with her every time she talks to someone. I have come to develop an independent way of thinking, which I think parents really love.

Unlike many other hypocritical glamour dolls in the world, who are always carrying their mums along on one pretext or another, I have developed a strong sense of self dependence. I want to remain free, not free of any sense of self discipline, but free in a way that I can live my life richly - the only life that God has given me - the way I would love to?, commented Twinkle on people having the wrong notion about her.

Learn everything you always wished to know about these stars when they discuss their life stories, experiences, controversies, relations etc. all in this one week series. So tune in to the special episode of Superstars Superlives ? ?Daddy Power? this Monday-Friday, June 15-19 2009, 8.30pm only on ZoOm.

MUMBAI: His extraordinary life has encompassed being an internationally-sought fugitive living in a Mumbai slum to a celebrated author with Hollywood calling. On this week?s TALK ASIA, Gregory David Roberts, author of ?Shantaram? shares with host Anjali Rao his life in exile, touring one of India?s poorest communities and the places which inspired the critically-acclaimed novel.

In his 57 years, the Australian author has robbed banks, escaped from prison, been a doctor in a Mumbai slum, joined the Mafia, fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan and married a princess. The experiences form the basis of ?Shantaram?, a novel loosely based on his life.

Roberts tells Anjali Rao his spiral down began when he lost custody of his daughter: ?I lost it all, lost my way completely, ended up taking a toy gun and doing a robbery to get money for drugs, and I was arguably the most incompetent criminal in the history of crime,? Roberts says. ?I had a three piece suit. I showed this toy pistol and said I?m terribly sorry?I just need a little bit of money to get my heroin?they would look at you and say ok, put more money on the counter and I would say no please stop giving me money."

In 1978 Roberts was sentenced to ten years in prison for armed robbery. He spent some of his prison time teaching inmates how to read and write until his daylight escape in 1980, making him one of the most wanted men in Australia at the time. ?I?ve been through many strange and deadly experiences. But escaping from prison is the thing that puts everything else into a kind of context. There is a moment, of course you are risking your life, if they see you they will shoot you and they will kill you, but when you stand on that wall, there is the exhilaration of freedom,? said Roberts.

Fear and loneliness were major themes in ?Shantaram? based on real events from his own lifetime and in it he draws on a range of his experiences; from being tortured in prison to fighting alongside the mujahedeen. On his nearly 1,000 page book he says: ?Pretty much anybody can write a memoir and tell their own story, but it takes a certain kind of writer to be able to create a novel and that was for me the greatest challenge.?

TALK ASIA also visits some of the novel?s key locations, including the Haji Ali Mosque and Leopold‘s Cafe, a target during last year‘s Mumbai attacks.

Roberts takes Rao through the slums of India where he once lived and ran a medical clinic. He shares with Rao what life was like living there: ?I learned a lot about how people of different faiths can live together really happily, without political pressure, without social pressure.?

MUMBAI: Mercedes-Benz India inaugurated its new showroom and authorised service center, Benchmark Cars in Ahmedabad, showcasing the powerful roadsters from their enthralling AMG range the SLK 55 AMG & the SL 63 AMG. Benchmark Cars, the only dealership in the state of Gujarat, was inaugurated by Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India and Mr. Sanjay Thakker, Chairman, Benchmark Cars.

Benchmark Cars is strategically located on the SG Highway and is spread over an area of 25000 sq. ft. This dealership and service center utilizes the ultra modern Mercedes-Benz 3-S integrated facility concept offering a one stop solution for Sales, Service & Spares to customers in Gujarat.

This state-of-the-art dealership embodies all the brand attributes of Mercedes-Benz - magnificent showroom, drive-in valet service, a luxurious customer lounge and well trained staff to complete the Mercedes-Benz experience. The service center is equipped with eight mechanical bays and six body paint bays with trained service personnel geared to ensure quick, efficient service delivery.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr Aulbur said: "At Mercedes-Benz India we constantly endeavor to delight our customers with the finest products from our stable. In 2009 we have already launched the entire range of AMG‘s, the New M-Class, the Special Edition E-Class as well the C220CDI in the sporty Avantgarde styling line. To ensure that we are able to offer our customers best in class service and support, we have an extensive network spread across 25 cities across the country which is the largest as compared to any luxury player in India."

"It is our constant endeavour to work with people who share the same passion and commitment towards the customer satisfaction; our association with Benchmark Cars is another step towards establishing a world-class car ownership experience for Ahmedabad as well as for the state of Gujarat." added Dr. Aulbur.

Mr. Sanjay Thakker, Chairman of Benchmark Cars is the promoter and chairman of Landmark Group which has diversified businesses. Mr. Sanjay Thakker commenting about the new venture stated: "We are proud to start our association with a prestigious brand like Mercedes-Benz. With a strong support of all our qualified professionals, we at Benchmark Cars will put in every effort to provide customers with an unmatched experience at our dealership for years to come. Gujarat is well known as a strong luxury market and we realize that there is significant potential not just from Ahmedabad but also from the adjoining cities, towns and rural areas. Our focus will be to reach out to the existing and potential customers in a step-by-step manner."

In Gujarat, Mercedes-Benz has a strong base of 600+ satisfied customers and sees significant potential in this market.

MUMBAI: Water scarcity is a real threat that could lead to civil wars in the future. The water is there. But what has gone awry is its management. We know the crisis. But what does this essential resource signify? What is its value to the society? To know answers to these questions follow ‘Witness‘.

Experience the severity of water crisis across India and beyond through the eyes of NDTV reporters on Witness on Sunday, June 14th 2009 at 9:30pm only on NDTV 24x7.

MUMBAI: The MotoGP World Championship arrives at Spain?s crucible of Grand Prix racing, with three candidates in the thick of the championship and a fourth looking to rebound and repeat his 2008 victory at Barcelona?s majestic Circuito de Catalunya (called Montmel? by locals).

And all the action will be Live on TEN Sports (see schedule below).

The 2009 Catalunya GP is the sixth race of a season that has three riders currently separated by just nine points at the top of the MotoGP standings. Ducati Marlboro?s Australian rider Casey Stoner leads the pack with 90 points, 4 more than Fiat Yamaha?s Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo. The legendary Valentino Rossi is hot on their trail with 81 against his name, as he continues his quest for an unprecedented 9th Grand Prix title.

The area around Barcelona has produced more MotoGP racers than anywhere else in the world, and the best among them is Repsol Honda?s Dani Pedrosa, the 2008 race winner. Just days prior to the GP weekend, Pedrosa confirmed that he wouldn?t allow injuries suffered in the previous race in Mugello to keep him from defending his title. The 23-year-old hails from Castellar del Valles, hardly 30kms from the circuit, and can count on the support of a weekend crowd that should approach 200,000. Pedrosa, who now makes his home in London, spent the one weekend break between races resting, and had one final checkup before getting the green light to race.

Meanwhile Scot Honda?s Hiroshi Aoyama hopes to replicate the success he had during his last visit to Spain, when he won the Jerez GP three races ago. Aoyama, who lives in Barcelona during the season, hasn?t finished worse than seventh during five previous visits to Montmel?. What?s more, he hasn?t finished lower than eighth this year. The reward for that consistency has been the second place in the 250cc World Championship, seven points behind leader and Spanish rider Alvaro Bautista of the Mapfre Aspar team.

Finally, the tense battle at the top continues in the 125 cc category, with Bancaja Aspar?s two riders Bradley Smith and Julian Simon separated by just 3.5 points. The former pulled clear thanks to his win in the Gran Premio D?Italia Alice, but will want to extend that lead, fully aware of the fact that his compatriot will pose a real threat over the rest of the season.

MUMBAI: As the star power of India reaches the exotic milieu of Macau to celebrate the 10th anniversary of IIFA 2009, NewsX, India‘s only HDTV-ready English news channel, brings in all the ceremony and style that befits Bollywood. The annual Videocon IIFA Weekend and IDEA IIFA Awards are being held at the Venetian Macau-Resort-Hotel from June 11-13, 2009.
Being held in Macau to celebrate the recognition of Indian film industry on a global platform, the Awards will have performances, film premieres and interaction with stars. Some of the leading names expected at the weekend include The Bachchans, Hritik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Lara Dutta, Niel Nitin Mukesh, Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Singer Peter Andre, AR Rahman and Saif Ali Khan.

The star studded event will see the premieres of films- Hrithik Roshan‘s ‘Kites‘, David Dhawan‘s ‘Do Not Disturb‘ and Mani Ratnam‘s ‘Ravan‘. To add to the glitter, there will be music Launches and Fashion Shows by the likes of Manish Malhotra, Rocky S, Manav Gangwani and Anamika Khanna.

NewsX, in its endeavour to provide high-quality content to its viewers, brings the most extensive coverage on the event which includes event showcase, bites from the stars and the glitterati at the Red Carpet. The channel covers the event at IIFA in six different segments to run in the news hour from afternoon till evening prime time. At the end of the day, a wrap-up segment on the entire day‘s activities will be aired as a special five-minute capsule.