Lisa Ray to host television show

Lisa Ray made heads turn after appearing in the music video 'Afreen' and Bollywood film Kasoor. However, the pretty lady was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer (multiple myeloma) and went into exile for a few years.

After successfully fighting out the life-threatening disease, Lisa is now back with renewed vigour. The Canadian beauty has in fact been roped in by lifestyle channel TLC to anchor their new travel-based show that goes on air early next year.

The show aims to depict the cultural backdrop of India like never before and Lisa is mighty excited at this golden opportunity.

We hope that this marks the beginning of many more interesting things to come for the stunning Lisa Ray.

I’m suffering from incurable cancer: Lisa Ray

Canadian born Bollywood actress Lisa Ray

New Delhi, Canadian born Bollywood actress Lisa Ray has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare cancer of the plasma cells, and says the disease is “incurable”.

“I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on June 23. Started my first cycle of treatment July 2. Not long ago. For me, it was a relief to hear what was wrong,” Lisa, 37, posted on her blog .www.lisaraniray.wordpress.com.

“The plasma cells in my bone marrow were rampaging, multiplying, squeezing out the red blood cells and it was time to begin doing something about it. I was also tired of being tired all the time. So when I sat there with Bobcat, my life partner and reservoir of Yellow, and got the news I didn’t react and I didn’t cry. I’m an actress, believe me, I can be dramatic. Not just then though,” she added.

The model-turned-actress decided to undergo medical examination a few months ago after she felt “exhausted, pale and drained” all the time.

Explaining her disease, Lisa said: “Myeloma is incurable. It’s a relatively rare cancer of the bone marrow… Every year, approximately 2,100 more cases are diagnosed. I’m a junior member in many ways, having been diagnosed at 37, while the average age is 65… makes the disease not quite as ’sexy’ as other cancers.”

However, Lisa is hopeful that “it can be cured” with the new treatments available in the healthcare sector these days.

“So today with Velcade and, Revlimid and other promising new treatments in the pipeline, our survival rates are improving. But only with an ever expanding toolbox of treatments and awareness can this cancer be beat. So I’m going to do everything I can to wrench the spotlight onto myeloma and cancer awareness. I believe it can be cured. That’s the dirty realist in me,” she wrote.

Lisa was born to a Bengali father and a Polish mother. She joined showbiz as a model and later ventured into films with Tamil movie “Nethaji”. After that she was seen in Vikram Bhatt’s “Kasoor” in 2001, but stayed away from mainstream Hindi films as she could not speak the language fluently.

In 2002, internationally renowned filmmaker Deepa Mehta cast her opposite Rahul Khanna in the crossover film “Bollywood Hollywood”. The Canada-based director later repeated Lisa in her Oscar-nominated period drama “Water” (2005), in which she impressed critics with her performance as a young widow.

Soruce:http://www.bollywoodworld.com/

Rani, Priyanka join Playboy founder as Toronto film fest guests

Toronto,

Toronto, Bollywood directors Ashutosh Gowariker and Anurag Singh and stars Rani Mukherjee, Priyanka Chopra, Lisa Ray and Harman Baweja will rub shoulders with George Clooney, Demi Moore, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and talk show queen Oprah Winfrey at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) next month.

The 34th annual mega-film show will run here from Sep 10-19.

Anurag Singh’s “Dil Bole Hadippa” and Ashutosh Gowariker’s “What’s Your Rashee?” will make their world premiere at the festival.

Announcing the names of 500 guests, including directors, producers, and actors, the organizers also included daytime TV talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson in the final list.

Other big names are Nicolas Cage, Sir Ridley Scott, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Spacey, Michael Douglas, Penelope Cruz and Keanu Reeves.

Apart from Gowariker, Anurag Singh, Priyanka Chopra, Baweja, Rani Mukherjee, and Lisa Ray, the guest list also includes actor Abhay Deol, filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Deepa Mehta’s brother Dilip Mehta, and documentary maker Vikram Jayanti.

Set for release September 18 in India, “Dil Bole Hadippa” is a hilarious drama-comedy with Shahid Kapoor (Rohan) and Rani Mukherjee (Veera Kaur) in lead roles. It also features Anupam Kher, Dalip Tahil, Rakhee Sawant and Sherlyn Chopra.

“What’s Your Rashee?”, based on Gujarati novel Kimball Ravenswood by Madhu Arya, is a romantic comedy starring Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja.

These two Bollywood films are among 335 from 64 countries to be screened at the festival. These include 271 feature-length films.

About 72 per cent of the films to be screened here will make their world or North American premieres.

According to the organizers, 71 directors will make their debut at the film festival, including Drew Barrymore with her comedy film “Whip It!”

Deepa Mehta’s “Heaven on Earth” had its world premiere at the festival last year. Anees Bazmee’s hit “Singh is Kingg” and Nandita Das’s directorial debut “Firaaq” also had their gala premiere last year.

Source:http://www.bollywoodworld.com