Asian Entertainment News & Celebrity Gossip

A late-night, hush-hush visit to a temple by Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai has sparked talk of a wedding, but the priest denied the ceremonies were marital.

Bachchan, son of Indian film legend Amitabh Bachchan, and former Miss World Rai, whose friendship has long been under media scrutiny for signs of romance, held pre-dawn prayers in Varanasi, one of Hinduism’s holiest cities.

None of the party spoke to the media but their family priest said the prayers were held to mark the birth anniversary of Amitabh’s deceased father.

When reporters asked why Rai was there although she was not a member of the Bachchan family, the priest said: “I don’t know.”

This failed to deter news channels which broadcast stories speculating that marriage was on the cards for the star couple.

After the rituals, Abhishek and Aishwarya were scheduled to leave for Agra, the northern city home to the Taj Mahal, the 17th century white-marble monument to love. [Y!]

I guess it’s true that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. [TMZ]

Due to a sudden and unexpected circumstance, the staff will not be able to come up with any new dumplings until later this week. Please feel free to check out previous entries by clicking on your favorite “category” or else just browse through the over 85 previous posts. The Daily Dumpling will come back fresher and tastier than ever on Friday so be sure to check back for the latest in ASIAN Entertainment News and Celebrity Gossip!

Passport? Check. Extra Diapers? Check. Airline Tickets? Check. Camera? … Camera?! Who needs a camera when your every move is documented by the paparazzi? As the happy family of Brad, Angelina, Baby Shiloh and their adopted children, Maddox and Zahara, wind down their Asia Tour ‘06, I’ve included some snapshots of their travels from India where Angelina was filming A Might Heart, a surprise visit to Maddox’s home country of Cambodia, and a recent Thanksgiving jaunt in Vietnam.

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Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States and regardless of who you are or where you are reading this from, we all have things we are thankful for. Here are a few of the things the Daily Dumpling is reflecting on…

• Anything you can do, I can do better… Michelle Wie is again taking on the monumental task of entering a Men’s PGA tournament at the Sony Open. She may not have had much success thus far and regardless of how she does, her fearless and relentless pursuit of proving that she can play with the “big boys” at their own game is commendable. [Toronto]
• Inspiration… We all admire Yao Ming breaking down stereotypes and barriers in the NBA. But how can you not be impressed when 5’7’ Nate Robinson actually rejects a shot from the 7’6” wonder from China. This is what kids dream of in their backyards! [YouTube]
• If at first you don’t succeed…I.M. Pei seemingly has it all: won awards, achieved global recognition, created a legacy. But at 89 years of age, he went back to his ancestral roots in China to build the amazing 160,000 square foot Suzhou Museum. His only other structure in China was a disappointing luxury hotel in Beijing. [IHT]
• Just because… Two words - Jessica Alba. I know she has nothing to do with Asia but, really, who cares? [Fansite]

• Yum-may!… And, of course, what would Thanksgiving be without great food. Thank goodness for Asian cuisine! Pictures of the Daily Dumpling’s favorite food after the jump!

                               WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY?

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Like a fine wine, Andy Lau seems to be getting better with age. The 45-year-old actor has evolved from modest television actor in the 1980s to pop idol in the 1990s to film star and producer/ mentor to a new generation of Asian directors in the 2000s. According to Sinchew, “Good looks can give you a headstart in the cut-throat world of show business, but a Puritan work ethic will guarantee longevity.”

Born to a poor family in Hong Kong and collecting water for his family because their house had no running water, the hardworking Lau has always been known as a workaholic in showbiz circles. One oft-repeated anecdote recounts how he juggled three films and a recording session in one day by catching only a few hours sleep in his car.

As a case in point, Andy has a new film opening, A Battle Of Wits, his 132nd movie credit in a 26-year career, while busy shooting his next film, Protege, an underworld drug drama directed by Derek Yee. Meanwhile, he is already busy with pre-production for a period remake of the Shaw classic, Blood Brothers, which will co-star Jet Li and Takeshi Kaneshiro.

Most impressive perhaps is his effort to nurture new talent through his production company, Focus Films, which launched the First Cuts series of films last year saying, “While I have this power, I want to try to create possibilities for newcomers. They need support.”

Young Korean actor Choi Si-won has shown his potential to become the next-generation Korean star to lead the Korean Wave, or Korean pop culture craze, in Asia. The actor was welcomed by his fans everywhere he went in China to promote his debut film “Battle of Wits,” which was jointly produced by Korea, China and Japan.

A source from Huayi Brothers, the Chinese film company which held the promotion, said that Choi is enjoying such great popularity in China. “A large number of his enthusiastic fans attended every event we held,” he said.

“Battle of Wits” was first released in China and Hong Kong on Thursday and is scheduled to be released in Korea early next year. [KBS]

The doctor is in the house… Dr. of Luuuuuuuv, that is.

From taxi drivers to tax accountants, residents in this conservative city-state seek out Wei for bedroom advice. With the self-styled sex guru who bills himself as Doctor Love, they know they’ll get good counsel — without any moral judgment.

“This city is still very repressed when it comes to open talk about sex,” he said. “With me, they get a listening ear. I don’t judge them. I just answer their questions.”

A kind of Larry Flynt-meets-Dr. Ruth, the 37-year-old physician presides over an Eros empire that has so far included a late-night sex-advice TV show, holiday “love packages,” sex-strategy books and a drop-in advice center known as the Playroom. Last month, he launched Singapore’s first adult magazine.

The reason: Singaporeans aren’t having enough babies.

Officials have unveiled a $185-million package to encourage baby-making, including cash perks, child-care subsidies, tax rebates for working mothers and longer maternity leaves. They also introduced programs such as “Romancing Singapore,” which encouraged people to meet, fall in love, get married and procreate. [LATimes]

Here are some pics of Tia Carrere. A familiar name and face who popped up recently and is looking “SCHWINGGGG” great! More pics apres le jump!

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No, it’s not the release date for ‘Curse of the Golden Flower’. It’s more likely the night this movie will be going home with Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Epic, Shakespearean undertones, China, Gong Li, Chow Yun Fat, Zhang Yimou, visually spectacular… it’s got all the elements. Check out the final trailers on Sony Pictures Classics:

Quicktime Trailer

Windows Media Trailer

Also looking forward to a slate of other great films including ‘Confessions of Pain’ with Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro, ‘Protege’ with Andy Lau, Ang Lee’s ‘Lust, Caution’, and Stephen Chow’s ‘Long River 7′… can’t wait!!!