Oscars: Eight on ten for 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Slumdog Millionaire' sweeps eight Oscars at the 81 st Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Oscars: Eight on ten for 'Slumdog Millionaire' Slumdog Millionaire shines at the 81st Academy Awards. (Agency Photo)Oscar fever More Pictures Sound Mixing, Film Editing, Original Score, Original Song, Direction and Motion Picture. Indian music maestro A R Rahman brings home two awards with his Jai Ho... composition.

THE OSCAR WINNERS...

Best Picture: Producer Christian Colson for Slumdog Millionaire. “It has been collaboration between hundreds of people. All of us are here to share this moment. This was an extraordinary journey,” says the Slumdog... team.
Best Direction: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Song: A R Rahman and Gulzar for ‘Jai Ho...’ (Slumdog Millionarie)
The Indian music maestro, Rahman wooed the audience with ‘O Saya’ and ‘Jai Ho...’ the nominated songs from ‘Slumdog...’, as the nominees for Best Original Song were being announced.
Best Original Score: A R Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire . “I have nothing but my mother and she is there with me. I thank her for making me coming all this way with her blessings,” said a proud Rahman.
Best Film Editing: Chris Dickens for Slumdog Millionaire
Best Sound Mixing: Ian Tapp, Resul Pookutty and Richard Pryke for Slumdog Millionaire. “This is just not a sound award, but a history being handed over,” said Indian receiver Pookutty.
Best Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle for Slumdog Millionaire
Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire. “The cast and crew of the film told me so much about India and writing,” said a proud Beaufoy.
Best Documentary Short Subject: Megan Mylan for Smile Pinki
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn for Milk.
Best Actressin a Leading Role: Kate Winslet for The Reader. Breathless Kate confessed experiencing the fainting feeling just like Penelope Cruz. She shouted onstage and waved at her father. She said, “I want to thank my family as they love me the way I am and lets me do what I want to.” By the time she finished her speech she was already in tears.
Best Foreign Language Film: Departures (Japan)
Best Sound Editing: Richard King for The Dark Knight
Best Visual Effects: Eric Barba for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Documentary Feature Film: James Marsh for Man on Wire
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight . It was a special moment for actor’s family - mother Sally, father Kim and sister Kate who came to receive the trophy on Ledger’s behalf.
Best Live action short film: Jochen Alexander for Spielzeugland Toyland
Best Make-up: Greg Cannom for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Costume Design: Michael O’Connor for The Duchess
Best Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Animated Short Film: Kunio Kato for La Maison En Petits Cubes
Best Animated Feature: Andrew Stanton for Wall-E
Best Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black for Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. “Has anyone fainted here, may be I will be the first one,” exclaimed Penelope immediately after receiving the award.

THE HOST...
Will Smith announced the awards for best visual effects, sound mixing and film editing categories.
Natalie Portman and Ben Stiller were the next to grace the stage to announce the award for best cinematography.
Sarah Jessica Parker clad in a shining silver off shoulder gown with Daniel Craig played the perfect host to a set of awards including best art direction, costume design and make-up.
Tina Fey and Steve Martin opened the awards ceremony announcing the first set of awards including best supporting actress, original screenplay and adapted screenplay.
Hilarious host Hugh Jackman opens the ceremony with a grand performance with actress Anne Hathaway.
Australian entertainer Hugh Jackman, stands tall as the first-time host to the ultra-glam evening. Though, he had hosted Broadway's Tony Awards three times in the past.
Robin Roberts welcomed the guests at the Red Carpet in a sensuous red gown designed by J Creww as she arrives for the 81st Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

RED CARPET
The much awaited and much anticipated, 81st Academy Awards will begin shortly with the Red Carpet already rolled out at the Kodak Theater.
Some of the stunning arrivals at the Red Carpet include teen idol Miley Cyrus, Aliciya Keys, actress Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Angelina Jolie, Penelope Cruz, Slumdog... star Freida Pinto, The Wrestler star Marisa Tommei to name a few.
British director Danny Boyle shepherded the extended Slumdog Millionaire family down the red carpet. The nine cast members, who played the three main characters in the rags-to-riches fairy tale were all on hand for the Oscars ceremony. The two youngest cast members, who still live in Mumbai's slums, were making their first trip outside India
After months of controversy and speculation, the wait will finally be over. With movies like Slumdog Millionaire , The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Reader leading the way in major categories, it's tough to predict who will take away the trophy. So do you think 2009 will be the year that ends India's dry run at the Oscars?

India Preparing To Launch Bhuvan To Combat Google Earth

India is all set to launch Bhuvan in March 2009 to combat Google Earth. Google Earth is providing high resolution data in the order of less than a metre. But the data is two to three years old. It cannot be of much use for any real-time exercise. But Bhuvan, to be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will get the images from the satellites and provide high resolution imagery data of the order of five metres. This can be of use for real-time exercises like disaster management and military operations.

Bhuvan, India's response to Google Earth, will be launched in March 2009 and will provide high resolution imagery data of the order of five metre which would be of great relevance for real-time exercises, including disaster management and military operations.

"The Google Earth is providing high resolution data in the order of less than a metre. But the data is two to three years old. It cannot be of much use for any real-time exercise. But Bhuvan will provide the relevant data for any real-time exercise," S K Pathan, Head, Geo Informatics Data Division, ISRO, said. Bhuvan, to be launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), will be a better alternative to Google Earth in terms of quality of data, he said. "Bhuvan, which means earth, will get the images from the satellites and provide high resolution imagery data of the order of five metre. This can be of use for real-time exercises like disaster management and military operations," he said. For real-time exercises, the latest data is a guiding force, he said. It can show the topography, altitude, depth and other features of any specific location. "This information will be required when you are undertaking a massive exercise like flood management or post-cyclone disaster mitigation," he said. The data could be of use to manage public services, internal security, town planning and infrastructure development activities.