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‘Judge’ Baliye
They are the colourful feathers on Nach Baliye’s crown and as Saroj Khan, Malaika Arora Khan and Kunal Kohli get ready to bring the curtains down on the second season of this funky act on Star One, it will definitely be a gloomy parting, what with their comments, their spirited impromptu acts and their camaraderie becoming just as well-known as the twinkling participants.
‘Masterji’ divine Just as she redefined the parameters of dance routines in movies, making it an integral aspect of drawing in the masses (who can forget Madhuri Dixit’s dhak dhak manoeuvres in Beta!) while giving it an unerring ‘respectability’, similarly as judge to ‘her choreographers’ in Nach Baliye, Bollywood’s most famous dance director Saroj Khan brought a certain enchanting audacity to her observations. Theatrical judgements are her forte complete with ceetis (a much coveted act on television now!) and five hundred rupee notes being handed over with much fanfare. Viewers wait for her near prickly comments and like it or not she is has once again set standards and this time as the overdramatic yet spot-on arbitrator for reality television in India. ‘I love Nach Baliye. It’s fun and also gives me the chance to teach which I enjoy doing. It is after all, about finding good talent,” she says. Finally the best thing of it all, “I say whatever I wish to,” she laughs. Hum-tum aur fanaa Unaffected to perfection, the first thing director and script-writer Kunal Kolhi does, when we burst into his make-up van, is offer us some ghar ka khana from his dabba. This from a man fresh of the mega success of Fanaa but that is set aside for the excitement he feels at being ‘judge’ on this show. “I had the time, I like the show, I even watched a bit of the first season and what is more it suits my profile,” he laughs. After all, he too is being judged and by the whole country he smiles. “I can either go completely haywire or enhance impressions about me in the way I conduct myself on the show,” he explains. So what does he bring to the show, we ask? Apart from an assessment of the “overall package” which translates into performance, choreography, coordination and expression he believes he has a certain mass appeal that is endearing. “It is not just the stalls but even the dress-circle that relates to me”, he laughs. He insists that two successful films back-to-back (Hum-Tum and Fanaa) have not changed him in the least and yes seeing the bonhomie that unfolds around him it is evident he thoroughly enjoying shooting for this show. “There is so much buzz on the sets and really by the end of the day I do not feel tired at all.” Having said this, there is a considerable buzz around him right now. He is working on a script currently to be directed and produced by him for Yash Raj films and like his other movies this one will be a love-story too—but in a different genre and different setting he promises. Until then, clad in a pink batik shirt, off he goes to primp and preen the confidence of the contestants. Malaika moves Judge number three (or one depends on which way you look at it!) chatters non-stop in an affable, warm manner sharing her life and small make-up van with a motley crew of people mingling around her. Her hair is up in curlers and she is also chirping with husband Arbaaz Khan on the phone to get her son to the sets to be with her! In between the mayhem the production crew tells us how Arbaaz has been teaching her to infuse more Hindi in her comments! Aapne mere hosh uda diye and dil pe pathar rakh ke are just some of the phrases that Malaika Arora Khan comes up with but whatever the state of her Hindi might she, she succeeds in giving that bitter pill in the sweetest possible way. And as one for the actor-contestants put it, “when someone as beautiful as her criticizes your performance, you just feel happy!” But as usual she has her fingers in many pies. She is all set to launch her own label next year and a restaurant is also on the cards. “I am a ‘foodie’ and a ‘clothie’ and I am about to indulge both,” she laughs. So what brought her back here for the second season of Nach Baliye? “This is a winning formula and I really believe if you have something good work with it. What is more, all of us were looking forward to this again. It is so much fun.” And what does she bring to the show? Malaika looks amazed at this question. “Myself,” she answers laughing uproariously. The heady happiness stays with us as we get up to leave. “I am the equivalent of the Malboro Man or the Denim Man except I’m the feminine version,” she smiles. What she means is living life king-size and we realise that they all do—each one of these ‘judges’.
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SKIRTING ROUND She loves to wear skirts on the college campus even in the bitter December cold. As the wintry weather fails to lay frost on her simmering spirits, she chills out in cool tweed skirts with faux fur boots of style and
pleasure! If you haven’t seen her zooming down the chilly tracks of life in asymmetrical skirts topped with floral jackets and nice little scarves, just drive down the road meandering its way to the cosy little fast-food joint in the Leisure Valley. Or else, go to the swanky coffee cafe steaming with fashion in the adjoining Sector 11. You will find graduation student Tanya Sharma and all her friends giving a leg up to fashion in pleated kilts and straight skirts with suede trimmings. Teamed with halter knits and double-shaded spaghetti tops or even velvet jackets, the gang—with the warm enthusiasm of youth bubbling up deep inside—gives chills to onlookers in these stunning dresses! No wonder, there is more of less everywhere you see. “The guys can face the chill by zipping up their leather jackets. For us, skirts are still hot in the cold,” Tanya asserts with a smile, before pushing aside the tresses tumbling down her shoulders with translucent fingers. Chill special That’s right folks, you have guessed it correctly. Skirts are rising up to the occasion, elegantly and glamorously. Unruffled by the plunging temperatures, they are steadily mounting the popularity charts even in the depth of winters. “Gone are the days when girls would relegate skirts to the recycle bin of their memories in winters,” says city-based fashion designer Roop. “They now invest their emotions in tweed pencil or bias-cut knee-length skirts to look snug.” Explaining the trend, Roop says, “Flaunting assets was not an integral part of their daily routine until a few years ago… Skirts were taken out in cold weather, but only for afternoon bashes. Or else, for the New Year eve party in those hot posh joints. For, comfort and snugness were as important as looking chic for so many damsels. But now things are different, indeed”. Downright skirty Flashing a broad smile, she says, “Now, some pick them up for late evening bashes organised in farmhouses situated on the outskirts where only special friends are invited through recommendations. Others buy it for daily wear and tear. Concern for cosiness is the last thing on their ever-shifting minds as damsels of the world go around in slinky camisoles and tartan skirts with pullovers tied around their reed-thin waists.” For dames merrily displaying stylishness in skirts, fashion malls across the city are also warm with cotton and denim skirts in interesting patterns and prints. You can pick ones embellished with nice little mirrors, crystals, sequins and jingling ghungroos. “The glam gals can also go in for sequined, leather or even Lurex skirts,” says Roop. “Also ready to be picked up are fitted skirts with front slits and stretch skirts with glitter motifs that demand dramatic accessories with a not-too-matched effect.” Cool fashion Skirts add zing, look stylish and notch up your fashion meter. You can layer it up with almost anything. For an oh-so-hot gypsy look, combine kurtis with ghagra skirts and boots. Or else, pair a skirt with a nice tee before covering yourself up in a tweed coat for going to the office. The choice is yours entirely, says the fashion designer. Sounds warm, girls! So, forget all about those silk capris. Ignore the ever-flowing nose. Go ahead. Just be brave and buy yourself a nice chickan or a leather skirt before the snap in the wind disappears, to look dazzling in winters. |
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Wonder of discovery Sri Guru Har Kishen Model School in Sector 38-D played host to a workshop in revolutionary teaching methods. Dozens of local primary school teachers sat listening as the man simply known as ‘Shaji’ enthusiastically explained different ways to teach mathematical and scientific concepts to children. Shaji, who is a founding member of Jodo Gyan, a Delhi-based NGO, explains that “the world is changing every day, technology is advancing and yet classrooms remain exactly the same.” So, in a move that led to Shaji quitting his job as a journalist and joining hands with a few other passionate individuals determined to make a difference, Jodo Gyan was born. An organisation that is dedicated to finding workable solutions to the problems in existing classroom practices. Jodo Gyan, a non-profit organisation that, as Shaji claims, “is designed to make a loss”, not only sustains itself (without taking any donations!) to fund its research, it also runs a school called Jodo Gyan Kendra, which is located in Shakurpur, a settlement north-west of Delhi and caters exclusively to underprivileged primary schoolchildren. It is a commonly acknowledged fact that our educational system, especially at the primary level, is flawed. Jodo Gyan has pinpointed certain problems in the realms of mathematics and science. These two subjects are growing in significance every day in our technologically advanced world, yet they remain the most feared and alienated subjects among children. “What we need to do is to allow children to discover mathematical concepts the way they were originally discovered. The children need to understand the significance of everything they study.” Says Shaji addressing the biggest problem facing today’s educational system, “The term by heart should be removed from the dictionary of any teacher teaching maths and science”, he adds. Using experiential and activity based methods of teaching, Jodo Gyan helps children get a feel for the subjects in their most practical uses, without bombarding them with technical lingo that usually scares children. The use of concepts like the Ganitmala, Dienes blocks and Rangometry is commonplace and the organisation has a dedicated team of scientists and educationists constantly developing new teaching methods and improving on old ones. But all these techniques are based on one common principle, “that they should help to connect the concept with real life”, explains Shaji. Coming back to the problems in the educational system, Shaji notes that there is a positive move in the attitudes of teachers. Says he, “Chandigarh schools are very open to new ideas so it is clear to see that the attitude required to improve things does exist. The only thing that now needs to change is the system.” Looking to the future he also adds that, “real education is the step forward to remove most of our social and economic problems. After all how long can people carry on gaining nothing from schools except a paper certificate?” |
The Picnic Hamper
The balmy winter afternoons beckon us to step out and meet Mother Nature. You want to make that memorable? Venture into the wilderness, armed with a picnic hamper. For the sheer enjoyment of the outing and the GRUB we would cart along as kids! We took our young son to the Air Force Museum in Delhi where he stood transfixed OUTSIDE the hangar, mesmerized by a tractor-trolley being loaded with wild grass. That, to him, was fun! All the Spitfires, Mig-21s, Canberras and Gnats in the hangar be HANGED! A few years later, history repeated itself when at the historic Qutb Minar, my daughter completely ignored the creation of Qutb-ud-din and Firoz Shah. With eyes widened like headlamps on highbeam, she chose to watch the antics of a pair of squirrels doing little sorties, scampering up and down a gnarled tree trunk. The moral of the story? Don’t take very young children to historic places. At that age they are the least interested in forbidding cathedrals, ornate arches or apsaraas tossing flowers about. In Chandigarh, with the Shivalik Range just a wink away, my children thrived on picnics in the hills though they did tend to rush off across the hillside like a pair of unguided missiles, practically going over the edge! I had visions of seeing them dangling from a frail pine branch like a filmy damsel in distress! Enough of this now —here are some picnic foods to pep up your outings! Vegetarian Nut-Burgers 1 medium onion, grated 1 cup walnuts or cashew, finely chopped 1 cup rolled oats 2 tbsp ketchup or tomato puree ½ tsp chilli powder 1 egg Salt to taste Oil for frying Method Mix all the ingredients together except the oil, adding a little milk if necessary. The mixture should be moist, not loose. Shape into 4 burgers. Put some oil in a pan and fry the buns on a high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Do not poke at them or they will fall apart. Now turn the heat to low and continue cooking (another 4-5 min.) till they firm up. Sandwich between bun halves with mayonnaise, onion, tomato and chutney. Oven-Style Scotch Eggs 500 gm finely minced lamb or chicken 100 gm dried bread crumbs 8 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed 1 egg beaten ½ tsp mixed spice 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper Extra crumbs for rolling Method Season the mince with salt and pepper, spices and parsley. Stir in the bread crumbs and divide the mince into 8 portions. Taking one egg at a time, cover neatly with one portion of the mince, sealing any gaps. Dip in beaten egg, then roll in bread crumbs. Place all similarly prepared eggs on an oiled baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350°F until golden brown (about 30 minutes).These eggs may also be deep fried in hot oil instead of being baked. They would be fattening, though tastier! |
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From Russia with love Russia, reputed birthplace of vodka (although Poland is a close competitor for this title.), is a land where the winter is long and harsh and the vodka flows freely. First distilled over a thousand years ago from the fermentation of rye, barley or corn, vodka is a tasteless, colourless and odourless liquid that is an ideal alcohol to mix in cocktails. Here is a selection of drinks dedicated to the homeland of Vodka. Moscow Mule Vodka came to the US when a Russian immigrant set up a vodka distillery in the 1930s. Although the drink had been immensely popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, it didn’t take off in the US at first. It was only after John Martin, bartender at the Cock ‘n’ Bull in Los Angeles, came up with the Moscow Mule in (or around) 1947, that the drink started gaining a lot of popularity. Traditionally served in a copper mug as a summer drink, anyone who has tasted the drink will appreciate that the cool vodka with the spicy ginger burn, makes the drink ideal for an Indian winter afternoon. Ingredients Vodka, Angostura Bitters, Ginger beer, Lemon or limejuice, Ice cubes, Lemon wedge (to garnish) Preparation Pour the vodka, bitters and limejuice into a highball glass with a few cubes of ice. Add the lemon wedges to the glass and top it off with ginger beer. Serve chilled. White Russian Although the name may suggest otherwise, White Russian is a drink that was born in the US during the Cold war era. The name is a pun on the name of the anti-Bolshevik “White Russians” from the Russian Civil War. The drink is very popular with people who do not enjoy the taste of alcohol because of its sweet coffee flavoured taste. Ingredients Vodka Créme de Cacao or Kahlúa (any coffee based liquer) Thick cream Ice cubes
Preparation Quarter fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Shake well and strain into a pre chilled martini glass. Black Russian Born in 1945, in Brussels, Black Russian is the creation of Gustave Tops. Tops was the bartender at the Brussels Metropole and created the drink in honour of the US ambassador to Luxemburg, Pearl Mesta. Believed to be the ancestor of all coffee based cocktails, this drink is very similar to its white counterpart. All that you need top do is to remove the cream from the White Russian and replace the Créme de Cacao with a Kahlúa or Tia Maria. Shake as usual and pour into an old fashioned glass over crushed ice. |
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PAIRS THAT SNARE Harmeet Kaur
1. Accede - to consent, to
come into power Exceed - to go beyond the limit of, to surpass 2.
Adverse - opposed, antagonistic Averse - to turn away from, reluctant,
unwilling 3. Accept - to take something i.e. offered Except - to
exclude or leave out 4. Advice - it's a noun meaning "suggestion,
information or counsel" Advise - it's a verb and means "to
give advice to, counsel" 5. Aisle - a passageway Isle - an
island 6. Allusion - a reference or mention Illusion - a false
impression that actually does not exist 7. Assure - to guarantee, state
with confidence Ensure - to make certain Insure - to guard against
loss, theft or harm 8. Breath - air from or in the lungs Breathe - to
inhale and exhale 9. Canon - a rule or law, especially religious
faith Cannon - a large gun which is often mounted on wheels 10.
Canvas - a sturdy cloth used for painting or making canopies
Canvass - to ask for votes, opinion, especially by going house to
house 11. Devolve - to be handed down or delivered Evolve - to work
out or develop 12. Elusive - baffling, tending to slip away, escape
Illusive - deceptive and misleading, unreal 13. Foul - disgusting, evil
or something that is against the rules Fowl - chicken, duck or
turkey 14. Idle - to be inactive, lazy Idol - object or image or God,
hero Idyll - an attractive simple scene or event 15. Ingenious -
clever, imaginative Ingenuous - frank and open, na`EFve The answers
to last weeks exercise are Cute - Coy - Coquettish - Charming - Cuddly
- Catty - Chic - Crone - Comely This week it is a brain twister: 1.
Re-arrange these letters - JRNETDSWOUO - to spell just one word. It is
not a proper name nor is it anything foreign or unusual. It is
actually quite simple!!! 2. LLEEEEPNSSSSS - make a single English word
out of this jumble!!! Best of Luck. |
Caught in time warp
She may be the epitome of the modern British woman in her real life, but actress Kate Winslet is so used to starring in period dramas in her reel-life, that she actually struggled to play a contemporary Englishwoman in her new movie. The Oscar nominated actress has played the Edwardian socialite in Titanic, a 1970s hippy in Hideous Kinky and novelist Iris Murdoch in 1950s biopic Iris. However, all the contemporary roles that have fallen in her lap have required Winslet to be an American. That’s the reason why, Winslet revealed, that she was thrown off-gear when it came to playing the modern Brit woman in her latest flick The Holiday. “It was the first time I’ve played a contemporary English woman. I was like, ‘What do you mean I can’t have a wig and an accent?’ It was weird,” Contactmusic quoted her, as saying. Rocky’s gloves in museum Rocky Balboa’s boxing robe and gloves will share the same roof as Abraham Lincoln’s top hat and Thomas Edison’s light bulb in an American museum.
Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone who played the character donated a few memorabilia from his first Rocky movie including the shiny red robe he wore as Rocky Balboa to the big fight with Apollo Creed back in 1976. His signature black hat, a pair of autographed boxing gloves, shorts and shoes will all be on display later this month.
“I knew I was getting old, but I didn’t think I would be with the dinosaurs so soon. No, actually, I’m really unbelievably overwhelmed,” Contactmusic quoted him as joking. Stallone was the creative force behind the “Rocky” franchise, having written and starred in all of the films, including the upcoming “Rocky Balboa.” The original film won three Academy Awards in 1976 for Best Picture, Directing and Film Editing. Craig loves heavy metal
Actor Daniel Craig who had a very successful outing as the new James Bond in Casino Royale reveals that he is a huge fan of German heavy metal music. The British actor has attributed his unusual taste in music to having a former German girlfriend. He also admits the he loves the music of long-running German punk rockers Die Toten Hosen. “I quite like German heavy metal music, like the band Die Toten Hosen. It’s probably because I was seeing a German girl for a while,” Contactmusic quoted him as saying. Craig was previously married to British actress Fiona Loudon. They had one child together, Ella, who was born in 1992. He is currently dating twenty-nine year old film producer, Satsuki Mitchell. Prankster Clooney Renie Zellweger is going to be on alert while working with George Clooney because he carries a reputation of being a famous prankster. The actress, who is due to start filming Leatherheads with George in January, has confessed she is dreading working with him as he’s very quick and smart at poking fun on his co-stars. “I’m scared. I hear he’s a terrible prankster and is really patient. He strikes when you least expect it,” The Post Chronicle quoted the Bridget Jones’ Diary star, as revealing. “I’m going to be on alert, I’m never going to sleep, I’m sure of it. I’ll be watching my back, George!” she added. Emma’s destiny Hollywood star Emma Thompson was destined to marry actor Greg Wise, for a witch had told the latter that he would meet his future wife on the sets of Sense and Sensibility During filming, Wise consulted a witch who told him he would meet his future wife on the Oscar-winning film. Considering Thompson was still married to Kenneth Branagh, Wise assumed she meant his co-star Kate Winslet. But their first date didn’t go as planned, so Thompson swept in, and the pair have now been married for three years. “Greg had been to see a friend of his who was a bit of a witch and she had said ‘You are going to meet your future wife on this film.’ “Of course, I was still married to Ken, so it didn’t occur to Greg that it was me, he thought it was Kate,” Thompson was quoted by Contactmusic, as saying. |
His earnest desire is to be known as ‘Betaj Badshah’, riding atop a motorcycle while beating a Punjabi dhol. And if there are any challengers for the coronet, “give it a thought again” is the sound piece of advice for them! Well, the truth is that, none of us can resist jiving to the reverberating sounds of the Punjabi dhol but when this lad from Patiala beats the dhol standing atop his bike, the onlookers stand still in amazement. None could guess that what started as a childhood prank to thrill would get Manjinder Singh so much notoriety. “At first I started doing it on my scooter and later when my folks bought me a bike I started practising the same on that”, tells this second year Bachelor of Arts student from Punjabi University, Patiala. He has also visited Europe and Canada to perform his daredevil act. And it’s not only the dhol-act that he does with so much aplomb, he can actually do an entire list of those drop-dead acts. What all seems filmi to us, this 20-something loves to do all that. Besides dhol, he thumps the dafli and also shakes a leg — a la bhangra style. And if that is not enough, he can even salute while at the top of a 25-foot-long ladder, riding his bike. Not only has he participated in various national individual games representing Punjab but he has also won an equal number of prizes as well. Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr O.P. Verma, former Administrator and Governor, and Mrs Perneet Kaur, MP, have awarded him for his breathtaking acts. And where did he get all the confidence to perform such daring acts? “I think it’s God’s gift to me”, replies a modest Manjinder. He dreams about performing gutsy acts around the world. Well, hope his dreams see the light of the day soon! |
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Language of art
“Art is a realm of metaphysics that has a language of insight” is how this “abstarct expressionist”, as he calls himself, defines art. Meet Brij, a masters in economics from Panjab University and an artist for the past 26 years who draws inspiration from life for his art. The first thing that strikes you as you enter his art studio, Logrithums, in Sector 11, Chandigarh, is the Indian classical music playing in the background. An artist who is more a philosopher, Brij has many exhibitions to his credit, including the ones in Mumbai, Delhi and even at the Horizon Gallery in London. The current exhibition showcases his work that he has done during the past five years including three sculptures as well. Out of all his paintings, one that is perhaps the most interesting is a big hand with open fingers and a half moon painted at the top of it. He calls it ‘Blessings of God’ with the open hand signifying the blessings. Another one titled, ‘Celebrations’ in green, red and orange hues portrays the happiness associated with folk motifs. For all of us abstract art may be a complex phenomenon but for him, it’s the final thing after the prolonged educational process. It is true about abstract art, that it is not everyone’s cup of tea. |
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John unplugged
Zee Muzic presents a collector’s edition calendar with John Abraham – the hottest youth icon, shot by the ace photographer Subi Samuel. The Zee Muzic - John Abraham 2007 Calendar presents exclusive pictures of the urban Adonis John Abraham, for each month of the year. The calendar has been shot at beautiful and exotic locales in Goa and presents John, a nature lover in a sizzling avtaar that brings out the 5 S’s - Sun, Sand, Sea, Skin and loads of Sex appeal! Sita Narayan Swamy, Zee Network Marketing Head says, “John is unique. He is cool. He always stands for something and makes a statement. The same is true of Zee Muzic.” Watch the making of the Zee Muzic - John Abraham 2007 Calendar exclusively on Zee Muzic. Chemistry clothes Chemistry++ a fashion forward brand for the hip trendy woman in India today announced the launch of its Festive Collection offering fun and exciting designs for this festive season. Chemistry’s festive collection instils creativity, style, looks and quality. The collection has soft muted shades in cameo, clove, melon, brightened with jewel tones in burgundy plum, forest green, sepia and navy and the essential neutrals in shell, chocolate, black and white. Rich in fabrics with careful attention to detail the collection is just perfect for this festive season. The Basic line has tanks, racers, crew necks, vests and polo’s in soft bio-washed cottons, cotton blends, viscose and spandex. The Casual line has embellished tees, tunics, shrugs, short skirts, walking shorts, capris, denim dresses with embroidery, baby doll dresses with lace and crochet trimmings. Sagari Rayn After a six year long hiatus, Raageshwari’s new album Sagari Rayn has been launched. The Title Music video Sagari Rayn (the night long wait) with its lovelorn lyrics is a fusion song based on a vintage Indian classical raga Ramkali and contemporary music. The composition fuses the ethnic strains with the modern sounds yet retaining the subtle mood of the Raga. Sagari Rayn talks about the women’s eternal wait and search for her beloved and her pangs of anxiety and uncertainty to know if he still loves and desires her. The video has been conceived, created and directed by Rishabh Loomba. The music has been written and composed by Trilok Singh Loomba and the album has been produced and marketed by Rishabh Loomba and Raageshwari for Krisna Arts and Music. Music Today is the distributor of the album. New calender The Kingfisher Swimsuit Special Calender 2007 – The French Riviera was unveiled by Dr Vijay Mallya, Chairman, The UB Group on board the majestic yacht, The Indian Empress. The calendar was launched by superstar Preity Zinta. A platform for Indian fashion, this year’s calendar features renowned designers Abhishek Gupta, Anamika Khanna, Malini Ramani, Namrata Joshipura, Nandita Basu, Pankaj Ahuja, Rina Dhaka, Ranna Gill, Shantanu Goenka, Varun Bahl, hand picked from the FDCI Fashion Week by none other than veteran designer Rohit Bal. Shot across the scenic French Riviera, the sea, magnificent beaches, The Indian Empress and fabulous villas provided the perfect backdrop for the ultra glamorous 5th edition of the Kingfisher Swimsuit Special Calendar. With locales ranging from the historic Hotel Negresco in Nice to the legendary Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the calendar this year is the epitome of luxury. Atta brand Aashirvaad atta (wheat-flour) has enabled the brand to distinguish itself on quality. through the ITC e-choupal networks. This unique e-choupal network has won several awards, both national and global, for its ability to source the best quality raw materials from rural India and deliver them to the customer on time. Creative use of the real-time multicasting, seamless workflow and one-to-one interactive capabilities of IT and Internet has given Aashirvaad the power to design a business model. Apart form ensuring the consistency in wheat quality for Aashirvaad, the e-choupal network also allows the farmers to get the best and fair prices for their produce through the online price discovery. Bluegen series Spice mobiles has launched S-900, offering uninterrupted connectivity to the world, S- 900 is the first phone to be launched in the BlueGen series. Elegant and stylish S-900 comes with a host of unique value added features including Enhanced Bluetooth, 2 Mega pixel auto focus camera, True multimedia convergence, Expandable memory, 64MB internal memory, FM Radio with Smart recording, JAVA enabled and with a large 2’’ screen and 262K TFT colour display for increased viewer delight. With Bluegen or Enhanced Bluetooth technology, tons of music is available at the click of a button. High end Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) technology kicks in to churn out a tornado of crystal clear sound wirelessly. It also enables printing and data exchange directly to and from your PC. A 2-mega-pixel auto focus camera enables high quality still and video captures. Available at Rs 12,499 (MRP), Spice S-900 is available. Musical Odyssey Music Today and HSBC celebrated the glory of the santoor legend Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma with the launch of his musical life story in a commemorative album called Lifestory of a legend– Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. ICCR President Dr Karan Singh formally launched the album. A living phenomenon, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma’s name is synonymous with his instrument and this album takes a walk through the legend’s career spanning over half a century. The sound of santoor echoed only in the beautiful Valley of Kashmir, however the legend with his unflinching dedication and genius made santoor a globally acclaimed instrument and an integral part of the classical genre. The album presents 4 hours of the doyen’s previously unreleased archival recordings from 4 decades taking the listener through a mesmerising musical journey and the evolution of the legend. Priced at Rs 990 per CD set. Bluetooth set Pratham Telecom the sole distributors of Hong-Kong based iTech Dynamic Limited has launched the new iTech BlueBAND - the next generation Bluetooth Stereo headsets for the Indian markets. iTech Dynamic is a division of Hutchinson Whampoa, established world leader in electronics and premium products. These cool headphones are surprisingly light, comfortable and easy to wear. With superb quality and distortion free sound, listening to music has never been so enjoyable. The holding design enhances their portability and the battery offers up to 7.5 hours of operational time and charges under 3 hours. Sleek, stylish and sporty, the iTech Blue Band wireless stereo headphones can be paired with any range of Bluetooth mobile phones for answering calls and Bluetooth music players that support A2DP for listening to your tunes in stereo quality. It has 7.5 hours of audio streaming time and up to 150 hours standby time. Price: The MRP of BlueBAND is Rs. 5499 and it comes with a consumer scheme of Free Reebok Shoe MRP Rs 2490 and is available at Reebok stores across India. |
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‘Zaara is not saas-bahu drama’
Be it doing a film or a television serial, Kolkata-born Malini Kapoor brings zing to her performances. She has been a regular face on television in serials like Hawaiyan, Saathia, Kumkum and Dekho Magar Pyar Se. Currently Malini is over the moon as she plays the role of Zeenat in Zaara—Pyar ki Saugat on Sahara One television. The Kolkata-born Punjabi actress talks to Lifestyle. Tell us about your role in Zaara. I play Zaara’s elder sister, Zeenat, who is married to Aamir (Jatin Grewal). Zeenat is happy in her marital home. But soon there is trouble in paradise. Zeenat’s happy married life will soon come to an end. The only person who can help her out is Zaara. What are your expectations from the serial? Zaara is sure going to rock. The producer Sanjay Kohli, director Pawan Sahu and the star cast have made good efforts. The story is powerful and has all the ingredients a daily soap normally requires. Can you tell us something about your background? I am from Kolkata. I did my schooling and college from Kolkata. I am first cousin of Reena Kapoor who plays the lead character in Woh Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki.” Could you elaborate on the films you have done? I have done a thriller Subah Tak and a film, Golden Boys, with a campus background. Both films are due for release. I am excited about these two films. — D.P. |
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Health tip of the day
Women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches and males with a measurement of more than 40 inchesare at a greater risk of low back pain . — Dr Ravinder Chadha |
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In R.B. Sheridan's play The Rivals one of the characters continually uses long words in the wrong place. The following pairs of words are somewhat similar in spelling and sound but very different in meaning. These pairs are a sure trap for the unwary.
