Her petite frame underplays the image of how much she can explore the minds of Islamic women and their turmoil. Sahana P has given a structure to her favourite short story in the form of Jannat Mahal, the fourth production of the Graduate Showcase.

Elaborating on the play, she says, “When a woman is caught up between her traditions and modernity, the tribulations lead to suffering. It is this aspect that I am exploring in my play.” Breaking the norms of a traditional set up, she has moved out of the defined spaces in the auditorium and set up her play outside. As far as the acting goes, there is a bit of venture there as well. “I have guided my actors to seek inspiration from the bugs in the house and move like them. We all have some kind of a bug in our lifetime. I hope to execute it in a better way,” she smiles.

Sitting on a trunk, due to lack of sitting spaces, she reflects the lead character of the play. The story revolves around a widowed Muslim woman who is married to his younger brother to ensure the wealth remains in the family. With the passage of time, this traditionally oriented woman is exposed to the fresh modern world.

“The second husband basically exposes Zulekha to participate in woman empowerment programmes, educates her and liberates her from the shackles of traditional barriers,” she explains with a glint in her eyes. During the course of the play, Zulekha realises that her husband is already involved with another woman and just wanted to watch how she would react in the hands of freedom.

Seeking inspiration from the domesticated world of a woman, a fridge catches our attention. “It has a significant role in the play,” she explains. The set-up is made up of a four-sided raised platform, surrounded by plastic curtains. “Half of the play is behind the plastic to symbolise the “burqa” in her life. “My opening scene is something that will garner attention,” she says. The opening scene is the death of the first husband and Zulekha is happily welcoming everyone.

“Yes, she is happy because she has freedom from someone who rules her,” Sahana says. So, what are the red fridges in the background for? “When a woman has to remarry, under all circumstances, she hides her first husband in her mind somewhere. All women live life like a fridge, we are fresh, new and modern, but still have boundaries,” she says. Provoking food for thought, her portrayal is purely personal and talks of the personal relationships of women. “In each moment, emotions come out symbolically,” she says.

Prioritising designing, towards the end, the entire set-up will be flooded. “It’s because it is the point where Zulehka will take a decision about her life,” she informs.

The moment where you decide what you want and live life your own way…feminist? You decide.

vasudha@tribunemail.com

At any given point of time, the Indian television industry suffers from one obsession or the other. A few years back, from the prime time to late night slots, it only offered saas-bahu sagas, the sobbing heroines, the conspiring vampires and the grand families. Then the gears shifted towards reality shows.

Reality shows on adventure, singing, dancing, marriages, loyalty-testing and just on anything that qualifies as talent. As of now, the obsession ailment is culture-based soaps. There's Balika Vadhu, Na Aana Iss Des Lado, Pratigya, Hamari Saas Leela….all with a backdrop of some state.

The urban setting with all the multiplexes and flyovers has stopped fetching enough TRPs. "The channels have played smart. By using the backdrop of some state they at least ensure high TRPs from that particular state," comes from Ekktaa BP Singh, the actor who plays Vidya's mother in the serial Maryada Lekin Kab Tak.

In Chandigarh to stage the play Hum Dono, she gives an insight into the television industry trends. "Nothing but TRPs determine all trends in the industry. A serial takes a leap, lead hero gets killed in the accident, women are tortured…only TRPs is the deciding factor." For the same reason, her show, Maryada was shifted from 11.30 slot to 11 pm. "The soap garnered high TRPs." But she adds that as long as TV is able to highlight social issues, lack of variety doesn't matter.

In Maryada, the focus is on how women from all strata of society strive to keep the honour of the family. "It actually happens in society as well. Women seldom speak about domestic violence or other problems. If these serials can bring the slightest of change and help women speak against injustice, we won't mind the TRPs-guided industry."

She is also playing the role of one of Leela's friends in the serial, Hamari Saas Leela. About the experience, she says, "It's challenging for me because in one I have a Haryanvi dialect while in the other Gujarati." In the play, she will play the role of an old woman who has no qualms about her life. "The play teaches that problems are not the end of life. They instead help you realise the value of life even more."

ashima@tribunemail.com

Baby in pink

Shraddha Kapoor: We love her funky pop look! There are some things only she can carry off. Her jeans are plain and they are jazzed up by a leopard-print top with a tinge of green. The pink suspenders and purple pumps together appear like a burst of pop colour. Her make-up too has a pink tint. Don't forget the golden nails. Shraddha looks good!

Dress it up, dress it down

Dia Mirza: The green is very striking and the dress is feminine and comfortable. You can dress it up or dress it down. Dia has given it a casual twist by pairing with black gladiators. The black and green are equally attractive.

Red and blue

Kareena Kapoor: The queen of the trend shows off a healthy frame in a layered red dress paired with stunning electric blue platform sandals. The draped dress adds bulk to her frame and we don't fancy the silhouette much. The colour looks great on her though.

Loud and proud

Amisha Patel: We second the polka-dot pumps completely. The red lips and heels add a dash of sexiness to her look. This is the longest dress she has worn in a while and we got to admit that she looks cute and fresh. A black Chanel bag completes her red, black, and white colour blocked look. —HRM

Manish Malhotra is the grand finale designer for the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week. Bollywood's favourite and most famous designer is known for giving image makeovers to the likes of Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar, Preity Zinta, and Kajol. He has redefined fashion in Bollywood and made it accessible to audiences. The award-winning designer of international fame talks about fashion, fashion icons, glamour, and films.

How excited are you to be selected as the LFW Grand Finale Designer?

I like my work to speak for itself but I am very excited about the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week. I have had fever since two days but here I am! In the eleven years since its inception, few designers have got to do the grand finale so I feel privileged. There is a lot of pressure. The range is going to be very glamourous and international so my name came to the minds of the organisers. I have to live up to their expectations.

What is "Absolute" for you, since your rage this season is that?

Absolute for me is absolutely glamourous, absolutely international, and yet very Indian. Indian outfits are nothing short of glamourous international gowns.

Who represents these qualities?

Kareena Kapoor is absolute for me; as are Ranbir Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan. Kareena because Indian clothes look beautiful on her and so does Indo-Western. She looked lovely in Jab We Met where we paired t-shirts with salwars. That was fusion. She is the only actor who started the trend of wearing sarees on the red carpet. She wore the saree to the Filmfare awards and the Saawariya premiere and continues to do so very proudly and glamourously. She wore a saree when most actors were wearing gowns. Karisma also has that inherent style sense.

Are you going to have any celebrity showstoppers?

I have not had a celebrity showstopper for a while. I started the trend of bringing my actors on stage (Laughs). Many people are doing it now. Everybody has walked for me: SRK, Preity, Aishwaryra. Urmila, Kareena, Shahid, Saif, Hrithik, and others. We have worked together and they know me and my work. We have an equation off the stage. I have observed that these days many celebrities walk for designers but they share no personal equation. They are probably meeting for the first time that day. That personal connection is not there. I think it is important to know the actors who are showing your collection.

Which of your famous friends are attending the grand finale? How attached are you to the LFW?

I have the media attending the grand finale extensively! The media is very nice to me. (Laughs) I get to meet many like-minded people and people passionate about fashion. The design fraternity is together. The energy and buzz is great. As far as my friends are concerned, it depends on whether they are in town, their shooting schedules, etc. it is too early to know right now.

I love the Lakme Fashion Week because it happens in Mumbai which is my home. The LFW is extremely well organised. That works for me because I am a meticulous person which is why I can do the amount of work I am doing. I have an instance to share regarding my love for LFW. I remember I was in Miami shooting for Dostana. I flew Miami-New York-Mumbai and put up a show in three days. I flew back to Miami the next day. This was in 2008 and it shows how much I love the LFW.

We've heard that you are creating a very different look for Priyanka Chopra in Kunal Kohli's film. You even met Asha Parekh for the same...

The film has several different looks. I can't say much right now. I met Asha Parekh because I love the 1960s and 1970s. The era fascinates me: I loved the prints, bold colours, patterns, silhouettes. I have become a huge fan of Dev Anand because he was very fashionable and stylish. Today's fashion such as wearing shoes without socks and wearing cropped pants is just what he did so many decades ago. There is a part of the film which is set in the 1960s. Asha Parekh worked in the 1960s so I met her to understand the nuances of that era. I like to work like that.

Tell us about your meeting with Asha Parekh.

It was great meeting her. She is really sweet. I know a lot about Hindi films. I have been her fan and am also a huge fan of Shabana Azmi, Mumtaz, Rekha, Zeenat Aman, and others. The other day I met Rekhaji at the South Filmfare Awards where I won an award for Robot. We spoke and she complimented me on my knowledge of films.

You have also designed Kareena's look in Bodyguard…

I am very excited about that. It is Indian but there are some new touches. The film releases in September. I am curious about the response to it. —HRM

Sorority Row star Audrina Patridge says the secret to her stunning figure is her body's inability to put on weight. The 26-year-old actor, who has always sported a slim physique, insists that maintaining her figure was never difficult because she doesn't have to worry about piling on pounds, reported a publication.

"I don't really have to work out a lot. I actually have a problem putting on weight. I've always been skinny. But I do something active every day. I go to the beach, run, do Pilates or play volleyball. I do eat healthily and I stay away from all the sugary stuff. I love potato chips, but I also love fish and vegetables, too," said Patridge. Patridge, who starred in the reality show The Hills. — PTI 

R&B star Beyonce wants to release her own cook book, which will be inspired by her mother Tina's recipes. The 29-year-old singer, whose rapper husband Jay-Z has a string of restaurants, plans to create a culinary guide which contains her mother's soul food recipes and is confident it would be very popular, reported a publication.

"Her mum Tina started the tradition whereby anywhere in the world they are, she always puts on a soul food spread of collard greens, cornbread, mac 'n' cheese and fried chicken. Beyonce would love to include these family recipes in a book," said a source. The Who Run the World hit maker has been encouraged by her good actor-friend, Gwyneth Paltrow, to go ahead with her cook book plans.

The Iron Man actress, whose husband Chris Martin is pals with Jay-Z, has released her own kitchen tome, My Father's Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness, and encourages Beyonce to follow in her footsteps.

"As she (Beyonce) thinks about a family, she's spoken about this with Gwyn and is raring to go," added the source. — PTI

Men are more concerned with their partner's body type than women but they also seem to value family more highly, according to a new surveyNearly half of men questioned in the poll of 70,000 people said they would ditch a partner who gained weight, compared to only 20 per cent of women.

Two-third of men also said they had fantasised about their partner's friends, while only one-third of women had done so.

"Even as men are getting more comfortable with meeting their girlfriends online and less anxious about who she's 'friending' there, other romantic behaviours have proven to be timeless ones: chivalry isn't dead, size matters, and women forgive while men forget," said James Bassil which conducted the poll.

While only 18 per cent of women said they would want their mate to be better endowed, more than 51 per cent of men said they wished they themselves were.

But the survey also found 39 per cent of men chose family as their top choice of the ultimate status symbol. By contrast, 43 per cent of women selected a beautiful home, compared to only 6.5 per cent of men. —Reuters

Yoga and yogic exercises have become popular. According to some concepts yoga is the remedy for all ills, mental or physical. First, I would like to put it in perspective. Yoga is like a protective covering and a roof over your head which protects you from untoward circumstances.

Yoga makes us internally fit by teaching us breathing exercises and stretching of the body. Secondly, I feel that we have a limited number of breaths allotted to us in life and if we learn to hold our breath the yogic way, we save on our breaths. Those who do not restrain in their life time do go through severe illnesses where they have to be made to breathe artificially.

To lose weight the yogic way, the answer is simple and timely eating. Eat seasonal vegetables and do not indulge in fried and spicy food. Stick to the basic needs of life which we tend to forget while following fancy diets or spending hours, slogging it out in gyms.

All yogic asanas are good for the body but some pranayamas are more helpful in weight loss, especially around the abdominal region. These can be done comfortably anywhere, only they have to be done either on an empty stomach or two hours after a meal. Today, we focus on two of them.

Agnisar pranayama: The main benefit of this pranayama is that it helps to reduce fat in the stomach and perks up the digestive systems.

How to do: It can be done by sitting in a Padamsasana or Siddha asana or it can also be done while standing or lying down. Breathe out and do 'Uddiyan bandh' that is pulling in the muscles of the stomach. Holding your breath, make the stomach move in and out. Repeat three times then take the count to 15 or 20 times. Remember not to apply your strength forcibly while doing movement. Those who have had any surgery of stomach or suffering from hernia and heart disease should abstain from this pranayama.

Kapal Bharti pranayama: This helps to release the air stuck inside the lungs and with the movement of bellowing out air, it helps to lessen the fat. It purifies the brain cells and make it strong.

How to do: Sit down in the Padamasan or Siddha asana and close your eyes. Take a deep breath and do 'Mool bandh' (pulling in your sides) and bellow out the breath in spurts, the main thrust on the belly and head. If you feel tired, stop and take a new long breath and take it out again in installments.

Starting with 5 to 30 thrusts, increase it to 30 to 150 times. Heart patients and those with tumours in stomach should refrain from this pranayama. If done with concentration it is very effective.

Oberoi is a Ludhiana-based yoga expert.

(As told to Poonam Bindra)

ARIES: “The Priests” usher in a pure, exalted and gracious influence. Shut down the Internet for another day. You’re challenged to think things through and risk the uncertainty of your own decisions. Tarot message: Try to relax in the middle of the week and put your cares to one side. Lucky colour: Purple. Magic number: 61.

TAURUS: Nine Golden Cups” greets you happiness. After an active night, you might appreciate a peaceful, restful day. You’re in a position to stir things up but be very careful about arousing a reaction. Tarot Message: You will be happier if you retain the fruit of your hard work. Lucky colour: Black. Magic number: 27.

GEMINI: “The Queen of Wands” allows you to achieve professional success with authority. You can blend logic to come up with creative directions. Tarot message: Dare to accomplish those tasks which normally take up a lot of time. Lucky colour: Rainbow pastels. Magic number: 39.

CANCER: “The Queen of Swords” brings clarity in chaotic situation. You work best with people who share a common vision. You focus on what you want and let those with different ideas go their way. Yoga brings balance. Tarot message: Take care of interests and portfolios of your work. Lucky colour: Orange. Magic number: 42.

LEO: “Three Wands” representing the universal that is Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh greet you today. You easily become enthusiastic but you must stay grounded. Your attraction to unusual topics can cause friction. Tarot message: Do not play into the hands of a shrewd set of colleagues. Lucky colour: Peach. Magic number: 34.

VIRGO: “The Emperor” gets you in touch with you leadership qualities. Today your best approach is not to confront people. Parents need to listen to children and elders need to be heard as well. Tarot message: Use your judgments and be firm in extracting a commitment. Lucky colour: Crimson. Magic number: 29.

LIBRA: The third eye of “Lord Shiva” opens for an infinitesimal moment to instigate a major transformation. Keep away from another Taurus person at work who is arrogant and conceited. A good day to spend time with your friends. Tarot message: Do not leave things up to chance. Lucky colour: Deep Red. Magic number: 32.

SCORPIO: “The Moon” takes you through a difficult Karmic situation today. You must address them even though there is a dark underside to them. Whatever your faith, you will come to sense of its importance as a guiding principle. Tarot message: Try to be active in catching financial opportunities. Lucky colour: Yellow. Magic number: 47.

SAGITTARIUS: You draw “The Ace of Cups” which brings beauty and happiness. You should also pay attention to your motives; ensure they are positive. Spontaneous suggestions for relaxing diversions are worth accepting. Tarot message: Remember it is the thought that counts and not the price tag. Lucky colour: Saffron. Magic number: 45.

CAPRICORN: “The Lovers” inspire you to climb new heights and actualise creative ideas. Introduce variety that’s agreeable to both of you, lest disturbances occur. Spending money could be today’s dilemma. Tarot message: It is best to get a clear perspective and balance your energy before making decisions. Lucky colour: Peach. Magic number: 51.

AQUARIUS: You make an impact and shine like “The Star”. You may take the lead today; set the pace and control the emotional agenda. Unwanted distractions should be ignored. Attend to odd jobs in the evening. Tarot message: Yet work could pose certain minor difficulties but don’t worry. Lucky colour: Green. Magic number: 33.

PISCES: The wheel of fortune” spins in some good fortune. You are capable of handling several situations at the same time. Take prevention measures like diet and exercise rather than having to treat illness later. Tarot message: Be sure involving yourself as much as possible in new project. Lucky colour: Burgundy. Magic number: 58. 

Shweta steals the show

Replacement theory: Shweta Tiwari

Two weeks ago, Resshmi Ghosh was thrilled to be hosting Sony’s Comedy Circus Ka Naya Daur but how the tide turns. She has been replaced within a week by Shweta Tiwari. Apparently the channel wasn’t too happy with her performance in the first episode. Upset and disappointed by the way her ouster was handled, Resshmi is shocked. She is trying to put this experience behind her.