City for the YOUNG

YOUTHFUL ENCOUNTERS: Students chill out on the Panjab University campus. — Photo by Pradeep Tewari

Jagat ki Baat
As the old order changes, many things change with it. Among the many things that change is one much-frequented cinema hall of the city_ 'Jagat.' It is to be replaced by a multiplex. Good news for many because they will not have to drive all the way to Fun Republic in Manimajra and a multiplex will be there in the heart of the city. As the interiors are being demolished, one cannot look before and after without pining for what is not.

MOVING ON: The cinema is all set to be a multiplex. — Photo by Pradeep Tewari

Doing their own thing
Army wives boast of careers of their own and Geetu Vaid meets three enterprising women
Macho men in uniform have been long drawing strength to fight against all odds from their better halves who have also been pillars of the edifice of our armed forces.

Phulkari anew
Phulkari tradition is repackaged to keep up with the times, Rubinder Gill writes from Patiala
No Punjabi woman’s trousseau or wardrobe is ever complete without a phulkari or a bagh. It came from the traditional pastime of Punjabi women, who embroidered their imagination into the cloth, generally red in colour. Phulkari ‘a full bed of flowers and Bagh’ a veritable garden where the cloth could not be seen as it was totally covered with heavy embroidery. Marriages are still unthinkable without either of them coming into play.

The Winter Fashion Statement
Lakme unveiled its winter fashion statement "Mosaic" at a star-studded show on Friday in Mumbai which saw the fashion divas and the beauty gurus come together to witness one of the ace events in the country. Leading models showcased designers Malini Ramani and Suneet Verma's interpretation of Mosaic in vibrant, angelic and ethereal creations at the ‘The Lakme Grand Finale Winter 2005’.

The Westside story

• Jet Lee meets Dalai Lama

• Clooney gets serious!

• Stone defends Moss

• Gisele ‘tattooed’ all over!

• Halle Berry turns Cowgirl

Back to backless
Gone are the days when flappers of the world would wrap themselves up nicely and properly in glittery stoles before cutting footloose to the thumping beats of bhangra music in party joints and discotheques. Or when guys would discuss halter-neck tops of rockstars behind the backs of their "girl friends," says
Saurabh Malik
Face it. More backless blouses are in the front than ever before. If you are having any doubts about their being in rage, just drive down to a late night bash. Don’t turn your back to the partying crowd. You will see more of less — backless.

U SHARE YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY WITH
Big B...
Who knew this 6’-3" lean, dark, Allahabadi boy would set the Indian box office aflame with a reel of sizzling hits. Little did critics envision that this shy son of the famous poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and socialite Teji Bachchan, would become a Pied Piper for drawing masses into theatres.

City for the YOUNG

Chandigarh is bubbling over with youth as it gets on in years,
Nirupama Dutt captures the changing mood

There is something special about this city of ours. As it is getting on in years, it is growing younger in spirit. Once it was described as a city of ‘chitti darhian te hariyan jharhian’ (white beards and green bushes). This description was given by Delhi-based fiction writer Kartar Singh Duggal and popularized by yet another Dilliwala, Khushwant Singh of course. The caustic comment was aimed at the slow pace of the city and the first batch of settlers, who were retired people building their homes in the newborn city at subsidised prices.

It was then a new city for old people and now it is a young city for the young folks. Looking around one is tempted to quote from W.B. Yeats’ ‘Sailing to Byzantium’: "This is no city for the old/ The young in one another’s arms/ The birds in the trees`85’ Well, this may not be all true because our city has space for the young as well as the old but a definite shift has come in favour of the former unlike before.

How did this slow and steady change come about in City Beautiful? Ask city-grown photographer Diwan Manna and his reply is: "The city is not only peopled by many youngsters, it is nurturing them. The main reason for this is that here we have a large number of prestigious institutions and their number is on the increase with many private institutes flourishing here." Not just that the city now also has an economy and opportunity to sustain and support its young. Earlier, education over the graduates would rush to metropolis for work. Now with the corporate, media and IT boom in the city_ we are nearly a mini metro. And people from the metropolis are now rushing to our hometown in its fantastic surroundings at the Shivalik foothills. What is more the air here is relatively fresh and it is a boon to those who come from Delhi, Mumbai or Kolkata.

When looking at the young and happy crowds, things that once cannot but help noticing is that it is a confident, new and very Westernised generation facing the future. Television producer Sidhu Damdami says: "Rapid changes have come in the last few years. Satellite television made a big difference. Television may have its unhappy side but today’s youth has learnt to dress the way people are dressing all over the world. They have also learnt to carry themselves well."

Panjab University professor Paramjit Tewari points out that the parents of today’s youth are responsible for the change. "We gave our children the opportunity and the exposure that was not ours. Thus now we are seeing them bloom and blossom in a way that we could never have imagined in our youths. I feel so happy looking at the bubbling and enthusiastic youths who wish to make something of their lives." Who wouldn’t be happy for the young must lead the way into the future.

Jagat ki Baat

As the old order changes, many things change with it. Among the many things that change is one much-frequented cinema hall of the city_ 'Jagat.' It is to be replaced by a multiplex. Good news for many because they will not have to drive all the way to Fun Republic in Manimajra and a multiplex will be there in the heart of the city. As the interiors are being demolished, one cannot look before and after without pining for what is not.

As one born to the city of Chandigarh, which is just a couple of years older than me, for many years one just lived with one cinema Hall-the good old 'Kiran' in Sector 22. This was the place where one learnt the art of seeing cinema as a child in the Sixties. Mind you, those were big cinema days. Television had yet to make its entry. Going to the cinema was one big family event. One dressed up for the occasion and then the interval meant a cold drink and Mom was in a generous mood, a samosa too. It was in this cinema hall that I saw 'Mughal-e-Azam' as a five-year-young and then tried to ape Madhubala at home by dancing and singing_ 'Jab pyar kia to darana kya'. Here too I quite embarrassed my family by standing on the seat and crying out when 'Great Expectations' was being screened and crying out: 'Ai convict the bacha munde nu tang kyon kar riha hai.'

A few years later came 'Neelam' in Sector 17 and then came 'Jagat' when I was in my pre-teens came 'Jagat'. It seemed lifke a dream palace with big glass panes and red- carpeted stairs. The seats were all pushback and upholstered in red. So this was the first cinema hall where I saw a movie with a friend, girl; of course, and not the family. And then in my youth I saw my first film with my first boyfriend. It was the very romantic 'Dr. Zhivago'. It is not just I but many other teenagers of the Seventies who have fond memories of the place Counsellor and stress-manager Renee Singh says, " I want with my fianc`E9 to see a film here during our courtship. The film was 'Sholay'. I can never foget those moments." Businessman Bal Sehgal says: "The Sunday morning show at Jagat was the time for all the hip boys and girls to be out there in most mod clothes. The film was not as important as being there.'[

So memories pour from all sides and there are many who feel that at least the name Jagat should be retained for the multiplex. So much so for 'Jagat ki Baat'. — ND

Doing their own thing

Army wives boast of careers of their own and Geetu Vaid meets three enterprising women

Macho men in uniform have been long drawing strength to fight against all odds from their better halves who have also been pillars of the edifice of our armed forces. The days when marrying an armed forces person meant bidding goodbye to professional life and ambition are pass`E9 as several Army, Air Force and Navy officers' wives are successful professionals and are perfectly balancing home and professional lives.

Rather than getting depressed by the frequent field postings and long periods of separation from their hubbies these gutsy ladies have used their talents and education to metamorphose from being demure wives and moms to successful business women. Ritu Kolentine is one such woman in the city. Ritu's passion to make a name in beauty business was matched only by her love for the Army and life in the forces. Married for three-and-a-half years to Major Felix Kolentine of 9 Dogras.

Mother of two-year-old Renee, she still gets all agog while talking about how much respect and pampering ladies get in the Army. "Apart from this one learns to adjust to all kinds of situations and become aware of cultures and customs and traditions of different parts of country and this has helped me a lot in my work", she says. Ritu had done beauty courses in India and the USA and always wanted to start her own enterprise. She and sister Richa, also an Army officer's wife, forayed into business with their beauty and day spa centre in Chandigarh in 2003. Now there are four centres, including one in Jalandhar. "I was not from a business family but got full support from my husband as going was not that smooth initially."

Basically a nutritionist, Rangoli Sodhi, was working before her marriage to Wg Cdr R.P.S Sodhi, a helicopter pilot, 12 years ago. But she left her job to devote full attention to her daughter, Bani. It was during her husband's posting in Chandigarh that she started working in a well-known chain of beauty and slimming centres and later in partnership with a friend started her own 3-D salon one-and-a-half years back where they offer a complete range of head to toe services. Giving full credit to her husband for helping her to establish her venture, Rangoli says,'' I have been able to achieve all this because of my husband's and daughter's support. One does miss staying together but both of try and balance our professional lives and spend quality time together.'' But how does she cope up with the tension of her husband's high-risk job and her work? '' I keep a positive outlook and take these as part of life this helps in smoothening the rough edges of life''.

Rashmi's love for colours blooms on fabrics in the shape of beautiful floral designs and she has been doing fabric painting and designing clothes for over 15 years. Her husband Col G.M.S Bindra is also a flier in Army Aviation and is currently posted in strife-torn Srinagar. It was during her husband's tenure in Chennai and Mumbai she got a chance to work with prestigious companies like Bombay Dyeing. ''It was very good exposure as well as a learning experience as I got motivated to take up this work full time'', she says adding that being wife of an Army officer she had learnt to be very independent and feels confident to be able to handle any situation which is very helpful in running her venture. She is based in Chandigarh for the past one year and has held a number of exhibitions of her creations apart from sending consignments abroad.

Phulkari anew

Phulkari tradition is repackaged to keep up with the times, Rubinder Gill writes from Patiala

No Punjabi woman’s trousseau or wardrobe is ever complete without a phulkari or a bagh. It came from the traditional pastime of Punjabi women, who embroidered their imagination into the cloth, generally red in colour. Phulkari ‘a full bed of flowers and Bagh’ a veritable garden where the cloth could not be seen as it was totally covered with heavy embroidery. Marriages are still unthinkable without either of them coming into play.

Tradition when repackaged becomes the new fashion. With a little adaptation and innovation thrown in, a new trendy product becomes the latest craze. Phulkari, without losing its essential character has not only survived the years but retained its proud place. The trendy young favour it with new innovations thrown in while for the classy elegant dames, the traditional look stays.

Patiala, the royal city, mixes elegant tradition with the modern deftly. The name conjures up images of heavy embroidery, juttis, salwars and of course phulkari and bagh. Take the phulkari embroidered cloth and you can use it either as a chunni or make a kameez out it. Teem it with a plain salwar. The chunni can be plain or with a little phulkari embroidered on it. Or go for a sari with phulkari border to make a statement in elegance. `A0`A0`A0

There is a lot in terms of variety and range. For the social functions like marriages the traditional phulkari and bagh are favoured. Bigger outlets like Barnala Creations, New Dwarka Store keep the traditional phulkari and bagh. The only embellishments on their products are a few sippis here or there. ‘That is to add grace. We keep the highlighting to the minimum as they are mostly used for traditional rituals and customs during marriages,’ says Parveen Bansal of Barnala Creations. Most of the phulkari they sell is in bright traditional colours of red maroon, mustard and magenta. According to them pastel shades are not in fashion. The traditional favour phulkari dupattas. One can get them in chiffon, crepe or cotton. The crepe and chiffon ones start from Rs 2000 while the cotton ones are in the range of Rs 800 to Rs 2000.

A lot of customers are NRIs who take back a part of Punjab with them to distant lands.

The phulkari is now used as wall hangings, bedcovers and even as a symbol of ‘shagun’ on top of cars which ferry the groom or the bride.

Besides, phulkari takes well to sari. A phulkari border and a little bit of butti work in between can set off the palla nicely. The embroidery can be heavy or light, according to ones choice. Saris in black, mustard and carrot colours with phulkari set the tone for elegance.

‘We don’t keep a stock but get them if a customer orders. They are less in demand. The range is generally between Rs 3000 to Rs 4000,’ says K.K. Mangla of New Dwarka Store.

If you are the trendy one, then you can get phulkari highlighted and embellished with sippis, kundan work, beads, stones or even black metal. Innovative designs and colours beckon. Simar of Guru Nanak Emporium says they sell phulkari in all colours. Black is quite in vogue, besides cr`E8me, magenta, green and blue. The contrast sells. The range is from around Rs 600 to Rs 2000, depending on the cloth used.

Mutlicoloured embroidery is in, according to G.S. Gulati of the Patiala Dupatta House and Phulkari Centre. All shades sell and the sales increase if a TV character is shown wearing it. Dupattas can be with border or jaal embroidery. Mirror work is also used to enhance the embroidery. The threads used in embroidery can be in two shades, matching the base colour or totally colourful, with many shades. The choice is entirely yours to go ethnic and trendy or elegantly classy with phulkari.

The Winter Fashion Statement

Lakme unveiled its winter fashion statement "Mosaic" at a star-studded show on Friday in Mumbai which saw the fashion divas and the beauty gurus come together to witness one of the ace events in the country. Leading models showcased designers Malini Ramani and Suneet Verma's interpretation of Mosaic in vibrant, angelic and ethereal creations at the ‘The Lakme Grand Finale Winter 2005’.

The collections reflected the vivid and radiant colours of the celebration season of India.

With this collection, Lakme is following the international format by launching two fashion statements every year, under the banner of Lakme India Fashion Week.

Anil Chopra, the Lakme Lever Vice President, said, "The last two trend-setting fashion statements by Lakme for winter and summer —Fireworks and Peppermint respectively were well received and we are confident of setting yet another milestone with Mosaic."

— UNI

The Westside story

Jet Lee meets Dalai Lama

Hollywood's martial arts superstar Jet Lee met Tibetan spiritual leaders, the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa Lama, during his visit to Dharamsala on Saturday. Lee has starred in films like "Romeo must die" and "Lethal Weapon 4". Lee began his movie career at the age of 17 with the super hit film "Shaolin Temple" and followed his success with two sequels "Kids from Shaolin" and "Martial Arts of Shaolin". — ANI

Hollywood actor George Clooney is reportedly going for a radical image change. He is planning to abandon comedy to concentrate on serious and political movies. After making his name in lighthearted movies, Clooney is keen to present a more serious side to his acting abilities, and has hence signed up a slew of films based on serious issues America is facing these days. — ANI

Actress Sharon Stone, star of the thriller "Basic Instinct" defended Kate Moss and implicitly criticised companies who were ending their contracts with the British super-model after a newspaper alleged Moss had snorted cocaine. The cocaine scandal has prompted two fashion houses — Britain's Burberry and Swedish-based Hennes and Mauritz — to sever ties with the 31-year-old Moss. France's Chanel said it would not renew her contract when it expired this month, but did not comment on whether the decision was linked to the cocaine scandal.

Stone said, "I think that we have to be aware that people are allowed to make mistakes in their life."

Moss, whose annual earnings from modelling are estimated to be in excess of $7 million, apologised lastmonth to friends, family and associates for her behaviour. Moss was discovered by a modelling agency when she was a 14-year-old schoolgirl. She has been photographed for the covers of countless magazines. — Reuters

Brazilian super-model Gisele Bundchen has reportedly become a true painted lady in an advertising campaign for a new sandal line, Ipanema, by getting covered up in head- to-toe fake tattoos for the ad campaign.The catwalk stunner allowed body artists to paint fake tattoos over her body.The print advertisements will appear in fashion magazines this winter. — (ANI)

Hollywood beauty Halle Berry was seen sporting a Texan style straw hat in Los Angeles during the shooting of her latest flick.

With a floaty mini-dress over jeans and flip-flops, the actress looked like a typical cowgirl and was relieved to step into more comfortable attire, after being cooped in skin-tight from head to toe for the last few weeks.

According to Hello magazine, reprising her role as Storm in the third instalment of the X-Men series has meant squeezing back into the one-piece suit she made famous in the first two films.

She obviously doesn't require any special effects to hit the right note when she's off the set, though, as cowboy hats have been this summer's must-have accessory. Indeed Halle is just the latest in a series of A-list stars to be seen wearing one, others include Beyonce and Posh Spice. — ANI

Back to backless

Gone are the days when flappers of the world would wrap themselves up nicely and properly in glittery stoles before cutting footloose to the thumping beats of bhangra music in party joints and discotheques. Or when guys would discuss halter-neck tops of rockstars behind the backs of their "girl friends," says Saurabh Malik

Face it. More backless blouses are in the front than ever before. If you are having any doubts about their being in rage, just drive down to a late night bash. Don’t turn your back to the partying crowd. You will see more of less — backless.

Gone are the days when flappers of the world would wrap themselves up nicely and properly in glittery stoles before cutting footloose to the thumping beats of bhangra music in party joints and discotheques. Or when guys would discuss halter-neck tops of rockstars behind the backs of their "girl friends".

"Now you have a lot many pretty damsels twirling all around the polished dance floor of life on kajrare-kajrare’s rhythmic beats in low-cut denims teamed with halter tops or backless cholis. Or else, in strapped blouses, besides the ones with only ties in the back," says city-based fashion designer Tamana Singh. "The stuff makes them look trendier, gorgeous, bold, beautiful and even slim".

No wonder, Zahira has "thrown the standard blouse out of the window". The young business executive with a multi-national organisation teams her saris with bikini tops, backless cholis and halters. "I do not wear backless blouses to work or to family gatherings. They just do not fit in. But I have no inhibitions in wearing them on night outs," whispers Zahira in her early 30’s. "They simply look great.... I feel so young in them". FTV has fashioned her attitude. No doubt
about it.

Her neighbour Jugnu wears them for a different reason. The under-grad finds backless dresses "extremely comfortable" even in winters. That’s the reason why she dons them even to college. If a few guys are taken aback, pass comments or look at her dress as a "come-on signal", that is their problem. Not hers. "Why should their immaturity bother me?" she questions you back with a smile playing on her lips.

Jugnu has just picked up three backless dresses in magenta, turquoise and orange from a garment house in Sector 11 for a gala dance party next month. "In the absence of sound financial backup, I had to save pocket money by forgoing my fav’ mushroom-onion cheese pizzas and burgers for buying the stuff. But it was worth it," she says.

For her and others, the fashion stores all over the city are displaying backless ensembles, in dazzling synthetic daylight. "We started off with halter tops. Emboldened by their success, we have introduced a line of strapless tops and backless dresses," says Rajiv Bhasin owner of a garment shop in Sector 35. That’s the way it
is, folks.

U SHARE YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY WITH
Big B...
Anandita Gupta

Who knew this 6’-3" lean, dark, Allahabadi boy would set the Indian box office aflame with a reel of sizzling hits. Little did critics envision that this shy son of the famous poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and socialite Teji Bachchan, would become a Pied Piper for drawing masses into theatres. But, ‘this angry young man’ simply believed in being nothing but the Shehenshah of Bollywood. No wonder, he’s done more than 90 films (including ‘Abhiman’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, ‘Trishul’, ‘Don’, ‘Deewar’, ‘Coolie’, ‘Suhaag’, ‘Muquaddar ka Sikander’, ‘Namak Halal’, ‘Aaj ka Arjun;, ‘Aakhri Raasta’, ‘Hum’, ‘Aks’ ) and is the proud recipient of various awards.

His real forte, however, is making an enviable position in the hearts of millions, who prayed relentlessly for him(when he got injured while shooting for ‘Coolie’),almost staying glued to their TVs during the much hyped ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’to be mesmerized by his rich, deep voice and celebrating his being the first living Asian to have a wax-statue erected in his honour at the famous Wax-Museum. Having dabbled into acting, politics, business (ABCL), compeering shows, endorsing products and brands, doing charity shows and revelling in unprecedented fame, this Muquaddar ka Sikandar definitely personifies his famous dialogue from the movie Kaaliya-"Hum jahan par khare ho jaate hai, line wahin se shuru hoti hai`85"