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YouthSpeak Writeback Keeping furniture in fine fettle Dazzling duo FILM & FASHION Going West Lab-tested
Theatre Chiselling
the rock BOOK CORNER Jat Lutya
Gaya: sings Ravi
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The untidy and careless bachelor’s pad is a thing of the past. Single men and women of the city are living in style, says
Parbina Rashid
Think about a bachelor’s pad. It does not need great imagination to conjure up the image of an unkempt bed, books lying all over and dirty clothes piled up all around. If the guy happens to be a techno-savvy one, then maybe a computer thrown carelessly into a corner but finding the keyboard, of course, maybe a Herculean task. But not in the case of these bachelors! Your conventional image of a bachelor’s pad is bound to go in for a toss, once you visit their homes. The grandeur Welcome to the house of Bal Sehgal in Sector 2. If you feel the exterior overpowering then wait till you step in. An architect’s delight, an interior decorator’s marvel and a landscapist’s dream, is what his house is! But he has not poured his money on professional services to build his dream house. “I acquired this house which was originally built in 1962. I modified it according to my taste and needs and I did not hire an architect or a decorator to do it for me.” The three-bedroom house and the greenery, spreading over 2000 sq yards, show the vision of the owner and his love for nature. So the drawing room has an assortment of furniture in leather upholstery as well as wooden ones, few of which come from his ancestral house in Moga. There is no particular theme, but just mix-n-match items, which has worked wonder, giving away the feeling of comfort and style, without being gaudy. “I believe in three A’s —Acceptability, Awareness and Affordability,” says he. So our bachelor boy goes hunting for odd decorative pieces at his favourite junk dealer in Delhi. But then he also goes jet setting around the world, collecting arty items. As a result, all rooms, especially the glass conservatory has a collection of crafts, which are as captivating as his awesome collection of pencil drawings by a Delhi based artist. Wall to wall If the grandeur of this bachelor’s pad is a bit too much to digest, then wait till you see our next target’s home. Diwan Manna, the renowned photographer, lives up to our expectation of a globetrotter. A small drawing room, aesthetically decorated from knick-knacks from all over the world, showcased in furniture designed by Panchkula decorators Sidharth and Anand, is anybody’s dream room. For upholstery, nothing less than FabIndia would do for Diwan. But the most outstanding thing about the décor is that none of his walls are bare. “I do not like bare walls,” he confirms. Though a majority of the photographs are his own creations, one gets to see a few famous works from famous artistes like Michel Pottier, Abraham Adad and Marc Giaiminiet. Interestingly, among his larger than life nudes, hangs the very first picture he took in 1980 when he was a student of the College of Art. And his chill out zone is his bedroom. “Though I have an office and a dark room just across, I hardly work there. I keep my computer and music system in my bedroom. So whenever the mood strikes, I can work,” he tells us. Like Bal, Diwan too is not particular about following any theme. “I am a compulsive buyer and buy whatever I like and just find a place for it, without getting into the details of the décor part. My aim is to have a place where I can feel comfortable and bring my friends.” Looking at the kind of display we can see his compulsiveness works wonderfully, for every single piece comes with an artistic mood. Gene pool After visiting two bachelor boys its time to see how the other half is doing. So we visit Dr Indira Ratan and Dr Pratima Ratan’s home in Sector 10. Both working as full-time physiotherapists, the home of these two sisters reflect the artistic gene they inherited from their artist father B.K. Ratan. The watercolours by their father, bells, icons and bronze statues kept strategically all over the place complements the colour scheme of the house, which is done in a combination of rust and beige. “The mood is ethnic here and we are proud of our drawing room,” say the sister duo. So if you still associate bachelorhood with shabbiness, then it’s time to change your opinion folks. |
YouthSpeak Habit is a deadener,” claimed Samuel Beckett. Well, so are conventions in a broader sense. If we look around and ponder over the conventional mode of our life, we realize that we have killed our creative cells and our sense of spirit and adventure. The Oxford dictionary describes the word convention as a ‘general’ or a ‘customary practice’. But a throbbing drive for success often compels one to step outside these so-called safe mundane boundaries. Consider young teen sports stars like Sania Mirza, Irina Brar, Karan Chandok and Maria Sharapova. To pursue their dream and desires, they probably pack their lives into a bag when they pursue studies, while bracing themselves for international tournaments, endorsing multiple brands and attending promotional tours. Looking back into history every ‘first’ is driven by the thought of a person who has cared to think outside the lines of conventional practices. Back in 19th century, surely people must have mocked Alexander Bell’s suggestion of a possibility of being able to talk to people over long distance. Karl Max’s principles created an entirely new system of running a nation when he propounded the end of extreme disparity between the rich and the poor. Conventions or customs, whether reasonable or unreasonable, are charted in any society to provide it with a distinct network for functioning. The intention behind differentiation on the basis of caste and class and division of work on the basis of sex and occupation was more to facilitate identification of characteristics particular to diverse social groups. Unfortunately, it often becomes a criteria for discrimination for many. The major driving force behind progress has always been change. It stretches the limits of human potentional. No conventions can be drawn to pattern the life or lifestyle of a winner. Human impulses are complex and varied which are channelised differently by each one to enter the endless realm of creativity. —
Sunmeet Young and bubbling with creative vibes? Have something to
say? Well, send your views on something you feel strongly about to
lifestyle@tribunemail.com or Lifestyle, The Tribune, Sector 29-C
Chandigarh. The best will find place in Lifestyle. |
Writeback
Apropos to the Youth Speak dated December 26, 2005, it is my opinion that prayers and fasts do work. The history of our country bears out this fact that when Humayun fell ill, Babur tried every method but all in vain. At last, he promised to take over the illness of his son. The result was that Humayun got better and Babur condition got worse. Once I fell from a moving train and Lord Krishna came to my aid and saved my life. There are more instances in my life when I have been healed by praying to Lord Krishna and Guru Nanak. So it is my belief that prayers and fasts do work. —
Kuldip Singh, 2866, Phase 7, Mohali More serious than litter The writer of Matka Chowk has drawn attention to the threat that litter poses to the Sukhna Lake in the issue of January 2, 2006. I wish to draw attention to the more serious ones which “the mission of desilting Sukhna with floating cranes” is going to pose. Floating cranes require a minimum depth of water which may not be available at all times. The pollution of the water by the sand and the smoke will drive away migratory birds. The operation will treat only the symptom and not the disease and there is no suitable place to dump the silt in the vicinity of the Lake. Steps must be taken to prevent the silting in the Lake. —
S. P. Malhotra, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Irrigation Deptt, Haryana Defining the indefinite This is in reference to ‘Samadhi—the state of thoughtless awareness’ in Jyotii Subramanian’s Yoga column on December 29. We all try to define terms like God, self-realisation, liberation from bondage but all fall short. This is because one cannot define the infinite in finite terms. The infinite can only be experienced. Patanjali, the father of Indian Yoga philosophy, has defined yoga as control of thought in the mind. That control comes from practice and non-attachment. Only in a thought free mind there is a possibility of quiet and profound calmness. That is the truth of meditation. —
P. L. Sethi, Lower Mall, Patiala |
Keeping furniture
in fine fettle
During everyday use, your hardwood furniture may be subjected to scratches and spills which temporarily mar its finish.
— Courtesy: A. P.
Singh, Besten & Co. |
Dazzling duo
The dazzling duo seemed to have walked out straight of a fairy tale. Sparkling tiaras resting delicately on streaked silky hair, flawless skin radiant like flashbulbs and perfectly chiseled bodies flaunting fitted off-shoulder evening gowns! Little wonder, the lissome ladies couldn’t escape limelight’s little flirtation with them. Present at the Tagore Theatre to formally inaugurate NIFD’s tie-up with ATR Institute of Jewellery Design, these two gorgeous Miss Indias rocked the city with their charm, effervescence and style. The chilly air seemed thick with expectation. Braving the vagaries of weather were NIFD students, queued outside the theatre’s entrance. Clad in smart coats and skimpy skirts, they waited with anxious smiles. They were waiting for their share of err…encounter with the gorgeous divas. Lifestyle slipped in too, to get a slice of the action. We spill some of the masti and mayhem… As the two pretty and petite ladies entered the theatre, everything else seemed to pale into insignificance. Gracing the occasion was Gaganjit Singh Barnala (MLA), Dinesh Mongia and Directors of NIFD and the AT group. But the shimmer and glitter that the twosome exuberated steamrolled into the media eye. Though cleavages weren’t running their famous depths, the ladies oozed glamour. Off-shoulders cleaved a magnificent path, with both beauties donning pristine Snow White and Sunrise orange gowns. All this provided much fodder for the local paparazzi but what captivated was much beyond that. As we scratched the surface of their well-rehearsed (or so it seemed) speeches, we encountered razor-sharp minds. Who says models are dumb duds? Thanks to the exposure and vigorous training that beauty contests nowadays entail, the Miss India’s were too careful not to allow themselves to be trapped into intimate confidences or artless disclosures. “Hey, there’s no one in my life. Find me someone and you can write about it,” chirped Amrita Thapar-Miss India Universe 2005. Added Sindhura Gadde, Miss India World, 2005, “Everyone has a special someone and it’s something very private. I can only tell you that I’m very serious about my commitments and don’t believe in frivolous flirtations.” Has time doused the embers of defeat forever? The ladies don’t seem defensive. “I’m super confident about myself and have taken my not winning internationally very positively. I’m just grateful for all the exposure I got,” comes a curt reply from Amrita, a hardcore sardarni. Dusky Sindhura glows even minus the victory’s glory, “There were 9,700 entries for Miss India and I definitely stand above them all. Internationally, I was among the top 13 and am glad to have performed well. The best part is I’ve made friends from world over and we had loads of fun.” Funny, insightful, charming, indeed. But how about the late nights, less hours of sleep, Miss India appearances, and the everlasting pressure to perform? “Yes, tremendous responsibility’s definitely there, but then, one almost falls in love with it,” says Sindhura. Adds Amrita, “We struggle so hard to get the crown. And so, when it’s there, we can’t help but enjoy everything it brings along.” Of course, the hype and attention that the title accompanies makes it all a labour, but of love! |
FILM & FASHION Former “Baywatch” star David Hasselhoff has admitted that the collapse of his marriage is due to his alcohol problems. According to ananova.com, Hasselhoff and his actress wife Pamela Bach filed for divorce last week after being married for 16 years. Hasselhoff admitted that his drinking has had a bad effect on him and explained, “Alcohol destroyed everything.” Hasselhoff has publicly struggled with the addiction and said he hit rock bottom in 2002 when he almost died. He then checked himself into a rehab clinic and kept getting back into the habit and was even charged with drunk driving. He added, “I went through a horrible time during which I hated myself. I caused a lot of pain for Pamela through my behaviour.”
— IANS
Brittany Murphy engaged
Actress Brittany Murphy, who played a newlywed opposite Ashton Kutcher in the film comedy “Just Married,” got engaged to her boyfriend Joe Macaluso. According to People magazine, the Georgia-born Murphy met Macaluso, a production assistant, on the set of her 2004 film “Little Black Book.”
— Reuters Lohan recovering quickly
It has been just six days since actress Lindsay Lohan was released from a Miami hospital for an asthma attack, but she seems to be recovering well. According to pagesix.com, Lohan recently did a pole dancing routine with supermodel Kate Moss. She was most recently seen partying with her mother. She was sitting on Sean Lennon’s lap while her mother giggled in a booth with her new boyfriend.
— IANS Johansson sings on Saturday Night live
Actress Scarlet Johansson sang live when she hosted the US comedy show “Saturday Night Live”, joining comedienne Amy Poehler for a rendition of “Isn’t It Wonderful Being a Star?” According to contactmusic.com, Johansson also performed a comedy routine. She wore a sparkling black bustier, mini-dress and knee-length leather boots. While in character, Johansson joked, “I performed at Elton John and David Furnish’s wedding. They didn’t ask. I just ripped off my catering jacket, got in their face and sang — because that’s my style.”
— IANS Filmmaking helps Woody relax
Filmmaker Woody Allen, known for his pessimistic outlook on life, has said in an interview published in Portugal that he makes films to relax and deal with his high anxiety. “I have spent my whole life fighting all kinds of depressions, terrors and anxieties,” the 70-year-old told daily newspaper ‘Jornal de Noticias’. “I am like a mental patient in an institution that has to be kept busy with finger painting to be more relaxed. It is not for the money that I make films, I do them for me.” “If people come and see the movie and like it, I am very pleased. But even if they don’t, I got to spend a year in this world of illusion without having to live in the real world.” The cinema legend has made over 30 films, including the Oscar-winning “Annie Hall” (1977) and “Hannah and Her
Sisters” (1986), and starred in many of them as an anxious, neurotic New Yorker.
— AFP Phoenix loses bet to Phillippe
Actor Joaquin Phoenix had to pay $220 to his friend Ryan Phillippe after he won the best actor award at the Golden Globes because he lost a bet. According to hollywood. com, Phoenix was shocked when he won the award for his role of Johnny Cash in the movie “Walk The Line”. Phillipe is married to Phoenix’s co-star Reese Witherspoon and was sure he would win the award. Phoenix says, “Phillippe bet me that I would win and I said, ‘No way.’ I bet him whatever I had in my pocket, which was $220.”
— IANS |
Going West
They may not have launched a thousand fashions, created sizzling trends, or whipped up frenzies. But they definitely are the sellers of frills and flounces that the city gals flamboyantly sport. For, they own a store that’s been burning the city’s fashion scene with its couture ensembles since 1992. A store that makes shopping an indulgence rather than a chore, a labour of love rather than laborious. Well, it’s none but the hip n’ happening Ten West. Situated in Sector 10, Chandigarh, the apparel store for girls has become the hot hub for haute collegiates. As one enters, the small place gives an inviting, romantic feel. But what captivates more is sheer variety of girlie stuff that’s stocked inside. Belts, earrings, rings, hair brushes, clips, handbags, wallets, lippers, scarfs and of course all those skimpy clothes that any collegiate would die for. No wonder, all fashion victims flooding the store’s floor are found grabbing the stuff by armloads. So for all those city style divas who wanna gleam and glint their way through the biting January chill, here’s a lowdown on the recent arrivals that you could grab avariciously. Twirling delights
It’s time for your legs to steal the show. Grab the sizzling n’ sultry skirts that the store offers. Available in thigh length, knee length, calve length and full length, these skirts in tusser cotton, Corduroy and knitted wools are in the range of Rs 600. There are pleated and straight, checkered and plain. Sure to give you a leg up the fashion ladder. And, we’re not pulling your leg when we say it’s the hottest trend this season! Sultry sweaters
Tired of the conventional cardigans and shopworn sweaters? Switch to furry, fluffy ones with fancy necks. The store has loads of sweaters sporting deep necks, scoop necks, sequins and pearls. The wrap around ones take center stage, especially the ones sporting eye poppingly bright colours — Lime green, golden yellow, prêt purple and hot pink! Time to disco
With the party scene heating up in the city, gals wanna embrace style before getting into a swingin’ jig. The store has aplenty sizzling stuff for them. Party gowns in lycra (Rs. 900-2000), embellished Capes with asymmetrical cuts (Rs. 1200), hip tweed coats in animal prints and checks ( Rs 1700-2000) and of course, lustrous metallic outfits—golden and silver halters and tubes in velvet. Embrace them to set dance floors ablaze! Jazzy accessories
An interesting burnished accessory accentuates any ensemble. Who’d know better than the store that has it all—chunky earrings in crystals, ‘Bag it’ bags (Rs.400-1100), tiny thumb rings, and jazzy belts with leopard and cheetah prints. Perfect for being a roaring success, ah! — A. G. Hair rising! Guess what has the city’s fashion victims flooding its floors feverishly? It’s not a jewellery shop, boutique or beauty parlour for sure. It’s not a disc or a nightclub either. What’s captured almost every fashionable soul’s fancy is hair saloons. The latest in line is Hair Raiserz, a Matrix hair saloon in sector 15, Chandigarh. The saloon launched its latest hair colour collection of four delicious Mocha shades. “Mochas are specially suited for dark Indian hair and bring out stunning brown and blonde colour effects,” informed Shreya Dickson, technical advisor, Matrix. The lady demonstrated three hair colouring techniques on some young models. The techniques called Spotlight, Bombshell and Star power are based on highlighting different parts of hair for a glamourous effect.
— TNS |
City theatre director Umesh Kant takes Ek Aur Dronacharya to a prestigious festival in Pune, reports Parbina Rashid The events which were triggered by an impulsive comment in front of the Pune media two months back, is going to change a lot of things for Umesh Kant, our very own theatre director. Most of all, the perception of outsiders about theatre in the North is also likely to be transformed. For, Umesh is ready to take his production Ek Aur Dronacharya to ‘Sudarshan Rangamahotsav’, which is opening in Pune on January 21. And this is the first time anyone from North India is going to stage a Hindi play in the festival. “I was visiting Pune in November when I went to see a Marathi play with my friend, Dr Mohan Aghase. The topic of Hindi theatre came up and someone commented that in terms of theatre, the North is a dead place which is not true,” he flashes back to the events. He took upon himself the responsibility to represent Chandigarh in such a prestigious event. “So I retorted that Marathi theatre was no doubt doing very well but what was their contribution to the Indian theatre? One thing led to another, and ultimately I got an invitation to showcase one of our productions.” We get the full story. So this invitation was more of a challenge and Umesh is now working hard to meet the expectations. “Though we have already staged the play five times, I still am not taking any chances,” he informs. So the fourteen-member team is busy getting their acts right. The play is about compromises in life, starting with Guru Dronacharya, who compromised with his principles to be the first paid teacher and then steps into the modern times where in the similar fashion, a professor compromises with his principles to be able to meet with the expectations of his family. As he explains how he achieved the desired affect of showing the change in time with music only, his wife Dr Vijaylakshmi joins in to tell us how one goes back with a heavy heart after each show, because all of us at one point or other, making similar kind of compromises with life. She knows what she is talking about. For she is not just the wife, but also was one of his leading ladies in four major productions, Solution X, King Yayati, Tota Bola and Badde Tibbey—the play which made him the very first recipient Natya Shiromani award in 1981. Though she left stage to take care of her children, her presence is still felt in all his productions. She is the woman who keeps him rooted to his own principles. “I am still his worst critic,” she tells us. Now coming back to the ‘Sudershan Rangmohatstav’, how does it feel to shoulder such a responsibility, especially when one has to start from creating awareness to making an impact? “A bit jittery, but it feels great too. Specially now that things are picking up at home front, it is the time we make our presence felt outside too.” Considering the fact that Punjab Drama Repertoire was closed down in 1982 on the pretext that it was a ‘white elephant’ to now when his own outfit Theatre Lab managed to get private sponsors this year, we could not but agree with him. |
Six persons from two different states, but what unites them is their capability to infuse life into stone. As part of the ongoing ‘Sculptures Garden’ project of the North Zone Cultural Centre, these six artists from Chennai and Pondicherry are here to leave their imprint at Kalagram. The project that started about two days back sees a flurry of activity, a few working on their clay models, while others busy with chisel and hammer, giving shape of their imagination on red, black or pink marble. It’s too early to judge their work for the final product will be ready in another 12 days. But as we talk to the artists we get a general idea about their theme. V. Ravindran is making a bird with a human face. The philosophy—it’s about the human desire to fly. A freelance sculptor from Chennai, Ravindran’s speciality is depicting the delicacy of human nature in hard rock. P.V. Prabhakaran from Pondicherry seeks peace in nature and this reflects in his work. Though the artist has chosen a white marble as the medium, he is waiting for some sign from the nature to go ahead with his theme. Prabhakaran is a teacher in Pondicherry Fine Arts College. While V. Kamlesh Kumar, a freelance artist from Trichiropalli believes in simple form, which is going to take shape of a human body, Singaravalen from Chennai is working on the form of ‘Ganesha’ and P. Patcheappane, from Pondicherry, is busy curving out the figure of a mother and a child. Shyam Kumar from Madras stands out among the lot with his artistic aura. A product of Madras Government College of Arts and Craft, Chennai, Shyam has been working with terracotta mostly, besides bronze and stone. Known for his meditative figures, Shyam will be working on the same theme. “I will curve out a face deep into meditation,” says the artist as he fervently chisels his pink marble to get the desired texture. And no, he does not believe in making a model first, for in his own words “the moment you plan, you enter the zone of artificiality’. As the artists get busy once again with their tools, we bid adieu with the promise to come back again to see the final creations. —P.
R. |
BOOK CORNER False Impression by Jeffrey Archer: Why was an old lady brutally murdered the night before 9/11? And Why was a successful new York banker not surprised to receive a woman’s left ear in the morning post? All these question are answered in Jeffrey Archer’s latest novel ‘False Impression’ but not before you experience a breath-taking journey of twists and turns that will take you from New York to London to Bucharest and on to Tokyo, and finally to a sleepy English village where the mystery of Van Gogh’s last painting will finally be resolved. And only then will you discover that Van Gogh’s self-portrait with a bandaged ear has a secret of its own that acts as the final twist in this unforgettable yarn. One Night @ the Call Center by Chetan Bhagat In this novel, Chetan Bhagat met a girl while travelling in a train in a night journey. That girl works in a call centre. During the journey, they have some exchange of words and from travel mates they become friends. This girl shares her call centre experience with the author. The story revolves around an incident one night when they had received a call from God. So, the story revolves around this call and the quarries made by ‘him’ on that call and how they had tackled it all. Two Lives by Vikram
Seth Vikram Seth’s captivating new novel is basically the story of a century and of a love affair across a racial divide. The story revolves around the time of Third Reich and Second World War, Auschwitz and the Holocaust, Israel and Palestine, post-war Germany and 1970s Britain. Two Lives is both a history of a violent century seen through the eyes of two survivors as well as an intimate portrait of their friendship, marriage and abiding yet complex love. Part biography, part memoir, part reflections on our times, this is the true tale of two remarkable lives-a masterful telling from Vikram Seth. Mary,
Mary by James Patterson The novel revolves around FBI agent Alex and a merciless killer who is killing Hollywood stars and power brokers. Whenever there is a murder, very shortly the editor of Los Angeles Times receives an email recounting the murder signed by Mary Smith. With the passage of time, every top listed Star starts thinking that he/she will be the next target for Mary Smith. Filled with the ruthless and shocking twists, James Patterson has arrived with his new creation which can make you so excited that you can stay up whole night to finish it. —
Courtesy: Book Café, Sector 35-C, Chandigarh |
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People remember Ravinder Ravi as one of the top ten finalists in the Indian Idol contest on Sony Entertainment channel. This self-taught natural acquired quite a fan following and they were greatly disappointed when he lost out because he had no proper training on handling the notes. But his raw energy and earthy tones won him the attention of connoisseurs of popular music and one of them was Jawahar Wattal, the man who had shot Daler Mehndi into fame with Bol Ta ra ra… Wednesday evening Ravi’s maiden album was released in the Capital by film actor Pooja Bhatt, who is all set to give this people’s singer a chance to playback in her next feature film. So soon Punjab is all over are going to be tapping their feet and jigging to the tune of Jat Lutya Gaya, the title song of the new album. The new album comes from a new company called Arjun Music World, founded by Rajbir Singh who will be collaborating with Pooja Bhatt for the feature film that will give ‘Ravi’ a ‘Rafi’ break. The self effacing young man of 27, who took his life’s biggest risk by relinquishing his profession of masonry, wife and two children and try his luck in the talent hunt show announced on SET, is still haunted by his days when ill luck followed him through his formative years in Ludhiana. “My parents passed away when I was only four years old and my brother, who is a couple of years older and I were left to fend for ourselves,” he says, “Actually it was my brother who wanted to sing. When both of us wanted to try our luck, he being the older one, perhaps, withdrew from the contest and encouraged me to compete.” Punjabi pop must be accompanied by pretty girls and the USP of the video accompanying the new album is a buxom beauty. She is former Miss Norway, Annelfna, who has a young model Aman Dhaliwal giving her the typical filmi chase as the heart of the Jat is plundered by this Norwegian beauty. The video is not shot in the cold Norway but the warm Barcelona in Spain with male Bhangra dancers and
female flamenco dancers. Punjabi pop is a global phenomenon and thus the ingredients are a merry mix.
— D.
P |
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