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Flight of the rooted HOPSCOTCH Hobby Corner for Kids Romancing the rhythm Teaching amateurs, professionally CAMPUS CAFE FUN TIME: Theatre activists Gick Grewal and Ravinder Happy with tiny tots at Mohali.
— Photo by Vicky Gharu WELL SHADED: Designer lampshades at display.
— Photo by Manoj Mahajan FILM & FASHION NEW RELEASES TAROT TALK
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St Valentine’s Day may commercially be bigger affair than Divali amidst youngsters in Chandigarh, but there are hardly any card and gift buyers for the Father’s Day. Guess crushes are more important than fathers, says Saurabh Malik
Fathers are still at the receiving end, but not in the unending queue for presents. Nay, not even on the Father’s Day. Having doubts? Ask Sector 38 resident Neeraj Sharma. The young student pursuing graduation in English literature is ambling through the aisles lined with temptation in a Sector 11 card and gift shop. His reluctant hands involuntarily drop a can of deodorant, and all musing of favouring dad with a gift on the Father’s day. As soft feminine whiff breezing out of a perfume vial reminds him of his airy flame, Sharma forgets all about his resolve to acknowledge dad’s love with a present. Well, the second-year Arts student Sharma is more candid than candied. Flashing a broad smile, he admits: “Dad will understand. He always does! In any case, what’s the big fun of giving dad a gift after borrowing money from him? I am sure he would dismiss it as waste of cash without appreciating the gesture. That’s the reason why I am buying it for my girl”. Sounds logical! After all pulling out crisp currency notes from his wallets is dad’s prime duty as a father, even if the money is to be used for buying gifts for girl friends. Fathers indeed don’t need acknowledgement for such gestures. “I am sure a hug is enough for making dad happy,” he says. Even before you can react to his assertions, he blurbs: “You see, dad knows I am not earning my daily bread from the sweat of my beaded brow. As such, there are no material expectations.” For him, dad more of an automatic teller man, ATM for short! And mother is a keeper of secrets. Flashing a broad smile with a hint of mischief in it, Sharma asserts, “With dad, you do not even require an ATM card for replenishing your dwindling resources. A picture of innocence is enough to withdraw easy money, anytime, anywhere.” No wonder, there’s hardly any excitement in the air for the big day, despite all those advertisements and banners offering heavy discount and special stuff on the occasion falling on June 18. “In Chandigarh and other boom towns of the region, St Valentines Day is commercially a bigger festival than Diwali,” says Raman of Jewels — a chunk jewellery and gift shop in Sector 11. “The reason behind the phenomenon is not very hard to see. Living in a material whirl of mobiles and malls, bill-and-cooers believe in exhibiting their love through cards and gifts. The expensive, the better! But no one is bothered about mothers and fathers…. Guess, lovers and more important than parents for youngsters nowadays”.
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Traversing the Silk Route Ten years is a long journey to traverse and Silk Route has taken this trip with aplomb, making their own kind of music and living by their own set of beliefs. “It is a concept—the voyage through the Silk Route—the oldest route in the world, one filled with wonders along the way. The name appealed to us,” says songster and musician Mohit Chauhan, talking of the band’s now fabled moniker. Their music has that quality too, ballads that speak of change but not drastic ones just as their sound has evolved, gradually. “This is the thing with creativity. The benchmark is you and one is never satisfied with what one did earlier,” he smiles. Today a song composed by Mohit 15 years ago finds flavour with filmmaker Chandan Arora (of Mein Meri Patni Aur Woh and Mein Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon fame) and is being used in his new film, Baarish. “It’s a baccha song, but it is romantic and the director loved it,” he says. Bollywood is big on music today, he acknowledges, “It is an avenue to be artistic, work more, make good money and find fulfilment too. The thing is you cannot escape it.” Ideally what Mohit would like is a heady mix of composing music for films and bringing out their own albums too, the third one in the offring and due for release by the end of this year. “We know it has been long since our last album release but there has been so much happening. Concerts and travelling and then Atul (band-member) had to get back to his family in Mandi, where he comes from, so it has taken a while,” he smiles ruefully. Today the band (Mohit, Atul and Kenny) is on a high for the members have their fingers in many interesting pies. Songs on the issue of tiger conservation and AIDS awareness, a tie-up with PETA and of course their album, Mohit’s compositions for Baarish and not to forget his playback singing (Gumcha from Mein Meri Patni Aur Woh and Khoon Chala from Rang De Basanti). “At the end of the day you have to be true to yourself because that is what makes it beautiful.” Soaked in music ever since he can remember, there is nothing else he thought of doing after completing his Masters in Science in Geology. “I did think of joining the Geological Survey of India and even the army but music prevailed,” he laughs. All he wanted was the thrill of adventure, the road under him. “I am on the route today, the journey and I have to go on. Let’s see where it all takes me,” he says signing off. Ah, sheer poetry in this brief stopover.
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Art is a way of life for Pimmi Khanna and not only does she paint, she has inspired children of Naggar village to do so too, says Gayatri Rajwade
To have wings to fly you need to have roots. Such is the belief of artist-painter Pimi Khanna and her roots lie in the stark beauty of the Himalayas. “I love these mountains and that is why I have come back,” she explains. Her life seems to have taken a full circle for after spending nearly 25 years outside of India, she came back nine years ago, in the silhouette of her muse—in the poetry of the regions that lie in its shadow and in the profusion of nature that springs forth. Swirling dreams Her works, her endeavours and her dreams all swirl around her inspiration. A kindergarten teacher who gave up work to paint, she trained under the renowned K S Kulkarni at the Triveni Kala Sangam in Delhi in 1965 before going to America and then after a series of back and forth visits to India, onto Germany to study, paint and exhibit from 1972 to 96. Her home now is in Panchkula, a “bachelor’s pad” she says, so we are not to mind her lyrically beautiful paintings strewn around, the gunny bags for her two newly-born pups which she wants to give for adoption, (together so as not to separate them!) and the piles of myriad sketches, ink drawings and books that line every cranny. Seeped
in art There are so many facets of her art-seeped life, stories that sing a thousand tunes all at once. So the talk veers to her creative venture with the poor children of Naggar in the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh. It all began in the 1960s when Pimi first visited Naggar enchanted with Roerich’s works of art on the Himalayan landscape. She got a chance to come back only in June 1999 again with her friend, German photographer, Heidi Sabra and began sketching the striking countryside in chalk. The sketching drew the little children of Naggar to Pimi who would give them biscuits and sweets to send them away. But they remain undeterred! Their interest prompted Pimi to hand out poster colours, pastels and paper and to encourage them to paint what they saw in their mind’s eye. Expressing joy “It was not about any formal training just a way for them to express and the paintings are lovely,” she says with pride. “Colour percolates Kullu and for these children the hues come instinctively suffused with the spirit of joy and a heightened sense of aesthetics, even the balance of colour is so fine,” she says spreading out bright, happy paintings to see. The group of 15 children started out when some of them were as young as three and the process has continued every year since then when Pimi and Heidi go across for a few months. Cobalt blue skies, deep brown mountains, emerald green grass, streams, trees, fruits and birds and even a local mela finds colourful interpretation in their works. What is more, Pimi has also taken their paintings for two exhibitions to Germany and is now planning to hold one here soon. The money collected is given towards their education and for Pimi and her efforts: “there is so much purity and love that springs from these children, what more does one want,” she says. Little tradition As for her own work, she describes it as the story of little flower in a garden which she wrote, of the flower looking for its Gardener and wanting to be with Him. “The little flower has taken me all around the world,” she says “for the sum of life is knowledge.” She quotes J Krishnamurthy as we get ready to leave, “Creation is not in the hand of the individual. It is in the movement of the whole,” and her works suffused with the lush abundance of nature in all its dazzling hues is her instrument to reach the non-material.
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HOPSCOTCH
Little Dolly would move around her father wide-eyed watching him drawing and painting all the time. If there was no paper he would be painting on newspapers, on envelopes and even on the bus tickets. Mama would tell her not to disturb him because he was working. To little Dolly it did not seem like work. It was such fun. But she obeyed her mother and lest her father got angry. But quietly away from him, she would pick up her coloured pencils and try to paint like her father. This was bound to happen because the father was none other than Satwant Singh, one of the finest artists who graduated many years ago from the College of Art, Chandigarh. Considered a master of line and composition right from his student days, he was someone who had taught the art to many. This so for he was one of the few who are born with the natural gift of art and don’t have to plod their way through the art classes. Now little Dolly is all grown up and teaching graphics, print making and history of fine art at Punjabi University. Kavita Singh is her name and she is coming into her own as an artist and gradually moving away from the shadow of the vast banyan tree to express her own creativity. Who said that there can be no blossoms beneath the banyan? Looking back with love, Kavita says; “In class I or II, I would secretly copy the illustrations or cartoons my father made. Of course, I would not dare to copy his more complex works. I would do so and hide them. One day my mother showed him a bunch of my drawings and he was pleasantly surprised.” But Dad, being a perfectionist, insisted that she was to be no ‘copycat’ and the road to art was long and arduous. So it was hard work and now Kavita is on her path. She has behind her several awards and six solo shows and she is working on a show in which she has depicted the world of female aspirations through metaphor of the self. Baba Satwant
An art promoter from Delhi, who is selling contemporary art to second and third generation NRIs in USA and Canada, came to the city on a canvas hunt. She was looking for talented but not necessarily big guns. So it was inevitable that she stumble into Baba Satwant, it would be ticklish to describe him as Kavita’s dad. I am reminded of that little verse which was written as a teaser to Harivansh Rai: Kyon Bachanji/ Aajkal hai kya pata/ Teji ke pati/ Amitabh ke pita. Another time the mighty Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi on a visit to the North-East was described as Shabana Azmi’s pitashri. Well, this must happen. The old must give way to the new. But Baba Satwant is painting and drawing with the same energy of his youth and his works have found buyers in Europe. Amazed at the quality of his works, the promoter gasped, “Ustadji, ab tak aap kahan thhe?’ Well, he was there in his world of creativity and here amidst his family, shouldering many a responsibility but painting on. Promoters may come and go but the likes of Satwant go on forever. — Nirupama Dutt
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Given that kids these days are overloaded with academic learning in schools, a hobby corner should be an area, which caters to their respective level of relaxed learning without getting too academic. Computers and television sets are not permissible in this ‘active’ hobby corner since children need to get up and use their bodies and brains to indulge in activities of their choice. Hobby Corner need not be a fully equipped room with latest gizmos and learning paraphernalia but it could have scrapbooks for children to preserve their work, few creative activity books, and craftwork books to encourage kids to make new things every day. Keep a few articles that hone hobby related skills of your children. For example, model-making tools if your child has engineering bent of mind; pots, bottles, tubes of colour, paper and canvas for little painters; clay and putty for sculpture making; some jig-saw puzzles, board games, model toy puzzles, craft material, general knowledge encouraging games, musical instrument if need be. You may even collect assorted discarded articles from around the house and ask your children to creatively use them to make pieces of art. Add articles related to new/different hobbies, which your children like. You don’t need a whole room, the hobby corner could be a non-South facing glazed verandah, definitely not children’s bedrooms or family lounge, perhaps landing area at the top of stairs. Accessorise this corner to make it scream-free. If there’s nothing expensive and frivolous, which children could inadvertently paint over, cut or destroy, atleast you won’t have to worry about back-breaking replacement costs. Use light chics and blinds or shades in easy-to-care fabrics instead of heavy drapes. Put washable synthetic mats/rugs or simply leave floors bare for children to take over. If possible, don’t place any furniture to maximise use of available space and maintain activity flow. Put leatherette beanbags or old foot stools/ottomans if required. Easily washable steel/plastic chairs and tables are best alternatives. Worn or easily washable fabrics are other alternatives. Set of shelves to keep books and rest can go in plastic buckets on floor itself. Cover the walls with chart paper and let your kids add colour to your walls artistically. Give them blue tack and magazines/newspapers and ask them to make a collage. Music System would be appreciable. This hobby corner can only be made worthwhile if you display or use what your children have so lovingly created for you and for your home. Your daughter may have used plastic beads but wear those earrings with pride to the parent-teacher meeting. Paper canvases may seem ghoulish colour splashes to you, but then don’t hesitate to display them in beautiful frames around their room; most people fail to understand Picasso even after years of staring at his master pieces. It’s all about encouraging the youngsters to tap beyond the ‘possible’, which they are usually trained for in the school’s academic environment. A hobby corner is heaven sent for the children- to disappear into and make merry. Parents feel relieved on having been able to contribute to their children’s learning experience without shrieking at the mess that inevitably gets created in the process. Courtsey:
A.P. Singh
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‘Channa Ve Ghar Aaja Ve…. fame music director Santokh Singh and his new singer, Javed Ali (Bunty Aur Babli song ‘Kajrare Kajrare… fame) are all set to rock Chandigarh on June 21.Santokh and Javed Ali will participate in a special show organised by the Chandigarh Press Club for the silver jubilee celebrations. Santokh Singh talks about his work and future plans. Santokh Singh, Ganga Nagar born young music director who created waves with his super-duper album ‘Channa Vey’ (Universal Music), is also all set to come up with three melodious albums of ‘Kajrare Kajrare….’ fame singer Javed Ali, Shivani Nigam and Australian singer Aayesha. Talking to him is different from talking to the other artists. He creates an aura of rhythm which is sure to influence the one’s around him. He not only talks about his creations, he actually demonstrates it to you. ‘Channa Ve’ album was a unique blend of western music with melodies. In a time frame where a musician turns into a composer with hard work, Santokh Singh, music director of Sunny Singh’s ‘Dil Mangadi’, Bobby Singh—Jaspinder Narula’s ‘Sanwaria’ and Kunal Ganjawala’s ‘Channa Vey’ is probably an oddity. Because he has been a part of the music whirl grooming himself and getting experience as musician before he has worked with famous music director Sajid-Wajid in albums like Deewana, Khoya Khoya Chand and films like Baaghi, Khauff, Hello Brother, Maa Tujhe Salaam, Tumko Naa Bhool Payenge, Chori Chori and Shararat. The year 2002 began on a promising note for the young music director with the release of his first independent album ‘Sanwaria’ with Universal Music and in year 2004 and second album ‘Dil Mangadi’ and ‘Channa Vey’ with Universal Music. Santokh Singh’s album ‘Channa Vey’ was full of melody in which melody queen Sadhana Sargam, Kunal Ganjawala and Sonu Kakkar were main singers. The album was a explosive track in terms of its beat flow and rhythm ‘n’ techno elements. Santokh Singh also penned the lyrics for this album. Regarding his album ‘Sanwaria’ Santokh says, “The response to fusion music in ‘Sanwaria’ was excellent because my compositions were catchy. My two albums ‘Dil Mangdi’ and ‘Channa Vey’ were full of dance and masti which engrossed the music lovers in the flow of it’s rhythm and melody. The western harmonies and chorus were the added attraction.” Trained under the able guidance of Ustad Nawab Khan, Ustad Shahid Khan, Sajid-Wajid and Pandit Dayal Thakur, Santokh has a long way to go but he is happy that his work is being appreciated and his talent is getting due recognition. As composer or his music, Santokh Singh likes to be in total command. He has composed music for Shivaji Deogan’s Palak and Vishal Verma’s forthcoming film ‘The Colour Red’. The music of both films are fresh and melodious. A few more albums and films are in the pipeline. With so much talk about we surely look forward to more creations by Santokh Singh in the future. — D.P.
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Pioneering Punjabi software Here is a whiz lady who, needless to add, does not believe in the whiz part of the accolades coming her way! What makes 20 something Twinkle Bedi interesting is that her thesis for her Masters Degree in Engineering in Computer Science and Information Technology from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh (PEC), comprises of an Operating System in Gurmukhi (Punjabi) which she believes, to her knowledge, is “pioneering work simply because something like this has not been developed for Punjabi.” Twinkle explains how the whole thing works: The Operating System has a command line interface like DOS and the medium of language as Gurmukhi and boots from a floppy or CD. It provides support to various internal commands and provides all the services of an Operating System (think Windows if computer literacy is not a strong point!). It is a dual mode operating system that can work both in Gurmukhi and English and has features for switching between both. And having worked on this for nearly a year now she does not believe it is the work of a genius despite the fact that yes it was “very difficult.” Did she ever ask her guide why such a difficult topic for a thesis? “I never thought of that,” she laughs. So, we decided to pose this question to the man himself. Professor Bhupendra Singh, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering Department at PEC is a man of many letters with eight books on micro-processing, micro-controller and discrete mathematics to his credit who is also in the middle of guiding one of his student to build a prototype model of an automatic apple harvesting system which incidentally should be ready next month. So what did he think of, before deciding on Twinkle’s topic for her thesis with her? Here, the answer gets really simple, “I felt she could do it,” he said. What makes this work remarkable is that it was developed keeping the villagers of Punjab in mind so that their computer phobia could be quelled. “It could serve as a potential for providing computer literacy to people in villages who speak only Punjabi. With the help of this Operating System, any layman who does not know English can operate the system with Punjabi as the medium of language,” says Twinkle. But isn’t Windows a more people friendly System? “Yes, it is, but DOS is important to understand the basics,” she avers. However, the System still requires a lot of work as only the internal commands have been implemented while the external commands are yet to be applied. “My requirement for my thesis is complete but later on, if I get help because this is no longer a one-man job, I will work on this further,” she explains since the work done was not meant for commercial use. Right now, it’s back to her family (she has been married for just over a year) and more fun reading perhaps!
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Teaching amateurs, professionally Though she has donned the dress of confidence by wearing a short skirt with nice slits on either side, Tanya Shergill just doesn’t sound sophisticated. For, the young graduate with first-class degree in humanities from Phillaur still hasn’t landed up with a high-flying job in some nice multinational firm in the city. Well, Tanya could have tried adding fizz to her persona by indulging in some glib talk about “black beer” and all those visits to “Marks and Spencer” in England without leaving the comfort of her living room. The stuff sounds cool, dude! But, perhaps, the idea of introducing the topics in the conversation did not occur to her. Tch…tch. In any case, little miss hesitantly-confident has finally packed her bags, and nags, and is waiting for a cab to take her all the way to the top after passing through a grooming and image building institute — a complete interview academy for short. Running his own broadcasting and image enhancing academies in the city, Hardeep Chandpuri says, “So many youngsters, including girls, from Chandigarh and other boom towns of the region have already enrolled for such courses. The intention is to enhance their academic qualifications with office etiquettes and other professional skills.” Flashing a broad smile, Chandpuri asserts. “The reason for their eagerness is not hard to see. One has to be doubly sure about making a good and a lasting impression with multinational corporations and information technology companies raising the standards after hitting the market in a big way.” Ah! There is another reason. Even girls today no more wish to explore new territories in cooking after confining themselves within the kitchen boundaries. The husbands too want their wives to do everything their mothers did for them, besides making them proud by looking good and earning money. So keeping up the appearance is imperative. Even if they are scared, they have to get in the swim. “Nobody is perfect”. But you can at least try to attain excellence by joining the courses. At Hardeep Chandpuri’s “Interview Academy” formally launched in Sector 33 on Thursday, faculty of six experts teaches you something about body language and power dressing, along with art of presenting oneself effectively, besides language and phonetics. The students also get to learn the skill of facing stress interviews and resume building with help of audio-visual techniques. Chandpuri himself gives the candidates ‘100 valuable insider tips’ he gathered through experience and after studying in Windsor, Canada, for three months. The first batch of 15 boys and girls is all set to emerge as professionals after attending the course beginning from June 20. That’s the way it is.
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CAMPUS CAFE Thumping beats of reverberating music echoing against the decked up walls of discotheques, psychedelic lights illuminating exhilarated figures twirling all around the back-lit dance floors and soaring spirits that know no bounds…. It’s party time for so many youngsters waiting for the next academic session to commence after bidding adieu to all the worries associated with loathsome annual examinations. Having doubts? Just step on the floor in Noodle Bar, AB’s Rendezvous or any other youth haunt on a Saturday afternoon. If “Popcorn” is not organising a party, you will find the members of another group “I’ m possible” setting the mood for the bash with impressive speakers blaring some fast dance tracks. Ah! This is not the end of the dance party called life. Four disc jockeys churning music in different joints across the city have also joined hands to give a melodious touch to the sultry summer afternoons. Right guys, twirl into the world of excitement and you get the impression of heaven being a place on earth with so many heavenly bodies in mini skirts or backless chollis cutting footloose after descending upon the polished dance floor of life. In fact, you feel the pulse the minute you set your foot into the joint. Oh, yes! The beats of “kajrare-kajrare” and “Dus bahane” get you grooving in no time with the in-house and the guest disc jockeys (DJs) from Delhi, Mumbai and other places spinning tracks to create some cool funky music. No matter what your party style is, the parties have something to offer. In no time you get the urge to gyrate to some of the best tunes dished out by the DJs, fervently. As the good old retro and classic rock give way to hip-hop music, the spirits soar. Look around… among the revelers tripping the light fantastic you will find not just students studying the book of charm on university and college grounds, but also young professionals from call centers, even banks, eager to lose their blues amidst the melodious tunes. Well, in most of the parties the couples have to pay for the pleasure, but “single” damsels are let in free, absolutely. At the same time, the doors are locked for stags, ruthlessly. Call it discrimination on the basis of gender, or the sweet will of the organisers, the fact is that you guys just cannot do anything about the whole thing. Anyway, ask the party coordinators about afternoon parties and they say the intention behind the bashes is to give the youngsters an opportunity to lose their blues during the holiday season. And also to providing them with an excuse to leave the cool comfort of their houses! Screaming over the din of music, “Popcorn” people says there is another reason. “Youngsters want change from the dull boring holiday routine, and that’s exactly what we offer through the concept of Saturday afternoon dance parties”, he says before flashing a broad smile. SOS redefined
You just cannot force Panjab University authorities out of slumber. Though the unhygienic conditions prevailing at the students’ centre were brought to the foreground in these columns last week, nauseating stench emanating from rotten foodstuff in polythene bags heaped along the cramped parking still greet the visitors. Adding to the unpleasantness are clay ovens in front of kiosks blazing inconvenience, flies hovering over puddles of murky water, and passages blocked with dirty utensils. Right, from the time you leave behind your vehicle in the clogged parking lot till the moment you reach the shops, it’s nothing but rubbish. The problem can be largely solved by asking the staff to prepare food and clear up the mess inside the booths, instead of littering the surroundings. After all, they have been provided adequate space. But what can you do. These are issues university authorities are absolutely indifferent towards So SOS can well be redefined as ‘shoving out of slumber! — Saurabh Malik
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Innocence at play The Police Public School at the Commando Complex, Phase 11, Mohali is hosting a unique workshop for the children of policemen. Renowned theatre persons Gick Grewal and Happy have organized a 15-day theatre workshop for these children, many of whom are being introduced to the nuances of acting for the first time. “The workshop began on June 5 and will continue till June 20 when we would have a small show to show case what these children had learnt,” said Ms Grewal. The workshop has 48 participants with the youngest being a five-year-old. “These children are full of hidden talents and one just needs to trigger them into performing. From last year when we had about 20 students participating, now the number has more than doubled,” she says. Other than acting and histrionics, the children are also learning Yoga and dances in the workshop. “We are training some children in western dances some in Bhangra. On the last day of the workshop we are going to put up two plays, a yoga item and a western dance among some other items,” said Mrs Grewal. Stating that the AK Pandey Commandant, 4th Battalion has been very encouraging, Ms Grewal added that in this workshop, all students are given an equal chance to show their talent. “We have gathered a team of talented young artists including Simmi, Jasmeet Shaan, Maneesh, Vinod, Prem Chand and Naveen who are working with the children,” she said.
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(De)lightful! Peeking through the shade, in a desperate hurry to seek freedom, the golden beams succeed in escaping through the sumptuous satin and disperse triumphantly in the atmosphere. Do you have to wait till it’s dark to catch this enigmatic view? Well, the exclusive designer lampshades by architect Meenu Prashar and interior designer Rati Gupta of Design Smith Inc won’t keep you waiting. For they don’t need a sponsor like a ‘switch’ to promote their exquisiteness. These designers step outside the periphery of conventionalism to give a new dimension to the art of making lampshades. Only quality fabrics like silk, brocade, tissue, cotton, tussar cotton and jute are used as a base. And the use of luxurious trims, fringes, tassles, antique work in shades of gold, silver and bronze, embroidery, patch work, block print and various asymmetric and abstract motifs beautify these shades. Lecturers at Polytechnic College, they had a summer gap, which they wanted to use constructively. So they are showcasing their work in collaboration with Designer’s Hut, a handloom and designer suit house, at Hotel Aroma on June 17 & 18. “Since Aman Gulati of Designer Hut is displaying handlooms, we thought that it would gel well with our work,” quips Rati. “We basically aim at providing theme-based lamps which gel well with the special environment you want to create,” says Meenu. There’s one for the kids, with little dolls on it and a black and white one with red Chinese inscriptions lending an oriental feel. “The best part is that each of these pieces is one of its kind. At the most, a pair can be created at the request of the person ordering the shade,” informs Rati. So if you want to enliven that dark corner of your house or office with some subtle splendour, you know how to let these lampshades steal the limelight.
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FILM & FASHION Pressures that Hollywood women face to maintain perfect bodies have created an epidemic of eating disorders. The Fat Hall of Fame includes Oprah Winfrey who yo yo’s constantly. Now 52, she has admitted “Ive been struggling with my weight since I was 22” .The five foot seven diva lost 67 pounds in three months on a 400 calorie a day liquid protein diet in 1988. But within a week she had moved from 130 pounds to 275 pounds. “Food is my drug” says Oprah. Kirstie Alley who had a super model body in the ‘80s during the TV show “Cheers” but later ballooned to 219 pounds. Now, enrolled in the Jenny Craig programme she has dropped more than Beckham’s more popular than burgers 60 pounds. Multi-talented Hollywood diva Barbra Streisand gained 30 pounds in six months weighing 175 pounds. Angela rocks to punk
Hollywood beauty and new mum Angelina Jolie has revealed that she uses punk music to help her prepare for filming emotional scenes because it gets her adrenaline flowing. The Mr and Mrs Smith star is a huge fan of rock icons- The Clash because their music channels her emotions into an explosive performance. “Sometimes before I film a scene, I’ll sit in my trailer and listen to The Clash - they’ve always been my favourite band,” she was quoted by Contact music, as saying. “I love punk rock because it’s honest and there’s a lot of feeling behind it. Bands like The Clash and Matchbox 20 are great,” she added. Another Oscar winning chance?
The second film version of the iconic stage-show ‘Gypsy’ may soon be on its way, with Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta Jones playing the role of the ultimate stage mother, Rose. According to Contact music, New York Post’s columnist Liz Smith wrote that the Weinstein Company, who championed ‘Chicago’, is close on the heels of director Rob Marshall for a movie version of the show, about the evolution of the famous stripper, Gypsy Rose Lee and her infamous stage mother, Rose. The film will be the latest adaptation of the smash-hit stage musical, which opened on Broadway, New York in 1959, and ran for 702 performances, garnering eight Tony nominations along the way. Hollywood made the earlier version of it back in 1962 when they put the sleek Rosalind Russell in the role. Vampire on your platter
TV serial buffs need not worry if they missed a few episodes of their favourite show, as the Fox Entertainment Group has made some of the hit tele serials and movies available for downloading. The latest on the list is ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, which will soon be offered for downloading. According to the BBC, internet on-demand video distributor Cinema Now has reportedly signed a licensing agreement with Fox Entertainment Group to offer select movies and television content on a download-to-own basis. The Ringer and Cheaper by the Dozen 2, and some of the extra programmes by Fuel TV channels will be added to the Cinema Now website in July. Beckham more popular than burgers A study conducted on around 150 kids aged between 7 and 11 years in England, has revealed that they are more interested in learning about David Beckham’s love life and career than their toys or dolls. Among a host of England’s celebrities, the football star aroused the most discussion and interest from among the children. The research conducted by the actions to understand whether something is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ University of Bath also found that the modern day kids see the England football captain as both a ‘hero’ and a ‘villain’, and use his on and off the field. Fame’s bittersweet pill
Charlotte Church has given out strong words of advice for all the young female budding artists taking a shot at stardom, by saying that fame might make a mess of their lives. The Welsh pop star who became famous at the age of 12, further insisted that being famous was no cake walk, as the attention might not always be positive. “If I had to give advice to young girls who want to be famous, I’d say unless you have thick skin, like me, And nerves of steel, don’t do it,” Ratethemusic quoted her, as saying. Though Church has had her share of negative attention, she said that she was overwhelmed by all the recognition she received.
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NEW RELEASES
Bollywood’s ace photographer Subi Samuel has turned producer with a film on a sci-fi love story called Alag, which stars Popcorn Khao, Mast Ho Jao’s hero Akshay Kapoor and glam doll Dia Mirza in lead roles. The film boasts of a superb SFX and a hairless hero. Shot beautifully and based on the idea of scriptwriter Tagore, Alag is a small budget film, which promises a different story. The movie will be released today at Neelam, Chandigarh. Alag has been in the news due to its special effects of 50 minutes. Director Ashu Trikha of Sheesha and Deewapan fame has come up with a good film. The music by Aadesh Srivastava is truly different. Nusrat Badr and Rahul Seth have penned the lyrics. So watch out a hero without a single hair on his head. — D.P.
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People who enjoy gardening should sit on a low seat that is 8-10 inches high while transplanting and weeding. This low seated position helps them avoid bending over and subsequent low back pain. — Dr. Ravinder Chadha
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TAROT TALK
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With summer break in full swing, most summer camps having culminated and parents at their tether end to keep their children productively occupied, why not indulge your children in a temporary little haven to learn playfully- a hobby corner.
ARIES : ‘Three Golden Cups’ full of light & pomegranate flowers greet you with wonderful feeling. You feel moody and easily moved by whatever is happening in your environment. If you are trying to keep your weight down, then this astrological influence will bring one unwelcome tendency: eating too much. A trip is on the cards. Lucky colour: red. TIP OF THE WEEK: You need to act for yourself and for no one else.
LIBRA : ‘The Ace of Wands’ gives opportunity for expansion change; happiness success and financial benefits. Health will be good; the mind very hopeful and buoyant and the ideas sound. Don’t give up your personal power and vision in return for acceptance by the same forces that have suppressed you. Lucky Colour: brown. TIP OF THE WEEK: Concentrate on projects with reliable outcomes.
TAURUS : ‘The Universe’ opens up new horizons as a host of business and new opportunities flow in. Tackle difficult tasks and encounter tough people on Sunday. Remain centered within to watch the wheel of life spinning around you. Don’t condemn yourself for having a change of heart. A happy event calls for a celebration on Thursday. Lucky colour: Crimson. TIP OF THE WEEK: Do not delegate your tasks to anyone, do it yourself.
SCORPIO:
Your earning capacity as well as your domestic responsibility assumes significance. You can expect success and gain in creative projects as you actualize brilliant plans with hard work. You are generous and giving as you celebrate with friends and loved ones on Wednesday. Lucky colour: Jade. TIP OF THE WEEK: Take one step at a time and avoid being hurried and overanxious or you make mistakes and unsteady moves.
GEMINI : ‘The Moon’ brings a karmic situation to the fore as you face a difficult emotional choice till Monday. Enemies and competitors in business cannot touch you or harm your reputation. You can be really happy and also truly sad as destiny takes you through ups and downs. Associates are helpful to you on Wednesday. Lucky colour: silver grey. TIP OF THE WEEK: Lack of confidence or lack of caution can leave you in losses; so be confident.
SAGITTARIUS : Week starts on a slow and gentle pace and builds momentum steadily. Ties and bonds will entangle you. You may be feeling restless with your current situation on Monday. Take the life the way it comes. Business partnership can be supportive. A Scorpio person proves to be a friend. Laugh & celebrate your success on Thursday. Lucky Colour: Scarlet. TIP OF THE WEEK: There are challenges, no doubt, but the returns that follow will far exceed you estimate.
CANCER : ‘The Hanged Man’ opts for important changes at home and work. You are blessed with spiritual insight and clarity of vision as you move into the new current for the future. Its best not to have great expectations in any aspect or you could be disappointed. You can be dreamy and romantic in personal relationships. Lucky colour: golden yellow. TIP OF THE WEEK: Arrogance and pride will not be rewarded.
CAPRICORN : Choices & decisions are on the cards. Things are going to work out better than you had anticipated. Learn to have faith and to have more trust in your higher self. Be clear about your priorities. Be careful with your moods on Wednesday. Lucky Colour: Lotus pink. TIP OF THE WEEK: It is best to get a clear perspective and balance your energy before making important decisions.
LEO : You will probably be in a state of contentment on Monday and Tuesday. If you’re single, take a risk and ask someone out or have a friend fix you up. Issues of pride and prejudice may surface on Thursday. Be flexible, work toward compromise and adjust your view of a situation to include more possibilities. Look after your health. Lucky colour: Green. TIP OF THE WEEK: You need to be creative if you want to retain your grip over your business.
AQUARIUS : Too much socializing may lead to late nights and lack of sleep. Do not be penny-wise and pound-foolish as far as work goes. You’ll get much further if you let your lover have a choice. Your best bet will be work. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Be sure to abide by the regulations, regardless of what you are doing. Lucky colour: electric blue. TIP OF THE WEEK: Don’t allow others to interfere in business or personal partnership.
VIRGO : ‘The Princess of Swords’ brings you face to face with truth and clarity in personal and professional situations. You will network, mesh, interact with others but may be inclined to be touchy, imaging, neglect or lack of attention. A business cum pleasure trip is on the cards! You are mentally strong and stand to win any argument or debate. Lucky Colour: Soft blue. TIP OF THE WEEK: You are advised to focus on professional challenges.
PISCES:
‘The Priestess’ influences in your relationship. Deep down you know that you are master of you moods and creator of your happiness. Be wary of burning your candle at both ends by working too hard. You combine different therapies and diets to remain health and energetic. Lucky Colour: turquoise. TIP OF THE WEEK: Avoid confrontation and making personal remarks as they can be taken seriously.