|
|
|
|
|
|
Raza round the hips &
heart The Designing woman Tuck Shop wali Dancing divas An English Garden Comedy of Errors Punjabi
Style
PARADISE FOUND: Kirpal Singh Kataria in his garden at his Panjab University residence.
— Photo by Manoj Mahajan Campus Cafe Khamosh, naatak jaari hai YOUTHSPEAK NEW RELEASES
|
|||||||||
|
Raza round the
hips & heart Ladies with a taste for art go around hunting for paintings that can adorn their walls. But now the arty ones of our city here have the option of wearing the paintings of the highly priced Paris-based painter, Syed Haider Raza, close to their heart and hips. This has been made possible by the Satya Paul outlet at the Taj here. Paul, a designer with a flair for colour and abstraction would naturally be an admirer of the paintings of Raza that have colour, abstraction and a spiritual aesthetics which is alluring indeed. So Paul strived hard to get the rights of a few paintings by Raza that he has printed on thick silk scarves and drapes that would fire the imagination of collectors.
Harmeet Kaur, a city connoisseur who has a small but valuable collection of art and artifacts, has actually gone and splurged on a scarf and a drape that can be worn as a wrap-around. “I have always loved the paintings of Raza that are so pleasing to the eye and soothing to the mind. There is great harmony even in the use of the bright hues. Buying an original Raza painting would be far beyond my reach but these paintings printed on silk can still be bought,” she says. Useful art
Since it is art that can be used, Harmeet plans to wear the scarf through the fall and then frame it and put it on the wall in the lobby just outside her bedroom and the longer drape will be worn round the hips at party time and otherwise flung onto the sofa as a throw. How enchanting! One is almost envious of such an ambience of art around the home. But hold back for the scarf costs Rs 8,000 and the throw comes at not such a throwaway price of Rs 12, 000.
Well, this is not much considering the prices that that Raza’s paintings are fetching in the art mart. His Tapovan, or Forest of Meditation, representing a visual expression of his own meditation on the mystical power of nature fetched $1,472,000 at a Christies’ auction. The artist
For those who wish to know a little more about this magical artist: Raza was born in a picturesque village in Madhya Pradesh and he studied painting in the Nagpur School of Art and the J. J. School of Art, Bombay. A founder member of the Progressive Artists Group, he presented several exhibitions of his paintings in India before leaving for France on a French government scholarship in 1950. He studied painting at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1950 to 1953. He was awarded the Prix de la Critique in Paris, in 1956. In December 1978, the government of Madhya Pradesh invited him to his native state for a homage and an exhibition of his works in Bhopal. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the President of India in 1981, and was elected a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, in 1983. Since then he has received the Kalidas Samman from the government of Madhya Pradesh and a retrospective of his paintings has been presented at the Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal. Raza lives and works in Paris and Gorbio, in Southern France. Of his creative process, Raza says: “:An artist paints but it is a higher force that gives a magical quality to the work.”
|
|
The Designing woman Her design ideology is that space follows function and purity of
form and colour make all the difference. Parbina Rashid looks into the work and work philosophy of interior decorator Purnima Sharma
Think Over Fresh, the Sector 17 branch, and it takes a fraction to brighten up your mind. With its ambience alone! With vibrant yellow and cream striped walls, strategically placed sleek wooden chairs to give you a panoramic view of the city’s nerve centre, it is a joint that allures all kinds—old and young alike. You may have been here a number of times, rejuvenating in its ambience and its crispy sandwiches and a tall glass of ice-cool lemon tea after a day’s shopping, but have you ever given a though to the person who had made it all possible? Now that Purnima Sharma, the designer of Oven Fresh, is in the news for bagging the prestigious Bharat Jyoti award (one of the four recipients from the city and its satellite towns) let’s know this Panchkula-based achiever a little who has done us proud with her contribution not only towards city’s architecture but also towards society. Simply elegant Infusing life into lifeless concrete structures is her forte, who had done her degree from Lucknow College of Architecture and later shifted to this part of the country. Ten years down the line and her ‘Creative Architects and Planners Team’ has gifted us structures like Silver Oak Hospital at Mohali, ‘Oven Fresh’ in Sector 17 among others. Not only that, she has also managed to leave her signature style at the interiors of some of the most prestigious buildings of the city like CII and Spice Telecom building. Purnima, whose design ideology is ‘space follows function’, believes in simplicity of form and purity of
colour. “The most important aspect of architecture is that the space should communicate back to you. So cluttering is absolutely a no no,” so
Purnima. Born in Agra, bred in Lucknow and now settled in
Panchkula, has incorporated nuances from two major schools of architecture – the Mughal and Le Corbusier’s straight lines and squares. “Though consciously I tried my best not to get influenced but subconsciously I must have picked up from both Mughal well as Le Corbusier’s style,” says
Purnima. It is true for all her creations bear the statement of an amalgamation of both types, straight lines with a circular pattern squeezed in. Expertise apart
Well, her professional expertise apart, it is her social commitment that made her a candidate for the Bharat Jyoti award. An active member of the Sahayata Centre for cancer patients, Purnima does not only sponsor a cancer patient every year but also designed the office building as part of her social dos. Her next aim is to build an old-age home for the city elders. If you got the idea that architects are a diplomatic lot and a bit apprehensive about approaching one, then your days of sufferings are numbered. For Purnima is soon going to come out with her book ‘Idea House’ that gives tips for not just how to built your dream house but also how to choose the right architect and what to expect out of him or her. Now that’s one book we all wait for!
|
|
|
Tuck Shop wali
Rather like a dandelion basking in summer’s cheer, Saroj Mehta is the sunny, affable fixture at the Government College of Art, Sector 10, managing the ‘Tuck Shop’ as it were! And no, this ‘Tuck Shop’ is no recipe for a canteen (although it does house what most artsy students practically eat off!). This tiny niche at the college is brimming with art material and Saroj is the all-knowing, all-equipping, non-arty source of all things art. It all started 10 years ago when a student strike bore down on authorities the need for an art shop on the premises and Saroj armed with rims of paper and huddles of brushes, clusters of pencils and blushes of colour, built this place up, bit by bit. No degree to boast of, no painting skill to call her own, but she knows her stuff and what is more, there isn’t a student’s name she does not recall, for it is these youngsters who keep her smiling, year after year. “When I would go off in the wrong direction to look for something they had asked for, they would come in and point the right thing out to me,” she smiles. “It is my interaction with these people that I hold most precious, the profit does not matter.” Reams of handmade paper for those who cannot afford it, discounts for those whose money is running short and credit unending for those in a crunch, she has done it all. “There used to be this young student, Rajesh, who made beautiful landscapes. He runs a hotel in Mauritius now. I still remember him. He used to come up to me and say Tuck shop walli, chai pelee? Chal chai peete hain!” she laughs. Even her assistant Dinesh jumps in on cue, “Money is not everything,” he says, “this is like a family and that relationship is far more important,” he echoes her sentiments. Indeed, there are students who leave their money with her, parents who drop things off with her to give to their children and young ones who come to her for advice, on issues personal as well as artsy. In return she is laden with paintings (even portraits of her) and sculptures, lining her already crammed shelves. “People tell me I should open an art gallery with all the works I have but I will never sell them nor give them away, this is my collection of love.” Time has flown she believes, “but if I am here for another twenty years, it will be perfect.”
|
|
Dancing divas
Whoever thought Salsa and Jazz had become the order of the day, veteran Bharatnatyam danseuse Suchitra Mitra proved them wrong as she entranced audience with the mystical form of Indian classical dance at Tagore Theatre on Monday. Suchitra has not only upheld the culture by being a doyen of clasical dancers in India, but she has also spread the light of her knowledge to many whom she trains in the fine art of Bharatnatyam. It was a performance by these young and old disciples of Suchitra who amply demonstrated their skill. The element of surprise were her junior students, who during the 25-day-workshop conducted by her, arrested the attention of the audience and drew rousing applause. Paying a tribute to their guru’s rigorous and disciplined training, these budding performers not only showed dance movements with geometrical precision, but also enunciated shlokas and displayed abhinaya—a vital part of Bharatnatyam. As the evening opened with the Ganpati Vandana, a traditional opening prayer to the Hindu god Ganesha, one could see for himself that the dance had been taught in its true spirit and tradition. While diyas circling the idol of Natraja glowed from one end of the stage, sounds of sitar floated from the other end. Bharatanatyam is the manifestation of the South Indian idea of the celebration of the eternal universe through the celebration of beauty of the material body. It consists of elaborate gestures (Mridu Angaharas, movements of limbs), sentiments (Rasas), emotional states (Bhavas). Actions (Kriyas) are its soul. The costume is charmingly beautiful and the erotic sentiment (Sringara) is its foundation. Sringara was portrayed by the older girls in the group. While Suchitra herself brought the abhinaya alive with her performance of Meera Bhajan, the students displayed the navras (nine sentiments) through sequences from the epic Ramayana. For Nisha Bhaskaran, a student of Suchitra for the past 11 years, it’s a new and heightened sense of thrill each time she comes on stage to perform. Says Nisha, “Dance has changed my way of life. And it wouldn’t have been possible without my guru—Suchitra.” The discipline and values she instilled in her as a dancer has become a part of her life. “I am a more mature and confident person because of my dance,” avers Nisha. In the age of commercialisation where even knowledge is marketed, Suchitra Mitra in her selfless style of training and reverence for her dance seems to have kept the guru-shishya tradition of learning alive.
|
|
An English Garden
Cool haven
Create a garden room anywhere in your house and reinvent summer by having the comfort of greenery combined with the luxury of an air-cooled room. You may choose a dining room, guestroom, living room, quiet reading corner, terrace, even bathroom, verandah either glazed or shielded with chics and rolling blinds. Delightful splashes
Color is important to create an overall calming sense to your room. Use dominant colors of nature such as green, yellow, white, blue, etc. Choose a principal color that will shade the walls of your room and duplicate it with other elements such as a plant or two. Green and off white are good choices. Think about contrasting tones such as pink, rose, yellow or purple which can be duplicated with garden objects you choose for your room such as decorative birdhouses, or architectural elements such as an old window frame or gingerbread house. Seasonal flowers and houseplants will further add colour alongside the silk bushes or rice paper flower arrangements. Old furniture from junk market or odd-body family heirlooms will be perfect for your garden room. Paint them a white or cream color or if you love color, then try a marine blue or raspberry shade. Continue with these colours by painting a couple of terracotta pots in same shades. Swinging holders
Baskets hold plenty besides plants. Build your own trellis against one wall and weave a grapevine through it. Whiskey barrels for seats and tree trunks for benches. Use birdbath as magazine holder or planter with rattan furniture, flower pictures, birdhouses, and birdcages to hang plants. Ivy topiaries, tiny bud vases, pottery collection, old watering can painted bright will complete the picture. What’s a garden without water? Birdbath or bird feeder in an enclosed area won’t do but can certainly be used in an open verandah or terrace. Small decorative pond or self contained water fountain, or an aquarium would be perfect to keep you company. Wafts of freshness
Duplicate nature’s sweet smells indoors by using candles, joss sticks and incense sticks. Choose nature inspired scents such as pine, lilac, rose, honeysuckle or lavender to light up when you feel an urgent need to get back to nature. Other alternatives are using natural essential oils in tea candleholders available in glazed terracotta or ceramics. Harvest some lavender from your garden, dry it, scrunch it up into a miniature painted flower pot, and add a few drops of essential lavender oil to scent a room for days. This works well with rose petals, and other flower pieces can also be used as a potpourri base. Hang orange pieced with cloves and enjoy wafts of spicy freshness. If all else fails during bleak seasons, treat yourself to a bunch of fresh flowers from the local florist. Maintain humidity levels reasonably well to keep plants healthy and hydrated. Close your eyes and enjoy soft music inspired by nature unless you are inviting real little birdies inside. It’s a wonderful element that can transport you away from day’s stresses and strains. Think of waterfalls, sea waves, leaves rustling, rain showers, violins, chellos, tinkering of piano keys and most soothing of all; the humming chorus. Now either dip into your bathtub or sit back in your overstuffed chair, feet propped up on a pretty pillow atop a painted old tree stump—painted a pretty willow green. There’s the smell of lavender in the air, and raindrops ringing in your ears. Courtsey: A.P. Singh
|
|
Comedy of Errors Punjabi Style
Here comes a pucca South Indian making a film in Punjabi and that is certainly not the sum of it for imagine this, Mai Tu Assi Tussi is veteran actor Rameshwari’s first foray into film production and she begins with the language of her very Punjabi in-laws! “This is our little big film,” she says outfitted in a green-blue cotton kurta and grey salwar, an ensemble that disarms with its sheer simplicity. “Small because one always says pyaari si choti si and big because it is has been a quite a production for me,” she laughs. Mai Tu Assi Tussi which boasts of an impressive star-cast comprising Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rakesh Bedi and Manmeet (of Meet Brothers fame) along with his charming wife Karishma Modi playing the lead quite in love is based on Shakespeare’s ‘Comedy of Errors’ and no please do not compare it to the Sanjeev Kumar laugh-a-minute Angoor for just the source of the story is the same, plead the cast (but notwithstanding the odious comparisons, both Kharbanda and Bedi essay double roles!) “The film is special because without making an obvious statement the film deals with national integration while taking a step or two towards the peace process with Pakistan,” explains Rameshwari in her opening introduction. But why a Punjabi film? “It is a safer option, for even if I fall it will be a comfortable landing,” she laughs, but on the serious note, she believes the film needed to be made in Punjabi. “It is not a made up comedy, it is situational and nor are the actors trying to be funny. They are very serious about what they are doing; their circumstances end up being funny.” Production is more fulfilling than acting says this spirited and warm lady and life has been one happy ride, albeit a roller coaster one she says. For Kharbanda, it is more about choosing from the roles he gets. “My journey started from theatre with Shyam Benegal’s Nishant but more than the roles it has been the whole process of making these films that has been memorable. With Deepa Mehta’s Water having just been released outside India, he is surprised how a film that faced so much opposition in India has now gone on to become one of Canada’s top grosser. Semi-retirement is how he describes his life but that does not include some big films in his kitty including the remake of Umrao Jaan and the sequel to Munna Bhai MBBS. Funny-man Rakesh Bedi’s mantra is perfect. “I am on physically on the heavier side but emotionally I am on the lighter side and you can only live with humour” he says when asked about yet another comic role in this film. As for the youngsters in the film Manmeet and Karishma—well the chemistry can only imitate real life for this happily married couple! The film releases world-wide on July 14. Till then smile in anticipation!
|
|
Garden of his dreams Life is one feisty art beat for this inspired artist.
From portraits to reforming a dumping yard, his repertoire croons to the
chant of “art for art’s sake.” Meet Kirpal Singh Kataria,
city-based artist garbed as a realtor who makes portraits of famous
personalities with coloured beads and pearls (an art form which he
believes is unique to him) and landscapes too, for he has transformed
the public space used as a garbage dump in front of his home into a
charming garden, all on his own steam. “I have never sold a single
portrait and nor did I expect anyone to pitch in with the garden. Money
comes and goes but doing something from the heart is far more
important,” says Kirpal. This artist is no stranger to recognition.
Portrayed with pleasure
His portraits of the Sikh Gurus, political
stalwarts like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi, Giani Zail Singh
and even the Sultan of Oman, among others, have found tremendous
favour. His visual rendering of former US President Ronald Reagan finds
place in the White House Collection no less, while tokens of
appreciation from people like the Sultan, Indira Gandhi and Zail Singh
are indicative of the uncanny likeness, depth and an eye for acute
detail, which Kirpal possesses. And it all began when he was a young
boy of eleven. “My youngest sister had a function in school and wanted
me to make something unusual for her. I made a portrait of Meera bai
with grains of dal and chawal and the bug struck,” he smiles. In the
offering are portraits of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia
Gandhi but his letters to them have gone unanswered, he says
disconsolately. Yes, there is also a long-cherished dream of doing a
portrait of actor Dharmender, who Kirpal admires tremendously! With
one simple calling: perceiving beauty in everything around him, which,
incidentally, even extends to dusting his home, his mantra is simple.
“The key is to have an interest in everything around us without
expecting anything in return and by remembering that no work is beneath
us and nor is it impossible to do things alone.” Grassy
affair
Rightly said, for one look at the garden in front of his home in
C Block in Panjab University and you can see the glory of nature
abounding—stoned pathways, a wooden bridge, bouncing dahlias, swaying
marigolds and grassy greens all around, all from being a garbage dump.
“I have an artist’s mind, so when I moved here, I could not bear
the mess. No one seemed to be bothered by it, so I decided to beautify
it.” Collective responsibility?
Does the lack of response bother
him? “People around do appreciate what has been done although I wish
people would not drive their cars over the grass, would not use the
garden as a short-cut to park. It is, after all, our collective
responsibility as a community to maintain the beauty around us,” he
says reflectively. “If everyone pitches in to make his or her own
surroundings clean, what a place India will be,” he muses aloud.
What started as a small venture in January 2004, took a whole year of
carpenters, masons, gardeners and even a lot of financial resources, all
from Kirpal’s pocket to build this space up. “I used to get up at
five in the morning to water the garden staying up as late as eleven at
night to tend to the place. I did not even go to the office during those
initial months,” he smiles. As we said earlier, art for art’s sake
with an artistic and inspired view of even the most mundane
vistas.
|
|
Campus
Cafe
String of tents in cheerful hues, colourful banners fluttering in the gentle wind, so many buoyant youngsters in jaunty tees over rugged jeans sitting behind the make-shift counters, others walking with their eager eyes fixed before their keen feet looking for the unseen — the carnival of admission is on in Panjab University. If you still haven’t seen action at the jamboree, worry not. You still have time. Just drive down the road twisting its way through the university’s familiarly unfamiliar surroundings. Reach the gazebo near the university enquiry and you will experience excited commotion around nearly half-a-dozen tents. Right guys, you have guessed it. The tents have been set up by the students’ organizations active in the university just to help all those fresh-out-of-college learners eager to gain entry into a world of academic excitement. But easily availability of help is not the only reason behind the ever increasing popularity of the stalls amidst the students. The spectator area gives you a glimpse of things to come not just in academics, but also in style. Sleeveless tops that rise up to the occasion every time the admission-seeking damsels bend down to jot details on the documents at the counter is not the only change you find. The jeans too are riding high. Just in case they are not short, the damsels fold them up nicely and properly, giving a leg up to fashion in the process. “The season is just right to dress up tactically,” says Radhu Gupta, all the way to Chandigarh from Amritsar for admission to the department of style, and English. “You see, the examinations are over and the seniors are yet to arrive. So why not make the best out circumstances. Once the seniors come and the ragging season begins, I am sure we won’t be able to trot in beauty….” Sounds cool, indeed! Be fashionable till the seniors don’t shine. After that, look sober for good one month or so and then rise again from the ashes of conventional style to fly again on the wings of vogue. Not at all a bad strategy! Anyway, this is not the end of core trend curriculum. Curt and jazzy scarves in cheery reds and yellows with broad floral prints have replaced
chunnis. “Scarves not only look chic, but also come handy,” says Natasha Verma, a graduate in Arts from Jalandhar here for the same purpose. “Rain or shine, you can even use them to protect your visage from the vagaries of weather.” Well, guys. That’s the way it is. Stop but don’t stare
Panjab University may be in full swing. But it’s time to relax for so many students at CITCO’s Stop and Stare in Sector 10 on comfortable tree trunks cut into seats. Right guys, the haunt is the latest scream amidst the students living life away from the tension of examinations. Just visit the joint anytime during the day and you will find the youngsters chatting and giggling their free time away. “You see, with the sun playing hide and seek with the Monsoon-like clouds, the weather is just right for a little tête-à-tête over a bottle of cold drink,” says Vidhu Sharma, a second year Humanities student in a local college. “To top it all, the place is just not expensive”. Folks, what are you waiting for! Get out and get going. — Saurabh Malik
|
|
To talk of Rani Balbir Kaur is to talk of theatre— theatre as it grew in this city of ours. Her’s has been a great contribution to the city stage and greater still if one views the personal hurdles and disasters that she has had to overcome to keep the show going. There have been many facets to Rani: a teacher of theatre, a singer, a director of plays and films, an actor and a loving and innocent small-town girl who by some magic has still her naiveté and vulnerability even now when she is grandmother to a school-going girl. Return of readings
Rani as chairperson of the northern chapter of the Kaifi Azmi Foundation organised readings of the autobiography of Shaukat Kaifi’s autobiography called Yaad ki
Rehguazar. The readings brought quite a few people as audience including writers like Virendra Mehndiratta and Kashmiri Lal Zakir. Rani says that she would like to revive the culture of readings back in the city. One recalls the old days when writers of the city would gather for the monthly meetings of Abhivyakti and read out their fresh stories and poems. Rani says that writers of all languages would be welcome. A beginning will be made by readings of the seniors like Zakir and
Mehndiratta. While many in the city had enjoyed reading the Da Vinci Code, yet the film left many cold. In fact some even slept through it enjoying the air-conditioned comfort in the hot weather. But there was one moment when people perked up and cried out : ‘Oh dekho
sardarji’. It so happened that as the camera panned over a chase on the road one got a split-second vision of a turbaned Sikh being driven in a car. This what can be described as the Sardarji syndrome. That’s why the inclusion of a Sikh can mean a sure success on the box-office in many pockets. The turbaned form also makes for a good subject to sketch and this week we have received a sketch of old KPS by a Toronto-based cartoonist called
Pratik. KPS is just one of the many turbaned faces he has drawn. Well drawn, indeed. — Nirupama Dutt
|
|
YOUTHSPEAK Firstly, the parking fee varies from place to place. While the standard rate is Rs. 2 and Rs. 5 for two-wheelers and four-wheelers, the rates go up to Rs. 10 in some places and still no security is provided. Secondly, in some places, the people who do not take a slip are not questioned but the parking personnel take the fee and let them go. Sometimes, they give the slip and ask you to pay later and if you misplace the slip, you are in for some trouble as they say that they have to keep the slips. But, they throw them away. Many times, they don’t even check the date on the slip, just check the colour of the slip and throw it. At times, one is issued a slip at the entrance but no parking space is there. This is a very frequent hitch and a very infuriating one too. In such a situation, they’ll ask you to park your car anywhere and leave it in neutral gear and when you come back, the car is not where you parked it. Sometimes one is told to park a four-wheeler where only two-wheelers can be parked and when the traffic police comes to tow it away, they don’t admit that it was their fault. The paid-parking is of literally no help but only a root cause for a lot of worry. There has to be something which has to be done but on which level and when is for us to decide. — Pankhuri Sood
|
|
NEW RELEASES The film will see newcomer Brandon Routh as the new superman of Hollywood. Brandon is excited about this movie because he has worked hard for action packed Superman Returns. Brandon will try to fill the gap after the demise of real super hero Christopher Reeve. The audience are keenly awaiting for the superman arrival. It will be released today at Fun Republic, Manimajra. Brandon Routh stars as Clark Kent (superman) in Superman Returns with a top supporting cast which includes Kate Boswovth, Kavin Spacey, Frank Lengella, James Marsden, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint and Parker Posey. Billed as the fast paced superman movie of the lot, this one has excellent special effects with dare-devil sequences that raises curiosity among the
viewers. — D.P.
|
|
Health tip of the day
In hypertension exercises, appropriate diet and medication can reduce blood pressure by 10 mm. These patients can say good-bye to medicines, otherwise daily medicines become as important as diet. — Dr. Ravinder Chadha |
|
TAROT TALK
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Collector’s delight
.jpg)
These are available in limited-edition prints and Divya of the Satya Paul outlet says, “ We ordered a very few and just four sets came here because not many of the buyers here would know much about Raza.” However, she was pleasantly surprised when inquiries started coming for the Raza bindu and rekha..jpg)
.jpg)
Syed Haider Raza with dancer Prerna Shrinali in Paris.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Before we set out to design the European concept of a garden room, let’s first deal with the doubts, which might have risen, in your mind. You don’t need to have a large house with separate room to enjoy the beauty of your garden room, and please, don’t discard the idea for the benefit of flat owners. Instead, it’s an area within your home with a garden theme..jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
But of all these facets, the ones most memorable are those of a singer and actor. Some of her brilliant performances in plays like
Hayavadan, Antigone, Sahiban, Rani Jindan, Ghasiram Kotwal and Mahiya Mera Thanedar are still etched out in the memory. Her most recent performance was of course in her play based on the life of famed Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi: Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Hasin
Sitam. There is no middle path for Rani as a performer. With her it is high drama, expressing a wide gamut of emotions and she is at best when she has a good director. So come September, one will get to see her in a one-woman performance with none other than M.S. Sathyu of Garam Hava fame as director. WE wait to see our Rani in her true mettle.
Sardarji syndrome
.jpg)
Time and again it has been witnessed, that the methods implemented by the administration for the convenience of the populace turn out to be a cause of inconvenience to them. One such convenience provided by the government is the concept of ‘paid-parking’. This one is the root for a lot of nuisance. .jpg)
After 20 years Hollywood’s super hero and ‘man of steel’ will be back with his new film Superman Returns. 
ARIES: Dear Aries, you may be a gentle soul but your impact can still be enormous. This is your chill out time, which is how you like it as much as possible. Previously illusive work falls in your lap. Find ways to reduce expenditure without affecting your standard of living. So avoid legal proceedings on Thursday. TIP OF THE WEEK: Be articulate to prevent people from making their own conclusions. Lucky colour: Olive. 
LIBRA: “The Princes of Cups” infuses you a romantic & dreamy moments. The successful phase continues to keep you in high spirit and you will attend to certain pending issues so as not to leave any lose ends. TIP OF THE WEEK: Do not let opposition faze you when you decide to walk the path you wanted to. Lucky colour: Burgundy.
TAURUS: ‘The Wheel of Fortune’ spins in some good luck, travel and opportunity in your life. A good time to make breakthroughs at work and changes at home. Defer property deals, stock marketing on Wednesday. Expectant mothers are assured of safe delivery. TIP OF THE WEEK: Do as many courses as you can to get ahead of others. Lucky colour: Ebony. 
SCORPIO: “ The Chariot” brings you face to face with truths & priorities. You may find ways to improve your lifestyle through new commercial and business efforts — or perhaps through the resolution of a health issue that has hindered you. Emotional matters may not be easy for you to handle. New friendships will develop. TIP OF THE WEEK: Lack of confidence or lack of caution can leave you in losses. Lucky Colour: Coffee. 
GEMINI: You will find it easy to express your feelings to your loved ones. The future is at your feet; if determined there is little that can block your path. Try to keep your ideas grounded. There will be several temptations to invest fresh projects or to speculate at the stock market but such tendencies should be curbed to avoid a set back. TIP OF THE WEEK : Take thing one at a time instead of multi pronged attacks. Lucky colour: Crimson. 
SAGITTARIUS: This is a week to be efficient, studious, industrious, and dependable. You will be able to create a cordial atmosphere at work. Take time off to keep yourself in a good health. Being diligent and “all business” now could open nice new levels of authority for you to occupy. TIP OF THE WEEK: You will receive a useful tip at the stock exchange which can be put to profitable use. Lucky colour: wine red.
CANCER: What are you worried about? The past does affect the present, of course, but it is time to heal the wounds of the past and live in the now. Keep your eyes open for hidden developments which could effect your long term future. Immediate boss is fussy on Thursday but do not take offence. Focus on meditation & Yoga. TIP OF THE WEEK: Listen carefully to words of wisdom even if you do not relish. Lucky colour: Wine red. 
CAPRICORN: On a more abstract level, it’s a time for learning, evaluating, and acting on your own especially your commercial value. Get the red tape and the unwanted paperwork out of the way. You can look around for the right place and enlist some of your friends to help you move. Stick to your diet and work to improve your health. TIP OF THE WEEK: Allow a sick situation blow over before you start a new project. Lucky Colour: Golden. 
LEO: Your card “The Empress” encouraging such a step, as a period apart will give you a better chance. Do not hide your opinions for it could annoy others. If you are willing to share ideas you will gain utmost satisfaction as previous experience has proved to you. Read a great novel or spend a few hours listening to classical music on Sunday. TIP OF THE WEEK: Do what is right and watch your best interests. Lucky Colour; Burgundy. 
AQUARIUS: Expect good news this week about money, business, work, education, health issues, or some other practical matter that may have been unstable or uncertain up till now. People in power will come to your assistance and you will find yourself moving in their circle. Romance would be rosy. Try to be a good listener. TIP OF THE WEEK: Take one step at a time and avoid being hurried and over anxious. Lucky colour: Yellow. 
VIRGO: You draw “ The Fool” you feel free, unburdened and happy. No matter how you try, you can’t fully control the object of your love without changing it into something different. The middle of the week you may face some drudgery, but don’t let it drag you down. Bolster your confidence on Thursday. TIP OF THE WEEK: Don’t waste an opportunity by not exploiting a contact. Lucky colour: Jade. 
PISCES: Emphasize your ability to be persistent, realistic, conservative, and responsible. Patience, methodical action, diligence, objectivity, and hard work could pay off nicely. Problems at work place can cause a lot of tension on Tuesday. Your mind will remain confused, as you would have to decide on your relationship. TIP OF THE WEEK: Balance and perspective will lead you out of a problematic situations. Lucky colour: peacock blue.