CHANDIGARH INDEX


Taste of Tokyo
India's more home for Teruyuki Hoshina than Japan. And it's dal makhani that entices Mizuho Hayakawa to Punjab. Meet the Japanese delegates at the film fest…
How much do you know about Japan? Apart from, of course, sushi and Tokyo. Not much, we conjecture. Here's a chance to taste a slice of the Land of the Rising Sun, through the best form, cinema.

Teruyuki Hoshina and Mizuho Hayakawa. Photo by Pradeep Tewari

Photo by Pradeep TewariFlowers that fly…
Shhh… quietly, slowly, make sure you don't drag your feet while trying to catch it. And once your hands are on it, grab it as softly as possible so that you don't harm your pretty prey. No, we aren't talking of any serious hunting, just mentioning some tips to catch a butterfly. That was probably one of the most amusing pastimes we have all indulged in childhood. We talk about those winged beauties here again but for a serious purpose. The Chandigarh Museum and Art gallery will be playing host to the Dr. M.S. Randhawa National Mobile Exhibition that will showcase roughly 500 butterflies from 60 different species on November 22 and 23.

Picks & piques
Three’s not a crowd
The seeds of gay movement in Bollywood sown in KHNH( remember Kanta Ben) have finally blossomed with Dostana. The latest venture of Dharma Productions is an incredible eye-candy stimulating G (read gay)-spot to provide loads of pure cinematic pleasure.

Tarun Mansukhani's debut comedy Dostana stars Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra

Mock Tales
Reel-life beauties
Before we start for this week, here’s a moment of silence. Now if you are wondering what, this silent homage is for the recession victims, then that’s not my area of good judgment. The silence is in the memory of the mai baap of all soap operas Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which died a legal death last week. Having changed the face of Indian television, this sure comes as a sigh of relief for many of us, but then lets not forget its landmarks.

History, reloaded
Vinay Virmani, a recent graduate of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, will debut with the role of Canada’s first Sikh martyr Mewa Singh in Deepa Mehta’s upcoming film Komagata Maru. "The arc of Mewa Singh’s character begins as a young man of innocence filled with hope and ends with an enraged man transformed by anger into a seeker for justice. I wanted a fresh face to render this role and after much consideration I selected Vinay. He is talented, eager and passionate—qualities essential for the young Mewa Singh," Mehta said.

CART of living
Photo by Pradeep TewariThe concept of a health café cart, wherein nutrition and taste come packed in the same fare, arrives at Sukhna Lake
Health Cart finally has rolled in at the Sukhna Lake and opened to the public this Friday with healthy fare on offer. The Health Cart saw a swarm of tourists, Chandigarhites and children savouring the delectable fare. It boasts of low calorie and low white starch menu that includes an unending variety of vegetables and fruits, a blend of mixed grainy breads, bagels, foot longs, foccasia, bruchettas, open peis, tarts and the works.

Matka chowk
City of joys
I don't know many cities that have as many trees per square unit as Chandigarh. I often presumed that I knew a few things about horticulture and tress, but I ate a humble pie upon my arrival in Chandigarh. I found trees and flowers that were beyond my realm and the abundance of plants and greens here stunned me.

Playing different tunes
"The music has an infinity of extension while theatre offers scope for endless improvisations on stage and both being high and exalted remain close to my heart," claims the Jammu based young thespian and music maestro, Sanjeev Gupta. Rightfully honoured with the coveted National Sangeet Natak Akademy's Ustad Bismillah Khan Puruskar-2007 for excellence in theatre direction, Sanjeev is in city as a guest of Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademy for a presentation as music director of Natrang at the ongoing Chandigarh Theatre Fest.

Mitti da swaad
The Tawa & Tandoor festival brings alive a rustic ambience
Sizzling up the winter food scene, Hotel Shivalikview-17 began its annual TAWA and TANDOOR food festival on its lawns on Saturday. It's a two-day fare that has a rural Punjabi theme with mouth-watering ethnic delicacies for the veggie and non-veggie food lovers of the tricity.