Fashion’s high point
When it comes to basic fashion essentials, a good pair of jeans always tops the list. An ultimate fashion accessory, they have evolved with the changing fashion scene and have yet maintained its charm. Then be it the no-nonsense straight fits to more hourglass type flared to boot-cuts and then classy gap jeans to the lean skinny ones they have been there and have altered their fits to suit a different flavour and style.

Designer Ritu Kumar (left) with the French Ambassador to India Jerome Bonnafont after being awarded with Legion d'honneur by him at a function in New Delhi  PTI photo: Atul Yadav

Bargaining to power
India has grown from being a cheap shopping destination to fashion power, says style guru Ritu Kumar after winning a French honour
The high priestess of Indian fashion, Ritu Kumar, feels India is no longer a place where foreigners come to look for the best bargains as it has made an exclusive place for itself on the global fashion map. "To put it candidly, India was always a place where people came to buy cheap. It is changing now. Along with China, India's fabrics, designs and textiles are going places.

Shooting star
Akshay says playing the character was not tough, but shooting for Chandini Chowk...was a difficult experience
Akshay Kumar got to do some heady action sequences in Nikhil Advani's forthcoming Chandni Chowk To China, but the action hero says fighting with Chinese martial arts master Gordon Liu was the toughest part of the film.

Script it right
Bollywood biggies in the field of writing, direction and production will come together to discuss the aesthetics of scriptwriting in Indian cinema in a two-day conference on screenwriting

Rab bacha le jodiyan
Bollywood has pinned high hopes on Rab Ne Bana di... and Ghajini
With Mumbai terror attacks taking away audience from theatres, Bollywood is keeping its fingers crossed over the fate of next two biggies Shahrukh Khan starrer Rab Ne Bana di Jodi releasing this week and Aamir Khan's Ghajini scheduled to hit the screens on Christmas. Since the 26/11 terror attacks, important small budget films like Sorry Bhai, Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye, Maharathi, Meerabai Not Out, Dil Kabbadi have been released to a dismal opening.

SRK and Anoushka in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

SRK whittles down promo of Rab Ne…
Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan has hoped his forthcoming release Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi will strike a chord with the audience for its simplicity. "I think people will love it for its simplicity. I have not played character like this which is both real and funny," he said. The film, which is Khan's first commercial release in 2008 after Om Shanti Om, is directed by Aditya Chopra opposite a debutant actor Anoushka Sharma. Appreciating Anoushka's work in the film, he said that she was the requirement of the story to make it realistic and she has done a good job.

The Chocolate factory
The rich, pure and dark mass of cocoa that melts into your mouth, leaving behind the heavenly taste and sinful cravings for more. Now, who wouldn’t want to leave behind all the luxuries of the world for some pure indulgence in a piece of happiness called chocolate? If one thing that can keep us away from chocolate is, well, chocolate itself. The sheer pleasure of having it doesn’t let us experiment with its taste. But what if you have options like, chocolate with garam masala or rose petals?

Patron of art
One movie old, filmmaker Shoojit Sircar is making a biopic on the legendary singer-actor-director, Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar loved to see himself as a patron of the arts and would often say that Satyajit Ray's critically acclaimed Pather Panchali would not have been made without his help. This is just one of the interesting anecdotes filmmaker Shoojit Sircar chanced upon while researching for his biopic on the legendary singer-actor-director. Do any of Kishore Kumar's fans know he had partly financed Satyajit Ray's career-making Pather Panchali? A fact Kishore Kumar never tired of reminding Ray about whenever they bumped into each other in Kolkata, said Sircar.

Kaun banega reality judge
After the trend of participating in reality shows, now actors and celebrities are gunning for the judge ki kursi
Rahul Mahajan, the celebrity participant of the recently concluded reality show Bigg Boss will now be seen judging Chote Miyan to be aired on Colours from December 13. Rahul joins noted actor-filmmaker Sachin Pilgaonkar in the panel of judges in the show, which will feature 13 kids who will try to outsmart each other in stand up comedy.

(L-R) Ritu Malik, (C.E.O), B. K. Narula (Managing Director) and Smita Singh (Faculty and head, JDTI)

Second innings
Wonder why the clergy, cleric, priests and prophets of the world haven’t yet officially declared jewellery as the forbidden apple and spring of the heinous sins in the world? For, can women not rob their paramour, kill their spouse, and even annihilate their significant other for the first love ooops the true love—trinkets. Let’s give a legal definition.

Peppy numbers
Another day, another self professed hit Punjabi singer— Preet Brar, who claims to be the duet king of Punjabi music industry released his new album, Poodna Returs on Wednesday at Press club-27. The album has 11 songs and the title track is Tera bada karara pudna. “It is a peppy number with meaningful lyrics”, says Preet about the title number. Having sung duets with Puja for the album, he feels duet songs are the trend in Punjab these days. Lal Kamal has given the music and lyrics are by Sukha38 Wala.

DIL MIL gaye!
A recent study reveals that mothers-in-law are a constant source of stress in women's life. But are all MILs really quirky? We find out 
She's one woman for whom hatred comes naturally. Ask any newlywed or would-be bride what scares her the most. The answer in all likelihood would be: Mother-in-law (MIL) aka monster-in-law.  But are MILs really that creepy. Well, a research carried out by Dr Terri Apter, a psychologist and senior tutor at Newnham College, Cambridge University, certainly indicates so. "Women find mothers-in-laws hardest to deal with, and the friction often leads to long-term unhappiness and stress," reads his study.

Daddies’ kids
Fathers play a significant role in bringing up children
Fathers who take keen interest in their child's education are likely to bring up well-behaved kids, according to a new study. What's more, kids with such fathers achieve better exam results, the research found. The study conducted by the Department for Children, Schools and Families found "consistent evidence" that a father's involvement plays a considerable part in a child's attainment. Studies have suggested that fathers are now more involved than they were in the 1970s, particularly for those with children under five.

Write to Renee
Home and hurt
I am 35 years old living in an abusive marriage for the last 15 years. I was married soon after college to a businessman chosen by my family. I have been fighting depression for the last few years. My kids are suffering as much as I am as my husband is into alcohol and drugs and also a compulsive spender. He has driven us into a very tight spot financially also apart from the fact that he is a social embarrassment. I am a qualified MBA and work with a small company but taking a firm step is a problem. Please advise.