Jai ho in the jhuggi
Distant dreams or can the reel meet the real? We asked slum kids from the tricity about their take on Slumdog and India’s nite out at the Oscars
Slumdog Millionaire wasn't just a regular 'rags-to-riches' story- Not because Golden Globes first put the limelight on it, nor because 'BAFTA' had everyone talking about it, not even because Oscars have us literally 'obsessed to death' over it-it isn't just a regular 'rags-to-riches story'. Hope, triumph, achievement, poverty, irony, feat, reality, accomplishment, incredulity-which other movie took slum kids to Oscars? For a second, just for a second, let's put the arc light back to from where it began-the slum… it's kids…would they be ever millionaire? What do they think?

— Photos by Vinay Malik

Preeti, Sunil and Pankaj

Chhoti si aasha...
Is Rahman's Oscar outing a turning point for our music industry or is it just a moment of individual glory? Music makers and filmmakers speak out….
As the chants of Rahman tujhe salaam reverberate across the nation, they find a resonance among music makers and filmmakers from the tricity too. And the honours for A.R. Rahman and Gulzar throw up a host of issues. What does it mean for Indian music? Would our music have got this global acclaim if the film had been made by an Indian? wqe find out. . .

KODAK MOMENT: A. R. Rahman sings Jai Ho at the Kodak Theatre on Oscar nite. AP/PTI 

Fan mail
The city gets a slice of Junior Bachchan's life
The boy has grown up, and so has the paraphernalia, the number of fans and the security cover around him. So, when Abhishek Bachchan shows up at the Centra Mall for the promotion of Delhi-6, we expect nothing less than a full- fledged chaos. And pandemonium it was. However, everything is well that ends well. And if ends with a conversation with the star (thanks to a fellow journo who screeched her lungs out to get Abhishek's attention), while he is being escorted away, it certainly isn't a bad day at all.

— Photo by Manoj Mahajan

Hello, Someone there?
Crying babies, barking dogs, diving fighter planes, movie dialogues, filmi non-filmi songs, weird shayari, Shakira's seductive oomph notes…. The range of ring tones on mobile phones has certainly added spice to mobile communication. And if you are a King Khans fan then Don ko pakdna na mushkil nahin na mumkin hai caller tone could be a pick. As per a research, the ring tone on your mobile phone reflects your personality. Next time you select a ring tone or caller tone; make sure it says something of your taste and style.

Gaming Guru
He came, he spoke and he conquered the hearts of pretty girls. Aditya Narayan, the cute-looking anchor of Zee TV's singing reality competition Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is more than 224X7 jab, timely punches on the show. He in fact is the greatest gizmo guru alive!! At least this is what he says, when he ask about other interests that he has, in addition to music. "Ask me what I don't have in terms of latest gadgets," says Aditya, who is soon to debut in Vikram Bhatt's Shaapit opposite a new comer Shweta Aggarwal

Aditya Narayan

Touch me not
Touch screens could soon be history, for scientists have developed a new  communication platform, called the 'iPoint 3D', that just requires users to mover their hands in the air to do a variety of tasks-such as switching on the light, turning the stove on/off, and viewing any image from all angles. Using the iPoint 3D, people can communicate with a display through simple gestures, and that too without touching it and without 3-D glasses or a data glove.

Play way
Educational video games that have been designed keeping in mind certain criteria can be compatible with traditional methods of teaching in the classroom, reveals a new study. According to Pablo Moreno-Ger, lead author of the study from Madrid's Complutense University (UCM), educational and technological aspects can go together and prove to be effective on educational platforms.
Neighbours of Azharuddin Ismail, who acted in Slumdog Millionaire, gather to watch the 81st Academy Awards presentation on television outside their homes in Mumbai. Ismail, along with the other cast members of the film, are in Los Angeles for the Oscars ceremony. —Reuters 

Back to basic This model creates black magic in nine yards of colour and creativity. Lifestyle Photo: Kamal Kishore

Invention timeline
Invention Reaction hosts a whole host of new inventions and new invention patents. It includes the latest cool new gadgets, electronic gadgets and information regarding invention funding and invention patent submission. We aim to provide inspiration to all new inventors and try to uncover new invention ideas.

• Solar hands free gadget
• Surfster double black ice snow sled
• Solar-powered auto mower simplifies gardening

And the Cyanide begins…
They call it Cyanide and make it pretty obvious. Cyanide? Can't be the annual festival of literary or languages department. Got to be the brainchild of souls in white coats, experimenting in laboratories with acids in test tubes. Stereotypical reflexes! Only the events in Cyanide '09 were not as obvious. The brainchild of Department of Chemical Engineering & Technology, began with a bang…and a cause. — Photo by Pradeep Tiwari

Fashion redefined 
The weather is opening up to bright sunshine and clear blue sky and it gets along our desire to wear something flowy and dressy. And with the wedding, party and ofcourse the Oscars, why not talk of long ripples of cascading satin evening dress and flowing gowns. Though they have always been in vogue these gorgeous dresses are not only limited to the red or green carpet, but have found place in the city shops too. And defying the ubiquitous black and silver party dress, showing up in tantalizing hues and fitted silhouette try a daring dress for that sizzling hot look. “This season focus is more on cuts, but the gown and dresses that people are liking are more westernized than India.

— Photo by Parvesh Chauhan

Bling downsized
A white nite on the red carpet. The light look ruled the star parade
Refined but unapologetically glamorous, Hollywood’s biggest stars strode the red carpet at the Oscar awards with white dresses, bold necklaces and one-shoulder gowns among the night’s top trends.

Footprint Frieda
In a John Galliano gown, Frieda steals show at red carpet 

Hype or Hurray!
Fashion icon or media made? Fashionistas give their take on Frieda’s style at the Oscar red carpet 

Spice up
Back to back
Shahnaz Husain
Caring for the body is essential to look and feel good. Beauty is a total impact. Signs of neglect can really mar the entire effect. We moan at the sight of one spot on the face, but we go around with backs that have patchy skin, pimples, acne and marks. It’s high time we turned around and had a look at the back. Indeed, your back has every right to look as good as your face.